Today and tomorrow are our bi-annual staff inservice days. Today during the day, I was at work by myself with the kids I usually watch. Everyone else was off-site for the first day of the inservice. After the kids' dads picked them up, though, I joined everyone else downtown at a 4 star hotel where we are spending the night. I've been to this hotel quite a few times over the years for early childhood conventions, and my sons have both been employed through here though mostly at the convention center next door. Still, it's different coming in with a suitcase and getting a room. Parking is $16 per night, I hope I'm reimbursed for that.
A nice room though I'm glad I'm not paying for it. Huge bed, 5 pillows, TV in an armoire, closet is a separate little room. The view is of the HVAC units though. Not impressive but hey, I'm not paying for it. After everyone else arrived, we carpooled out to a beautiful home on Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids where we were served a nice dinner and then taken out on a boat ride around the lake. This home was beautifully decorated and well-laid out. The boat ride was nice as well - the host pointed out who the owners of most of the homes surrounding the lake were. It was pretty much a "who's who" list of movers and shakers from the area. These homes look nice from the street - they look even more impressive from the lake. It sure is a different life than what I have.
But I'll keep what I have, thank you very much.
A nice room though I'm glad I'm not paying for it. Huge bed, 5 pillows, TV in an armoire, closet is a separate little room. The view is of the HVAC units though. Not impressive but hey, I'm not paying for it. After everyone else arrived, we carpooled out to a beautiful home on Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids where we were served a nice dinner and then taken out on a boat ride around the lake. This home was beautifully decorated and well-laid out. The boat ride was nice as well - the host pointed out who the owners of most of the homes surrounding the lake were. It was pretty much a "who's who" list of movers and shakers from the area. These homes look nice from the street - they look even more impressive from the lake. It sure is a different life than what I have.
But I'll keep what I have, thank you very much.
Returned to the hotel and we had a "reservation" for one of the fancy restaurant/bars at the top of the tower for drinks. Didn't really feel like caffeine this late so ordered a "virgin" colada (non-alcoholic.) The waiter looked at me funny - "you came all the way up here and that's all you're getting?" "Yep." When the drinks came back, I suspect that my drink and another "regular" colada were mixed up, thought I could taste alcohol in mine but the other person had drank most of it by the time I asked them so ? I didn't really feel like I had any kind of a "buzz" so guess it was probably ok. I don't drink by choice as well as it not being recommended for the medication that I take.
The view from this restaurant/bar was magnificent - 27th floor, looking over the Grand River and the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum. As the sun set the bridges lit up, very nice. If it had not been a cloudy evening I'm sure the sunset would have been great. And the July 4th fireworks are set off right across the river - too bad we were a few days early!
Returned to my room and was pleasantly surprised that I could access the complimentary Tower Club wireless - the regular wireless carried a $10 per day charge and I had NOT been planning to use it. So nice to be able to sit in bed and use the internet!
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