This weekend was supposed to be an overnight in downtown Chicago to celebrate my sister-in-law Kim and my 60th birthdays. Unfortunately, Jan's younger sister, Dawn came down with abdominal pain which the doctor thinks could be her gall bladder. Here's hoping it's something very minor. So, instead of a weekend of partying with Jan, her 2 sisters and the guys, I'm leaving a day earlier than my planned Monday departure. This will allow me to beat a forcecast light snow here for Sunday night into Monday. The worst part of beeing a snowmobile junkie is having to drive long distances in [View Full Entry]

---

---

Saturday, November 25, 2009 Postscript/Overview of Blog: 3 Months after the trip... Well, it’s almost 3 months since my return from the summer 2009 Chicago, Illinois to St. Lake City, Utah roundtrip drive, camping the entire month. Sophie, my traveling companion, drove a total of 6,000 miles, driving through 11 states, and returning safely back home to Chicago with 3 weeks to unwind before returning to my position as a university writing instructor. Watching the Ken Burn’s excellent 12-hour National Park series on PBS, I was glad to have “beaten” [View Full Entry]

---

---

Woke up to rain and we happy we still had the car. Andrew did his first mistake and tried to turn left into the left lane, but he did correct before we got into too much trouble!! Headed straight to the United Centre, the home of the Chicago Bulls to see a tribute to Michael Jordon. Dodgiest suburb ever and he stadium was just a concrete building. We both expected a lot more. Only ran in and out as when we were parking the car these dodgy blokes asked about our car and said they would look after it for us. [View Full Entry]

---

---

We started the day a bit sceptical, but after about a 20 min walk from our hotel found civilisation ad Chicago is actually a beautiful city. Walked the streets looking at old buildings and crossing the Chicago River. Made it down to Lake Michigan... unbelievably huge (shows how much Andrew knew, he thought it froze over and he could ice skate on it - I couldn’t stop laughing when he said that), it is bigger than 2 of America’s states together. Found the John Hancock Building, which has an observation deck on the 94th Floor. Went up there and since it [View Full Entry]

---

---

What though the radiance which was once so bright Be now for ever taken from my sight, Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind -Ode to Intimations of Immortality, William Wordsworth Everything is easy: learning to read, arithmetic, riding a bike, driving a car, baking a soufflé, climbing a mountain, brain surgery, leaving your country for 6 months. Its easy. No problem, anyone can do it. Of course, anything is easy once you’ve done it. It’s the before that [View Full Entry]

---

---

Are you sure I need to be there at 8am?? Yes...you are supposed to be here at 7:59am! Yikes, I don't like having to be at my part-time job at 8am. I normally start at 10 am and I was trying to not have to come in until 9am, since I was the 3rd 8am person scheduled. Wasn't I in for a surprise, when I called to tell them I was running 20 min late! "Can I talk to Rosie?" And the response I got...Rosie had her baby an hour ago. Oh noooo, now I was really in trouble! Well, I [View Full Entry]

---

---

Waiting for Vix to turn up, and we're trying to work this blog out over skype. shesh. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Well, here I am, back in the windy city again...that's right, Chicago! Now I happen to really like Chicago, perhaps because I had such a great first visit here (though alas, I was not blogging then), and perhaps just because it's a city that sits well with me for unknown reasons. Because generally, when I'm here, I don't get to see much of it. Like the last time, when I came just for lunch. But anyway, I'm here for a recruitment meeting today and tomorrow, which has had a small social com [View Full Entry]

---

---

I have been thinking of traveling to Chicago again ever since summer. There are so many things to see and do, and a lot of them are free. I think Chicago has more places with free admission than any other city in the Union. I have written an article for anyone who is interested in visiting Chicago on a Budget. There's Navy Pier, Grant Park, the museums have free days on Tuesdays almost once a month, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and much, much more. I hope you will enjoy an inexpensive trip to this great city! [View Full Entry]

---

---

Just when you think you're "in like Flint" ... NOT. Here I sit, at Chicago O'Hare Airport waiting to see if I get on a plane out of here tonight to London. Yesterday, up early, said goodbye to Jackie, went back to bed. It was early!!! My dear sweet Lee took her to the airport and saw her at least through Security. I got to sleep a couple of hours more. Back to the airport by noon. I'm traveling on Kim's pass, as a non-revenue passenger, and it is always a gamble. But no problem getting on the flight to Chicago. [View Full Entry]

---

---