Saturday June 22, 2013

Saturday June 22, 2013 update # 491

I was up early enough to be online and ready to check-in for my flights tomorrow starting at 7:35am but, hold the phone, My first flight was changed to 9:35am so I smelled trouble right away.   Sure enough, I would have arrived in Miami at 1:05pm and my connecting flight would have already left at 12:35pm.   I had not received any notifications of this so if I had blindly waited until tomorrow and been stranded in Dallas I would have been fit to be tied.

Almost 2 hours of scouring and re-scouring possibilities began with American Airlines whose personnel are always very pleasant and helpful but the options were all unpalatable.  Finally I ended up having to take a route starting with a flight out at 7:35PM tomorrow and now I will be lucky to reach home by 10:30pm on Monday. 

I have to check out of the hotel at 11am but luckily they will hold my bags at the Bell Captain’s desk until I have to leave about 4pm to get to the airport 3 hours early.    So you can do the math on the hours and it is not pretty.

That was just the start.  The turnout at the show today was awful and we did extremely poorly, so overall we haven’t even come close to covering our expenses.  I have since talked to Bella via email and we may have to re-think doing any more shows.   I would be a very viable business for someone willing to invest a little money, energy and marketing.  Anyone??

It was so bad today I did not have any qualms about packing up the booth except for a couple of packages and getting the box to the Business Center for shipping by 4pm as they had suggested.  It was a great suggestion because there was no line-up (and I would have died trying to lug this box all the way to my room, then bring it back in the morning).  I did sell one of the kits to a “be-back” before the show closed.  

I helped some of the neighbors pack up before coming to the room to check emails.   That is when I got the sad news that Ashley’s Mom, Dorothy, had passed away.  We are going to miss Dorothy and her vivaciousness and her ready smile.

We also got more news of the heavy flooding, this time including Okotoks as well.  The photos and videos on Facebook are mind-boggling.   Heck, even the Saddledome is flooded!

Since I had been eating mostly junk food here and I should know better, I decided to slip downstairs and enjoy a soup and salad.   I went with the recommendation of the waitress to try an Oriental Salmon Salad which was OK but not my style.  At least it was healthier.

As I was walking out of the restaurant some music started and they were announcing the nightly arrival of the “Wet” something-or-other and out came this parade of scantily-clad dancers and dealers who put on quite a show.   I had briefly heard of this from someone and seen some signs but had no idea that I would stumble right into it.   Anyway it was quite an eye-opener and I don’t dare post too many of the hundreds of photos I took, just joking…. But I did get some nice poses from some of these pretty lasses.

I then went to the front desk and paid up the room bill so I would have less things to worry about in the morning, just get out of the room by 11am and find something cheap and non-threatening to occupy 5 hours before beginning my odyssey.

In the elevator were 3 ladies who were part of a muscle/fitness show going on in one of the ballrooms.  Those tans are spray-on and can wash right off, very unnatural.

Back in my room I again checked my reservations and tried to check-in.   I had previously chosen aisle seats for all my flights but they didn’t register.   So back I was on the phone to American Airlines, first with a delightful young lady to get seats assigned before she transferred me to another nice young man who helped me get checked in after the system had refused me several times.   Now I have to dig out my laptop in the morning, down at the Bell Captain’s Desk where they will print my boarding passes for free.

That was today’s excitement.  Hugs to all.  

Enjoy the pics at souvenircuenca.blogspot.com