The Landstroms go to Myrtle

Yup, we braved the hot, hot weather and had a good ol' time in South Carolina this week.  Out of 194 total Landstroms (and quickly growing!), there were 110 who checked into a resort just north of Myrtle Beach.  I felt like a bum, avoiding the water--I am the definition of the anti-beach bum, especially when the sun is out--but I still found some good activities with my cousins, aunts, and uncles.  It was so wonderful to see everyone, though it was hard to leave feeling like I didn't have enough time to get to be reacquainted with the more distant relatives.  Looks like I will have to wait 3 more years...

I spent a day with Aunt Dee and Darlene in Charleston, SC, a very beautiful, old southern town.  It was stinking hot so we petered out early, but we did get a taste of what was there.  First, however, we took a diversion to Fort Sumter.  

View of the USS Yorktown from Patriots Point

Fort Sumter

 

 

A fantastic private garden in someone's backyard in Charleston.

 

Catfish Row was the inspirational setting of the Gershwin opera, "Porgy & Bess"

The first of many of the week's fried meals: my first fried green tomatoes!  They were worth it. 

 The third night was a casino cruise night.  I was excited to go but in the last moment I recalled that I get SEASICK and I refused to go.  Thank goodness I stayed a landlubber because I was later informed that It was indeed rocky.  The waves, combined with alcohol, blinking lights, bells, and a buffet, would have made for a long, unpleasant night!  Seth and I instead spent an evening out: Tex-Mex followed by a walk along the colorful, cruisin', thumpin', boardwalk.

The SkyWheel and Slingshot at N Ocean Blvd

Fireworks visible from the beach boardwalk

The next night was our big cousin+significant other outing.

Mrs. Fish had THE BEST seafood.  Wow....

Kevin eying Nathan's plate

Seth was pretty well obsessed with his fish sandwich

The night got even better with a group activity that I swore I would never do past the age of 8: mini golf.  I felt suckered into going, but was so glad I did!  Oh, we had some cheesy, kitschy, fun.

Hehe, Minotaur Goff

I loved the art

A view of all of Mt Atlanticus (not be confused with Atlantis)

Team 1 (out of 4)

Team 2 was last place.  I am 98% sure it was completely because of me.

Just like the grande Uffizi in Florence, one of the best things about mini golf is the sculptures and art

...Seth agrees

Happy hour!  This is the best time to meet with everyone and catch up.  It is also the perfect opportunity to realize how many family members you don't know/remember but probably should.

The last night out, the cousins head out for more seafood :o)

Table 1

Table 2

Random picture of some family's plate of food at breakfast.  The sausage must have been pretty good. 

Here are some pictures from our family photo session:

Uncle Kevin couldn't keep away from Sawyer

Carter was also a hit with the new Kevin.  (By the way, it is really nice having a second Asian in the family, hah!)

The first generation

The original first cousins

Second cousins

My first cousins+significant others

Summer in the South

Not being big fans of the summer, Seth and I ironically find ourselves on our way to South Carolina!  We flew down to Raleigh a few days ago and have been spending some time with my parents, Jennifer, and two nephews, and today we all drive down to Myrtle Beach for our week-long Landstrom Family Reunion.   Not sure why they chose 'Myrtle' for the big family get-together--land of Spring Break, drunk parties, hot cars, and even hotter weather--but whatever.  It will be fun to see everyone, especially since we only have these reunions every three years.

It is always a bit of a culture shock being back south of the Mason-Dixon line.  I had forgotten about the mandatory afternoon thunderstorms, gigantic bugs, turtles crossing the road, and radio preachers.  Two days ago I heard a program about why women must be submissive to their husbands so that their husbands can fulfill god's will.  I thought at first it was satirical, but it was, sadly, a totally serious radio show. Ugh.  At least sweet potatoes are cheaper here, and the BBQ is pretty darn good, too. 

Out with the (very) old

So excited to have a NEW FRIDGE for the apartment!  In case you are unfamiliar, the old fridge looked like it was from long ago era (whenever refrigerators were invented... maybe the 1940s), and had the look of a fridge you'd see in a horror film, where they would keep dead bodies.  And, as if it were a surprise, the old fridge began *really* acting up since we returned from Italy; it would constantly drip water inside, which would form pools on top of food items on the lower shelves and inside the crisper.  This would of course attract mold and the slimies. Ugh.  Not to mention the freezer that would fill with ice... and the door didn't seal well, either.  Oh, and don't forget the tape that held the shelf of the door securely (though impermanently) onto the door.
 

The old fridge: the delivery guy said his mother probably wasn't even born yet when this was made

Ah yes, the tiny freezer, made even smaller because of the ice

Note the brown tape on the lower right bar of the door

OMG:  .love.

Yay for no more mold and slime!

So excited to be able to store more than just ice in the freezer!

 So while I do love having a new major appliance to play with (I can't stop myself from occasionally pausing to admire it, or from opening the door to look inside), it did come with a price: the new mouse I found yesterday that was living between the fridge and the broom closet will have to find a new place to hang out, especially since we swept away its tasty Stevia packs that some subletter had spilled.