Columbus to Verona, and Verona to Home

Nearing the end

Of this trip, that is. We aren't nearing the end of anything else, as far as we can tell, and plan to continue our tradition of combining visits to our western family and friends with side trips to interesting places. To wrap this one up, we decided on a two-day journey from Columbus to home. On the first leg, we enjoyed a coffee break in Medina, Ohio with Joe and Peg Prerost. Peg and Mary F. were classmates at Leominster High, circa 1960.

From there, we planned to stop at a casino in the Oneida Nation that we had often seen from the Thomas E. Dewey Thruway but never visited, and spend the night there. Well, not quite there, where the rooms are in the $300 neighborhood (one of those neighborhoods you drive through to gather ideas for when you win the lottery) but at the Inn two miles down the road. It turns out the casino, which is beautiful, well-furnished and busy even on Monday nights, doesn't have a single slot machine. Well, it has what passes more and more as slot machines nowadays, quasi-video games that are impossible to follow; not a single 7, - or cherry in the lot. We made a minor contribution, enjoyed a pleasant dinner, and left.

Nice memories

As always, we come home with fond memories people and places. Like the Eisenhower Farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania:

Ike's and Mamie's back yard.

And Lexington, Kentucky, with the wonderful Toyota factory tour and the Mary Todd Lincoln house:

Mary Lincoln's girlhood home.

The visually, spiritually and mathematically fascinating Kentucky Veteran's Memorial:

These honored dead will endure, underscored in the sunlight.

Mark Twain is the best thing that ever happened to American literature, and to Hannibal, Missouri:

In a time-warp image, an aging Twain is shown in young Sam Clemens's bedroom.

A wonderful visit with our stepneice-in-law Roberta Watson:

Roberta and Mary F. at Barney's Diner.

Those wonderful Colorado mountains:

The Ivy League mountains of the Sawatch Range

We got to meet some old friends:

A pleasant Nepalese dinner with our friends Palmer and Linda Beam

Our old friend Bob Gudheim with Mary Frances

We enjoyed visiting with our son Arthur at the Buffalo Bill grave and museum, half a mile higher than the mile high city:

Mary F. and Arthur. He doesn't like seeing his picture posted. We may get a call about that.

The Red Rock Amphitheater, west of Denver:

Mary F. at the amphitheater

After leaving Colorado, we stayed with our friends, the Bridgmans, in Ord, Nebraska:

Mary F., Cathy and Rex Bridgman

A great day in Chicago at the Museum of Science and Industry and a Blue Man Group performance at the Briar Street Theater, with nice digs at the downtown Marriott Courtyard:

A wonderful time in the Windy City

Finally, we got to spend our final weekend of the trip with our family in Columbus:

Dana, Violet, Victor, Grammy, Wendy

Back home

This morning we drove the 300 miles or so from just outside Syracuse, picked up 6 or 7 pounds of mail at the post office as we got to town, and toured the changes in our house that Biltwell Construction performed so well in our absence. We even unwrapped our TV and kicked back. We love to travel, and traveling makes us love being home.

Next adventure: Florida from December 28 to January 7. See you then.

Weekend in Columbus

Leaving Chicago - Friday, November 12

Time to get our car back from Valet Parking who had it kidnapped for $50 a day, and begin the trip to Columbus and our son Dana's family there. Thursday evening was a blast. Dinner at Jack's on Halstead Street was delicious, even though we eschewed entrees in favor of appetizers. Here's Mary F.'s Brie Pizza with Salad:

A great tasting and creative pizza appetizer at Jack's.

The Blue Man Group was raucous and fun at the Briar Street Theater. Afterward, we took our fourth cab of the day back to the Marriott Courtyard Downtown. Mary F. snapped this picture of the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier from the back of the cab:

The Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier

Friday morning, and time to get out of town. That wasn't entirely easy because downtown Chicago traffic, especially foot traffic, can be a challenge. Patty Tripp wanted us to take the southern route through Indianapolis but we'd done that several times before and decided this time to take a straighter though slower tour across rural Indiana through Fort Wayne:

Our primary route, on secondary roads. The only way to get pleasant scenery in Indiana.

