Nomad Life - Day 353

For the first time since I was regularly staying in one place for a week during the summer (in New Hampshire), I had a full week at the Tahoe Ridge Resort (by Holiday Inn Club Vacations).  My room, which had the appearance of a "corner office" on the edge of the Sierra Nevada Range, was quite spacious and comfortable but I continued having trouble with the temperature controls.  Since I like a much cooler environment to sleep well, I didn't sleep as well as I'd hoped.  Still, I was rested enough to start teleworking when my alarm woke me up at 0400 this morning.  Sadly, the heel bursitis I'd been feeling for the previous two days got progressively worse as I made my way around the small apartment.  I did have a small measure of success when I put ice on the bursa but I really wished I had some pain medicine with me...  As the morning progressed, I was stunned to see such a beautiful sunrise in the east (over the Pine Nut Range).  The views of the valley were very pretty but my old iPhone was not capable of truly capturing the colors.  At least I have the memory in my head...  The temps (40s) were much colder than I'd been seeing at lower elevations during the last few weeks but the Plaza Villa (where I was staying) was cozy and warm.  While teleworking, I ended up skipping breakfast but made a large lunch in the kitchen of my unit just before noon.  By then, the temperature outside had risen to 58 F and the sun was shining brightly through the many windows of my rooms.  Since I'd set up an "Owners Review" when I was staying in David Walley's Resort last week, I took a break from teleworking at 1230 and made my way (with some detours) to the Preview Center.  After I arrived (1245), I didn't have to wait very long before a sales representative, Ciro ("Cito"), came out to greet me.  He told me he was responsible for working with owners of the Holiday Inn Club Vacations time shares and we talked about how I'd enjoyed my first year in the program.  Nearby, I noticed Thomas, the man who had originally sold me my "entry level" version of the time share last November.  Since I was still kind of new and had not even finished using my points for the year, I told Ciro that I was not really wanting to spend a lot of money.  However, I did leave the door open for upgrading to the VIP level I'd been "test driving" in 2026 and, after about 45 minutes, we came to an arrangement (with help from his boss, Josh).  In the end, I got a huge series of perks and benefits for holding my ground initially.  Hopefully, this upgrade in my points will greatly augment the quality of my Nomad Life and make get togethers with my daughters even more special.  Unfortunately, the fact that I made this decision then led to the kind of lengthy paperwork delay that I'd seen when I was in the same building last year.  In fact, it took another several hours to complete all paperwork.  The Quality Assurance lady, Sarah (from New Hampshire), had replaced Desiree (from last year) and was very personable and helpful but was effectively swamped with reviews of the other people who had made similar decisions as I had.  I tried to pass the time with snacks (which later constituted my "dinner" and trying to rest my foot.  For this latter effort, I found that wearing my Crocs had just the right impact and I was able elevate my aching foot.  I read and did some puzzles but was getting very bored.  Eventually, it was clear to everyone working there that I really wanted to leave as soon as possible.  This didn't hurt me, though, because Ciro, Josh and Sarah ended up giving me some additional "comps" (meal coupons at Tahoe Ridge and David Walley's, as well as another chance to visit the hot springs in Genoa) to thank me for my patience (and spending, I'm sure).  Finally (1645), I was freed up to depart and I gladly raced back to my Villa.  In my room again, I wrapped up my telework day (at 1715) and then went up to the jacuzzi that I'd heard about on the 8th Floor of my building.  The day was sunny, the wind was calm and temps were still in the mid 50s - this made for a relaxing 30 minute soak.  Best parts of all about this experience were that nobody else came to interrupt my quiet, my heel bursitis began to feel better and I got to see Lake Tahoe from this high vantage point.  When I was finished (1745), I returned to my room and spent over an hour resting my foot and catching up on email.  Later, I drove to the Clubhouse (foot was not feeling well) and did some printing in the Business Center.  Before departing, I also visited the Fitness Center and completed a bike workout (20 minutes, 4 miles) in my street clothes and Crocs.  Finished with my day outside my room (1915), I returned to the Plaza Villa and spent the rest of the evening doing laundry, watching movies,  reading and completing Duolingo exercises.  I was definitely ready for bed when I turned out the lights at 2230!  Hope my timeshare decision today turns out just like I hoped it would...