September 29, 2014. Adventures in Iowa

CAMPGROUND:  Lake MacBride State Park.  Very nice Iowa state park.  Electricity, water for pump, dump station, nice bathrooms with good showers, and nice wooded sites.  $16.  5 stars

LOCATION:  Near Iowa City in east central Iowa

WEATHER:  Indian summer-like weather. Highs around 80

When I was growing up in Iowa, our family did not take road trips around the state, except to our favorite lakes for boating.  So, I referred to my book "10,000 Places in the USA and Canada To Go Before You Die" for guidance on our Iowa adventure.

We left Pike's Peak Campground and followed the Great River Road south.  We drove through quaint little  towns like Gutenberg, with its high church steeple, located next to  a lock and dam on the Mississippi.  Feeling a bit like we were in Europe, we passed through Luxembourg and  New Vienna, with its sign proclaiming  it the "eNVy" of a Iowa.  Haha

The farms are huge and appear to be very prosperous.  Huge, new homes in every town and on the farms.  

We passed through Dyersville, home of the movie "Field of Dreams", then to Anamosa, where Grant Wood painted American Gothic.

The picture is in the Art Institite of Chicago, but at least we saw the landscape.

We found this nice state park.  It is on a small lake adjacent to the more popular Coralville Lake.  We took a hike along the lake.  So far, all Iowa state parks have been surprisingly nice.  

DINNER:  I bought some frozen shrimp to cook with leftover grits for a shrimp and grits dinner.  We started with a shrimp cocktail, then salad, then the main course, made with a smoked Gouda cheese.  Good!

September 28, 2014. Exploring the Mississippi

CAMPGROUND:  Second night at Pike's Peak State Park

LOCATION: Near McGregor, Iowa

WEATHER: Summer-like. High around 80

We took a 5+mile walk on trails in the park.  It was under the forest canopy.  All very nice until the Mosquitos and 95% humidity caught up with us.

This is the view from our campground....where the Mississippi and Wisconsin Rivers converge.  

 We talked to the camp host who is gearing up for next weekend, when they are expecting about 20,000 leaf lookers.  Glad we are here a week ahead of the crowds.

We took a drive along the river, to nearby McGregor and Marquette, in Iowa and across the river to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.  Big casino along the river.

We stopped at a winery, and were pleasantly surprised by their quality.

When we returned to the campground, it had really changed.  Almost all the weekend travelers had left, and some retirees had checked in.  A lot quieter!

DINNER:  Vegetable curry.  In an Asian grocery I found a curry product that I had frequently bought while living in Japan.  It is almost like a Hershey's bar in texture and looks..little blocks of curry paste.  I added the curry to sautéed carrots, potatoes and onions.  Served it over some leftover rice.  Oushi!  As they say in Japanese.

September 27, 2014. Are we in Switzerland or Iowa?

CAMPGROUND:  Pike's Pete State Park.  Nice state park with lots of hiking trails.  Electricity and pump to fill water tank.  Very nice bathrooms with good showers.  4 out of 5 stars.  Would have given it a 5 except no dishwashing area.  $16

LOCATION:  Near Mc Gregor, Iowa in northeast Iowa on Mississippi River bluffs

WEATHER:  Indian summer.  Highs around 80

We got a pretty good start leaving Rochester.  If we can hit the road by 10:00, that seems to be very efficient.  I don't know how we made 6:40 AM buses while working, especially getting 2 girls off to school.  Life is definitely a slower pace now!

We drove through southern Minnesota.  The corn and soybean fields look perfect for harvesting.  Beautiful rolling hills.  We were soon in Amish country around Harmony, MN.  The highways are extra wide to accommodate their horse and buggies.  Saturday is market day, and there was a long line of buggies heading back to their farms.

In town, some Amish ladies were selling their home-made quilts.

