Your Mom and I scheduled a visit to Mawqwet (Collin's pronunciation) in Minneapolis on Mother's Day. It is just coincidence that our visit to Minneapolis fell on that special day. We intended to enjoy the onset of Spring. No, this was not the journey into Hell.
The hotels in downtown Minneapolis have different room rates depending on conventions and community events. Mother's Day weekend at the hotels is like a ghost town. Needless to say the room rates were fantastic. It turns out that the AARP membership did not help in getting a better rate. I think that everyone over the age of 50 has a card and it really isn't unique to cater to an AARP member. The "biggie" card is AAA. Grasshopper No.1 (and loved one) gave us an AAA membership for Christmas. Magic! So on top of your Mom using AAA for road service twice in the last couple years, we got a great hotel discount. This obviously was not the journey into Hell.
Mawqwets cat Indigo started moaning the minute we got to her apartment on Friday night. I know we upset people, but I didn't think we had that effect on cats. So Friday night was an adventure. Turns out that Indy had an infection in his urinary tract and actually had crytalized urine that had to be removed at the emergency pet clinic. No this wasn't the journey into Hell. Indy seems to be responding well to anti-biotics and "different" cat food. As Shelby Jr would say, we created a memory saving Indy.
The journey into into Hell occured on Sunday morning before we left Minneapolis. There is a popular restaurant called "Hell's Kitchen" in downtown. It conjures up the image of something sinister and for years it was a very small diner with great food. They have moved to a new location near the Nicolett Mall. You have to descend a flight of stairs to get into "Hell". At the top of the stairs is a chandelier completely filled with dangling knives that you walk under as you enter. The basement had lots of red colors suggesting what Hell looks like. The waitresses wore pajamas as if to indicate things were very casual in Hell. The food was fantastic (and reasonably priced). It was memorable. Mawqwet took her Mom to Hell for Mother's Day. I resist embellishing that thought. She created a Mother's day memory.
So your Mom and I are back from Hell. A special Thank You to Margaret.
The lesson Grasshoppers is you never know when a memory will be created. It could be when you are changing a tire in the rain, escorting Indy to the Clinic or having breakfast in Hell. It is part of the journery.
Love,
Dad