I thought when we sold the hotel that the drama would end.  That is, that we wouldn't have staff drama to put up with, Wrong.  Last night I got an email from Steve that was filled with drama, how the world is ending type stuff.  I just can't get too upset with all of it, maybe have gotten hard but most of the drama is self created.  We'll see how he handles the latest in his long line of tales of whoa. 

We are going to MP today and coming back tomorrow.  The auctioneer will be there at 9 AM, then we have some errands to run, things to pack up to bring back. 

The weather is really crazy here, it's not supposed to get warm at all today, in fact, there is a chance of snow but then by Wed. of next week it is supposed to be in the 70's.  Maybe getting through these two days of icky weather will then be the end of it, that would be sweet!

We are going to the office this morning but don't know how long we will work before taking off for MP. 

Another airline files for bankruptcy.  That's 4 in the past two weeks.  Kind of glad I wasn't planning to fly any of them, could have been ugly.

I'm not so sure that there is any good thing to say about the weather we are having today with the exception that because it is so nasty cold and wet outside people are staying in their offices so they are reachable by phone. 

In fact, I actually got in touch with a gal that I have been trying to reach for a week.  She is going with an ad but not until May 6th since she is doing a bunch of shows right now and doesn't have time.  Ok, we'll need it then too.

It appears that we will be doing the show in St. Joe for the state association in June.  I'm sure we will pull a great number of advertising opportunities at that, all the CVB's will be in one spot at one time.  We will have a booth there so that's cool.

I went home for lunch because GW is working on school stuff.  I went to see how Mercy was doing (hiding under the bedspread in the bedroom) and she got just a little miffed that I would expect her to come out.  She was snug and sleeping and I had the audacity to bother her.  She walks around the apartment just fine, doesn't seem to be upset at all by that so guess she'll be fine.

First thing Terry told me this morning is that it is supposed to snow today, the big flakes.  GIVE ME A BREAK!  It hasn't started yet but the day isn't over.  It's cold and raining so sure is a possibility.

The guy is supposed to come and get the car this afternoon.  That will make it so that we are down to just two for two people, that makes sense to me, three, well, that didn't!

 

 

The trip to DM wasn't nearly as noisy as we thought it would be, Mercy actually settled down on "her dads" lap after about 20 miles and then only let out a yelp once in a great while.  She is now (and has been for quite some time) under GW's desk, under a blanket with just her nose sticking out.  She doesn't want to come out.  I picked her up a little while ago and showed her where her food and litter box are here and although, when I put her down she smelled them, she went right back to the blanket and has stayed there since.  GW picked her up and carried her around for a little bit, put her on his lap and she jumped down, walked under his desk and went right to the blanket.  It may take a couple of days.  Not only does she have to get used to here but later we are taking her to the apartment which will cause her even more stress, poor baby.

I went over, put the dishes away and set the groceries on the counter (after picking them up when the bag ripped - - three times!!  (different bags!)  The guys at the hotel helped me pick them up and then Lee, one of the maintence men, helped me get that load to the apartment where one of the bags tipped off the cart for him too…what a drama!  Anyway, they are on the counter now, dishes are put away, boxes are stacked on the table to be taken apart and kept for later, either eBay or packing and Mercy's litter box and food are set up in the apartment. 

Mike, the manager, told me he doesn't care if we bring in our own furniture.  We'll give that some thought.  We will be bringing our chairs for both us and Mercy.  We'll see what else we put in.

Going to keep searching for postings for GW, when I have time, and see what we come up with for the fall semester, hopefully something will open up in AZ.  We'll see.

The guy that is going to buy the car is supposed to be here in about an hour and a half.  Sure hope that he comes, that would be awesome.

Now, back to work!

 

The car is packed to the gills and we don't have Mercy's stuff in it yet or the frozen and cold food, but, we'll get those in the morning.  It's been a long weekend in some ways and good in others.  

We went through the house tonight and made a list of what we are wanting to keep and decided with some of the big things we are going to ask Jeff if we can put a reserve on them, if not, we will not sell them.  Thought that made the most sense.

Next weekend will be more of the same, packing up except we will have empty suitcases to pack and take back along with the other stuff.  Interesting.

The train of Greg's sold for $225 plus shipping, whew, that was sweet!  My paypal account hasn't looked that good for awhile.  I sold a bunch of other stuff too, not that big though although the Raggety Ann and Andy I had listed sold for $27 so I was pleased with that.  I paid $8 at the auction in DM.

Now I will need to take the shipping stuff to DM if I plan to keep selling things, which I do.  I enjoy it and LOVE the income LOL.  I am nearly out of the packing things like peanuts and foam so the timing works out well.  The things that are left in the basement eBay room have been listed, at least most of them have, and so I'll let them go at the auction.  Not hauling them to DM.

It's now time to get to bed since I have to be up in 5 hours. 

I've started packing groceries and dishes to go to DM.  The trunk is nearly full so I quit since I still have to put the frozen and cold stuff in on Monday morning.  My goodness but we have a lot of stuff LOL

Now we will have to go through the house, probably tomorrow, and mark the things that we are not selling so that Jeff will know not to take those into consideration.  I thought I would be sad but in fact I'm kind of excited.  We are moving on.  We are doing what we want to do and although we love our house, it is a ball and chain right now to drive back and forth, pay the utilities here (whereas we can turn them way down being gone all the time) and the hassle of packing each weekend and still not having everything we'd like to have in DM.

