Conversation Club Chatter

What a fun whirlwind trip. The train is great if you have a long time to spend getting there, or just want the experience of rail travel. Ours was the experience choice! We left the station on time at 6:30 am last Thursday, ordered breakfast in the dining car and then eventually arrived in Chicago at 1pm. Took a typical taxi ride (horn honking fast) to the Palmer House Hilton and let the girls have a swim before we took off on a walk to see the sights. They quickly realized that they were in a truly bigtime city! After some lunch we grabbed at cab to the American Girls store where we spent about 2 hours and $200. Ella got her first (and likely only) American Doll, Felicity(from Revolutionary times) which she will be able to play with Delaney’s Elizabeth from the same era. Delaney got an outifit for her doll, and a little sick dolly kit with crutches, leg and arm casts, bandages, ice pack etc. So they were both in seventh heaven on the taxi ride back to the hotel. At 5 we walked around the block and across Michigan Ave to the Museum of Art. They each recognized some of the paintings. After that we went to a nearby restaurant for Chicago style pizza, then back to the Palmer House for an evening swim. Our room was huge, very luxurious, 2 bathrooms. I think it was the same size that I stayed in for my high school Senior Class trip only with 6 of us girls! Then on Friday Delaney and Ella swam once more before we checked out and left our suitcases with the hotel while we took a taxi to the Shedd Aquarium. Very nice as always, but Delaney was a little disappointed in light of having been to the mega-huge Atlanta Aquarium and the not as big but just as nice National Aquarium in Baltimore. From there we took a taxi to the Sears Tower where we were so graciously treated by Maureen’s brother to the Sky Deck tour and our photos! (I need to get your brother’s address Maureen, to send a TY note and gift card) We were close enough to walk back to the Palmer House after that - we retrieved our suitcases and then sat awhile in that magnificent lobby, soaking in the ambience! We got a taxi around 4 to take us to the train station where we had a bite to eat before our train left at 5:45 pm, getting into Indy finally at 1 am and back to our house by a little before 2 am. We all slept in awhile on Saturday! All in all, a nice (expensive!) trip. Chicago is a wonderful place to visit, but have to say I like the slower pace of where I live!

Thank you Maureen. The movie was charming and satisfying. I totally identified with the glee exhibited by the two characters purchasing bargains. The movie was sold out and I got one of the last tickets(didn’t occur to me that there would be a crowd at 1:00 in the afternoon) Drove past JEverettLight on the way home. The parking lot was full. I assume with voters. I think I will go tomorrow. It will be better to wait tomorrow than waiting around on a work day. Apparently Obama encouraged the 35,000 people at his rally to vote early. Marion county has had 30,000 voters so far. As is typical Bill and I will cancel out each other’s vote. The next president will probably be appointing the next three Supremes. So even though neither candidate is perfect (promising way more than either could deliver) I have made my decision.

Sue has got to see Second Hand Wedding … about a mother who is into garage sales, daughter doesn’t want to tell her she is engaged because she is afraid her mom will buy everything for the wedding/reception at garage sales. I can hear her laughing now!

Kate, Short Program 1 … all but 1 of the movies were good. Unfortunately the one that wasn’t good was 40 minutes long. It was Montana del Luz … about an orphanage for children who were HIV positive in Honduras. It was just a series of interviews with the children and the couple who worked there. Just because of that 1 I would select another movie.

Besides not being able to scratch the itch for 30 minutes, the MRI went fine. The doctor called within hours saying the MRI showed no other areas of concern but that she still wants to do the biopsy. She can’t be too concerned … her first available appointment is November 12th.

I don’t want to change Dave nor does he want to change me but if there is some habit that took 30 years to annoy him … I’d want to know. Or if he is tired of taking out the trash etc etc.

We plan on going to some Heartland movies between Friday and when we leave for the Catskills on Wednesday.

Rachel did the Chicago marathon in 5:26 Her first 13 miles was 2:21 and then she started slowing down. It was a warm day. She said the Indianapolis one in May still has the best food.

See everyone Thursday.

Keeping in mind that I am doing everything right … why do I end up needing all the extra procedures? Speaking of which … how is Barb doing?

I just went for my yearly mammogram … a 3 hour visit. I need to go back for an MRI and she would like to do a biopsy but depending on the MRI might be talked into waiting a few months. There is an increase in the calcifications in the same breast that I had the cancer in. Because I know that there is 99.9 percent(my guess) chance of everything being fine I hate that I have to go through these procedures … just to be sure!

Our anniversary … I had cooked lasagna to freeze for the future but since it was raining and fresh lasagna sounded good, I just lit candles and we ate in the dining room. I was disappointed that Dave didn’t give me some token gift… I gave him a carrot muffin that morning since we had carrot cake for our wedding. … I asked him over dinner … what did he want from me, our relationship for the next 30 years, expecting him then to ask me the same question…no go. Oh well.

He goes in for a colonoscopy on Friday … maybe while he is still under the effects of anesthetic I can get him to talk!

I’m changing the date to the 16th. So re-RSVP. I will call Barb and Raquel after I find out if y’all can come.

I can have CC this Thursday, Oct. 9th. Can anyone come?