Allie came in season early this month. Good she will be ready to be bred before Christmas and the breeding will be all done and over and I can be home for Christmas this year. Last year I flew out on Christmas Eve, arriving Christmas day and returning on the 27th to pick up Billie from her trainer. This was necessary because I was out of vacation days at work…imagine that. I always tell my boss it is those employees that never take time off you have to worry about! 🙂 So back to Allie 10 days out progesterone is still low, test again, slowly moving up, and again and again, fast approaches Christmas and finally a progesterone result that has numbers with some predictability as far as timing. I plan to leave for Germany on the 26th. Mos tells me I need to leave on the 24th. Oh man…I just hate to do this again two years in a row. I have no problems traveling by myself, but at Christmas, it does get a little melancholy away from those you love best.
Air travel these days is never easy, but I have to say this was. Detroit Metro was eerily quiet compared to normal. My regular Sky Cap was at home with his family so I ended up pushing my crate and luggage through the airport until one of the wheelchair people helped me out. Not a person in a wheelchair but one of the persons that push the wheelchairs around. 🙂 Once the Delta employees decided to help me, check-in was a breeze…they see a dog, the counter personnel get busy doing other things hoping if they ignore you, you will go away. I guess they don’t like doing the paperwork.
I was the only one at security and they directed me to the full body scan. I had a fit. One because it reminds me of an MRI and two, I don’t need people looking at the fat contours of my body. The TSA agents, I think they were bored senseless, showed me how the scanner has changed by going through it themselves and letting me see their images. The image that comes up is an avatar and looks the same for everyone and if nothing is flagged no image at all will show. OK I was cool with that.
Two hours to take-off I went to the Delta lounge. All the TVs were tuned to the Detroit Lions Christmas Eve football game against the San Diego Chargers. The atmosphere was festive and everyone in the lounge was cheering for the Lions. It was really fun, on to another win cinching a playoff spot (I think).
The flight to Franfurt was 45 minutes early due to a good tailwind, sweet. Picked up my rental car which I reserved online for just under $200. I was told that the insurance I paid for through carrentals.com would not be honored and I had to take their insurance at 17 eu a day and it is required another 11 eu a day for snow tires—never mind there isn’t a snow flake in all of Germany. My rental went from just under $200 USD to just under 400 eu which is closer to $600 USD. I had this happen before using carRentals.com do NOT use them! I rented an economy car so it was necessary for me to take the crate apart to fit in the car. No problem I was prepared for this and brought leather gloves to help give me some leverage for the tighter screws. All the screws came out easily except for one stinking one which was rusted tight. I went to get help and the car rental people just shrugged at me, like not our problem. I went back and tried some more, there was no way I was going to get it. I had to take desperate measures, I pulled the crate in front of the rental car employees and blocked the driveway…they had a choice, move me by force or help me. Note to myself in addition to the gloves include a small can of WD-40 in my luggage.
Two hours, it took to get my rental car loaded and to drive 15 km, crazy. I get to “Motel One” a German chain. Clean-modern rooms with internet. I stay at this motel frequently. I arrive at Noon. There is a total of two cars in their parking lot. The receptionist will not let me check-in. “Check-in time is 15:00 (3 pm).” Ok I understand, but I would like to check-in now. “You must come back at 3.” I didn’t argue anymore I have run into these type of German people who insist ” you must follow the rules.” Across the street is another motel and they will let me have a room immediately. Thank you!
I spent the rest of Christmas day sleeping and for dinner I found an open gas station and bought a package of cheese and a hard roll, this was my actual Christmas dinner. Monday morning the Grünewald’s treated me to a wonderful German breakfast and Allie met her beau. Allie LOVED him! Really she did. They first met between a fence, her tail was wagging so fast it looked like a propeller, that is when she wasn’t backing herself into the fence. The breeding was super easy, Franco is an excellent stud dog and the timing was perfect. Mos you were right…again.
That evening (Monday) I found a good German restaurant, the Isenburger Hof, Neu-Isenburg, and treated myself to a Christmas-goose dinner, delicious.
served with glacé chestnuts
Dessert was on house.
I know you had to fly but what an ordeal! Separated from your loved ones, and dealing with the TSA, car rental hassles, hotel staff, and a cheese sandwich on Christmas day! That goose dinner looks wonderful, but can’t compensate for all that. Maybe I missed something, but what are you and your large crate doing over there?
Hey this was a breeze compared to most of the hassles you go through traveling with a dog. I am over here with Allie, it was an arranged marriage, and no I have not talked about it so you did not miss anything. I will be filling you all in.
So I assume Allie did not have any issues w/the TSA check thru. I would not want to be the agent that offended her sense of privacy. LOL!
