Travel and Sleeping

I have a great deal of difficulty sleeping in hotels, as I have previously mentioned. Unfortunately I fell asleep tonight at 6:30CT. Now I am awake and it's midnight. Ugh! Plane to catch in the morning.

It's been a long but interesting ride so far integrating two organizations. That is something I am no stranger to since we have done this 3 times previously. This has been the best one so far though I am grateful to say. Which is saying a lot because we are doubling in size with this transaction.

So far this week I have been involved in navigating 4 critical issues, and we are only two days into the week. The next two days are meetings with the rest of the senior management team to discuss integration and progress on other fronts so far.

As much as I hate being away from my family, and I really hate being away from them, right now I am happy to say that I once again love what I am doing. Part of that comes from the way the new owners seem to have faith in me to do my job. They ask me to do something and know it will get done. I appreciate that. A lot of nurses are not born leaders and I am no exception. I am grateful for the mentoring I have had from the prior CEOs.

This is by far the most transparent group I have worked with. That is hard to come by. Many organizations try to be transparent, or say they are, but this is the first time I have really seen it. I think it will go a long way in integrating these groups and forming a very cohesive senior team.

So, excitement aside, I must now seek the sleep that will allow me to rise in the morning ready to go! Have a fabulous day!

Tennis Anyone?

As promised I will tell you about why we spent Tuesday night in the ER.

Tuesday was as gorgeous as a summer/fall day could be. After dinner I went back to work in my home office and hubby loaded up the family and went to the park. A lively and humerous game of tennis began. After watching how poorly everyone was doing my soon to be 89 year old mother in law decided she could show them a few things. Much fun was had and they spent most of the time laughing. That is until she went for a serve that was way over her head.

Hubby's brought her home to me and I performed an assessment for a concussion. She didn't have symptoms of a concussion but her hip was hurting and the size of the knot on her head was that of a baseball. Off to the ER for another opinion.

The triage nurse was one I went to nursing school with. When Grandma said she was playing tennis the nurse looked at me and said "seriously?"

Dr. Said no concussion and the hip X-ray was fine. Unfortunately, the doctor WROTE concussion on her discharge papers and she is pretty stressed out about it now. We will get her a follow up to ease her mind. Three days later she asked me why they didn't ask her about her supplemental insurance! Who knew?

Life is always interesting. I hope I will try to play tennis at 89.

Country Music

This week finds me in Dallas and Nashville. I told my mother in law, who took up residence with us in June, that I was going to Dallas to get cowboy boots and a cowboy hat and then off to Nashville to be discovered. Of course we all know that will take a while since I can't play an instrument and certainly can't sing. Oh well, guess I will just have to keep working.

I haven't seen the inside of an emergency room in about a decade but made up for lost time this week. Last Sunday our oldest daughter was in a dirt bike race. It was her first and I am sure not last race. Unfortunately, right out of the gate some bikes piled up. She almost missed it but as she was passing one of the bikes flipped and caught her. She kept going but after the race she came up to me and said "I think I broke my finger". Being the good nurse that I am I immediately went and got the paramedics that are always standing by at these races. They said to take her to the ER but she wanted to wait and see the rest of the races. They just stared at her and said "most men would be crying by now!". We couldnt talk her out of waiting but eventually we got her taken care of. Not broken, but it did require 6 stitches! She's a tough one. 10 minutes on the track, 5 hours in the ER.

Our third daughter, also a nurse, saw the injury and almost passed out. Her husband had to bring the car around to pick her up but only after she got sick and fell on the ground.

Tomorrow I shall tell you about our next ER visit. For now just know that all is well.

Home Sweet Home

I am working from home this week! Last week I was in Scottsboro, AL, Rock Hill, SC and Charlotte, NC. Next week will be another doozie so I am enjoying my week at home. I really appreciate having a home office at times like these because it allows me to be, well, home!

I haven't done very well making travel arrangements, mostly due to the fact that my plans have been last minute. My favorite hotels have been booked and I have had to settle for less than favorites. The beds were fine though and that plus cleanliness and safety are all I really care about.

