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A wonderful trip to Chicago
My mother had decided to take a vacation in Chicago last weekend and invited me along.  Woo Hoo!

Thursday I drove down with my friend JC, who has a daughter in St. Charles.  We left around 9:30 and took it easy, we made St. Charles just at 6:00, so I dropped my friend off and headed into Oak Park to see GG and RR; this was my principle reason for coming in a day early; GG is an old and good friend and I always like to see her when I get a chance.  We had Edwardo's pizza, and wine, and I tottered off to bed very full and happy.
Friday RR made yummy banana pancakes, and then I drove down to the Loop to see my other old friend from First Chicago Bank, BU.  Parking the car first in the Loop for coffee and shopping and then at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers overnight, together, cost as much as a megabus ticket would have, but I got company on the road, much more comfortable seating, and what later turned out to be an essential degree of freedom by having the car with me, and JC paid for gas, so the parking was essentially the only expense.

I had had coffee with Bill and hit Filene's Basement when Mom called to say that she and June were at the hotel.  June is my cousin-in-law, and she and her husband Jim were to share the evening's adventures with us.  I got my car and drove up to the hotel, and Mom and I settled into our room and had a rest.

In the evening, we picked up Jim from work (North Michigan Avenue was absolutely gridlocked, and had I known where the restaurant was I could have walked faster than we drove!) and we went to Kiki's Bistro.  It was festive and delicious.  Back to the hotel to bed completed the evening.

Saturday, JIm, June, and Mom went to the Art Institute.  I had other fish to fry.  GG had told me about a fiber store out in Marengo (almost to Rockford), and I had to go, so after we all had breakfast I retrieved my car and set out.  It was a pleasant drive getting out there on a beautiful Fall afternoon, (Note, MUST get Ipass before I go that way again!), and it was well worth the trip.  Every kind of comed wool top, Falkland, Coopworth, Corriadale, Merino, Blue Faced Leicester.  Every kind of carded roving.  Many kinds of solid dyed wools and variegated wools.  Rare fibers; tons of silk, alpaca, cashmere.  She even had vicuna, this smaller cousin of the alpaca is extremely rare and costs $250 an ounce!!!!  I got to touch it . . .

I loaded up with lots of white wool, some bamboo, extra-fine black alpaca mixed with white tencel for a sort of charcoal effect, some hemp, and other goodies.  I also bought a Turkish drop spindle;; this little toy is beautifully made and works as advertised; you finish spinning, slide the pieces apart, and presto! you have a center-pull ball of yarn.

After the Great Fiber Splurge I simply took Hwy 176 straight back east until I got to our old friends in River Forest.  Jim, June, and Mom joined us for dinner and Mom and I spent the night.  Mom was there till yesterday.

Sunday  I met up with JC and her daugher; we explored a little bit of the Chicago Botanic Gardens, had lunch, and then came home.

I'm always happy in Chicago; I was young there once, and it always feels good to be back.