Sunday, September 9, 2012

Ah, Rexburg.

We did it. 
We really dropped Michaela off and left her in that little one-horse town called Rexburg that was the meeting place of some pretty unpleasant experiences for me. 
I tried to warn her, prepare her.
But she was having none of my pessimism. 
That's because the sun was shining and it was a balmy 76 degrees as we drove out of town... 
Rexburg has a way of fooling you like that. 
Next thing you know, your eyelashes and nose hairs are brittle to the touch and the wind chill factor is a temperature you never thought you'd experience in your lifetime.
Oh, you can tell I walked down memory lane a bit this weekend.... But- we left her happy, full of Big Jud's burgers, and ready to "have an adventure." 
And an adventure is something I'm sure she will have. 

The I-card...her ticket to everything BYU-I.

Unwittingly, we turned the Unplugged sign into Rexburg Plugged. It's foreshadowing I think...

Here is the dorm I believe that I lived in....either my memory is hazy after 30 years, or I have blocked it from my subconscious....

We took a trip to the cemetery where my grandparents are buried, followed by a tour of Menan where they lived a good deal of their lives. As kids, we spent many great summers there...


(My mom's name on the back of the headstone)

We loved this "headstone" posted on the gate as you leave. Shutting the gate is serious business in Idaho.

This is the house my mom grew up in-it looks nothing like it did back in the day...

Apparently a contractor owns it now and has done a lot of fancyin' it up.

This was an original building in the back yard...

Here is the house that made me cry...I have so many great memories of visiting here.  Not much had been changed even after 40 years...

I once locked a stray cat in this granary, fed it secretly and pretended it was my own for a few days :)

This is my Aunt Lu who took us on this whirlwind tour of Menan. She and her husband are two of the kindest people I know.





Obviously, we couldn't leave Idaho without a trip to Big Jud's. Michaela's roommate, as well as her dad, had never experienced Big Jud's so it was a must do.

To accommodate Michael's picky palate,  we had to order everything on the side and then dress our hamburger accordingly. I was sure it was going to  compromise the taste, but no. It was awesome!

It was just as good as Michaela remembered...


...and her roommate Dani was pretty impressed too.
For me, it went without saying.


So Rexburg, even though I had my doubts,
Michaela is Michaela and will be just fine. 

Until the first snowfall :)