Cynically Optimistic

Whirlwind weekend tours in Iowa are always so much fun, and pass by too quickly. This was my first chance to introduce Tom to some of my friends from Iowa. Josh, Tom, and I had dinner at the Iowa Beef Steakhouse. It seemed like an obvious choice for fresh Iowa Beef. Later on we met up with Lisa, BC, and Freddie at a bar downtown called Blazing Saddles. Giddyup. Bar hopping ensued. The High Life Lounge was decorated like a 70's kitchen and living room, complete with old style beer signs, vinyl furniture, shag carpet, and linoleum tables. Somehow we used plastic shot glasses to play quarters with our Miller High Life. We almost made it to the car when we were drawn into the Hessen Haus for a boot full of beer. The bartender in a baby-T denied us boots, because it was near last call. Boo-urns!

Guess we'll go home and play Bastardized Metten Kings. And eat junk food. mmmm...Twizzlers.....

Saturday, after gorging on bacon and eggs for breakfast, there were errands to run. Us out of town-ers need to replenish Iowa gear periodically. Of course, we had to hit Dairy Queen (for the second time). Other stops were Scheels All Sports and the Apple Store at the Jordan Creek Mall Town Center. Holy Crap that place is HURGE! Then we went to pick up a last-minute Atlas at Wal-Mart. SCARY!

Tom: Wow, we really just walked to and from the car all day today. I'm glad we went to Dairy Queen.
Lisa: Hey! We walked around a LOT inside Wal-Mart!

Back at Josh's, we started pre-partying, got dressed and headed downtown to the Hotel Fort Des Moines for the reception. The Gigantone family was in attendance, Frosty rolled in only a few minutes behind schedule, and the Stretch family was there too. So good to finally see Roadhead and meet Heather, who was really gracious and had a LOT of fun with us, even though we'd just met. Food was eaten. Drinks were Drunk. Most of us danced like crazy fools, sometimes with other people's moms. As per usual.

Post-reception, we hit the bar downstairs with most of the wedding party and many other guests. Luckily, Jack had brought along his stainless-steel shot glass travel set and we got a game of quarters going. With 15 or 16 people, using 3 glasses. The game just kept on going, it was quarters nirvana! Back at the house we played more games and passed out (again).

Sunday was the typical late-wakeup, hurry up and pack, rush to brunch, get to the airport race. I got stuck a bit in ORD due to mechanical problems and wind at LGA. While switching gates, I helped a blind Illinois fan who was traveling without his seeing eye dog. He said the dog's getting too old to make long trips anymore. I know people get close to their pets, but it must be especially hard to lose a friend like that who you depend on to live your life every day. I saw a few terrible displays of New Yorkers being jerks in airports - more on that later.

Eventually I made it back to the east coast and miraculously my car was neither towed away nor broken into. It's now Tuesday and I'm recuperated. Mostly.