Hotels and Motels

There is nothing more exciting than getting a change of scenery. It doesn't matter how far away we go. Sometimes we all just need a little bit of time to ourselves.We have a choice. This choice is very important. It doesn't matter where you are going, but where you stay while you are there is very important. But how do we go about choosing where to stay? 

We all have expectations for our hotel/motel. Let us discuss these expectations. 

1) Cleanliness - This covers everything from toilets to dust bunnies on the floor. No one likes to crawl between the sheets to find a blood spot! Ewwww! That always makes you wonder who died between those sheets that you are about to sleep in (among other things). So you make a quick phone call and a maid comes up with some fresh, stainless sheets and hands them to you (of course they conveniently TRY get out of remaking the bed at which point you invite them in and make it very clear that this is what they get paid for). BTW, this happened to me at one hotel. And about the dust bunnies, whose hair is that anyways? How long has it been here?

2) Necessities - Towels, toilet paper (which needs to be placed in easy reach), but sometimes what can really make or break the necessity expectation is the bath products. Every hotel/motel puts at least two soaps neatly wrapped and ready for us on the bathroom counter. But it's the extra stuff that counts. Yes, soap is needed. But shampoo and conditioner would be nice too. Also, I love the places that leave some hand cream. I don't care how "cheap" the hand cream is, it still works. One place I went to left a mini sewing kit along with the other supplies! Yes, this shows the guest how the hotel values their customers.

3) Supplies - You might think that this should have been the title to #2. But the supplies covers things like closets, mirrors, ice bucket, iron, etc. It is true that you may not view all of these as necessary supplies. I don't remember the last time I used an ice bucket. However it is nice to have one in case you wish to make a drink at night. Mirrors are also important. It is true that you have one in the bathroom but if someone is using it or if it is fogged up to due to a lack of fans (also a necessary supply), you need to have a back up. And the location of this backup is also important. It needs to be near a good light source. Also, every hotel/motel needs an iron. After having traveled any distance where clothes have been folded in a bag, I often need an iron. Well, you get the point. It is true that these are things we can live without, but it's a nice homey touch. 

4) Cable - Need I say more?

5) Beds - Of course, bed bug free beds are preferable. Also flees. Flees are not fun to find in your bed either. I won't continue with that line. Everyone knows what I'm talking about. Let's discuss the covers. I don't care how cheap the hotel is trying to be. If I'm shivering all night because there is not enough covers (with the ac off), you have not fulfilled your end of the deal. I pay, you keep me warm and comfy. The length of the bed is just as important. I am 5' 3.5" and if my toes hang off the edge of the bed, it is NOT long enough. I can only imagine how Theo, 5' 8", is doing. And the TV should be placed in such a way that I can watch it without leaving my bed (I love lazy vacations and see #4).

You can only imagine what is inspiring me to write this. I will not give out any names but I am up on vacation. I am staying in a lovely town. However, the motel that I am staying in is severely lacking. Yes, the people are very friendly. But no iron, short beds (no bugs which is a plus), and a general lack of supplies (they do have bare necessities though) makes me wish for a different hotel. I don't understand. For how much we paid, I think they should at least have a fan in the bathroom, or an iron, or longer beds. 

So how do you go about choosing a hotel/motel? Just remember, you don't always get what you pay for. Think of how long it takes to care for each room and the cost of such. Minus this from the nightly rate. This can give you a good indicator of what kind of room you will get. Also, read all reviews :-)

A Duck Named Jack

Yeah, I know. Weird title. But that is ok. Because all will explained if you read further.
How many have laughed at the person rocking out in the car next to you, behind you, or coming at you? You see them with their mouths wide open (they look something like the Silence from Doctor Who) and you have no idea what they are belting at the top of their lungs. And you watch as the car rocks back and forth as they dance. They start banging on their steering wheel. You can tell that in their head they are in front of a huge audience that is screaming their name over and over and if they are not careful they will leap off the stage and into that audience.
We have all seen these people. We have all laughed at them. And yet, at one point or another, we have all been that person. We have all found ourselves listening to our favorite song, with the window down, banging on our steering wheel as if it's a drum and using it as a microphone. What a great feeling that is!
I found myself listening to Bulletproof by LaRoux. I found myself singing at the top of my lungs. I found myself dancing uncontrollably while at a red light. I discovered that I had only one audience member...
Ok, here I need to digress.
His name is Jack. We met at TD Bank and he is dressed like a pirate. Now, I think pirates are cool. Not the real kind of pirate of course, but the fictional pirates that we read about in books or see on T.V. So, he immediately captured my attention. I had to have him. And he was only one dollar!
Back to my story, I'm singing loudly and looking absolutely pathetic. Only to discover that I had only one audience member. He sits on my dashboard and he seems to always be watching me. I was singing to a duck named Jack.
In my defense, he seemed captivated by my voice.