You were in my thoughts this Christmas. I know it is hard being by yourself this time of year. At least the breeding was successful. Safe journey home.
Have a safe and easier trip home. I hope there is a delayed celebration waiting at home.
Irene, do you forget who I am married to?
LOL…
Wow that sounds too hectic for me! I have to hand it to you Julie, I feel
weird eating by myself in a McDonalds, I guess I’m a herd human. 🙂
I enjoy watching people so it gives me a chance to observe and listen in on conversations.
Do I see red cabbage by that goose? What happened to the apple and prune stuffing?
no prune stuffing, but an excellent gravy and the lumpy applesauce didn’t make the photo….the applesauce was the best ever.
I would have been happy with the lumpy applesauce and goose. I haven’t had goose since I was a kid.
Just the usual problem with American food: we process the taste out of everything. Real potatoes sometimes have a few lumps too, but they do not taste like the kind made out of potato powder and water. Maybe there is a reason the dogs prefer real raw bones?
Wurden die glace Kastanien lecker wie sie erscheinen?
The desert looks great, too! I think I’m getting hungry.
They were good. The goose was excellent. I could not decide which I enjoyed accompanying the goose best, the chestnuts, the red cabbage, or the lumpy applesauce. All were a super compliment to the goose, so I just kept rotating. The red cabbage was some of the best I have had.
A friend of mine has made it a mission to find red cabbage that tastes like that we had
in Germany, here in the US – but it seems to be a hopeless mission.
Ever notice I always show up when the subject is food?
My sister-in-law is German and when she visits us in NY she goes to our local Wegmans store to stock up on red cabbage. I will try to remember to ask her the brand.
By the way she lives in VA now, not Germany-was not sure if that was clear in the earlier email.
If you are able to find the brand it would make a great gift for my friend, thanks.
Garth
Hello Garth!
Happy New Year! Where’s some pix of Da Boys Up North???
Merry Christmas, Julie and Allie! Or however they say it in German. It probably sounds scary in German. You were right not to challenge the rules. The only place I’ve been to that liked rules as much as Germany was Israel, which is kind of strange when you think about it.
When the body scanners first came out last year, I was flying home for Thanksgiving from Dulles. I wore leggings, with the hope they’d let me go through the normal metal detector, as I was obviously not carrying anything on my person. No luck. They had me strip down to my tank top, and the woman prodded me around the waistband. “Are you wearing a belt?” she asked me. I told her, “I’m not even wearing real pants.” That made her laugh and she waved me through. The whole thing was quite intimate.
“The only place I’ve been to that liked rules as much as Germany was Israel, which is kind of strange when you think about it.” yeah that is rather ironic….
Oh Julie, what a nightmare, well, apart from Allie’s breeding of course. When Mum was going through a tough time towards the end of her life, I flew back to England every four to six weeks for about three years (I have a very understanding boss!). Traveling and eating alone never bothered me, but there again, I never actually flew on Christmas Day.
Sounds better than the “east” German adventure. I think with this group – all ya gotta do is send out a shout and you’ll have all your bloggers with you – even on Christmas. We’re there – cuz u do what u do. It’s all about the dogs. Look at it this way – HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Julie,
I want to tell you how much confidence you gave me. To read about you, a woman, managing the problems and conflicts of air traveling with a dog, the unhelpful nature of the car rental, and then, being exhausted, taking the nastiness of the motel in stride and telling them to literally ‘shove it’… I’m telling you I love it. It gave me confidence that I also could take Nikko on a plane (I want to visit a friend in Alaska with him) and a ferry (she’s in Haines) and manage any conflict that came my way as you did, is very freeing and hopeful for me. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I’m so glad Allie was happy with her guy.
What was so great about the Lions eating up the Chargers? I think the real Chargers were still in San Diego enjoying sunshine, the beach and giant margaritas. They missed the flight and contacted the teams Hollywood agent to provide stunt doubles for them in Detroit.
Lol !!! Our Chargers stink unfortunately. 🙁
Your description of Allie’s first encounter with Franco was so cute – sweet, funny, and joyfully full of what life is all about! Most of us (if we’re lucky in love) have at one time or another had the kind of experience that enables us to relate to Allie’s enthusiasm. I can’t wait for updates on Allie!
Andy and I were out eating at a Chinese restauant tonight and I showed him the food pics, now he wants goose. I was like “where the hell do I find goose in Dallas?” Instead, I will make him a $5 whole chicken tomorrow. 😀
Safe flight to you and Allie. Franco sure is handsome.
You can catch one of the ones that are fleeing from us in the north to warmer weather.