Ya Just Gotta Laugh!

Last night I drove to a medium-sized town in southern Ontario for a conference taking place today and tomorrow. I always check my route on Google maps and usually I find my way with little to no problem. Not yesterday.

Google maps totally screwed me up once I got into the town itself. After driving a fair distance in the wrong direction, I turned around and went back, past the turn-off and kept driving. Couldn't find the street, so I just stopped at someone's house and asked for directions. Yes, I was on the right road, so I kept going. Found the street I was looking for, turned in the correct direction and checked the street numbers. Yes, I was going in the right direction. Drove and drove until I saw a hotel I recognized from previous trips and pulled in there to again get directions. The nice lady at the counter confirmed that I'd gone too far. Turned around and went back. Drove and drove and still couldn't find the @$ hotel, though I knew I was on the right street. Turned around AGAIN and drove back. Still couldn't see the hotel, though I was driving slowly and it was fortunately still light out. Finally, stopped at a red light, I got the attention of the car beside me and asked the man if he knew where the hotel was. "Right behind you," says he. "Can't you see it?"

No, I couldn't see the hotel but I turned around and drove very, very slowly until I saw the hotel sign, VERY VERY high off the ground. There was actually nothing on the building itself to indicate that it was a hotel. The only sign on the building was the name of a restaurant, the Golden Griddle.

The entrance to the hotel said "Motel". Not even hotel, much less the name of the hotel.

OK.

So I checked in and drove around the back to be closer to my room, especially since I lug around yoga equipment if I go away for more than one day. BTW, I do what is fondly known as "furniture yoga"--technically Iyengar. I highly recommend it, especially for people with special needs such as myself. With Iyengar, you use lots of props if your body is unable to do certain poses to the full extent. See the photo above. I carry around two blocks, a yoga mat, a large bolster and one or two straps. Sounds vaguely kinky. LOL.

So I lug my suitcase full of blocks, straps and clothing plus my mat and bolster to the nearest entrance and...my key doesn't work. So then I lug everything to the next door and thank goodness, the key card works.

The hallway smells like sweat.

Fortunately, my room is decent. And I've got free internet.

This morning, I go the Golden Griddle for breakfast. I order one egg, toast and peameal bacon (in the States, you call it Canadian bacon). I am charged for two eggs, even though I only had one and refused the hash browns. Minimum charge is two eggs.

The meeting goes well and we're finished at lunch time. We drive downtown for lunch. Without going into detail, the waiters were charmingly incompetent. Service glitches abounded.

Food digression: PORTION SIZES! Unreal! This morning I left the hotel restaurant with a peameal bacon sandwich made of leftovers from my breakfast. I had to throw it out since I don't have a fridge at the hotel. Same for lunch. A small bowl of soup and half a grilled veggie wrap are more than enough for me. Now the other half of my wrap is sitting here in my room on the table and I'm not sure I should eat it for supper since it sat in the hot car for awhile after lunch. Half the weight problems in our society have to do with the unreal portion sizes they serve at restaurants!! People are set up to get fat!!

The colleague I'm working with today doesn't need to lose a pound. He probably should do some exercise to tone up a bit, but he has no weight problem. This morning he polished off three eggs, bacon, toast and a piece of tomato. At lunch he had a large bowl of pasta-laden soup and a huge dish of Thai stir-fry. In an hour, at 6 p.m., he'll call my room to ask if I want to go to a steak house for supper. If I do go, it will only be for a salad. He'll have his steak meal and order dessert. I know. We work together out of town frequently. Life just ain't fair. Sigh.

So that's been my day, here in southern Ontario.

Ya just gotta laugh!

P.S. When I left the restaurant with my 1/2 a wrap, there was a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk with his hand out for money. I don't give to everyone, but whenever I see someone like that the mom in me sees the little baby he/she once was and my heart is heavy. Anyway, I politely asked him if he'd like my wrap. It was fresh and very tasty. He politely refused. He wanted money--to buy some pop because it was a really hot day. Maybe he was telling the truth, maybe he was lying. I did give him 50 cents though. Too bad he didn't take the wrap though. He missed out on something yummy and healthy too.