Yeah, I know, it's just that with Apache's advanced years she has become more needy. Thanks, all, for your kind thoughts. When she sees suitcases come out she curls up in a tight ball on the sofa and won't look at me. Talk about putting someone on a guilt trip! :mecry:

Oh, how nice it is to know there are others worried about their pets when they leave. Marcie, I remember how worried you were before your first world cruise. Kathy, like you we have a petsitter who stays at our house, but this time it will be a new petsitter as our long-time and much beloved sitter and friend passed away a couple of months ago. CROSS will be the longest we've every been away, and I can't help being a bit nervous. This issue has been the only slight "down" of planning and anticipating CROSS. One of our dogs is particularly sensitive, and I worry about whether she will totally fritz out. Shirley, I understand your extra worry with an elderly dog.

We do the same with suitcases! Last minute because of the anxiety it causes.

That's one of the reasons why we haven't acquired another dog since our dear Shadow died. Just could not leave a puppy for at least the first year, and would hesitate to leave a geriatric dog as well in a kennel (Shadow loved her kennel.) But having your daughter look after your dear whippet should give you peace of mind; I'm sure Apache will be fine.

At the moment I have a cat, and am lucky enough to have our son come and cat sit for us when we're gone. Cats are fine as long as they can stay in their homes, although he does seem to miss us a bit. Nothing like a dog, however.

Shirley, I will be so interested to hear about your whippet. I always have heard such good things about their personalities, but I never have known one personally.

On board they have Friends of Bill, Friends of Dorothy - Should they not have Friends of Lassie, Snoopy and Garfield?

I agree, Kathy--we could all pass around pictures and cry into our glasses about how much we miss those little (and big, in my case) creatures.....and how many of them are going to
treat us upon our return (backsides only to us for a week).

Gosh, you guys, you are almost making me cry. You are touching my heart with all your kind words.

Kathy, sounds like a good idea to me. Kind of a support group.

Pricilla, I can tell you all you would want to know about Whippets. I've had them since 1971 and showed them for many years. I don't have any show dogs now, a knee injury knocked me out of the ring a few years ago. Can't run pell mell anymore. I do miss it.

Shirley :lct:

Shirley,

I am very happy to discuss BOB/Best Opposites/ and Winners/Veterans/Puppies Class etc. My first dog show, someone handed me a leash and yelled to go in the ring with a dog I did not know. I'd never even attended a show. Someone else rescued me, thankfully. That dog went on to win some major awards. And I can talk dog rescue too. That is what really tickles my heart these days.

Kathy, what an initiation to the dog show world.
Oh what fun to have someone to talk to about dogs/shows. I'll send Sandy off somewhere, that's one thing we do not have in common. She likes dogs, just has no interest in the show end of it. I will stick a pic in of my very beautiful Whippet that went to Madison Square Garden. She didn't make it to Best in Show but did go Reserve WB in the breed competition. Still quite a thrill. Rescue is also dear to my heart. My greyhound was a rescue as well as my little Apache. Remind me to tell you her story.
It's gut wrenching.

Shirley

Shilrley,

I guess we can discuss during the cocktail hour while drinking, Salty Dog's or Greyhounds or a Hair of the Dog!

Kathy, you either made those up or you are going to have to really enlighten me. Or, maybe I should just stick to my cosmo.

Really, Shirley - they're real - Vodka or Gin and Grapefruit juice is a Greyhound and a Salty Dog is the same with a salt rim. Can also make it with Tequila like a Margarita with Grapefruit juice and salt instead of lime juice....Actually, almost like a cosmo with Grapefruit juice instead of cranberry....add some Cointreau. Are we there yet...?

Okay, I guess I need to broaden my horizons at the bar scene a bit. Will give it a go. Actually, the Greyhound sounds pretty good.

Not that I'm getting excited - OK, I fibbed..We really are getting excited! We leave 4 weeks from today!
:woh:

Us too Denise, can't wait.

Gotta keep this thread bumped everyone, its our turn now!!!

Oh boy we leave 5 weeks from tomorrow! <img border="0" alt="[bounce]" title="" src="graemlins/ubbbounce2.gif" />

Two weeks from tomorrow for us!

Nini

The excitement is really starting to build to a fever pitch. If my calculations are correct, we can book restuarant reservations on the 13th. I have a post-it note on my computer. Along with other notes posted here and there. Now all I have to do is remember to read the notes. Duh!

Nini, you get a head start on all of the rest of us.

