I found my Jingle Bell Jack book this morning! Right where I thought it would be. I have two copies, so I’ll bring the other copy when I see my sisters in October. I’ll set it aside now in the beach bin that we always take.
Incidentally, after spending hours and hours of research on new beach locations east of where we usually go, it was decided that maybe we should stick to the same place where we’ve gone before, near Ft. Walton Beach, on Okaloosa Island. The prices are much more reasonable than further east. Maybe we can take a day trip towards Pensacola or Orange Beach just to get a feel for things.
We decided to each have our own units instead of sharing. It gives everyone a place to go back to if things get unpleasant on day 3 or later. Hubby and I have always shared a unit with older sister and her hubby. Younger sister has wisely had her own unit with her hubby each time.
My older sister is undiagnosed bipolar, and she has frequent migraines. It’s not fun to be around her when she isn’t feeling well. Sometimes, it’s her own making, and sometimes it isn’t. Either way, I don’t like being grunted at when I’m being courteous. Hopefully, this trip will be fun, and if there are any differences, we can each have our own space to retreat to. I know she doesn’t wish it to be this way, but she’s unpredictable and not always under control.
My one difficulty will be that we will have to leave our one cat behind for so long. We discussed it at length whether it would be less stressful for him to be here by himself, and have the pet sitter come once or twice a day. He doesn’t ever come out to see her in all the years she looked after the cats. Last summer, he lost his brother to cancer. They weren’t litter mates, but had been together since they were a week or so old. For 14 years. We all grieved for a few months after brother’s passing. It was unexpected. Very aggressive cancer.
Anyway, we decided that two days in a car crate each way, plus a hotel stay 2 nights, plus a week in an unfamiliar place where we wouldn’t be around for several hours each day would probably be more even more stressful than being in his own home by himself. I hate that I couldn’t figure out a way to make it work. We could board him, but that would also be stressful, plus he’s gotten sick whenever we’ve done that in the past. Soon he’ll be 15. He’s holding his own, and I hope he stays with us a while longer.
You sound like you have a good plan. If you have had someone in the past come in and feed your cat he will probably remember. Sounds like the least stressful for him.