Picture this scene: It’s 8am on a frigid Monday morning, and I’m supposed to be at work, but I’m driving Lauren’s seldomly driven Ford Probe with a flashing Check Engine light down 394 heading for the Golden Valley Super 8 with Jason in the passenger’s seat with a petrified farm cat in his arms, yelling for it to stop scratching. It may make some sense after reading on a bit. 

Saturday evening, Mom and Dad arrived to visit for the weekend. They likely never would have even made the trip if I’d have been a little more careful while packing to leave home after Christmas. Of course a farm cat rode home with me in the trunk that day, and has been living at our house for the last month. 

This cat was probably thinking that hiding in the trunk was the best decision it had ever made. Before, it was living in the cold garage, fighting for food with other cats and a dog, probably not receiving much attention from anyone. But after it got in that trunk, it lived in the warm indoors, was given delicious canned food that it didn’t even have to fight other animals for, and was adored by roommates and visitors to the house. Alas, it had to return home. 

Mom and Dad were also coming up to switch back cars with me. My ’01 Grand Prix needed some work over Christmas, so I left it at home and took their ’04 Grand Prix back to Minneapolis. Unfortunately, just as they were about to leave for Minneapolis, my car started making some odd noises and it was left at home. But they decided to come anyway and get the cat and take home Lauren’s ’96 Probe which she hopes Dad can sell. 

So anyway, we went out for Famous Dave’s in Linden Hills Saturday night. The food was of course awesome, but after our meal, we spotted a mouse scurrying around the floor near our table. I told the dude working at the counter, and his response was, “Oh, thanks for the heads-up.” Don’t bother catching it or anything! 

Sunday morning, Lauren, Nick, and I went to a new church near the U of M. Lauren and I are looking for a church to host our wedding, and decided we’d best become members at one first. Nick accompanied us, and we all had a merry time. Afterwards we went to Perkins for a very late breakfast. 

In the afternoon, I figured Lauren and I had best entertain Ma and Pa, so I scheduled a few rounds of bowling at Tuttle’s in Hopkins. Joining in on the fun were Jason and Nick. We bowled almost three full games. Nick took the first game, Mom took the second, and Dad appeared to be in the lead when we finished the last game. We then left at 7 for dinner with the Poulters at an Italian restaurant in St. Louis Park. 

I was out cold when we got home, and slept soundly till morning. Lauren took the Grand Prix to work. Jason had gone home with Nick after bowling and left his car at the bowling alley, so Jason grabbed the cat and we hopped in Lauren’s Probe and drove to meet Mom and Dad at their hotel. We swung by the bowling alley to drop Jason off, then stopped at my office so I could go to work. Dad and the cat took the Probe home with Mom following behind in their car. Kinda confusing, but it all worked out!