We're leaving for Mexico tomorrow!

I had lunch with Christine today and she suggested I start blogging about our adventure.

The first consideration was what to call this blog. To Say Nothing of the Dog is the title of a very popular science fiction novel that I love -- because it's not terribly science fictiony. And that title is taken from a very fun 1890-ish novel by Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat (To say Nothing of the Dog).

Now that I have a blog title, here's the first installment -- which is from the email I sent some folks this morning.

Ross has the truck packed, except for the essentials that we’ll need tonight and the dog stuff. We’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. The dogs are as nervous as cats. I keep telling them they’ll be seeing more of us than they really want . . . but they don’t believe me.

Tomorrow night we’re staying in Stockton, California. The next night is in Phoenix. Then Mazatlan. Then Ajijic.

If you need to reach us, our cell phones should be working at least until we cross the border. At least leave a voice mail. I don’t know about Internet access at any of the hotels/motels we’ll be staying at. (I do know they’re all dog-friendly!)

Did I tell you that my boss is flying me back to Seattle to see our new offices as soon as they’re open?

Let me start over. Maybe I didn’t tell all of you that Hacker Group is moving to downtown Seattle. The move is happening next weekend – so I had to pack up my office before I left! Spyro, my boss, offered to bring me back for the first day in the new office (ironically, it’s Cinco de Mayo.) So Ross and I will be driving for four days to get to Mexico on Friday. Then, on Sunday afternoon, I’ll be flying back to Seattle! I’ll fly back to Mexico on Tuesday – and if I’m lucky, I’ll see Ross at the airport just as he leaves for Grand Rapids for a client meeting. My flight arrives at 2 p.m. and his takes off at 3:30. Since I’ll only have carry-ons, I won’t have to wait for luggage . . . so if I get through customs quickly, he can tell me where he parked the truck and I can drive home. Otherwise we’ll have to figure out how he can leave me a message.

Ross is saying three months won’t be enough to figure out if we like living in Mexico if we spend most of our time in the States. On the other hand, after four days on the road together in such close quarters, struggling with crazy dogs, a little away time may make us appreciate each other again.