Okay, okay- we’ll go back to work

It’s certainly time to head back to Dallas and get back to work.  I know it seems crazy-headed how school starts earlier each year.  This time around, the kids come back on August 14th.  I have to go in on August 3rd.  That was a concession the District made- on the original calendar, the teacher return date was August 1st.  Unconscionable.  I know.  All I can say is it’s a darn good thing I like my job.  

So, with that in mind, we’ve jammed our dirty t-shirts into our backpacks and we’re headed out of the hotel door in a few.  Yesterday was the big reunion.  I saw again or met for the first time a whole bunch of my dad’s cousins.  There was way too much food, complete with cousin Rita’s homemade pies made with the berries her husband picked.  Most of the folks present were in my dad’s generation, but there were a few younger than me.  That part of the day was really not for me, though.  It was for Dad and his siblings to catch up with the cousins they saw every summer as children.  My grandpa was a teacher, and for two weeks every summer, he’d load up all of his kids in Rochester to head to the farm in Indiana.  

After the cousin time, Cas and I needed to decompress a little, and a few folks were talking seriously about a nap.  It’s been a big weekend.  We all went our separate ways for a bit, returning for a meal and a fireworks show.  Apparently, Jane and Doug were the ones setting off the rather impressive display out in the field.  I was back at a safe distance with other observers.  Regardless, it was a whole lot of fun.  Cas has some photos of the fireworks, and I am sure they’ll get into the photo album- they were from a roadside stand, and they were really elaborate and impressive.  

But, like I said, we’re headed back now- mission accomplished.  We discussed the trip, and we agreed on the following:

Best part: The Cubs game

Most surprising thing: The burlesque dancer

Best food: three way tie between the potato pancakes, the Chicago style hot dog and the very fresh Indiana corn on the cob

And because there’s always a photo in these things, enjoy the very green drive we took to dad’s cousin’s house:

We just have to give back a rental car, head to the airport and return to our regularly scheduled lives.  This was a fun trip, and I am happy to have seen everyone.  Until next time, folks- and of course, enjoy the photos: https://tinyurl.com/DunlapChicago