Moving Day
We're in Honolulu.
I jump out of our rented Dodge Ram pickup–necessary for hauling the stretch 700 doggie transport doggie kennel from Continental to Aloha Airlines to see if Bear can be checked in early. We leave at 7:30 on Hawaiian, he doesn’t leave until 9:00. Because Bear, Daughter D’s Newfoundland dog, is over 150 pounds he must go Cargo, and that from Honolulu to the Big Island is Aloha Airlines.
Daughter D jumps out with Bear to give him a last minute bathroom break.
Husband Dear decides to be of assistance, leaves the motor running to keep the truck cool, closes the truck door, and the doors lock.
Baby D is sleeping in his car seat.
He’s locked in.
We’re locked out!
Peaches, our poodle, is loose in the truck, Hope, the cat, is in her carrier.
Daughter D, in a panic, runs into the Cargo building to see if they can call the National car rental company. I call 911. Shortly sirens and a big green fire engine blaze down the road, and like the military exiting the ships at Normandy, about 8 firefighters, swarm over the truck. Thus begins the arduous process of trying to break into a truck that is built like a tank.
One might think that firefighters could break into a vehicle instantly, but so as not to damage the truck, they are careful using leavers, snakes, I don’t know what all. They pry and pull until finally one brilliant firefighter manages, with a long pole, to push down the automatic window button. The window opens.
One of our saviors opens the door, and Happy, happy, happy, Daughter D is united with her child.
Baby D, who was sleeping in his car carrier the entire time, awakened wondering what all the fuss was about.
Peaches didn’t bark at the men breaking into the truck as I was alternating my stare from her to the baby the entire time.
Daughter D and I, however, lost 6 of our nine lives.
We began the journey the day before by driving from Eugene to Portland to send Bear off on Continental, the airplane that would take him, and the one where we could make connecting flights in Honolulu, a necessary stop to retrieve the animals from Quarantine. We spent the night in Portland in a Motel, and the following morning, each of us schelping two of the biggest suit cases allowed, plus carryon’s, plus Peaches and Hope in their hard airline approved carriers, we made out way to the airport.
We were like the Beverly Hillbillies with present time update.
We fly the 5 ½ hours to Honolulu, retrieve the animals, go through the procedure of renting the Dodge truck, eat sushi from a little carry out place. (It was really good, and inexpensive–that delighted us, as most everyone tells us how expensive it is to live in Hawaii), and deposit Bear at Aloha Airlines. Now we can carry Peaches and Hope in soft carriers and they travel as carryon luggage to the seat with us.
We rented a hotel in Hilo–if you come to Hawaii stay in Kona, not Hilo. It is old Hawaii, rather run-down, and not dog friendly. The animals had to spent the night in the mini van. I got up early to check on the temperature.
We didn’t want to go to our house dead tired and in the middle of the night.
Our first day.
To be continued....
