X-Mas Update

Hiya

Well, I just got back earlier today from my trip to Virginia/Maryland/DC. It was quite a good time. First with the Mollers: I spent the majority of the train ride reading and playing a card game with some random folks I met on the train. I met Uncle Jeff at the train station. My train was about 90 minutes late, no biggie for Amtrak, and we had to kill some time in the station's food court. Some quality loitering was achieved by all. We reminisced about his time at Principia some 30 years ago. I also heard the "hose" story for the first time. Let's just say it involves punk kids, access to a fire hose, and INDOOR shenanigans.

So I spent 2 nights at the Moller hut in Annapolis. Erik (cousin) and I hung out at Ville's (cousin #2) place for a bit and hit everyone's favorite establishment in town, the mall! Sunday morning, I went to their church and got to see Jeff be first reader in their brand spankin' new church (est. 2004-ish). Dad, Tiz, and Marshall arrived around 3:30 that afternoon, and the whole crew went to the Chart House, located right on the bay in Annapolis. Some meal, boy howdy. Marshall had Shrimpkens...admittedly the envy of the table. I had a very juicy salmon with some garlic mix layered on top. I could eat that every night. The menu also included a bizarre request: If you want to order 2 particular dessert items (the words "volcano" and "chocolate" were found in one item), you had to order at least 30 minutes in advance. I got the apple crisp, because a chocolate volcano is just RIDICULOUS. Turns out my apple crisp had more mass than the edible force of nature.

From there I stayed at the Smith residence for a couple nights. We went to the Chevy Chase Club, had some fine food, then to Tiz's sister's House for some gift opening. I got a Principia hat, hoodie, and window decals, as well as a sweet Land's End gift card, and a Sylvania brand LED spotlight. I think Dad received the best gift of all.......

A good time indeed. The last day I was there, Dad, Tiz, Marshall, and I went into DC to eat dinner with Dad's new boss. Pretty cool organization based in renewable energy, and a nice dedicated boss to renewable energies, especially solar. He gave me some neat information packets pertaining to the 6 major forms of renewable energy. It deals more with the actual chemistry/physics involved, so it's a bit over me still. After the meal, I scooted over to Union Station and got on The Capitol Limited back to Chicago, where I got in just around 9 this morning. I had to wait over 90 minutes to catch the next Metra. Alas, Christmas is over, and I have to be at school in 4 days...SWEET! See ya

WGM IV