We soon crossed over to Iowa.  Our destination was Pike's Peak State Park.  I was intrigued by the name, as Iowa is famous for its flatness.  It turns out that this is indeed bluff country and is a favorite tourist destination in the fall.  We got the last campsite available.  Mostly Iowa families who are enjoying a nice fall weekend.

We took a hike along the river bluffs.  We learned that this area is called "Little Switzerland".  Kind of a stretch, I say.

Then, we drove into nearby McGregor.  It was founded in 1837 and has beautiful old homes.  We had a beer at Old Man River Brewery, then walked around.

Rosemaling (not sure of spelling) is a Scandinavian type of painting, usually on plates and cups.  In many parts of Iowa, you can see barns and houses with the Rosemaling designs.  This was in town.

  

Even though I'm from Iowa, I've not visited this area.  It will be fun exploring my home state.

In the early evening, we listened to Prairie Home Companion, around the campfire...our favorite Saturday PM  pastime. 

DINNER:  Fajitas.  I used the leftover canned chicken and leftover soy chorizo.  I sautéed the meats, along with peppers and onions, in a cumin and cayenne mix.  I served the mix  on warmed tortillas with a little cheddar cheese and diced tomato.  

Amazingly, we can pick up about 40 TV stations on our antenna.  We watched British comedies on PBS until we fell asleep.  Great way to end the day.

September 26, 2014. One more day in Rochester

CAMPGROUND:  Another night at Autumn Woods RV Park

LOCATION:  Rochester, MN 

WEATHER:  Beautiful. Sunny. Highs in 70s

George's provider at Mayo Clinic referred him to the Hypertension Clinic, to see if they could find the cause of his fluctuating blood pressure.  He was able to get an appointment today.  It was very reassuring.  They told him to stop monitoring the B/P all the time, and to never do it in the early AM (when he was doing it) as that is when it is the highest. The MD also told him that physicians now believe that the parameters for geriatric patients (yikes!  Geriatrics!) can be higher.  All of this made George feel relieved, and his B/P went down  on its own.

By the time the appointment was finished, it was getting late in the AM, so we decided not to rush, and to stay another day.  

I relaxed with some cooking shows on PBS and with a book. We took a nice walk around a nearby neighborhood.  We are amazed at all the "stuff" people have.  Many of the houses have 3-car garages, and then they have built another detached garage/storage building.

In the evening, we opened a bottle of champagne which we had bought for my birthday.

We also celebrated the (hopeful) end to George's health issues.  George took this photo with our silhouettes and the champagne bottle  reflecting on the dusty Airstream.

DINNER:  Trying to clean out my back-up food box....I used up the second half of a box of stuffing for a side dish.  I sautéed canned chicken, zucchini, onions and mushrooms for the main course.  Nothing spectacular, but good.  I'll use the remaining chicken in a few days. 

September 25, 2014. Resting in Rochester

CAMPGROUND:  Another night at Autumn Woods RV Park

LOCATION:  Rochester, MN

WEATHER:  Nice. Sunny. Highs near 70

We need to stay another day in Rochester to receive the rest of George's lab results. This RV park continues to amaze me.  When we checked in, and answered "yes" to whether we are here for a Mayo Clinic visit, they said we could wait and pay at our departure.  Today, I told them that we needed to stay an extra day.  They said "no problem" and that our spot is "ours" until we leave.  

We took a hike on one of Rochester's many bike/hiking trails.   This one has lots of Canada Geese.

We met up with friends for happy hour.  So nice to see folks again!

DINNER:  I made rice in the electric rice cooker.  I made extra, as I don't know when we will have electricity again.  I will use the leftover rice in another  meal in a few days.  I made beans and rice, adding black beans, soy chorizo, onions and peppers to the rice.  May bueno!

September 24, 2014. Happy birthday to me!

CAMPGROUND:  2nd night at Autumn Woods

LOCATION:  Rochester, MN 

WEATHER:  Slight rain most of the day. Highs in 60s

George had tests all morning at Mayo Clinic, where we both worked 13 years before retiring.  This is inside the Gonda Building, where he had appointments

The glass sculptures hanging in the background were  designed/built by the famous Chihuly.  They are really beautiful.

