Today the cats went to the vet again for their final health certificates. I think I did not spend much more money than I would have anyway with this whole process (with the exception of the lost documents), since I have to actually leave a copy with the airlines, so I would have needed 2 or 3 copies anyway, having to pay for each of them to be stamped and such by the USDA and some stamped by the consulate, so... I guess I'm not too bad out. At least I won't have to put Ona in that tiny bag carrier again, she doesn't like it much I think.

Meuamor told me he thought the cats were coming early, so I let him run with that idea, and then actually told him last night that they were coming early. At least this way he will have everything read for them, as well as get a sub for his last classes so he won't have to go teach so late the day I arrive, which I know neither of us wants. He will get the screen put up the day they cats arrive, and will buy food and stuff this weekend, so hopefully it will be all set when I get there. I hope that this admittance that the cats are coming early will throw him off the trail in terms of my accompanying them. Apparently he told his boss/my friend who is picking me up at the airport that he thinks I am coming this month. I really hope this cat thing will throw him off; the look on his face when he sees me will be classic. To seal the deal on this one I think I will look up the flight information for that day in July and email it to him. It should seem more real then.

I am a little worried about the cats on the trip - the vet told me that I need to make sure they are eating and drinking upon arrival, because otherwise the liver and kidneys will start to shut down after all that stress and dehydration. I hope they will have water, but Continental does not want things attached to the doors of the cages, so I can't have a water bottle for them. I hope to have dishes attached somehow, so they can have water, at least, and perhaps some food. At least they are not overweight, so they will be better off over all in this process.

I also emailed all of my information to Meuamor's friend in Sampa who is helping me through all this. I even took digital pictures of the ticket and all the documents and email those along with my intinerary information. Hopefully this will enable him to get some documents I need taken care of before I get there on Tuesday. It took 4 emails to do is since hotmail won't allow so many attachments. Took me almost an hour!

I have my suitcases pretty much packed up, about 4 bags of clothes to go to the shelter, a box of shoes for the same purpose, a box of things I want mailed to me somehow (pictures etc), 3 boxes of books and files that I will need there (all TESOL related) that I must take to the post office tomorrow morning to try and mail them freight, and all the stuff in the kitchen and bathroom to pack up for Bear to use when she returns from the Dominican Republic. I hope I have enough time to do all this AND clean this place up. I will be a little hectic and crazy, but I am tenacious (according to some friends), therefore it will happen.

Lis is taking me to the airport with two yowling cats in the car, and my friend from Chicago is even driving up for the day to help and see me off. I have such great friends, I don't know where I will be without them. I hope there will be as many who are near and dear to my heart in Bahia...