Cruise Control, Part Two

Ok, so I forgot something yesterday. When we went to the dealer to drop off the car, I was nervous about exactly what they were going to give me as a loaner car. After all, this was a used car lot, not exactly the kind of place that typically does "loaners". Anyway, I was oh so pleasantly surprised when they put me in this...

It is a very well kept Infinity I 30 with all leather interior, the works as far as electronics and stereo system goes, and it had a sunroof! Whoot! I can't believe they actually let me drive it for a couple of days; it was a beautiful car.

But I digress...

Friday morning I left G&H's bed and breakfast (wink, wink) to pick up my dear friend, C, at the airport. I hadn't seen C in over 8 years, and it was just like coming home to see her again. There are few people in my life that I can honestly say I get that excited to see, and C is one of them. Of course, when you only get to see each other every 8 years or so it does make it that much more exciting. The airport has this thing now called a cell phone lot - people drive in and park and wait for "the call" from their friends or family once they have arrived. I suppose it saves that pesky merry-go-round of cars that happens when so many people refuse to pay to park and go through all the trouble of getting through security and whatnot. So, being one of those people I settled into the lot a bit early and enjoyed the Bose system and sunroof of the car. While waiting, I did have a bit of a scare when a fire engine and ambulance, sirens a-blazin' screamed down the street past the lot towards the airport. Slightly unnerved, I decided to call C instead of waiting and sure enough, she was ready for me to pick her up.

She looked amazing, much better than I would after an early morning and a long flight and soon enough we were on the road headed toward our old "hood". C wanted to see her old house and so we took the tour, talking easily as if not a day had passed without each other. I love having friends like that. We picked up right where we left off 15 years ago when we saw each other every day. The neighborhoods were older now, much worse for the wear, and eventually we headed out to the local mall to see if an old employer of hers still had a store there. The old dental office was there, but now it is about three times the size and moved a bit down the way from where it once was. C had a craving for "real" Mexican food, so we ate at the Casa Ole' in the mall. With nostalgia oozing out of our pores, we then headed over to G&H's house for a quick "stop and meet the Kiddo" before making the trip to the hotel so C could check in.

The hotel C and D decided to stay in was in the heart of the Galleria. Easily accessible from the freeway and only a block away form world class shopping, I guess the designers of the hotel thought it best to require valet parking. *sigh* Seriously? I could either valet the car at the hotel for the night (to the tune of $18 dollars added to my friend's room bill) or I could pay $8 and had to remove my car no later than midnight. The location of the hotel provided for no other alternative; no shop parking lots or public garages were anywhere near by. Grrr!

D was driving in from Dallas, and in the original plans were for C to check into the hotel and change and then I was supposed to hide her away until we all met for dinner. N wanted to pick up D at the hotel, so the rest of us were to meet early at the restaurant and surprise N with C and L. Confusing yet? Well, L didn't make her flight because her assistant was sent to the hospital, so the surprise turned out to just be C. At the last minute we decided to have N meet the 3 of us at the hotel instead of the restaurant.

N was shocked, of course, to see C walk out of the hotel. There was much squealing and hugging! Then we headed over to the restaurant to meet the rest of our party.

More tomorrow,

D :)