Free Fallin'

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Up bright and early after a late night hanging with Jess. We had a school show and quick load out before grabbing lunch and hitting the road.

Well, first we hit the famous UCONN Dairy Bar, which is fresh homemade ice cream and pretty fantastic. I got an ice cream sandwich made with cookies that were almost 6” across and filled with almost 2” of ice cream. It was intense. And messy. Then we hit the road.

Kyle and Dana dropped Sarah and I just a little way up the road, at a hotel in Hartford, Connecticut and continued on to Maine. At some ridiculous hour tomorrow (5:40) we’re grabbing the shuttle to the airport (which is practically next door) and flying to Minnesota to visit my family. This is one of those airport hotels where breakfast starts at 4 a.m. and we’re so close to the tarmac that the windows shake when planes come in and out.

My dad’s uncle and aunt are in the cities, and we decided that since we have almost 9 days off, we should go on vacation, and I haven’t seen them in a long time, so it was a good fit. Sonny and Mary Jane are the only grandparents I’ve ever had on my dad’s side, and, as I think about it, the only old people I ever stayed with as a kid. We’d stay up for hours playing cards only to awaken the next morning to fresh silver-dollar pancakes. It’ll be loads of fun. Although, they’re into their eighties now and slowing down a bit, as I’ve noticed from our phone calls. It will be nice to see them, though. I just got off the phone with them and Sonny said, “Gramma’s been cooking all day getting ready for you, so it will be all home-cooked meals this week.” Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

Sarah and I have to laugh, though, because I have met her parents, brother and grandparents and all, save one of her aunts and uncles (the last one we’ll meet in a few weeks). She, on the other hand has met my folks and Tato and Gramma, plus Aunt Helen (who is not, in fact, related, but family nonetheless), Uncle The Robs (also not a relative) and all of my adopted aunts and uncles from LC along with many of the students who call me Grandma. But she hasn’t met anyone who I’m actually related to- including those who live across the street. Maybe someday. She’d also like to meet Dale someday- both of them talk about each other as if they’ve met many times. In a few weeks!

I may or may not be able to blog while I’m gone, but I will fill you in on the highlights when I get back this weekend.

But there’s one fun story I forgot from Ithaca:

We were doing sound check with the kids, and I was wandering around on stage in my shorts, as usual, distracting the kids as much as I can. I was standing downstage right by the drums, and Patience walks over and starts petting my legs, like hardcore-going-after-me petting them. Random. Sarah started cracking up, and the rest of the kids joined in. I made up for it by standing behind her and petting her head (these kids’ hair is so cool!) and then petted her legs at dinner. I asked her what she thought about my calves and she said, “they are extra healthy.” (That is the term they use for fat in Uganda, more as a jealous term, so they say, than what it means in the West.) So I flexed. They are strong! Look at that muscle!”

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