24 Hours of Away

It's amazing what 24 hours away from regular life can do. Even yesterday, as I found myself rather weary and frustrated with daily issues, I still felt a little different after running up and back to Chicago the day before.

We drove through rain on and off on our way up and ended up getting to the Loop and our hotel right before the storm hit and good Lord did it hit hard. I felt like a small town hick trying to figure out the parking garage and getting the qr code to scan and then figuring out how to get OUT of said garage. It was steamy hot as we walked over to the hotel and I felt frazzled from getting ready for the morning's meeting and then this trip. We checked in and they kindly upgraded our room. We went down to the bar to spend an exorbitant amount on a couple of drinks and talk about what we wanted to do. That's when the storm hit. We sat and slowly relaxed and watched the rain pouring against the windows and listened to the thunder. Our plans to go out to dinner slowly receded into the distance. Instead we went upstairs, watched the rain, snuggled up on our big bed, ordered some food from Greektown and drank some wine. I gotta say, it was a delightful evening.

Tuesday morning was GORGEOUS! I cabbed it over to the Thompson Center (poor Thompson Center...really a sad building, filthy and inefficient) and promptly lost the Swiss Army knife in my purse to security. Whoops. I had thrown it in my purse in case we needed a corkscrew. Oh well. They said I could hide it outside but I just couldn't fathom it so I owe Owen or Ernie or somebody a Swiss Army Knife.

The grant review panel was very interesting and we ended up getting done early. I sat on the plaza for about half an hour waiting for Ernie. It felt so familiar and so different at the same time. I worked on and off in the Loop from my late 20s to my early 30s....it called back such a specific time in my life. I sat and watched people wondering if I hadn't left the city, would I look like that, or that or that?

Thanks a million times to Joy for making it possible for us to get away!!

We talked about going out for a late lunch but at that point my babies were calling to me.  Not that they were all that thrilled with us when we got home. Well, Leo sat and chatted and asked about the trip. Owen kind of acted like the cats do when you come back from vacation. They are happy to see you but also want to act a bit pissy and punish you.

I was delighted with what he'd made for me in his class though....LOOK AT THIS!

Driving up:

 

The next day was a completely different animal....clear and bright and full of energy. Ernie had planned to go by the Art Institute but instead he spent the day walking and people watching (after getting me my Garrett's popcorn and safely stowing in the car).