OldSkool2010: MI & WV

OldSkool2010: Part 2.2
(to Michigan & West Virginia)

After a weekend in Minnesota (and Renee's 25th high school reunion), we headed to my birthplace of Paw Paw, Michigan. But first we stopped in Chicagoland, where we met fellow milblogger Zenpundit (aka Mark Safranski) and his wife Lisa for lunch. Zen is a teacher and historian, and he came bearing gifts for my Antilibrary: Sebastian Junger's War and Dick Couch's Sheriff of Ramadi.


Once in Michigan, we had many reunions with family members. "Kupuna" (great-grandmother to Shelby, Jarrett and Sophie, and a World War II-era Marine) is as spry as ever -- crawling on the floor with Sophie then doing a deep-knee bend to stand back up.


The cousins gathered at Great-Aunt Kerry's (and what a great aunt she is!)...


All of my southwest Michigan relatives came for dinner:


We also paid a visit to Lake View Hospital, where I was born:


After two nights in Michigan, we braved the turnpikes of Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania -- shelling out more than $30.00 for the day's drive to West Virginia and the Acker home. Denise, Tim and their kids were neighbors in Chesapeake, Virginia back in the day:



In Chapter 2.3, OldSkool2010 returns to the Commonwealth of Virginia.