What not to do..??!!

What not to do....if you are staying in a motel, lodge, or with friends and family. (And yes, I have personal experience finding all the wonderful things people have left, or changed, or...well, you get the point!)


Unlike Emily Post, I am not a pro in the manners department. In fact, I'm a huge klutz! Just ask anyone that has known me for more than five minutes. Regardless, I do know there are some things you should never do when staying away from your own cozy bed. 


Smile, it is pretty good advice.


1. When staying in a motel, remember that someone, at sometime, purchased the ugly carpet and coordinating bedspread to cover the dirt. It is incredibly impolite to remark on the ugliness, after all, someone actually purchased them for your enjoyment!


2. When staying at a lodge, it is never okay to leave leftover food under the bed. Yes, it is convenient for those ever popular midnight snacks, but you will always forget you put the pancakes there, and even though everyone generally likes the smell of maple syrup, it is not a great room deodorizer. 


3. When staying at a friends house, tell them if you have sleep walking issues. Your host and hostess may be shocked if you crawl in their bed in the middle of the night without warning.


4. If you find yourself staying in a motel and something doesn't work, you should tell someone right away. The repair guys get paid by the hour and love coming to your room in the middle of the night to fix your running toilet, the heat or a.c., or show you how the coffee maker works. Waiting until the next morning to complain won't get you a discount on the room, that is an old trick and never works. Instead try complimenting them on the matching decor!


5. If you find yourself in a lodge and what you flushed seems like it is coming back to visit you, don't flush again. There is a little rubber bowl with a stick on it nearby. You can use it, and if I have to explain how, you need a book called, "Plunging for Dummies!" Quick, the last copy may now be purchased at Amazon!


6. If your hostess makes something you simply hate, don't put it in your napkin unless it comes on a roll and is disposable. Instead, keep the intolerable mess and toss it outside when no one is looking. If you are lucky, the evidence may not be found for weeks, and by then, you are off the hook!


7. In a motel, remember, the toilet is not a bong. Yes, there is water conveniently placed there, and yes, there are straws near the coffee maker, but there is simply no excuse for leaving your umm... medication, on the toilet bowl. 


8. If visiting a lodge, and the television doesn't work, throwing it off the balcony will only make a mess. Instead, unplug it and move it to the dining room table. Someone is more likely to find it there, and who knows when the snow will melt enough for someone to find all the parts!


9. When designated to the couch at your friends, it could be considered rude to remove the cushion and look for spare change. They may be saving it for a rainy day!


Last but not least: Tip your housekeeper, unless you like your alarm clock set for three in the morning!


I hope you enjoyed these basic rules that can be used in a variety of settings.