Revenge of the Parking Card

There are four of us here this week and we are sharing one car. At this hotel, you can have the parking added to your bill and they give you a card to get in and out. I've never had a problem with this, other than the week they deactivated it early. Til now. We have no problem getting in the garage but getting out is very trying.

There are two unattended gates that you can go out, but one is closed right now because part of the street is closed. The first day we went to leave, the card goes in and out about four times, then spits out without opening the gate. I try this a couple times. Nothing. Someone goes inside to get a new key. Try again. Same thing. Someone pulls in behind us. We tell her to back up so we can get out of the way. She says if you push the help button, they'll let you out.

Now my last experience with pushing the button was after my credit card got stuck, before I knew I could add it to my hotel bill. That took 20 minutes for them to come and I was stuck blocking the lane the whole time, and it was about 3 degrees. So I was not enthusiastic about the button pushing.

Operator: "Hello?"
Me: "Hello - my card is not working."
Operator: "Hello?"
Me: "Yes, hello, my card is not working?"
Operator: "What?"
Me: "My CARD IS NOT WORKING."
Operator: "On the machine there is a little picture of how to put it in. You must be putting it in wrong."
Me: "Umm, no, I'm not. I've tried it several times, and I've done this about 60 times this year."
Operator: "Try the other machine."
Me: "I can't - it's closed."
Operator: "Oh yeah."
Me: Pregnant pause. "So what do I do?"
Operator: "I can't do nothin'. You gotta get a new key."
Me: "We did that. It doesn't work either."
Operator: "We're not affiliated with the hotel so I can't help you."
Me: "So there is no way for us to get out?"
Operator: "I'll look and see if you've paid for the parking. What room are you in?"
Me: "701."
Operator: "What?"
Me: "701!"
Operator: "It shows you're paid through the 2nd."
Me: So you aren't affiliated with the hotel but you can see my bill?? "So can you help us?"
Operator: after not talking for a minute. "I guess I can let you out this time... What's the number of the machine?"
Me: "24."
Operator: "What?"
Me: "24!"
Me: "Thanks" and we drove off.

Fast forward one day. Key goes in and out, gate doesn't open. We try it again. It doesn't work. We back up again. Somebody goes to get a new key. Same thing. I try three more times. On the third time it works. I can hardly wait until tomorrow!

Oh, and in case you are curious... Today, July 1, the high temperature here was 63 degrees!

Go Chorizo!

At the Brewers games, they have a fairly infamous Sausage Race. It is similar to the mustard, relish, and ketchup race at the K only with a variety of sausages. I'm trying something new and posting a video. We'll see how this works.




My favorite thing is actually the line of sausages walking around the perimeter of the stadium up above the field.

We bought $10 seats and sat out in the outfield. Not a bad deal.

A note about the video - it took forever to load. Maybe not too many videos in the future.

Who Cleared the Lot?

I've been having crazy dreams the last several nights. Maybe it is the melatonin. Sunday night I dreamed that all the trees behind my house were cut down, and they were building a house there, which was already almost built when I got home. In the dream I was really mad, and I was still riled up when I got up.

It doesn't help that my neighbor in the hotel is getting a 4:10 wake up call every morning. Apparently he or she is a heavy sleeper, because the phone rings several times. I think that's when I'm having the dreams is in the hour or so after I fall back asleep.

Suite Karma

After my week in the tiny room, I have been rewarded with a king suite this week. However, the ongoing construction that usually ends each day at 4:00 is ongoing. They seem to be digging a very large hole right outside. The aforementioned king suite is on the second floor on the front, right above the street where they are working. It is 9:20 and they best be wrapping up soon.

In other news, I walked down to the lake for the first time. I had read about the free trolley and figured I could walk as far as I want and then catch the trolley back. The part about the trolley running Wednesday - Sunday failed to register with me. I think I just figured they were saying the hours were long on those days. Nope, no trolley on Monday. So I had to walk all the way back. At least I got my exercise.

Life in the Tiny Room

This week I am in the smallest room yet at this hotel. Apparently they are very full this week. I always wondered why I hadn't been in this room. It is because it is TINY! The bathroom and closet take up half the room. There is one queen bed and just enough space to walk around it. No chair. Not to mention I am back at the end of the hall where there is no cell phone service. You know I get more hits on my blog from people searching about "towels are kinda scratchy verizon" or "what does towels are kinda scratchy mean" than anything else. Here it is: Room 807.

In other news, I met the general manager of the hotel tonight. She said she has been seeing my name on the arrival list for awhile and was thrilled to meet me and put a face to a name. I'm kind of a big deal. People know me.

Oh, and it is 55 degrees. Seriously. June 10. Get with the program.

Waiting Out a Tornado Warning in the Bathroom

Yesterday afternoon around 4:00, there was a lot of scuffle in the office about a tornado warning. I don't sit close enough to the window to have heard the sirens, but there was a lot of chatter. Our administrator came by and said we all had to go to the bathrooms, which are in the middle of the floor. (Mind you we were still on the second floor). So in we went. There were probably about 20 people in the bathroom. Luckily it was late in the day (yes, that's late around this place) so many people had left.

It was short-lived and we dispersed shortly after. Actually I believe the message was that we had the option to return to our desks or remained crammed in the bathroom. Not a hard choice!

You're On the Wrong Plane

This morning as we were nearly finished boarding the flight, the gate attendant came on and made a announcement for Laurel X (names have been changed to protect the embarrassed) to report to the gate agent. No one got up. He makes another announcement saying this time, "Laurel X, please come see me at the gate. You're on the wrong plane!" Of course she is seated nearly at the back and has to walk past every one, knowing they are all thinking how you could end up on the wrong plane. Better her than me!