Wow....big day of traveling 13 hours and 800 miles to Montgomery, AL where we are settled in! This is so not our usual traveling day - way too many miles and leaving in the dark and arriving in the dark, but we are on a mission, so.... Here's what we've been up this weekend!
Friday - we checked out of Eastland Suites and were on our way at 9:15. The car was really loaded down with all our stuff, clothes, gifts, etc., etc. We arrived at Bob and Linda's and hauled our bags in for an overnight stay. Linda and I were off to Main Street Bar and Grill downtown Mendota to meet my cousin (and fellow Sublettian) Jane and long-time friend, Ruth for lunch.
Linda and Ruth worked together at the high school many years ago. Jane, Ruth and I were classmates back in the late 60's at Midstate College of Business. Had not seen Ruth in a very long time. We had so much to yak about and catch up and it was a wonderful 2 hours of visiting, enjoying lunch, laughing, and reminiscing.
Jane, Pat, Ruth, Linda
We made a plan to get together in the spring!
Back to Linda's and sat and visited and then Bob and Mark picked up Aunt Marian from Stoncroft where she lives. Always a treat to see her - such a dear and die-hard euchre player. My cousin Dick and Mary joined us for hors d'oeuvres and drinks, then dinner (chicken rice/broccoli casserole, salad, rolls and red velvet cake roll). And then we got down to business with the euchre....the girls (Mary, Aunt Marian and Pat) took on the guys (Mark, Dick and Bob). And, we gals won 2 games! FUN!!!!
Said our good byes to Aunt Marian, Dick and Mary.....always so much fun when we're together and hopefully, can do this again in May.
Aunt Marian, Dick, Pat, Mary, Bob
Saturday - yummy peach muffins and fruit to start the day with Bob and Linda, then packed up our stuff and onto the next stops. We visited Mom and Dad's gravesite in Sublette and saw the first snow of the season - a light dusting in the fields
Mom and Dad and basket of Christmas greens (Mom would be smiling)!
Stopped in Amboy and bought a box of toffee that Bob and Linda had - really good stuff and made in Amboy and sold in grocery store. Arrived in Dixon and the sun came out.....we picked up some assorted cupcakes from Baker Street to take to the family Christmas dinner tonight and then stopped at Coffee Crush which Auntie Karen had told us about (across the street from Dixon High School where she teaches). What a neat place - had a holiday beverage (Americano decaf for Mark) and we shared a warm, delicious blueberry scone. Put gas in Little Navy (much higher than in Bloomington)?
Went to the hotel where the annual Chamberlain Christmas is being held this year versus the Halloway Center (connected to the church). With much fewer in attendance this year (40ish versus 100+) we didn't need all that space. We all met for 4:30 Mass, then a bountiful feast followed by visiting. Because of Covid precautions and families wanting to travel over the holidays, the numbers were way down, but certainly understand and those who did come, had a very fun time as always. So good to see several fgamily members we had not seen since 2 years ago.
We retired for the evening fairly early as we are going to be up and at 'em EARLY tomorrow...
Sunday - 4 AM was our rise 'n shine time - and by 4:20 we were on our way heading south. Beautiful day for traveling - 28 when we left Dixon and the further south we went the colder??? It was only 19 in Bloomington. The highest it got all day was 46 but oodles of sunshine. Stopped in Franklin, TN at Culvers for lunch and just kept on sharing the driving.
Sad to see some of the damage from the tornadoes in KY - lots of downed trees uprooted, tarps covering roofs and big signs blown over. We were only about 20 miles from Mayfield...
Mark and I were looking forward to having a glass of wine at the hotel bar (Hilton Garden Inn) only to find that the bar is closed on Sunday! But Plan B worked fine as we had some wine (and an opener) with us, so, 2 tired, but happy nomads at the end of the day. Lunch was big and late, so just munching on some pretzels that Linda made and sent with us!
Michael, Brooke and Drew have been in Chicago this weekend searching out various neighborhoods for a good, safe, convenient place for Drew to live after graduation.
Here's Drew outside his new employer (KPMG) in the Aon building
Meanwhile back at Lake James, Blair was the little baker making these yummy pretzel treats. Her Gram and Grand Bob are holding down the fort with Blair, Brady and Davis
Oh, Blair....these are so pretty and yummy looking!!!
We have 600+ miles to Cypress Trail + we lose an hour, so another big day coming tomorrow. Anne, boys and Auntie Karen are starting out on their long trek tonight. Safe travels to them on this long journey
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