Going to Visit the In-Laws

Ted's mom and dad live in Palisade, Colorado. It's just east of Grand Junction. It's a five hour drive from here. Usually, Ted wants to wake up at four in the morning and drive there and then leave to come home around ten. But, sometimes, I can talk him into leaving on Friday and staying in a hotel/motel and spending a longer time with them - then head home a little earlier. I'm really good about traveling, but, sometimes ten hours in a car is just too hard!!! Anyway, we left Friday afternoon and headed to Grand Junction. (One note: I hate driving in Utah County!! It's always horrible, there is always horrible road construction, it's always horrible congestion - - I just hate it there!!)

Anyway, this is all about visiting the in-laws. Ted's parents are awesome people. They are both very interesting and I love spending time with them. Most of my time is spent with Ted's mom and I see where Ted gets alot of his little idiocyncracies - his love of thrift stores, his thriftieness, his love of treasures. They have this little house there in Palisade. They worked hard to pay it off before they retired, because they didn't want the burden of rent or a house payment when they retired. This house is just a treasure trove of the things they have collected over the years. There are treasures in every corner and every space imagineable. She has her treasured green glass on the little shelves that seperate the living and kitchen areas(her favorite color is green). She has trivets all along the kitchen walls and around the dining area (for those that don't know, a trivet is a cast iron or small raised metal stand to put a hot pot or pan on). In the bathroom, she has an assortment of ceramic masks that she has put on the walls. Then, there are the books. They have shelves and shelves of books. Almost every room has some sort of shelves that is loaded with books. As Ted's dad would say, there is no better insulation. Ted's daughter Randi calls the house a museum, and I would agree.

But, I also love talking to them. They have very interesting stories and such. Ted's mom also collects jewelry and every time we go to visit, she shows me her newest pieces. She restores and fixes jewelry, too. And, I always get some kind of lesson while I am there. Yesterday, she said we should go get lunch started and I said something to the effect of, "just don't ask me to cut up that chicken, because I have never been good at that". So, that was my lesson. Now, I'm not going to change my habit of just buying already cut up chicken, but I loved getting my lesson on how to cut up a chicken.

Mom and Dad, I just absolutely love and adore you. I will miss you desperately if you move to Missouri.