Loose Ends
Five days to go until launch, and the loose ends are still dangling. Off the top of my head…
Jax now has an EU passport, which lets him travel freely through EU countries—but Turkey isn’t one of them. I’m told there could be issues getting him across the border unless we have a valid rabies titration test (done, but takes 30 days to process) and an EU re-entry certificate, which is a bureaucratic black hole. We’ll also need a paper version of that certificate in hand, which means Monica has to retrieve it in Porto. Then there’s getting him cleared to re-enter the EU afterward. Small dog, big passport problems.
Renting a car long-term isn’t as simple as you’d think. Turns out Hertz offers monthly rentals—but only in specific countries. I lucked into a workable option, but the catch is this: the vehicle must stay inside the EU. No Turkey. So, we’ve got seven days of running at the end that will require a new plan.
Then there are the “niggles.” I’ve got a sharp little pain at the top of my right foot near the ankle. It reminds me of the start of the Run Across America. Nothing is guaranteed. Patience and gradual build-up are essential.
Jax has his own niggles—same paw, same side. He keeps licking it. Symbiotic, apparently.
Life is a series of calculations. As we age, we can either become more cautious, or we can use the momentum of everything we’ve already survived to keep pushing forward.
Calm before the storm.
Onward.
