Fall plans

We are looking forward and realizing that our time in the Chicagoland area will be coming to an end in 2-3 weeks. We've got a tentative plan for our next travels that looks something like this:

Google Map version

Our current plan is to return to Virginia and finish getting Miss Doozie ready to sell, as well as work on selling Carl's Honda CRV (which is all set up to be a towed vehicle). We had considered waiting to sell Miss Doozie, but we've pretty much made up our minds (or, rather, I, Patti, have finally come to the same conclusion as Carl) that returning to a non-slide bus is not going to work for us - even though we both agree that the 2000 Blue Bird Wanderlodge is a much better built rig than the newer 2012 Dutch Star (Gracie).

We are then thinking that we will deliver some last things that I still have from Aunt Libby to cousin Marty and Irene on Amelia Island, head to Lewisville to get the awning installed on Gracie that we've been waiting for since April, and finally hope to finish up in Mesa, where Carl has an RV lot in an RV 55+ resort community, for the winter.

If you've been watching the maps on this blog, you may have developed the opinion that we do a lot of circling in the same areas... and it does not appear that we are changing that behavior for this fall... oh well, eventually we'll get to cover new ground!

So... if anyone is along our route and would like a visit, or may want to ask for us to make a detour on our route - let us know!

Saturday evening - visiting with friends

We had arranged to meet up with friends Greg and Candis, Bob and Cathy, for dinner in Wheaton Saturday evening. The city of Wheaton has closed Hale Street in their downtown area and put up tents which provide for outdoor dining options for the restaurants along the street - it was really nice! The weather has finally cooled below the 90s so it was pleasant to sit outside for supper.

After dinner with Candis and Greg,

... and with Bob and Cathy.

 

It was so nice to meet these longtime friends of Carl and Sue's and to share with them our story. We were blessed to spend time with these friends!

We also drove by Carl and Sue's Winfield house (I had blogged about driving by it earlier in August - https://journeyinamazinggrace.blogspot.com/2020/08/friday-around-chicago-land-area.html - but we forgot to take pictures that time):

Carl noted the stars on the windows on the side (like the Texas Lone Star!) ...

... and he mentioned being glad to no longer have responsibility for maintenance on the asphalt driveway or cedar fence or cedar siding of the house and garage.

Of course, he still has maintenance on all parts of the motorhome!

Saturday morning in Chicago

Saturday we had arranged to meet up with Steve and Shay for breakfast so we drove into Chicago in the morning.

Shay and Steve had us park near their apartment and met up with us near where we parked...

Neat lit-up bench in front of a restaurant on our way to breakfast

These little "greenhouse"-like huts were provided for the patrons of a restaurant / bar to allow for weather-protected social-distanced dining -- but with the hot weather this past week in Chicago, I think they would have been really uncomfortable. Maybe for the cold weather that will be coming in a few months?

One of a couple of exercise classes that we saw going on outside

We were heading to Beatrix for breakfast

You accessed the menu by scanning a QR code on a smartphone (not sure how non-smartphone customers would know what was on the menu - I do know a couple of folks who don't have smartphones!)

Delicious omelette

Delicious enchiladas

Steve has recently gotten a new computer...

Pretty snazzy, huh?

We remembered to get a selfie with all of us just before we headed out...

Some of my IBM friends might remember this building

It is now called AMA Plaza

https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV8010.html

There is a luxury hotel in the building now (in addition to other businesses):

https://www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/chicago/

That would have been convenient when we were teaching there, huh?

It's kinda empty in here...

Big Rock Campground is not very busy during the week...

Gracie is *way* over there near the trees - there are about 10 rigs total in this 100+ site campground

... but we like the quiet!

I took this picture on Tuesday evening. By Thursday, more folks start moving in to camp for the weekend. Last weekend it was probably about 70% full on Saturday evening.

Wednesday out with Mom Williams

On Wednesday, Carl had an appointment at the eye clinic to get measurements done and final instructions before his surgery next week (on 9/3). 

