So we went to meet Lilli's flight, but as always
there was a small glitch, as I told her I'd look
for her between the security exit and baggage
claim. As there was huge traffic at the airport
(numerous arrivals between 11 and 12, and numerous
departures between midnight and 2), we were
slightly tardy, and I hurried up one staircase as,
apparently, she went down another, so that was an
amusement. At that hour, there was slim traffic to
downtown, and we were at our lovely but low-floor
suite well before one.

Next day, Swisher was there to share the Sheraton
breakfast with Lilli, while I had a cup of hot
chocolate, my new go-to drink as my lactose
intolerance has somewhat abated; then we all
piled into his vehicle and went off to Geezer
Gardens for a relax and then dinner, which was
those Costco steaks, by now somewhat overaged,
so I cooked them medium-rare to medium. I'd
rubbed them with pepper, garlic, and salt before
storing them all week, so they tasted sort of like
pastrami, though not bad for that. In addition. my
taster went weird, as if the salt-sugar control
had been flipped, and dinner was a quite peculiar
experience for me. The others tried to reassure me
that things tasted okay.

--

Next day I joined Swisher for breakfast, while Lilli
went to the club for an abbreviated meal. He had a
full breakfast; I had two bowlsful of the quite good
sausage gravy - blander than it used to be many years
ago, but still housemade and better than almost all
that I've had elsewhere. Then off to the Kenai, where
he was to drop us off before going to his place at the
Lake and seeing friends, including Scotty and Rose, who
had had the Independence Day commemoration. We were to
rendezvous with some friends and head down to Homer,
halibut fishing capital of the world. As we had had a
substantial breakfast, there was no lunch stop, and
Lilli was too shy to tell us when she was hungry.

Dan and Kerri showed up right on time in their F-150,
and we went merrily on our way. After a stop to dump
our things at the White House Inn, the first meeting
place with our colleagues was the Grace Ridge Brewery,
where we were greeted by a dozen of our nearest and
dearest (some of whom actually are), and I had a glass
of fairly nice stout and bought some Hawaiian brand Luau
BBQ chips (the mildest available) to tide Lilli over;
she had one and pronounced them too highly seasoned and
too salty, so I offered them around then finished the
smallish bag. I also sampled a honey beer that
unfortunately didn't taste like much and the Summer
Night Raspberry Delight ale, which unfortunately did.
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