There are two kinds of trail mix: M&M's and disappointing.

I feel like a slacker. No posts for longer than I've ever had no posts. But no matter how shocking it may seem, sometimes something rates higher on the list of priorities than blog posts. Spending time with the folks and family makes that list pretty easily.
But...I'm baaaack!
Here, in no particular order, are some misc. observations and thoughts from four days away doing things outside our routine.

If you ever thought about buying a Toyota Corolla, don't. Our rental car had 16,000 miles, a broken trunk release latch, rattling dash vents, NO power, and uncomfortable seats. "Drive it like a rental?" I tried. My Rambler accelerates better.

Two mornings, two coffees, two Jims. Good stuff.

I realize cold and snow in Seattle is not like cold and snow in Michigan, but having left the latter behind for the warm of Phoenix made the former a most unwelcome throw-back.

Seattle traffic is as ridiculous as the mid-December weather. A drive down I-5 to SeaTac in the middle of the day was rush hour level here.

I like it that at 90 years old both my parents laugh easily and smile often. A whole lot of people in Sun City could take a lesson from them.

The food at the Ida Culver House is very, very good, and serving sizes are perfect. I can't imagine "institutional" food any better.

I'm hanging on to two expressions/proverbs I heard while gone. Heard both of them before but decided after hearing them again on this trip that they warrant incorporation into my personal repertoire:
"If the mess doesn't have my name on it I'm not picking it up." (As in, I'm not getting involved in the problem unless I'm responsible in one way or another.)
"The pail of stink is better than the best memory." (I think I have that one wrong somehow, but this visual imagery is at least as good as whatever it's supposed to say.)

Flying is no longer fun, or even interesting. Now it's air borne cattle cars. And if you're under the false notion that most people are generally honest watch the number of people who board a plane before their group is called.

There, that should pretty much catch me up. Tomorrow I'll return to my usual erudite cogitations.