LAST DAY OF VACATION

The last day of vacation was not what I expected.  I keep saying this so I must have had great expectations for this vacation which just didn't pan out.

I went to church by myself this morning while Joe tried to get in touch with his stepmom and the hospital.  When I got home I wasn't feeling too great so I laid down for a little bit.  We decided to go to the hospital around 3 p.m.

Before I left I put a pork roast in the crock pot.  It was still frozen, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out.  I also didn't know how long we would be gone.  So I took a chance.  We were gone for about 3 hours.  When I got home I cleaned and cooked some fresh green beans and then checked on the pork.  It came out perfect.  Dinner was so good.  I love my crock pot!

So we went to see Mary Ann (Joe's stepmom) at the hospital this afternoon.  She's in Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ.  Neither of us had ever been there before, so we looked it up on the GPS.  It wasn't hard to get to, just confusing.  But we found the place.  We got on the elevator in the parking garage and pressed the button for the 8th floor.  Another couple got on with us and wanted the 10th floor, but it only went up to 9.  So they figured they would have to walk the last floor.

When the doors opened we got off and discovered we were on the 8th floor of the parking garage, not the hospital.  We started laughing.  I grabbed my camera and took a shot out the window while Joe rang for the elevator to come back.

When the elevator doors opened, there was the other couple.  They were laughing too.  They had done the same thing.  We got another good laugh when we got on the elevator and there was a big sign that said press level 1R for entrance to the hospital.

I have never been in a hospital like this one.  It was huge and beautiful!  It looked as if you were checking into an expensive hotel.  There was a huge check in desk with a granite top.  Carved into the front of the desk was "Welcome to Cooper University Hospital".  There were groupings of beautiful sofas, chairs and tables.  These were separated from the desk by 15 foot screens of live bamboo growing up to an atrium.

 

At the ends of each of these pots the bamboo were growing in there were huge floor to ceiling columns which were softly glowing lights.

Each table had a beautiful bouquet of autumn flowers.

 

We visited with Mary Ann for about 1 1/2 hours.  She is doing really well and may be sent home tomorrow if all goes well.  Boy, they really don't keep you in the hospital for very long these days.  Here's a shot from her floor.

Before we left to go home I asked to use the ladies room.  I was directed down a hall and through a door that looked like every other ladies room I've ever been in.  Through the door, though, everything was marble and chrome.  And everything was automatic:  toilet, water, soap, towels.  Wow.  No one else was in there so I quickly snapped a picture in there too.

 

Imagine working in a place like that!

Well, back to work tomorrow.  I really don't want to go back.  Can I please just stay home and have them just send me a check every two weeks?  If only.