Before heading out, we made a quick trip up to the roof to check the condition of the front air conditioner. It has not been cooling well, and we wanted to make sure that it was not due to a lot of debris clogging the coils.

Carl got the cover opened and examined it - there was a little bit of fuzz on the coils, but it wasn't bad.

While there, we got pictures of the serial numbers...

... in case we need to get service on it.

Carl wore his **really cool** shades as he drove to the eye clinic (he had gotten them on the previous trip to the eye clinic when his eyes were dilated for the exam. He said it was nice because they weren't all scratched up like his normal sun glasses!

After getting the measurements done and being supplied the scripts for eye drops that he would need to prepare for surgery from the eye clinic, we had lunch at a really nice Szechwan restaurant in St Charles.

We got to spend much of the afternoon with Carl's mom -- we're helping her with some simplification tasks -- on Wednesday, we helped with closing some bank accounts so there are fewer that she needs to keep up with.

It was nice getting to spend the afternoon with her!

 

It seems to be fixed!

I posted a few days ago about an air leak that we were experiencing with the air gauges at the dash.

The service center sent a replacement gauge and Carl got it installed a couple of days ago. It seems to be working great!

You can't really tell anything from the picture, but there is no air hiss now!

We've sent the failing gauge back and hope that is all completed now!

Pizza

So, we're in Chicago where there are *great* pizza restaurants, but...

We are still enjoying our Walmart pizzas!

They are usually $5 for a medium (which is plenty for the two of us, and fits into our convection microwave oven). This past week, we got one of the gluten-free crusts (fits into Keto diet) which was on sale because it was near the expiration date -- gluten free is usually $7, but on special it was $5.25:

As it came out of the box (well, actually, I had already repositioned some of the mozzarella slices).

We added basil and tomato slices and Carl is in process of adding more mozzarella...

Ready to go into the oven...

After baking - let's just say that it was YUMMY!

We have tried the Margherita and Meat Lovers pizzas from Walmart, and we like both of them! The Meat Lovers we don't usually add anything to... but since we have a basil plant and usually have tomatoes and cheese, we generally add to the Margherita pizzas when we buy them.

Animal paintings

When we visited Das Dutchman Essenhaus for supper in Middlebury, Indiana a few weeks ago, I enjoyed some of the art on the walls that was available for sale:

This one reminded me of the goat we had when I was growing up - Belle

I liked how this one was long and narrow. Although the windmill on the right also looks long and narrow, I think it may have been part of a larger piece.

This looks like some of the Black Baldy calves on the farm.

This one was on a raised metal shaped in the shape of the pig, and mounted on the barn-board kind of wood.

I don't exactly remember the prices -- living in a tiny house precludes our interest in acquiring artwork! But I can still enjoy looking at it!

Fidget Blanket Ministry

One of our neighbors at Big Rock Campground came over one afternoon to share her ministry with us:

 

 She brought two of the blankets over to show us:

One for a man

One for a woman

They have various pockets and buttons and interesting things to feel or do. Each has a "ribbon maze" with a sheer ribbon and beads behind that the user can push through the maze. She makes them as a ministry and wants to provide them to those who are caregiving at home for a dementia patient. I told her that I would blog about her ministry and she was quite appreciative - so if you are a caregiver, or know of one, please pass her information along to them.

Friday around Big Rock Campground with Friends

We were happy to be with Melanie and Jim, Marty and George for Friday.

Carl told me that one of these was the "big rock"... ;-)

An Eagle Scout project put these bird houses up that were supposed to house Purple Martins, but it seems that sparrows find them more to their liking.

We went on about a 4 mile hike out from the campground and around a lake formed from a former quarry.

 

We came across a small snake on the walk.

George and Melanie

Patti getting a picture at the quarry lake

Melanie and Jim, Patti and Carl...

... and with more of the lake behind us.

Looking at the creek next to the lake

The creek was really beautiful

A selfie with all of us in front of Marty and George's RPod

Marty and George's, and Melanie and Jim's trailers across from us - as Melanie and Jim were hooking up and preparing to move on to their next campground.

We are enjoying spending time with friends!