The travel to Frankenmuth wasn't too great, but the week has been one of the BEST.
I'm staying at a Drury Inn which has a great hot breakfast and a happy hour that features real food. The mattress is great, the air conditioner keeps it cold and I haven't slept this well for quite some time. The weather is perfect spring weather. Low seventies, low humidity, sunny skies and light breezes. And the locals are all upset that the temperature may reach 90 this week-end. I'm sorry I have to go home tomorrow to the 100 degree 90% humidity in Kansas City.
Frankenmuth is a touristy town and I have never been here during the tourist season before. I tried to eat at my favorite restaurant on Monday about 2 in the afternoon and the wait was 1 1/2 hours! I gave up and went to the grocery store.
The assignment this week is primarily education, which makes the report much easier to write and I really enjoy the staff at this facility. All in all, a significant improvement over the crazy time in Baltimore last week.
Home tomorrow evening and planning a fun fourth of July week-end.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
What Happens When You Don't Fly Southwest
When you don't fly Southwest, you have great stories to post.
This week I had to fly Midwest because Southwest doesn't fly to Flint, Michigan.
I always try to be at the airport at least one hour before my flight. This never presents a problem with Southwest. This morning my flight was scheduled for 8:25. I arrived about 7:15. I was amazed at the line at ticketing! I had my boarding pass, but needed to check my luggage, so I had to get in line. There were some kiosks available, but I couldn't figure out if you could check luggage there, so I got in the long line with all the people who had suitcases. The line moving pretty slowly and when I reached the sign that said, "check in closes 45 minutes before the flight" I began to panic. I finally dropped out of line and went to the counter. I told a check-in person that I had an 8:25 flight and the line was moving pretty slowly. She asked me if I had a boarding pass and I said I did. I got it out of my briefcase and showed it to her. She told me that I could use the kiosk, but said that line didn't seem to be moving much faster. I asked what I could do be be sure my luggage was checked in time for my flight and she said, "You could get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave." I couldn't believe it! When lines are long and slow, I am used to PA announcements asking people who are on flights getting ready to leave to come to the front of the line. I looked at her and said, "I guess this is what happens when you don't fly Southwest."
I decided to go the kiosk line. They did not have an attendant assigned to the kiosk's, which was why that line was moving so slowly. The mean one from my earlier interaction came over and totally ignored me. By then I had completed the process to check my luggage and only needed an attendant to pull my sticker and place it on my bag. This would have taken her about 30 seconds, but instead, she spent 10 minutes teaching this lovely elderly couple how to use the kiosk. I figured that since they had taken my money to check my luggage, they had to take it, but doubted if it would actually make it to Flint when I did. When she finally tagged my bag I headed to the gate.
Seems when the day gets complicated, it never changes. Getting through security was a challenge. People kept setting off the alarms and having to come back and remove jewelry and belts, but then they figured out it wasn't the people, but was the little man standing next to the screener with the oxygen tank. When I made it to the gate, I found out my plane was to be 30 minutes late leaving. I had to connect in Milwaukee, but that actually worked without a problem, even with the delay.
I made it to Flint,and so did my luggage, but, alas, there was no one at the National Counter to rent me my car. She finally came back from the bathroom and I was able to drive to Frankenmuth without any further problems.
This week I had to fly Midwest because Southwest doesn't fly to Flint, Michigan.
I always try to be at the airport at least one hour before my flight. This never presents a problem with Southwest. This morning my flight was scheduled for 8:25. I arrived about 7:15. I was amazed at the line at ticketing! I had my boarding pass, but needed to check my luggage, so I had to get in line. There were some kiosks available, but I couldn't figure out if you could check luggage there, so I got in the long line with all the people who had suitcases. The line moving pretty slowly and when I reached the sign that said, "check in closes 45 minutes before the flight" I began to panic. I finally dropped out of line and went to the counter. I told a check-in person that I had an 8:25 flight and the line was moving pretty slowly. She asked me if I had a boarding pass and I said I did. I got it out of my briefcase and showed it to her. She told me that I could use the kiosk, but said that line didn't seem to be moving much faster. I asked what I could do be be sure my luggage was checked in time for my flight and she said, "You could get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave." I couldn't believe it! When lines are long and slow, I am used to PA announcements asking people who are on flights getting ready to leave to come to the front of the line. I looked at her and said, "I guess this is what happens when you don't fly Southwest."
I decided to go the kiosk line. They did not have an attendant assigned to the kiosk's, which was why that line was moving so slowly. The mean one from my earlier interaction came over and totally ignored me. By then I had completed the process to check my luggage and only needed an attendant to pull my sticker and place it on my bag. This would have taken her about 30 seconds, but instead, she spent 10 minutes teaching this lovely elderly couple how to use the kiosk. I figured that since they had taken my money to check my luggage, they had to take it, but doubted if it would actually make it to Flint when I did. When she finally tagged my bag I headed to the gate.
