8.3.10 - Canasta & Picasso's

Yesterday Mom and I went to Grandma and Grandpa' s to play canasta with them and Aunt Linda. I'll tell you what, after all this Tichu it took me a bit to remember the rules of canasta, but it all came back to me. We enjoyed Grandma's ultra healthy low fat high protein chicken salad and Linda's chocolate chex mix (how have I not heard of this before??). Grandpa and I won the first game with an amazing underdog victory, and lost the second game soundly. It was good times.

After I got home Julie and I went to Old Town St. Charles for our now-traditional trip to Picasso's coffee. 

8.2.10 Picasso's (it's tradition!) with Julie.

We finished shortly though and went for a walk along the river in the muggy heat, which I am still enjoying even though everyone here hates it, apparently. We talked about marriage and kids and growing up in general, which seems to be all I talk about lately.

Walking along the river in the MO heat.

I don't remember what I did last night, but I think Tetris Attack started creeping in there somewhere.

Today Neil was finally arriving. Ellen and Everett went with me to the airport and we talked about terrible coworker/classmate stories. Everett went in to help Neil bring his bags to the car, and as they walked out of the airport it struck me (for the first of many times this trip) how strange it is to see my two younger brothers side-by-side looking so freaking tall and adult. I think part of it is due to me editing so many old home videos lately and remembering how they used to be. Anyway, it's cool.

Tonight I worked out again and then Ben came over to--you guessed it--learn Tichu. Ben and I played vs Ellen and Everett, and we managed to lose by over 1900 points. That's a personal record for me, and beats Neil and Jack's record of losing by 1890 points. I was actually sort of impressed..