Halloween 2009

Early morning activity: pumpkin carving:



Out on the front porch, awaiting our excursion, which this year did not include Mommy or Grandpa. (Too cold!)



Arianna dressed as a princess, er . . . a medieval princess. Naturally Sharon's skills as a seamstress are to be credited for the costume.

Trunk or Treat

At Arianna's request we participated in the Trunk or Treak activity at Family Fun Night. About a dozen or so family's decorate the trunks of their car and pass out candy to the school children.



I. Decorating the trunk the night before Family Fun Night




II. Finishing touches on the day of . . . after school

Sharon and I have serious reservations about the thematic content of Halloween activities and so she and Arianna came up with an alternative approach.



IV. Parked and awaiting candy-time (after the activities in the gym were finished)



V. Chilly but happy

Yates' Cider Mill

Another cold day in Michigan. We are unprepared. The weather forecast for this weekend was for temperatures in the 50's. Instead we've been at or around 48 degrees. November weather in October.

Arianna and I went to Mass this morning at St. Paul of Tarsus church. This was Arianna's first experience of participating at Mass elsewhere. She did just fine.

Later, we drove to Yates' Cider Mill in Rochester Hills. Despite the cold, it was crowded.



I. Waiting in line for cider and donuts

After some fresh cinnamon donuts and apple cider, I bought some Jonathon apples for Sharon and Grandpa.



II. Arianna bundling up, while Ben has another donut



III. Arianna on the banks of the Clinton River, Rochester Hills, Michigan

Later, we all went back to Oma's and visited.



IV. Arianna, WIlliam and Ben

Day in Frankenmuth

On Saturday Marikay drove us to Frankenmuth by way of Birch Run, where we stopped at an outlet mall. I struggled internally at the outlet mall. I could not reconcile the fact that the stores were jammed packed (with folks from one of the most economically depressed states in the country) with shoppers of Chinese manufactured goods. About this last point there can be no dispute. But, this would be a topic for my other blog.



I. Arianna and Samantha and Oma before having dinner at the Bavarian Inn

From Birch Run it's a short drive to Frankenmuth, where we had an early supper at the Bavarian Inn.



II. Mmm . . . Family-style chicken, mashed potatoes, dressing, egg noodles, squash . . . .

For some reason the chicken was especially tasty to me on Saturday. So, I ate and ate.

We finished dinner just at the top of the hour. So, we were able to watch the glockenspiel story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin. Arianna, Ben, and I stood outside in the cold watching and listening to the story, while Marikay and Mom waited in the car.



III. The Pied Piper of Hamlin

Then, we drove over to Bronner's -- the "World's Largest Christmas Store". The store itself is longer than a football field and is filled with every kind of Christmas decoration imaginable. I had hoped to find an Advent calendar. Although there were numerous calendars from which to choose, none tickled my fancy.



IV. Outside Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, Frankenmuth, Michigan




V. Arianna dreams of someday having a Christmas town collection

Excruciating Drive

Nobody planned our drive to Detroit to be as excruciating as it was. Arianna and I left the house at 5 pm. Typically, we'd have made the Indiana border by 6 pm at the latest. Instead it was 8 o'clock! An accident on I-90 and then construction at the south end of 294 into Indiana was cause for a s l o w journey.

Arianna was extraordinarily chipper though. Not once complaining. After the sun set she enjoyed reading by flashlight. And later, after we reached Michigan, when it was bedtime, she made a comfy bed with the pillows and blankets without any fuss.

Despite the rain, I made good time crossing Michigan (3 hours). With the time zone change, we arrived at Oma's sometime after 1 am.