Happy Birthday, Marion!!

I wrote this in 2011. Wow. We've taken some wonderful trips since then, my friend. I'll be thinking of you today -- and looking forward to a complete Birthday Report!! ******************** Happy Birthday, Marion! We have taken some awesome trips. I often think you and I discovered New York City....still one of my favorite places to go. And we loved Sedona, Arizona -- even though I never got the hang of meditation. Remember our drive down the Oregon coast? Visits in both Canada and Iowa. The best road trip I ever took was our time in upstate New York -- remember lunch at the CIA?

Today, on your birthday, I'm going to post some pics from our most recent trip -- the HOTTEST DAY OF THE YEAR in Chicago...

Actually, this picture is from an earlier trip to Chicago -- it was the first time I took pictures of the Hey Rita tote to tell the story of my travels...here, in Lord & Taylor's...she fit right in with the mink coats...

And we always visit museums....I can't leave the Art Institute without seeing American Gothic...


This is us, eating breakfast at the James Hotel. OH MY GOD...The things I've learned with you, my friend. EVEN THOUGH YOU ALREADY KNEW ABOUT POPOVERS....The presentation at the James was so sophisticated -- brought hot, to the table, in a little stainless steel pot...

Yes, it was a life-changer...

You just NEVER know what's gonna happen on any given day, y'know?? During our Chicago vacation -- they were filming the "Transformers" movie downtown. Everything looked all tore up -- like a bomb had gone off. There was crew everywhere...the movie hasn't come out yet...

Here's a picture of you -- walking in beautiful downtown Chicago. You are hard to keep up with on a normal day -- but when it got to 100 degrees...yikes...SLOW DOWN, BABE...

Last week, it was 20 degrees BELOW zero here in Iowa. I know it wasn't that cold in Canada -- but I understand why you went to Florida!!

Happy Birthday, Marion! You live in the moment better than anybody I know...and I hope there is a delicious chocolate cake on your plate today. In honor of your birthday -- I'm going to make popovers -- AND I can hardly wait to see where we go in 2011...