Kansas
We have returned from Kansas safe and sound. In fact we made it home quicker than Lisa's parents did in Illinois, who departed our plane on our layover there. Pretty amazing feat.
Yes, I really enjoyed it. Mostly hanging out with the family, in particular, Lisa's charming California relatives. They are nice people and I felt like I fit in well with them. Except for calling Uncle Ray by the name of Uncle Frank twice...
I had anticipated Uncle Frank would rake me over the coals and give me something to worry about - despite his age he was billed as a spirited man. As it turned out, my fears were misguided by a couple feet. His 80 year old girlfriend took a little bit too much of a liking to me and told Lisa she would take me away from her. The fact that she hardly looks or acts even 60 years old is no consolation.
Also on the trip, a cousin invited us to go shooting. I tried my best to get out of it. They took us to a farm and had a springloaded device toss little discs in the air that you were supposed to shoot with the shotguns. I mustered up the nerve to try. I did it twice and bowed out, I did not really find the entertainment of it all. They were nice enough to shoot the disc right after I fired and tell me that I nailed it, but I knew better than that. It seemed a frequent activity there and I was told it was a family activity. In fact, one of the best marksmen was a teenager.
Lisa's father showed us his hometown as well as the university in the neighboring area that he attended. We visited with a friend of his, who showed off his pawn shop. I never realized most those items are merely held as collateral for short term loans. Lisa and I also learned he had been at NASA control center during a few Apollo missions, including Apollo 13 - which he still considered a failure.
It was interesting to see a smalltown with friendly neighbors. On several occasions I witnessed people locate a person by going referring to houses on either side or prior owners. Case in point: a day after the main celebration, the schoolgirl granddaughter of the former neighbor of Uncle Frank dropped off a present for him. It was also quite interesting to see a man over a hundred years old. He plays cards every night with his girlfriend and drinks a mix of several wines every night as well. My only regret is not getting to play cards with them.
Yes, I really enjoyed it. Mostly hanging out with the family, in particular, Lisa's charming California relatives. They are nice people and I felt like I fit in well with them. Except for calling Uncle Ray by the name of Uncle Frank twice...
I had anticipated Uncle Frank would rake me over the coals and give me something to worry about - despite his age he was billed as a spirited man. As it turned out, my fears were misguided by a couple feet. His 80 year old girlfriend took a little bit too much of a liking to me and told Lisa she would take me away from her. The fact that she hardly looks or acts even 60 years old is no consolation.
Also on the trip, a cousin invited us to go shooting. I tried my best to get out of it. They took us to a farm and had a springloaded device toss little discs in the air that you were supposed to shoot with the shotguns. I mustered up the nerve to try. I did it twice and bowed out, I did not really find the entertainment of it all. They were nice enough to shoot the disc right after I fired and tell me that I nailed it, but I knew better than that. It seemed a frequent activity there and I was told it was a family activity. In fact, one of the best marksmen was a teenager.
Lisa's father showed us his hometown as well as the university in the neighboring area that he attended. We visited with a friend of his, who showed off his pawn shop. I never realized most those items are merely held as collateral for short term loans. Lisa and I also learned he had been at NASA control center during a few Apollo missions, including Apollo 13 - which he still considered a failure.
It was interesting to see a smalltown with friendly neighbors. On several occasions I witnessed people locate a person by going referring to houses on either side or prior owners. Case in point: a day after the main celebration, the schoolgirl granddaughter of the former neighbor of Uncle Frank dropped off a present for him. It was also quite interesting to see a man over a hundred years old. He plays cards every night with his girlfriend and drinks a mix of several wines every night as well. My only regret is not getting to play cards with them.
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PS On the road from the airport to the hotel we stopped at a gas station and I saw the largest coffee mug I have ever seen. An absurd 1.5 liters!
I was SO wrong. Lisa's parents beat us home. They just did not answer the phone at the moment Lisa called them.
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