pet connection

In about three hours, I’m hopping into the car and heading for Southern California, where I’ll be the guest of our publisher at the Breeders Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. In the final race of the two-day series, if our publisher’s horse Go Between wins, look for me in the Winners Circle. Next to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Well, near, since there are about 30 of us in the publisher’s group.)

Yeah, I’m kinda jazzed.

But I’m always overwhelmed when I’m getting ready to leave home. Dogs, cats, parrot and now chickens: It’s a heckuva lot of pet care, and worry when I’m gone. Even though my pet-sitter is the best anyone could ask for: My neighbor Judy, who has raised and shown dogs all her life, is a veterinarian’s daughter, and has owned and run both a boarding kennel and grooming business before retiring. To say she can handle it all — and has seen it all before — would be an understatement.

She herself has about the same menagerie I do: a couple cats, a couple more than a couple dogs, and chickens who are related to my own.

Still, I worry.  Just because. I mean, really, what if the levees break while I’m gone?

Gina. Gina. Gina. Judy has a boat!

OK, so … I have organized all the food and other edibles. The litter boxes are clean and freshly filled. The parrot and chickens are covered. Phone numbers and instructions galore available, even though Judy has them all already. My darling veterinarian alerted to my absence, just in case.

Time to pack and go watch some horsies.

I’m not even bringing a laptop. I vow to be blog-free until Sunday. Christie and Kim will keep up the side, no doubt.

In the meantime, let’s try that poll thingy again: