Delmarva Meet: Sunday, March 23, 2014

[vdeane]

The plus side is that once it is posted, it's final, so no last minute changes.

In my experience, it's never "final" until the end of the meet.  It's always good to plan for potential on-the-spot contingencies....the St. Louis meet being an excellent example.

Yep, almost every (if not every; only possible exception is Brick/Wall) meet I've been to has had some change the day of the meet.

[jeffandnicole]

True. Things could change as the meet goes on for various reasons. At the ICC meet I hosted, we had to change the restaurant on the fly because they were closed due to a private party.

It's reassuring to know that the Youngstown meet a few years ago wasn't the only time something like that has happened.

You people need to stop picking classy restaurants.  I ain't wearing a suit on this roadmeet!

[Laura]

The plus side is that once it is posted, it's final, so no last minute changes.

In my experience, it's never "final" until the end of the meet.  It's always good to plan for potential on-the-spot contingencies....the St. Louis meet being an excellent example.

Yep, almost every (if not every; only possible exception is Brick/Wall) meet I've been to has had some change the day of the meet.

I admit, I was being a bit ambitious with my statement. However, whatever I type tonight and print tomorrow is going to be what is typed on the handouts because I have a crazy busy next couple of days! Everything else will have to be fixed by pen on the papers or by word of mouth the day of the meet.


iPhone

[Alps]

The plus side is that once it is posted, it's final, so no last minute changes.

In my experience, it's never "final" until the end of the meet.  It's always good to plan for potential on-the-spot contingencies....the St. Louis meet being an excellent example.

Yep, almost every (if not every; only possible exception is Brick/Wall) meet I've been to has had some change the day of the meet.

Heh... I actually remember having to write something in pen on all the Brick/Wall handouts.

[hbelkins]

As has happened frequently in the past with prior meets, veterinary issues may impact my attendance.

One of our senior felines has been in declining health and seemed to deteriorate quickly the past couple of days. We took her to the vet this afternoon, where she got IV fluids because of dehydration and a decreased appetite. She has to go back tomorrow night for more fluids and hopefully the vet will be able to draw enough blood to do some tests to see if she has kidney failure going on.

At the very least, I'll be altering my travel plans significantly. If I do come, I won't be leaving until Friday morning, which means I'll have to adjust my route to Hampton Roads. Worst case, I have to cancel my trip and keep my fingers crossed for Tennessee next weekend.

I should know for sure this time tomorrow evening. The bad part is the money I'd save by not coming will probably go for vet bills.

[Laura]

So sorry to hear about your cat, HB. We have a senior kitty as well, and we get nervous about his health, too, when he isn't as hungry or active as usual.

I accidentally fell asleep early last night (9 pm) so I didn't finish the direction portion, so I will have to try and squeeze it in at some point today/the wee hours of the morning...


iPhone

[hbelkins]

So sorry to hear about your cat, HB. We have a senior kitty as well, and we get nervous about his health, too, when he isn't as hungry or active as usual.

I accidentally fell asleep early last night (9 pm) so I didn't finish the direction portion, so I will have to try and squeeze it in at some point today/the wee hours of the morning...

I'm off today. Had a dental appointment scheduled (no cavities!) and was going to use this afternoon as my getaway on the trip. Instead, we'll be back at the vet for another round of IV fluids this evening. She perked up a bit and her appetite picked up during the night, but Im going to wait and see what the vet says before I start traveling. My biggest hesitance in taking a trip is leaving my wife with her on the chance that something happens to her.

This same kitty had an issue last year which affected my travel plans to the Monticello, NY meet. She must not like me planning on going to springtime meets.

[jeffandnicole]

So sorry to hear about your cat, HB. We have a senior kitty as well, and we get nervous about his health, too, when he isn't as hungry or active as usual.

I accidentally fell asleep early last night (9 pm) so I didn't finish the direction portion, so I will have to try and squeeze it in at some point today/the wee hours of the morning...

I'm off today. Had a dental appointment scheduled (no cavities!) and was going to use this afternoon as my getaway on the trip. Instead, we'll be back at the vet for another round of IV fluids this evening. She perked up a bit and her appetite picked up during the night, but Im going to wait and see what the vet says before I start traveling. My biggest hesitance in taking a trip is leaving my wife with her on the chance that something happens to her.

This same kitty had an issue last year which affected my travel plans to the Monticello, NY meet. She must not like me planning on going to springtime meets.

