Happy Holidays! Happy New Year! We just returned from a rather chilly visit in Detroit with my parents. Although Baltimore is not much warmer. We returned to some very gusty winds and cold air and our power keeps going on and off from the strong winds. But we are warm and cozy inside. We returned just in time to stay up late and watch the sad MSU bowl game against Texas Tech. Sad since MSU lost and sad because all they talked about during the game and half time was the firing of the Texas Tech coach(still can't quite understand the whole story) and the poor behavior of the MSU football team members that were suspended for fighting. Apparently they got into a fight after they ended their season with a loss against Penn State and following their end of the season banquet. Guess they felt they didn't have much to celebrate and instead 14 members lost their opportunity to play in a bowl game.
We did however enjoy our visit to Michigan after Christmas, although we had a bit of a rough time driving through Toledo, just south of Detroit when it started snowing and the freeways became rather slippery. We drove past several cars that had slid off the freeway in Ohio and Michigan. We were happy to have arrived safely. Next we tackled the snow and wind. First I had to hunt down some more warm snow clothes for all of us, but mainly for the kids. I discovered they had grown quite a bit since last winter and we headed off to several stores in search of snow pants and coats. Then Grandma and I took the kids over to the library where they had a sledding hill around the back. The kids really enjoyed sledding, but the cold winds kept us off the hill by nightfall. They both discovered that the old wooden sleds with the metal runners worked very well, even more fun than the plastic sleds.
We had planned on catching up with some friends from Maryland also visiting family in Michigan for a trip to the Henry Ford Museum, however, we ended up back at the library. We found out that we needed to close out and sign the paperwork for our home loan that was about to expire before the 1st of January. Fortunately, our loan officer was able to find a representative there in Michigan who met with us at the library on Tuesday afternoon to finalize the paperwork. So back to the slopes for the kids. It also gave us the chance to meet up with some MSU friends for dinner that night.
Weds we went off to the Henry Ford museum. We had taken the kids to Greenfield village many years earlier, but never went into the museum. It is mostly a transportation museum demonstrating how American culture has changed -they have a lot of old cars, campers, bikes, motorcycles, wagons, trains and historical pieces such as the chair Lincoln was shot in. Scott's favorite part was the visiting Lego exhibit from the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. He spent over an hour at the building table. We also took advantage of some free passes we received from the library for a tour of the River Rouge truck factory. The workers were off that day, but we saw several films-one on the history of Henry Ford and one that shows the whole car production process from pouring of the steel to assembly of the cars and trucks. The production film is a 360 degree 4D film to try and replicate the real process like I saw when I was a kid(but a lot less hot, dirty and stinky). Even though the line wasn't running, the kids got the basic idea with the films and the staff. We will have to take them back someday when the line is running especially to see all the robotics working. Afterwards we had to try out Cheli's Chili Bar(REd Wing). We thought it was ok, but we really miss Gordy Howes restaurant in Traverse City. He closed a few years ago and we are missing his all you can fish and chips and the penalty box. But at least Cheli's had the bubble hockey game which kept the kids busy while we ate onion rings and drank our beer.
Thursday, New Year's Eve, we were off to Mount Holly(Tom's old skiing hill) to spend the day skiing with my Wayne State friend Laura and her family. We apparently picked the best day-there was a light snow falling and all the hills were open and not crowded at all. Scott managed to try every one of them! Including the black diamonds! The staff reported that the place was packed on Tuesday and Weds. We actually had moments where we were the only skiiers on the hill. And a fellow skiier told me he lives in Toledo and he only brings his family to Mt Holly to ski rather than the other local ski hills. Guess we did well. And we all had a great time, right up to close at 530 for regrooming of the hills. We even had a taste of night skiing since they turned on the lights around 5pm. After a full day of skiing, we headed back to Dan and Laura's for some take out food and games until cheering in the New Year. That was more than enough activity for all of us. We dropped off to sleep before 1230 am in our friends finished basement.
New Years Day we all decided to head over to Dave and Busters to let the kids get some game time while we all had lunch. Then it was back to Grandma and Grandpas.
We hit the road again on Saturday and of course had a difficult time driving as we rolled through Pennsylvania. The big salt trucks were out and coating everyone's car windows while the strong winds were blowing snow across the roads. None of us could see because we all had the same problem-frozen windshield wiper fluid. Instead, all the drivers were pouring windshield wiper fluid directly on the windshields at the rest stops-including us. Thank goodness Tom had stocked up when we were shopping in Meijers.That seemed to do the trick.
So we are back in Maryland with a busy study day for Allison. The kids are back to school tomorrow and thanks to the snow storm before the holiday, Allison just tacked on another 3 days at the end of her school year. So she will be in school until June 22nd. And the winter season is still young! So no real snow here in Baltimore, but it is pretty cold this week. And today we have to cheer on the Ravens! It would be nice if one of our teams could win.
Hope you all had a great holiday! Kathleen and family