Sunday, October 14, 2007
Pre-Convention Life
Except for registering our rabbits, Convention really hasn't started for us. So why am I already exhausted? I'll tell you.
After packing for four days, including making risers until nearly midnight on Thursday night, we finally pulled out of the driveway at 7:15 a.m. We had a really good trip until we hit Ann Arbor, Michigan - at rush hour.
We crept past three wrecks and were slowed by some road construction. I could have read a book while we were there, we were making so little progress.
So, our 11 hour trip turned into 13. We finally arrived at DeVos Place to unload the bunnies.
After about 3 hours of unpacking, we finally had them all settled in . Around midnight, we headed for our motel room.
What a dump! While getting my key for the night, a street person wandered in and the clerk yelled at him, "Can't you see I'm taking care of a customer!" We had to drag our stuff up a long set of steps - no elevator. There was a cigarette butt in the toilet - in our non-smoking room, which was equipped with an ash tray. Dirt was piled in the corners of the bathroom and wall paper was falling off of the walls.
When I sat on the bed, it sunk down to within 15 inches of the floor - maybe less.
My description doesn't really do it justice. I was totally creeped out. However, exhaustion won out and we settled in for the only night we would stay there.
The room had been a comfortable temperature when we hit the hay, but we woke up freezing in the middle of the night. That was my fault. We got the heat turned on and put both blankets on one bed. Anna was shivering, she was so cold.
We overslept in the morning, but checked out just after 11:15. We drove 1/2 block and pulled into a hotel with a huge sign that reads, "NOW OPEN." It was twice the price of the other place. Yikes! So I told my story and asked if there was anything she could do for the rate. She knocked off $10 per night. Then, when she realized we would be staying 5 nights, she knocked off another $5. Thank goodness.
I was never so happy to settle into a hotel room in my life. I occasionally still shivered every time I thought about the place we had passed the previous night. But I think I'm over that now.
After that, we located the Wal-mart to pick up the things we had forgotten. I got the oil changed because we passed the 3000 mile mark on the way up. I've never had such good service in my life. We were offered a bottle of water, cup of coffee, and free popcorn while we waited in the car. We got a great free car wash that was closer to a ride at Six Flags. Things were looking up.
Back at the show room, we ran into friends and got caught up a bit. We gave the bunnies a chunk of banana (May LOVED hers), some parsley, and fresh feed and water. We also finished our changes to our entries and wrote the coop numbers in the right ear of each bunny.
I missed every person buying or pickinjg up a rabbit from me. I hope to catch up with each of them today.
We had dinner with friends Gary & Susan Smith. Anna got a full rack of ribs. I barely got one from her. She has a really good appetite. I think Gary & Susan were quite amazed!
We just finished breakfast at our nice, new, clean hotel and are heading back to the Convention hall. Today, I hope to go to the judge's conference (the part that is open to all) and finish up rabbit sales business.
I think going to Convention must be a lot like having a baby. We've just been through the labor part and are totally exhausted from it. We are wondering a lot why we do this. I can't imagine ever doing it again. But if history repeats itself, we will have such a good time that by Thursday, we'll be ready to do it again next year!
Check back again. I'll blog as often as I am able.
Laurie
¶ 9:14 AM
After packing for four days, including making risers until nearly midnight on Thursday night, we finally pulled out of the driveway at 7:15 a.m. We had a really good trip until we hit Ann Arbor, Michigan - at rush hour.
We crept past three wrecks and were slowed by some road construction. I could have read a book while we were there, we were making so little progress.
So, our 11 hour trip turned into 13. We finally arrived at DeVos Place to unload the bunnies.
After about 3 hours of unpacking, we finally had them all settled in . Around midnight, we headed for our motel room.
What a dump! While getting my key for the night, a street person wandered in and the clerk yelled at him, "Can't you see I'm taking care of a customer!" We had to drag our stuff up a long set of steps - no elevator. There was a cigarette butt in the toilet - in our non-smoking room, which was equipped with an ash tray. Dirt was piled in the corners of the bathroom and wall paper was falling off of the walls.
When I sat on the bed, it sunk down to within 15 inches of the floor - maybe less.
My description doesn't really do it justice. I was totally creeped out. However, exhaustion won out and we settled in for the only night we would stay there.
The room had been a comfortable temperature when we hit the hay, but we woke up freezing in the middle of the night. That was my fault. We got the heat turned on and put both blankets on one bed. Anna was shivering, she was so cold.
We overslept in the morning, but checked out just after 11:15. We drove 1/2 block and pulled into a hotel with a huge sign that reads, "NOW OPEN." It was twice the price of the other place. Yikes! So I told my story and asked if there was anything she could do for the rate. She knocked off $10 per night. Then, when she realized we would be staying 5 nights, she knocked off another $5. Thank goodness.
I was never so happy to settle into a hotel room in my life. I occasionally still shivered every time I thought about the place we had passed the previous night. But I think I'm over that now.
After that, we located the Wal-mart to pick up the things we had forgotten. I got the oil changed because we passed the 3000 mile mark on the way up. I've never had such good service in my life. We were offered a bottle of water, cup of coffee, and free popcorn while we waited in the car. We got a great free car wash that was closer to a ride at Six Flags. Things were looking up.
Back at the show room, we ran into friends and got caught up a bit. We gave the bunnies a chunk of banana (May LOVED hers), some parsley, and fresh feed and water. We also finished our changes to our entries and wrote the coop numbers in the right ear of each bunny.
I missed every person buying or pickinjg up a rabbit from me. I hope to catch up with each of them today.
We had dinner with friends Gary & Susan Smith. Anna got a full rack of ribs. I barely got one from her. She has a really good appetite. I think Gary & Susan were quite amazed!
We just finished breakfast at our nice, new, clean hotel and are heading back to the Convention hall. Today, I hope to go to the judge's conference (the part that is open to all) and finish up rabbit sales business.
I think going to Convention must be a lot like having a baby. We've just been through the labor part and are totally exhausted from it. We are wondering a lot why we do this. I can't imagine ever doing it again. But if history repeats itself, we will have such a good time that by Thursday, we'll be ready to do it again next year!
Check back again. I'll blog as often as I am able.
Laurie
¶ 9:14 AM
