TUESDAY, AUGUST 5TH:
Construction didn’t begin to 7 am and since my windows were closed, it wasn’t too bad. Got up and went to the health club which is fabulous. They even have personal trainers walking around to assist. Had a great workout. Breakfast is a huge buffet which is definitely wasted on me. A little yogurt and some fruit and LOTS of coffee are about all I can do that early in the morning. There is actually a shopping mall in the hotel and a Medical Staff. This is a “Wellness Center Spa” and is going to be huge when the renovation is complete. Right now, there are lots of “wood tunnels” leading you to the different Spa facilities. I got so lost that one of the “doctors” had to direct me back to the hotel lobby. I’m leaving 30 minutes early for my massage so I’ll have plenty of time to backtrack. The massage was wonderful! Susan gave David her time slot because his back has been hurting and she booked one for later in the day. David had a female masseuse and I had a male…just like I like it. J He gave me these “paper panties” and said I could wear them if I wanted. I did although I’m not sure why. When I turned over on my stomach, he just pulled them right down and massaged away! Not the place for modesty. I went back down later in the afternoon for my “manicure” but they had no idea how to do my nails with the “pink and white”, so I ended up just getting a regular manicure and my bangs cut – again! Why doesn’t the rest of my hair grow that fast?? The hotel grounds are beautiful and I took lots of photos for the website. The little town is just about a quarter of a mile from the front door. I didn’t have time to walk into town but Susan and David did and said it was very pretty. Had dinner with David, Susan, and Randy at a restaurant in another part of the hotel. It was an older part with lots of ambiance. Meal was really good, too. The performance was really fun. About 125 people, lots of them employees of the buyer, but all friends of the “birthday girl”. I told him he’s really going to have a hard time coming up with something for her on her “real” birthday, which is Saturday. Show was held in a hotel ballroom and they had great decorations and food. The stage and production were all first class. We were back at the hotel a little before midnight and will depart at 7:30 am for the airport. Bellamys fly to Norway where Penny will meet up with them and I fly to Denmark – scene of my bike wreck one year ago! I have been forbidden by family and friends to ever ride again. L Jude
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH:
Grabbed a couple of hours of sleep, showered, packed, and went to the lobby by 6:45 am to check out and have breakfast. Only one casualty this morning – Bellamys Monitor Engineer didn’t get or didn’t hear his wake up call. We departed about 20 minutes later than I would have liked but fortunately traffic was light and we arrived at the airport in ample time. No problems checking in as SAS allowed them to use the “group check in counter”. They left for their gate and I went to Lufthansa to check in. The lady at the counter said I had THREE bookings on the same flight. Took her a while to sort it out but I told her I’d rather be over-booked than not have anything in the computer! I had hours and hours to kill before my flight so I walked across the street to the train terminal where all the shops are located. Didn’t buy anything except a couple of books. Went to the Lounge to answer emails and get caught up on some work. Flying to Frankfurt and then connecting on to Billund then a one hour drive to Silkeborg. I will have to check in, eat dinner, and then go back out to the airport to pick up Stonewall Jackson tonight. Flights to Frankfurt and then on to Billund were “uneventful” which is good. Peter picked me up in the limo and took me to the hotel in Silkeborg. First thing I saw was cyclists on the hotel bikes wearing HELMETS. I wanted to tell them that the helmets were compliments of my accident last year! The hotel definitely remembers me. J They also had my fan already waiting for me in my room. It was raining when I landed but still pretty hot. I worked until 10 pm when I met Peter to go pick up Stonewall. His plane landed and we waited and waited and waited. He never showed up. I called his cell phone but it went to voice mail. It was after midnight so NOTHING was open in the airport. He was flying from Belfast City to Newcastle on Flybe then Newcastle to Copenhagen and Copenhagen to Billund on Cimber Air. Yeah. Try figuring that one out. We had to give up and come back to the hotel. I was able to reach his agent via email and get his wife’s phone number. She had heard from him, Thank God. There was a mechanical problem with one of his flights and they put everyone in a hotel and gave them meal coupons for the night. Said they would get them out first thing tomorrow morning. She said Stonewall was happy because they paid for his hotel AND he got to eat steak with his meal voucher. Now I have to contact Cimber Air and find out when he is coming in. They open at 5:30 am tomorrow and it is now 3:30 am. Short night for me. I have to go back to the airport at 8:30 am to meet Hal Ketchum and Becky Hobbs. Jude