Good Morning Saturday, April 11, 2015

Hello Everyone,

Happy Saturday.  Went on a road trip yesterday after work to Boca Raton.  I think that means “big rat” in Spanish – I think I heard that, but maybe I made that up.  Anyway, it was something I thought about on the boring drive across the alley.  Although when I first left Naples, there was a HUGE storm and it was impossible to see the road. I even thought about pulling over, but decided not to.  It made me think about the color of my next car (yes I’m considering it again) and I certainly won’t get a silver car – they disappear in rainstorms!  Anyway, got through it fine and by the time I reached Weston it was dry as a bone and BEAUTIFUL.  It’s beautiful again this morning.  Here is where I’m staying:

My Room

My Room 2

It’s a great room on the 9th Floor.  Wonderful view of the Town of Boca.  They have redecorated since the pictures on their website.  Here is the picture I was trying to get from the website:

Marriott Town Center in Boca Raton

Just noticed the “going rate” is $209 a night and with this Quarterly, my rate is only $129.  THAT is why I love being involved at the district level.   Great trips to wonderful hotels at discounted prices.  So I set my GPS to this address and it got me right to the place without a hitch – well just one hitch.  I came up to a road that said I was supposed to make a left on to S. Powerline Road.  When I got to “Powerline Road” the GPS said I had another 1.5 miles to get there.  As I was in traffic to go straight, I decided to take the left turn instead and that was correct.  The GPS lady said “recalculating” but it was all good.  Gotta love that GPS!  I don’t know how Steve does it on his scooter with out that – oh yea, he puts his phone to his ear and listens for the direction steering with on hand in traffic.  No thanks – I’ll take a car with a GPS any day.  Sorry Steve – won’t get me riding to these events on my bike unless I “know the way”.   That reminds me though, the next quarterly in July is in Sanibel.  I know the way there – but it’s in the middle of the rainy season and I’ll just be getting back from the International, so I’ll probably skip the July Quarterly.

Anyway, I usually just drive to these things on Saturday mornings.  I could have done that, but somehow when I booked my room at the last quarterly, I booked it for 2 nights.  I guess I was figuring that I could cancel one night if I wanted to, but I’m glad I didn’t.  The speaker last night was AWESOME!  His name is Tommy and he is from New York originally, but now lives in Boca.  So I want to get his CD from last night and give it to Gary to see if he wants to invite him to speak at the Gratitude Dinner.  He is SO funny!  There was a room FULL of laughing AA’s.  It was so great!  He was the funniest guy I’ve heard at these things.  Steve comes to a lot of the Friday night speakers and says the Friday night guy is many times better than the Saturday night guy.  Anyway, I think he would be great and I think a lot of us from District 20 will agree.  So “LET’S GET TOMMY” for our Gratitude Dinner.  The new “theme song”.  I can’t remember his little ‘song and dance’ so that is another reason for getting the CD.  It was SO funny!  I laughed and laughed and didn’t even think about missing my “bed time”.  Stayed up until 10:30!  That is unheard of for me.  I’m slogging through “Breathing Underwater” by Richard Rohr and I actually got though a whole chapter last night!  Go figure.

So back to the hotel room.  My room faces the entrance to the hotel and I can see the swimming pool from my window.  Here it is from the website:

Marriott Pool in Boca

It is a beautiful pool.  So this is the weird thing.  My window is a “sliding glass door”:

Sliding Glass Door?

It doesn’t open which is good because the balcony is about 6 inches and there really isn’t a balcony.  I guess getting sliding glass doors is cheaper than fixed window doors?  Who knows, just thought that was a little weird.

So last night I went to the hotel restaurant called “Cafe 5150” and at reception they gave me a 15% discount coupon.  Do you think I used it?  Nope – forgot to hand it in.  So I’ll use it today sometime and then give the other one away.  I don’t think I want to buy the $10 box lunch with stuff I can’t eat.  The Chop Chop salad was really good and was only $12.  So I will probably get that again.  Iced Tea was $3 though – although free refills.  Anyway, it’s a little pricey but I’m saving $80 bucks each night on the room and I get reimbursed for one night!  Life is GOOD!

Well it’s time to “Seize the Day”!  It looks beautiful out.  Going to dry my hair and get going!  Love my life!  Thanks for visiting!