Photo copyright © 2026 by Gerry O’Brien

So my Humans decided to move cross country, from Brooklyn, New York to Las Cruces, New Mexico. For the record, I will state that at no point was I ever consulted about any of this.

There, I said it.

Anyway, I first realized something was up about six weeks ago, when stuff began disappearing around the house.

First it was books. Lots and lots of books.

Then there was other stuff that vanished. At the same time, an enormous mountain of boxes began to rise in the downstairs section of the duplex. I’m not a cat, so I was decidedly neutral about this.

Then there was the party. People I hadn’t seen in years, including a few human relatives I’d never met, showed up for food and drink. I got lots and lots of pets! Except from my Aunt Eileen. My Uncle Jim and Cousin Megan pet me and gave me plenty of attention! But not Aunt Eileen! I guess I should consider myself lucky. There is a story about Aunt Eileen and some kittens which I will not go into, as she wasn’t much older than a toddler herself when it allegedly occurred. But still, some pets at the going away party would have been really nice, Aunt Eileen!

Then things happened really fast. More boxes. Less stuff. I was beginning to see a connection.

Then the moving men came and took everything — including the boxes — and my stuff!

Then it really got weird. My humans packed me into the car and drove, drove, drove. I thought it would never end.

Fortunately for all three of us, I love riding in a car. Ever since that first day they brought me home. Cars are fun!

And despite the car being jam-packed, they made me very comfortable for the duration of the trip. I had the entire backseat all to myself, with my bed right on top of it. Nice and cozy. Lots of treats. And plenty of opportunities to walk and stretch my legs and do other stuff every few hours.

That first day was intense. After eight hours we ended up at a LaQuinta hotel in Richmond, VA. LaQuinta! The friend of dogs everywhere! [Now I know this is hard to believe, but apparently many hotel chains will not accept us doggos as guests. Have they ever seen some of the humans that use hotels?]

And except for the horrible room that moved up and down, it was ok that first night.

Early the next morning we set out in the car again, after a short but perilous journey in the moving room, which I hated.

That night we stayed at a LaQuinta in Charlotte, NC, out by the airport. Hoo boy, was that a mistake. Yes, LaQuinta welcomed me, but what a dump! My humans had to change rooms as soon as we got there because the room door didn’t lock, and the TV was broken. The rooms were smelly (even my humans’ noses noticed it, and they can’t smell anything) and stained (not just the hallways), and the neighborhood was rough, even for us dogs. Our stay at this hotel had only one thing going for it: there was no room that moved up and down.

The next day’s drive was rainy and foggy. Cats and dogs rainy, as the humans say. Whew! But we got to Birmingham, AL okay, except that this LaQuinta had another one of those damned rooms that move. I thought I had made my feelings clear to my humans about this. and will be filing an official complaint.

Weather was better the next day, and we stayed in West Monroe, LA. NO MOVING ROOM! Yay! Plus, the nice lady at the front desk had treats for me. Talk about luxury!

On to Corsicana, TX. Another damned moving room.

We made a stop the next day at a place called Cross Plains, Texas. Some writer’s house that is now a museum.

Then off to Lubbock that same day. Mercifully, no moving room. And the next day, we finally reached our destination in Las Cruces, New Mexico. No moving room. I felt seen.

Overall, LaQuinta was okay. None of the other hotels were as dirty and smelly as the one in Charlotte. But those damned moving rooms have got to go. And judging by the considerable cursing and swearing at each hotel, the streaming and television options left something to be desired. And I heard something about the WiFi being unsecured and unreliable. But I’m a dog, so I don’t sweat that stuff.

I’ll be following up with a review of the new home, once all our stuff arrives (Note to U. Santini Moving & Storage: four weeks is a helluva long time to move stuff from Brooklyn to New Mexico. A human could literally walk there in that time, if you didn’t stop to sniff stuff. Hurry up! I want my toys!).

So far, the new house is pretty good — it’s got a backyard, and there are soooooo many new smells to explore. And no rooms that move up and down! It’s practically paradise!