Friday, July 29, 2016; Departure: Close

I just updated my ToTake list.  (1155 words, 7 pages.) That means I am getting close, except for one thing, below.

Here are the finished and coming chores:

Advance planning and preparing:  Eight weeks; DONE

Get Defender ready to go: Weeks; DONE

Get Donner ready to go: Weeks; DONE(?)

Get myse;f ready to go: Seven months: DONE(?)

Do everything that needs to be done at home before I leave: Four days; DONE

Revise ToTake List: Hours; DONE

Set up packing stations: Hours

Pack: One day

Redo itinerary: Hours

Last Minute Supplies: Hours

Last Minute desk work: Hours

Prepare Defender: Hours

Load Defender: Hours

Check Out: Hours

On the Road

The one thing that could throw a monkey wrench into my departure, if not the entire trip, is Donner’s allergy-induced (or so I have been told) skin-infection.  Every day it gets worse, even after numerous trips to the vet and medication for five months.  He does not seem to be scrathing himself any more than he ever did, which was not but several times a day, probably because he has had this for years and it was untreated, so he has adjusted to it. But it is weighing heavily on my mind.  I will take hm swimming tomorrow so I can give him a good bath afterwards, and then continue packing. A new portable shower arrived today, so that will help.  But before I load the Defender, I will make a decision.  I cannot find myself 5900 miles and at least 15 days from home and then decide that it was a mistake taking the trip in his condition.  At least I know now that I have to do something extreme when I return, although I am not confident anyone knows what that is. Poor dog. This will not be the first time, though, that I have had to cancel or cut short one of these trips because of my dogs' situations I did so in 2003 (Erde), 2004 (Leben), and 2011 and 2012 (Leben again).  These thing happen. At least I know I did all I could do.  But I simply cannot believe that after four months of treatment, the vet checked him out two weeks ago and gave him a clean bill of health. Now, today, his problem shows up in about 60 places on his body.

One more thing.  My weight pretty mush stays the same, within a pound or two. But in the last four weeks, in getting ready for the trio, I lost 15 pounds. And if the trip goes off as planned, I can expect to lose another 20 at least. I think that's one of the 40 or so reasons I take these trips.

ED