Introduction
After more than 15 years, I return to Minneapolis for a long weekend at the end of April. It's a surprise visit for my Great Aunt Susannah, who has always been one of my favorite people. I also get a chance to visit my Aunt Melissa and her family, my Carpenter relatives, and my dear, dear old friend Patti and her parents, Ralph and Carol. Sitting in their kitchen feels like home after all these years.
The sun shines all weekend, and it feels like a taste of summer. It feels like Minneapolis, even though most of it is unrecognizable. I don't make it to the Mall of America, but I do have a late night dinner in a Perkins. I get homemade waffles at Grandma's house. I help Aunt Susannah prepare the altar at St. Andrews for service on Sunday. We visit the Minneapolis Institute of Arts - a large, fine museum - for a special exhibit of floral arrangements inspired by artworks. I talk to my cousin Liesl about anime and learn a new card game. I catch up on everyone's lives and tell my own stories.