Mayo believes that the patient should be surrounded by beauty and comfort when here.  There is a piano in this atrium and patients/employees/guests are invited to play.  

Mayo is huge and keeps on growing.  It was just voted America's best hospital.  There are about 50,000 employees.  While I worked there, I was responsible for determining their wages/salaries.  It was a very stressful, but rewarding job, thanks to my staff and co-workers.

We read in the newspaper that Rochester will be facing a unique problem soon......not enough workers.  There is a huge initiative to make Rochester a Destination Medical Center.  Plans are to completely rebuild the downtown area, creating more jobs all over.  Pretty exciting.  (Maybe we sold our house too soon/too cheap?)

We had lunch at a new craft beer bar called the Thirsty Belgian.  Very good.  We did shopping.  (George was thrilled to get a 25% off senior discount at Goodwill!)

I received nice calls, emails, and Facebook birthday wishes.  Thanks, all!

To Rochester readers:  We need to stay another day to hear back from some tests.  If you are around, and can make it, please join us at the Thirsty Belgian at 5:30 on Thursday.  

DINNER:  We went to one of my favorite Rochester restaurants, ZZEST, for dinner.  Daughter Alexis and friend Graham joined us.

Great food and service.  They gave me some free birthday ice cream!

September 23, 2014. First day of fall!

CAMPGROUND:  August Woods RV Park in Rochester, MN (again).  5 stars as always.  

LOCATION:  Rochester, MN, in southeast part of Minnesota

WEATHER:  A pretty fall day. Highs almost 70

We woke up to a beautiful fall morning at Chequamegon National Forest. Our campsite even has a private dock!

 We hiked around part of the lake.  It really looks like the first day of fall.  The colors in the trees were reflecting on the perfectly still lake, reminding me of a jigsaw puzzle.  W saw fresh elk prints on the trail, but no elk.

We packed up and drove southeast.  We cut across the state of Wisconsin.  As we traveled, the scenery changed from forests to farmland, all resplendent in fall colors.  Many of the corn fields are being plowed.  

As we pass through towns, I'm fascinated by some of the sayings on churches.  Late last  fall, we saw this one...."Autumn leaves; Jesus doesn't."  Then a few days later in another little town, I spotted this one.  A grammar lesson might be in order....."Autumn leaves; Jesus don't".   :-)

We arrived back in Rochester in the evening.  We are even in the same site as before.  To my Rochester readers:  George has tests all day Wednesday.   If all goes as planned, we will leave Thursday AM, so won't have a chance to do anything with anyone.  If, however, we have to stay for more tests or appointments, I will post a note, and perhaps we could meet for a happy hour.

DINNER:  I made grilled paninis with some smoked whitefish we had bought in Michigan.  I added mozzarella and smoked red peppers.  Nice and easy.

September 22, 2014. Beautiful fall colors in the U.P.

CAMPGROUND:  Day Campground in the Chequamegon National Forest.  Typical national forest with few amenities, with a great price.   Nice pit toilets.  No water, electricity, or dump station.  Beautiful, spacious wooded sites facing the lake.  3 out of 5 stars.  $7 with Senior Pass.

LOCATION:  in far northeast Wisconsin, just over border of Upper Peninsula, Michigan

WEATHER:  Beautiful, sunny fall weather. Highs in 60s

We packed up from Marquette, Michigan and drove west through the Upper Peninsula.  The colors seemed to gave popped out overnight.  The beautiful foliage was all around us.  The colors are particularly spectacular around lakes.

We stopped for a picnic at Agate Falls Park.  Fishermen were trying their luck at salmon.