Shirley

4 weeks for us tomorrow!!!!! And exactly 1 month till the cruise starts.

Shirley,

I thought you could reserve restaurants 4 weeks prior?

Uh oh...too much work to do in 4 weeks time! Oh well, that ship won't sail without me on it! I can't believe after 2 years of planning a crossing it's finally here. I rebooked the 2006 Funchal-Florida to do the Grand Crossing this year instead....wow.

I think we can reserve restaurants this Friday.

I think so to Kathy, I made a note to try reservatons on Friday, and again Saturday if it isn't opened up on Friday.

Oh how exciting that you will be able to make your dinner reservations THIS Friday! :banana:

With so many LCT'ers going on CROSS I am a tad bit afraid I will never keep everyone straight as to who's who! :ohmy:

Sure you will Sue!

Another dog rescue person here, Shirley and Kathy. We'll have lots to talk about. We're not show people but have had a little exposure to that world also. Enough to know Reserve WB is quite a accomplishment with your whippet, Shirley, at Madison Square Garden. I assume by that you mean Westminster?

Sue, I know what you mean about keeping everyone straight, but I bet after just a couple of days we won't have a problem -- at least I hope not!

As Maria already pointed out, we embark one month from today!!!!!!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Sue&TomInGeorgia:
<strong> Oh how exciting that you will be able to make your dinner reservations THIS Friday!

QM2 docs just arrived - can Voyager be far behind?

Nini

Sue--You're doing CROSS and then the December Florida cruise? How wonderful!

Reserve is pretty special at Westminster. Daisy's uncle "Garth" (Fred and Pat's dog's sire) and Daisy's Dad "Blake" both got the Award of Merit at Westmister a few years ago. It was very exciting to watch it all. But that's not a great life for most of the dogs.

You are all so right and I am so wrong. I was thinking it was 21 days for reservations and it's 28. Wow, that's this weekend for sure.

Kathy, my Bristol was completely owner handled (me) until Westminster and I put her with a handler only for that event. I then retired her to motherly duties. She was always with me and never away from home. She was amazing, she would walk into the ring and her whole demeanor would change. It was like "Hey look at me".

Maria, you better not mention dancing on the table to Sandy, she would more than likely join you. A number of years ago she almost did that at a restuarant until I pulled her down. Funny story, I'll tell you when we see you.

Shirley

Shirley,

I can tell you a story or two about that behavior. It's really amazing to watch them - they know they are special. My Daisy was Toto in a professional Wizard of Oz production and was asked to do it again at the Starlight Bowl last summer. I had to say no the 2nd time, but, the behavior was the same as watching a dog go in the ring. I was so proud of her. I blogged it here on LCT so if you search for Toto you'll find the threads.

I can't wait to hear! LOL!

Strange things happen when the wine flows freely..... :)

Oh yeah!!! Most definitely Maria!!!

OHHH more great tales and pictures girls!! I will have Cross and my morning tea - isn't Panda a delight with coffee/tea??? Especially here in rain flooded northern Florida - we promise to send seamail from Lamb

That's got to be quite a story, Shirley, if you're not posting it on LCT!

And, here, Maria, I thought you were quiet and demure! I assume we will need to give you a rose to place appropriately when you do your table-top flamenco!

OLE!

Denise, there would be nothing wrong in posting it on LCT, it's just funny and rather lengthy. Besides, if we "disclose" all now, what's left for the cruise? Sandy and I love to tell tales on each other. Of course, they may only be funny to us.

Shirley :3smile:

Shirley and Sandy "sistahs!!!!" You remind me of the other "sistahs", Suzie and Marilyn, who are incredibly fun loving and great cruise companions - to all the "sistahs" :app: :app:

Hey Diane - yes we are doing both cruises and I am so excited! :banana: The long weekend cruise was done on a whim...we go out to dinner once a month with some friends and I told them for our December dinner we should do the cruise and they said "why not"! :)

Anyone I see dancing on tables I will call Maria...if I am on the table I may have to change my name to Maria, too! :p

I just photographed an event where I was actually standing on the table. If there is music at the same time, I might be dancing on the table with my camera...

Sue, that's funny. When all else fails, it's just "hey you". Interesting though, how association can go a long way in remembering names etc.

So....Maria better be dancing on the tables early on or no one may know who she is. Maria, you have your assignment. Go for it!

Just caught this message, Kathy. You are up there also. Oh, my gosh!!!!!!