my love {sunday scribblings}

For a long time, I have been having a love affair. And when I visit him, I have the opportunity to stay at some of my favorite hotels. Places where my comfort is a priority. Places where the soaps bear his likeness, where chocolates adorn my pillow at night, where he wakes me up every morning with his voice on the other end of the phone. Sometimes at the end of the day, I retire to a hotel that evokes the great lodges of the national parks of the west. Other visits, I am dropped off right inside a futuristic building of sorts that has a restaurant where my love and I sometimes eat breakfast together. And on one visit, my bedroom looked right onto a savannah complete with giraffes that would visit me, standing about 20 feet away. My love always thinks of every tiny detail.

When the town car he has sent for me, pulls right in front of these hotels, my anticipation usually fills up my body in such a way that I feel like a five year old on Christmas morning. So many adventures ahead of me. I am always greeted by a bellman ready to take care of my every need. However, my favorite moment is when I walk into the lobby of these hotels. I am transported to another place, another time, another world. And every time there is this little part of me that thinks, "I am home." When the host or hostess gives me the key to my room, I want to twirl around because I know all that awaits me. But first, I stand in the middle of the lobby and take a breath. Breathing in everything. Remembering it all since my last visit, noticing new details. Yes. And knowing as I stand there that it has only just begun. After this moment, I quickly take off toward my room.

As I walk down the halls, I notice funny little hidden images of my sweet. When you come here to visit, you have to keep your eyes open for these little things that can add joy to the seemingly mundane moments. Every time, when I find my room, I seem to be pleasantly delighted to see that he put me right where I wanted to be. Then the moment of truth. I use the key, open the door, close my eyes, step in, take a breath, and open. Home. Yes. Home. This will be my home during my stay with my darling. I walk directly to the balcony. On some visits, he has put me in a special room where I can see the nightly fireworks display that always seems in honor of our affection (though, I must admit I know he sets them off even when I am not here. I am learning to share him with the others who vie for his attention).

After the bellman comes, I quickly unpack. One of my favorite things about the hotels I stay in when I spend time with my love is that there is always enough drawer space. Critical really for a several day stay. Then I change into something more appropriate for the atmosphere, fix my hair a bit, dab on a little make-up, and set off to find my love.

Oh. And my husband comes along too, because he has to take the pictures of the two of us together. Me and The Mouse.

(to read other hotel experiences, click on over to sunday scribblings)