Friday, November 21, 2008

Live from Motown



We're in Detroit for our niece's wedding. Hopefully it will be the happy moments and not the inevitable family drama that we remember from this long weekend.


I spent yesterday, our travel day, tied up in knots as I tried to roll my latest yarn up in a ball in preparation for making my husband a scarf. Around midnight I eliminated a section of yarn that had the quality of dreadlocks. But knitting is just background activity!

The really good news about this weekend is our immediate family will be together for the first time in at least a couple of years. Our son flew in from Hamburg. Our daughter is coming today by way of Chicago, where she is meeting up with 100-year-old Zelda to accompany her to Detroit.

The rehearsal dinner was last night at Amy's Family Restaurant. Everyone showed up in jeans to eat delicious homemade soup and stuffed cabbage. Midwest portions are about twice as big. I heard a humorous exchange between the bride's father and a cousin who had come in from Tucson. He declared he could never live in Arizona because of all the snakes. She was dumb-founded as she said she had only seen an occasional snake in the desert. But he was positive he had heard that Arizona was infested with snakes on some talk show. I can guarantee he will never find out for himself!

We're staying with my husband's oldest friend from kindergarten. We have the middle daughter's room with the above pictured cards on the wall. Each of our children has a "private" room, so everyone is quite happy and the price is right.

Today we will head over to see my mother-in-law, who is not in nearly as good shape as Zelda, but who wouldn't miss this wedding for the world.

My husband's brother and his wife will arrive from Rockville. It's interesting that we have to come 500 miles to see them.

My brother-in-law, the snake-hater, who used to work for Chrysler before he retired, assured me he will still get 80% of his pension if Chrysler folds, but he is confident the government is going to bail out the auto industry. Time will tell, but the rest of Detroit is very worried.


Yesterday is snowed here, but I am wearing my new grown-up black wool coat and we are driving a rental Explorer. We are not going to let a few flurries keep us from "getting to the church on time."

7 Comments:

Blogger Kristin said...

What a great weekend! I actually love Detroit, and time with family can't be beat.

1:07 PM  
Blogger lettuce said...

hi barbara, I've been catching up with your news.

I hope its a great weekend.

I laughed at "grown up" wool coat. I have/do things that make me feel "grown up" - which proves how I usually feel nothing of the sort!

:-)

1:17 PM  
Blogger Steve Reed said...

Your brother-in-law is fortunate to have retired. I wouldn't want to work for an automaker now! (Though the newspaper industry isn't far behind in terms of desperation.)

Have fun in Detroit. Pronounce it "Detwah" and it sounds much classier. :)

2:51 PM  
Blogger Kate said...

I hope your brother-in-law is successful in his retirement wishes. Friends of mine who retired from GM just learned that as of January 1, their health benefit package will no longer exist.

Have a great time in Detroit, my birthplace actually. It was a wonderful place to grow up then.

10:34 PM  
Blogger Angela said...

Tell Dan that he missed snow in Hamburg!! And tell him that I`m looking forward to meeting him next time!
I will catch up on your latest posts next week. Have only glanced through and found one (especially) very interesting, so will answer to old ones, too! You are writing too much for my time, but you are such an interesting lady! Wish we could meet some day! Have fun at the wedding!

5:41 AM  
Blogger Kellyann Brown said...

I just dragged Dr. R. to the movie, "Rachel Gets Married", it was sad, funny, hilarious...disturbing, like all good films. (Dr. R. did not like it) Weddings are drama-magnets! I hope you have a great time and enjoy some time with the kiddos!

11:32 AM  
Blogger bulletholes said...

Detroit is ALWAYS worried. I think maybe they always have been.
There is not a city in America that stays as worried as Detroit.

1:11 PM  

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