I don’t know how it is even possible, but we are winding down from summer.
Didn’t the snow melt like a month ago? I literally thought the kids just got out of school two weeks ago and here we are preparing their backpacks for another term.
It has been ages since I was in school, so I’m not sure if this is even a thing, but we used to write an essay on what we did on our summer vacation. I can remember trying to cram something noteworthy into the last waning days so my report wouldn’t be lame.
Taking a page from that ancient idea, I was thinking about what lessons I could write about my summer vacation. Maybe it isn’t so much what I saw or did, but what I observed. I would title my paper, "Assumptions: Stop Making Them.”
Let’s start with the hotel stay.
There were things I assumed and things that did not happen.
I know a lot of policies and procedures changed when COVID hit and businesses never went back to the way we were used to. Sometimes, it still throws me off.
I figured there would be daily maid service. Apparently, that’s long gone. We were informed there would be no housekeeping for three days of our stay. That seemed pretty specific.
I assumed with a three-night stay the key would work the entire time.
Wrong. They changed the key code every single night.
I have no idea what the reasoning is for that. If it is for security, the only person it kept out of my room was me.
Same with the Wifi password. Why would that change daily for the same guest?
Why is cash no longer king? I always assumed money was money.
Wrong again.
Now, depending on the city, location and type of establishment, they may or may not take cash. The best idea is to carry it all — cash, debit, charge card, Canadian Tire money, gift cards ... and hope something works.
Have you noticed all the changes at some restaurants?
I assumed water still came with the meal. No, now you have to request it.
Where’s the salt and pepper? Is it locked up in a glass case in the back? I needed to beg for it, which I was not adverse to doing as I require added flavour for most dishes.
Somebody tried to tell me it was because the establishment was being more health conscious. I think not. I suspect it is just another cutback.
Maybe it was because by the time the whole table touched it, the shakers were all germy? But, then why can we still all handle the same squeeze-bottle condiments?
Heck, I’ll settle for little salt packets, although those also have to be requested at the drive-thru.
Give me salt or give me death! (I'm sure I'll get both in good time.)
I assumed businesses had regular hours.
That would be incorrect.
Now, it appears hours change depending on how busy they are. If there’s a lot of people, the bar stays open and if not they send the staff home. Others close midday.
I don’t understand how you can sustain a business that way.
And … where’s all the staff?
We were in a hotel complex, in a traditionally busy tourist destination and there was a skeleton staff. In August?
It was a bit eerie how few people were working. The restaurant was dark by 9 p.m., and the bar by 10.
I know we keep hearing that there are no workers, but where are they exactly?
They can’t all be Tik Tok influencers, can they?
Don't people still need jobs?
It is a strange and confusing new world.
So, my takeaways for the summer of 2023 are to have no expectations, prepare to pay more for less of everything, and do not assume things are the way you remember them.
