At the Club - What not to read.

Going back to the "Club" days.

I was hired to work nights at the Lake Placid Club in 1983.  My shift was 11 PM to 7 AM.  I was one of the auditor responsible for posting charges to customers room bills. Balancing the days work for the hotel/bar/restaurant and stores.

This is just one of the stories I will write about the LPClub.

It was really early in the morning, about 2 AM, and our work was done.  We could not leave and both brought books with us to pass the time.  Dave was near the switchboard reading and I was on the couch in the outer office by the big fireplace.  The security guards were out on patrol of the grounds.  The LPC was huge and large portions of the property were closed off.  Kids and people loved to sneak in. About 100 rooms in this one wing were so run down it never opened while I worked there.  As you entered the massive lobby this wing was on the right, just past the salon.  I remember several time hearing the saloon type wooded doors swing and gently rub each other as they passed in the night. Probably just the security guards checking the salon and the wing of unused guest rooms.

I mentioned the club was OLD, (founded in 1895) The Lake Placid Club was a social and recreation club founded 1895 in a hotel on Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, New York, under Melvil Dewey's leadership and according to his ideals. It was instrumental in Lake Placid's development as an internationally known resort. 

By New England Ski Museum - New England Ski Museum, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19066235


it was also in receivership so not a lot of upkeep was being done.  It was so bad you could not run the heat and have hot water.  You could only have one at a time. We generally had heat running during the night and about 6 AM we would turn the boiler over to water so the guest would have hot water for their shower in the morning. One night the pipes were making so much noise it was hard to concentrate on our work.  We kept going into the lobby to see if we could figure out where the noise was coming from.  The 2 security guards were with us as we walked around the lobby, up stairs and down this hall towards the library.  We hear the swish of those doors down stairs and all four of us look at each other.  If we are the only ones here - WHO is swinging the door.  Clearly not the security guards because they were right next to us.  hmmm.  The pipes quieted down and we went back to the desk and the guards continued down the hall.  

Dave went back to sitting at the switchboard ready, and I went back to the couch.  After a short time the pipes started up again and we looked over at the security office to see if the guys were close by so we could check it out again.  It seemed like the noise was coming from a different room.  No security so Dave and I left the front office and head down this outer hall in the direction of the noise.  It sounded like music, but through the pipes.  Looking at each other almost afraid to ask if the other hears music, we keep walking down this hall.  Silent. We round this corner when above us we feel heavy footsteps and they are running.  Again, Dave and I look at each other, afraid to ask... We get to the stairway and the 2 security guys are running down them asking if we hear music.  I feel relieved.  I'm not crazy.  We, together, head towards the music.  Since this building is so old and was constructed at different times the floors and sections change a lot.  It's not easy to get from one spot to the next without a lot of work.  The music is louder now as we reach the Agora section of the hotel.  The security guards ask us to return to the desk, just in case anyone calls.  Our eyes were bugging out - me thinking I am not going back there ALONE!!!  Dave, I'm sure, has the same thought as neither of us moved.  The four of us approach the chapel, which is beautiful.  Stain glass windows, huge windows.  I bet the Sun coming in them makes beautiful colors.  There are the church pews, and they are big, wooden and smell musty, but we can make them out and don't run into them.  There is a large pipe organ in the center of the room on a stage and it's playing!  No one, however, is  playing it.  The piano seat is empty.  The music is beautiful... It is playing on it's own.  Dave and I stand there staring at the organ and the security guards don't move.  One of the guards clears his throat and the music stops immediately and I felt this calm body of air pass by me and leave the room.  No more music that night.  All Quiet as we return to our assigned posts.  I pick up my book from the couch and the security guard Frances ask me if I am really reading "The Shining" by Steven King.

Yep, I was, actually, didn't really think about it.  I never brought that book back to work.  I started doing word searches.

Goofy Dog - I love you.

Where to start this - my goofy looking black lab named Cody.  We have several names for him as I think most people to.  Tom calls him Mr., Mr. Big, especially when he is riding in the truck doing errands.  When we are trail walking he is bullet and Mr., or speeding bullet when he is tearing down the path towards us.  We have learned to get out of the way or Cody will run us over.

We choose Cody in May when we were just back from Florida.  We had lost our Akita between Christmas and New Years 2013.  We had decided to wait a few months before getting another dog of any kind.  WELL, that changed when a girl we know posted a picture of a puppy she was fostering.  It was love at first sight or bite.

