Chicago Birthday

I was so excited when I realized that we would be in Chicago for my birthday. John says he knew right away what I would like - Mexican food and dinosaurs.



















I did a five mile run along Lake Michigan that morning and then met John at Frontera for lunch. Frontera is one of Rick Bayless's restaurants and it had fabulous food. John asked me to order him a margarita while he went to the restroom, but by the time he got back, our server was only half way through explaining the margarita menu to me. I think the one I ordered had cilantro and cucumber in it, with a cilantro-salt rim. Delicious. I also ordered a chocolate empanada for dessert (pictured above), and they were kind enough to write happy birthday in chocolate sauce along the top.


















































Then we made our way to the Field Museum.
























We saw some of the permanent stuff, like Sue the Dinosaur.








































We also saw Whales: Giants of the Deep, one of the special exhibits (where they don't allow photos, unfortunately). I am apparently the last of my friends to know that whales evolved from a land-dwelling mammal that went back into the sea and eventually stayed there. It makes sense, really - how else would there be mammals in the ocean? Anyways, I was impressed.


We spend the majority of our time in Evolving Planet, where you get to walk through different phases of the earth's development. Naturally I loved the part with the dinos.












































































































John posed so naturally with all of them.
I could have stayed at the Field forever, but they closed early on Friday so our time was a little short. We zipped through ancient Egypt and then it was time to go.
I wasn't sure John would top last year's present (Li'l Choppy), but he really out did himself this year.

Madge at 90

John and I went with Madge to the grocery store and a nice old lady offered John her grocery scooter.






















Never one to miss an opportunity, John road the scooter into the store.























Here's the birthday cake we had at the luncheon for Madge's 90th birthday.
























Family photos (really, click that link).








Me, Grandma, Halley.















Klickna ladies.
























And of course, no visit to Springfield would be complete without a visit to Peases Candy.
























Mmmm chocolate Lincoln face. Delicious.























I'm glad that Halley's new found vegan diet didn't stop her from taking a trip to Peases.


Springfield was one of the last legs of the trip. Now we're back in Fort Wayne for the rest of the week. This weekend I'm traveling to Baltimore for a friend's wedding, and that will the grand conclusion of Road Tripstravaganza Oh-Ten.

Grandma Madge's House

In an uncertain world, it's nice to know that some things stay the same. For example, Madge has had that couch and accompanying lamps since I was old enough to remember. My cousins and I spent a lot of nights sleeping on sleeping bags and air mattresses in front of it.






























To the left of the couch is what I tend to think of as the Chocolate Table, since this is where she would leave boxes of homemade peanut butter truffles (we knew them as buck eyes) and Christmas cookies during the holidays. Like the couch, I remember a time when I wasn't tall enough to reach on top the table.
























Normally this dining room table had its leaf in place and we all crammed around it to eat dinner during family gatherings. Behind it you can see the armchair, toward which my cousin Kevin used to charge, head first. Not sure what his reasoning was, I guess he had a lot of energy to expend.






















Still in the same room, Madge's collection of ducks. I'll put these on the list of "unofficial" toys - as in, things my cousins and I played with, even though they were really meant for admiring (stuffed ducks excluded...she did have those back then).























On the list of Official Toys, I'd put most of the stuff in this set of drawers. Let's see here, we've got the Rubik's snake and cube, and one of several View-Masters.























In the next drawer, a box with a set of dominoes in it, and yet another View-Master.































After she put carpeting down in her sun porch, my cousins and I spent a lot more time there. I remember drinking a virgin strawberry daiquiri and giggling like crazy to my cousin's "Baby got back" tape, feeling like were listening to something that was "too old for us."
























These days Madge is growing a big cherry tree in the back yard.


I know it might sound weird, but it's comforting to visit a place that has the same furniture, look, and yes - most definitely - smell that it's had for the past 25 years. I'm so glad John and I stopped in Springfield.


Next up: Grandma Madge turns 90.

En Route to Springfield, IL

On Wednesday John and I woke up in Memphis and drove to Springfield, IL, where my grandma lives.




















We crossed the Mississippi into Arkansas (the first photo), then crossed back over it as we drove into Missouri.























Six and a half hours after we left, we arrived in Illinois.































On the way into Springfield we saw one of the wackiest interstate signs I've ever seen.
























We also passed a lighthouse, which I'm guessing is mostly for show.





















Next I'll post some pictures of Grandma Madge's house, which I think could be in an exhibit about "What to Expect at a typical grandma's house."