I got home from Atlanta between 2 and 3am on Friday morning. On Friday at 7pm, I flew to Detroit to see both sides of the fam. I am now delayed in Baltimore, awaiting my flight back to Providence. Tomorrow morning, I shall rise at beastly:30 to go into Boston and work for MIT, integrating new machines into an existing cluster for a rockin’ cool customer.
Since redmed is now between jobs until October, she went up to MI on Thursday, and plans to hang out with grandparents and cousins all week. Thus begins the long needed healing process from (count count) 11 years of post-undergrad medical education. First: Go see family. Second: Check out the house! It’s where you live now! No more call-nights at the hospital!
Michigan was fun but exhausting. I’ll admit that I didn’t bother telling anyone I was coming, since I wouldn’t have been able to stop through and see you anyway. Nothing quite like the call: “Hi, I’m in town, but much too busy to see *you*”. Yeah, I’ve gotten that call, and I try not to hand it out.
First, to the house in Detroit
Anyway, redmed met me at the airport, and we crashed at the nearest Marriott. In the morning, we got up and went to see my grandfather’s house. I’m now, at least in part, responsible for the trust that owns the house … which is just south of 7 mile, at Woodward Ave. Yup, that’s a crappy part of town. Yup, houses around there get torched *all* the time. So we met up with my uncle and looked around. Thank goodness he was there, since *none* of the keys in my possession work to unlock the doors. I now have a couple of ancient, antique keys of which I will try to get “custom ground” copies made. We found a cache of family pictures from the 1800s, and a few other nifty items … including great, great grandfather’s baptismal gown. That one’s coming home with me so that we can get it preserved somehow. The embroidery is stunning.
I spent a couple of hours typing in stories that my uncle shared. We have some awesome family stories! I’ve taken an interest in getting my copy of these particular notes down before any more relatives become unable to relate what they know. I’ve picked a hunk of software, and I’m just typing it all in. If you’re related to me, and you have stories to share, drop me a note. I would love to include them.
Yes, for reference, this is the place where we rent the downstairs apartment to nuns. No, I did not raise the rent on the nuns. Thanks for asking.
Then, to the graveyard
After that, we went out to the cemetery where many of these same relatives (from the house) are buried. For whatever reason, I now feel an obligation to know things like “where are they interred” and “who begat whom.” So, with about an hour’s stomping around in a graveyard, we located six headstones. It stirred up interesting thoughts, which I have set aside for the moment. Too many of the living to deal with these days for me to spend much time thinking on the long-dead.
Onward to the anniversary party!
We then drove (note that this is still Saturday) to Battle Creek, fueled by Frappuccino, to celebrate redmeds grandparent’s 65th wedding anniversary. They’re about 85 years old now, and got married when they were 20. Whatever your thoughts on marriage itself, a relationship that lasts 65 years is pretty cool. We had a big dinner, a bunch of group photos, and a really good time.
And on Sunday, domeburgers!
Spent the night with family, and then trucked back across the state to my cousin’s house in Lapeer. Twice a year, they have family out for “dome burgers” or “dome cakes,” the joke being that they live in a dome house. The house is amazing, the people are great, and the conversation never gets dull. Bob was gracious enough to allow me a rematch at chess (the last time we played was when I was 9 years old). He thrashed me soundly, twice.
For reference, this is the cousin who has played for Bush Sr. up in Kennebunkport, and who was recorded for the Library of Congress. Yet another of those people who’s so good at what he does that he can barely even bring himself to think that he’s any good at all.
Then, without further ado, redmed and I hurtled south in just enough time (like seriously, five more minutes and I would have been screwed) for me to catch my flight to Baltimore aaaaaaaaaaaand be delayed for an hour and a half here.
Fortunately, I got the last of the airport sushi out of the tray before the food court closed, and I’ve got a live power outlet and my Verizon card.
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