Christmas Redux Part One: To Iowa

BuildingsWandering

Jan 7

Written By

Ernie and I aren't really ones for big gifts for each other at Christmas. Somehow, we've been together so long and know each other so well, and do things for one another throughout the year, that Christmas presents just aren't a big deal for us. I know some find that odd, but it works for us. We will, however, often do something or get something that we both want. This year we also were trying to be careful with money; but we've both really been itching to get out of town. So when, on Saturday morning I suddenly suggested to go that day, Ernie agreed and we went for it.

We were pretty home bound last year with my health issues, and one of the things we normally love to do is travel to small and mid sized cities throughout the Midwest. Last year we did NONE of that, and we didn't even start up our country drives until late in the year when I was finally feeling better. So we'd already been talking about possible little trips. I decided we should do a tour of all the Louis Sullivan banks we hadn't seen, then there's always US 40 and the Lincoln Highway; I'd been tossing all of those around in my head. My friend Seth had recently commented on what a great city Dubuque is, and that had been on our list for some time (I find myself quite smitten with Iowa of late), so sometime after my very late breakfast, as I contemplated taking down the Christmas tree, I decided that was it, we HAD to go to Dubuque that day.

We grabbed a few things, cooked a couple of sweet potatoes to have as emergency meals for me, and off we went. We headed over to Bloomington, then north on 39, until we hit US30, the Lincoln Highway. We took that over to the Mississippi and then headed up to Dubuque. When we got to Dubuque, Ernie looked at me and said, "Happy Christmas."

A few pictures from the trip thus far.

I love my Oddfellows buildings, and this was a nice one.