I went home in the middle of August, spending about a week in Minnesota before heading to Milwaukee for a family reunion. I expected to go home to heat and humidity, but it was actually breezy and a bit chilly. I had a good time seeing my family and reuniting with friends at home. It was also interesting to see how much Rochester has grown since I'd last been home (which actually wasn't too long ago). I relished the slower pace, fewer cars on the road, and the Minnesota nice. Everywhere I drove, I could not help marveling the lack of traffic and lack of road rage. After six years in Southern California, the heavy traffic, gridlock, parking difficulties, and impatient drivers has clearly taken its toll on me.
After spending a week at home, my parents and I drove to Milwaukee (Drew flew in and met us there). We were in Milwaukee for only a few days, but the days were jam packed. On our first day, we went to a Brewers game. The Brewers won, thanks to a grand slam hit in the 8th inning (I think it was the 8th).
The next day was dedicated to the family reunion, which took place in a beautiful park. It was a lot of fun, and the fun continued at our hotel where everyone was staying. It was great meeting new people and catching up with familiar faces.
On our final full day, we headed into downtown Milwaukee to explore the area before heading to the Irish Festival.
I don't have pictures from the Irish Fest, but there was a lot of green, a lot of beer, and lots of Irish dancers.
