The title of this blog entry should leave no doubt as to how I’m feeling right about now.
So we got to the airport late last night, dogs in tow. Check-in and security were a breeze. The airport personnel were very kind; all smiles and great with the pooches. After some initial scratching and whining, both Jelly and Maximus seemed to settle down and I figured we were in the clear. The lead up to this trip had exacted a toll on me. I was fatigued and really looking forward to sleeping through the flight.
Yep, that would’ve been nice.
Easy-going Maximus, nestled in the carrier at my feet, was so quiet and still for the duration of the trip that I found myself checking him every so often, just to make sure he was, in fact, still alive. Jelly, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. Whenever I would start to doze off, she would start crying – so I would have to reach back (Akemi was seated behind me), into her carrier, and give her a pat to reassure her. Every time she fell asleep, I’d withdraw my hand and try to get some shut eye – only to have her start up again. And so it went. For four and a half hours.
By the time we got into Toronto, I was exhausted. After wandering around the Toronto airport looking for the baggage claim (the signs suddenly disappear at some point), we collected our luggage and headed out. But only after paying $2 for this –
We caught a limo into town and, eventually, pulled up in front of our apartment building (with the very tiny address). I went inside and informed the security guard that I was moving in. He didn’t know anything about it. I explained that I was instructed to pick up my keys at the front desk. He didn’t know anything about it. I also added that I’d been instructed to leave a check with the concierge. He didn’t know anything about it. I wandered back outside, bewildered, and was scrolling through my emails to get the realtor’s number when, suddenly, the security guard waved me back in. “Mr. Mazzolli?”. Close enough. “Yes,”I said, eager to just get upstairs and into bed. “This is for you.” He handed me an envelope. Inside, was the apartment key. Right then!
We headed upstairs and into our apartment (until April 4th). There, we found a nice surprise awaiting us, compliments of our realtor. A little something(s) for the dogs –
We unpacked and, while Akemi crawled into bed, I lay down on the floor atop the island of doggy beds and fell asleep with Jelly and Maximus. Granted, the bed WOULD have been more comfortable, but the dogs clearly needed some reassurance, especially Jelly who hasn’t stopped crying since we got in, wandering around the apartment and, inevitably, always parking herself in front of the door. I’m sure she’s thinking “Okay, ready to go now!”
After waking up, I showered and took the dogs for a walk. We checked out the closest green spaces – the first, a tiny brown and withered parcel littered with mountainous horse dumps, the second a bleak, muddy “park” where four homeless men loudly hurled insults at each other across a lone picnic table.
Needless, to say, this aint gonna work out. There is no way I can live in this area with my foursome.
I gave Fondy a call and she was kind enough to swing by to pick up Jelly and Maximus. They’ll be with her until I find a suitable doggy daycare, and a house with a proper back yard.
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