IDAHO

I'm sitting at JFK for a six hour layover (great itinerary) and thought I'd update you on my quick trip to the folks / smoke-atorium. It was great. I felt like I was at camp for a couple of days (and the kids smoked a lot). We laughed and ate. Those were the two things on the agenda. I made turkey meatballs (my father has a strong hate for anything that is not ground cow). He hated them.

But I also brought a box of Aunti Anne's Pretzels (please see some previous crazy blog I did in October). We made pretzels and I swear, my father consumed them like a meth crazed junkie! It was really fun.

Now, I don't eat red meat...much. I might have a bite here and there, but I avoid it mostly for health reasons. They know that, but thought they'd ask if they could make prime rib for dinner. Uh, I'm no dummy. Yes please. I made Yorkshire Pudding to go with it and it was a feast fit for a king.

I only had two days with them (the other two days were getting there and getting home). It's a quick visit. Two days is actually perfect. But it is a little sad...

My folks are getting old. They limp more than ever...they sit a lot...they forget even more. The other three kids are either mad at them or have stopped talking to them altogether. It's hard to explain my family. We simply aren't a close bunch...really never have been. Weird. My "adopted" family is crazy close. It escapes me. Anyway, I love my mom and dad despite their many flaws and idiosyncrasies. I have forgiven anything that might make me the fourth and final kid to stop talking to them. And I get a little sad everytime I say good-bye.

That's pretty much my trip. We sat around for two days and ate and chatted...and I watched them smoke. Ya gotta love parents.