YESTERDAY'S ADVENTURE, PART 2

Fingers crossed the end of Part 2 

will end as happily as Part 1 did.

Near the end of February, we contracted with a Pet Jet Flight Planning Services company, which would be responsible for flying Mike and me, our two dogs and a cat, one way to Roatan, Honduras. Expensive? Yes. $11,200.00 

The commercial airlines would probably accommodate Leo and Gizmo as carry-on (if you know cats, you understand my trepidation of flying for 3 hours with a cat who screams nonstop during car rides). But Rocco would have to be transported with the cargo. 

1. I don't think I could humanely do that;

2. The airlines have suspended that opportunity due to Covid restrictions. 

To get all of us to Roatan together and safely, we have had no choice but to charter a private flight. We felt very secure with Pet Jet Flight Planning and became friendly with the Ex-Pat pilot's wife through Facebook.

Yesterday was T-5 days to departure. 

At 5:07 PM, I received a Messenger audio call from Patsy with the bad news that her pilot husband has a medical condition that has rendered him grounded. Give that a minute to settle in.

You know that feeling when the bottom falls out? Yep.

Wednesday, we have to be out of this house as the new owner moves in. Where would we go with two dogs- one large and one small, and the cat who hates travel? 

Fortunately, one of the lessons we learn from life experiences that makes me sometimes really enjoy being over 60 is that things generally work out. 

One of my young sons, who has a sage soul, said this to me several months ago. It struck such a deep chord that I carry it close to my heart:

"Ehhh, things just fall into place as they should with that stuff, Mom. Just be sure you let it."

Patsy has contacted several other services she knows of and is keeping us apprised of their availability. And pricing. Which is astronomical now with such short notice. You'll have to private message me for the cost. I'm afraid my computer screen will shatter if I mention it here.

According to my brother, there is always a Silver Lining (we refer to it as the SL). Sometimes you have to look pretty deeply for it. In this case, the SL might very well be obvious:

Maybe.

Sadly, that opportunity also fell through. The company was not willing to transport a Doberman. Back to the drawing board.

It is just coming up on 11:00 AM, Saturday, April 10. We are supposed to arrive in Roatan in exactly 96 hours and have yet to learn how that is going to happen. 

"Ehhh, things just fall into place as they should with that stuff. Just be sure you let it."

4:30 PM- Contract signed with a new company.

The Hawker 800 will get us to Roatan, Honduras on April 14, 2021.

Relief.

Off to dinner now, with our kids and grandbabies, 

to say goodbye.

YESTERDAY'S ADVENTURE, PART 1

All these last-minute tasks! We had two accounts at the credit union. One we wanted to close and the other we needed some information. Such a seemingly mundane item to check off our list. Just goes to show you to always expect the unexpected!

We had a 9AM appt with a banker. Got there, checked in, and sat to wait. The seating happened to be right beside an office with a lady who was animatedly talking on the phone. Mike and I chit-chatted about how piled up her desk was with paperwork, and wondered if we were waiting to see her. Checked our phones. Looked around. Couple of loud sighs.

Pretty soon a worker came to us from the back offices and apologized for our wait, saying that our banker had to go to a doctor's appointment and that someone else would be with us shortly.

Waited some more and finally the lady in the office right beside us called us in. The whole masking thing makes me crazy because I can't hear well enough behind the plexiglass and masks, or read lips or facial expressions, and they can't see mine. Preaching to the choir, I know. Anyway, she was all business and said she needed some information because she was taking over for the banker with who we had scheduled the appointment. 

When we started to explain our situation, her eyes got huge as saucers as we told her we are moving to Honduras . . .and she said, "that's MY country, I'M from Honduras!" 

Then we said, "well, we're going to Roatan." And she nearly fell off her chair: "I'M FROM ROATAN!"

We went on with the discussion learning her family names, etc. Her father was born and raised in St. Helene. Her mother, in Roatan. And our banker, Alfa, was raised on Roatan.

I asked if there was anything we could take over for her, and she put her hand over her heart. Be still, mine. The love and longing she has for this beautiful country we are about to call home!

So think of this and know that the Universe is so much more than we know or can conceive: 

A lady who we did not have an appointment with got stuck with us in her already busy Friday morning. And she was calling us Family by the time we went our separate ways.