Ah, Tuesday!  Tuesday’s are not complete without randomness, am I right?  A ginormous Thank You to all my cohorts in crime that are continuing to rock the rebellion with me in randomness – you’ve been awesome at holding down the fort for me while I’ve been ensconced in the unbloggable greatness (which is currently in ‘hurry-up-and-wait’ mode) and while I sort of deserted you with my phoned-in randomness whilst on vacation the past 2+ weeks.  You. Are. Awesome!  And now I’m back to reality (aside from the HUAW mode…get it?) and finally able to give you my undivided attention…and randomness with flourish!  Well, OK, maybe not so much flourish as just plain old randomness.

Keely is still hiatus-ing, and with my vacation brain I’ve forgotten the count in weeks, but it’s been a long time that we’re still pressing on with the randomness.  Rebel On!

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 So yesterday was my first full day at home after being gone for 17 days, and between loads of laundry (that I decided not to procrastinate on), Comcast having an outage wiping out my internet connection and phone (and making Princess Nagger mad when she was in the middle of watching Phineas and Ferb when the DVR decided to reboot itself), followed by a huge thunderstorm (that finally brought some rain since it’s been apparently hot, humid and dry [I know, oxymoron] while we’ve been gone), I didn’t get as caught up online as I had intended to, let alone collect coherent random thoughts for today (another oxymoron, not to mention I’m droning on and need to take a breath).  So please bear with me as I try to think of interesting things to regale you with.

We had a great time on our vacation, it was nice to see my sister and her hubby and one of my nephews for the duration, as well as my parents who drove out from Seattle to spend almost 3 weeks in the exciting state of Iowa.  We did a lot of touristy things, including driving the 90+ minute drive down to LeClaire to visit Antique Archaeology (aka American Pickers – anyone watch that show?) but instead of getting to see anything or anyone, we were greeted with this sign:

Everyone in our group was a bit peeved – after all, they could have posted something on their website forewarning people that they were closed.  There were quite a few tourists who were equally disappointed – and apparently decided staying outside the perimeter wasn’t good enough, so some went right up to the building and tried to peek in the windows – which caused Frank to come outside and yell at them to get away from the building.  I resigned myself to just getting this shot:

And this one:

We thought about stopping by there again on Saturday when we were heading home, since we pass the LeClaire exit right before heading across the Mississippi, but hubby was not into it since he was still miffed they didn’t post anything on their website about being closed a few days earlier, so we figured we’ll just try again next year.  Maybe.

The drive to LeClaire wasn’t a total bust, though, since we did visit the Buffalo Bill Museum, and had a great lunch over at Sneaky Pete’s across from the museum.  We also make a stop at a location on the Mississippi where lots of pelicans hang out, and I did get a ton of pictures I’ll have to share later.  I downloaded 468 pictures from my camera memory card – and that was just the second half of the vacation.  But you’ll just have to be patient as I sort through them and decide which ones will get the honor of being shared.

On the way home we had reservations at a motel in Ohio – some of you saw my tweet about the room not being clean – too bad I didn’t have my wits about me (who would after driving over 10 hours?) not to mention I was loaded down with my laptop bag, overnight bag, and Princess Nagger necessities or I would have taken a picture of the room to share with you.  Instead I’ll have to paint a picture with words.

When we entered, Princess Nagger was going to make a beeline to start jumping on the beds – but as I turned to look, I noticed the beds were unmade, there were towels scattered all over the floor outside the bathroom, and there was one of those giant redneck beer cans sitting on the night table.  That’s when it registered to my foggy brain that the room hadn’t been touched.  I stopped PN from going near the beds (ewww! was going through my head) and we exited as quickly as we could to make our way back down to the front desk.

The poor girl manning (or would that be womaning?) the front desk looked frazzled, and the people in line ahead of us were rude and obnoxious.  She didn’t have any more rooms available with two beds, unless we were to accept a smoking one.  We tentatively agreed, but (nicely) warned her we’d be back if it was disgusting (we stayed in one once that smelled like an ashtray, and the carpets and comforters had various cigarette burns scattered all over – it was gross).

Luckily the room was clean and didn’t smell, so we cranked up the air conditioner to cool the room as quickly as possible.  Let’s just say that air conditioner needs some serious work.  Luckily we had earplugs, because there was no way I’d be getting any sleep with the air conditioner going “hummmm… squeak squeak… squeal… SCREECH… hummmm… squeak squeak… squeal… SCREECH!” all night long.   At least it did cool the room, albeit noisily.  You can bet we won’t be staying there again on our next trip out.

I think that’s about enough random that isn’t as random as it could be for this week – feel free to be a rebel with me and get your random on! Join in the fun – link up and check out the other randomness going on today!

Before you go, Princess Nagger insists (with a please) that you watch her video and leave a comment for her (and potentially win 2 bags of Sugar Free Ring Pops):

Sugar Free Ring Pops Giveaway
ends 07/18/11 11:59pm EDT

 


I’m also participating in Follow Me Back Tuesday – if you are a new Follower, please be sure to leave a link so I can follow you back!

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Once again I’m hopping aboard this fun friendly train – if you’re traveling on the train, be sure to leave your link so I can follow you back!

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I’m also joining Hop a Little Tuesday – Blog Hop for Moms:

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And here’s another fun one, Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop…or Bounce!

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28 Comments

  1. I’m afraid that “Closed for filming” is a common sign here in LA. If you’re lucky it’s at your own house! Glad you had a fun vacation!

