Let’s review:

Monday: It was a pretty normal Monday. We had a meeting to decide who we’ll invite for interviews for our new secretarial position. We had a fair number of applicants but many were overqualified. We decided on five and one alternate. Two withdrew their applications so we were down to three and our alternate. I hope we can find someone who’ll be good at the job.

Tuesday: Tuesday was hell. I had to be up at 3 a.m. to drive to Burlington and catch my 6 a.m. flight. That part of the day went smoothly, including the flight. It was Washington, D.C. that was the nightmare. We got there and they wouldn’t rent us a car because the name on our corporate card didn’t match the driver. It took two hours and contacting the CFO to get it straightened out. We had the morning to sightsee, so we went to the National Gallery except our GPS took us to the National Portrait Gallery instead, and it didn’t open until 11:30. So, we took a taxi over to the National Museum of the American Indian and toured it. We walked across the Mall to the National Gallery of Art and had lunch. Lunch was terrible, but that’s another story. After we finished lunch, we found out that the guy we were supposed to meet wanted to meet earlier than expected, so we didn’t get to tour the National Gallery. We had to rush to Arlington to pick up the objects that were waiting for us. Once we go them packed, it was nearly 4 p.m. and we were exhausted. We were scheduled to drive two hours to Wilmington, Delaware to stay the night, but traffic was horrendous. Luckily, we were able to cancel our rooms without a charge. We made it to Baltimore where we had dinner at a lovely restaurant called Mama’s on the Half Shell. The food was delicious and we found a charming historic hotel nearby called the Admiral Fell Inn, which is in the Fell’s Point neighborhood of Baltimore. It was a truly charming place. We were surrounded by restaurants and bars. We summoned up enough energy to go out to one of the bars before turning in for the night. The hotel is also the 6th most haunted hotel in America. I only encountered one ghost though, he/she was kind enough to open the elevator for me.

Wednesday: We got up and going around 9 a.m. and had breakfast at a charming little cafe across the square from the hotel. Breakfast was delicious, and I wish I could remember the name of the place. Then we got on the road. Traffic was somewhat better. We made it to Wilmington by lunch and stopped at the Dead Presidents Pub. Again, the food was very good. I had my favorite, a French dip sandwich. At this point we had seven more hours to go to Vermont, if traffic was good, and it was not. We finally stopped in Springfield, Massachusetts to have dinner at the Red Rose Pizzeria around 7 p.m. that night. The place was packed, but the food was delicious. After another two and half hours or so driving in the pouring rain, we made it back to the museum to leave the objects. We unloaded quickly and got on the road to Burlington, which is an hour away. By the time we reached Burlington, it was after midnight and I was too tired to drive the hour back home, so I slept at my coworker’s house.

Thursday: This was the wasted day. I got up about 8:30 a.m. and drove my coworker to the airport to get her car. She’d returned the van we’d had so much trouble renting but had forgotten her keys. After taking her to the airport, I headed home. I had a splitting headache and it was pouring down rain, but I made it home safely. I slept most of the day. I was supposed to go in yesterday afternoon but I just couldn’t.

Friday: I have to go in today and do a little bit of work this morning, but I’ve already gotten in my hours for the week. Luckily, it’s just a meeting and then help with a minor thing, then I can go home. They are having a pizza and ice cream party at 11, so I may stay for it, but I should be home by noon.

Then a Vermont heatwave begins. Five or so days of plus 90 degree heat. I have no air conditioning, so I am not looking forward to this at all.