THE UNFRIENDLY SKIES

More kvetching. We flew from Denver to NYC. The first flight with the dogs. It wasn’t a total disaster, but it was pretty close. If you think security lines at LAX are long, try Denver. I’m not exaggerating when I say we must have gone up and down a half dozen flights of stairs plus a shuttle to the terminal. The plane was two plus hours late taking off. The dogs were great the entire time. Then we got on the plane. It had to be one of the smallest jets in the US. Even the lovely man sitting next to us, a novelist on book tour, commented on it. And he was gentile! Half hour into the flight, Kukla, the one we weren’t worried about because he’s so chill, went mental. The dogs were each in their doggie carriers. At home, it’s Kukla’s favorite spot. But not today. We’d given each a doggie valium (prescribed by our vet) and apparently Kukla must’ve been having a paradoxical reaction. Instead of being calm, he was psycho. That of course, starting Tootsie whining. Jim put the carrying case with Kukla on his lap for the remainder of the nearly three hours. Kukla kept his head out of the case, while Jim LITERALLY petted him the entire flight. Tootsie slept on my lap, under my jacket. I spent the three plus hours contemplating why and how I ended up in this situation. (If my mother could only see me). The flight was interminable. It felt longer than flying from LA to Morocco. If only life in general went that slowly I’d still look like I was 18. Neither Jim nor I did anything but stress the entire time.  We finally got to NYC where it was raining, making it the sixth day in a row of rain. Fortunately, I have a completely different attitude toward rain than I once had. Rain seems like such a luxury! I adore it. We even use a rain app to rock us to sleep.

At LaGuardia, while Jim waited for the 600 pound plastic suitcase, I waited outside with the dogs, who by now were both out of their cases and on leashes. The second I put Kukla’s case down he jumped into it! I couldn’t believe it. The whole fucking flight he wanted out and suddenly he wants back in.

Complaints over. Or at temporarily suspended. We’re in Battery Park staying with old, dear friends, Debby and Michael. We had an incredible meal at the River Café where we celebrated their wedding anniversary and Jim’s birthday. The food was sublime. Our days of eating at Vinny’s and Burger King are behind us. From here on and it’s calories that come from butter, chocolate, cream and alcohol. I’m looking forward to tomorrow (haha) when we get to go the vet because the dogs must be seen 120 hours PRIOR to our international flight. From there it’s out to JFK so the papers the vet filled out can be checked and approved. IF there is a error we have to go back to the vet and get it corrected. If there’s an error the vet won’t live to see another day. It’s nearly 2 AM and to look at these two sleeping little creatures, it’s hard to believe they could such major pains in the ass. For the flight to France, I’m taking the bloody doggie valium.