Weary and worn out we made our way to Puyallup to relax and sleep in for a couple of days. Although we had hoped to make a granddaughter's concert early on Friday evening, we had to call and bail. We opted to check-in at the hotel counter and not unload baggage and visit our room. We were greeted at the hotel with what seemed like a million youngsters with football gear, parents, and coaches all standing or sitting in the lobby.
We went to Giorgio's Greek Cafe & Pizzaria and slowed down our pace a bit. I love spanikopita, but almost always order mousaka or spaghetti with Mizethra cheese. This night I chose the spinach pastries, while Peg ordered a Greek-Hawaiian pizza. My Shirley Temples came with no cherries, but I was too pooped to care. Peg had a glass of wine and we simply sat and unwound. The food was very good.
Back at our hotel room we unpacked and watched TV before dropping off to sleep. We had a suite on the west side of the fifth floor. We were away from the football teams.
The window looked out on a bleak view of leafless trees and brown and tan undergrowth. I could make out the meandering creek below. I love the view in spring time and luckily know what it is supposed to look like. Normally, we have a suite on the other end facing north. In the spring and summer the view is enjoyable. For our get-a-way weekend, it was just there . . . but in our thoughts we had the memory to re-live the beauty - "Though nothing can bring back the hour, of splendor in the grass, or glory in the flower . . ." Of course even in the spring the flowers here are the skunk cabbage and occasional daffodils . . . but beautiful.
On the weekends breakfast is available at 7:00 AM. I took the elevator to the lobby to read the paper and catch some computer time in silence and solitude. Nope. Didn't happen. To accommodate the footballers the hotel opened up breakfast at 5:30. I grabbed the newspapers (Tacoma News Tribune, USA Today Weekend Edition, and the Wall Street Journal) went through my email and then headed back to me room.
I returned to much more quiet dining hall at 7:00. I made myself a do-it-yourself waffle. Once you add butter and a little bit of syrup on them they're pretty good, especially with the pork sausage links that were cooked perfectly for me. I grabbed some yogurt, sliced strawberries, some cereal, a bowl and a spoon which I took back upstairs for a sleeping Peggy. Five hours later she had breakfast witha smile on her face.
We pretty much just stayed in the hotel the rest of the day reading, sleeping and checking emails. I was wearing a compression boot for an Achilles tendon problem, so I couldn't drive. Peg went to a drive-in and brought back a bacon burger for me, a container of soup for her, and two pies . . . and a chocolate malt to wash everything down.
We had eaten at Don's Drive-In before. It's a delight. Located across Meridian (the main street of downtown Puyallup) from the Western Washington Fair grounds, the little drive-in has a loyal following. The bacon burger was excellent with plenty of bacon. It help together well with just enough sloppiness to keep it from being dry.
Our Sunday morning breakfast group didn't want to travel to Puyallup, so Peg and I opted for sleeping in. I was up early, of course and it was pretty much the same as Saturday with footballers up early and eating. I went back to bed and snoozed.
Once Peg woke up we began packing after she ate the yogurt and cereal I retrieved early that morning. We checked out just a few minutes late. I stopped by the counter on the way out and talked to the morning clerk. The Fairfield did a great job handling the footballers, their families, early breakfast and everything. Great customer service for everyone.
Before heading home, we stopped at Don's Drive-In once again. I munched on another bacon burger and another piece of rhubarb pie, but no chocolate malt this time . . . I'm trying to cut back. But maybe next time . . .