Tuesday, July 21, 2009
What a gem!
Yesterday, when I went outside, early in the day for me, at 7:30 AM, I knew where I was, but didn't believe it. The air was cool, fragrant and there was a caressing breeze. Today was more of the same. I wish I could string these days like pearls and save them to wear them around my neck when the opressive heat & humidity of the Florida panhandle becomes too much for me. I am so thankful for this wonderful respite in the middle of July and savoring every breath.
Friday, July 17, 2009
It's Just a Story
I'm reading a novel & it's not one of the greatest, but I never give up on a book. If I start, I finish. I did however, come to a chapter that made me cry. One chapter. That's all.
A vibrant. physically fit, intelligent woman is married to the love of her life. He is battling Alzheimer's. He is, or was, a super intelligent, witty, rich, robust man. He knows exactly what's happening to him & is fighting it all the way. She's in her late 70's he is early 80's.
They have a, beloved by both, bulldog named Winston Churchill. On their wedding anniversary, while no one is paying attention, he takes the car and heads down the driveway on his way to buy his wife some anniversary flowers. Since he hasn't been out of the house in 6 months, the dog is right behind him following with excitement when the husband backs out of the garage, unknowingly running over & fatally injuring their dog.
She comes home devastated to find her beloved dog dead and her beloved husband confused and bereft. She loves them both & so couldn't place blame. She can't even cry over the dog or her husband's guilt or she'll risk upsetting the husband she loves so much. So all she says is, "I understand today was a bad day."
They dress for their anniversary dinner in black tie & evening gown. The menu consists of the husband's favorite dishes. A meal savored by both. Later, they lay in bed holding hands. She wakes to an empty bed at 2 AM. His slippers are still next to the bed. Not normal.
She finds his naked body in the pool. His pajamas were folded neatly on the bench telling her that this was a deliberate act. He just couldn't deal with the loss of his faculties and the loss by his own hand of their beloved pet. I don't think I'll ever get this story out of my head. So sad.
A vibrant. physically fit, intelligent woman is married to the love of her life. He is battling Alzheimer's. He is, or was, a super intelligent, witty, rich, robust man. He knows exactly what's happening to him & is fighting it all the way. She's in her late 70's he is early 80's.
They have a, beloved by both, bulldog named Winston Churchill. On their wedding anniversary, while no one is paying attention, he takes the car and heads down the driveway on his way to buy his wife some anniversary flowers. Since he hasn't been out of the house in 6 months, the dog is right behind him following with excitement when the husband backs out of the garage, unknowingly running over & fatally injuring their dog.
She comes home devastated to find her beloved dog dead and her beloved husband confused and bereft. She loves them both & so couldn't place blame. She can't even cry over the dog or her husband's guilt or she'll risk upsetting the husband she loves so much. So all she says is, "I understand today was a bad day."
They dress for their anniversary dinner in black tie & evening gown. The menu consists of the husband's favorite dishes. A meal savored by both. Later, they lay in bed holding hands. She wakes to an empty bed at 2 AM. His slippers are still next to the bed. Not normal.
She finds his naked body in the pool. His pajamas were folded neatly on the bench telling her that this was a deliberate act. He just couldn't deal with the loss of his faculties and the loss by his own hand of their beloved pet. I don't think I'll ever get this story out of my head. So sad.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Clueless or is it me?
When I opened the door to #6 this morning, I was so taken aback, I called Dan & said, "you're not going to believe the condition of this room. Come over here & see it for yourself."
We have a 4 person max in most of our rooms because they're small. I did, however allow 5 people this time since one was an infant in a travel crib. Why haven't I learned after all these years?
First off, they moved the furniture around in order to put the portable crib where they wanted it. I didn't have a problem with that.
Here's where my problem came in. They were using one of my decorative comforters as a pee liner for the crib & the other on the floor as a sleeping bag. The floor was covered in food crumbs and french fries. One of the beds had been stripped of sheets because of a spill of some kind of red juice.
I changed the sheets on the red juice bed & I took the comforters and pillow shams out of the room to launder, adding two additional loads of wash to my work day. I need them to be clean for the next guests.
When the people returned to the room I happened to be coming out of the laundry. They asked me if they were getting their comforters back. Emphatically, "NO, " I said. "You disrespected me & my property. When you travel with children, you should bring their necessities with you. You misused my comforters, trashed my room and my job is to make sure everything is clean for the next guests. "
"Well," she says to me. "You should wash everything when we leave." Clueless, ignorant and never returning to the Dixie Belle.
We have a 4 person max in most of our rooms because they're small. I did, however allow 5 people this time since one was an infant in a travel crib. Why haven't I learned after all these years?
First off, they moved the furniture around in order to put the portable crib where they wanted it. I didn't have a problem with that.
Here's where my problem came in. They were using one of my decorative comforters as a pee liner for the crib & the other on the floor as a sleeping bag. The floor was covered in food crumbs and french fries. One of the beds had been stripped of sheets because of a spill of some kind of red juice.
I changed the sheets on the red juice bed & I took the comforters and pillow shams out of the room to launder, adding two additional loads of wash to my work day. I need them to be clean for the next guests.
When the people returned to the room I happened to be coming out of the laundry. They asked me if they were getting their comforters back. Emphatically, "NO, " I said. "You disrespected me & my property. When you travel with children, you should bring their necessities with you. You misused my comforters, trashed my room and my job is to make sure everything is clean for the next guests. "
"Well," she says to me. "You should wash everything when we leave." Clueless, ignorant and never returning to the Dixie Belle.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Happy 4th of July
Business was good this weekend, however, I felt I was running a freakin' rescue mission. Almost every guest , and I use that term loosely, paid for the minimum amount of people they could get away with, then piled as many unregistered people as they could in their room. Strange people, unaccounted for vehicles and no money forthcoming.
Bed wetters caused me several extra hours of laundry duty. I always tell my grandchildren that they are superior human beings and truer words were never spoken because the "average," "normal" people who stayed here this weekend were sadly lacking in ethics, respect, intelligence and general couth.
They pushed my gate aside & invaded my personal space. They wanted to use my new gas grill, which I haven't yet used myself. Ignorance was rampant.
I watched the Boston Pops & went to bed. End of story. End of holiday. Whew!
Bed wetters caused me several extra hours of laundry duty. I always tell my grandchildren that they are superior human beings and truer words were never spoken because the "average," "normal" people who stayed here this weekend were sadly lacking in ethics, respect, intelligence and general couth.
They pushed my gate aside & invaded my personal space. They wanted to use my new gas grill, which I haven't yet used myself. Ignorance was rampant.
I watched the Boston Pops & went to bed. End of story. End of holiday. Whew!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Swimming
I'm trying to swim my way to the surface of this opressive heat and stifiling humidity. Don't think I can do it. Absolutely cannot function under these circumstances. I'm too hot to talk about business, personal or what's happening in town. I'll let ya'll know when I'm functional again.
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