vanaabegra

Apparently some of you who were familiar with my travel plans were unduly worried because another plane from MSP to GRR was routed through Atlanta due to weather. Not me... We pushed back just about on time and the flight was uneventful. I was even in first class, even though I used miles to pay for a coach ticket for the flight. I was really cheap this round, miles for the plane, got rides whilst there, stayed with my cousin. I purchased a few meals out for various people, but that was nothing unusual. My cousin loaned me her 89 Volvo Wagon 5-speed to cruise around in while I was there, so running around was not a problem.

Wednesday I arrived around at my cousin's around 10pm - my parents had picked me up at the airport and we went over there. We chatted for a bit and my parents returned to Grandma's condo. Cousin Pam and I worked on prepping the food until around 2:30am. Then we were up at 8 or 9 to start the heavy cooking. At 2pm everyone sat down for dinner. We had plenty of food to feed the 16 people there, and everyone was able to take some leftovers home. We had Pumpkin Cheesecake and Apple Pie for dessert and played a couple rounds of Settlers of Catan.

Friday I got up to go to breakfast with my parents and cousin Andy and his daughter D. Had a passable breakfast that took inordinately long to arrive and a fairly underwhelming server. From there Andy and D went off and my parents and I went to the unpopular mall to get stuff for Grandma. She wanted KFC to be brought back, so I opted for some fine Starbucks food and avoided the KFC greasiness. Hung out at Grandma's until dinner with the parents and Doug. Then back to Pams to sleep.

Saturday Pam and I made breakfast for everyone, then we all ran around all day long... Out to the new house, lunch , Grandma's, home, then Pam took Madi to ballet and I got some downtime. Doug joined Pam and Madi and I for dinner at some random chain, then Doug and I went off to Bar Divani in downtown for some fine wine (for me) and martinis (for him). Got back around 12:30 and everyone was asleep.

Sunday Pam made some quiche for breakfast and then ran off with Madi for more ballet (ok, well Sunday really started sometime around 11am). Don, Zach, and I played a most vicious game of Monopoly, and I discovered how Zach usually wins. He cheats. He moves other people's pieces often, and especially when it would land on your property (so a quick glance makes it look like your piece is on your property). Pam says he learned this from his dad. No more monopoly with them...

I was back safe and sound and mle292 fought with traffic to pick me up (and she dropped me off) at the airport. As an added bonus, she gave me a massage when we got back to my place! Absolutely awesome! Did I mention she shoveled my house for me when it snowed too? And all of this by volunteering! Whee!