There and Back Again

by chuckofish

We’re home! We were gone for 25 days, drove just over 6,000 miles through fourteen states and a province (Ontario), slept in nineteen different beds, visited all three sons and my brother, and saw loads of wonderful sights. And now we are finally home again.

My last post was from North Dakota. From there, we drove straight through Minnesota and Wisconsin to Marquette, Michigan, where we lived for a year way back in 1990-1991. It has grown a great deal and seemed to be thriving, but I didn’t take any noteworthy photos. After a night of reminiscing, we drove down state to Grayling, where we met up with my brother at his cottage there. It’s a lovely place! Our field guide (aka darling brother) took us for several short hikes to see the local flora and fauna.

Next day we drove down to his other cottage in Algonac, where Joanna, Tim and Abbie joined us, and a family of minks cavorted around the boat house.

I took this photo through a window

Lake St. Claire is flooding but we could still go out on it and the weather cooperated beautifully. Tim and Abbie even took the canoe out.

Sunsets are beautiful there. Quelle stunning vista!

On the 4th, the birthday boy took us shooting. It was Abbie’s first time but she was brave! Here she is firing the shotgun from the hip.

After a delicious barbeque, the celebrant opened his presents, including my DP’s gift. 

Music followed. It was great to see Tim play with his uncle Chris.


Then, of course, there were fireworks all around the lake (but I took no photos)! I experienced deja vu as I recalled another visit five years ago, when my DP and I, with our husbands in tow, went to Algonac to celebrate our brother’s birthday. Where did those five years go?

Our trip home was long but blessedly uneventful, although the traffic was thick and people drove like maniacs (those Canadians are crazy drivers!). Now I have a week to catch up and then it’s off to St. Louis to visit my dear, darling DP!