Darlin' Don't You Go and Cut Your Hair...

My week ended in sunny Los Angeles and a plane ride home to rainy Seattle, which I couldn't wait to get back to. Saturday morning the first thing I crossed off my list was getting my hair cut.

Before and After

I enjoyed a quiet night making dinner for my brother Andy and my pal Adam. I cooked the steak "cowboy style," which the internet instructs to sear on an iron skillet that's been heating on high for 15-20 minutes. The whole apartment was smoked out and we quickly learned that our fire alarm is electrically wired, so instead of just taking out the battery we had to frantically fan at the ceiling with a dish rag. After dinner we enjoyed drinks and music, finding Neko Case's new album available on NPR and can be listened to here.

Sunday morning I threw on some clothes and headed to Adam's to celebrate March Day, which Adam and I created about six years ago during our "more wild" days. My friend Harry picked us up in his mom's Volkswagen Beetle convertible, and we headed for the road to get in some trouble:

Harry picking us up in his mom's car

Adam's ubiquitous March Day camera documenting the day's debauchery

Back at my house after a hard day's celebrating

We had a great time and it's amazing that Adam and I have upheld this tradition this long. I've realized something about this blog as I'm writing it. When The Nickel-Plated Wayfarer was first created, the entries all focused on the strange and new places I was visiting. Lately it seems all I write about is what happens on my weekends home. Does this mean the road has become more familiar to me than home? Maybe all the Hilton Garden Inns and Radissons have won a place in my familiar life, and these weekend visits home are what's become strange and different? I certainly hope that's not the case, but life is sure more interesting not spent in a hotel room.

We'll see what's to come for this Nickel-Plated Wayfarer! It's been a great second year of travels, but it sure has changed my perspective on the value of your friends and family. Tomorrow, it's off to beautiful Boise! I end my week in Minneapolis, where my sister Betsy will be celebrating her 23rd birthday.