10.24.2012

Remember that one time when you came to see us for the day? That was awesome.

I knew my parents were regressing from Baby Boomers to Millennials.  First it was all the acquisition of Apple technology, then came texting in church, but now they've just gone nuts and decided to pull the ultimate Young Man's Game: they drove the Alaska-Canada highway (or ALCAN) nonstop in 56 hours like a pair of college students. Maybe they drank Red Bull to keep themselves awake, I didn't even want to ask.

It's not that they were bored and just wanted to do something different over the weekend. It was because Spitfire offered to buy their car.  They decided on Thursday night to leave the next morning, drive to Utah, spend about 18 hours with us, and then fly back to Alaska. Dad hadn't seen Spitfire in two years & Mom hadn't seen her in eighteen months, so I think that may have fueled their decision a little bit.



It was a good thing we were all praying for them to make it here safely, because it snowed through the whole of Canada. My dad says that between the snow, the 18-degree temperatures, the closed gas stations, and my mom dozing off at the wheel (which meant my dad never slept), there must have been many, many angels looking out for them. Go angels! Mom says it's kind of surreal to think that she really could just get in the car and drive to her grandchildren when she wants to see them, but I'm guessing this is an experience they won't be repeating for the rest of ever.

It was much too short of a visit, but we made the most of it. Jenny had Dad's favorite chocolate chip cookies  (and, most importantly, showers and beds) waiting for them. They brought us Canadian chocolate bars, and we all got together at Jen's for a big breakfast. Jen's kids and the Tiny Dark Lord ran all over the place, hopped up on bacon and superior chocolate, screeching and whooping. Am guessing this was a taste of the wild rumpus that will be Christmas. 

I got to show Dad my beautiful farmhouse, which led to this conversation later with GH:

GH: Did you give your parents a tour of our house today?

Me: Just my dad, but yeah.

GH: So that's why our bedroom is sort of clean.

Me: Yep.

Spitfire and I drove Mom and Dad down to Salt Lake, where we met up with Coolboy at Tony Caputos for lunch. My mom loved that place, of course. It's due to her genes that my siblings and I think awesome food/kitchen stores are the equivalent of Disneyland.

Note: it was windy. I didn't just watch Rock of Ages
and start doing my hair like that or anything.

And then we dropped them off at the airport, leaving them in the clutches of that most evil of airlines, US Airways. Does anybody else hate them and, subsequently, Phoenix, or is that just me and my parents? I guess they got them home okay this time, but still.


Can't wait for them to come back at Christmas!

9 comments:

Liz Johnson said... [reply]

Not totally related, but... is "Rock of Ages" worth seeing? What if one has an unnatural obsession with 80's hair music?

goddessdivine said... [reply]

Oh my gosh! I hate US Airways!! I wrote about my crappy experience with them a week ago. (They were the airline coming back from Boston.) Yeah; they suck.

And Phoenix? Why in the world does it cost so much to fly there from SLC?! I've been looking at flights to try to hit my nephews baptism in Feb. But at 300 smackers I'm like, "I could fly to NY for that!!"

Anyway. I digress. Glad you got to see the parentals....even if for a brief moment.

Jenny said... [reply]

That was totally wicked!

Jenny said... [reply]

tell me you know that movie. or we are no longer sisters.

Nemesis said... [reply]

@Liz Johnson

If you are unnaturally obsessed with 80s hair music, then Rock of Ages might be worth it to you. If you can overlook the cheesiness, and the skanky stuff with all Tom Cruise's groupies, then the music is good stuff. (I feel shamed saying this, but Tom Cruise is really, kind of insanely magnetic in that awful role. Just saying, shamedly.)

Unknown said... [reply]

Christmas...that's right. Better stock up on bacon and chocolate.

Nemesis said... [reply]

@goddessdivine

Goddess, yes. They are crappy. I had a really awful one with them back when I traveled for work, and my parents once got stranded in the Phoenix airport overnight during Christmas travel. BOO to them.

Jenny, is it The Incredibles? I think I've only ever seen that the whole way through maybe twice, so GH had to tell me.

Jenny said... [reply]
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bridget said... [reply]

Visits from mom and dad are the BEST! I'm glad you had a good time.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...