Who could resist this face... certainly not me.  That blue eye instantly pulled me in.  Tom was in love too.  His birth date was April 16, 2014.  He was mine for sure the date was the same date my mom died the previous year.  That too was a sign.  We had to wait 2 more weeks and he was not 8 weeks yet.  

PS I should have seen the stick and realized what that meant.  He was the most adorable monster I have ever known.  throwing balls under the couch and being able to get them.  Under the beds too.  I have some great pictures with him sneaking under the bed with socks and things we normally would not have - sticks that we let him in the house with not realizing he like to make kindling.  lol  the things we learn quickly or not too quickly in my case. 

Never before have I had a dog who loved to be on the couch or sleep in my bed.   

Someone is in the wrong bed...

This one is empty.
More on this later.

Do you ever wonder ??? I DO.

This was circling around on FB yesterday and I had already done my blog post for the day so as I sat here reading this it really made me THINK.  That is the point right.

At the moment, I'm not sure I really exist in many peoples lives.  I did a test for most of 2015 and it's exactly what I thought. If I don't call people including family, they don't call either.  I have a feeling this will make some people mad - oh well.

Do you think a text is the same thing as calling?
Do you wonder why I don't call?  
Do you wonder if I'm ok? 
Do you wonder if I am still alive?
Do you wonder anything about me.  
Do you think of me? 
Do I still exist? 
Do I have family?
Do I have siblings? 
Do I have friends? 

When I hear Songs I think of ....
1.) Why are there so many songs about rainbows - Kermit - DB
2.) Jump - VanHalen - TH
3.) Journey - any of them really - CL
4.) Private Dancer - Tina Turner - DU
5.) Yellow Submarine - DB
6.) Neil Young - Again any song - TS

I too wonder about the story part - Growing up I had what I considered a best friend.  We went to the same church and different schools.  But since I was active in our church and so was she we were able to spend time together.  As we grew up things changed when I move here to LP.  I did not have a phone so we wrote back and forth.  I 'm not sure why or what changed but we were not as close and that part makes sense. I would contact her when I was home and we would get together.  We sat together at church and talked like we had just seen each other.  One year it changed big time.  We had planned to get together and I had borrowed my moms car, I took her to work so I would have it for our meeting.  When I got back home there was a message from her ... I had forgotten I promised my SIL that we would get together and sew for the day. I was shocked!!!  That is your OUT.  You are sewing with your SIL.  I called her back and she would not budge.  I was so hurt and mad that she did this. She could sew any day.  I tried the next few times to get together and she either didn't answer the phone or didn't have time.  One time I saw her in my moms favorite restaurant.  She was behind us but I recognized her voice.  I turned and spoke to her.  She was quiet and I said a few things and we left.  I never saw her again.  Move forward to a few years ago.  My first friend here in Lake Placid was really sick and was dying from throat cancer.  We had a great chat and I brought up this event.  He said - you know, you should probably try to contact her and let her know you are thinking about her... Funny.  I did - I called her at the church she was working for and it was like pulling teeth.  I asked several questions and she gave 1 word answers and asked nothing in return.  Eventually I gave up and hung up the phone.  I still think of her today and wonder what I did...I sent several cards asking what I did, What Happened to us.. Today - I still don't know.  

I sent one final card 2 years ago at Christmas saying this was my final contact and have a great life.  Since you don't want to tell me what I did - I'm going to assume I did nothing and the problem is YOU!  Well I hope you are happy.  Merry Christmas and thanks for nothing.  I thought that I might get a response but again NOPE.  I really think about her and the funny part is - 
* She worked for a church
* She's a Christian
* She has a family and they don't really talk.
* Her parents think we still are in contact... um I left in 1981.

Gets funnier - she lives on the same street as my brother...  lol - I would so love to go back and maybe take a walk around the neighbor hood and wait to see if I see her.  The look would be worth what I have been thinking for years.  

So, if you are thinking of someone today as you read this - CONTACT them.  They might be dead the next time you think about them and you would have missed out. - That story for a different day.  

  
 



 

Is Perfume a thing of the past.

Today I am wondering if wearing perfume is a thing of the past?  I used to wear it daily then comes along bath and body spray, body scrubs and other scented bath products.  I started asking for these and let the perfume go and now years later I am finally getting back into perfume.  I still use bath and body products and don't wear perfume with them because of the mixing of the scents does not seem like a great thing to do.