We have a 10 year old dog (black pug) that in January last year was very lethargic, to the point where after she was in the vet for a few days we thought we were going to have to put her down.  On what we thought would be our last visit to the vet, she perked up and was very excited to see us.  The short story: Her gall bladder was leaking.   So we had to take her to a speciialist to have it taken out, which for a dog was a very risky and expensive surgery, espeically knowing her other handicaps (has trouble walking).  Approaching 14 months later, she's still with us.  And costing me lots of money a month in medicenes and specialized food!!! LOL

I feel your heartache Belkins.  Hope the kitty gets better quickly!

[sammi]

Belkins

[hbelkins]

Those of you who attended Pikeville last fall remember that we were dealing with a sick elderly canine who eventually died a few weeks after that meet. I got knocked out of one of the Baltimore meets a few years ago because we had a cat who was in the last stages of kidney cancer. There have been other instances when veterinary situations have knocked me out of meets or planned travel.

Belkins

Our first cat was named Annabelle. We called her Annabella sometimes, or Annabelkins (short for Annabelle Elkins  ).

When I give my email address verbally, I always say it like I pronounce my name and add "no periods." Invariably when it's read back to me, they say "h belkins." I guess because of the popularity of Belkin brand computer peripherals and iPhone accessory items.

[signalman]

When I give my email address verbally, I always say it like I pronounce my name and add "no periods." Invariably when it's read back to me, they say "h belkins." I guess because of the popularity of Belkin brand computer peripherals and iPhone accessory items.

Funny.  Ever since I began reading this forum so many years ago I has always read your name as HB Elkins.  Never once did I assume it was H Belkins.  (Obviously my initial interperetation was correct.)

[jeffandnicole]

Belkins

Elkins...my apologies! :-)

[jpi]

Hopefully she will pull through HB, I know what you mean, my oldest cat turned 15 earlier this month and is still going strong, Steph and I had to put his sister to sleep a couple years ago. Hope you can make it and if so have fun, I will be there in spirit and hope to see you at my meet next weekend! :-)

[froggie]

If anyone's in a location and still interested in either carpooling from Norfolk or interested in breakfast Sunday morning before leaving (this directed maily at HBE if vet issues allow), jut let me know.

[Laura]

Itinerary and directions are posted!
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_ke0pB4iMdUWDZHNGJZRUpYTUE&usp=sharing

Kudos to my awesome husband Mike for writing these while I was at the movies for the opening night of Divergent

[froggie]

Having been on that ferry a few times, I see a potential problem there, especially if we have more than 2 tour cars (since you can usually figure on at least one or two "locals" waiting for the ferry).

Also, if folks want all of MD 367 on that part of the tour, we'll need to continue across US 113 and down to the railroad crossing.

[jeffandnicole]

My apologies if I'm missing it, but where is the meeting place and what time?

[froggie]

Laura edited the original post with it...looks like the Evolution Craft Brewing Company in Salisbury at 11:30.

[jeffandnicole]

Ah, OK, Thanks!

[hbelkins]

I'm in the Hampton Roads area tonight, so obviously things got better on the feline front. I'll have to look at the itinerary to see how much of it I will be able to do and still make my intended destination for the evening before it gets dark.

[Laura]

Having been on that ferry a few times, I see a potential problem there, especially if we have more than 2 tour cars (since you can usually figure on at least one or two "locals" waiting for the ferry).

Also, if folks want all of MD 367 on that part of the tour, we'll need to continue across US 113 and down to the railroad crossing.

Thanks for catching the MD 367 stub! We intended to include it. I added it to the itinerary on google docs. As for the ferry, we will have to vote on it as a group on Sunday whether or not it is worth doing.


iPhone

[cpzilliacus]

Laura and Mike, thanks for organizing this meet.  Informative and fun, in spite of the nasty-type weather.

[hbelkins]

Wish I could have stayed for the tour, but I knew I needed to get as far west as possible Sunday evening. Our sick kitty's condition had deteriorated, much more than any of us realized. She died while I was on the way home today.

[Duke87]

Sorry to hear that, H.B.

The tour got off to a bit of a messy start since the printed directions were misleading. A couple stops in, we started contending with rain. But overall it was a fun trip. Thanks to Mike and Laura for organizing!

[hbelkins]

I had a few sprinkles hit me while I was on US 50, and a few more when I was on the I-95 portion of the Washington beltway, but nothing really steady. It had rained in the Ashland/Richmond/Chesterfield area before I got there, but the pavement had mostly dried by the time I was on it.