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Sunday...another day in Paradise. Woke early and walked down to the beach and back - showered and dressed and off to The Early Bird for breakfast - right - it's about 11a.m.! Afterwards, on a mission to purchase a few items in shoppes of Leland. By 1:30, I'm off to Suttons Bay shoppes, mainly the The Painted Bird gallery and a couple others...AND to go down by the water for some fotos...then to see what the Carlson-Graham's (Claudia & Jim) are doing for dinner...well, that was the plan.
I'm done at The Painted Bird taking my bag of treasures to the car when my cell rings...it's the Lodge and they want to know why I haven't checked out, since my stay with them ended at 11 this morning.
I state that information is incorrect, inasmuch as I am booked until Monday, Memorial Day. "No", they state - that guests for my room are sitting in the lobby, my information is incorrect and I need to return to remove my belongings from the room. This convo goes back and forth a few more times ending with they are going to remove my things so that they can clean the room and they will try to find me another location, altho most places are booked for this holiday weekend. I advise I am on my way back and that I don't need their help finding a room for me.
At my return, my things are in the Office, I load my car, put my keys on the counter of the reception desk - neither the Manager nor I say one word to each other. As I finish loading, a receptionist comes out - the girl that made the reservations with me, and apologized. I stated that I would not be returning to this venue and how heartbreaking it was to end my love affair with The Leland Lodge Resort. As I got in the car and drove off, I found it easy to reconcile that I'm once again lucky when it comes to "breaking up" when I want to do it. I found the Lodge had changed. It had suffered many different owners and it showed in the poor lady: She was lacking the charm and class that attracted me in the past. She showed wear and tear without the tender loving care once given her with fresh paint and wood wax. The changes were downgrading to her and the "faux" flowers in lieu of all the beautiful fresh local wild and perennial flowers that onced graced her every counter and side table was shameful - to me. I was once in love with this lovely lady of an Inn...and it sadly has taken a beating and has changed. I won't return and I will miss her. She's currently "for sale" and I hope someone with heart, money and respect buys and returns her to the beauty and class-act she once was.
On my drive back home, I want to stop one more place on the way: The Pie & Pastry shoppe in Suttons Bay...since this is our cherry capital, I want to get some pies to take to a bbq tomorrow...
Goodbye Early Bird
Goodbye, downtown
Pick up the best Cherry Pies in the World
Hello, Old Man...you like this place too?
I'd love to stay and chat some more, but if you won't
let me stay with you in your doghouse,
I need to get back home
(I wished him a happy summer and told him
that I hoped to see him again this fall)
Goodbye, Painted Bird
Just needed some more water shots to hold me over
En route back to Traverse - to Graling and
turn for South...
I was bummed as I drove out of Traverse City
but I recalled Norm saying
"If I can't live here, I can visit as much as I want!"
He loved Leelanau also and I vowed again
to come back soon.
Thank you Leelanau, Claudia & Jim and even
The Leland Lodge.
I will treasure this time as long as
life and memory lasts.
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