After years of preparing, our plans to take the trip of a lifetime are becoming real.  In September 2005, we finally got our house on the market and within a couple of weeks we had someone seriously looking at it.  I've taken our dog, Simon, down to my sister Dianne's in Ft Myers, FL to stay while we are traveling.  Dianne has two other big dogs (Golden Retrievers) and Simon (a Golden/Border Collie mixed breed) will be staying with the "cousin" dogs while we are traveling.  I stayed several days to help the dogs get adjusted.  At first her dog Lexie, kept challenging Simon about who the alpha dog will be.  After a couple of doggie discussions and a late night visit to a very expensive ER Vet requiring a few stitches, the dogs have worked out their issues.