Our goal was to camp at one of the many campgrounds in the Chequamegon National Forest.  This is where we camped on our very first night of this multi-year journey, on August 7, 2013.  We started searching for a campground, driving down a muddy state-designated "rustic "road".  Luckily, we encountered a forest ranger before we were too far down the 7-mile road, as she told us that there had been a recent blow-down, and the campground had been closed.  So, we turned around and found the Day Campground.  On our way, we saw a huge elk along the road.  This must be a good year for wild turkeys as we have been seeing large flocks daily.

After we set up camp, we went in search of water, as our tank is empty.  We found an old-fashioned pump and returned with our dishpan, and various bottles and pitchers.  We took a "short-cut" back to the camper, and got lost.  We really got our workout carrying those heavy water containers.

George made a nice fire, although he had a hard time getting the wet wood started.

We watched the sun set on the lake.  Beautiful.  We have the entire campground to ourselves, so it is really peaceful.  Just us, and the singing loons.

DINNER:  I made rice soup with lots if leftovers. I had made chicken broth a few days ago when we grilled chicken thighs.  To the broth, I added leftover rice, sautéed scallions, peppers, and a few bacon bits.  Sprinkled a little Parmesan on top. Very pleasant on a cool, fall day.

September 21, 2014. Sweater and jacket weather

CAMPGROUND: Second night at Marquette Tourist Park

LOCATION:  Marquette, MI, on north shore of Upper Peninsula, Michigan

WEATHER:  COLD!  Raining, windy. Highs in 40s

We awoke to nasty weather.  We had a leisurely breakfast and read. We had planned to walk around the town, but it was just too unpleasant.  Instead, we took a nice drive.  The winds were really battering  the Lake Superior shore.

 

We passed by the ore dock, which processes iron ore using a coal-fired generator plant. 

The trees are starting to turn...very pretty.

We had a beer in an appropriately named brewery, the Oredock. I had a good IPA; George had a black ale.  We hadn't realized this is such a college town.  The brewery has concerts in the evening and a special room called "Study Hall" with afternoon happy hour prices.

We bought a pasty (prounced with a short a, not to be confused with a pasty with a long a, worn by strippers).  We bought it at a famous shop doing business since 1946.  It was made with beef and rutabaga.  We had to liven it up with hot sauce.

We spent most of the afternoon inside.  We watched an old DVD, Seabiscuit.  

By evening, it was a little nicer.  We made a campfire and roasted red peppers.  Two different sets iof campers had bought firewood, then left when the weather turned.  We scrounged about $10 worth.  

We had to dig into our winter clothes box for sweaters and jackets.  And.......George found his long johns.  His skin won't see the light of day until spring!

DINNER:  I wanted to use some  smoked whitefish I had bought at a smoke shop the other day, and found this recipe online.  I simplified it a bit.  I sautéed some frozen hash browns with scallions.  I added a bit of Dijon and some flaked, smoked fish.  I drizzled it with a creamy horseradish sauce.  Good and different!

September 20, 2014. To the Upper Peninsula!

CAMPGROUND: Marquette Tourist Park.  Municipal park near downtown, on river.  Spacious sites.  Flush toilets and one shower.  Electricity.  $27.  4 stars out of 5.  

LOCATION:  Marquette, MI on the northern coast of Upper Peninsula Michigan.  On Lake Superior.

WEATHER:  Very pleasant.  A little rain. Highs in 60s

It rained most of the night, and we were "attacked" by falling acorns.  They make quite a noise bouncing off the Airstream.  We stayed cozy and dry inside.

We said good-bye to our friends Tony and Jenny.  They are headed back home to Nova Scotia via New England.  

Nothing like farewells at the dump station!...

We drove almost the entire day.  We crossed the Mackinaw Bridge around noon.  It was stormy and windy.  There was a wind advisory for RVs to drive @ 20mph.  I was petrified and hid my head!

Thankfully, we made it with no problems.  We stopped for a BLT sandwich picnic.  George had fried some locally smoked bacon over the campfire last night.  We are enjoying the end-of-the-season tomatoes.  

