Let's Talk Cimicidae

Yes, I want to talk about Cimicidae, or more commonly known as BED BUGS. Shiver……


They live in bedding and other places where people sleep. They like to live there because they like to feed on warm blooded animals. Shiver, again………..

Bed Bug

image taken from Wikipedia

I don’t know if you remember reading the news recently on the troubles Bed Bugs have been causing in various hotels everywhere. They have become a bane to the hotel industry everywhere.

When Neicy and I trekked to TN, we had picked out a couple of hotels near the hospital. As we got nearer the City, we started discussing where to stay and Neicy nixed the Super 8, just because they are “like a Motel 6”. Ok. I won’t argue. I just want to get out of the car and into bed with a glass of wine……

So we headed to the Comfort Inn down the street from the Super 8. Walking into the lobby, all you can smell is incense. Pee-u. But they had availability and offered a hospital discount because that’s why we were in town. We grabbed the room key and our luggage.

While we are sitting on our beds checking in with relative and our emails, she notices a bug. It was HUGE. It was walking on the top of the bedspread. We discussed briefly if we thought it was a bed bug, I looked up a picture and we decided, Nah, its ok.

A few minutes later, she found another one. Then another. Oh gross! Its time to go! I don’t think we’ve ever packed so quickly! We ran over to the office and got our money back. We headed down the street to the Super 8.

The Super 8 was lovely. It smelled clean; the front desk person was wonderful and offered a discounted room. When we got to our room, we immediately pulled the blankets back to see if there were any bugs there. They were clean.

Thank God!

This, of course, became another joke for us to share and giggle at, along with Flipping-A-B*tch, VA.  And Neicy won't be thunbing her nose at Super 8 again!


*****  I was not reimbursed by anyone for this post.  But if Super8 wants to reward me and Neicy with a free stay somewhere, bring it on!*****

Flip-A-B*tch, VA and The Ring

Neicy and I are probably the best traveling partners ever.  We each have skills and needs that compliment the other.  When we traveled to Hawaii together, it was The Best vacation I've ever had.  It was relaxing but we were still on the go everyday, enjoying the sights and being in Hawaii.  When Neicy and I travel together, we LOVE to eat yummy, local food places.

When we decide we're going somewhere together, I usually make the travel arrangements, such as plane and hotel stuff.  Neicy will check out the local food scene.    Our recent trip to TN was kind of a last minute decision to go.  One that I will never regret doing and I wouldn't have been anywhere else but by her side!  Love ya, Neicy!

Once we definitely decided to go to TN, I started looking for hotels.  I didn't have to worry about how we were getting there, we had an address and a GPS for that. Neicy started looking for places to eat.  We figured we'd eat at fast food places on the drive but figured we'd have a couple of nights in TN to have good food. 

On the drive down, we stopped in Virginia, just off I-66 for lunch.  It was a local grille place that had yummy sandwiches.  Lunch finished and facilities used, we hit the road again.  The weather cleared up, traffic thinned and it was a lovely drive.  All of a sudden, Neicy gasped.  She realized that she had left her Tiffany ring in the bathroom where we had lunch!  YIKES!

I grabbed my cell phone and got the phone number for the place, called them and they HAD THE RING!  Woo ho!  Neicy immediately Flipped-A-B*tch.

Do you know what that is?  A big ole U-turn.  Usually, when Neicy and I are out and I'm driving, we have to do several of them!  I am a driver that follows my patterns and if we try to deviate from them, we have to Flip-A-B*tch.  Its become a joke between us.

Of course, the one in Virginia was the biggest we'd ever had to do. We were over an hour from the lunch stop.  But it was a Tiffany Ring and they had it.  We were going BACK.

I was VERY amused by this situation.  And once she knew the ring was safe, Neicy was too.  I also have a LOT of free Flip-A-B*tches coming my way!

End of story, we got the ring, got to use the facilities again, got lots of giggles, and got to TN about 3 hours later than planned.

The Trip

Neicy and I took off this past weekend to Tennessee.  It was a sad reason for a road trip, a friend of ours is dying and we had to say good-bye.  But we had some lovely scenery to view on the drive, as well as just leaving our problems behind.



If you enlarge this, it says Naked Mountain Winery.
We're going back to sample their wines!



Just off I-81.
Beautiful!



I-81 was ENDLESS!
But lots to see



This is Endless Caverns in the Mountainside
We're going back to check this out too



We stopped and hiked in Bays Mountain Park, TN
Its a lovely area.



On the way out of the Park

Overall, it was a good quick get a way that has given us a plan for lots of other things to go and see.