Heading Back to the Airport!

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 

 

Up this morning around 6:30 am after a very good night’s sleep!  Poor R attempted to take a shower, but unfortunately, NO hot water!  Yikes!!  As he says, it’s a VERY short shower, to say the least!  According to the front desk, the plumber was there on Tuesday afternoon and supposedly “fixed” the problem – but somehow, this morning, no hot water.  So, we washed in c-o-l-d and headed downstairs for breakfast.  Interestingly enough, though, right as we were leaving, I checked again, and voila!  Like magic!  Hot water!  It’s a miracle!

 

Got to Tom & Marie’s about 8:50 am, as my niece Deena, and her daughter Amanda, were due for a visit.  It was WONDERFUL seeing them, as it has been a few years!  Marie had a doctors’ appointment at 11, and my niece Dana arrived about 10 to take her, so we all visited through the morning, with Dana and Marie getting back around 11:30 and Deena needing to head to work at noon.  So!  After that, Marie, who hadn’t had any breakfast, announced that she definitely needed lunch, and it was left to me to pick a place!

Lovely niece Deena and me!

Marie, Deena & me (with open mouth...)

Marie, Deena, me and Deena's daughter, Amanda

Tom and Dee

 

As the only other restaurant I knew of in the area was Buck’s Dixie Diner, in Fair Haven, and my brother announced that he hadn’t been there in 70 years (which I think may be an exaggeration, as he is only 85…) we headed there in Dana’s huge SUV!  Dixie Diner has been in the exact same location since I was a very small child … which means a VERY long time! 

 

It's located exactly across the street from my grandparent’s cottage – or where the cottage used to be, as it is no longer, and I always include it on my “roots route” that I like to take when I visit that part of Michigan.  Made it about 1 pm (and they close at 2 pm!) and it wasn’t at all crowded.

 

I had their ⅓ lb. burger cooked rare with cheese, tomato and onion and hashbrowns.  R had their perch basket with onion rings.  Dana also had their perch, but with tater tots.  Tom had my burger, and Marie had a wrap that included avocado, and she said was wonderful!  All in all, a great meal, and we all gabbed all the way through it!

 

Great-niece Amanda

Lunch with all and niece Dana

From there, we headed a few miles north, following along Lake St. Clair, up to Colony Tower (another symbol of my youth, which, at least, is actually still standing!) and then turned around and headed back to Tom and Marie’s.

 

A little more visiting, but as it was getting late, and people were needing naps, we decided to say goodbye and head to our airport hotel.  We’re leaving tomorrow morning at 8:30 am, so wanted to be close to avoid traffic, problems, etc.  It took us a little over an hour to get to DTW, with some heavy traffic around downtown Detroit, but actually not too bad, considering!  Now settled in yet another Hampton Inn – this one with actual HOT water!!  Yay!!  Room 623.  

 

At least with the flight at 8:30 am as opposed to Tuesday’s 6 am flight, we don’t have to get up at 3:15 am, which is nice!  So … the plan tomorrow is to get up, turn in the rental car, fly back to Kansas City, pick up the car and head to Oklahoma City!! 

 

So … more tomorrow!

Much love,

m

xxx