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs, and More Bugs!

Yes, it is that time of year again. The sun is shining. Flowers are growing. Breeze is blowing. Birds are singing. And the bugs are buzzing, creeping, crawling, and we don't what else into our homes, cars, and often onto us. Sometimes this doesn't bother us. Kids find it fun to follow the ants around as they go about their work. And the caterpillars aren't bad. We know that soon they will be a beautiful butterfly! But what about the bees, hornets, wasps, and, of course, ticks and spiders. What are we to do with them?

For you readers who know me very well (of course it doesn't take a genius to know this about me) I HATE spiders. I hate them with a passion (please read "The Stench of Spiders" at manicmonday@blogspot.com). So when I see a large brown spider with long legs crawling down my car window towards me, I get a little freaked out. But we will get back to that story. 

The bug story begins with dishes. Lots and lots of dishes that needed to get washed yesterday are now getting washed. And I'm humming and singing to whatever CD I had put on when I noticed a yellow jacket on my window screen. The window was closed and had been for a while so I'm not sure how he got in there. But I was fascinated by him. He sat there looking longingly at the outside world. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for not helping him out. Not much. Just a twinge. I wasn't about to open my window and risk him getting into the house! But he did provide some entertainment while washing dishes. I watched him try every route to get out! At one point all I could see was his little leg sticking out and I realized he was stuck upside in the workings of my screen. He managed to get out and he is still there. I refuse to open the window. At some point, I'm sure he'll starve to death. 

Today is kind of a day off for me. I did all my work yesterday so I have spent the day reading and typing and drinking tea. This is the life! Well, at some point in this day off Theo and I decided to go to the library. He had some books to return and I was looking for one particular book. On the way there I feel something crawling up my leg. I look down it wasn't what I thought it was and discovered a caterpillar! 

Again, when he crawled on me, I have no idea. But he was cute. He must have thought my green shirt was leaves or something. Pulling him off, I roll down my window, and in comes....a spider! A fairly big brown spider that I'm sure was ready for the kill! 

I watch in horror as he crawls down my window towards me. I can't believe I actually let him in my car! My car! How dare he impose on my territory! What was he thinking anyway? 

I've got many more bug stories. Ticks crawling down Theo's shirt. Unknown insects getting inside my shoes. And that funny little ant I saw carrying the dead body of his fallen comrade......

La Vie Quotidienne

Blog 2, entry 1. Status of blog: unknown.

I was in the dentists chair this morning (maybe a story about the dentist isn't a good way to get a blog going, but I was told to go back to the beginning) and I was thinking how amusing it is that they try to talk to you while working on your mouth.
"Where did you graduate?" He asks with my mouth open as wide as it can go and so numb I can't feel the drool running down my chin (I would hate to be the assistant whose job it is to clean up).
Where did I graduate? Really? I'm past graduating. How old do you think I am? I know I'm young but it's been 6 years. Been there, done that. No I didn't go to college. Yes I view myself as a successful person.
I mumble a response and he takes his hands out of my mouth and the hygienist uses that little vacuum tube to suck up my drool. I can't decide if he actually understood what I said but he continues talking as if he did. And I wonder, when did you graduate? After all, your hands are in my mouth with a drill and a pointy thing you call 'the explorer'. Shouldn't I be asking you this?
Than he gets me laughing with this silly joke I can't even remember. I really want to tell him to stop making me laugh, but he seems to enjoy this. Honestly, I think he likes it. He continues to to ask me questions. He knows I can't answer. It's like a form of torture. American Dentist Torture vs. Chinese Water Torture. Who would win? You tell me!
I'm sure you are reading this and wondering why my first entry is about the dentist. It seems random. Maybe even stupid if you think about it. But as I sat there I began to think how funny daily life can be. The whole scenario reminded of Bill Cosby's skit about the dentist and I laughed my head when I saw it (look it up on youtube or something. It's worth it). You don't have to look very far to find interesting new things. They are all around you. It's how you view those things that make them funny or not; interesting or not. So, here goes a blog that I don't know whether it's going to be funny or interesting or boring or creative or what. But I do hope that my readers will enjoy reading about La Vie Quotidienne!
P.S. I promise that my entries will not all begin with French titles ;-)
P.S.S. Hopefully I'll keep this one up better!