I went to my dad’s on the long weekend because my aunt was turning 80. So I took the train down to Ingersoll on Friday morning (2 hr ride followed by 45 minute drive home). Half way there, I realized I’d left my ID in Toronto. Not normally a problem, except this time our destination was Royal Oak Michigan. I haven’t been to the States in almost 20 years, and when I was in school and “jumping the ditch” to go to the bars, you got across the border with a wink and a wave. After 9-11, everyone told me that they wouldn’t let me go with only a driver’s license.
After a few frantic calls to my uncle who works in customs and a “well they’ll ‘PROBABLY’ let you through”, we packed up the car, drove 2 hours back to Toronto and then 3 hrs home (a rather nasty accident delayed us) to get my birth certificate.
The next day, we drove 3 hours Royal Oak for the party. My aunt Doris (the birthday girl here) was totally surprised and I saw cousins that I hadn’t seen since 1984. We had a great time, laughed a lot and ate some wonderful food.
This was followed by another three hour drive back to my dad’s.
The next day I took the train back to Toronto, (another 45 minute drive and 2 hour train trip). I got home Sunday around 10pm. I’m still recovering, but glad I went. For a while, I felt like I was in Planes Trains and Automobiles (without the plane of course!)
The best part of this epic journey is that I had a lot of time to crochet! I almost completed the back on a sweater that is in the current Crochet Fantasy magazine.
Oh yeah…the border guards never asked to see our ID – either coming or going. I was right, you can still get by in the world on a wink and a wave 
It figures.