Off to the Caribbean

Even though this photo (of Veeka at Jerry Falwell's gravesite - get a load of the eternal flame atop the cross) is a few weeks old, I thought I'd post it as I'll have livelier stuff later. Yes, yours truly is taking a much-needed rest on a Ski Club of Washington DC trip to - no, not Aspen but to the southern Caribbean. It's a cruise! Yes, my first one. The cruise lines are having bargain basement prices so I thought I'd go - plus the JetBlue flight was pretty cheap too.
So, Saturday morning I fly to San Juan in Puerto Rico and that night we take off for all sorts of interesting islands. I have been in that part of the world but not to any of the islands on the itinerary. I desperately need the rest AND the break. Work has been crazy and pressured plus there have been more massive layoffs of journalists at newspapers around the country this week. Even the folks at the Oregonian (my brother's paper) are taking pay cuts; as for me, things are still stable at the WTimes but I do not claim to know all that is going on behind the scenes. We are, in fact, doing some hiring; maybe one of the only newspapers in the country to be doing so.
And yes, there's a family taking care of Veeka (who is pictured here with 2 of my Lynchburg friends: Phil and June Weeks). She will get a 5-year-old "sister" to stay and play with so I am praying and hoping for the best. But it seems like so much comes up at the last minute. On Wednesday, she stayed home (along with me) cuz of a cold. Now apparently she has pink eye so it's off to the doctor we go tomorrow morning. And my cat just came in from a late-night stroll all bedraggled as she apparently tried to get into a fight with a trespassing kitty. I will not breathe a sigh of relief until I am on the plane.