Tuesday May 24,2022 was another thoroughly amazing day full of promise, good people a haircut and enjoyable exercise – who could ask for anything more? More detail shall be provided.
My hair is extremely short. It seemed silly, particularly when living in a warm climate, to have long hair when a head scarf is worn to cover a woman’s hair. Head scarves are not mandatory, by the way, nor are abayas. There are many Muslim women in Edmonton – they wear headscarves, they do not wear abayas – not seen one abaya worn by the tens, if not at least one hundred Muslim women that I have seen since my arrival in Edmonton about two weeks ago. While still living in California decided to have my hair cut in the same style worn in 1967. It then was called a Mia Farrow haircut. Inexplicably have photograph of myself with this hair cut in my possession so was able to show one hairstylist what was needed. Had it beautifully trimmed by a stylist at a hair salon located in my Dubai hotel, then Lisa in Abu Dhabi did a great job but it again needed a trim. The Cncierge provided me with the address and telephone number of a nearby hair salon.Me: Hi! This is Alexis McBride. I would like to make an appointment to have my hair cut. It is short so I would like someone who specializes in short hair.She: That would be Tammy. Can you come in on Tuesday at 1?Me: Yes I can. I shall be there and be on time, I always am.
So arrived slightly early, met Tammy. She is a great person and a great stylist. I decided to make a follow up appointment.Me: So when will I need to come in again.She: Four to six weeks.Me: I will come in four weeks because I enjoy you and this place!
Next on the agenda was my very first Edmonton water aerobics class. The experience resembles the first day at a new school – get a locker, change your clothes, meet new classmates and your new teacher. To fast forward – it was the best water aerobics class I have ever attended. I have been to water aerobics in London, England, Vancouver, British Columbia and San Rafael, California and this was the very best, the most superior. The setting is perfect, a lovely pool just the right temperature. I arrived early and sat in the jacuzzi with several other people. Told a man of my going to San Francisco in 1967, the Summer of Love and what he did during those days, He drove down the coast, all the way to Tijuana. He said it was the best time of his life. He returned to live in Edmonton with his precious memories.
The class began – and for once I am not the oldest person in the class. One woman is in her nineties and two or three are in their eighties. Absolutely delightful lively interesting women. One had been a social worker – worked as a social worker for about ten years throughout my long working career. We talked about where we were born.Me: I was born in Saskatchewan and my parents wanted to call be after the city I was born in Regina – but it rhymes with vagina.She: Well at least it was not Lac La BicheMe: Oh my goodness, that is funny. I forgot that city. Well Moose Jaw would be another possibilityShe: Yes. And all the kids would have called you Moosie
The wonderful upbeat music was Country and Western – not experienced that music but it was perfect. The instructor was excellent. We were supposed to move as if we were cross country skiing.She: Pretend there is a handsome man there and you are skiing toward him. Me: That motivates me to move!
Everyone was so friendly and so welcoming, I felt like I belonged! More so than any of the other classes I have taken. I remember blogging about the women in my London class. I must attempt to the blog. It was extremely funny. I wrote it after I had left London – as I was not terribly kind to these women. They behaved like spoiled children, clamoring for the attention of the male aerobics instructors. In Vancouver it was the best place to meet men – it was the downtown YWCA but many men came to work out as inexpensive, after their work outs would come to the adjacent jacuzzi.Me: So it was a great place to meet men. A much better venue than meeting men in a bar.She: It would be! And you could also get a glimpse of their pecs.Me: Yes indeed. Without being in a compromising position.
After class chatted with the women. Handed out many blog cards, promised to return on Thursday. LOG picked me up and we drove back to my Chateau
The project yesterday was to find my mother. She died in 2000 at the age of 94. She was cremated according to her wishes and her remains were placed in a crypt somewhere in Edmonton. I did visit her ashes on one occasion but could not remember where it was. I thought it might be St, Michael’s – but they were closed on Monday. It is a Catholic cemetery but there were places that looked like crypts. I called on Tuesday when they had opened.She: How can I help?Me: I am looking for my mother. I think you have her.She: (laughing) Let me look.
Well mother was not there but the helpful woman looked up Find a Grave and we found my mother. I made an appointment with another helpful woman at another graveyard and she will lead me to her.
My mother and I had a very distant and conflicted relationship. But I discovered proof that she was proud of me, did care for me but did not know how to express it. I wrote a kind and loving obituary and planned her funeral – felt some relief knowing that was done well. But there is something more I can do – a wonderful, blessed way I can ask Allah to transport her to Jannah. I shall write about in one of my next blogs.
So I shall visit with my mother and then go to water aerobics.
That foregoing was written yesterday morning. All hell broke loose as the expression goes and an atrocity was committed upon my by the new front desk manager, Donna Ohm (not sure if spelling is correct) but she had to be aided and abetted by the hotel manager Mr. Jackson.She informed in cursory fashion that I must leave the hotel, cannot remember the reason given, but it was not the real reason. The real reason is that the hotel was overbooked – they had contractural commitments with me, with people from Expedia or one of those booking agencies, and commitments with teams – the Edmonton Elks were staying there en masse. She/he had to breach someone’s contract – decided I was the best target as my reservation was made personally. Okay, Okay – I might have made the same choice but the way she handled the situation was absolutely inhumane, uncaring and indifferent. Resourceful Alexis first went on line and made a reservation to stay there on June 1, thinking that I could therefore store my massive collection of luggage there making a move easier. After that reservation made, found alternative accommodation in downtown Edmonton in a nearby condominium. Phew, began to breathe easily. Then went downstairs to make arrangements.