Next week will be Dallas and Nashville. I really like home, can't I please do this from home?

Books

When I travel I love to listen to audio books.  I get them at the library and also from Cracker Barrel where you can rent them for $3.99/week.  I also love to read my Kindle.  Unfortunately, I can't find my Kindle.  I hope I didn't leave it in Nashville, which is the last place I remember seeing it.  Perhaps in my haste to pack I left it at home.   I was really enjoying "Promise of the Wolves" as recommended by Cinderella.

Did you know you can disable a Kindle?  You just call Amazon and they shut it down so noone can use your account to order books.  I am not sure if they can totally stop it from being used but at least my card won't be charged for someone else's enjoyment.

So far this week I have traveled to Virginia, Alabama, and South Carolina.  Too much "windshield time" as my boss likes to call it.

So my question today is:  How do you sleep in a hotel?  I have tried Tylenol PM, Advil PM, a glass of wine, a book, etc.  I even used to bring my own pillow but that is too much trouble.  After 7 years I still have trouble sleeping in a hotel.  I like home.  My bed, my family, everything.  I do admit that I sleep extremely well on a cruise ship.  The rougher the water, the better.  Of course my family is always there too.

Tip for today:  Disable that lost Kindle.

Oh So Weary

Great day today but these merger meetings are exhausting.  Sometimes I look around conference tables and wonder how I got here.  Was I in the right place at the right time?  Certainly that played a role.  I like to think my upbringing, filled with lots of work ethic, got me here.  It is amazing how many people just go to work but never invest themselves in their organization.

My blog title really describes me today.  Weary.  It's all good though.  (I accidentally typed "Its all goo though.  Ha!)  That might be true as well. 

I will be traveling to Lynchburg tomorrow.  11.5 hours from here since I need to get home and retrieve my boys first.  They will be traveling with me.  I love when they travel with me!  Mommy/Son time rocks! 

See you next week!  Love to all of you who wander here....

P.S.  My hotel, the Marriott Cool Springs, was great.  The concierge host was friendly and the room was spotless.  The shuttle took us to dinner so we didn't have to drive.  Love that service!

Nashville - Good hotels are hard to find

In my hotel last night I noticed a blank spot where it looked like a towel had previously been hung.   I reached in to turn on the shower and found...yuck...someone elses used soap.  OK, that totally grossed me out.  So much for my new Nashville hotel.  I am not having a lot of luck with this area. 

Tonight I will be in the Marriott.  Here I have concierge club access and I have checked the shower.  It is clean.  The room smells a little funny, kind of like there was a smoker and they tried to cover the smell with air freshener.  I can live with that. 

I have meetings starting at 8am and going through dinner tomorrow.  These meetings are a pretty big deal because they are with our investors and new CEO and COO.  My new bosses.   I hope I sleep well here and wake refreshed.  I want to be on my game. 

With the new owners/leaders come several changes.  The first of which is I will no longer be what is called C-Suite.  (C level Sr. Management such as CEO, COO, CFO and CCO)  I will now be a VP answering to C-Suites.  This doesn't bother me as the company has grown tremendously since I began 11 years ago (7 clients to 2000 clients)  and having an attorney above me to provide guidance is a big plus.  I know my job well and I can work with anyone.  I am not nervous, just curious. 

So another journey begins.  This is not the traveling kind but it is definitely a new chapter.  I am excited to begin.  Our new home base will no longer be Nashville so I will be traveling to another city for corporate stimulation.  It is about the same distance for me so not a big change.  I am incredibly grateful to work for a company that respects the fact that I won't relocate.  They allow me to work from my home office as long as I am willing to travel at their expense.

Let the journey begin!

Labor Day

How many of us know the reason we celebrate Labor Day? I am sorry to report that none of my children did, until this week. Ok, I didnt know either. The short version is that Pullman rail cars went on strike. In support many other unionized rail workers did also. The government said stop and they didn't. Troops were sent in and a fight took place leaving some dead. (I think 12 or 13) To make peace with the unions a holiday was declared in remembrance. That's the short story. You can google the rest.

