Still catch up on what has been happening

After booking Rome and Chicago, we now have to give up our two dogs and one of our cats. This has been the hardest thing for me so far.
Our dog Toby we have talked "Home For Life" into taking. This is a place in Wisconsin that takes in dogs and cats that are unadoptable. Toby is at least 17, and I didn't want him put to sleep. Home for Life will keep them until they die naturally. I'd been trying to get in touch with them for a while, no one ever returned my calls. Finally I got through to a live person. Unfortunately this happened a day after a news story on them had aired, so now I'm thinking I sound just like all the other people who have called after seeing the story. Making a long story short, they accept a crap load of money to take my older dog. Thanks heavens, now I know he won't be put to sleep.
I tried to get them to take Gus also, but they said they didn't have room for a dog that might have problems with other dogs. Kitty could go to a woman that worked at the shelter. She said that she would work with Kitty to be an indoor cat and then find someone to take her, That really isn't what I wanted, but time was really running short and I didn't know what I was going to do with her.
We had been waiting for the house to close before we could place Toby, Gus and Kitty because the shelter wanted cash up front. Makes sense, person promises money for taking dog, shelter takes dog, person dissapears. Best to get the money first.
The day that we took Toby, Gus and Kitty to their new homes was a tough one. We started out with both dogs, driving to Stillwater to drop off the money at the shelter's accountant. I felt like I was selling my dog into slavery or something. Bring a wad of money to a location, at that point they will tell you where the shelter was, including the fact that there is an electric gate at the entrance. Very weird.
The place was great, much smaller than I had thought, but lots of healthy animals all over. Still very hard to leave Toby.
Next was Gus. Gus the Wonder dog. The woman taking him is sure that he is her now deceased dog by the name of Gomer. Same shape and size, type of dog. I believe her. The name Gomer fits Gus perfectly. Hey, two Gs also! She had touaght Gomer to wink. Guess what, Gus winks. *Twilight Zone music*
We drive back to the house to get Kitty, and then drive into Mpls to drop them both off.
Oh yeah, I didn't mention that we have a rental car, black interior. Well it was black, now it looks grey under the massive amount of Gus hair that is all over the car. Since then we've vaccumed it, but I'm think 2 more vaccumings should get most of the hair of the car. *sigh*

As soon as we started driving to the house, I started freaking out about Kitty. I didn't want her adopted out, and I didn't want her in S Mpls. She is so great at going out, which we had allowed her to do. When you would come inside the front door she would zoom out before you knew what happened. Anyway, I started obsessing(sp) about this until I was in tears.
To make it short, Gus went, Kitty in now coming to Italy with us, making it 4 cats. I just couldn't take away her freedom like that. i'm hoping we are in an area where we can let her outside.
Gus loved the place, didn't even look back. The woman who took him called me the other day to let me know how he was doing. It's like he lived there forever. That is so good it made me cry. I'm not mad he's not missing us at all, just thrilled he's happy.