It's been at LEAST eight years since I've had to schedule a business trip of any substantial importance.
That would be because for most of the past TEN years I haven't spent much time doing any business--if you don't count fiddling around in real estate investment or doing a little part time injuneering consulting.
The balance of my time since the year 2000 has basically been spent sitting on a boat or in a chair beside an ocean or swimming pool when the temperature was above 70degrees outside and the sun was shining (the other hours spent pretty much doing nothing except sitting in front of the computer looking at the WWW.)
Not so any more--not for the past seven months--any way, and thus the genesis of my current scheduling situation.
You see, a couple of weeks ago I went out and purchased a NON-REFUNDABLE travel package on Hotwire which takes me to Indianapolis on Monday after the work day ends to spend a couple of days attempting to finish up one of my forensic injuneering projects by staring at a bunch of my fellow rocket scientists while they dis-assemble and test an electro-pneumatic control valve (also known as a "do-hickey" in lay men's terms.)
Because of a disastrous upheaval Thanksgiving evening in Pennsylvania about eight hours to our north east by car, on Saturday we're now faced with the pre-planned trip to transport my mom back to my sister's house in Georgia in time to return and get Pat on a flight at dawn on Sunday morning on her way to a funeral.
I'd love to cancel my early week business enterprise and make the PA trip into a family affair, but since there's no one else to cover the proceedings in my absence it looks like Missy the Turbo Pup and I will be forced to make do without Pat for a couple of days before my departure, and then Missy will reluctantly be forced to spend her first over night adventure...
HOME ALONE
...with her new friend and neighbor Sheila stopping in every four hours or so to make sure she's not
I guess in the end that the humans in our household will be little worse for the wear when things finally return to normal Wednesday evening, and I hope our little Turbo Pup understands our refusal to expose her to the "K-9 boarding experience"--particularly on such short notice and with no opportunity to review our options.
She'll be fine I'm sure.
(BTW...your prayers for Pat and her family are appreciated)
1 comment:
Many moons ago, I was a travel agent. Let me share a secret with you-airline tickets are NEVER completely NON-REFUNDABLE. If its a package, you may lose out on a hotel deposit, but the airline portion could be changed for a change fee, plus any difference in the fare. It may take a long drawn out phone call, but a change can be done.
You could write the loss off as a business expense on your taxes, if you feel like Pat needs you to go with her.
Take care.
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