Home again, home again

We spent last week in Chicago, the purpose of which was a meeting for my husband. We went a day early so we could take advantage of something we had never done on two previous business trips: see Chicago!

We strolled to the Navy Pier, marveled at the Smith Stained Glass Museum. My camera decided to 1) fill up its digital card [okay, so I could have checked it first] and 2) run out of battery power, all within a three hour time period. I never have bonded with that camera, but given my choices (none that were convenient or affordable at the time), I deleted 100 photos and put in new batteries. We were all happier.

The Chicago Architectural River Cruise just ought to be required. Before, I would look at the Chicago skyline and think: lots of big buildings--don't they have enough? After, I could look at the skyline and think: somebody's going to fall into the river if they build much closer to it and there goes the view from my hotel room once the Twizzler is erected. All sarcasm aside, I was most impressed with the variety and daring and sheer effort it took and takes to maintain so much history and forward thinking.

We didn't shop, except I couldn't pass up an opportunity to venture into The American Girl store. I found there is indeed an English girl, companion to Molly, named Emily. I thought it fate: I bought the book for my English Emily.

A tour of Unity Temple and Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, The Field Museum (had to see The Lions of Tsavo), The Art Institute, and finally The Shedd Aquarium. A water taxi, the city buses, a cab ride where I left my favorite Chico's jacket... That was the only snarl. It was four years old, but still, I don't think I'll be able to replace it exactly. The food, the food, the food.

It was fun to go, to visit with friends we hadn't seen in four years, and it was great to be back home to attentive cats and laundry and stacked newspapers and mail and did I mention laundry?