Weekending

Had a nice Labor Day weekend! Linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday:

Donnie only worked half a day Friday and he did it from home. Early Friday afternoon, we headed out to Indianapolis, specifically the suburb of Noblesville. We went straight to our hotel and got there right at the time we could check in. 

I loved this sign in the Lobby- not the fact that it was necessary of course- but the fact that being necessary, it was front and center and no one checking in could fail to notice it. 

It reads in part:

"Quiet time begins at 10pm. Any kids running or being loud in the hallways will be asked to sit in the lobby until their parents are called to pick them up.

Please note... if you threaten or harass our staff, we will call the police and have you escorted out, no matter the time of day or circumstances. You will be removed from the hotel immediately."

The hotel is close to a music venue (our ultimate destination) and I am sure that many people imbibe drinks before, during and after attending a concert, thereby increasing the probability of loud and unruly behavior.  I think it's great that the hotel spells out exactly what rude/disrespectful behavior will result in; I hope that in the unfortunate circumstances that this signage fails to deter anyone from acting out, the hotel staff does what this sign says it will do and removes the offending party(ies) from the premises.

It reminded me of subbing since I just renewed my license. In the building I sub the most at, the grade that the school encompasses, 6th grade, is divided into four teams. Each team consists of four teachers for the core subjects that the students have classes in. I noticed early on in subbing at this school that students' behavior in one team consistently, throughout the years that I have been subbing, has been noticeably better than students' behavior in other teams. It became my goal to sub in this team as much as possible and to avoid one team in particular that tends to have the most problematic students. In talking to other subs, I realized that all of the subs had noticed the same thing about the teams and also try to sub in the same team that I like to sub in as much as possible. It is safe to say that the students are better behaved in this team than others (since it wasn't just my noticing of it). It is also safe to say that the teachers are doing something right in this team. I don't know exactly what that is, but my strong suspicion is that in the beginning of the school year, students are apprised of the expectations and when their behavior falls short, there are consequences. Students then make the choice (for the most part...) to behave in such a way as to avoid negative consequences.

Anyway- I sure hope that for the hotel staff, this sign staves off guests' unruly behavior...

Friends of our arrived shortly after we did. We chatted for a while and then walked to a restaurant. The restaurant had come recommended to us by my sister in law who used to frequent that area a lot when she worked that way. As it turned out, the restaurant was right across the street from our hotel so that worked out well. The food was good as were the prices. We all remarked that the prices seemed like pre-2021 prices. The restaurant is called Aspen Creek Grill and it looks like there are several locations in Texas and one in Kentucky besides this one (random locations!)

After that, we walked to the concert venue. The venue was the Ruoff Center and it's a large outdoor arena with some seats on the lawn and some seats under a roofed area. Our seats were in the latter category which was nice. The concert was Loverboy and Sammy Hagar/ Joe Satriani. Donnie really likes Van Halen's music and Sammy Hagar's as well as Joe Satriani. 

It was 94 degrees at 7:00 pm. T´was a warm walk!

The concert was interrupted by lightening around 8:00 pm

It started back up again twenty or so minutes later.

Around 10:30 it started lightening again and the concert ended. As soon as it ended, rain started to fall. Oh dear! We were a mile from our hotel in a thunderstorm! We could have ubered but we would have had to wait in the storm for it to arrive. We decided to walk back to the hotel. In pouring rain and lightening and thunder!! We survived so there is that. And someday, we'll look back at it and laugh but it's a little too soon for that :).

Saturday morning, we went to breakfast with our friends and then we parted company. Our friends were headed to Kentucky for the UK football game so they needed to leave Indiana to get home and then go to Kentucky. Donnie and I stuck around town around longer. The weather was humid and threatening rain but at least the heat wave was over. We found a city park to walk around in and we went to a couple of small stores that we don't have near us.

Only 75 degrees the morning after it was 95 degrees the evening before- we had to to take advantage of that and walk. 

This bookstore we stumbled on was huge but oddly only sold books along this one wall.

Quirky... or something

I have read a few of John Banville´s novels- I have not loved every one of them but he is a great writer and so I thumbed through this memoir of his. 

We were home by dinnertime on Saturday and relaxed the rest of the evening.

Sunday was church followed by driving to Columbus to pick up Alyssa for the day. She had Monday off of school, so she wanted to come home to get some items that she left at home- some of it she unwittingly left at home and some things she didn't bring to school initially because she didn't think she had the room for them.  It was great to see Alyssa and hear about EVERYHING! The hour and a half drive home passed quickly. Once home, we went out to dinner and then did some shopping for a few items that Alyssa wanted.

We ate at BJ´s Brewhouse and I got something really good and fairly healthy...

... and then something really good and fairly unhealthy (to put it mildly!!). I very rarely get desserts out at restaurants but I am very weak willed regarding Piezookies!!

On Monday, Alyssa went to meet up with a friend who was also home for the weekend. I made potato salad to have with lunch. Alyssa indicated she's liked everything food wise at school. She specifically mentioned she'd had potato salad at school that was good but, "not as good as yours." Awww, that sealed the deal- I told her I would make some for us to eat and she said that sounded good.

I made a big vat of it- doubled the recipe so we can have plenty of leftovers. Alyssa asked if she could take some back for her for Monday.

We had lunch together and then Alyssa gathered everything that she wanted to bring to school and we packed it up. 

We bought her an ice maker for her expresso machine so she can make iced drinks. Then when she´s home next summer, we will use it at the house when we need it. Win-win!

I brought her back turned right around to go home and was back home three hours later. Meanwhile Donnie had completely cleaned the kitchen. That guy needs days off more often!!