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Published: August 28th 2006
I've been testing Aerobeds, guest bedrooms, and the hospitality of friends and family across the US. Sarah and her husband Matt put me up in Elgin, Illinois. Sarah, a new mom to Ava, just over 4 months, amazed me by staying up until 1:30 AM. We discussed eccentricities of our parents and wondered what our futures hold for similar habits. As a kid I was accustomed to hopping out of the car to grab abandoned bungee cords along the road that my dad would spot while driving. He accrued quite the collection. Close friends of mine could probably list my strange hang-ups... test yourselves by listing them in your head now (pens, frames, paper-creasing... go ahead, add to the list). At Sarah and Matt's house I bedded down in the company of the friendly critters pictured here. Award to Sarah for Latest Train Station Pick-up. Thank you again!
The next day I took the train into downtown Chicago to meet Meg (formerly pictured in Omaha, Nebraska). I used the weekend as a training exercise, my pack in tow for the entire music festival as each night I bunked in a different location. Many of my favorite bands had convened in
Grant Park to play at Lollapalooza. My highlight was a Chicago band, Wilco, but the weekend also featured Ryan Adams, Andrew Bird, The Shins, My Morning Jacket, and Death Cab for Cutie. It was an Indie music lover's dream weekend.
With barely enough time to do a load of laundry, I was next on a plane to California. My friends operated in a relay fashion to pick me up and deliver me to various events. My home base was with Jes in San Francisco. Award to the Flemmings for the softest and freshest white sheets. Always so inviting to me. I spent the day with Jes and her twin girls, Carter and Katie who are now over 8 months old. When I saw them in February I had to hold them from slumping over when they needed to be burped. Now they were going bonkers in their Jump-A-Roos. Then it was off to lunch with Annie in San Jose at a restaurant we used to frequent on our lunch hour. Annie dropped me at my cousin Amy's house where I stayed for the night. I played with my cousin Riley in the bubble machine and saw my newest cousin
Daxtyn for the first time. Award to Amy and Gerrie for Most Comprehensive Guest Bedroom.
The next day, a blushing bride collected me from the BART station. We were on the way to her rehearsal/rehearsal dinner and what would be the first time in 7 years that my closest girlfriends from university were all in the same place together. Megan made it the lovefest I knew it would be, "And we're all here, together, and everyone is here." Anne was a beautiful bride and my friends, Anne included, remain the amazing and wonderful women I befriended back in the dorms.
I rounded out my time in the States with a trip to my parent's house in Northern Wisconsin. I celebrated my 31st birthday with my family, a home-cooked meal (Thanks Mom!) and an Oreo Ice Cream Cake. My parents have a beautiful home on a lake so we spent a lot of time out on the water with Jeff and Carrie's boat. I learned how to wakeskate and felt pretty cool going in and out of the wake. Of course my brothers could show me up with their jumps and turns on skis, wakeboards, and barefoot but they
acted interested just to humor me. At night I curled up with Sherman in my bed made from an old van seat and tried to ignore the raccoons repeatedly circling the house.
And now with my departure only hours away I must settle down, finish packing, and clean up. My aunt and uncle are my kind and generous hosts when I'm in WI but I am sure they are ready to have their dining room table back. It has served as my office and storage space for the past month. Award to Nancy and Dean for Home Sweet Home.
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Bill Munsell
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Adopt Me!
Wow... I love your family and friends... and I've never met them! Sounds like you've had a great time getting caught up. Keep sending the updates.