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I'm back! Have been for about three hours, now. Illinois was fun. I went with my Dad to see my Grandpa. I hadn't mentioned it before because I wasn't planning on going until Halloween night when I found out my brother was sick and couldn't go.
So, this was a really impromptu trip, but had lots of interesting stuff. We drove, which is our normal thing. The drive takes about six-seven hours. We were in no rush to get there, so we made a few stops, but still got there before dark. We had the worst time finding the restaurants we wanted to go to. This was the first trip I've made since this summer, so getting back in that waiting groove was interesting. For most of the trip up I was tired, almost too tired to knit. I did start an afghan square. Then I took a nap after lunch, and drove an hour. We got there, checked in, and went to see Grandpa. Dad's sister and her daughter were also there. I talked to Grandpa, or he talked to me for a while, I knit a good bit, Dad played with my cousin (she's five) and we went back to the hotel.
At the hotel I practiced my violin (shock and amazement), and then we watched a movie while I knit. I got a square and a half done on this trip.
The next day we got up early, ate, and worked: Me on my paper (it was due today, and I got it done!) and Dad on his work. Around noon we went over to the farmhouse, (Grandpa gets up late) and talked plenty more. Dad went to get a pizza for lunch, and some second cousins showed up! I still don't know all the names and faces of the family in Illinois. I've just started paying attention these past two years. The pizza was good, then me and Dad left because Grandpa was going to a wake. Our original plan for the day was to take a riverboat, but the times weren't good for us. So...we went to the Anhauser-Busch factory and took a tour. That was a lot of fun, actually. The displays and tour guides were very informative, and everything was set up to be enjoyable. They had obviously paid a lot of attention to what the customers wanted. A free market economy, competitive company at its best. The free beer at the end was also engaging. I don't really like beer, but the flavored ones are intruiging, and sometimes taste alright. The ones I tried weren't that great. But I did figure out an important thing about drinking: It's just like any other food product. You try as many as you like, and you pick your favorite. Why does no-one say that? Why is there such a frigging mystique about alcohol? Simple facts, people: It's dangerous in large quantaties (much like sugar, except you might die), and people have their favorites. When you get old enough, pick yours.
Sorry, my rant's over, now. After the tour, we had almost got into Red Lobster for dinner when Dad's sister called and said that Grandpa wanted to eat and perhaps spend more time with us. So we trouped over to a buffet that Grandpa picked. We ate, talked, knit (that was me), and went back to the farmhouse for a few hours, then the hotel again. Oddly, Dad fell asleep pretty fast, I stayed up late watching The DaVinci Code, which is a better movie than I remember it being.
We got up today, and left pretty quickly because I had to be back in time for orchestra at 3:30. I also had a paper due by four, but needed to turn that in early due to orchestra. I missed all of my other classes today. Spending the entire seven hour trip except for the first and last ten minutes working on the darn thing was kind of depressing. It's not even that good. Oh well. It's done, the proper length, blah blah blah. I turned it in right quick and went to orchestra. Our director was...rather impatient today. At least he started out so. We got into the groove of it. And I need to practice the last half of the Requiem more.
That's all, folks. I'm off to do laundry and read for family group, and practice, hopefully.
Until next time.
So, this was a really impromptu trip, but had lots of interesting stuff. We drove, which is our normal thing. The drive takes about six-seven hours. We were in no rush to get there, so we made a few stops, but still got there before dark. We had the worst time finding the restaurants we wanted to go to. This was the first trip I've made since this summer, so getting back in that waiting groove was interesting. For most of the trip up I was tired, almost too tired to knit. I did start an afghan square. Then I took a nap after lunch, and drove an hour. We got there, checked in, and went to see Grandpa. Dad's sister and her daughter were also there. I talked to Grandpa, or he talked to me for a while, I knit a good bit, Dad played with my cousin (she's five) and we went back to the hotel.
At the hotel I practiced my violin (shock and amazement), and then we watched a movie while I knit. I got a square and a half done on this trip.
The next day we got up early, ate, and worked: Me on my paper (it was due today, and I got it done!) and Dad on his work. Around noon we went over to the farmhouse, (Grandpa gets up late) and talked plenty more. Dad went to get a pizza for lunch, and some second cousins showed up! I still don't know all the names and faces of the family in Illinois. I've just started paying attention these past two years. The pizza was good, then me and Dad left because Grandpa was going to a wake. Our original plan for the day was to take a riverboat, but the times weren't good for us. So...we went to the Anhauser-Busch factory and took a tour. That was a lot of fun, actually. The displays and tour guides were very informative, and everything was set up to be enjoyable. They had obviously paid a lot of attention to what the customers wanted. A free market economy, competitive company at its best. The free beer at the end was also engaging. I don't really like beer, but the flavored ones are intruiging, and sometimes taste alright. The ones I tried weren't that great. But I did figure out an important thing about drinking: It's just like any other food product. You try as many as you like, and you pick your favorite. Why does no-one say that? Why is there such a frigging mystique about alcohol? Simple facts, people: It's dangerous in large quantaties (much like sugar, except you might die), and people have their favorites. When you get old enough, pick yours.
Sorry, my rant's over, now. After the tour, we had almost got into Red Lobster for dinner when Dad's sister called and said that Grandpa wanted to eat and perhaps spend more time with us. So we trouped over to a buffet that Grandpa picked. We ate, talked, knit (that was me), and went back to the farmhouse for a few hours, then the hotel again. Oddly, Dad fell asleep pretty fast, I stayed up late watching The DaVinci Code, which is a better movie than I remember it being.
We got up today, and left pretty quickly because I had to be back in time for orchestra at 3:30. I also had a paper due by four, but needed to turn that in early due to orchestra. I missed all of my other classes today. Spending the entire seven hour trip except for the first and last ten minutes working on the darn thing was kind of depressing. It's not even that good. Oh well. It's done, the proper length, blah blah blah. I turned it in right quick and went to orchestra. Our director was...rather impatient today. At least he started out so. We got into the groove of it. And I need to practice the last half of the Requiem more.
That's all, folks. I'm off to do laundry and read for family group, and practice, hopefully.
Until next time.