I'm just wondering how you feel about it?  Scented shampoos, scented soap, scented everything becomes scent over load.  My favorites in bath and body is the Sweet Pea, LOVE LOVE it.  Next would be the brown sugar, and a few others.  Mostly I asked for Sweet Pea and I have lots and lots of different products with the same scent.  

For Christmas 2015 my husband asked what I wanted and it took a while but said "you know what...I think I would like some perfume.  I really have not worn any in more that 15 years."  I through out all my bottles when we moved from Lake Placid, NY to Saranac Lake.  Most had dried up or lost their scent so I didn't see the point in taking with along with us.  My husband told my step son that I wanted perfume and he started on a mission of finding one... He lives in NYC so research is easy.  

My box arrives from NYC and I don't know really what Tommy got for me and I was so excited to see """ PERFUME""" I could not wait to get the package opened.  Such a cute box and elegant bottle.  The perfume came highly recommended he said.  I sprayed a little on my wrists and immediately fell in love with it.  What did he get you ask?

Chloe - See how cute the bottle is.

Chloe - Love Story is the expression of a free woman

Clare Waight Keller as creative director. Clémence Poésy as the actress. Mélanie Laurent plays film maker. Inez van Lamsweerde is the photographer and Anne Flipo created the scent. Each Chloé girl brought her vision to this new story. A declaration of femininity. A proclamation of freedom.

Essence of seduction

The freshness of Neroli illuminates her. The sensuality of orange blossom attracts him. The stirring femininity of jasmine stephanotis – the flower of happiness – makes her more irresistible than ever. On her skin, cedar vibrates with flair. A floral love story, fresh and sensual.  An unforgettable essence of seduction.

Unlock the secret

As a symbol of their affection there is a padlock, her fragrance. A precious jewel magnified by pleated glass. The delicate touch of a ribbon knotted nonchalantly at its side represents the modern and refined Chloé attitude.

First light of day

A boat moored under the Pont des Arts. As he opens the door, she disappears. Because above all she is free! Will she be back? Her fragrance floats in the air. The scent of a #chloeLOVE STORY.

I love this story at the end - she is free - does she return or is he left with just the  fragrance... Only time will tell.  Did I mention that I LOVE this perfume. Now I want to wear this every day.  When I am in my store people ask be what are you wearing.  I proudly tell them it's Chloe.

So to get back to where I started - Do you wear perfume?  Many of the younger generation I feel don't but the celebrity's make their own perfume and around the Holidays the commercials start.  I can tell you I have never seen the commercial for Chloe.  But then again, Lake Placid only has 2500 year round residents and no place near us sells it and that makes perfect sense.

Story on the Hill

This really happened - holding luggage hostage.

The day started like any other when you're at a hotel and the tour buses are leaving.  Porters are picking up the bags from outside the guest rooms on their lists and delivering them to the motorcoaches outside.  Drivers count bags and when the numbers match, they are set to go.

One bus is missing a bag - How did this happen?  We need to find it ASAP and the bus is on a schedule and needs to leave by a certain time to make the ferry.  While the guys are going through the list again, we get a call at the desk to have someone come up to the 4th floor - some one is running around in their underwear!  Really!!!  Call for someone else to check on the runner.

Bus Driver getting antsy for us to find his bag.  Porters go into each room to see if maybe the guest didn't put the bag outside the door.  Nope - no rooms with luggage, no extras in the hall.  Great.  Get another call about the naked runner who is now on the 3rd floor.  Called on the radio for someone to go check it out.

Bus leaves knowing it is missing a bag.  We have description, color and name of person the bag belongs too.

About 8:30 I receive a Manager call about a suitcase and she is holding it hostage until her boy friends gets his clothes and wallet back?  I really have no idea what she his talking about except the suitcase I what I focused on... Who is calling from outside the hotel talking about a hostage situation and a the hostage is the suitcase?  I take her name an phone number and tell her I will look into it, but she needs to return the suitcase immediately as she is in possession of STOLEN property and will be prosecuted.  

I call down to housekeeping to see if they found clothes and a wallet and sure enough they did.  I asked them to bring the items to the front desk.  I called the police and they arrived at the desk.  I told him the story I knew.  The housekeeping manager came to the desk with the items and I called the woman back from my cell phone on speaker so the police could hear too.

