We're in Nashville!!!!

Sara's just kicking back with a drink after we finally arrived at our destination Wednesday.  We left Ocean City at 8:30 am and headed for the Cheesecake Factory in Annapolis and a short stop at Nordstrom.   2 1/2 hrs in Nordstrom and another hour at Cheesecake Factory we were on our way. The weather was perfect for driving,  although it wasn't important to me since I spent the drive time sleeping.  I knew since April 2016 that I would be leaving for Nashville on the 28th of February, so I vowed to have everything done before Monday the 27th, so I  could just stitch and go to sleep without my usual all nighter getting packed and cleaning the house up.  And as usual, that just didn't happen, so I was cleaning the bathroom, doing 2 loads of wash, cleaning out the refrigerator, etc. all night.  I even cut up veggies to take on the trip so we would have healthy snacks. ( Even I couldn't believe I was doing that.)  Thank God at 8:00 am on Tuesday,  Sara showed up to help load the car and then we were off.   We usually drive until dark the first night on the road and this time was no different.  Poor Sara who was also up late Monday night plus she got a cold and wasn't feeling so hot, drove the whole time because I was sleeping 90 percent of the time. In fact, I only really woke up when the car hit the gravel as Sara started to nod off and veered off the road a tiny bit.  That woke me up for the rest of the drive.  I'm a terrible passenger if you are tired, because I'm so busy nodding off myself, but once I realized Sara was having difficulty herself,  I snapped to attention and then my mission became keeping her awake and on the road.  The rain began to come down in torrents so we pulled over for the night.  I took my overnite bag and one project with me to the room.  Sara offered to get my needlework bag but I didn't want her to go back out in the rain to get it and after all I brought my one project in so I was certain I was all set.  About an hour later I realized I hadn't put needles in my project bag which aggravated me, but I thought I'd just get on my IPad and check out news and websites, but then noticed I didn't have a lot of life left on it and....I didn't have my power cords.  CRAP!!!  Worst night ever.  I spent the night trying figure out what to do to occupy myself because I also left my book in the car.  I did manage to get a couple of hours of sleep but wow glad to get back on the road.  The weather on Wednesday started out O.K.,, but boy did it take a turn.  We rode right into tornado weather.  The torrential rain was so bad you couldn't see ahead of you.  I thought at first we were coming into a really bad fog bank......but we quickly learned that wasn't the case.  The ride remained dangerous until we got about 1 hour outside of Nashville.  The sun came back out and we were able to ease into Franklin and our destination hotel.  It was good to be home.  While checking in we were given keys to rooms on the 4th floor.  Sara commented that it was the vendor's floor and I exclaimed that we'd never been on the same floor as vendors, but the desk personnel just smiled so we were off to the 4th floor.   For the first time ever...I got busy getting food put away, getting my things hung up and things put away.  Usually I just leave it in the bags we brought it in for a couple of days or just leave it in bags the whole time.  But I wanted to get situated ....  Thursday morning we get up and we noticed the floor was lined with the tables they put in the vendor's room.  I tried to get the iron out of the holder and when I was unable to get it out I called for Sara to come help me.  She managed to pull the iron and the holder right out of the wall.   Apparently my room's iron was too big for the holder and it was impossible to get out.  However, Sara's room had a smaller iron so I was able to use hers.  But we called the desk and reported what happened so maintenance could fix it.  I was astonished when the front desk said this wasn't the first time that had happened.  You would think that if they had irons too big for the holders they would change the irons instead of waiting for us to pull them out of the wall.  Before we left the hotel, a woman who is in charge of events stopped by the rooms and was astounded to find Sara in the room as she wasn't aware anyone was there.  Sara and I just looked at each other and we both felt something was strange, but eventually we left the hotel to hit up a breakfast place called The Egg and I.  Before we left the hotel Sara questioned me about not putting on makeup since our stop at Nordstroms was for me to get a make over.  I've been using the same makeup for over 20 years and since I'm looking at 70 in a
year I felt I should be upgrading the makeup. (not that anyone sees me in makeup since I only use it infrequently), so I decided to go ahead and figure out what all this stuff was.  Sara uses Bobbie Brown makeup so we went to them.  I had never seen so make layers but I do like the fact that you can't really tell I've got makeup on.  Things have certainly changed in 20 years.  Anyway, I open the first jar and it was almost empty.  You could tell it did at one time hold product, but it was empty now.  So I said to Sara, "Is this suppose to look like this because I know it cost around $50 and this isn't worth it." Of course she said, no you can use mine and we'll call them.  The rest of the make-up session went smoothly and then we were ready to go after a call to Nordstrom who couldn't have been nicer.(excellent customer service...could give lessons to the Embassy Suites).   Each year we find restaurants we like and some we don't like, but apparently Franklin has the same problem as Ocean City.  The restaurants come and go quickly.  Last year we found our favorite dinner restaurant was gone and this year the Egg and I was gone.  Thankfully a new restaurant had arrived.  While it wasn't the same,  it was a farm to table place so we decided to give it a try.  Sara always eats fresh and healthy while I eat whatever comes across and I obviously don't care about healthy.  So imagine my shock when the menu was all about healthy eating.

