Our Company Appreciation Party Weekend 2018

One of the annual benefits that Stache receives from his company each year is an Appreciation Dinner Party. We’re talking quite the shindig. This year we had the benefit of a fully paid night at a high-end, luxury hotel and a dinner party out on a yacht.

Obviously, for Stache and me, we’re not talking about everyday life here. This weekend is always extraordinary and something we have looked forward to each year for the last fifteen years. But let me back up a couple of days before I go on.

Wednesday night before we were to leave on our luxurious overnighter, our washing machine at the house hopelessly died. Thursdays are standing Grammie Days. And Thursday night, we had committed to attending an Attic Theatre production, of which one of our daughters was performing. We were planning to leave on our trip by nine the next morning.

With zero free time to purchase a new washer and finding ourselves at the end of a laundry week, we decided to adapt. We cheerfully loaded up the trunk of our fancy rental car (another perk) with six loads of dirty laundry and headed for the nearest laundromat on the way.

Girls! I can hardly do justice to the contrast of dynamics I’m attempting to describe. There’s nothing quite like an old yucky laundromat, to heighten one’s awareness of meager circumstances!

That’s not to say either of us were ungrateful. The entire experience was a total gas! We made a great team and had the job done, -washed, dried and folded, including a sit-down breakfast across the street at Friendly’s, in under an hour and a half!

I should stop and tell you a bit about Friendly’s. Our first visit to Friendly’s in Elwood, Indiana was a whole bunch of years ago, back before smoking laws came into effect. We were literally smoked out! Vomitously so; I kid you not. Our highly social and environmentally regulated, transplanted Californian selves, had never before encountered such a place!

This time we found Friendly’s, exceptionally FRIENDLY, smoke-free and super quick! At least as good as the fast food breakfast sandwich we had initially been planning. The pancake was my favorite part of the Hungry Lady platter. And Stache enjoyed his Hungry Man platter well enough. The meal was a welcome addition to our laundromat experience, no doubt.

We loaded the trunk of our luxury ride with our tidy loads of folded, clean laundry and headed for Detroit. Stache and I love a long sightseeing drive. We’d love them all the more if I could only stay awake! These days you buckle me in, turn on some air, and I’m literally out for the count.

A lovely nap and a couple hours later, Stache asked me to search out a unique place to enjoy some lunch. We found unique, fun, and delicious at Zarzuela in Marshall, Michigan!

Zarzuela is a Spanish-Mediterranian restaurant. We chose a variety of Tapas to share. Olives and Toast, Cheese Bread, Artichoke Croquets, Shrimp, Bacon Wrapped Dates and Calamari. Goodness, it was delicious! We’ve discovered we really enjoy this style of ‘this and that’ eating.

Full as we were, neither of us could resist finishing with the Flan and a cup of Fresh Hot Coffee. Our server was fantastic and accommodating. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Another consuming nap, surviving aggressive traffic out on the 94 while singing old Country Western tunes together, and we arrived at the Marriott, Renessaince in Detroit, Michigan. Impressive loveliness. Right about this moment I was overwhelmed by all the privileged luxury. I didn’t need or want another thing. But we still had the Yacht party to attend!

Yachts are beautiful things. But there’s something about the phrase ‘four-hour tour’ that raises the alarm back in the recesses of my mind. Still, it was a lovely boat, and this girl has a greater aversion to being an ol’ bore around Stache, than chancing one of us being renamed, ‘Gilligan.’

And so with determined terror and Stache at my back, I ‘heroically’ climbed those wobbly steps up onto the second floor of the Ovation. It was grand! Grand views, grand food, grand service, and grand friends.

The next morning, Stache ordered room service for Breakfast there in the hotel. The epitome of opulence, don’t you think?

But this part cracks me up. Ready and set to leave, the Valet pulls up our car and innocently pops open the trunk to help us load our luggage. There displayed for us all to see, was our trunkful of household laundry. Nothing like a quick splash of reality! It was hilarious!!

We took a less traveled route back home, stopping for an old-fashioned Chili Dog and Rootbeer at Jiggs in Defiance, Ohio. The food was good as can be expected at such a place. The drive-in car service was great. It was a nostalgic, fun experience and did the job of curbing our hunger.

Back home in amongst our comfortable, everyday life I can’t help but reflect on the many gifts we were given this past weekend. Gifts of luxury and perspective. Gifts of adaptability, time and expressed love. As incredibly privileged as each element this weekend turned out to be, those precious gifts were my favorite.

I’d love to hear your stories! Where’s your favorite place to go out with your husband? Have you had a recent date experience that somehow highlighted treasured growth in your relationship?  If your story is too personal, I hope you will at minimum remember it before the Lord. He is worthy of gratefulness and praise.

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