Sunday Cold

Plans change, and one must be ready for changes when traveling. Today, it was just too f**king cold to go to an outdoor market. Deborah decided we would change our plans and head to the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale, Michigan. Further, we connected with Jim W and his husband Chris, who could join us after church there. Deborah and I went to elementary and high school with Jim.

I started the day by rising before sunrise at 7 and then started on the blog. I wrote for about an hour in the room but wanted to let the staff clean. I stopped, cleaned myself up, shaved, dressed, and left for the lobby with my Apple. In the lobby, I met the weekend food staff. I don’t remember her name, but she told me she is 70, happy to still work for a living, and still going strong. We talked about the cold, and she was always worried about her hands and suggested gloves; while there may be heaters at the outdoor markets, she would be worried about freezing your hands there, “you might not notice until it happens.”

I had the usual industrial hotel breakfast with excellent baked biscuits and food service-supplied gravy. I get the same scrambled eggs everywhere, but the pork sausage was darkened and better cooked. I also had a banana. I ate and wrote until about 10AM and then published the blog.

Deborah appeared in the blue-colored Air Mini, and I boarded in the single-digit (6F or -14C) weather. It was lovely blue skies with a cold Midwest sun that promised warmth, but not today. We were tightly bound in coats and gloves. We crossed various roads to Highway 75 and headed south to Ferndale, Michigan, which, according to the Internet, is one of the best places to live in Michigan and has a large LGBT+ community.

Soon, we were hunting for parking in Ferndale, and Deborah landed Air Mini in a public parking spot, and we learned parking was free on Sunday. Yay! We walked into the Rust Belt Market, an ample open inside space now divided into little stalls and rooms made from partitions for each vendor and even a radio station for the Market. The items were handmade primarily and ranged from food to antiques (dead things floating in bottles). I found a T-shirt for Z and some cards. I was tempted by the caramel corn and other goodies. The stall that made dried flat flowers was interesting. It was an excellent market, and more importantly, it was warm.

Jim and Chris soon showed up, and we walked two frozen blocks to Anita’s Kitchen to get some Lebanese flavors. We had an off-menu appetizer of whipped goat cheese and hummus with pita chips there. I had the lemon lentil soup and the lamb burger. The food and the desserts, except the rice pudding, were excellent. We talked about old times and newer events. It was a nice time for all.

It was more difficult to leave than to park. All these cars pulled out, and then another driver aggressively took the parking place and had us waiting multiple times to get out of the parking. We took the long way back through Royal Oak to return to Deborah’s home. There, I got to pet the doggies, Zelda and Trixie. Deborah took them out and then fed them. Deborah and I then spent a lovely afternoon together, enjoying each other’s company.

Dinner was just us at RH House, Deborah’s favorite place to get salmon. This is new to me, Scottish salmon and their soup, Tomato Bisque; I got a taste of Deborah’s, which could become a quest for some foodies. It was that good. The salmon was fantastic and was done with a teriyaki hinting sauce over set over rice. Deborah kept half of hers for later.

And I returned to the hotel and called my sister and Mom Wild. Linda and her family were exposed to COVID-19, and thus, the Christmas plans were changed. I am having Christmas with Mom Wild and cooking dinner. Luckily, my hotel room in Lansing includes a stovetop, pans, plates, and even a dishwasher, so we can use it for a Christmas dinner. I am back into caregiver mode and planning. Then, a messy snowstorm is coming on Monday, so I need to get to Lansing around noon. Maybe shop in Lansing instead of here as originally planned, with lunch and some time spent with Deborah.

Well…with images of cooking Vodka sauce for Christmas for Mom Wild…I fell asleep quickly after showering and all that.

Thanks for reading.