The Pain of Finding Lodging in Oxford, Ohio

Situation: Your child is a freshman at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. You receive the info about Fall semester's Family Weekend in early summer. You think. You talk. You decide to go. With all the activities and because your schedule opens up to allow you to take advantage of some time with your special student, you decide to stay over at least Saturday night. Maybe tack on Friday night as well. That way you can shop on High St or run down to Kenwood Mall, maybe shoot out to Hueston Woods, go to the football  game, make that quintessential stop at Walmart, eat at Paesanos or Stella 12 Beech or Mac and Joe's or BW3's or Patterson's AND buy tickets to the headliner billed to appear at Millet. Wonderful plans! Sounds perfect! It's only June and you think you've got a leg up on booking a room. Right?

I, too, thought it was a simple deal to reserve a room. Heck I felt AHEAD of the game by jumping right on that reservation task. Oh, my. What a humbling experience for this first-timer. Not to mention frustrating and depressing. So let me set ya straight, people, with some advice since you're now the newbies at this gig. With just so many rooms available in this little town to hold the hordes of locusts about to descend upon it's brick streets and limited restaurant seating, it ain't gonna be easy. TIP 1: eat early and get a snack later. TIP 2: It's even squeezey when the ice hockey team plays at home.

So listen up. Or read up. Whatever. I made out a large index card of places which I kept (keep) in my desk drawer. These should help you get started. BE ADVISED: Some places (ic The Elms, Best Western, Miami Inn, Maplevale B&B) give preference to those who stay more often at that property for big weekends like this and graduation. Yes, this is one of those times in your life where you'll have to deal with the concept that other people are more special than you. Accept. Move on. OR get feisty and start building up your own history at a place. *Also find out the times and dates when they start accepting reservations. Veterans know which establishments begin at midnight on their appointed dates. Be prepared to dial fast and furious because the competition is fierce with multiple family members using their cells to accomplish this goal. (I told you this was crazy. NOT KIDDING.)

Welcome to MY LIST. Copy. Share. Print flyers and leave on car windows in parking lost. Oops. No, you may not want to advertise this secret fabulous list. Instead stash it under lock-and-key and quietly slip it out under the light of a full moon so no one can steal this invaluable data.

Our favs: Holiday Inn/The Elms   2 restaurants, perfect location for everything Miami   513-524-2002
               Miami Inn   on Patterson betw the business school & baseball field   513-513-529-2104
               Philip W Smith B&B  Richmond, IN  (The Nelsons are great hosts)   800-966-8972
               Martha E Parry B&B Richmond, IN (sister house to above)   same
               Courtyard by Marriott    Hamilton, OH     1-800-MARRIOTT

Others in vicinity:  Marcum Center  (across the street from Miami Inn)   513-529-6911
                           Baymont Inn     College Corner Pike    513-523-2722
                           Comfort Inn      College Corner Pike    513-524-0114
                           Maplevale B&B   Oxford-Millville Rd (Patterson becomes this)   513-523-8909
                           White Garden B&B    Brown Rd     513-524-5827
In Monroe:         Howard Johnson's    New Garver Rd    513-539-9221
                           Best Western Monroe Inn     New Garver Rd    855-238-1589
                           Comfort Inn     Senate Drive   513-539-2660
In Camden:        Sugar Valley Farm B&B    Sugar Valley Rd    937-452-3983
In Eaton:            Whispering Oaks B&B   Rte 127 North   937-456-1121
In Hamilton:       Rossville Inn    B Street   513-590-4181
                           Gregory Creek Inn   Lesourdsville-West Chester Rd   513-887-0725
In Lebanon:        The Kirkwood Inn    Us 42   513-398-7277
                           The (historic) Golden Lamb Inn   South Broadway St   513-932-5062
                            Hatfield Inn   Hatfield Rd   513-932-3193
In Brookville, IN  (~20 minutes away)   The Hermitage B&B   E 8th Street   765-590-5182
**For a fun experience:  Rent a camper or RV from Tom Raper in  Richmond, IN. They will tow/drive your choice over and park it in the football stadium parking lot!  800-727-3778
** Check out  www.bbonline.com for more.

Ode to Dust, My Sworn Enemy

The thin gray layer of particles
    which appears as if by magic,
Makes me want to tear my hair
    and act the heroine quite tragic.

But Lo! I will NEVER concede
    defeat to this vile invader,
I will ever swear my vengence
    and stay strong as a contender.

So FEAR NOT, my house, to you
    I will remain strong, faithful and true,
Unto my last breath, sparring with duster in hand
     vanquishing the foe with the war cry of "Adieu"!*

THE END

( * "Off With Its Head" would have been so much more dramatic but writing the rest of the stanza would take too much time. And I have three more rooms yet to conquer...)

Maundy Thursday -- Thankful Today of ALL Days

Earlier this morning I was asking myself how I would feel if I knew my earthly life was going to end. In just hours. Hanging on a coarse wooden cross at the age of 33, absorbing ALL of the sin of the world so that believers could receive eternal life. Honestly I will admit the 'weight' of that choice felt totally overwhelming to me. Yet Jesus watched as every necessary piece of his last hours played out before him and he never faltered. He knew in his heart beyond the excruciating physical pain yet to come lay His Father's most incredible gift. Life with Him. For us all.

