and we are home

Toledo, future home of the Kolz, treated us well this weekend. The folks we stayed with were nice, the folks he'll be working with were nice. The rainstorm that soaked us on Thursday promptly after we left two mildewy apartments was not so nice, but the old-school heavier-than-New York Italian food was very, very nice. The adolescent cat named Achebe, but nicknamed Chubby, was adorably nice. Plus, after eating at Tony Packo's, a Toledo institution, I am at a loss to explain why every restaurant does NOT offer fried pickles. Get with the program, folks! (p.s.: I also love the online pickle finder.)

I can also assure all of you that, despite how tempting a Pontiac sedan with a V6 engine (CA rental car) or a silver "Vibe" hatchback (OH rental car) might seem, they will both still, always, relentlessly have absolutely terrible blind spots. Just like Pontiacs always have. Is it the cam-forward design, internets? Is it some strange design disease? Is it meant to be neck exercise? You should not have to ask your passenger to make sure there are no semis off your left bumper. Get with that program, folks.

Northern California still feels like home, Colorado was lovely and familiar, and Toledo made me (if not us) dream about what cool stuff you can do in an apartment that's bigger than two rooms (total. Sigh.), but coming home today was really coming home. It was beautiful out, and after a nap and a walk in Riverside Park and a trip to Fairway, I'm content. Exhausted, but content. And very, very ready to be home for a while and enjoy the summer here before it gets ass-hot in August. And we move...