After a long lunch stop in Madison, WI, a leisurely drive along the scenic routes in southwest WI, and an overnight boondock at a rest stop along the way, I pulled in for a stay with my sister's family. I always enjoy seeing how much my nephews evolve between visits. Phil is now as tall as I am!
We drove about an hour from their home to the Minnesota River Valley state park for some muddy fishing. I think we end up fishing every time I visit :) Huge fish splashed in the river but none made it onto the fish hooks -- this time. A quick stop at a local farmstand meant a fresh, hot apple pie for dinner. After dinner, we cozied into the kid's study room to watch a movie on the computer (Hangman's Curse).
Again, this was a brief visit, but I'm starting to get anxious about returning to Seattle to prepare for my GVI trip.
(Photos)
POST SCRIPT
Reflecting after the visit with my mother and sister's family, and after seeing my brother a few weeks earlier... My family isn't exactly close-knit. We don't say, "I love you," we rarely phone or email, and our physical contact is limited to an awkward A-frame pat-pat hug at the end of a rare, brief in-person encounter. I think it's always been like this for us (or maybe just for me). I have always admired and longed for the closeness I see in other families. I daydream about building closer ties not just with my immediate family, but also with cousins, aunts, nephews -- but at this point the chasm seems very wide.
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