brainsplotch

We took Avery and Nora to the airport last Friday for their return trip to Germany. I've been reasonably okay in the past when seeing A off on any of his overseas trips, but this was the hardest time I've ever had. We had so much fun with the two of them and it was such a joy having them stay with us that I had to do everything I could not to just lose it as I saw them meander their way through the TSA checkpoint. What makes me feel better is that I know they are adults and have to go about their adult lives, and I know that Nora's parents are there and they'll be there if Avery needs anything. He may be thousands of miles away, but he's in good hands

This is the final installment of this electrifying series. So we woke up relatively early on Monday, September 5 (actual Labor Day) and headed on the road back to Niagara Falls. We had all filled out the online ArriveCAN app on our phones to get into Canada. After my last horrifying adventure with the Canadian border (in pre-pandemic 2019--I believe I wrote about it here), I was concerned about getting beyond the border without a hassle. In fact, I felt a bit anxious about it the entire drive to Niagara Falls. As usually happens when I worry about something, the actual source of the anxiety ends up being completely uneventful, and in this case the Niagara Falls Canadian border patrol guard was a perfectly polite and kindly fellow who let us in with a smile. Nora was excited because it was her first time in Canada and she was able to add another stamp to her passport. Despite overcast skies, misty rain, and a chill in the air, the Canadian falls were delightful and worthy of multiple ph...

I better finish up this Labor Day Vacay series before a) I forget what happened and b) my readers completely cease to care (assuming they already DID care). So on Day Four (Sunday, September 4) we collectively agree to check out Watkins Glen State Park, which is on the south end of Seneca Lake, about a half-hour(ish) drive from Ithaca. We didn't anticipate the huge crowd at Watkins Glen, but we should have. It was the Labor Day weekend, after all. Even though there were a lot of people, and they made climbing the hundreds of narrow steps of the Watkins Glen gorge falls a bit tight and mildly treacherous, they didn't detract from the amazing beauty. Watkins Glen has to be seen to be appreciated. We returned to our hotel in the early afternoon sweaty and dirty. We cleaned ourselves up, and walked up route 13 to the Barnes & Noble about a mile from our hotel. (It's been a pleasure to discover how much Nora likes books and bookstores). We, of course, got iced coffees from t...

I meant to write yesterday about Day Three of our Labor Day Vacay.  So we fought traffic and much larger crowds on September 3 to view the falls from the city of Niagara Falls, NY (and not Goat Island). The first stop--after thankfully finding a parking spot in one of Niagara Falls' massive parking ramps--was Starbuck's. I must emphasize how much all four of us love Starbuck's. Yes, I know it is a giant monstrous corporate coffee chain, and I'm not necessarily proud of my devotion, but the product is consistently good. So we stopped there, as we did often on this vacation, and I got my iced brown sugar oatmilk shaken espresso and was ready to face the hordes. The view of the falls was as equally impressive as it was from Goat Island. Niagara Falls reminds us of how small and insignificant we are as humans--at least that is my theory. There is something awe-inspiring to witness this enormous cascade of water tumbling 170 feet. The sheer power, danger, and beauty of the n...

So after I putzed* around Progressive Field taking pictures from every conceivable angle and location, we checked out of our hotel (Hilton Garden Inn) and hit the road for Niagara Falls, New York. (Initially, there was some concern about whether we should attempt to venture to the Canadian falls, considering one of our travelers is a German citizen and we weren't sure how difficult that would be to get through the border. Spoiler alert: it was fine. We saw Niagara Falls from the Canadian side on the drive home). We arrived at our hotel (Double Tree on Buffalo Avenue & 4th Street), which was along the Niagara River, in the early afternoon. Thankfully, we were able to check in early and get all our luggage and perishable food up into our rooms. Seeing that we could easily walk from the hotel to Goat Island, we set off.  The weather was bright, sunny and warm--but not uncomfortably warm. We saw the falls from the observation areas of Goat Island and then on a whim decided to go on...

First of all, and update on the Renaissance Festival. It was fine. Aside from the temperature being a bit hotter than I'd have liked--I find the RenFest to be more enjoyable by late September when the temps are in the low 70s--it was a pleasant time. It didn't get too busy until about an hour before we left. Even though I'm really not the biggest Renaissance Festival fan in the world, after all we have been through with Covid, I had the tastiest giant turkey leg I have experienced in a long time. Last Thursday (September 1), we headed off on a five-day vacation through Ohio, the little sliver of northern Pennsylvania that pokes up between Ohio and New York, then New York State, and finally into Ontario before returning to Michigan. We brought Avery and Nora with us. We arrived in Cleveland at about noon on Thursday. As soon as we parked in the lot on Lake Michigan near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, we were greeted by the ear-piercing sounds of several blue military jets s...