Mish' Scritches

Friday, May 25, 2012

Busy, busy and we're only at the airport. . .

Got up at usual time this morning and started ready for the next leg of the Boot Camp rollout, yup - it's time to get to Montreal and meet the folks there. It was a steady paced, but busy morning, packing, sorting out the apartment before the taxi arrived to zip us off to the airport. We looked at each other, this was easier than its been before, yet another good stroke of organization and presence of mind creating a non-stressful trip. I mean it could only be smooth sailing from here, it's a short domestic flight. 23kg bag checked in and walking easily, thinking of the Starbucks I was about to enjoy, sailed through security and looked over. . . My project lead was unpacking her wheelie bag! What the...?? Apparently her cosmetic bag. Had bottles in that were not allowed. . . Even on a domestic flight. Expensive bottles, so what to do? She had to go all the way back to check in her wheelie bag. That was about thirty minutes ago, thank heavens we always insist on being at airports early! Gotta sign off now, I'm being eyed with the beady eyes of a security team. I do look suspicious with an over-abundance of bags and I'm typing fast and furiously. Mish, Mish Ashburner, stirred but definitely not shaken.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Right?

My breathing was shallow… my skin hosting a slight sheen. I looked in the mirror, shook my head to bolster my confidence – I stared into my eyes, nodded slightly for reassurance and told myself, “You can do this.”

I turned the key in the ignition, looked at the side mirrors and adjusted my seat – on the left side of the vehicle. Yes, I drove on the streets of Toronto for the first time today. It was easier than I thought it would be, can I attribute it to all that trolley driving in the mall parking lots?

This might sound ridiculous but remember that saying “If it’s Tuesday it must be…”, well travelling to different countries with different customs and rules can do that to one.

I drove slowly, easily, without any ‘Tiger in the tank"’ and I definitely wasn’t behaving like the ‘King of the Road again” but it was liberating, even if I did hold my breath as I turned onto the wrong, I mean right side of the road. Mission was accomplished, without scrapes, bumps or lumps for Daisy (the car) or me.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

World-class delivery... Every time

I am a service freak... What that means is that I appreciate, no I mean search out and then drool over businesses that offer superlative service. It is such a rare commodity, that when it happens I run amok about it, I could tap dance on tables, click my heels and dance the Samba. Yes, I become a walking advert for those businesses. Well, I have found what I think is, to date, the best hotel I have ever been to. Millcroft Inn in the Village of Alton, Ontario, Canada. I spent two weeks there, with a week in between occasions. At the start of the first week, the staff were courteous, attentive and very friendly. As the week wore on, I realized that it was personal.

Their attention to me had gone beyond the expected levels of service - it was personal. They had paid enough attention to know that I liked their grapefruit juice with breakfast, followed by coffee toward the end of breakfast that would just miraculously appear without me asking. They knew that with dinner I enjoyed tap water, without ice and it would be waiting for me when I sat down. They knew my name from the start, greeted me joyfully (no pretense) every time they saw me and made me feel very special. Every night someone had been into my room, turned the bed down, put on a lamp and placed a beautiful Ecuadorian rose on my pillow. It got better the second time around, they remembered all my little likes and dislikes and it felt like home. When you travel a lot, live out of suitcases and experience a whole lot of average, this type of experience is definitely repeatable, over and over. If ever you get the opportunity to get to Millcroft Inn, you will not regret a single moment.

Thank you to Clara, Jennifer, Sally, Zorica, Birgit, Melody, Kris, Amanda, Jolene, Enrico and Mike (in appearance order). Your team delivers a world-class service and I really appreciated every it of it.