When the family visits, it becomes an operation. That operation is to make sure they always have a good time. And I mean, always a good time. The entire time you are here, you will be having a good time. Resting is not a good time, so we should be doing something exciting. My mother says “You always give us your whole self when we visit you.”
Unfortunately, when my sister visited this weekend, she came pre-exhausted. She arrived Thursday, and we went out to the Urban Diner for dinner. But the next day, while I was at work she had some interviews and traveling to do for her thesis. She got back in the evening after getting herself tired. We went to Chianti’s and then watched half a movie.
Saturday was when we got down to business. She wanted to do her first 15km run, in the morning. So after we went to the Farmer’s Market, we went out running. To add encouragement, I said we would only go to Famoso for lunch if she did the run in two hours. There was yelling. There was crying. There was “Eye of the Tiger” being played. But in the end, she did it. Barely.
The afternoon was spent getting supplies and general readiness for the barbecue in the evening. I nominally called it her debutante party. About nine people and a dog came and had chicken and burgers. I think it went well.
Sunday we went for a brunch at the Urban Diner. Mostly because I wanted poffertjes, and my sister was a good excuse to go out. (Note: Go earlier next time. The place fills up quickly.)
In the afternoon, it was off to the Edmonton Expo. Also called Comic Con. We met up with some friends and wandered the floor. My sister ditched me to go see a seminar but after five minutes she discovered that it was boring. Instead she went to see the celebrities. She didn’t feel like paying for autographs, so she just went up to them to say hello.
Now she is a big fan of Joe Flanigan. She wasn’t before, but she came back gushing about him. We then saw the Christopher Lloyd seminar. I discovered that the audience really shouldn’t be allowed to ask questions. Apparently people can’t separate fiction from actors. The only good question was a request to hear him say “Great Scott!”
When the con ended, we went to Da-de-o, and then saw the movie Looper.
Her drive home on Monday was not easy, so I’m told. She was thoroughly tired. But she got home safely, and then promptly went to sleep.

Mission Accomplished!