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Deborah had some chores, and I wrote the blog on Monday morning. I had overslept a bit, but managed to make breakfast in the lobby before it closed. There, I spoke to Kurt, the staff member responsible for the food on weekdays, and wrote the blog in the lobby. Somehow I missed until later to post it on Facebook.

Deborah picked me up at the hotel in her blue mini, and we headed north to Lansing to see Mom Wild. Leta has a cold, and we may work out another day, after she feels better, to see her. It is cold and with significant winds (there are warnings on the signs on the highways about high winds and slow blowing). Deborah is skilled at winter driving in her mini and has good winter tires.

The conditions get worse as we travel, and the air is full of white a few times. Nothing that phases Deborah, she has seen (and driven) in worse, but we go slower than we planned. There is a jack-knifed semi and various cars in the shallow ditch and in the wide medians of Michigan’s highways. We switch from northbound to westbound highways without issue, but the snow obscures much of the view.

I texted Linda with updates and learned that Jessie, Meg, and Linda are joining us, and they decided to pick up Mom Wild at Haslette Point Senior Living, as we are running slower. We arrive actually at the planned time of noon, having started early. We meet everyone at The Olive Garden, a mile from the facility.

I had $200 in gift cards from Delta Airlines to spend from giving up my seat on an overbooked flight (I have a $500 credit for a flight too). We had lunch (and some dinner) and chatted. Linda gave Deborah and me our presents. We just enjoyed lunch together.

After a couple of hours and a few rounds of soup, salad, and breadsticks for some of us, we left after I paid, following a somewhat confusing but workable process to scan each QR code for the digital cards. The on-table paying prints a ticket for each card used. I used three with some value left on one.

Deborah and I met Jesse and Mom Wild at Haslette Pointe (Mom is in room A-9). If you, dear reader, want to send a card, here is her address:

Haslett Pointe Senior Living
C/O Barbara Wild Room A-9
5346 Marsh Road
Haslett, Michigan 48840

We sat in chairs and chatted for another ninety minutes. Deborah and I stayed with Mom until about 4, as the weather did not improve or degrade much. We said our tearful goodbye and then headed east. We had dinner with Barb C and family at 5:30.

Irene’s in Grand Blanc serves European-style food, including goulash and similar dishes. The service is slow and confused, and the drinks were awful (stick to beers or soft drinks). The food, late, was hot and delicious, and much was soon forgiven. The price tag was at home in Portland, still excellent, and I would do it again.

Barb C (Susie’s sister), Emma (daughter), and Gordon (husband) shared with Deborah and me their experiences in Ireland and other travels. We covered some of our experiences in Iceland, our big trip this year, and then we talked about their trip to Italy some time ago. They visited the crash site of Ben’s WW2 plane (Barb C’s and Susie’s father).  Gordon covered what we know about the crash and how the plane did not release its bomb (destroying the village) and instead crashed with the bombs unexploded in the mountain, killing the pilot and co-pilot. The town had a monument to the plane and its crew (including Ben) that refused to bomb them. They met people who witnessed the plane crash, visited the site, and Emma found bits of the plane. Gordon is still in contact with folks from the village.

Barb and Gordon’s plans are unsettled, like ours, for 2026, but we might overlap and meet somewhere.

Emma will be visiting me in Oregon soon. She is headed to graduate school in Oregon and may need a room, or at least a nearby relative, to help. More to come on that.

With smiles and photos, we headed out in separate ways, and only once did a terrible driver get too close to Deborah’s mini on the snowy roads. I was dropped off at the hotel and soon fell asleep after watching more videos on the epochs before the Dinosaurs.

Thanks for reading!

 

Deborah and I had breakfast late, for us, together at the hotel. It was the usual industrial afair, but still ‘free’ is still a good flavor. Deborah had the oatmeal, and I always remember the IHG in Georgia that had a sign taped over the oatmeal and brand that said simply, ‘Grits.’ With butter available to add. Excellent. And I also remember the older building in New Hampshire that did not serve breakfast potatoes but had NYC-like bagels. And while I only, despite all my visits, Gold, IHG hotels are comfortable enough for me. Though a balcony on the Le Richelieu in New Orleans cannot be beat (but no breakfast), and there is no IHG in the Quarter.

