bzarcher | Something descriptive should go here

I got to meet my grand-aunt Eleanor today. She's visiting my grandparents in Akron to help Granma celebrate her (well earned!) second retirement. (Short family history: She retired from Goodyear the same year as Granda, but then went to work for the local County Clerk's office for the next 15 years to earn state retirement benefits so that she, Granda, and my uncle Jeff would all have medical insurance for the rest of their lives. Her retirement was two weeks ago, and she deserves all the happiness and relaxation she can get after it.)

Anyhow, long story short, I got a phone call yesterday and was told that I was going to Akron to have dinner with them tomorrow, that Alex was quite welcome, and could I pick up Alison on the way so my parents could come straight from Church?

It wasn't worth arguing, and on the upside: Free food.

It was nice to meet Eleanor. She's lived out in Missouri for pretty much my entire life, and where my grandparents have been world travellers and seen most of the country, she concentrated on having a really big family (5 children, 18 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren!) and letting the world come to her. She has a big laugh and she seemed very happy to get to meet everyone, and in general I'd say it was a really nice day.

Next big family thing is probably going to be my godparents and their family coming over from Norway some time in early October. With luck I'll get more than 24 hours warning. :D

Could have probably done w/o the 5 hours of driving today, but that's life in the big state.

Also: OMG Browns, and Martin Erat is a dead man.