Far Enough West to Announce That We're On Our Way!

The last hurrah was wonderful: a dinner with all the parents at the snazzy pan-Asian restaurant in hanover, complete with all those little Korean palette cleansers (couldn't remember the name of the things - asked Grandma who said, "Hmph. We have a Thai restaurant, but no Korean." Later, as she was bustling around, I heard her say under her breath, "I know what they call them in Spain."). Anyway, here's a photo for you culturally adept people who don't forget the names of Korean appetizers:

And my favorite photo of the night, just for kicks (love you Dad):

After replacing the rear struts on our little Element (see Jared's post), we trekked across upstate New York via the throughway. Hopefully the most boring stretch of the whole trip. As Steinbeck warned in Travels with Charley, there is nothing more tame and eventless as a stint on Ike's convenient highways. If we hadn't had to make up time after the car repair, it would have been a beautiful, sunny ride through finger lakes and ridges. Instead we got miles of dusty greenery, a few herons on our way through a bird sanctuary, and a lot of exciting green road signs.

And is Angola ever an eden. My tiny 87 year old Grandmother has been more than accommodating as Jared and I buck her routine and get in her way. (She would be mad that I posted this picture...If she had any interest at all in "that internet," which she doesn't.)

A short jaunt from her 1950's bungalow is a sandy, sunny beach on Lake Erie. Go ahead, tell me how polluted and disgusting the lake is. But now tell me you don't want to play and swim near this jungle vista:

Charley's been alternately "a little devil" and "such a little mosquito, but you wouldn't bite anything, now would you?" (Grandma speak). He loves the beach, and bounces around during breakfast until we bring him down to roll in fishbones and dig holes.

And at night, we've made a habit of all settling in to watch (or "lookit," according to Gram) Turner Classic Movies. Which makes me wonder - what will be on the TCM channel when we're 87? The Departed? Ugh.

Tonight, the A-Team reunites! Copious amounts of pets and hugs guaranteed.