Postpone Play?

2024 is quickly becoming a lot like 2021 turned out to be. With a few exceptions. But basically, my pet’s and my plans for meeting keep being pushed back due to circumstances. First, my wife’s and my summer vacation keeps having to be rescheduled, which causes issues with the timing of my pet’s vacation here, and then I’ve been having unforeseen medical issues (kidney stones) that have been causing problems since late January.

It’s now early August and for the most part the kidney stone problem has been addressed. I had a lithotripsy done on the left kidney, where the 8mm stone was reduced to atoms, (ok, dust) and I have a follow-up appointment scheduled for early October. My wife and I may be going to Pennsylvania in November to make up for the vacation we had to postpone last month.

Which of course leaves one unaddressed issue. Is my Pet going to be able to visit this year? Like in years past, we’ve wanted at least 2 visits, considering the distance she lives from here. One visit a year isn’t productive, there’s little chance of ‘progress’ per se in a relationship when you only have a few days to enjoy one another’s company face to face. Every minute is precious, and now that we have to divide our time between me here and she at the hotel, it makes every moment we’re together that much more treasured.

And the hits keep on coming. This past weekend my kitty, Bella started to have an issue with her tummy and digestive tract. It started Saturday night with a hairball and worsened by the next day to the point where we had to take her to an emergency vet. Come Monday we were at a local vet for another emergency appointment, so now we’re babysitting and monitoring a sick cat, and hoping she starts to get better (she’s slowly getting better, but she’s not eating like she was previously). Now it’s Friday, and she’s on the mend. $1500 later, they haven’t been able to determine what caused the initial problem; but she’s on different food and an appetite stimulant, and that should carry us through the weekend. So that’s that.

So with the kitty thing handled, we’re getting back to the ‘when’ of the whole issue. And unfortunately that’s a sticking point, as we have a window that we have to keep in mind. She lives far enough away that she doesn’t have to deal with snow and ice while driving as much as I do here, so driving here (for reasons I’m unable to travel to her) can’t be done past say late October or early November, and the window opens once more in early Spring, say late April.

Consequently, we’re trying to plan it around my continued medical appointments, hoping that we can get it in before the snow flies. Even a quick and dirty weekend trip would be acceptable at this point, just to be able to see one another, (it doesn’t even have to be play at this juncture, we discussed that as well, and are both on board with the idea of just being able to see one another face to face for a couple of days) and spend the time in one another’s company.

Anyway, more to come when we have some resolution here. Until then, it’s sort of wait and see.