A quick wander and a sweet pea of a building

I had an early doctor's appointment on Friday. We'd been tossing around the idea of a wander but weren't sure. Just in case, Ernie threw our boatload of pills, something to sleep in and our little travel bag with toothbrushes and the like in our Oxford Comma bag. My appointment was good and as left we decided what the hell and wandered on.

Overall, it was a good wander but it was also one of those days where nothing seemed to go smoothly. Part way toward our first stop we realized that Joe (the shillelagh) was missing. This caused a bit of hysteria. Joe is beloved to me, he was my dad's shillelagh and well, he's special. The level of tension was quite high but fortunately when Leo went home for lunch he found him and brought him safely inside. Whew. It took a while for us to calm down which led to us getting snippy and Ernie seemingly becoming gas pump impaired. When we got to our hotel the reservation got screwed up. We got a room but I think we paid more than we should have I was too worn down to get into it. We wanted food but nobody seemed to deliver which always pushes Ernie into a weirdly high level of irritation and hostility. I found a place that was across the highway and figured out an order. He called but no answer. He decided to just go over and order there and wait. He called me a bit later and said he got there and the place had burned down. It seemed fitting for the day. I felt so bad for the restaurant but I couldn't help but giggle at poor Ernie. So I got on my phone, found another place and directed him there. He finally got back about a year later. Sadly I had forgotten to change the salad dressing on my salad so it was far too garlicky to eat but my piece of salmon was good. Shrug. However Ernie said they had Butterfingers in the motel's vending machine!!! He even SHARED it with me (he's not normally much of candy bar guy). Then they made him go downstairs to sign or do something about the reservation. It was just one of those days.

It was all worth it though, because LOOK what we found: a stunning little art deco gas station.

I know, I know, it makes me a bit weak in the knees myself.

Note: all photos by Ernie.

You know, if this were in a touristy area, or a high end town, it would have people lining up to put a cute little coffee shop in there or a tiny boutique. It sits in a tiny little town in Illinois. It looks like a solid little town, I liked it, but what will come of this little guy? Of course maybe that's why he's survived this long.

It looks like the main window was replaced in December (building permit on door). Here's a Google street shot from ten years ago. It looks so different with that building next to it, doesn't it?

Onward, little building, onward.

Top photo: look at those little holes, do you think it once had neon? Oh, man I am weak with pleasure....