Chicago

We went to Chicago last week to visit family there.  We got to see parts of the city that we hadn't seen during our last trip a few years ago.  The Art Museum had a wonderful exhibit of impressionist paintings coupled with Victorian gowns that were very similar to the gowns in the paintings..... they had large mirrors set up behind the dresses so you could see some of the paintings reflected in the mirror as you looked at the gowns.  Gorgeous and well-thought-out display.  Very crowded museum..... seemed like half of Chicago was at the museum that day.

Speaking of crowds.......... the city streets were filled with people walking and sight-seeing.... as we drove along Michigan Avenue, I remembered to 'look up, way up' (as my Uncle Mino used to say whenever someone went sight-seeing in a city)...... his theory being that the most beautiful details on the older buildings were up near the higher floors.

We saw "The Bean," a huge silver bean-shaped sculpture in the park on Michigan Avenue........ and we drove by Harpo Studios, where Oprah used to film her daily shows.  We went to The Navy Pier on our last visit, so we didn't go there this time.  We saw two restored and antique-filled mansions in the heart of the city, both of them beautiful and worth the price of the tour--- the Driehaus, and the Glessner House.  With my Aunt and Uncle, we went to the Garfield Park Conservatory..... absolutely the most beautiful and interesting conservatory we've ever seen. So many different garden rooms filled with blooming plants, flowers, and large trees......... everything clearly marked, the paths paved and easy to walk on, and just so lovingly taken care of........ the sort of place that you could go visit again and again and never get tired of the beauty there.

My cousin R's two children have grown so much since our last trip.... J is 13 now, and K is nearly 10. So nice to see the kids again..... they both showed me their rooms, and showed me their collection of gifts I've sent them over the years.  We drove into Indiana to see my cousin P and his wife..... we had dinner there out on his deck and looked out on his amazing vegetable garden. P called it his "Surprise Garden"--- he had tossed out handfuls of vegetable seeds from out-dated seed packets..... all of the seeds took root, everything came up, every plant is thriving and producing vegetables and the garden just looks like he carefully planned every inch of it.

My Aunt took me to her favorite thrift/consignment store.... huge place........ of course I found a couple of treasures to bring home in my suitcase.  We had Dunkin Donuts, Malnati's Pizza, lunch at the café in the museum, and at-home dinners cooked by R's husband.  R and the kids have a little Yorkie/Terrier mix dog named Gizmo that's as cute as a button..... P and V have a spaniel named Copper... all that dog-action brought back memories of Gracie, and my husband had a photo of Gracie on his phone to show the kids.

While I was shopping with my Aunt one day, my friend J sent me a text message about that little puppy we had seen the week before our trip.  Her short message said "Your puppy is at WalMart."  (Meaning that the owner was trying to sell the puppy outside of WalMart..... which happens on just about every weekend of the year.... people selling puppies and kittens in WalMart's parking lot up in town.)

My heart dropped to my feet...... that woman was selling 'my' puppy in the WalMart parking lot???  I sent J a one-word text message: "Damn."  Then I told my husband that the puppy's owner was still trying to sell Winnie the Pooh (we'd already named the tiny poodle, even though we didn't buy him).  My husband said that no one shopping in WalMart would be paying $750 for that puppy.

All of that got us to talking about the puppy again........ and my husband said his name should be Winnie the Poohdle instead of Winnie the Pooh. (Still, we keep naming this puppy that isn't even ours.)  Part of me wants to call up that woman and ask if the puppy is still for sale.... part of me knows that we don't intend to spend that much money on a puppy...... and the sane and rational part of me doesn't even know for sure if we even want to be raising a puppy.

My husband and I are talking more about having or not having a puppy than most people talk about having or not having a baby.  

After the hustle and bustle of the trip, it's good to be home again. No matter where we go, it's always good to be home.  Sure is quiet here..... no kids.... no dogs.  Our inside cat Sweet Pea has barely let me out of his sight since we've been home.  I wonder what Winnie the Poohdle is doing right now........