Home

Yes, I'm home. I actually got home a week ago, but have been just too darn tired to write anything, partly because my shingles flared up again and partly because it was an exhausting trip.
Here's the trip in a nutshell (I'll go into more detail about some things later): Left home at 4 a.m. that Wednesday and drove to Indianapolis. Spent the night with Lori's brother and family. Got to Dayton Thursday afternoon, hung out with Joy, had dinner with her and some other friends from high school. Friday Joy and I hung out, visited some thrift shops, . Went out to dinner with my favorite teacher from high school and then went back to Joy's and hung out some more. Saturday Joy and I ate a late breakfast at Bob Evans (we don't have those around here) and then went garage-sale shopping and hit some more thrift shops. Also found a really nice yarn shop. That night we went to a bar where a guy we went to school with was playing in the band. Stayed out late. Sunday I left for Youngstown a little after noon, got to Lori's Dad's house about 5. Got Italian take-out and ate dinner with Lori, her Dad, her Aunt Pat, her best friend Terri, and Terri's sister. They got to telling stories and we laughed so hard we could hardly eat. Left Youngstown about 8:30 the next morning and drove to Chicago for lunch. (I know it wasn't on the way home, but that's what road trips are all about - going places!) Walked around the Navy Pier on Lake Michigan, had Chicago-style hot dogs for lunch (the best hot dog ever!!!), got lost in downtown Chicago trying to find our way back to the interstate due to construction, followed detour signs until they disappeared. We were in the 'hood by then so maybe the signs got stolen. Went back and forth in Chicago for awhile and I did see the (former) Sears Tower from every possible angle. (I know it has a new name, I just can't remember what it is.) Finally got some decent directions from a nice guy walking down the street, but we were so confused by then we got on the wrong ramp and were almost to O'Hare airport before we realized we needed to be going the other direction. Got off the interstate to turn around and Lori saw a mall, so we stopped so she could shop for some Cubs/Bears stuff. Finished shopping, got on the highway going the right way and drove just over the Iowa border before stopping for the night. Got up the next morning, drove through Iowa in the rain, drove through Nebraska, dropped down into Colorado at the very northeast corner of the state and got home about 1 a.m. Next year, we're not going to try and do everything in a week. It was a great road trip, though, and Lori and laughed our way through eight states. No problems, other than the incident with the traffic cone. I'll talk about that some other time.
And, since I titled this posting "Home" - guess who else is home?? Austin, that's who! My veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom arrived at Buckley AFB Saturday evening. We were there waiting at the same hanger we saw him leave from. We watched the plane from the time we could see the landing lights until it pulled up in front of the hanger. I was so thrilled to see him at the top of the exit stairs I thought my heart would burst. By that time we were all crying. There were a lot of us there to meet him: me and Hubby, Ian and Jordan, Shea and boyfriend Nathan, Chance, his Dad and stepmother, aunt and uncle, two cousins, and one second cousin (Katie's little boy JJ - he's a doll). We all went out to dinner and everybody was talking at once and there were at least four conversational threads going at any given time. Typical family dinner. Austin stayed in Denver with friends overnight and then came down here Sunday. He's been spending his time golfing and catching up with friends. It's really great to have him back home.