Sunday 21 October 2012

Almost Time to Head for Home

Currently in a Holiday Inn Expresss hotel in Bentleyville Pennsylvania having driven here from Bellefontaine Ohio earlier today.
 
The trip is almost over and it has been an eventful and frustrating one but I'll tell you about that in a bit. Right now we need a footy update.
 
We went to the Carlton game and guess what - another draw! Belper went behind to a great free-kick but pulled it back to 1-1 with an equally great strike from Simon Harrison. I took the camera and got some good shots but there wasn't time to process them and build an album before I set off on this trip. I'll organise that and put the pics on here when I get home. (Snapper was ill and missed the game so for now, there are no pics to show.)
 
The next game was last Tuesday - I was away and the Duchess decided not to go on her own. A reasonably comfortable 3-0 win for Belper was the outcome and Snapper returned to duty with an excellent album - look here -
 
Then today - yet another draw!! The game was away at Chasetown and from the match report, it is a bit of a mystery why 3 more points were not secured by BTFC! Rapid work by the main man - Snapper Harrison - saw his match album posted on the Fans Forum within a couple of hours of the final whistle. Yet another cracking set is here:
 
So footy update complete. Now for the trip.....
 
Sunday - flew Manchester/Heathrow/Toronto/Sudbury, Ontario but sadly, our bags didn't make it to Toronto with us. Anyway - since we were flying back down to Toronto on the Monday afternoon, we had them delivered to the hotel we would be staying at Monday night.
 
Monday - flew back to Toronto, dinner with client.
 
Tuesday - after meeting client and lunch, flew Toronto/Chicago/Springdale, Arkansas for meetings at corporate office on Wednesday.
 
Wednesday - afternoon/evening - should have flown Springdale/Chicago/Grand Rapids, Michigan but when we got to the airport we were told the flight had been oversold and we were not going to Chicago that evening. Instead, they stuck us in a hotel for the night and booked us on a flight to Chicago at 5:48 a.m. on Thursday.
 
Thursday - out of bed at 3:30 a.m.for a 4:15 pick up to take us back to the airport. Flew to Chicago on time (arrived 7:30 a.m.) but then had to sit on Chicago airport for 12 hours before flying to Grand Rapids at 7:30 pm. This meant we had to cancel the planned meeting with our client - we had already deferred hotel rooms and car rental by 24 hours.
 
Friday - set off at 7:30 a.m. to drive five hours south into Ohio. Met with the client, took them to dinner and then I went to bed. Fell asleep around 9:30 pm
 
Saturday - woke  at 5 a.m. Thought "sod that" and rolled over, waking again at 7 a.m. Made a coffee and stayed in bed until around 9 a.m. watching TV.
 
Drove to this location (Bentleyville) - taking our time - and have just had dinner - Burger King - (because a salesman's life on the road is all cordon bleu and champagne of course!) The drive down was easy and the trees are just starting to put on a spectacular show of autumn colour. I have the little Ixus camera with me and got one or two nice shots. Here's one:
 
Tomorrow - we are invited to a barbecue at the home of our client. The plan is to get there about 2pm, watch American football on TV, beer and a barbecue. Looking forward to it!
 
Monday - see the client and then head for Pittsburgh airport for flights to Manchester via Chicago (again!). We get back to Manny airport at 7:50 a.m. Tuesday so it'll be home about noon, having dropped my colleague off at his house.
 
Back in the office Wednesday cos there's no rest for the wicked!
 
Belper have an away game at Newcastle Town Tuesday evening but I don't plan to go to that!
 
Right - a long catch up and if you are still with me - I'll say goodnight. More follows - after I get past the jet lag!
 

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