Seems when the day gets complicated, it never changes. Getting through security was a challenge. People kept setting off the alarms and having to come back and remove jewelry and belts, but then they figured out it wasn't the people, but was the little man standing next to the screener with the oxygen tank. When I made it to the gate, I found out my plane was to be 30 minutes late leaving. I had to connect in Milwaukee, but that actually worked without a problem, even with the delay.
I made it to Flint,and so did my luggage, but, alas, there was no one at the National Counter to rent me my car. She finally came back from the bathroom and I was able to drive to Frankenmuth without any further problems.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Rain Rain Go Away
This week was spent driving around Indiana.
I flew into Chicago Midway on Monday afternoon and prepared for a 3 1/2 hour drive to Terre Haute, Indiana. Unfortunately, I was in the wrong lane for my exit and ended up adding an additional 45 minutes to the trip. The GPS took me through Gary, Indiana to I-80 to I-65 and finally back to the highway that went south to Terre Haute. As I drove south the weather varied from sprinkles to rain and I could see incredible lightening across the sky infront of me.
When I finally made it to the hotel, the guy checking me in asked me if I had encountered the tornado. Thankfully, I was able to say I had missed that experience.
The next morning I had to drive an hour south of Terre Haute and did not encounter rain, but the afternoon drive was terrible. I headed out at 5 PM and had a 3 1/2 hour drive ahead of me. The drive ended up taking around 4 1/2 hours and the rain was unrelenting. I had only about two episodes of 15 minutes or so that I did not experience hard rain which decreased visibility. And when the semi-trucks passed me, I couldn't see anything at all.
BUT, when I opened my drapes on Wednesday morning, the sun was shining and the sky was a vivid blue.
I'm home tonight (Thursday). Got here about 8 PM and couldn't believe how HOT is was for this time of night. Once it quits raining I think we will bake.
I flew into Chicago Midway on Monday afternoon and prepared for a 3 1/2 hour drive to Terre Haute, Indiana. Unfortunately, I was in the wrong lane for my exit and ended up adding an additional 45 minutes to the trip. The GPS took me through Gary, Indiana to I-80 to I-65 and finally back to the highway that went south to Terre Haute. As I drove south the weather varied from sprinkles to rain and I could see incredible lightening across the sky infront of me.
When I finally made it to the hotel, the guy checking me in asked me if I had encountered the tornado. Thankfully, I was able to say I had missed that experience.
The next morning I had to drive an hour south of Terre Haute and did not encounter rain, but the afternoon drive was terrible. I headed out at 5 PM and had a 3 1/2 hour drive ahead of me. The drive ended up taking around 4 1/2 hours and the rain was unrelenting. I had only about two episodes of 15 minutes or so that I did not experience hard rain which decreased visibility. And when the semi-trucks passed me, I couldn't see anything at all.
BUT, when I opened my drapes on Wednesday morning, the sun was shining and the sky was a vivid blue.
I'm home tonight (Thursday). Got here about 8 PM and couldn't believe how HOT is was for this time of night. Once it quits raining I think we will bake.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Vacation
I've had nearly three weeks OFF the road. I took vacation the week before Memorial Day, did two St. Joe visits the week of Memorial Day and this week am doing Kansas and Missouri, which are all drivable. It's been nice to be home. Next week I have to start traveling again.
I spent two days working in my yard, did some babysitting and actually cleaned my house! I was a great week to be home.
I did break this 'at home' time up with a purely pleasure trip to California last week-end. I had plans to go to Palm Springs with my cousin Marian, but she had to go and have a heart attack the Sunday before! She was discharge from the hospital on the day I arrived (last Thursday) and we spent a very lazy week-end at home in Sherman Oaks. I went to the pool at her complex each afternoon and the rest of the time was spent on the new hide-a-bed watching movies on the DVD. I was able to embroidery and crochet during the movie marathons. We had lunch at a couple of really neat places and explored to find Michael Jackson's house of death and follow a Michael Connelly trail around Hollywood. All in all a great week-end.
Now I'm easing back into the work force.
I spent two days working in my yard, did some babysitting and actually cleaned my house! I was a great week to be home.
I did break this 'at home' time up with a purely pleasure trip to California last week-end. I had plans to go to Palm Springs with my cousin Marian, but she had to go and have a heart attack the Sunday before! She was discharge from the hospital on the day I arrived (last Thursday) and we spent a very lazy week-end at home in Sherman Oaks. I went to the pool at her complex each afternoon and the rest of the time was spent on the new hide-a-bed watching movies on the DVD. I was able to embroidery and crochet during the movie marathons. We had lunch at a couple of really neat places and explored to find Michael Jackson's house of death and follow a Michael Connelly trail around Hollywood. All in all a great week-end.
Now I'm easing back into the work force.
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