encouraging words....

Now this is a good sign when your legs are getting tired out all the bike trail.

I bought a trunk strap for my bike so I can

get my workout on the trail where it's
safe for a beginner like me. 

on top of Memorial

The city from Memorial.  Lots of great clouds.

View of Barn Bluff from Memorial. 

 Normally, I'm climbing over there, but it's fun to see it from this perspective.

shapes found in nature

Click to enlarge

if you want to hear God laugh, tell him (or her) your plans....

The weekend was hot! Hot and humid. The kind of humidity that makes me think of dark movie theaters and chilled glasses of pinot grigio. So, imagine my surprise when I managed to experience both – at the same time. We went to a cool movie theater where you can take in a movie and enjoy a full service meal complete with waitress and all. Except for my slight discomfort in the lower end office chair, it was a fabulous experience. Was the movie better because of a glass of wine? Maybe? We saw "Letters from Juliet" and at one point I got a little misty when the old couple reconnected and the sparks flew after 50 years apart. The old dude arrived astride a galloping white horse all handsome, tan and 70. The women trembling and scared that he would not recognize her. And me…sniff sniff….wiping away a tear, sipping my wine and munching on my Kevin BLT (Kevin Bacon….get it) and some Lord of the onion rings. What a way to while away an afternoon!


As great as the movie, wine and lunch experience was it wasn’t how we intended to spend our day. Although it was unusually hot for May, I was headed into downtown Chicago on the light rail to meet my sister by the bean at Millennium Park. This was not to be. The Metra pulled into the station completely packed. With a 45 minute commute - standing in the aisle in a hot, crowded metal tube and at least 8 or so more stops to make before reaching Union Station, I made the split second decision, with one foot on the train, to back away. I couldn’t imagine willingly putting myself into that situation. The bean will be there the next time I visit Chicago.

We did manage to tour the homes of Frank Lloyd Wright in a 1.5 mile walking tour in Oak Park. I’ve wanted to do that for some time and can finally check it off my list. Then after an unfortunate stop for lunch at Penny’s Noodles (or something like that) we had our real lunch at the Buzz Café.

We also saw a Queen Latifah movie “Just Wright” the old fashioned way - in big comfortable, germ infested chairs with a box of popcorn and coughing, throat-clearing people all around us. Now, THAT’S how God intended us to see movies! I had a lot of trouble with premise of this movie….obvious things I won’t go into here. If you’ve seen the movie and you are women you will get it. My sister’s convinced I would have loved it with a little wine.

Oh, and who is this guy.....

I don't know - just some dude sleeping in his van - the badge makes it funny, don't ya think?