We headed out later to catch a movie, going slow as I wanted a ‘day off’ from rushing and traveling, but Wicked 2 was sold out, surprising as it has been out for a while. Instead, we went to Deborah’s house, where Trixie was happy to receive hours of pets as we watched Elsbeth’s second season (the show is on season three). Elsbeth is Columbo-style, with the murderer known to the watcher and the story being how the police and Elsbeth finally crack the case. Nathan Lane was a murderous opera goer in the first show. Excellent.

We played Loud Librians, a new game that Deborah received for Christmas. We call out words that start with a letter in a chain, and according to a card like ‘Mexican Food,’ for example. It was hard to think of some words with three letters on the chain to the topic. Deborah won with my score half of her’s or less. Still, it was fun and got your brain working after being drowned in drink and holiday food. The dark and gray weather, which rained most of the day, sometimes heavily, made it a slow and sleepy day.

Pizza (mushrooms with meat) was delivered for dinner on a thin crust, and it was excellent. More Elsbeth, while Deborah’s boys stirred; they had a holiday party and then picked up the house after (it looked good) and had little, if any sleep (plus the effects of booze and holiday foods).

Deborah returned me to my hotel in the evening and then got a note about seeing, after the New Year, a display on the creatures (monsters) before the dinosaurs. I then spent an hour on the Permian and the Great Dying, the worst of the five great extinction events, 251.8 million years ago (we have exact dating, an update I did not know).

Utah shows some of the remains of the supercontinent Pangea (it has weathered to that level in places), and the Great Dying is evident in rock layers above a Permian coal seam. Not sure, I could find it on a pile of dirt in Utah, but I suspect it is pointed out in some parks there with signs. We expect to be in Utah in April-March on Deborah’s biz trip (though, like most biz trips, it is always speculative), so maybe we can walk some of Permian and Pangea when we are there. Something to watch for if we get there.

I read more on Wikipedia and remembered to make my annual donation, which includes many theories and discusses their acceptance and disputes. Generally, it is accepted that volcanic flows in what is now Russia lasted for a million years and destroyed most of Earth’s life. It is not known whether something caused the flows (e.g., a meteor hit) or whether another related runaway process poisoned the earth, possibly triggered by the metals released into the lava seas that covered the land. Rich deposits of iron and nickel in Russia are found in the lava flows.

I had not returned to this topic in years, and I was fascinated by the new work and the theories.

It was after 10 before I put on my PJs and curled up, and was going to think about some Dungeons and Dragons design, but fell right to sleep. I woke once and fell back asleep. I woke to my alarm, all my dreams forgotten, but I imagine I walked Pangea as a tourist in my dreams.

Thanks for reading!

 

Deborah and I stayed up late, going backwards in this narrative, watching Wake Up Dead Man. This is a “Knives Out Mystery” and now on Netflix, and was the first true who-dun-it I think of in the series, I think. As the show goes forward in the storytelling (the slow reveal of an excellent mystery), it calls out many of the books on locked-room mysteries (one I am reading now).

These are my favorite type of murder mystery, and I direct you, dear reader, to Tom Meade, who writes excellent new versions (though set in the 1920s UK). I also thought it was the first time that Daniel Craig fit into his character. Glen Close was excellent. The acting was superb, and the camera work showed what the main character, the “killer” priest, saw. Deborah believes it is the best of the series. Recommended.

Before this, we were at Ernie’s for dinner, a new place with a Greek direction. We sat at the bar, having two drinks each (starting with Spanish Coffees). We had some flash-fried thin-cut veggie slices with tzatziki sauce that were to die for. We enjoyed our visit to the bar, and our table was ready just short of the promised hour wait.

A high-top table and hard chairs make the bar louder but more comfortable. Hmmm. Our waiter was attentive, and we had a wonderful dinner with Deborah going for chicken and me lamb chops. Greek lemon potatoes cannot be beat (see this video), and their version was great. We shared a cream cake dessert that was wonderful, too.

