Never travel with grandmas and poodles !

Boston. The city so wonderful they named it after an unremarkable English town with almost no redeeming qualities.
We arrived yesterday. After landing, I then proceeded to collapse from exhaustion and not wake up until well into the morning.
In honor of how I feel >>

My wife's grandmother came with us. In truth, actually we came with her. The story goes like this:

My brother-in-law, and father-to-be, Ranjit, is a lot more Indian than he lets on.
With the baby fast approaching, he managed to scupper all attempts by his wife to stock up on furnishings, products etc for the baby. This is a typically Indian reaction to any act of trauma or discomfort - hold off until you feel more comfortable. Westerners might call this passive aggressive. The net-result is that there were quite a few things to do in the last few weeks before the birth. In his defence, Ranjit did manage to come round to the idea before then but by then the workload was too much.

One night, on the phone with her grandmother, Monica complained that nothing was done and expressed her worry. Granny needed no bigger an opening and made her move. Offering her services to ready the room, she then managed to manipulate time and space to make sure that she would be in Boston for the birth.

How did WE end up in Boston, I hear you ask?
Simple. Granny, it turns out, could do very little of the work, so she volunteered my wife and I as helpers. Abuela's Traveling Handymen was born and our services can now be purchased at Walmart and Target !!!

Of course, Granny cannot possibly travel without Lady D. The overweight young poodle is just a bundle of joy and, as it happens, has developed something of an infatuation for me. Picture it - 5 pound poodle, 250 pound man !!!

We are planning just an 8 day trip. We go to the airport with 5 huge suitcases, 3 hand luggage and a pet carrier for her ladyship. It turns out that Granny has been busy and has been sewing, knitting and buying things for the baby. 2.5 suitcases of stuff, actually.

So, you will forgive me for being a slight bit moody after:

• Negotiating San Juan airport for 2 hours.
• A plan ride ( in economy ) for 4 hours.
• Boston baggage claim for 1 hour.
• All the time carrying her ladyship the poodle !

But we are here now and all is well in the world.
Not so ! I have just been told all the work I have to do... Being an uncle is not going to be easy.
I hope Baby Alejandra appreciates it all...