Days 24 and 25

On Thursday, we picked up my sister April at the airport. She had gotten up at the ungodly hour of 3 a.m. to make an early flight, and she was in our car before 9 am!

We returned to my grandparents' house and played a very fun game called "Joker Marbles," which is the new game of choice in the Jetton household. It is very similar to the games "Aggrivation" or "Sorry." It has lots of highs and lows and personal affronts - great for building those warm family affections.

On Thursday afternoon, we opened an abundance of Christmas presents. I know it is only July, but this is the only time of the year our family is together, so this has become a tradition. My mom and sister shopping at bargain outlets and garage sales, so there are always loads of nice but cheaply purchased presents.

On Thursday night, we enjoyed a nice meal at Cracker Barrell, where I had yet another yummy salad. I think this is one of the American foods that I have missed most. I must be putting on weight, because I seem to be in a perpetual state of "full."

On Friday, we ate lunch at the Senior Citizens' Center which my grandparents frequent. It was nice to see that part of their life, and I developed a new appreciation for senior citizen centers. They provide a vital service to enhance the quality of life of our senior citizens. This is one of the most important parts of my grandparents' day-to-day life.

After lunch, Dad, April, Sarah, Emma, and I went canoeing on Cadron Creek with Cadron Creek Outfitters, based just north of Greenbrier. The guide wasn't very friendly, but he was efficient. We rented two canoes, and had a great time paddling down the river. Both canoes ran into some rocks and trees, and one flipped once (losing some sunglasses and shorts in the process). However, we had a great time managing the rapids and relaxing in the quiet parts. We even stopped to swim a few times. For Sarah and I, this was one of our favorite parts of our whole trip to the USA.