 

Before this, we were at a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert, and I am sorry to say it is unlikely I will return. The friendly Christmas story is now a confused mess, with one wondering if ChatGPT wrote the story, or worse, it did not. The music was sifted, lifted, and reformatted to fit a more Christian theme, and references to war and discrimination were removed from the original versions I have seen. The imagery is now AI-generated, as the original artist has passed away and was replaced, according to their band’s information, with AI, and it shows all the awful hallmarks of poor AI generation (hands like claws and illogical and Cartoon-like structures that would embarrass Disney to use). Their music, when they returned to their older material, was excellent, and you could sometimes feel the original pulse and edginess of the old TSO shows. A real mixed bag now, and seemed heavily “laundered” for a selected audience. Souless. Not recommended, sadly.

Little Caesars Arena in Detroit was excellent, and they had a screen showing folks walking in and hockey players skating onto it. This is the home of Detroit Hockey. While we just did popcorn and a pretzel, the food looked good. The staff was excellent, with everyone friendly and helpful, always with a smile.

We parked after looping around some closed roads and had pre-paid parking. We were with a crowd when we learned we needed to join the outside line, since it was for box seats and the like. We tried the other staircase to find locked doors and no easy access. We were worried at first that we were locked in the stairs, but the door on the second floor does not even have a lock. We soon walked to the wrong line, and then finally to the usual person line (we had regular tickets). We waited only a few minutes outside after getting more steps!

Before this, Deborah and I had lunch at Panera Bread to keep things simple. The amount of sugar and holiday cheer has accumulated. Just soup and half a sandwich was a relief.

I tried to get up early, but rolled over and managed to start and finish the blog with the industrial breakfast. On many days (not always, I was told with an eyeroll by the gal who did the breakfast today), as the breakfast closes, the cleaning staff finishes the food. Something I have seen at many IHGs.

Thanks for reading

 

Sleep was at first elusive and then would not let go. The time change seems more brutal this time, but I found it always harder in the shortened days of winter. Sleep measured only a few hours on Thursday night.

I had a light breakfast as I had tea with all the works at 11. Keith saw me, and we talked. He runs the food for some of the week, and I told him I would be back around Christmas. We talked about my travels, especially my visit to Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta, and he said he likes the singing and the feeling of the African American-style Baptist services. But then he asked if it went on and on. I told him that the preacher said he was told to “get in and then get’m out.” That got a smile.

I returned to my room after finishing the blog, dropped off my computer (my room was already cleaned), and got my coat and hat. Next, Deborah picked me up in her mini for our only event on Friday, a Tea at the Royal Park Hotel. A higher-end hotel than my usual IHG, with a complimentary industrial breakfast that has me now a Gold member (and, like Airlines, Diamond is where the perks are, with Gold and Silver being more participation levels). The rain was freezing, and the hotel staff told me to be careful, as the maintenance person had fallen while spreading salt and was being checked out. Yikes!

Deborah and her mini with winter tires, and she with spikes in her boots (when walking the dogs), had no problem, and we soon arrived at the Royal Park — just a few minutes away. But the valet parking was not available, and Deborah parked, and then we risked the parking lot (and a downpour) to reach the hotel. We arrived for tea without falls or getting overly damp, and wandered the decorated lobby until it was time for our tea.

Aside: Deborah believes that if you respect Michigan’s winter, prepare, and remember to move more slowly, it is not that bad. Nothing to fear, but to be ready.

The room for the tea opened, and the line was soon seated, and we found a classic tea with finger foods, the required cucumber sandwiches, and our choice of tea. We went with more regular teas, English Breakfast and Earl Grey (not drowned in Bergamot oil). The clotted cream and lemon curd added heavenly flavors to our scones. Our steeped teas were a bit weak.

Time change, airplanes, and lack of sleep had me back at my hotel for a long nap. Deborah joined me there later, and then we met her kids plus a girlfriend for post-Christmas dinner at the brewery and restaurant. The menu was more elevated than the usual burgers and fries you see at breweries, and I had goulash with spazael and others had short ribs. All was declared good.

We returned to Deborah’s house, and I got to pet Zelda and Trixie. Deborah and I may have nodded off on the couch while her son tried out some video racing game and/or Cyberpunk 2077. Deborah dropped me off at my hotel, and soon I was back in my room, falling asleep with the light on while reading. I woke a few hours later and turned off the light. I woke many times, but managed to fall back asleep each time. There were forgotten dreams and one nightmare (also forgotten) that knocked me awake. I startled awake but soon calmed and fell asleep; I had forgotten what scared me.

