Stumble it!
May 20, 2008
Cramped Quarters With The Guys
I’ve preserved a minuscule area of femininity in my own house, and the boys are prohibited from entering my bathroom unless expressly invited. Invitations are issued sparingly for delivery of soft toilet paper from my private stash, removal of painful splinters requiring my fancy tweezers and dexterous fingers, and other medical and hygienic procedures.
When we travel, however, I’m thrust in a room with four males, and maintaining a sense of decorum and privacy is daunting. Over the years I’ve learned to quickly nab a clean bath towel and stash it in my suitcase until it’s time for my own shower, so that I’m not left choosing between the damp towels soiled with boy grit strewn over the hotel floor.
This weekend we traveled to Memphis for the Memphis in May triathlon. I chose our accommodations carefully. My goal is to fit all five of us in one room without excessive punching and screaming.
The Embassy Suites is always a huge hit, as it generally features a glass elevator. This provides hours of fun as the boys ride up and down, imagining they are Charlie from Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
This particular Embassy Suites had several features that made it extra special. There was an arcade, an indoor swimming pool, and best of all, a fake river that meandered through the lobby level, filled with live ducks and goldfish the size of a dachshund.
No doubt the ducks were added to emulate the ducks that swim in the fountain at the much posher Peabody Hotel, where Aunt Lulu and Uncle P and the baby were staying. If you go to Memphis, you must see Graceland, eat barbecue, walk Beale Street, and watch the marching of the ducks. Each morning they leave their pen on the roof of the Peabody, and parade off the elevator and down a red carpet into the fountain where they stay until the afternoon, when the process is reversed.
My boys watched the ducks and visited the Peabody roof, but after we left they all poo-poohed the Peabody with its fancy rooms. As Porter said, “I think two star hotels are the best kind for our family.” Drew proclaimed the Embassy Suites “the awesomest hotel ever” and Finn went a step further and asked why we couldn’t move to Memphis and live there.
Theoretically, I suppose we could, but it would kill the romance in our marriage. When it was time for bed, we surveyed the two double beds and the pull-out sleeper sofa and I began to assign sleeping spots based on the idea that Bill and I would sleep together and that Finn and Porter would be separated.
“Hey, you wanna sleep in the nude?” Bill asked me, as I assigned Drew to one of the double beds.
“You’re kidding, right?” I’ve been hiding my lady parts from the boys for several years now, and Bill needed to rest up for the race. Surely he wasn’t proposing hanky-panky, especially in such close proximity to our offspring.
Silly me. What Bill had asked was “Do you want to sleep with the dude?” meaning Drew, so that he could have a bed all to himself.
Of course I agreed. Drew and I snuggled up, paperclip and all. The things I do for love.
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Two years ago in My Tiny Kingdom: Dead Pets Society: The Hermit Crabs
Posted by Anne Glamore @ 2:07 pm • Frolic and Detour: Sports, Triathlons, Wanderlust: Travel Tales Stumble it!
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May 20th, 2008 at 2:51 pm, Headless Mom Says:
Yes, the Peabody Ducks are a must see in Memphis.
But moving there? Yuck. I may never even go back to visit, and that is where my entire family is.
How’d he do in the triathlon?
Headless Mom’s last blog post..Test 2
May 20th, 2008 at 3:16 pm, moo Says:
VERY romantic, lol!
moo’s last blog post..a story! (involving the photo challenge, pure & regret)
May 20th, 2008 at 3:44 pm, Loth Says:
Doh! Why have I never worked out that trick with the hotel towels? I am definitely doing that this year. My holiday is looking up already. Thank you!
May 20th, 2008 at 4:27 pm, Toni-EvinNRobsMom Says:
Ahhh yes, the things we do for love!! How did Bill do in the triathlon?
May 20th, 2008 at 7:23 pm, Erin Says:
And we thought Bill was the dirty minded one in your relationship!
Be sure to post pics of the trip.
May 20th, 2008 at 10:50 pm, Shawn Says:
We love the Embassy Suites! And you can earn Hilton points. Double score! You got the free breakfast as well, right?
My favorite all suite hotel at the moment is Homewood Suites. They are even nicer than the Embassy ones, and include breakfast and dinner during the week, and have a full kitchen. You will have to check one out if you have the chance!
Shawn’s last blog post..Open House
May 21st, 2008 at 8:28 am, CourtneyRyan369 Says:
As a former meeting/event planner, I can say that with the exceptions of such places as The Biltmore in Santa Barbara and The Breakers in Palm Beach FL, and the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, Embassy Suites might be my favorite hotel for meetings!
Hope Bill had a good one. Did Finn compete too?
CourtneyRyan369’s last blog post..word(less wednesday) of advice
May 21st, 2008 at 11:01 am, Susan Says:
I have three kids as well, though the middle one is a girl who would rather sleep on a filthy hotel floor than have her sheets disturbed in a way that doesn’t favor her. We absolutely LOVE Embassy Suites as there is enough room for all of us, the manager’s reception, the free breakfast AND the pool. The pool seems to be the best for us - it’s indoors and no matter where we’re traveling and what we’ve done during the day, the kids can blow it out and get good and exhausted before bed. AND the bar will put your drink in a styrofoam cup so you can supervise your kids at the pool while enjoying the manager’s reception. I am going to check out the Homewood Suites mentioned in the previous comment. I, too, want to know how Bill did in the triathlon though it makes me tired just reading about it. LOVE YOUR BLOG!!
Susan’s last blog post..Cock a Doodle Hooters
May 21st, 2008 at 3:56 pm, Claire DeLune Says:
The Memphis in May celebration and The Rendezvous (ribs to die for) are just about the only things that can lure me down to Memphis these days. Once upon a time there was nothing more wonderful to me than Beale Street, The Flying Saucer BB King’s club and the Peabody. Ahh….and Riverside Drive on a summer night…sigh.
There are some really cool antebellum homes that are worth visiting in the old part of Memphis once you move beyond the home of the King.
The name of the one I’m thinking of is the Hunt-Phelan Home that was restored not very long ago and believe it or not it’s on Beale Street! It’s wonderful and has a very interesting history.
Claire DeLune’s last blog post..GIRLS SOFTBALL ENVY
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:23 am, Queen of Shake Shake Says:
There is no hope for the brain to not get corrupted when you are around males all of the time. Thinking you hear sexual innuendos is part of the package, I think.
Your little space of femininity…great idea. Something I think I need to implement.
Queen of Shake Shake’s last blog post..Thing One & Thing Two
May 29th, 2008 at 5:19 pm, My Tiny Kingdom » Come As You Are Says:
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