We decided to stay in Marquette for 2 days, as we haven't been here before.  On our way into town, George spotted a brewery, the Chocolay River Brewery.  It is a former "Bud" bar, now with their own tasty beer, too.  Lots of interesting characters inside.

We got settled in the campsite.  We were able to get the PBS station on TV, so watched some of the Roosevelt series by Ken Burns, then listened to Prairie Home Companion.  By then, we decided to stay put for the evening.

DINNER:  Back-up Dinner Delight:  Salmon pate (from daughter Meredith) with saltines.  Spaghetti with tuna, artichoke hearts, and capers......all from the back-up food box.  

September 19, 2014. Tall ships in Traverse City

CAMPGROUND: Another night at Platte River Campground in Sleeping Dunes National Lakeshore

LOCATION:  Near Traverse City in NW Michigan

WEATHER:  Another picture-perfect fall day. Highs in 60s

Tony and Jenny went to town to do laundry.  We worked on the internet.  George found out that he has to return to Mayo Clinic for some tests, so we are adjusting our route to go to Rochester via the Upper Peninsula.

When they returned, we took off for Traverse City.  We had lunch at Right Brain Brewery, named one of the nation's top 5 brewpubs.  We had burgers and beer. There were 5 IPAs from which to choose!

The brewery has funky chairs including this one from a nursing home.  Looks like George has been on steroids!

They also have chairs from a beauty shop.  Tony is giving Jenny a scalp massage

And Tony had to rest after that work-out!

We drove to the port and saw the 4 tall ships on display.  

We stopped at Terra Firma Brewery, a farm operation, on our way back to the campground.  Another IPA for me, and a Porter for George.

Back at the campground, we got our cars packed up to prepare for tomorrow's departure.  It is supposed to rain, so best to do everything we can now.

DINNER:  Another communal dinner, this time with a Mexican twist.  Tony prepared his family's guacamole recipe.  I boned the leftover chicken thighs ($3 for 8 huge ones), and cooked them with onions, garlic, lime juice, and chipotle sauce.   Rice on the side.  Delicioso!

September 18, 2018. Exploring NW Michigan

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CAMPGROUND:  Day 3 at Platte River Campground @ Sleeping Dunes National Lakeshore

LOCATION:  Near Traverse City in NW Michigan

WEATHER:  Perfect fall day.  Sunny. Highs in 50s

We are really enjoying being with our friends Tony and Jenny.  We planned a busy day together.  First, we went to the nearby fish weir and learned about the salmon trying to swim upriver.

The gate keeps the salmon from swimming upriver.  They open up the weir periodically to let some fish through.

Then, we went to a dam  on a river that feeds into Lake Michigan.  We watched the King salmon trying valiantly to jump up the dam.  Some made it.

Others get caught before they try jumping through the dam.

We then took a scenic drive through the Sleeping Bear Dunes.  We watched a guy climb up the steep dunes (with a sign advising people not to do this as it is so hard coming back up).

Lake Michigan was calm and beautiful.

 

We headed into nearby Frankfort and had a great lunch at the Storm Cloud Brewery.  I had a smoky black IPA and we split a flatbread pizza.

After shopping for tonight's dinner and for smoked fish snacks at the local smokehouse, we went for a hike on one of the park's trails.  As with yesterday's hike, the trail was hard to find, which involved driving through bumpy back roads. It was an enjoyable hour-long hike through fern-filled forests and farmland.

Back at the campground, we made a fire and prepared dinner with Tony and Jenny.  George grilled chicken thighs and Tony concocted a yummy pasta dish with grilled vegetables in a cheese/garlic sauce.  

Later, we sat around the campfire and toasted the end of a great day!

September 17, 2014. Michigan fun

CAMPGROUND:  Day 2 at Platte River Campground at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore

LOCATION:  Near Traverse City, MI

WEATHER:  Cool and sunny. Perfect fall day.  Highs near 60.

We shared a pancake breakfast with Tony and Jenny, and hit the road to explore the area.  After trial and error, we finally found the hiking trail we were searching for.  Before we could start, George and Tony had to perform the Walking Stick Exchange ritual.

