Have you ever noticed that it is some of the simplest gestures that make you feel the most loved?
So this doesn't sound like much, but it is one of those "little" things that makes true love so amazing. Dave just got home from work. Yes, it is after 10:30pm and he just got home. I guess a server went down or something; who can really understand computer talk anyways? Though it is obvious that he has had a long stressful day. When he gets home I am already in bed just catching up on reading a few of my favorite blogs. I mention to him that my knee is hurting again. Then he turns around, after just reaching the bedroom only minutes ago and goes back down stairs and returns a few minutes later with my heating bag all warm and cozy for my knee. What a thoughtful wonderful husband!!!!
It is funny how a gift of a trip down stairs when your knee hurts can be more precious than some crazy expensive gift.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Trip to Atlanta
So this is going to be a rather long drawn out entry. It is the blow by blow of my trip to Atlanta. I was sent with a team of about 9 other people to help open the 2 new Atlanta stores for Barbeques Galore.
Monday - The shuttle picked me up at 6am to take me to the OC Airport to hop on a 7:55am flight. I got on the plane and got all settled in. Then as they went to close the back door of the plane the inflatable slide that is only supposed to inflate when you make a crash landing in the ocean inflated. We all then had to deboard the plane. I was of course in one of the last rows and therefore was one of the last off and the last in line to get a new flight. I stood in line for 2 hours. After an hour and a half they announced that the 11:45am flight was not full and my only hope was to get on the 1:40pm flight. Considering the 4 hour flight and the 3 hour time change this would put me in Atlanta pretty late. By the time I reached the front of the line I had pretty much resigned myself to the fate. I handed the guy my driver's license and a copy of my original itinerary. A few moments later he handed me a ticket for the 11:45am flight. I couldn't believe it! I began to thank him profusely. He got this concerned look on his face and told me to "shhhh". Whatever, I didn't care. I raced to the same terminal that I had already used once this morning. I finally arrived in Atlanta sometime after 8pm. Elizabeth (Trainer) and Lisa (Auditor) came to pick me up. We met the rest of the BBQZ team for dinner and then back to the hotel for some serious sleep. However, when I went to check into the hotel they didn't have my reservation. I'm telling you...this is the LAST time I let a VP make my travel arrangements! They only had 3 rooms available and they were all handicapped. Once I got to my room all I wanted to do was fall into the bed since I was exhausted from the long day for travel and had to get up at 5:30am (2:30am in CA) the next morning. Unfortunately the first thing I did once in the room was proceed to drop the coffee pot leaving shattered glass all over the floor. It was 11pm by the time the guy finished cleaning up the glass.
Tuesday - This day was spent at our store on Roswell Rd on Sandy Springs. In the morning I conducted an orientation for all of our newly converted employees. The rest of the day was filled with cleaning, organizing and filling out forms. We left the store at 8pm and went to dinner at a wonderful Italian place. This time I was able to get to bed by 10pm.
Wednesday - I had 3 interviews in the morning. All three were totally atrocious. Then I called Lisa to pick me up for lunch. This was my first chance to see my surroundings since I arrived since all other traveling had occurred in the dark. I was really impressed. It was really beautiful! Lisa, me and Michelle (Trainer) spent the rest of the day at the Duluth store reskuing and pricing. We worked really hard and were totally exhausted by 8pm when we finally got to leave the store. It was Elizabeth's birthday so we went to Dave and Busters for a dinner celebration. Everyone was so exhausted it was difficult to convince people that it was time to celebrate. There ended up only being 6 of us that had enough energy to go; me, Michelle, Elizabeth, Lisa, Monica (Auditor), and Dale (Store Manager from VA). It was a great group. We all squeezed into Lisa's Buick. By the time we finished dinner and got in the car to go home we were all so tired we were delirious. I car ride to the hotel was filled with nonstop laughter.
Thursday - I had 8 interviews scheduled, however only half of them showed up. It was the longest most boring day. I couldn't go anywhere or do anything because I never knew when one might actually show up. I filled the hours by watching TV in the lobby, making phone calls, and collecting pretty leaves for Dave. Yes, I later got made fun of extensively for the leaf collecting. Everyone got back to the hotel around 8pm and then we went to dinner followed by another laughter filled car ride. I love these people!