If there is a position at a college that Greg wants, when he is done with WP, it will be a whole lot easier to move and then buy the stuff we want rather than pay for lots of storage, pay the moving costs for lots of stuff that can easily be replaced and beat it up by packing and hauling.  Life if good!  I'm excited!

I certainly hope that GW is too, he seems to be, so it is decided.  I think that's part of any decision that is the most difficult, the actual decision to do something or to pass.

I went to the hotel yesterday, which I have already told Bobbi and Cyn, and talked to Dilip about the domain for the hotel.  He said they already had it (amazing since we own both of them but whatever).  I looked at the forecast for business when Dilip was in the other room.  Oh my gosh!  This month should be sailing along with great occupancy and the start of building for the summer months.  It's sad to say that they are running a 1%, 4%, 22% and one night of 57% for the next three weeks!!  Of course, with no internet presence, no online reservations capabilities, a dark and dreary lobby (the lights were all off) and not taking Corporate Lodging or any truckers it's like they want to fail. In a way it is sad, in another way it makes me feel really good since when we owned it we NEVER faced those numbers!  Guess we knew how to run a hotel that people wanted to stay at…at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Here is an update on the Des Moines situation.  We are going to be staying in Des Moines full time (other than when we have to be back in MP for something).  I talked to Mike and he said sure, it's all ours.  That will be so great, no more Thursday night trips back here and off early on Monday mornings to get to the office in time to be at work by 9.

We are going to take some of our stuff with us next week, including the Mercy girl.  I'll be driving in since Greg will be holding his little one.

I have disconnected the 3044 number since we are never here anyway so why pay for it.  We'll probably keep the 7200 for awhile although not sure for how long, don't know how long we'll need it but it's not that expensive so we'll see.

Praveen, the guy that bought our hotel, contacted me today about buying the website (only 10 months or so late.  He actually asked me to give him the password and stuff.  I told him no, that if he wants the domain he will have to buy it.  He told me to go out to visit with Dillip tomorrow, geez, what they don't know about hotels would fill a book, but not my problem.

He did say they had the Days Inn in Utah sold and were just waiting for the closing.  Angela is going well but working too hard according to Praveen (but you can bet he isn't doing much at the hotel, he's trying to buy some in MN.)

Just wanted to give you an update.

Ok, this is about enough now!  It is SNOWING again!  Yes, that beautiful white stuff that we love to see on Christmas is now coming down after EASTER!!  In April!  On the 3rd of April!  So quit!  Let me out of this crazy place!!  Of course it is Thursday, of course we are driving back to MP tonight, of course we are! 

The good news is that I talked to Mike (manager at the hotel) today and beginning next week we are staying there 7 days a week.  We will be bringing Mercy with us next week, some of our stuff and essentially moving in until at least July.  By then we will know where we plan to be located for the next while, where GW may be teaching, what we will be doing and so forth.

Now, we will still go back to MP when necessary but this driving back and forth is nuts.  If Mercy were here this week we would just stay tonight, but gotta get home to her.  I'm sure she is missing Greg.

If we start staying you can bet the weather will change and the drive to MP would not be a challenge, but, it's still expensive.  Gas yesterday in DM was $3.07 and today is $3.19.  Go figure!

 

 

Well, maybe not, but it is in this case.  Greg enjoyed teaching a great deal.  He said the only thing he knows is that he is going to have to be a little more familiar with the lesson next week just in case they ask something he hasn't an answer for yet.  He said it didn't happen last night but he felt like it could have, so, he will work harder on it for next week.  But, outside of that he said his lesson plan was just the perfect time, the students had a good time, they learned a lot and he enjoyed it.  Doesn't get much better than that!  He IS a Professor; it is something he should do in my opinion.  It is thrilling to me to know that all the work, hardship and stress of his going back to school was worth it all. 

I had a pretty good day at work, talked to lots of people and things are looking pretty good so we just keep moving on! 

I also thought about Jim Greenfields and wondered what he was doing and if he was still in Indianola.  That lead me to looking him up online and he was there so I called.  Yes, it was the right Jim.  We talked and laughed for close to half an hour.  He is going to come into the office some afternoon next week.  That will be such fun!

Our weather has begun to straighten out, it was in the 50's yesterday.  Today isn't supposed to be as nice since there may be showers moving in (of course, it's time we go to MP).

I called Bobbi late yesterday afternoon (our time) and left a message telling her to email me with when she is in the house so I can give her a call.  She doesn't like the cell phone so I called from the office but she was apparently picking up, dropping off kids or working so missed her LOL

I have been wearing my backless shoes, which I love, but I'll be darned if I remembered that it takes awhile for my feet to get used to them.  My heals are so sore that it hurts to walk.  I'd forgotten about that.  Oh well, just a couple more days and they will be in shape.

I have some schools with openings for Greg to look at later today.  He told me to get some together and he would look on Thursday, after class was over so I did.  Don't know if there is anything that he will be interested in but we'll see.

Cyn called and said they had been robbed again at the store.  It's unbelievable how they came in through the door wall from the space next door because they couldn't get in through the back door.  Geez, what kind of area is that??  She said that Sherriff Joe is the head of the department there but that his people spend more time on more serious crimes than they do on robbery, with the murders and stuff I guess that makes sense, but it doesn't help the business owners out much.  At least the alarm worked and so the thieves didn't have time to take anything more than a little money.  I told her to get a dog, but maybe what they need to consider is a camera system so that they can give the tapes to the sheriff’s department and assist them in knowing who did it and help with the arrest.  Maybe then, after spending some time in the famous tents of Sherriff Joe they will leave Cyn's business alone!  Just a thought.

Time to get ready for work.