About an hour ago I sent the above to our neighborhood email group. Upon further reflection I want to add this note:

My junior year in high school I was chosen to carry the Christ candle out of our Maundy Thursday service. As the candle slowly moved down the main aisle any and all other lights behind the recession were extinguished. The sanctuary was left in complete and utter darkness. Those in the pews were absolutely silent. Each understood the symbolism of the exit of the Light of the World from the Garden of Gethsemane. The sacrifice about to be made. The ancient prophesy's impending fulfillment.

The following afternoon my French teacher, Mrs. Morgan, was sharing her experience of the service with our class. I'll never forget the question she posed to all her students while looking straight at me: "How can your life NOT be affected by that?"

Thirty-nine years later mine still is.

Bless My Nose

For the last week and a half I've self-imposed a heaping dose of pressure on myself to get STUFF done. A list of things that's been hanging on the fringes for a while. Not ignored. Simply there for the next day. And the next. Working my rear off to make BIG red checks beside completed tasks. That inevitable angst of the time evaporating too quickly this afternoon made me anxious. Walked outside to take a break.

FRESH MOWED GRASS welcomed my arrival to the out-of-doors. Closed my eyes. Deep breath. Another one. This unexpected gift nudged me to a happy place.

I'm a scent-kind-of-girl. Drives my hubby crazy sometimes -- "Don't you smell ----? You don't?! Really??" "This ---- smells just like ---- tastes." "Here. Smell this. Doesn't that remind you of ---?"

The grass evoked a short list of others I like. While standing there on the sidewalk. To help dig me out of my momentary funk. Let's see. New leather purse smell. New car smell. Walk into a florist shop smell. My friend Anita's house when she bakes her INCREDIBLE biscotti smell. Candles labeled 'Rain' smell.

I'm better. Back at my desk. Going at that dang list again. But at least it 'smells' better. Now.

When STYLE Catches Your Breath....

Saw this photo on RL's FB page. LOVE the rich cardinal red shade of her gown. ADORE the wide cuff silvertone bracelet. BLENDING the elegance of smooth flowing satin contrasted against the stiff steely metallic. A. Definite. YES.

Springtime = Shopping for a Few New Girlie Things

Got a phone call from a favorite boutique letting me know EVERYTHING IN THE STORE is 40% off today thru Sunday. EVERYTHING. I ask you: How could I not go look. Crazy I am not. Hopped in the car to check things out. Sun was shining. Blue skies above. 70 degrees. Rolled down the windows. And turned the radio. UP.

Found two skirts, a jean jacket and a black sleeveless spandex-y top.

Love the skirts. They make me 'happy'. (psst...I'm not buying anything anymore that doesn't make me happy.) You know what I mean.

They are both full with little pleats. Perfect to twirl in.

I plan on twirling. Alot.

Hierarchy of Needs -- A Hilarious Twist. Enjoy!

I have a good friend who shared his theory with me several Christmases ago. Laughed til I cried. I asked him the following year (the four of us get together every year during the holidays) for a 'replay'. He obliged. Same result. SO! I asked Ron if he would send me his hypothesis so I could pass it along to all of you.   And now -- Ron D's theory in his very own words. ENJOY!

"The 'Hierarchy' is best described orally since you can interject examples and add to it by emphasizing certain parts.  Without that, I fear it might not be as entertaining when viewed in print.  However, with that said, here it is.  The "Hierarchy" of a married woman's priorities was inspired by "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs", so you need to be familiar with that concept to properly understand the 'Hierarchy'.  You would think the most important person in a marriage would be your spouse, since that is the one you've agreed to spend the rest of your life with, however most men find that not to be true.  As any married guy knows "the children" are way above him.  That's to be expected though since both men and women sacrifice for their children.  Next you might expect the husband, right?  Not so.  It is her family------mother, father, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.  Next, surely must be the husband, eh?   Nope, it is the husband's family.  Mother-in-law, father-in-law, and so on, the same as with her family.   The husband has to be next though, right?  No way!  Friends and neighbors!!   Everyone is spoken for now so the husband has to be next.  Think again!   Complete strangers!!!  Of course since everyone else in the world has been exhausted, now comes the husband!!

You will find that some people think the husband is higher up the list until you give examples such as the husband wanting to spend a holiday or weekend with his wife and kids only to find out that he has to go to Aunt Helen's for Christmas, or some nephew's birthday party, or her friend's children's bar mitzvah.  The best example however is when you are at the grocery store and are dreaming of buying a six pack of imported beer only to have your wife interrupt your dream by telling you to get out of the way because you are blocking the aisle for some strange woman who might want to get by.  Another is when you are at the mall at Christmas and you race to the only available parking place only to have your wife reprimand you because some other car also wanted the space and you shouldn't have sped up to get there first.  These examples need to be given as you are telling the 'Hierarchy' so that the guy can identify with the example and see the logic of your thinking.  Another thing some guys will identify with is the placement of household pets before him.  Generally just after the children, sometimes elsewhere, but always before the husband!!  Some husbands report that inanimate objects such as a car, clothes, shoes, flowers, etc. need to be included---ahead of the husband, of course----but I can only give you my experiences and since I don't have any household pets I haven't listed them.

Hopefully this doesn't suffer too much by not being told orally.  Good luck with your blog.  By the way, I heard Bill Cosby do something very similar to the 'Hierarchy' once at a Wendy's function.  I can assure you that I had been telling the 'Hierarchy' for several years before I heard his version.  Since it was a Wendy's function I didn't confront him about stealing my material and getting residuals.  Another interesting aspect of the 'Hierarchy' is that womaen don't find it as true, or as entertaining, as the men.  Go figure."