7 December 2009 Photo: Pillow Gate Update

I am in PA for the week and staying in my normal hotel when I am here for work. Today I FINALLY received a call from the hotel manager that accused me of stealing the pillows last week. She told me that she they would not be further investigating the missing "soft" pillows and would not be charging me. We'll see if the hotel this week finds something missing when I leave - I did use the complimentary shampoo. I hope that is ok!

December 5 2009 Photo(s): Candymania Part Deux

Well here is some of the finished product getting ready to be shared with friends and family near and far. If you are one of the lucky ones you will get some. If you come to visit me, there is a good chance there will be some here. If you have had the pleasure of tasting it, you know it is good. If you have not, you don't know what you are missing. Click on the second picture and make it giant...your mouth will water :)

Fun fact #1: I grew up with my mother making this candy every Christmas. We always called it Mom's Famous Candy and I assumed it was her recipe (not that she ever said that). I saw an almost exact recipe in a cookbook once - someone must have copied hers. Right?

Fun fact #2: This candy was the favor at our wedding. My sister made 14 or 15 sheets of it and brought to RI in a separate suitcase on a plane all the way from Georgia. Can you imagine if they asked to inspect that suitcase? HAHA

UPDATE FROM PILLOWGATE: I have made 5 calls to the General Manager of the hotel...she has not called me back! Does that mean I can call the authorities on her? Or maybe the owners of the hotel?

3 December 2009 Photo(s) & Video: The Pillow Thief

So after a 15 hour day yesterday, I decided I was too tired to drive all the way home. I stopped in MA at a Holiday Inn & Suites at 10PM, crutched in to see if they had a room...checked in, went to my room, called Bill and fell asleep after watching Criminal Minds. Slept straight through until 6AM (late for me, if you know me), got up, washed up (didn't even take a shower or take the complimentary shampoo) and was out of the room before 7AM, grabbed breakfast and checked out. I even returned the key to the desk because there was a message posted on the desk when I checked in that said "Please return the key to the desk or leave it in the room. New technology is expensive." The key was the new fangled wave it in front of the door and it opens deals.

So...fast forward to returning home at 10:30AM after making my way through driving rain. Happy to be home, I unpacked the car (while on crutches) and started doing some follow up from my school visit yesterday. At 11:39AM I received call, since the phone was in the other room, I could not get to it in time to answer it. And how happy I am about that because now you can listen to the message. Thanks to Bill for doing the video.

In full disclosure...this is not a picture of that hotel in question and I have edited out her name and number to protect the not so tactful GM.

I was LIVID. Really did she just call me a PILLOW THIEF???? And tell me she was going to report me to the authorities??? I told the General Manager when I called her back that I had no idea what she was talking about and that I did not steal her 4 "soft" pillows. I explained to her that I arrived at 10PM last night and did not leave the room until I checked out at 7AM. I saw her at the front desk when I left and asked her is she remembered the person leaving on crutches. She said she did. I said did you see any pillows on me. All I had was a backpack with my computer and toiletry bag. She said, I don't know what to tell you. Wait, maybe I threw them out the window and drove around back to pick them up. Now, I know I am soft and fluffy and I wish I could blame my extra fluffiness on 4 "soft" pillows stuffed down my pants but alas, I cannot tell a lie - it is just me.

I asked her if she checked to see how many times I entered the room? I know she can do this because the "new technology" allows you to check a log to see entrances. I just watched Criminal Minds and they did it last night. Wait...maybe they could see I watched that show and that is why she called me a pillow thief! HMMMM!!!!

Anyway, I said I didn't take your pillows and I don't know why they had disappeared and maybe she needed to get new glasses or double check her new fangled fancy technology. I also informed her that if this charge is added to my bill there will be a problem. She said "fine"...WHAT?? what does that mean. She told me she can't promise me anything. I said you are the GM, who is going to make that decision??? She said she would have to investigate it further and I said I would appreciate a call back when she is done with her investigation.... No word back yet - I have Garcia, Hotch and the gang on speed dial (sub-reference to Criminal Minds for those who don't watch that show).

So I have taken some pictures of the pillows in my house and if said hotel spots one of their "soft" pillows, please feel free to come pick it up. As I was taking one of the pictures, Mona stepped in front of the pillows...she likes "soft" pillows and she looks kind of guilty. Maybe I will send in her paw prints into the authorities so she can be cleared or accused as deemed appropriate.