The Grand Tour: Background Notes & "The Arrival" on Wednesday, 3/25

Little-known factoid: Crustaceans operate in a Matriarch Family!

APC had called Tuesday afternoon to update GMK with fit-for-POTUS code:
"The Feather is With the Eagle".
I'm not going to further define who is the eagle, who is the feather -- only say that APC was beat to Litchfield by Aunt Patty Trish because, and I'm quoting APC, "I was using my safe-driving" who then quoted Grandma as calling APC out on her slow (speed not to exceed 70) driving as "driving with Granny in the car".

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APT (nice, huh!) called Tuesday LATE evening to review some details. GMK insisted on reinventing the entire fields of Logistics, Efficiency, and Logic with regards to the Airport Shuffle. That was pure Castle Joy.

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Finally it was Wednesday noon:

GMK departed with perfectly-curled hair to meet APT and Grandma at "BAGGAGE CLAIM ONE". I stayed put with Charlie in therapy and LLGA and Jamie home (as Wednesday is Minimum Day).

GMK and Grandma arrived and LLGA was not a little taken aback at Grandma. I suspect she sensed the excitement and wasn't sure. But Grandma does wear shoes and carry a handbag, so LLGA's curiosity and fashionista tendencies did overwhelm the fear of new people -- but not before she gave Grandma many a stare-down.


Even Great-Grandma enjoyed "Diary of a Wimpy Kid".

Meanwhile, we -- mainly GMK -- pondered the various menu offerings fr om Cafe Athena. Finally, settling on the order, I was informed that it would be another 20 minutes. No biggie to us familiar to Pacific Time, but rather late for our Midwestern arrivals. By this point, APT had already fetched the rental car from a Texas landmark.

GMK was anxious to point out Lucy's dimpled features (not her cheeks) and Grandma announced, "She needs a s-l-d diet and she'll slim down."
Solid foods? I asked.
Nope, was the reply: Grandma meant S-A-L-A-D.

We enjoyed lunch and then settled in for an instructional game of Spite & Malice. APT and Jamie (and me) VS. GMK (very tentative so I helped) VS. Grandma. Everyone won one (say that 5 times quickly) and GMK won a second time, to everyone's -- most of all, GMK's -- astonishment.







Charlie emerged from his therapy session, ran up to the table, and excitedly announced, "It's UNO!"






Grandma doing her "Victory" wave.

Later Grandma brought in Easter gear for LLGA (to be pictured at the holiday) and homemade frosted&sprinkled sugar cookies for all.

Then, in preparation for Thursday's big glamour shots outing, Grandma lobbied for a little pre-dinner IRONING.

Lamont Street Grill was yummy as ever, although LLGA apparently is so over the sleeping through restaurant outings and insisted on being at the table and chomping her lips as others ate. Oh, and when she wasn't doing that she was "vocalizing". Charming. Thankfully, it was quiet and we were a-ways away from other diners. Oh , and the nearest table had a particularly LOUD preschooler. Everyone esp. raved about the Fallbrook (Monterey, CA) Chardonnay, too.