My Weekend in Iowa

by Frank Roche on September 23, 2008

Here’s the subtitle: “I got wedged in Row 23A on the flight to Chicago, seat 22A rammed his seat back into me, I dripped water on his head, drove 5 hours to Iowa, stayed at a hotel that had a bird cleaning station, went to a wonderful wedding that had 450 people, ate Maid Rites, drove back to Chicago, was way too early, waited at Gate B5 for standby, missed the standby list by 1 seat, flew back in upgraded seats, got home at 11:30pm Sunday night, and started my work week at 5:30 AM on Monday.”

Getting 22A’d is the Worst When You’re Wedged in 23A

That’s an Iowa Specialty: A Maid Rite

Yep, We Had a Bird Cleaning Station at Our Hotel

Megan Looked Beautiful — and 450 Wedding Goers Told Her That

  • http://paxromano.blogspot.com/ Pax Romano

    On the flight back from LA, I had one of them in front of me. I could not take it, so I just kicked his seat until he moved foreward … and than I thanked him.

    OH, that sandwich looks gooooodddd!

    And why do they need rooms to clean their birds?

    At least the wedding looked like it was fun.

  • Marvin

    Sounds like a fun-filled, action-packed, cliché-of-your-choice weekend. Little did you know you could have brought your dirty birds along.

  • http://punkrockhr.com lruettimann

    450 people? Was that the whole town?

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    It was Oskaloosa, Iowa, which has 11,000 people, so it was a big chunk. They did a fabulous job….had HUGE tents in their yard, built a gazebo on their lake. It was really something.

  • http://punkrockhr.com lruettimann

    I want to renew my vows at Maid Rite.

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    Marvin, it was a Coen Brothers movie waiting to happen…and it was fabulous. And the birds…I could have…LOL. Check out this link and see how they advertise it: http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-oskaloosa-iowa-…

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    Pax, like you, my friend, I have a touch of claustrophobia. And that guy had me jammed…so I dipped my index finger in my water glass, then dangled it over his head until the drop hit the top of his head. Then I pulled an Alfred E Newman….”Who, me?”

    That Maid Rite is pretty fab. I love local specialties wherever I go.

    Dirty, dirty birds, as Marvin said. Truth is, they hunt pheasant and grouse around there…they mean GUTTING STATION.

    The wedding was wonderful. 450 people outside on an exquisite day.

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    Laurie, you are too funny…and I could just imagine that you would tell Mr. PunkRock HR that…lol.

  • Marvin

    Oh, that kind of bird cleaning — and here I thought you'd visited a locale with abundant oil spills. Doh!

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    Marvin, the only oil they have out in that part of Iowa is corn oil (and ethanol). LOL…yeah, those pheasants love corn fields…I understand the hunting is pretty great there.

  • http://pjohnson64.blogspot.com/ Peter

    I grew up eating Maid Rites – - – back in the 70s in Ames…

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    Hi Peter…you know 'em well, then. We were in Oksy…and it's great to have the local specialty.

  • http://www.pinkybear.blogspot.com Pinky Bear

    We don't need no dirty birds. What is that sandwhich? Is that pork?

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    LOL…no dirty birds, there.

    The sandwich…it's just crumbled hamburger, minus the hamburger. Interesting, I'll say that.

  • Merci

    I'll be heading out to IA soon. We're driving out. Yay. 19 or so hours on the PA Turnpike and I-80. With a dog. Double yay.

    I'll have to look up a Maid-Rite while I'm there. Ever have those S-shaped cookies? I think they're Dutch in origin. I forget what they're called. Letters, maybe? Dutch letters?

  • http://www.frankroche.com/blog Frank

    Merci, that's a lot of driving. Wow…we've done that one before…not a lot to see, but pretty cool once you're there.

    You'll have to try out the Maid Rites…can't miss 'em. Yep, you have that exactly right, those cookies are called Dutch letters. Love 'em.

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