Thursday, February 17, 2011

2/17/2011 Marvin Arrives!

The only event we had today was my Ping Pong game. I really should practice more than a two minute volley before the game counts. You can take that to mean there is not a medal with my name on it.

We were catching up on the news on TV when the phone rang. It was Jeannie, from the office. She was calling to let us know that Marvin arrived. Oh yes, he arrived all right, in his Caddy, not his truck with his 5th wheel attached to it! We were stunned! No, that’s too mild, we were FLABBERGASTED! She went on to tell me that he was in the office looking for a cabin or something to rent. She sent him to our site. Bob and I quickly assessed the situation and said that we would somehow have to make this work and have him stay with us. I don’t know about you but I need a little more time to prepare for a guest staying a week. Seven minutes just doesn’t cut it.

When he drove up we didn’t know what to say. Of course we found our voices and welcomed him. Bob then brought up the lack of 5th wheel and Marv said he should have picked up that he wasn’t in the truck when he said he was getting 22 miles to the gallon and the fact that he made it in three and a half days from Florida. This sweet 86 year old drove 800 miles the first day and repeated that the second day and then stopped just shy of Tucson the third day logging in 600 miles. We told him that he was welcome to stay with us but he wouldn’t hear of it. He was determined to stay in a hotel. I called the ones closest to us and they each wanted $55.00 a night and Marv wasn’t comfortable with that. Bob got online and went directly to the websites for the hotel and with discounts Marv was entitled to we got the Days Inn down to $35.00 a night which suited him better. Of course getting that price online was one thing, getting it at the counter proved to be altogether different.

After visiting for awhile we went with Marv to the hotel to get him checked in and I had to be somewhat persuasive to get the counter lady to accept the price we got online. She finally agreed and arrangements were made for Marv to stay six nights.

We went to Chris’ Diner for dinner and we got caught up on each other’s lives since we saw him last in September. Since Vi, his wife, is staying with their daughter for medical reasons, Marv was all alone in his house in Michigan. His daughter encouraged him to go to Florida as he has done for years rather than endure the cold Michigan winter. i don’t think it took much persuasion for him to pack his suitcase. This was something new for Marv, living out of a suitcase and living in hotel/motels. He doesn’t like it. He wishes now he had his 5th wheel. His own bed, his own bathroom, just the familiarity of his usual winter home. I can understand this.

We also found out the reason for this trip was twofold. It wasn’t only to visit with us, his sister is flying in from St. George, Utah on February 23rd. They will spend a few days with her friends and then drive back to St, George for a week or so then she will drive back to Michigan with him. I think its a good thing he likes to drive!

After our delicious dinner he dropped us off at our place and said he would be over in the early afternoon since we had some events to finish up in the morning.

Its so great to be with our friend Marvin again!

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