"Grand Rapids, MI....."

Don and I went on a whirlwind road trip last weekend, leaving Madison early Friday morning, driving to Grand Rapids, MI, for the night, and coming home the next day. The reason, you ask? Don has a cousin, Christine, who plays violin in the Grand Rapids Symphony. The symphony was playing one of their summer "Pops" concerts, and The Kingston Trio (for those of you old enough to know of them) were performing with them. Don's Des Moines, Iowa, family has a connection to the Kingston Trio. George Grove (in the lower photo) from the Kingston Trio, is Don's mother's, late brother's wife's, current husband's, daughter's partner. Got that? :) Anyway....some of his family (Christine's mother, Jodie, step father, Roy, and sister, Sherry, all from Des Moines, and Elizabeth, who lives in Chicago), drove up to see the concert and spend a few days exploring the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, staying outside of Saugatuck, MI, which is an easy drive to Grand Rapids.

Nathan (one of Christine and Jonathan's twin sons), myself, and George.

Cindy (George's partner and Roy's daughter), Don, and Christine.

George, Cindy, and Don.

Yours truly, with the crowd on the slopes of the Cannonsburg Ski Area. :)

Sam and Paula (Jonathan's parents/Christine's in laws), Roy and Jodie (Christine/Sherry/and Elizabeth's Mom and step Dad), and Christine.

It was a quick trip, in which we packed a lot. We had dropped Copper off at my Dad's to spend the night with him, so we were "dog free" for the night. We stopped on the way home to pick her up and spent some time with Dad and Sandy, catching up on current happenings with their health and Mom's settling in at the adult foster care home (so far, it going well). We got home late afternoon Saturday and Don planned his ride for the next day, which will be a subject in a blog soon. :)