So for Labor Day I cook. Yesterday brought 36 hungry people to our home. That was a lot of cooking especially since I had 6 confirmed and 30 maybes. I knew most of the maybes would show, they usually do. I cook enough for all. 14 pounds of chicken, 32 hotdogs and 36 hamburgers. Many side dishes and peach and blueberry cobbler. Not much left since we ate at 1pm and people were still there at dinner time, refilling plates. It was my favorite kind of gathering. I missed mom and dad though, and D#1.

So, home for the weekend but on the road again this week. I will be in the country music Capitol and then possibly Lynchburg. Time permitting.

Nashville is the city that ruined the bed and breakfast experience for me. Having stayed at a hotel chain and waking to find crime scene tape around the lobby, I decided to find another place to rest. I found what I thought was a perfect solution. A restored historic home run by a chef who made fabulous breakfasts. At the end of my third week there I discovered the owner had a view of my room that I would not have approved. I did a little research afterward and, had I done it first, I would never have stayed there.

Now I am back to the hotel chains. I usually stay in the Hilton Suites and we have a good corporate rate. It is clean and has a great breakfast, included if you are a gold member or higher.

Tip: when staying at a B&B, check it out thoroughly! Don't get caught with your pants...well you know the rest.

Amazing Journey Part V

Day Six:  Breakfast didn't come with our room and we wanted some local fare.  We lucked upon the Keluki Cafe.  Here they serve bannocks (a donut like pastry without the hole) as breakfast sandwiches.  I had the sausage, egg and cheese bannock.  I would almost drive back there for another one!  We purchased two more bannocks for the road as they were so fabulous. 

We re-entered the US and after going through the re-entry booth my wonderful spouse went around a barracade and bypassed customs.  Not on purpose, it was confusing, seriously.  I realized it as soon as it was done but it was too late.  We kept looking over our shoulders waiting for homeland security to run us down and strip search us and the vehicle.  They left us alone - which was not necessarily reassuring.

On to our final destination, which to protect the innocent, shall remain nameless.  I will say it is an island in the Puget Sound and it is gorgeous!

Here is the view from our daughter's living room window:

And here is the park where we had our picnic.

We spent a fabulous few days visiting and attending local farmer's markets, a pirate festival, boat races, and incredible restaurants with fresh seafood.  Yum!!

Leaving the car with our daughter (which was the whole excuse for the trip) we boarded a plane for home.  We miss her terribly already.

Tip:  Sometimes it is the destination and sometimes you make a journey of getting to the destination.  Sometimes it is both.  We booked our flight way ahead of time and got a wonderful rate.  Using points I was able to upgrade us both to first class and the trip home included fuzzy bunny slippers.  (Jerry Seinfeld reference ;))

Have a fabulous day!

The Amazing Journey Part IV

Day Six:  After enjoying breakfast in the concierge lounge we again asked for recommendations from the concierge.  "Here is our destination.  What should we do along the way?"  We were advised to stop in Kelowna, BC, Canada.  This is known as "North Napa" as it is the wine region of Canada. 

Kelowna was a gorgeous area with mountains, lakes, and vineyards everywhere. 

After visiting 4 vineyards, we had an incredible dinner at Mission Hills Winery.  Pictured above, this terrace dining is only open a few months each year.  The menu was delectable and the view, well, you can see the view.

After dinner we walked along Lake Okanogan (Oh-ka-nog-in) where there was everything from outdoor ballroom dancing to lawn bowling.  The place was active!  So much to see and do.  The weather was perfect for an evening stroll and by the time we made it back to our hotel we discovered a "movie on the lawn." 

Yes, it was Casablanca.  I had never seen that movie before this night and I thoroughly enjoyed myself here.  The hotel we chose (Delta) had a private marina accessible only by a small lock.



The lock is to the far left of the picture.  I didn't know what it was when I took the picture or I would have done a little better. 

Off to bed to prepare for the next days adventure.  Stay tuned!

Tip for today:  Evening strolls are romantic!



