Monday, July 31, 2006

Finally Home!

Where to start! I left off on the runway in Las Vegas enroute to Cleveland after sitting there an hour and a half in the hot desert. The movie, BTW, was "Ice Age II", and I passed on watching and tried to nap a little. I have a hard time sleeping on a plane, especially during the day, but otherwise I am antsy and bored.

Since we were so late taking off, of course we were late landing and with the time change and delay, I got into Cleveland about 1:30am and by the time I got my checked luggage and took the shuttle to Hertz, it was well after 2am when I started driving to the hotel. The directions they printed out for me at Hertz were wonderful if you actually lived in Cleveland and knew which way was east or west. So naturally I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right and I got it wrong. I finally turned into a parking lot and found the dome light in the car and tried to figure out where I was. Where I was was parked in an adult store parking lot with a dome light on. I sat there laughing at myself and decided to go back the other way and start over. I finally found the right road and the hotel. I parked in the entry and went to the door to find the inner glass doors locked and nobody behind the desk. So I had to find my paperwork and cell phone and call the hotel. A sleepy voice answered (I knew he was in the back sleeping!) and he asked if I had a reservation. Yes! So, he unlocked the door and I checked in, went back and parked and brought my luggage up to the room, exhausted. I think it was around 3am-ish, Cleveland time.

I called for a 9am wake up call and took a hot bath, finally got the internet working and climbed in bed. Well, the idiot that had my room before me left me a wonderful gift: the alarm went off at 6am! I figured out how to turn it off right before I was going to lob the damn thing across the room, and got a little more sleep.

Saturday morning I got up and made coffee, took a shower and loaded the car and set off to find Loretta! She gave me excellent directions and the only glitch was a road closure and long detour, but I found my way and when I drove up, Loretta and the handsome Nathan were on the porch waving at me as I turned on their street. (I only passed their street once and was so proud that I made it!)

Nathan gave me a tour of the house immediately. He is such a sweetie and so warm and friendly. (I think he knows a grandma when he sees one!) Loretta made me a wonderful cup of coffee, and she was already packed, so we hit the road for Michigan.

We stopped on the Ohio Turnpike for lunch. We took our time and I really enjoyed the countryside. I think Loretta thought I was nutz because I love old farms and especially old barns and there were so many beautiful places along the way.

When we got to Michigan we found our hotel and got ready to go to the party. Nathan loved having adjoining suites. He and I went to find the ice machine to fill the ice bucket. He did the honors! He is so grown up and all boy!

The party was fabulous! Lisa is much lovlier in person if you can believe that! I got to meet Martin and the adorable Mia and Martin's parents, our gracious host and hostess. I got to meet Barbara and Ronni and their husbands and so many of Lisa's friends. Her lasagna was awesome and I even got to try "salad cream".

Other friends who couldn't make it called and we had the best laugh hearing Happy Birthday sung from several states and another country. It was alot of fun and I'm sorry it had to end.

To be continued....

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