Baby watch VI, or otherwise titled SpongeBob at the Alberta

Thea and me watching SpongeBob SquarePants

As we are still waiting for the New Baby to make her/his appearance, here are a few photos from the Alberta to help pass the time. The Alberta is the quirky place we stayed last week while in Montana waiting for the baby to arrive. We had reserved one of the Alberta's tiny studio apartments but ended up swapping places with Baby Thea and her Mom as the room they had turned out to be a baby death trap caboose.


The ANNEX

We lucked out. We got the Burlington Northern at the Annex across the street. Okay it's a death trap but, that aside, for $35 a night (kitchen included!), it is the best deal in town. Plus Swami and Pete the Mule loved the window seat. (You can barely see Swami in this photo but, trust me, he can see you).

The Annex is the Great Falls version of Wonderland. It's funky as hell, but there is method in the madness, that is if being an "RV" park beats the building codes. In any case, it's a fun place in spite of also being a disaster waiting to happen, whether in the form of a big building code violations bust, someone breaks their neck slipping in the mud or the whole place just burns to the ground due to faulty wiring.

It looks like these truck cabs might even be available soon, unless the mattresses inside are just extra. But a word to the wise... if you want to stay at the Annex, schedule that Great Falls vacation sooner than later. No telling how long the magic will last.

However, I don't recommend the Burlington Northern if you are a baby or you plan to do the kind of drinking that leaves you crawling around the floor like one. One slip on these sharp metal stairs and you may lose a toe, a few teeth, or perhaps your head.

The Burlington Northern. Treacherous but cheap fun.
Hell, that should be our motto wherever we go.



Detail of fine decor.

Views from the front deck. I wished I could have peeked inside the other places but the Annex residents didn't seem the "howdy neighbor" type.

The lady in the Sweetheart Suite was especially standoffish. There is tinfoil on her window although clearly she has fashioned a few peep holes in it. Whenever I went out to the car for something she opened her door, looked around, then quickly shut it again all without making eye contact.

All in all, the Annex is a work in progress. I'm not sure the fire engine is quite ready for anyone to call it home but the old U Haul truck is.

This cabin is currently under construction. Judging by the truck load of logs they just dumped in front of it, we're guessing it will be transformed into an Abe Lincoln cabin on wheels.

Compared to the hairy bed Motel 6 in Ely, the Annex was a dream although Motel 6 really wasn't that bad. After spending the night there, I can happily report that it was quiet and, within reason, quiet trumps hairy.