On Thursday, my friends and I started discussing the pending weather via group texts and FB messages. We began watching the Carson Center FB page to see if they were going to cancel. The weather seems a little questionable. It was supposed to warm up and rain for much of the day on Friday. Friday, the texting picked up a little while we further analyzed the weather and if we should go or not. Our husbands weighed in with their opinions too. Some were fine with it, others weren't so sure, and one wasn't too cool with it. I emailed Darrin from work on Friday morning and asked what he thought about the weather. His reply was "I think it is risky."...to which I replied, "If I decide to go, are you okay with that?" He said yes, and at the end of the day, five of us decided to go and one stayed behind because daycare closings made childcare an issue.
We were told to be at the Carson Center at 4:30pm to register to play on the show. We met at my house at 3:15pm to give us a little over an hour to get there. And actually, the day of the show, the venue posted on their FB page that you didn't have to be there right at 4:30pm. Our plan was to register and then walk to a nearby restaurant, where we had 5:30 dinner reservations.
Carrie was in charge of shirts. They say, "Jennifer is my name & the Price Is Right is my game". Well done, Carrie. Don't we look happy, fresh, and secure in our decision to make the hour trek to Paducah??
We posted this jointly on FB before we left my house. Oh, the irony...
Here we go...silly, silly girls...
About halfway there, the weather was no joke at all. It.Was.Awful. Without question, these were the worst road conditions I have ever driven on. I really wasn't nervous, but we had to drive so slowly. Since we don't have a lot of winter weather, our roads are not cleared and we are not used to driving in this. Even if you are driving safely, the person next to you is a complete wild card.
We had stop a little over half way there to scrap the ice off the windshield wipers.
After a two hour drive, we finally made it there at 5:30pm. It was sleeting/raining hard as we walked in to register. Erica & Rachel...
You can't tell much from the picture, but the parking lot and sidewalks were solid snow & ice. I still can't believe that no one fell. Christa & Carrie...
We weren't really sure how they picked people to be on the show. Turns out, you fill out a card with your name & birthday and drop it in a laundry basket. Very sophisticated. It took less than five minutes. We wondered at that point if we should lower our expectations.
We missed our dinner reservations, but thought we would go to the restaurant anyway and see if we could get a table. It was a Mexican restaurant, called Tribeca, that Darrin's sister recommended. We decided not to mention our 5:30 reservation since we were well past that. The host said he could probably squeeze us at a table for four with a chair on the end. Fine with us. Then, he returned in a little rant about how he had a bigger table b/c a party didn't show up. As he walked us to our table he said, "I'm sure they didn't call either...no show, no call, screw them all". We were all dying b/c we figured it was our table. Sure enough, there was a post-it note on the table that said "McClure".
Dinner was very good. We celebrated Christa's birthday, which was Wednesday. Notice the ice on the cover just from the walk from the car. Happy Birthday, Christa...
Around 7pm, we headed back to the Price is Right. We chose seats in the middle price range and ended up in the last row, on the first balcony. Since we knew that several people would not be there b/c the weather, we decided to ask for an seat upgrade. And by 'we', I mean we talked Erica into asking. After a few exchanges, the guy said he would come get us if he could find some seats. When he came to get us, he was trying to discreetly talk to us about moving and this really bizarre guy in front of us was starring him down. He was onto what was going on and he was not having it. The Carson Center guy addressed him a couple times, but never could have a private conversation with us with the guy all up in our business. He finally said, "I found you all some seats on the top balcony that I think are going to be much better for your friend (pointing to Erica)...since she has claustrophobia (nodding at us)...." We caught on quickly, gathered our things while trying not to bust out laughing, and hurried away before the stalker guy hurt us.
We moved down to the first floor, around the 10th row. Nice job, Erica...
We all wanted to get called to play, but then we were nervous at the same time. I felt certain I would trip on my way down. I just wanted someone from our group to get called. I love the photo bombers in this pic...
The show states that you could win money, appliances, trips, or even a car. We joked all week about washers, dryers, toasters, and garden gnomes.
I wondered if it would still be fun if none of us got called to 'Come On Down'. We didn't, and it was still a lot of fun. I would even go back. It was interactive and entertaining.
As soon as the show ended, we checked a few texts from our husbands about the weather. Mine said, "You need to stay in Paducah. Nine cars off the road in Martin. It would take you four hours to get home." It was an easy decision for me, but Rachel has a two month old baby and Carrie has never spent the night away from her little one. My heart really went out to them. They called home to assess the situation and then we all decided we needed to get a hotel for the night. My car pretty much sums things up...
We made a quick trip to Walmart for some sleep attire, contact cases & solution, toothpaste & toothbrushes, drinks & snacks.
Oh how different our second FB post looked...
Everyone, including our moms to little ones, handled the adventure like champs. We made the most of it with smiles on. I was secretly (not really b/c I think they knew) happy to have more time with these girls...
We got a suite that had a King bed for Carrie & Christa...
A pull out bed for Rachel & Erica...
And a pint sized chair & ottoman, pushed together with the couch cushions, for me. I could have slept with Carrie & Christa, but this was totally fine with me. I tend to toss and turn, so this was better for everyone...
The next morning, we decided to forgo the complimentary hotel breakfast and go to Cracker Barrel instead. I mean, what is a little more money at this point??? I think my friends are beautiful, but this was not our finest hour. To top our weekend off, as we sat down, Christa got a text from her husband saying that her garage roof was flooding....and then our waitress brought our drinks and dumped an entire water on me and in my purse. Not so much for Christa's house, but the water on me was really comical after our weekend. If only she would have dumped it on my head so I would have had an excuse as to why my hair looks so bad.
It was finally time to call our weekend to a close and head home. The temperature had gone up and a steady rain had cleared most of the roads. Staying the night, was absolutely the right decision. On the way home, I hydroplaned for a solid five seconds while water completely covered my windshield, and in a separate incident, a truck nearly ran me off the road. I can't make this stuff up. We made it home in tact, and I think everyone had a good time despite the craziness of our night. We all agreed not to plan things like this in the dead of winter ever again.
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