Jeanne and Brendon arrived in Kalamazoo on the 11th, riding the train like it was still in style (and I fervently wish that it was). The station was like something out of a 70s police drama: trash everywhere, homeless and drug-addled people sitting in benches or sprawled on the grass, the building full of stale, smoke-tinged air and poorly lit, a sparse crowd of waiting customers inside the dark wood-paneled interior clutching to their few bags or suitcases (mostly bags) with hope and dread written across their weary faces. The other side of the station was a bus platform, bringing the desperate emigrants to the waiting trains -- or dispersing the incoming train passengers to various destinations far from the rail lines. Either way, it was a bit depressing.
But that was all of little consequence after J&B showed up. We quitted the place quickly, walking across the street to my waiting car, and drove the short distance from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, so that we could all rest from our travels in our very accommodating house.
The next day, a Thursday, we ventured together to the Lake to show our guests from Tucson the wonders of (seemingly) limitless supplies of water at the Holland beach. It was a beautiful place to be on such a delightfully warm and sunny day; we walked along the concrete pier and saw ducks (and ducklings) playing among the side-strewn rocks. We sat at the end of the pier and watched the boats ride out toward the sunset. If only I'd been able to get a good picture.
The following day was a bit of an emotional one, as Cheryl and I took Deb to Chicago to catch her outbound flight to Berlin for the beginning of her Study Abroad; and we had to take our leave of not only Jeanne and Brendon, but also Adam and Mary, who were all heading down to Bloomington for the Downs family reunion.
It's always discomfiting to watch one of your precious children walk down the gangplank (or security corridor) towards worlds unknown, with little or no control over future events; sending them to school for the very first time; watching them board that Trailways bus for the inevitable first field trip; dropping them off at the dorm in college; and then, finally, that moment when they get on the airplane for the Continent, leaving you behind to wallow in your inability to speak German.
"Warum kann ich auch nicht gehen?"
Even worse is when you have to drive to Chicago to do it. Oh! The traffic we suffered!
But enough of that. Suffice it to say that Deb successfully made it to Berlin to begin her studies, and we survived -- barely! -- the traffic in Chicago, arriving in Bloomington a mere twelve hours (!) after leaving Grand Rapids.
(I get tired just thinking about that...)
J&B had kindly secured for us a nice little AirBnb and we had a delightful couple of days -- well, actually, I had a delightful couple of days hanging out there; Cheryl and Mary and Adam only got to spend one night because Mary needed to be back on Sunday work. And Cheryl needed to drive her. And Adam wanted to go with them. So after a lovely day of hanging out with family at the park, chatting with fathers and mothers and sisters
and brothers and aunts and uncles and cousins and second cousins and all those other relations, hiking up to (and through) Wolf Cave and splashing like an idiot in the Big Pool with Mary and Craig and Jenece, then back to the bnb to enjoy leftovers and delightful conversation with the immediate family before retiring to get a bit of sleep.
Because the next day was Sunday.
We had a good morning worship followed by a very yummy leftovers lunch, and then (unfortunately) it was time to head back up north again; but it was all right, because I was in the very fine company of Jeanne and Brendon and their very comfortable rented car. And they had a GPS. Which meant that I'll my clever misdirections were wisely ignored.
And after a very short -- well, maybe not quite that short -- we arrived back in Grand Rapids, safe and sound.
Ready for our next adventure.
But that was all of little consequence after J&B showed up. We quitted the place quickly, walking across the street to my waiting car, and drove the short distance from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, so that we could all rest from our travels in our very accommodating house.
The next day, a Thursday, we ventured together to the Lake to show our guests from Tucson the wonders of (seemingly) limitless supplies of water at the Holland beach. It was a beautiful place to be on such a delightfully warm and sunny day; we walked along the concrete pier and saw ducks (and ducklings) playing among the side-strewn rocks. We sat at the end of the pier and watched the boats ride out toward the sunset. If only I'd been able to get a good picture.
 |
| Jeanne and Brendon at the Lake |
The following day was a bit of an emotional one, as Cheryl and I took Deb to Chicago to catch her outbound flight to Berlin for the beginning of her Study Abroad; and we had to take our leave of not only Jeanne and Brendon, but also Adam and Mary, who were all heading down to Bloomington for the Downs family reunion.
 |
| Cheryl and Deb at O'Hare |
It's always discomfiting to watch one of your precious children walk down the gangplank (or security corridor) towards worlds unknown, with little or no control over future events; sending them to school for the very first time; watching them board that Trailways bus for the inevitable first field trip; dropping them off at the dorm in college; and then, finally, that moment when they get on the airplane for the Continent, leaving you behind to wallow in your inability to speak German.
"Warum kann ich auch nicht gehen?"
Even worse is when you have to drive to Chicago to do it. Oh! The traffic we suffered!
But enough of that. Suffice it to say that Deb successfully made it to Berlin to begin her studies, and we survived -- barely! -- the traffic in Chicago, arriving in Bloomington a mere twelve hours (!) after leaving Grand Rapids.
(I get tired just thinking about that...)
J&B had kindly secured for us a nice little AirBnb and we had a delightful couple of days -- well, actually, I had a delightful couple of days hanging out there; Cheryl and Mary and Adam only got to spend one night because Mary needed to be back on Sunday work. And Cheryl needed to drive her. And Adam wanted to go with them. So after a lovely day of hanging out with family at the park, chatting with fathers and mothers and sisters
 |
| Jeanne and Brendon at the Reunion |
and brothers and aunts and uncles and cousins and second cousins and all those other relations, hiking up to (and through) Wolf Cave and splashing like an idiot in the Big Pool with Mary and Craig and Jenece, then back to the bnb to enjoy leftovers and delightful conversation with the immediate family before retiring to get a bit of sleep.
Because the next day was Sunday.
We had a good morning worship followed by a very yummy leftovers lunch, and then (unfortunately) it was time to head back up north again; but it was all right, because I was in the very fine company of Jeanne and Brendon and their very comfortable rented car. And they had a GPS. Which meant that I'll my clever misdirections were wisely ignored.
And after a very short -- well, maybe not quite that short -- we arrived back in Grand Rapids, safe and sound.
Ready for our next adventure.
1 comment:
enjoyed that just this afternoon. thanks
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