SWWBO's Travel Day From Hell | Main | Things can only get better!
December 6, 2005
sigh
My life had been just a mess since last Friday. It all started when I woke up at the hotel and decided to reboot my laptop (it had been on all week) while I packed up.
The damned thing wouldn't boot up - or rather, it would reboot, reboot, reboot, ad infinitum as I watched in dismay.
Well, I got home a couple hours early so that I could get the darn laptop to the office for emergency hard drive replacement.
I picked my laptop up on Saturday afternoon - thankfully, I only lost one months worth of stuff - my pc had not been completely backed up for that long because of all my travel - I can't have a laptop practically stop working when I'm working with a client, so I only had partial backups.
Anyway, I have also been suffering from very painful muscle spasms in my shoulder and neck for about 3 weeks now. When these spasms act up, I can't sleep well. Saturday night was one of those nights. I was miserable all night long - oh - and I still have a cold.
I get up on Sunday morning, pack dirty clothes in my suitcase because I felt too awful on Saturday to do laundry at home. (I washed my clothes last night at the hotel) and John takes me to the airport and gives me a hug and kiss goodbye.
I checked my luggage, and it doing so, at Southwest, I used my corporate credit card to pull up my flight info. I grabbed some breakfast, got on my plane and tried to make my darn shoulder feel better. I got off my plane at Midway in Chicago because I planned to drive to Grand Rapids and hopefully stop at Holland in time to take some pictures of the Dutch Windmill there.
Got my luggage, went to the rental car place, and I could not find the corporate credit card. Oh. Shit.
I moved out of line, sat on the floor and dumped out my purse and my backpack in search of the damn card. It was nowhere to be found. I called information and asked them to please connect me to the Diners/Mastercard customer service line so I could report the lost card.
Okay, folks, how many of you know what your card numbers are on credit cards? Not me. The automated answering system at Diners club - after I pushed the number indicating I was reporting a lost or stolen card - the machine wanted my card number. I told it I don't know what it is. And it repeated the request about 6 times - taking about 5 more minutes - as my cell phone battery is close to draining. I finally got a person, she was able to find my card number after getting my SSN, my mom's maiden name and another, more secret, question.
Damn. This was just the beginning of a really shitty day. I'll finish tonight, I have to get ready for work now - and it's snowing out, so I'd best leave early.
Later on . . .
Posted by Beth at December 6, 2005 4:55 AM
Comments
*Note to self*
It really *is* a good idea to make a copy of your credit cards.
No snark intended.
Posted by: John of Argghhh! at December 6, 2005 7:19 AM
Schnikies.
That's far worse than having your cards demagnatized because you were playin' with the NMR machine.
I am so sorry you're having such a rotten 2 weeks Beth. Maybe a stiff drink right before bed could help with the bum shoulder. Alcohol does have a real anesthetic effect. I used to do that for my knees back when I was still active. Dr. Pepper and vodka. That usually took care the shooting pains to allow me to get 4 hours or more uninterupted.
I really hope you get some good sleep the next couple of days so you can enjoy the sights of Christmasy Michigan.
Posted by: ry at December 6, 2005 10:08 AM
Well, that just sounds suckkky. I hope you're feeling better really soon.
And I agree with ry: a little medicinal alcohol might help.
Or a good scream. :)
Posted by: Margi at December 6, 2005 11:00 AM
Have the scream, then take a shot of whatever medicinal alcohol will provide the most soothing ;-)
How frustrating! And I'm going to go write down my card numbers somewhere safe.
Posted by: Barb at December 6, 2005 11:24 AM
You might also check to see whether you are sleeping with that arm hyperextended. I had a period (a bunch of years ago) when the neck/shoulder/rotator cuff was in great pain. The doctor gave me a strap to tie the arm to my waist to keep me from compressing the shoulder. (Oh and lots of meds.) Ended up that sleeping in a reclining chair kept me from compressing the shoulder and allowed it to heal. Now my wife is going through the same thing. (Great fun. As I know the feeling.)
You sure pick interesting routes to get places. It probably would have been quicker to fly into Detroit Metro and drive to GR than to go via Chicago Midway. After all this is Winter and the Interstate around the south end of Lake Michigan is prone to lake effect snow and icing. That and I-94/I-196/M-6 doesn't put you that close to the lake on the way up.
Holland is just 45-50 minutes west of GR's Ford airport, so you could have treated it as an afternoon jaunt after checking into your hotel. M-6 to I-196 to BR-196, turn right off of 8th when you see the Railroad Station in Holland.
The DeZwaan windmill is located on semi-reclaimed marshland and is used to mill flour, not pump water.
You can see it at http://www.picturemichigan.com/imgs/Zone04/lower_peninsula_zone_4.htm as the seventh picture.
Sorry you have had a bad visit. Drive careful on the way back.
Posted by: The Thomas at December 6, 2005 11:44 AM
Beth, Scream. Drink. Try sleeping on whatever side you don't usually. Enjoy visiting the Western MI snow. Try hanging your work issues on the doorknob before you enter your hotel/house. (I have a trouble tree by my door.) They are always there waiting for you when you head out again, but they don't need to come inside and take up energy in your personal space.
Posted by: Punctilious at December 6, 2005 4:09 PM
When's your next vacation?? ;)
Hope you're feeling better! Sending hugs and prayers...
[Off to make copies of my credit cards]
Posted by: pam at December 7, 2005 6:32 AM
*leaves beer*
*leaves chocolate*
One of those should help :-)
Posted by: Harvey at December 7, 2005 11:01 AM
So...yesterday was another travel day from hell, huh? Saw the plane skid in Chicago and was hoping you got out of there before then.
Posted by: kat-missouri at December 9, 2005 11:15 AM
Oh man... good luck with your weekend. I hope things are better now!
Posted by: Allison at December 9, 2005 11:33 AM