Apparently, the boyfriend was in the hotel and hooked up with a guest.  He was getting phone calls from his girlfriend who said she was outside the hotel and he better get his azz home.  The BF ran out of the room carrying his stuff down the stairs and lost some of his items in the stairwell.  He ran into the main hotel and up the stairs and found all these suitcases and took one thinking he would be able to find something to wear - WRONG - he picked a little old lady's with nothing for him.  GF in the parking lot waiting for him to come out so he leaves with the suitcase and calls the hotel to exchange this stolen suitcase for his clothes.  The police tell them to come inside and get their stuff and return the suitcase.  They do come inside and the police talk to them in the back office.  We are all stunned by the stupidity of this day.  Barely 9 AM and this is happening.  We get the suitcase and call the driver of the bus, send one of our staff heading down the road to catch up with the bus.  He makes it just in time.

Police in the back for a while and later we find out the naked senior citizen suitcase thief is an employees son!!!  Can't make this up people.  Hope you enjoyed this.

 

Who ate my collar?

This is funny.  NOT really.

So I bring my 6 month old puppy to doggie day care a few days a week for play dates and socializing... He has outgrown his puppy collar and I had one from a previous dog that I was going to use.  I loved it - it was blue and was reflective.  I thought we need to wait a bit for him to grow and the collar would fit better.

I waited a bit and yes, he finally fits into the blue collar.  I am so excited I mention to the girls at daycare - he's in his big boy collar.  They are also excited because they felt he was getting to strong and big for the puppy collar.  My husband has been trying to get me to purchase a different collar.  He thought the lab needed his own.  NOT a used one.  lol.

Our lab is at doggie daycare from 10 AM to 4 PM on this particular day.  My husband goes to pay and the girl behind the counter says to him... I have good news and bad news.  My husband says OK.  She says the dog is fine... and holds us the new/used doggie collar.  It is been eaten in two.  She's like I don't know how this happened but someone bit though his collar.  Knowing that my lab does not sit still for more that 2 seconds I find that hard to believe.  My husband says... my wife will NEVER believe this as I have been trying to buy a new collar for weeks and she says no, this one is great. They assure him, a puppy chewed through it when he was sleeping.  Several times during nap time, the puppies are all curled up in balls, all intertwined. 

My husband calls me with this story and I was sure he was kidding me...  He arrived at my store with the lab wearing his shiny bright blue and green collar.  It's beautiful I have to admit.  I still had a hard time believing my husband had nothing to do this this.  I check the old collar for cut marks and it sure does not look like anyone cut the collar.  definite shredding.  I call the puppy day care place and talk to the girl.  I hear the story from her.  She assures me my husband had nothing to do with the new bright collar.  This collar is guaranteed for life.  If another dog chews it, they replace it for free.  They now take his collar off just in case.  lol

My Feet hurt Mom - can you carry me?

 Today is Sunday October 26th, 2014.

It's raining and about 40 degrees in Lake Placid.  Wishing this might change to snow.  Many are not.

A small family walked by this morning all bundled up with rain gear and heading to the coffee shop.  One little girl was not happy to be walking in the rain.

Little girl to mom - Mom, my shoes are getting wet.  How far do we have to walk.  Mom to girl - not that much further and you are wearing sneakers, they will dry out.  Girl clearly not happy with that answer I can tell as they stand by the cross walk.  The cars do not stop and the girl wants to go.  Finally one stops and the family cross.  They enter the coffee shop across the street from my store.  They stay inside for a bit and then I see them on the other side walking past and the girls is still not happy about her wet feet or having to walk.  Girl to mom - MOM, MY SOCKS are WET.  I can't walk any more - my feet hurt - can you carry me.  Mom to girl - sorry, I am carrying all the bags and the coffee.  If you want me to leave your toys here so I can carry you that fine.  The mom puts the bag with the toys on the flower bench to pick up the girl and the girls feel suddenly get better.  Girl to Mom - what do you know mom, my feet are much better.  Must have been that little break in the coffee shop.

I thought the way the mom handled this was wonderful.  So many times all you hear is yelling and no solution.  Here is the solution - when the decision to carry the girl and leave the toys behind - she suddenly was better.  lol

They can not see me in here, but I was smiling.  What a way to turn this situation around.  No one yelling, mom not really frustrated, no real crying, just a little whining.  

Think about the way you would handle this.    Have a wonderful day.