Roadtrip - Lanesboro, MN

After 8 years, I have finally set foot in Lanesboro, MN again. I paid a visit to my grandmother for her 88th birthday on Friday, and stayed the weekend to enjoy some free food, and good company.

In a way... this visit also helped to act as a "reset" button for Chicago. I've been missing a lot of Kentucky lately as that is the last place I've left. By going away to a different place, I've come back and really saw my apartment here as HOME. With no hustle and bustle of city life for 2 days (doors are left unlocked in this town, for the most part), I am ready to ease back into reality.

Best of all... Fall is Coming. It was so relaxing to see the leaves starting to change, with some already reaching deep shades of red in some places. Fall is my favorite time of year, and the mornings with the crisp air, the cooler evenings, and curling up with a cup of tea or coffee before the hard cold of winter hits. It was a beautiful six hour drive each way, not including the city traffic time once inside the city limits.

I feel a lot more "connected" now after being able to visit with family and know they are willing and interested in spending time with me when I am in town. Right now tentative plans are in place for me to head back for Thanksgiving.


Dusty did fabulous as a guest in Grandma's apartment, and I'm glad he had no accidents other than the first time meet leak that I was prepared for. The best part of the weekend when it came to him was watching him "play" with grandma when she was walking around with her cane. He would be in front facing her, and every time she took a step and the cane moved, he would get all excited, chase around, and wiggle some more, at which point she'd have taken another step and it would start all over again. I think Grandma was starting to warm up to him a little, after seeing how mellow he was during the day. Ever the great car rider, he slept most of the way back, and even now is asleep on the floor next to the sofa.

It's been a long weekend for both of us, waking up both days about 7:30am, and crashing about 1:00am. I will be happy to be sleeping in my own bed tonight.