Parking and parting

Yesterday I arrived on campus a little before 11--my scheduled time for work that day since our Open House was from 2-4. I went to my usual parking area--but it was full. So, I perused the next lot. The main lot there was full, so I moved on to the small adjacent lot. Full. Finally, on up the hill, by the new sports center, I found a spot. Whew.

I gathered up my balloons (three mylar helium "Welcome" balloons) and set out on my trek. I got to the office and realized that the walls were still bare. Facilities management had not had a chance to hang our pictures yet. Ah well. I went to secure the balloons outside. I was pleased to see that the wind was blowing the balloons from their spots toward our office area, pointing a welcome to all our guests. (The balloons were secure, just nodding to the north.)

Once inside, two of the faculty members decided to move our pictures off our meeting/soon-to-be-food table and set them out of the way. Then we decided one last plea to facilities management couldn't hurt. Putting on my sweetest voice, I thanked the office manager in FM for all they had done for us in our new space. "We are just getting ready to move our pictures out of the way for our open house at 2, but thought we'd check to see if someone was scheduled to come up to hang them before that." "I'll see what I can do,"replied the FMOM (facilities management office manager).

In a matter of minutes, Dave was up to hang pictures. He worked hard, and even though he had one emergency in the middle of his hanging, he got ten pictures hung with about 45 minutes to spare before Open House time. He was even able to stay for treats. I noticed Josh from FM came for treats as well--he built and hung my coat rack/rod & shelf for our entry way. Thanks guys!

Meanwhile, I decided I should finally feed my unsightly cords through the black plastic thing that FM had delivered before (and had cut a hole for). I had just finished, I thought--and had worked up quite a sweat crawling around under my desk--when I realized that the Bach CD I had been given for background music wasn't playing. Finally I figured out that I had left the cord for the speakers unplugged. I fed that through the hole and we were in business.

The party went very well. I think we had almost 100 people come through--which is exactly what we had planned for. I left happy and tired.

I went on to Christina's volleyball game where Tim and his parents had already gathered. The team played well--they won two of the five games.

Today Mark left for Europe. (Sniff, sniff) He is living for three weeks out of his backpack. When we got to the airport, we discovered that the regular parking lot was full and we'd have to park at the international terminal (even though he was traveling to Europe, his plane was first stopping in NYC and was leaving from the domestic terminal). So, we drove, following signs given to us at the domestic parking as well as highway signs. Finally we parked on the 7th floor of the Humphrey terminal parking. We took the elevator downstairs, got on the large shuttle bus, got off the large shuttle bus, hopped on the tram, walked to the escalator where we met Mark's friend John at the top (thank goodness for cell phones).

A very nice lady helped the boys check in all the way to Germany. They didn't have any bags to check, so that made it easier. She got them better seats on the flight from NYC to Amsterdam. The flight from Amsterdam to Nuremberg was full.

So, I watched the boys get through security (Mark proudly displayed his travel-sized shampoo, liquid soap and toothpaste in his ziploc bag) and then headed back to the tram/shuttle/parking. I didn't even get lost. (It helps, I've found, to walk backwards when you're coming somewhere new so you will be able to find your way out.)

Now I'm home for the day and if I go out I'll just hop in my car parked in our attached garage. I really shouldn't complain about parking elsewhere when it is such a snap at home. When I was in grad school I had to park my Pinto at a spot near a small garage at a grocery store across the street from our apartment building. I remember trying to get it out after a snow storm with my small shovel.

Mark even commented on the way to the airport that he was relieved he wouldn't have to drive for three weeks. Funny how things can change in two years from the time our teenage boy was chomping at the bit to get his driver's license...

Till next time,


Suzi