The Amazing Journey Part III

Day Five:  Breakfast in the concierge suite of the Banff Springs Inn included quiche and every imaginable breakfast food/beverage.  We stopped by the concierge desk to let them know our next destination and ask advise on what to do along the way.  We were not disappointed as we were given an alternate route and directed to fabulous stops along the way.  Arriving at the Chateau Lake Louise (owned by the same chain) we were again greeted with "Gold" service and whisked directly to our room.  Here is the unbelievable view from this room:

The water is really that turquoise color.  We were told it is from the glacier grinding against that particular type of rock and making "glacier flour".   From the Chateau there is a 6.6 km (or 5.5 depending on which sign you read) hike to a "tea house".  I must say that, having had minor surgery the morning before we left, it didn't feel a bit over 6.6 km so I am sticking with that.  What we didn't know when we set out is that the beginning is a leisurely stroll along the lake but after that it is all uphill.   Signs indicate hikers should travel in groups of 4 because of the large grizzly population.  Many hikers were wearing bells and whistles.  Most were in hiking attire including the poles.  We certainly stood out in our jeans.  We didn't feel the need to stay in a group of 4 since the trail was pretty busy that time of day.

   

That is the lake in the background.  Far away huh?  The "Tea House" was a stone cabin with a 3 foot balcony on three sides of the 2nd floor and that is where the food and tea is served.  Little tables and wooden chairs line the balcony. Once a year supplies are helicoptered in and the rest of the needed provision are backpacked in along the same trail we traversed.  (I personally cannot imagine hiking that trail with supplies.  I barely made it with nothing more than a bottle of water.)  There is no electricity or running water and they cook with propane.  Employees stay for 5 days at a time and hike back out along the same trail we took.  We had hummus and chips and a quinoa salad.  Yummy after that long hike.  From here you can see the Six Plains Glacier.  As pieces of this glacier break off and fall the sound is like thunder, including the ground rumbling.  I was told it takes 20 seconds for the sound to reach us.

The good news:  the hike back was all downhill.  By that time my legs felt like jelly so even downhill was a challenge but it was certainly worth the trip. 

We followed the hike with dinner on the veranda.  Up to the concierge for a nightcap and off to bed with our specialty pillows.

Tip for today:  The hotel concierge is always a great source of information on what to do in the area. Wait until you see where they sent us the next day!

Tune in tomorrow for another part of this amazing journey.

The Amazing Journey Part II

Day four:  We traveled through the remainder of Montana and into Calgary.  Mostly prairie with some hills but we did see a herd of bison.  That is a pretty common meat selection in that part of the country we learned.  We arrived in Banff and here is where the budget went out the window.  Following the advice of many (thanks mom!) we decided to do things right.  Staying at the Banff Springs Inn we pulled up to the front.  Wow!  A castle!  The bellhop asked our name and immediately the tone of of our trip changed.  Splurging I had booked a "gold" room.  I didn't really understand all of the benefits of this until the bellhop immediately radioed a message and another bellhop ran out and loaded our luggage onto a cart.  He asked us to follow him and we totally bypassed the front desk.  Taking us directly to the concierge floor he had our key in hand.  He showed us the room and pointed out the binoculars sitting on the window sill.  We tried to tip him but he said "No thank you."  He then led us to the concierge suite where canapes were waiting along with free non-alcoholic drinks and an honor bar.  The canapes included steak and salmon.  Here is the view from our room.

Seriously, that is the actual view taken through the window.  Incredible huh?
And here is the hotel.

That is snow and again, not a postcard.

We walked to town, and yes we were that close.  This guy didn't move a bit as we walked by and photographed him. 

12 points!  He was huge!

In town we shopped a little then went to a restaurant/microbrew that had balcony seating so we could eat and watch the town.

Finished we took a different route back to the hotel and along the river. 

The note left with the chocolates on our pillow said to please call to request a special pillow.  There were 5 listed so I ordered the "body pillow".  It was fabulous. 

Tune in tomorrow for more of the story.

Tip for the day:  Try "Gold".