Thanks to everyone for being concerned about how I am doing. Getting away was nice, although it had its mishaps. First, the hotel LOST my bag (which had EVERYTHING I brought with me). The shuttle driver picked us up at the airport and brought us to the hotel and said "go in and check in and we will take care of your bags." After taking 40 minutes to check in (which no one has yet explained to us why it took so long), we went with the porter to get our bags. My wife's was sitting on the curb, but mine was gone. (Someone stole it in the interim.) The hotel manager admitted that it was their negligence. In the end, it all worked out as they reimbursed us for the value of what was stolen; paid for us to buy some new clothing for me for the time at the hotel; and gave us two nights free. All in all, they did the right thing, but the whole episode was a fiasco. Then, the flight home was a nightmare.... First, a two hour delay; then a 3 hour delay; then they cancelled the flight; then, finally, they said they located a new crew and plane, and we ended up getting home around 3 am.
Although we had a really nice, relaxing time (other than the above), I did think about Zack. Whenever I went away in the past, the first thing I did when I got home was run upstairs to scoop him up and play with him. (He was always so excited to see me.) So, knowing that I was coming home to an empty house made me sad. And, I thought of Zack often during the quiet times lying out on the beach. But, things are getting a little easier, in that I don't cry as often. And, knowing that my mom checks on Zackie's grave at least once every other day, makes me feel a little better. Once last thing - I had saved the picture of Zack that I had attached in my original post as my cell phone wallpaper. (I had done that even before Zackie died.) I got really upset yesterday, so I opened my phone and talked (and cried) to the picutre of Zack and it made me feel like he was almost there listening to me, like he used to do in the past. That is probably the hardest part for me - whenever I was upset about anything, I would always take Zack for long walk, and I would talk to him and he would inevitably cheer me up.
Again, thanks to every one for caring and listening.
-Allan |