It’s still hot. We drove through southern Minnesota in the worst of it, but got easily to the Green home (Green Acres) and were delighted to have yet another reunion. Marina and Izzy hit it off with Cleo and Ludo. I crashed for a couple of hours and woke up feeling a bit better. Em and Carolyn got to catch up and jump into the lake with the kids. (The house is right on the lake.) We had a nice dinner with Justin’s parents. The house is beautiful. We’re going to have a great time here. The kids are thrilled about not having to drive for three days and when I feel better, I’ll try to keep up with the drinking here.
We’ve done 1400 miles, about 40% of our total, already. Time for an earned respite.
Em made me promise to include this one, but I forgot. Better version here. And then we drove past Jordan, Minnesota, and I had to put this one up.
Since we felt well enough to get moving this morning, we finagled our way out of our hotel and headed to St. Paul to see Dan and his family: Catherine, Claire (a year Marina’s senior), and Colin (a year older than Izzy). The girls hit it off splendidly (Marina kept saying how much they were alike) and the boys bonded over Star Wars legos. The adults enjoyed each other too. We had a little tour of their cute downtown; it’s like what we would like Clinton to be: hip bookstore, funky breakfast cafes, interesting food market. After breakfast with them, we walked back to the beautiful park right across the street from their home. It was great to catch up with Dan, to see Catherine for the first time in (gulp) nearly twenty years, and for Emily finally to meet them both.
I started flagging a bit before noon and we hit the road south, toward Iowa.
We are going to see my Dad’s friend, Dan, and my Mom’s friends, Carolyn and Justin. I have never met those people before. But I’m assuming they’re really nice.
I am getting key chains from every state. I have a Green Bay Packers one from Wisconsin and from Michigan I got a little bear key chain. The one from Ontario has a picture in the middle that spins. I need to get one from Minnesota.
We’re all feeling a little better after a good night’s sleep. None of us, save Emily, ate anything last evening and Izzy has a big appetite despite his fever going up slowly this morning. Em’s running out to get him something.
We’re still hoping to see my friend Dan this morning and then get down to Justin and Carolyn’s this afternoon, though we’re taking things one step at a time and could stay in this beautiful hotel room another night if we wished. We’re right in the middle of the city, among tall buildings and skyways.
My friend Scott braved the room full of germs and hung out with us here last evening. The kids were just vegging with their nooks and we realized that their temps were rising as we were hanging out. It was great to see Scott. We haven’t seen each other in a long time; he had never met Izzy. Unfortunately, Gabriela is in Rome, so we didn’t get to catch up with her. We chatted for a couple of hours and then crashed.
More Minnesota music: here and here; one of my favorite Tom Waits songs; this guy is from Duluth; and the Andrews sisters.