Friday - We went supposed to work this day, but Mark (District Manager) called in a panic needing help at the Duluth store. So Michelle, Elizabeth and I backed up our stuff and went to the store to help. We cleaned all morning and I scheduled interviews for Mark. Finally at 1pm Rod (Assistant Manager from NC) drove us to the MARTA station in Sandy Springs and dropped us off. It cost $1.75 each to ride the MARTA all the way to airport. MARTA is like a mostly above ground subway. This was my big chance to really see Atlanta. I was in awe. Everything was so beautiful. There were trees everywhere and lush foliage. All the buildings are totally beautiful too. The rich brick and white of the buildings against the shades of green, orange and red trees and then the blue sky; It was just breath taking. There was so much history too. I would really love to go back and be able to explore. The rest of the trip was smooth sailing; or I guess I should say "flying". I got home around 9pm, hugged my husband, checked my e-mail and then off to bed.
It is so good to be home!
Monday - The shuttle picked me up at 6am to take me to the OC Airport to hop on a 7:55am flight. I got on the plane and got all settled in. Then as they went to close the back door of the plane the inflatable slide that is only supposed to inflate when you make a crash landing in the ocean inflated. We all then had to deboard the plane. I was of course in one of the last rows and therefore was one of the last off and the last in line to get a new flight. I stood in line for 2 hours. After an hour and a half they announced that the 11:45am flight was not full and my only hope was to get on the 1:40pm flight. Considering the 4 hour flight and the 3 hour time change this would put me in Atlanta pretty late. By the time I reached the front of the line I had pretty much resigned myself to the fate. I handed the guy my driver's license and a copy of my original itinerary. A few moments later he handed me a ticket for the 11:45am flight. I couldn't believe it! I began to thank him profusely. He got this concerned look on his face and told me to "shhhh". Whatever, I didn't care. I raced to the same terminal that I had already used once this morning. I finally arrived in Atlanta sometime after 8pm. Elizabeth (Trainer) and Lisa (Auditor) came to pick me up. We met the rest of the BBQZ team for dinner and then back to the hotel for some serious sleep. However, when I went to check into the hotel they didn't have my reservation. I'm telling you...this is the LAST time I let a VP make my travel arrangements! They only had 3 rooms available and they were all handicapped. Once I got to my room all I wanted to do was fall into the bed since I was exhausted from the long day for travel and had to get up at 5:30am (2:30am in CA) the next morning. Unfortunately the first thing I did once in the room was proceed to drop the coffee pot leaving shattered glass all over the floor. It was 11pm by the time the guy finished cleaning up the glass.
Tuesday - This day was spent at our store on Roswell Rd on Sandy Springs. In the morning I conducted an orientation for all of our newly converted employees. The rest of the day was filled with cleaning, organizing and filling out forms. We left the store at 8pm and went to dinner at a wonderful Italian place. This time I was able to get to bed by 10pm.
Wednesday - I had 3 interviews in the morning. All three were totally atrocious. Then I called Lisa to pick me up for lunch. This was my first chance to see my surroundings since I arrived since all other traveling had occurred in the dark. I was really impressed. It was really beautiful! Lisa, me and Michelle (Trainer) spent the rest of the day at the Duluth store reskuing and pricing. We worked really hard and were totally exhausted by 8pm when we finally got to leave the store. It was Elizabeth's birthday so we went to Dave and Busters for a dinner celebration. Everyone was so exhausted it was difficult to convince people that it was time to celebrate. There ended up only being 6 of us that had enough energy to go; me, Michelle, Elizabeth, Lisa, Monica (Auditor), and Dale (Store Manager from VA). It was a great group. We all squeezed into Lisa's Buick. By the time we finished dinner and got in the car to go home we were all so tired we were delirious. I car ride to the hotel was filled with nonstop laughter.
Thursday - I had 8 interviews scheduled, however only half of them showed up. It was the longest most boring day. I couldn't go anywhere or do anything because I never knew when one might actually show up. I filled the hours by watching TV in the lobby, making phone calls, and collecting pretty leaves for Dave. Yes, I later got made fun of extensively for the leaf collecting. Everyone got back to the hotel around 8pm and then we went to dinner followed by another laughter filled car ride. I love these people!
Friday - We went supposed to work this day, but Mark (District Manager) called in a panic needing help at the Duluth store. So Michelle, Elizabeth and I backed up our stuff and went to the store to help. We cleaned all morning and I scheduled interviews for Mark. Finally at 1pm Rod (Assistant Manager from NC) drove us to the MARTA station in Sandy Springs and dropped us off. It cost $1.75 each to ride the MARTA all the way to airport. MARTA is like a mostly above ground subway. This was my big chance to really see Atlanta. I was in awe. Everything was so beautiful. There were trees everywhere and lush foliage. All the buildings are totally beautiful too. The rich brick and white of the buildings against the shades of green, orange and red trees and then the blue sky; It was just breath taking. There was so much history too. I would really love to go back and be able to explore. The rest of the trip was smooth sailing; or I guess I should say "flying". I got home around 9pm, hugged my husband, checked my e-mail and then off to bed.
It is so good to be home!
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