Hammond, Indiana is the next town east from Chicago, and it's only rival for scenic ugliness is its next-door neighbor, Gary. To add to its tourist wonder, the first twenty-five miles of route 90 in Indiana, while a perfectly adequate highway, has a 55-mph speed limit, for no apparent reason except possibly fundraising. I happened to meet with the long arm of the law, doing 70 in what I learned was that 55-mph area. The officer who stopped us, however, had a very logical perspective on things, and after checking to see if we were inveterate criminals, explained how much farther up the road the limit changed to 70, and wished us a good day. He'd already made it one.

Happy Birthday, Victor

Our job, initially, was to get our granddaughter, Violet, out of the house for a while so mom and dad could get things ready for Vic's birthday party. Poor Vic was under the weather, so he slept instead of going to Brevoort Park with grammy and grampy. Violet loves to swing:

Our little swinger, Violet

She also likes to climb trees; especially this one, her favorite. Some old fat guy acted as her spotter.

Arboreal Violet Rose Hatch

Time for Victor's party:

Cake for a 4-year-old Toy Story fan

Best pals Shayla and Violet; Violet's dad Dana seems to have a guitar stuck in his nose.

Shayla, Rebecca and Violet

Dana holding birthday boy, Victor.

Birthday boy with his grampy.

Mommy and Vic and cake and pals.

Violet has a comic line for her dad.

Pretzel chips make Victor start to feel better.

Vic's and Vi's cousin Emmaline

Victor with the Slinky Horse

Grampy's belly gives Violet lots to rest on.

Grammy reads Victor his favorite story.

Lazy Sunday

Violet stayed with us at the Doubletree Saturday night, and we all enjoyed a late and lazy morning, with a leisurely hotel breakfast. When we rejoined Dana, Wendy and Victor, it was great to find Victor feeling like his old self and full of energy and chat.

Victor loves his chocolate milk.

One of Victor's birthday gifts was a sweater that Grammy knitted for him. In fact, she knitted one in the same style for all six grandchildren, from 4 to 21.

Victor models the sweater grammy knitted for him.

Alas, it was time to part. We enjoyed a Sunday evening outing with the Hatches of Columbus at the Noodle Factory:

Dana, Violet, Victor, Grammy, Wendy

Tomorrow: Columbus to Syracuse.

Chicago!

A day in Chicago - Daytime

Mary Frances studied the red book of attractions after we arrived last night in search of the best way to spend a day in the Windy City.

Daytime Chicago from our 15th floor window

We decided that there would be no better way to see the vitality of Chicago than the Museum of Science and Industry, on the site of the 1893 "White City" World's Fair and Exposition. What we hadn't considered is that today is Veteran's Day, and there's no school in Chicago:

Not easy threading our way through the Storm Science exhibit.

Rugrats floor to ceiling at the Museum of Science and Industry

An interesting display of light and refraction

Lightning generated from the ceiling.

Mary Frances beside a man-made tornado.

Among the scientific luminaries, there's our friend Kent Dumas.

Exhibit after exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Mary Frances in the Aircraft Exhibit

In the seat of a United 727

Mary F. and United

A side attraction at the museum was a display of Jim Henson's early work, storyboards, muppets and other creative activities. Sorry, no pictures were allowed inside.

Entrance to Jim Henson's world

Mary Frances enjoyed the extensive display of decorated Christmas Trees. The middle section of the museum was roped off as a giant one was being installed.

Christmas Trees from around the world

One of the most pleasant displays was this Rube Goldberg-like wall in a which a steel ball travels all through the countryside, enters and exits trains, buses, boats and funiculars, turns on lights, makes sounds, and just entertains:

Mesmerizing machine by Swiss Bank.

Footsore and weary, we took a cab back to our hotel to rest a while before our evening adventure. The cab ride back was two dollars cheaper than the cab ride to the museum--and about 30 miles per hour faster.

A day in Chicago - Nighttime

Nighttime Chicago from our 15th story window.

So, what's a cool thing to do with an evening in the big city? Here's a hint:

Tomorrow: on to Columbus.