George and Tony had accidentally picked up each other's walking stick when we were last together in British Columbia.  So this morning, each got his own back.

We then headed to a Traverse City, home of 12 microbreweries.  We had a great lunch at the Workshop Brewery, then sampled other beers at the Rare Bird Brewery.  

From there, we took a scenic drive on the Mission Peninsula.  It is very narrow, so we had views of the bays on both sides.  We stopped at an apple orchard, then a winery.

There are about 25 wineries on this slit of land.  Just beautiful countryside, with grapes growing, and trees starting to turn.

Back at the campground, it was our turn to cook. We grilled brats that we had bought at a wurst shop when we visited Frankenmuth a few days ago.  We had some German sauerkraut on the side, with sautéed vegetables.  Great evening!

September 16, 2014. Awesome Airstreaming!

CAMPGROUND:  Platte River Campground at Sleeping Bear Dunes.  5 stars out of 5.  Beautiful wooded sites.  Great bathrooms with nice sinks, hooks, and flush toilets.  Dishwashing sink.  Hot showers.  Good campfire grills.  $8 with Senior Pass.

LOCATION:  Near Traverse City, in NW Michigan.  On Leelenau Peninsula

WEATHER:  Sunny. Highs near 60. Lows in 40s

We spent our last night with Meredith and Gautham in Ann Arbor.  The condo management folks made us move the camper to a space farther away, so we slept in the condo on our last night.They wanted us out by 9:00, so we got an early start after saying goodbye.

We drove about 5 hours northwest to this park.  We had been in touch with our new friends Tony and Jenny from Nova Scotia, who were planning to stay here.  They got set up, and found a next-door site for us.  They are in the former camp host site with electricity.

 We can string an extension cord to their site to get electricity, too.  Tony and Jenny arrived a day before us, and were surprised, like we were, to find the campground so full.  Even though it is fall and mid-week, the loops with hook-ups are full.  We think it is because the  Good Morning America TV show pronounced it the most beautiful campground in the USA.   So, folks are coming here to check it out. 

We feel like we are home again, on the road and in the Airstream.  We had a great time in Ann Arbor, but it is nice to be in our cozy trailer.

We got set up, and took a hike through the woods and dunes to Lake Michigan.  Quite majestic!

Then, Tony cooked dinner for us......porkchops with mushrooms, onions and garlic in a red wine sauce, and fresh steamed green beans, and rice.  It was lovely, with great conversation and a tad bit of wine!

September 15, 2014. Michigan's Little Bavaria in Frankenmuth

We are still staying with daughter Meredith in Ann Arbor.  We took a day trip to Frankenmuth with George's sister Judy and husband Dan who stayed a few days after the marriage party.

We started with a bratwurst  lunch at the Frankenmuth Brewery, Michigan's oldest brewery.

Everything was quite good.

The town is cute and fastidiously neat.  The streets are beautifully landscaped.  Everything is designed to look like Bavaria.  

We walked all around the town, stopping at a few shops.  We watched the glockenspiel that told the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin.

Frankenmuth is also famous for its Christmas shops.  This is a huge operation.

From Frankenmuth, we drove to downtown Detroit to pick up Gautham.  The GM Renaissance Building where he works, is very impressive.

 We walked around the various towers, and took the glass elevator to the 72nd floor.  Wow!

We said good-bye to Judy and Dan and had an exotic dinner with Meredith.....sautéed octopus, salad, and toast with toasted bone marrow.  Yummy!

September 13, 2014. Wedding party

Today was the big celebration for Meredith's and Gautham's marriage.  We spent the day cooking some more Indian food for the party, and loading platters, etc to take to the venue.  It is at the Chateau Aeronautique Winery.  Meredith has worked with the winery owner to do wine/food pairings.  The owner kindly let them use his hanger/winery   for the party.  He also loaned Meredith and Gautham the use of his guest room, so they could be there to get everything ready.

