After NY, we flew to Cleveland, where I grew up. This is the view out the back window for four months out of the year, thanks to Lake Effect snow. This is why I don't like Cleveland:


But this is why I do:




And of course:

Both of our families are full of funny-facers.


Hokusai, the famous Japanese painter, went by several aliases throughout his career. Towards the end, he often signed his paintings with a name that meant "picture-crazy old man". You might notice that behind my dad, in the dark, there are quite a few canvasses hanging on the wall. The entire house is covered in my dad's paintings, and some of them are actually good. He is a picture-crazy old man, and something tells me that some day, I will be too.

The next day, I took my mom and Heather out for sushi. I was a bit concerned about eating sushi in the Midwest, but it was actually very good. The chef was quite skilled at carving interesting things out of the garnishes.


My two favorites ladies at lunch. Don't mind the hat hair.

I wouldn't have believed that my mom liked wasabi this much unless I saw it with my own eyes. She doesn't know how to use chopsticks, but she does know how to order extra wasabi. She put this much on every piece.


Then while Heather did some window shopping, I took some photos of the only outdoor mall in Ohio- which happens to be 5 minutes from the house.




Heather's Heat and Flavor keeps it spicy. All spices/hot sauces/mardinades, and free samples of lots of other hot stuff I have no business putting in my mouth.


We also visited Jason and Jodi, and said hello to their newest addition, Jamie.






Jamie's big sister, Jenni, is an incredibly friendly and outgoing 2-year old. However, on this, the occasion of her first "cheers", she knows to cast a suspicious eye on older men who buy her drinks.


The next day, it was time to head back home. When we left Cleveland at 7am, it was 11 degrees.

When we arrived in San Diego (20 hours later), it was 76.