Denver and Beyond

We Are Here

Since my last post, one week has disappeared from our lives.  Yogi and I arrived in Liege, Belgium, a little worse for wear but we seem to be bearing up admirably....sleeping a lot, though.

We will have more to say about the trip but this post is a paean to airlines.

Arriving at Denver's overly large airport I really felt that Yogi-dog needed a potty break before boarding the plane for our 5 hour flight to Boston's Logan Airport.  But the logistics of taking the train to the main terminal, walking the dog, then going through security wouldn't allow us to get back to our gate before our plane left.

A Southwest Airlines gate agent came to our rescue after hearing our story.  She called a supervisor who took Yogi-dog down the long steps beside our plane, ran him and allowed Yogi to do that leg-lifting thing that he does best, then brought doggie back to me, emptier and happier.

In Boston, the Iceland Air personnel took the kenneled, unhappy little dog into their back office, keeping him somewhat mollified until it was time for him to get stuck in the plane's cargo compartment.  All other airlines have let him languish on the tarmac with the other luggage.

So Yogi and I would like to thank the kind employees of Southwest and Iceland Air.  A long difficult trip was made a little easier by your thoughtfulness.

River Traffic on la rive Muese (yes, that is a car on the aft end)

Countdown

One week from today, a mere 7 days, Yogi dog and I will be winging our way towards Belgium and our Echo boat.  My family has been extraordinarily hospitable but I wanna' go home and our modest, little boat is just that....home.

Although, from what I have heard and seen, the modest boat is becoming less so.  Dwight has been working very hard.  Look what he has accomplished.

A seat, a seat

With storage space, space, space

Our Echo was missing so many things that make life aboard easier and enough stowage was a big one.  Dwight deserves a huge pat on his back for building the settee.  Lumber is so expensive in Europe but if you happen to be in a marina where someone is upgrading a rather large barge and if you do a little dumpster diving all kinds of good wood will be at your disposal, well, maybe not all kinds but enough to build a great little settee.  And, if you are lucky, you also have a generous neighbor with a few power tools.


Dwight also has another surprise for me but he won't tell me what it is.  This is the first time in his life that he hasn't blurted out a secret.  I will lay odds that he won't be able to contain himself for another week.

Now there will be no lazing around getting over jet lag for me when I get to the boat.  We'll have to find fabric, foam and stain so that I can match the settee to our wood and sew cushions and pillows for comfort.  My nice little European sewing machine is going to get a work out....me, too.

Dwight's even put the right name on the boat

Awwwww