Thanks for reading.

An apology for yesterday’s typos; I was traveling while writing.

It is Boxing Day (26Dec) while I write this, and any typos are blamed on the time change. It is 8:30, but it feels like 5:30; ugh!

Returning to my memories of Christmas Day. I was happy to wake with my alarm in my comfy bed and rise. Despite being a travel day, everything was packed, cleaned, and organized, and my flight was neither early nor late: Noon to Detroit. I found the coffee waiting for me, along with the last banana. I started the blog, but as Joan S was picking me up at 9, I could only write for a while.

After showering and all of that, I soon dressed in a sweater with a dress shirt with a Santa tie. I packed the last items, forgetting one red sweater vest (when I changed my mind on sweaters) and one gift (I will send it by mail next year). But that cannot be undone, and also makes Christmas last into January.

I turned the hot water and heating to the vacation settings, and soon Joan S met me, and we wished each other a Merry Christmas. Joan S then headed to PDX, and we chatted about work things and some travel details while she drove to the Airport. Traffic was lighter (though more cars than I expected), and soon I was at PDX. Thanks, Joan!

First Class today, so I went to those Delta machines and soon dropped off my old red bag (with duct tape on one corner) and my new Delta Silver Medallion status name tag. I then headed to TSA security and saw everyone was happy and friendly, and the rush and crowd were gone.

My glasses did not confuse anyone, as I was trying to wear them all the time to get used to them. But TSA found my instant coffee in my bag interesting. They tested it, and it was not found to be a threat. My suspenders also caused me to be inspected more. It is hit-or-miss, I have discovered with the suspenders.

I continue to enjoy TSA and their checks.

Safe and TSA-acceptable, I headed to Grasso for breakfast/lunch (I would lose three hours due to time changes).  I had not done their avocado and smoked salmon toast. The toast was a slice of croissant bread, which I love when I can find it. While lovely to look at, soon salmon and avocado were falling off the bread, from its precarious stack. Still, it was excellent, if messy.

I wrote for a while, but a gal and I chatted about our travels, holiday plans, and AI. She is an RN and headed to Minnesota for the holiday. She enjoyed being an RN and the freedom of working in a field that is in demand. We got onto AI as I explained a bit about the scanning in TSA, where they identified coffee as a potential threat (here in the Pacific Northwest, of all places).

With a “Merry Christmas,” we headed out in separate ways, and I soon was at my gate, stopping to use the facilities before getting on a plane and giving a buck to a musician playing Christmas songs on an electric guitar (so Portland!). I rushed to finish the blog and get it posted. I sent out the email and added it to Facebook as my section was called for boarding.

I enjoyed an aisle seat in First Class, 3B. My seatmate at the window soon put on noise-canceling headphones and a mask. We exchanged only a few words. I respected her wishes and watched a movie, the original Casablanca, but my screen was having stop-and-start issues that had me change to reading, but I did finish the film and laughed at all the jokes; it always feels modern to me, though the exploitation of women is hard to forgive (Though Rick foils the attempt as a victory for love).

(That is not wine in a sippy cup but a coffee lid on the glass to prevent spills)

Christmas Dinner was good, though my entree was not hot, but it was cooked. I did not send it back as this is a plane and Christmas. It was good too. The wine was excellent too. I enjoyed Christmas Dinner in Amsterdam with Susie and Corwin in 2019. Packed up one and took it over to a friend when her husband was ill and in the hospital on Christmas. I liked flying on Christmas, and dinner at 20,000+ feet will likely happen again.

Deborah waited outside baggage claim as I retrieved my bag. And while it survived well. The metal tag was now bent, and I had to fix it. How it got caught in something and crushed is a mystery I will not solve. I was amazed that my largest suitcase is still small compared to the others. Folks use huge roller bags.

Deborah got me to my usual IHG hotel. They remembered me. I have a room with a jet tub.

I did not sleep until 2 with Deborah returning on Boxing Day for a Tea at the Royal Park Hotel. Our holiday party together.

Thank you for reading!