Lucky’s serves excellent prime rib, and that seemed likely the best final dinner of the trip (though with the new return flight rebooked for the evening on Saturday, I will likely get something at the airport for a light dinner). Deborah and Liam (her son) joined me, and we discussed traveling, Dungeons & Dragons, and other topics. It was a nice way to end the day on Friday. Deborah then dropped me off at the hotel.
I arranged my clean clothing (thanks, Deborah, for letting me use your laundry!) into my suitcase and closed the first half. The other half is designed for suits and items on hangers. It is a marvelous piece, Briggs & Riley, but at its limits for two weeks of travel (I traveled only ten days, but with the trip to Iceland, I had extra items). I moved the travel books to the suitcase to make the carry-on gym bag lighter. It was heavy bringing it out of Iceland.
Aside: Here is my bag. It was expensive, but I am very happy and have used it over and over without problems. However, I recommend buying a sturdy tag (metal!) as it seems to get pushed around by the airlines. The bag comes with a lifetime warranty, and there are processes in place (so far, unneeded) to repair any damage. It has a serial number!
Surprised that things are fitting. I did use Deborah’s rollup and squish approach to packing. I have just the garment side of the luggage to finish with all the clean shirts and pants on hangers. I am hoping it will close. It did before, but the books are an addition, and the roll and squish seem to have worked.
Yes, Deborah was right again.
Before dinner, Deborah had taken her blue racing-striped Mini Cooper (Ziggy) to Lansing. Ziggy made good time, and we first met with Barb C, Leta, and Panera Bread near the Lansing Mall. We did have to fuel Ziggy along the way and chatted with a gas station attendant at Costco about the different laws between Michigan and Oregon. Oregon has optional full-service (meaning you can, if you wish, fill your vehicle yourself, but generally the gas station attendants handle it).
We had a nice time, and Barb C shared her experience traveling to Ireland a few times (and a farm for sale there that is sooooo tempting). We covered some of our favorite experiences in Iceland. Leta was looking well and has a birthday next week as she begins to close in on 100 years (still a few years away).
Next, Ziggy took us across Lansing to the Meridian Mall (yes, we seem to be playing connect the malls) and stopped at Schuler Books. We spent only a few minutes there. We got a message that Linda, my sister, was already at Olive Garden, and we took Ziggy across the parking lot there.
Hobbit-like, we had a second lunch (planned initially as desserts, but lunch seemed a better choice), and we enjoyed it, mostly (Linda ordered something else). Their lunch special included soup, salad, and breadsticks (unlimited). Jesse (Linda’s husband) and Meg (Jesse’s daughter) brought Mom Wild from Brookdale Meridian, only a few minutes away. Linda rangled the waiter before lunchtime was over (we were minutes inside of the time window).
We had a nice chat about travel, Linda’s adventures with horses, and our trip to Iceland, as well as our upcoming travel plans. I will be back in Michigan in October for Deborah’s 30th birthday (twice). Linda is headed to California and Lake Tahoe for her 30th birthday (twice) on Sunday.
We again forgot to take pictures.
Before this, Deborah met at the hotel and had coffee and breakfast together. Later, we headed out to Lansing in Ziggy.
Thanks for reading!
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