Memphis to Cleveland

Sorry for the pause in between posts but to be honest, it has been a bit busy around here. Since my last post with Mom and Dad under the Welcome to Cleveland Sign. Our adventure continues...


Before leaving for Cleveland, we drove to Nashville and stayed with my daughter Katie and her family for the evening to enjoy a visit . She prepared favorite foods for Mom and Dad including wonderful home made cookies by one of the great grand's, Avery.
That little girl can really cook! Katie offered to take us to the airport which allowed us to check our bags at the curb.
Now that is service.

Our trip included a nice connection in Baltimore but after a delay, it suddenly became very quick. Those kinds of travel challenges are always so much fun.. well, not really. We finally reached Cleveland, and headed to baggage claim for our bags and to make arrangements for our 45 minute trip to our hotel. Now just try to imagine the expressions on our faces we descend the escalator. I am sure it must have been comical to anyone looking on. One by one our expressions changed from weary to elated as we each noticed the driver holding the placard calling for "Millican". I walked up and asked, are you looking for us? Hoping, but unsure of course. Yes, someone had gifted us a driver to the hotel. A sedan. Ready and waiting. A beautiful anonymous gesture just in time. Mom was just about worn out by this time. He wouldn't even allow us to tip, said that it was covered too, along with the return trip. Many thanks anonymous donor!

PEANUT BUTTER & CRACKERS

We made it to the hotel by 7:30 just in time for a nice relaxing evening...if only they had not given our room away. Not possible I said. It was confirmed weeks ago. I confidently flashed my confirmation number! Dad is getting frustrated (remember, he is retired hospitality corporate office) mom is really tired.. the clock is ticking, I am starting to steam more than a little. Oh, have I mentioned that we haven't eaten since 11 am? Remember that short connection in Baltimore? I was going to have crab cakes with those wonderful red potatos in jackets they do so well, maybe a bit of spicy slaw..but I digress, "Sorry, all booked up. We can put the three of you in a King room" All I can do is stare as he offers this, " well there is a sleeper sofa" in the most jovial voice he can muster. So off we slog from our downgraded suite we were formerly so excited about, and oh yes, I notice the restaurant is now closing. Seriously?

So let this be a lesson, never ever travel without food.. so we dined in style using our suitcase as a table. It was actually kind of humorous. Ok, maybe it wasn't but we were better. I got on the phone with the to hotels customer care hotline ( appropriately named I might add, dad and I were certainly 'hot') to give them an opportunity to make things right. As dad talked I was mentally drafting my TripAdvisor Post bashing them and their next of kin...mom was preparing for bed, she had an early appointment and she had to have eaten breakfast no later than 7am the next morning. Now, for those of you that know and love my mom since her retirement I will leave it there. For those of you that aren't accustomed to her daily routine, let's just say that we planned on tip toeing. :)  

It's now 10:45pm. .there's knocking on our door..oh geez, what now??? Well, well.   It seems our call to customer care office, and maybe some name dropping did the trick. Miraculously someone has checked out in the middle of the night and a suite has become available at 11 pm. You just can't make this stuff up people. 

And so begins the Epic Journey of Shirley's Aorta Stent Graft...