  2. I love that show. The least they could have done was post their filming schedule on their website. It’s not like a random act. They have a schedule.

  3. Glad you had a blast. Tell Princess Nagger I would be ticked too if I was watching Phineas & Ferb and it got cut out. I love that show. She has excellent taste!

  4. That’s cool about the American Pickers place. I only just recently started watching it and I like it as an alternative to some of the storage war shows I previously watched. Happy Tuesday!

  5. Ewwww! So glad you stopped PN from jumping on the beds. You might have needed a haz-mat team to disinfect her after that!

    The DVR rebooted during Phineas & Ferb??!! My kids would’ve freaked. I admit, I like P & F too. That’s why we named our puppy Perry.

    Glad you made it home safe & sound!

  6. I’m in! And ewww on the room! I hope they gave you a very deep discount for not having their sh- stuff together.
    And completely right on American Pickers. Although I can see the other side of it too. If people knew they were filming that day, there would probably be more onlookers. 🙂

  7. Ugh. Did they comp your for the room somehow since it was their horrible mistake? Ugh, who wants to deal with that after a long day of traveling. (On a side note, you could have always given us a call! We would have gladly given you clean beds, with clean sheets AND Phineas and Ferb.)

    The American Pickers think kind of makes me sad. I really like that show. You would think in the modern age they could do better than a sign on a dolly to warn people they weren’t open.

  8. I’ve never heard of that show, but isn’t all archeology antique?

    OMG on the room. Couldn’t they have simply sent housekeeping up to clean the room instead of making you take a smoking room with an obnoxious air conditioner?

  9. You were in Iowa?? That’s where I’ve lived the last 6 years. Although I live near the (very flooded) Missouri River, not the Mississippi on the opposite side of the state. 🙂

    My son and I watch American Pickers a lot! We don’t like Frank though.. because he is so Rude! Even horrible to the lady that works for/with them. My son mentioned that again just this weekend. Wait until I tell him about your experience with them being closed and not posting on their website. That may change his mind about trying to visit.

    So glad that you all had a good vacation and visit with family! 2 Greats in One trip!! 🙂

    Now I’m off to watch PN video!!

  10. You got ripped off with the Antique place being closed. That stinks…but not as much as the scary hotel room. Yuck. That just ruins the whole hotel for me.

  11. We watch Antique Archaeology on occasion, but prefer Pawn Stars.
    We just got done with the annual celebration in our town–carnival, street dances and all. It was a good time.
    I’d have had issues with the room too. And wouldn’t be going back either.

  12. What a major eeeeeuuuuuuuu on the hotel room being a pigsty! Honestly, though chances are management is too cheap to hire any more workers to take up the slack. My daughter works in a hotel and they are busting their back to keep on top of things. They are under staffed and the manager won’t hire any more people. My DD works over many nights, too. When you go into work at 5am and you don’t get off until 6, 7, or 8pm then you’re pooped out. That’s a terrible inconvenience for you guys to stumble in on that mess, but seriously I hope you had a words with the manager or higher up cause that’s probably where the problem lies. Glad you had a good vacation and it’s good to have you back!

    The Filthy Truth
    What’s Happening to My Teeth, part 5

    ~Cathy Kennedy, Children’s Author
    The Tale of Ole Green Eyes

  13. Keely has been gone almost 3 months now.. 🙁 but Yay to us for keeping RTT alive! 🙂

    Ooh I’d be peeved too if I was watching TV and it suddenly decides to go glitchy!

    That is one of the reasons why I don’t like staying in motels when going on vacay, but it can’t be helped right?

    Glad to know you had a fun vacation! glad to have you back…

  14. I guess hearing the air conditioner squeak is better than the beds next door squeaking! But double disgusting on going into an uncleaned room to begin with. Glad you’re back!

  15. We watch it too – booo that they couldn’t put a notice on their website. I would be disappointed!

    Ick on that first room. *shivers*

  16. J and I watched American Pickers last night! He loves that show.
    As for the nasty hotel room, ugh. I would have just gone elsewhere. Sometimes it’s worth it to pay an arm and leg to stay in a hotel vs. a motel. I’ve heard so many horror stories about motels/hotels etc. that it makes me wary to even stay away from home period! LOL. I ALWAYS bring my own pillows. And wear shower shoes. 😛
    Care to tell us the name of this motel, so we can all avoid it in the off-chance we travel to Ohio? 🙂

  17. Ew, ew. Motel rooms skeeve me out even when they’ve BEEN cleaned, I think I’d have been not-accepting that smoking substitute while gagging.

    Thanks for continuing to keep the RTT alive!

  18. So sorry about your Antique Archeology experience. I’d be a little miffed too if I had gone to the trouble to visit and been greeted in such a rude manner!

    I’ve had a few of those hotel experiences – one in particular that when I walked across the carpet in my bare feet – the bottom of my feet were filthy and sticky 😛

    Thanks for joining the Tuesday Train!

  19. Can’t decide which makes me more likely to riot…the nastoid hotel room or the Antique Unavailables! How do they not put that info out there?!?!?! Or discreetly invite anyone who drove so far (as proven by a WAY out of state drivers’ license) in for a sneak peek!!!!!

  20. Glad most of it worked out & you got to enjoy time with the fam. The hotel is way icky! You should make sure to review it on Travelosity or somewhere. By the way – many thanks for holding Keely’s torch for us all 😀

  21. You’ve been to LeClaire? It’s just an hour and a half from our place. I’ve never been there though…
    It’s always nice to have good road trip with the family;-)

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