Adventures in military lodging

Eric's brother was graduating from AIT (Advanced Individual Training) at Fort Gordon, GA and since we are only seven hours away, we wanted to be there for it. I called Ft. Gordon lodging (b/c I'm cheap) and all they had available was a "suite," which in Army lodging terms means the cockroaches where top hats and little white gloves. I asked if they had pack-n-plays available, and she said they had cribs. I informed her that I had two infants, so I would be needing two. She said to just ask for them at check in. I also asked if they did late check out, or 1/2 days and I was told no and check out was promptly at 1000.

We headed out early since we discovered that a normal seven hour drive takes about nine with the boys. They boys did great, but got a little fussy towards the end of the drive, so Eric hopped in the back seat and entertained them for the last two hrs of the drive.

We pulled in and I went inside to check us in. The girl checking me in needed a few lessons on how NOT to be a rude whore. When I told her that I would be needing two cribs she said, "I don't even know where they would be or if we even have any." I was none too thrilled. When she made the room key card and handed it to me, I asked if I could have two (which I didn't think was an uncommon request), she scoffed, rolled her eyes then made another. Then, after I signed all my paper work I see a sign for 1/2 day prices. So I asked how that worked, which I'm assuming was too much for her to deal with because she just continued to repeat that I had paid for two full nights. I finally cut my losses and started to walk back to the car....in the monsoon that started as soon as I was out of the building.

When we walked in our room I was surprised at how nice the decorating was, but was brought back to reality when I found food in the sink of the kitchenette, the sink drained crazy slow, and the curly black hair on our 'clean' towels. A few hours later I noticed a guestbook on the dresser in the bedroom. Everyone raved about how great their stay was, how clean it was, and how they couldn't wait to come back again. All I could think about was leaving a REAL message about how things really were.

I continued to ponder about what I wanted to write, so others could be warned. But then when we brought the boys in the check in staff turned soft and one of them went to the attic and found a little ghetto crib that would at least fit one of the boys. We pulled the mattress off the hide-a-bed and blocked off the edges with pillows...but Cooper still ended up rolling off and crying at 0100.

Ben is the tall one on the stage (the theater was really dark and I don't have a professional camera)

It was great to spend some time with Ben and be there for his graduation. We ate good food and put the diet on hold for those two days.

As we were packing up I came up with the perfect thing to write in the guestbook: "Satanic forces are at work here" (from The Gilmore Girls when they stayed at a crazy B&B)...but I chickened out because you were supposed to write your name and where you were from. I guess I could have signed it LG and said I was from Stars Hollow, CT...well, maybe next time.

I sat in the back seat with the boys on the way home for a short time, and in the beginning Cooper gave me this look
But he later warmed up and was as smiley as Carter...and they boys enjoyed having someone to interact with on the long ride home.