Sara loves the healthy drinks for breakfast and even makes them herself.  I've purchased the ingredients a few times but never actually made one.  So Sara ordered the Kale drink and I decided on the carrot based drink.  Sara loved hers and I complained constantly about mine until Sara drank it for me.  Live and learn.  The rest of the breakfast was fine and I enjoyed it....apparently I'm  just not into the veggie/fruit drinks.  After breakfast we decided we didn't feel like shopping and just wanted to hang out and stitch.  So we returned to the rooms.  When Sara went into her room she came back to mine and informed me that there were tables in her room. These are the tables that the vendors use to set up displays in their rooms.  So she called the front desk (they should have given us the direct line to the maintenance departments) and informed them that they needed to get them out of her room as she wasn't a vendor. We proceeded to  get our stitch on and around 2:30 my room phone rang and Sara answered it and I heard her say, "no I wasn't aware of that" and I knew there was trouble coming.  She gets off the phone and announces that the front desk called to say we had to move rooms.  They were sending bell hops up to move us.  Meanwhile I had unpacked my stuff and Sara had brought up to our rooms the trunk shows we were returning to 2 vendors as well as Pat Yergey's  Nashville show cash and carry yesterday.  So now to have to move all of this...too much.  And the bell hops arrived about a minute after the call.  I looked at them and said, for God's sake I haven't got my things packed up yet.  So then we're just throwing stuff in bags and we were bitching and complaining the entire time.  There was no apology from the management team, and I really think they thought they could just pass this off as our fault somehow.  But as a hotel owner, I also know there are times when things happen where you have to get a tenant to move rooms.  This has happened at our place. And when we make a mistake, we apologize profusely, also help to make the move less stressful for the tenant and then we compensate them in some way...usually free nights.  Now I don't care about the free nights, but I do think an apology was in order.  God knows we mentioned this wasn't our normal floor when we arrived, and called about the tables, and the event manager knew we were there and yet it wasn't on her list.  How many clues do you need?  Anyway, we were moved to the 8th floor which we like better (that's not the point at this time.  Something tells me I won't be happy until I discuss this with the management team.  We weren't the only ones with issues as Fern Ridge's Peggy and Pat went out to get groceries and wine and when they got back they couldn't get back in their room.  The new key system which was put in place last year during our stay wasn't working for them.  Maintenance came up and this new system uses batteries which you apparently can't replace unless you are inside the room.  So he was using a wire coat hanger to try and gain entrance.  Really?  What kind of dumb ass system is that?  Anyway, I'm assuming eventually they got in the room.  At this point it's everyone for themselves.  Sara is still fighting this damn cold and was about to drive me crazy with her sneezing,coughing and nose blowing, so she ran out to the pharmacy while I stayed in the room.  She also ran to Puffy Muffin and brought back 3 delicious desserts as a special treat.  Oh, yes, there is something positive happening as well.   I'm pleased to say I didn't eat all three, in fact just took one bite of 2 of them and called it a day.  We had a wonderful dinner at Sperry's and then came back to the rooms to stitch.  I did manage to finish one Shepherd's Bush piece,  which was a free chart from Nashville a few years ago.  I found the chart along with the buttons in my stash at home and realized the buttons were suppose to be put in the shop when we got home from Nashville that year but they never made it and I never stitched the piece....so now that's done.  Then I decided to do my Betsy Morgan pre-stitch from the class with the Delware Guild...so now that's done.  Yes, I'm stitching as much as I can because tonight we start the show...can't wait.   We're hopeful that today will be without any problems, but no matter what at 6:00 pm we get to do early shopping so whoohoo tonight the fun begins.  I've had a good nights sleep so I'm ready.   Let the games begin!  Have a great day.