Per Design

So the wife’s family came to visit us here in Michigan this last week. In fact they’re flying home today. Anyway we went vacationing throughout Michigan with them. It was a lot of fun and a lot of driving. We rented us a van. Interesting aside and somewhat design related: although the Chevrolet van was nice and did the job their were a bunch of small details that either were missed or were economized on to such an extent that it became noticeable – like missing arm rests for the middle door seats.

First we hit up East Lansing’s Great Lakes Folk Festival on Saturday and Sunday, where we saw some pretty amazing wood carving and other folk arts and crafts. On Monday the family hit up Muskeegon, Holland, and Grand Rapids whilst I finished up work. Then we headed UP – yes, the wonderful upper peninsula. But we went to Traverse City, then up to Mackinac City, taking the scenic coast-hugging highway. We spent the next two days based in Mackinac City, visiting Mackinac Island and other interesting sites located around the area. Then we pushed up all the way to Sault St. Marie where we viewed the locks. We then headed west to see Tahquamenon Falls. Then we headed back south, stopping in Gaylord. We then swung a bit more eastward and saw Midland and the Dow Gardens then on over to Frankenmuth to see like the worlds largest Christmas store, stopping along the way in Saginaw to pick up lunch. We finally crashed back here on Friday and fluttered around town, visiting some unique book stores and restaurants in the area before sending the in-laws home on their flight from Kalamazoo.

All-in-all it was a blast – I hope we can do something fun like this again in the future. But now I need a vacation from my vacation!