Hello, Michiganders! I am quite charmed by your lovely trees, the friendly folks, the nonchalant neighborliness. However, I am now floored by your festivals--the parades, in particular.
We were lucky enough to experience the Grand Floral Blossomtime Parade this past week, in all its glory in St. Joseph, Michigan. So many tinselled floats! So many princesses waving stiffly! So many marching bands with one lone piccolo player tooting and marching with all his might.
And oh, one delightful little new friend. This boxer pup was 12 weeks, and just as frisky and friendly as you can imagine, with one wet sniffling nose, liquid brown eyes, and an impossibly enthusiastic waggling tail.
Pup: "Ooh! Ooh! Take me home!"
Me: "Oh, puppy, I would love to. But your mean owner and my mean hubby and the mean police won't allow it. We'll just have to be pen pals."
Pup and Me: *Whimper.* Ah well.
Another big highlight of the trip was seeing family. We got to catch up with Teresa and Michael, my cultured, globetrotter brother and sister in-law, who currently reside in Tokyo and live a high-flying life complete with frequent exploration of Japan, many international friends, and in Teresa's case, knitting.
Here she is, the lovely Teresa from Tokyo (by way of Chicago), with her own creation--a hand-knitted hat, topped with a leather flower we found in a Bangkok market. Yes, she is really that cute, and that dimple is NOT photoshopped in. Btw, we were eating in an Indian restaurant. That makes this photo extra multi-cultural!
Speaking of Asians, I saw this rubber chicken bag in O'Hare airport, and had to, HAD to snap a quick, furtive picture. Isn't it hilarious? I think taking this bag with me to Trader Joe's, the library, and then to Anthropologie for the day would be perfectly appropriate.
Good-bye, Midwest! Your blossoms, as well as your people are gorgeous, bright, and welcoming. But I have to get myself back to California, where people may be rude, but the sun shines more than 6 weeks/year. What's that? Oh come on--that's not a huge exageration, is it?
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