A wonderful man, the desk clerk, kindly spoke to me and I kindly spoke to him.Me: I have been wrongfully and inhumanely treated but I am not angry at you but at your so-called management. I can turn this situation into a win-win. This is what I need. Permission to store my luggage and someone to help me pack.He: I can see about storing the luggage and get back to you in thirty minutes.Me: Great thank you. I understand you must speak to someone in authority. I would like to speak to that person, be it Donna or Mr. Jac\son so that we could work out an amicable solution.He: Well Donna is not at work as yet. I will call you about the luggage. He did, said the luggage could not be stored for six days. I subsequently saw the luggage room. It was huge.So I started to pack. Neither Donna nor Mr. Jackson, nor anyone in authority came to speak to me. She/He did not even have the courtesy or the humanity or the good manners or the professionalism to do that. It was callous, it was disrespectful, it was contrary to the ways of Allah. But what made this totally inexplicable is that Donna and I had a friendly conversation days before. She told me of her recent promotion at such a young age. She told of her relationship with a Muslim boyfriend, confidential and secretive information which I shall not share despite her violations against me. One cannot stoop to their Evil ways but this I do know. The man will never marry her, even if she does convert. She cannot convert in Allah’s eyes. One must only convert if there is a sincere belief in the five pillars – you cannot convert to snag a husband. His family would not approve and he would be alienated from his family – families most revered under the faith.
I packed, steadily growing more furious at this mistreatment. But I had a time commitment – LOG was coming to pick me up and take me to my mother – well sort of. A wonderful woman at Glenview was going to escort me to find my mother’s resting place. By the way, the staff knew of this commitment as I told them. With seconds to spare my luggage was packed but despite a request no bellman appeared. Finally the wonderful desk clerk appeared but LOG was at the door and I needed to leave.Me: I need to leave to meet a commitment to my mother. I will have to come back and pick up my luggage. If you would have arrived when I originally called it could have been done but I guess you are too busy and obviously under staffed.
I was not, by the way, happy. But treated kindness with kindness. The wonderful desk clerk was kind to me and I to him. So wonderful LOG was there and off we sped. Sonja was wonderful, we found mother. I took a photo. Then LOG and I went to lunch. I DonAir place that served halal chicken – it was delicious but I was not that hungry.
Did have some trouble with the lockbox but the wonderful owner of the condo was so helpful. She gave me access early and I was finally able to relax. I did not go to water aerobics as I needed to find a place to lay my head and a place for my luggage first.
If Donna Ohm and Mr. Jackson would have treated me with the slightest respect and humanity I would have let this go. But they did not. I complained on a reel on Instagram and tell everyone that reads me to NEVER EVER stay at the Chateau Lacombe. I have other remedies which I shall pursue diligently. I could have made it very difficult for them – not left voluntarily and they would have called the police – the police would ascertain that I had a right to be there. Those horrible evil people, Donna Ohm and Mr. Jackson should not profit from my resourcefulness. They should learn from their mistakes. But they never shall, first of all they would have to admit they made a mistake – they do not appear to be people that would ever admit they made a mistake.
I shall, of course, cancel my reservations to return to that Evil place. Not everyone that works there is evil, – of course not. There are wonderful people there – the woman who organized my room, Christine the Concierge for two. But Mr. Jackson shows favoritism in that he treats all, the laziest of human beings and his hard working staff exactly the same. That is favoritism. He is not a good manager at all. Sorry Sir, you are not.
Atrocity is an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury. Synonyms appropriate to the occasion visited upon me are:, brutality inhumanity, cruelty, wickedness, badness, baseness, evil, iniquity, lawlessness, crime, transgression, wrong, wrongdoing, injustice, abuse; malfeasance. It was a crime, lawless, a wrong and a transgression as I had a valid contract that was breached. It was handled in a brutal, inhname, wicked and wrong way. They committed a malfeasance upon me.
I shall, of course, cancel my Expedia reservation to stay there. Allah says to get away from Evil, leave the vengeance to Him. I have decided to help him out a little. Not to be consumed by it. I was a lawyer, I do know what to do. There is nothing more powerful that an a wronged woman with legal remedies AND social media on her side. I shall list, at some point in time, those who harmed me and paid. Paid dearly.
Please do not worry about me. I landed on my feet. Poor LOG almost broke his back with the heavy luggage but I tipped him handsomely. What would I do without him?
Photograph is of my new view. It is a pub across the street the Sherlock Homes. I was getting tired of all the trees, greenery, river and beauty anyway.
Oh, by the way, Donna lost the respect of her staff dealing with me in this cavalier fashion. I said to one of her staff.Me: Donna did not handle this well. She should look for another line of work.To another staff member who was so kind said.Me: You should be promoted to her position you would do a much better job. Here let me give you a hug.
