On May 15, 2009, we left for Boston from Akron-Canton Airport. The group consisted of Bob, Kathleen, Maggie, Mike (her husband), Tim, Lois, Mandy, and myself. The flight took off late, but it went relatively smoothly. After collecting our luggage, we took an Avis shuttle bus to pick up our rental car. We waited a long time because our original minivan only seated seven. Fortunately, they found a large GMC Yukon that seated eight. Unfortunately, it was very uncomfortable because there was very little room in the back for all the luggage that we had. We had no trouble finding our hotel in Marlboro, MA, thanks to Mandy's cellphone GPS. Following our respective organizations, we went to a nearby Wendy's to grab a very late dinner (close to 10:00 p.m.). We then settled in for the night.
The next morning, we took advantage of the complimentary continental breakfast at our hotel (The Embassy Suites). It consisted of Made to order omelets, fried potatoes, cereal, juices, milk, fruit, breads, cottage cheese, and beverages, among other things. Although Bob and I went down independently, we ran into loads of family. In addition to my traveling caravan, we saw Dan SR., Patty, Patrick, Aunt Rita, and her son Johnny. It was , nice to catch up with relatives who we don't see a lot. Eventually, some of us (I don't remember all the participants for this portion.) went to the nearby R.K. Center to do some shopping. I personally looked for local newspapers and soda for our time in the hotel room. I found an acceptable deal on the soda until I discovered there was a deposit of five cents per can. Since we don't have that surcharge in Cuyahoga County, OH, I was not amused. I found the newspapers on a return trip to the store. We then picked up some takeout lunch from Wendy's. Once again, I was not amused to find that takeout food was taxed (Not just soda, as it is in Cuyahoga County). I told the clerk about being either from Cleveland or Ohio. He was "speechless." We eventually prepared to attend the wedding. Bob and I went with Johnny and Aunt Rita to relieve the congestion in the "minivan". Thanks to Bob's navigation from the directions provided on the wedding website that Johnny printed out, we made it to St. Michael's Church in Hudson, MA. Eventually, the wedding began about fifteen minutes past the scheduled 2:00 P.M. start, but it was over before 3:00. We then congratulated the bride and groom and the bride's parents (I met the Groom's father the next day.). We then went back to the hotel to relax. Bob and I were going to make a cameo appearance at the "pre-reception" at the hotel, but we ran into family members who wanted to be on the early shuttle to the reception in Stow. Fortunately, although we were supposed to register a month in advance, we were all able to take advantage of it anyways. It kept us from getting lost in the dark. Darlene did an exceptional job in chauffeuring all of us to and from the reception. We then relaxed at the hotel. Since I didn't dance, I wasn't too tired.
The next morning was an encore of the continental breakfast. Eventually, Maggie, Mike, Bob, Mandy, Kathleen, and I went to Solomon Pond Mall. It was nothing special. I almost ate lunch at D' Angelo's in the mall, but since Tim and Lois expected to want to go to lunch, we went back to the hotel. As it turns out, Tim, Lois, Maggie, and Mike (Who got food from Wendy's on the way back from the mall) all wanted to relax, so Bob, Kathleen, Mandy, and I walked down to
Five Guys Burgers in the R.K. Center for some food. I learned a lesson about Five Guys. The Veggie Sandwich is not a Veggie Burger. It's just all the Vegetables you want from the available toppings. It wasn't too unpleasant, though, although I would have added more toppings if I knew beforehand. A Veggie Burger would be a nice addition to the menu!
We then went back to the hotel to relax. Eventually, we headed out to Lancaster to visit Dan (SR. and JR.), Patty, and Amy Marie. Amy and Dave were going to join us, but they were very exhausted from the wedding. We enjoyed Pizza from Sterling Pizza (The proprietors live next door!), salad, beverages, and wedding cake, which was still delicious the next day! We enjoyed the camaraderie, although "Good Night" to Amy Marie was a scene straight out of the conclusion of a Waltons episode. I hope that Amy Marie appreciated the exercise. After some family pictures, we headed back to the hotel to relax in anticipation of the next morning.
On day four, we ate, packed, and headed for the airport. Since Patty and Dan SR. were taking Dan JR. and Amy Marie to the airport, most of our luggage went in their car. We then flew back to Ohio. Despite a little turbulence, we arrived safely at Akron-Canton Airport. Since Laura was picking up Dan JR., we met Emily for the first time (for most of us, anyways). Mike and Maggie took Bob and me home. It was a wonderful trip.
Tomorrow, we celebrate Amy Marie's second birthday. Expect a full report tomorrow!
No comments:
Post a Comment