By Shannon Williams
Well, I did it ! I finally got back on the road for work. I have 6 projects in Texas, so I left Friday am to make a brief visit to each of them. Usually, I visit each project every two months or so. I meet with the staff, residents and board of directors for each site and then do a routine walk about the property to make sure all is in order. These days, most of my boards want to meet by zoom; we have all of our community rooms and programs shut down, so I am not seeing residents. However, I had supplies that I needed to deliver, so I loaded up and headed out. It is a 1400 mile round trip, to stop at all of the sites, so I have put some miles on my body these past few days.

Travel is very different these days, you barely walk into the hotel and they are giving you a long list of everything they are not doing and everything you have to do different. I always stay at the same brand of hotel (to get my points, so I can travel for fun). I stayed at three different hotels (all same brand) and they all did different things. Forget them cleaning your room, regardless of how long you stay. Many items are missing in the rooms, no clocks, no travel magazine, no ice bucket (but the ice machine is still working). They all told me “if you need anything just call, but that was not so. I sleep with a lot of pillows and needed one or two more, and was told the housekeepers had gone home and they could no longer get into the supply room and get them. Same goes for towels, you have to call to get more. They want you to bring the old ones down and then tell you that again, they cannot get anything “after hours” What is after hours for a hotel?? No breakfast service and the coffee bar is just coffee, good thing I always carry what I need to make a cup of tea in the morning. The biggest problem, was trying to find a bathroom on the road. At least of half of my normal spots for a potty break were closed, now that is a problem!

I was able to get approved to see my mother in the assisted living while I was in West Texas, by signing up to be a family caretaker. I had to get a COVID test and listen to all of the rules, but it gave me an hour face to face with my mother in her room, so I would have done anything to get to do that. My mom had to hear the rules with me. I had brought her a box of her favorite Ethel M candies (always a good excuse to go to Vegas, to get mom candy!). We were told that neither of us could eat or drink while I was in her apartment, so my mom, who is 92 and does not break rules, was not about to take a bite of her candy until I had gone. Today she confirmed that she had eaten the whole box within 2 days.

I had a business meeting and we decided to do as we usually do and go to a nice dinner in San Antonio; well that was not much fun. We had to wait over an hour and then instead of a menu, they put down a 3×5 card with a scan on it for us to “read the menu”. After trying to find an app, we decided that it was just too much work and asked for a menu. They did not take that to well and wanted to show us how to use the bar code. We explained that we really did not want to use our phones, but wanted to enjoy our dinner. We were then given one paper menu (for three of us) . This same group has eaten at this restaurant several times, but they have “downsized” their menu and each of our favorite dishes did not make the cut. However, they did not downsize their bill at the end of the meal…and forget asking for salt and pepper!

But as I drove up to the ferry late this evening, the wonderful feeling of being home and leaving all that crazy world outside of our little home was still there. So tonight, I am going to double up on the pillows and use several towels, just because I can. I hope that when each of you feel it is safe for you that you will travel again, and see all we can of this world.

[Oct-27-2020]