Safe and sound

We arrived at Lakeside, Ohio, safe and sound yesterday (Saturday) around lunchtime.  Our flights from Paris to Frankfurt and on to Washington went fine, once we got past the incompetent lines & processing by Lufthansa at Charles de Gaulle.  We even talked our way into "economy plus" for the long flight, and the four of us ended up with six seats so we could stretch out and sleep a good bit.  Marilyn picked us up and we met up with Michelle & Josh & William, and Cathy & Victor & Andrea, for dinner at a barbecue place in Frederick.  Then we drove until about 10:30pm and stayed just east of Pittsburgh Friday night.  Our early start got the ten of us in our three cars here no problem.  Yesterday afternoon and evening we got settled and wandered around, then lucked out and got the fireworks show (postponed from the Fourth by high winds) to cap our night.  I think it added up to 41 waking hours of 48, of which 31 were traveling.  Whew!

So there's 14 of us here now - our four, Michael & Jess (& dog/child Mardi), Michelle & William, Cath & Victor & Andrea (her neice), Marilyn, and Glennell & Don. Tonight Jess's parents Maurice & Betty, plus Don's daughter Cynthia & her husband Kevin, all arrive, bringing us to 18 total, short of last year's since we're lacking Josh, Roberto, and Derek's five, but we'll catch up with all of them later on our trip.  We get to stay here thru Saturday or maybe Sunday.  Oh, and the weather is perfect, probably 72f right now with a perfectly blue sky.  Pas mal!