Hubby helped us check in at London Heathrow. .I had 2 big suitcases, 2 cat cages with cats, 1 backpack and one giant purse. They took the suitcases and then told me to bring the cats back at 8:00 .
Hubby had to leave us there ,he is on his way out of town to work.
So, I took the cats over to where I was supposed to meet the guy at 8 o clock . He said " follow me." He then led me down into the bowels of the airport .You know ,amidst boilers, pipes, and equipment.
He wanted me to take BOTH cats out of their carriers and hold them ,while he went somewhere with the crates to run them thru an X-ray scanner.
keep in mind, the guy barely spoke English. I understood about half of what he said.
I told him ,it's impossible for me to do that. I have to do one cat at a time. He said "once he went inside this room ,he could not come out, so I would have to take the crate and put it on the scanner myself."
I think.
So, I take Cavuto out and hold him, he was squirming and freaking out. Cat hair flying all over me. The guy takes the crate and disappears for about 10 minutes. Cavuto is too big and squirmy for me to handle, so I manage to pin him on top of my purse with one hand ,while I dug his harness out of the back pack with the other hand. by this time Cavuto was so freaked out and scared he was shivering. The guy comes back with his cage .and tells me to leave him there now,and do the other cat. of course both cats fought me tooth and nail trying to get them OUT of the cages.
This time ,I know to start with the harness on o Reilly. The guy tells me " set the cat on the ground and YOU have to go take the crate and put it on the scanner.
This is just some unmanned conveyor belt down in the basement ,with all the industrial stuff.
I set o Reilly down and the guy is trying to hold his leash , but he's so skinny ,the harness is just hanging on him. I tell the guy "he will back right out of that." So he gives me the cage and shuts the door.
I go down the corridor put the cage on the scanner and rush back to the cats. Another guy finally brings o Reilly's crate back . Now both cats are Safely IN their crates ,when another guy shows up (also with negligible English) and says to take Cavuto out and do the whole thing all over again.
guy ONE, and I finally convince Him that Cavuto AND his cage have already been done.
I make them wait while I put zip ties on the cage doors and then they wheel my babies away ,into that horrible scary place.
I am completely covered in cat hair, including my face and the inside of my eyes and nose. also , of course I am wearing black clothes.
remember for security or some reason, the guy who brought me down there, now can not exit. So he just
leaves ME on my own ,to find my way out of there.
By the time I get upstairs and to security it's already 8:37. I go through security and they're practically strip searching Everyone AND their luggage. Including mine. So that takes forever for me to be on my way.
by the time I get to the screen that tells me which gate to go to, my flight is already boarding. and yep, it is at gate 42....... The very furthest gate in the entire airport.
I was one of the last people to get on the plane.
As soon as I got in my seat I flagged down a stewardess and said "can you please check and make sure my cats are on the plane. " I had to wait a while before SHE got a call back , but she came over and said " don't worry honey ,I got babies too. " so she came by and gave me a thumbs up as soon as she got the word.
Luckily there is an empty seat to my left. Woo hoo!
I forgot my plane socks in the backpack , now my real socks have to keep walking thru the urine soaked hell hole. GAH! Well, I guess I am going to try and take a nap. I had like 2 hours of sleep.
Hope the babies are calmed down and sleeping. .....
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There was an empty seat next to me . A rare treat!
The flight was like 9 and a half hours. UGH! so miserably uncomfortable.The flight actually landed about 30 minuts early. So my friend Eva had not even gotten there yet. I had to go thru customs ,about 3 different lines ,to clear myself and the cats. By the time I got to baggage claim ,the cats were already dumped there on the floor ,in their crates . Cavuto was screaming his head off and O'reilly had himself burrowed under his blankets .Every time he does that, it scares the crap out of me because I think he is dead.
They were both fine in spite of their horrible ordeal.
After being awake for about 30 hours ,we finally got dropped off at home around 9 p.m.
The cats remembered their home and were thrilled ! I immediately got reacquainted with my bed and slept until 6:30 this morning. AH!! boy did I need that.
The tags on my truck are expired ,the new stickers should be in my mailbox ,but I must wait for my neighbor G5 to wake up so I can get the mail key.
Let me know when you are up please G5!
There is absolutely nothing to eat in this house. I did find some coffee ,which I had to drink black . But better than nothing .
So HAPPY to be home! God Bless America!
Love me
O my what an ordeal but glad everyone is home and safe :)
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