We drove about 45 miles to the winery.  We had a few extra things to carry to them.  Others went by a bus that had been arranged.

The hangar was set up with tables with the winery's wine glasses and pretty flowers.  My job was to give party favors to the guests as they arrived. They are little lucky elephants with name tags.

Also, the women were given little Indian bags with jewel-like tattoos to glue onto their hands.  It was a fun thing to do.  

Meredith had prepared about 10 different courses that we paired with different wines.  We started with Indian spicy fried snacks, with chutneys on the side (some of which were quite spicy).  Then, we had tamarind rice and/or saffron rice.  

That was followed with more courses:  1) Meredith's own cured salmon roe on toast points, 2) venison and fresh mozzarella bites, 3) crudités, 4) garlic mashed potatoes with black truffle oil mushrooms, 4) mini lamb chops with a mint chutney drizzle, 5) Brie and fruit, and 6) Indian sweets.  The wines were a rose, Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a dessert wine straight from the barrel.  

There were about 65 guests.  In addition to his parents, several of Gautham's relatives came.  They came from Vancouver, Raleigh, Chicago, and the Detroit area.  Also many of Meredith's and Gautham's friends were there.  On Meredith's side, Aunt Martha and Uncle Leo and cousin Janice came from Alberta.

George's sister Judy and her husband Dan came from Virginia.

Alexis, Graham and I helped in the kitchen.  They were a great help.

Everyone had a great time.  

At the end, Meredith and Gautham posed for photos in the airplane in the hangar.

Quite a few people bought wine.  The owner gave all the guests his winery wine glasses. 

September 9, 2014. Cooking Indian food

We are still in Ann Arbor with  Meredith, her husband Gautham, and his parents.  

Somehow, I have lost a day with this blog.  Today we shopped and cooked.  The staff at the Indian

grocery store now recognize me.  We bought interesting vegetables from Bombay Grocery and lamb from the Middle Eastern store.

The kitchen is chaotic.  Gautham's mother is preparing foods to serve an Indian multiple-course feast to family members the evening before the wedding party.  Meredith is preparing a 14-item meal for the wedding party, and also is still cooking her meals for her catering service.  I'm a self-appointed sous chef, just dicing veg and doing general clean-up behind the two of them.

Today,  I helped Gautham's mom make some tomato chutney, and something else I couldn't identify.  She brought a lot of ingredients and special blenders with her from India.

As we were running errands, we stopped for lunch at an Indian health food store. Not sure what we ate, but I could see chickpeas in it.  All so fun.

George grilled salmon (that Gautham had caught) for dinner.

September 7, 2014. Visiting relatives

We are still with Meredith and Gautham.  We are sleeping in the Airstream, and spending the day hours in their condo.

We visited Gautham's aunt and family.  They live in a beautiful home in one of the nice suburbs of Detroit.   She and her husband travel a lot, and they have collected art from around the world.  George and Meredith took a swim in their pool.   We had lunch with both Indian and American foods.  It is so fun to try new foods every day.

It is starting to feel like fall.  We visited a cider mill on the way home, and bought apple breads and cider.  

In the evening, we continued working on flights to India and the visa application.  

Since we ate so much for lunch, we just snacked for dinner, again with a combination of Indian and American foods.  

September 6, 2014. Delicious homemade Indian cooking

We are still with daughter Meredith and her new husband Gautham.  His mother taught Metedith to make a traditional Indian breakfast.  It is called dosa.  They are like crepes.

They are served with a spicy mint chutney and a potato mix.  They turned out well.  

We went to the farmers' market in downtown Ann Arbor, then to lunch at a brewpub.  

We ran errands and looked at flights to India.

For dinner, Meredith and Bala, Gautham's mother,  made us an Indian/American dinner.  Meredith grilled  salmon that Gautham had caught in Lake Michigan.  Bala made an Indian eggplant dish with rice.  All very tasty.