Hey, Chicago!!

I cannot imagine a more beautiful summer day.  We arrived at Union Station in downtown Chicago at 10:30 AM. 

Getting off the train...

As we walked into the Grand Hall of Union Station...

Warren's first escalator ride!!

Lilly was thrilled to demonstrate how a revolving door works...

Outside the station -- taking in all the sights of the BIG CITY...

We are only a few blocks away from the Willis Tower.

And the Chicago River runs right in front of Union Station.

With all those great lift bridges.

Warren was taking it all in...but seemed remarkably nonplussed...

Jackie found her favorite store -- The Loft...

Warren and I enjoyed a little rest....

This was Warren's first time to see a big city, and I expected a huge reaction to so many new things. The train ride, of course -- but then, walking into the gigantic GRAND HALL of Union Station...his first escalator, his first revolving door, not to mention -- the incredibly tall buildings.

The Willis Tower was right outside the Union Station front door!!  The second tallest building in America!!  And his reaction?? 

Crickets....

That's when I realized.  Holy cow!!  He's 4 years old...and it is simply NOT POSSIBLE to impress a four year old child.  BECAUSE EVERYTHING is new to him, y'know?

In Warren's world,  the tallest building in the world is no more shocking than a woman wearing pink hot pants...

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2017 Grandma Camp Finale!!

Jackie and the kids spent the night -- because we had to GET UP BEFORE 6:00 AM to drive to Princeton, Illinois to catch the train into Chicago.
 

To save time -- we'd all laid out our clothes the night before. The kids were quickly READY TO GO...

The Amtrak depot in Princeton, Illinois is very old school...

Warren was especially delighted with his new back pack.

One of the few pictures I have of the four of us. Thanks, Amtrak, for the cute cardboard hats!!

HERE COMES THE ILLINOIS ZEPHYR..!!

We'd picked up a bag breakfast at McD's...to eat on the train...

Of course, some Bananagrams...

 I told Warren we could explore the train...so we walked back through five cars....

Until we found the CAFE CAR..!! Such a thrill, eh?

The four of us played another game of Bananagrams...

THANK YOU, AMTRAK... Really. Well done!!

Princeton Library Treasure Hunt

We have this new thing we're doing -- TMBC has a Featherweight sewing day on Friday. Turns out, getting together once a week just isn't enough anymore. To continue our group therapy, we needed to include our sewing machines...and some quilting projects...

It happened a coupla times last year...and it was SO GREAT...then Jackie was coming home for a visit...and why don't we do it two weeks in a row?? Then, well, before you know it -- we decided to just do it every Friday. For awhile.

Why NOT??

My sister Ronda (left) can easily join us...Jackie was in town (on the right)

It hit me that THE FOUR GRANDMAS who would be taking Lilly to see Hamilton in January would be in the same room, and we should take a picture...WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY...and maybe I could ramp up a treasure hunt for the kids, to announce our pre-Hamilton Chicago train trip!!

The kids knew I had one big FINALE EVENT planned for Grandma Camp...and Lilly was always asking for hints or clues...but I knew anything I said would give it away...

So, I had Emily drop them off at the library that afternoon. Our Sewing Day was winding down...and I had hidden TWO gifts in the library. A train for Warren, and a bust of Alexander Hamilton for Lilly.

Here was their clue:

When the Army marched off the battlefield at Yorktown, what were they carrying?

She immediately squealed, "Betsy Ross's FLAG..!!""

So -- that's what they were looking for!!  

Warren quickly found his new train/bank -- wrapped in a small American Flag...

But Lilly had to search...and search...

There are basically four small rooms in our library...and she had to check out every one...

I'd wrapped her flag around the little stick...and put it on a higher shelf...(it shouldn't be TOO easy, right?)

So, once they had their two gifts in hand, I told them what the adventure was...

A TRAIN RIDE TO CHICAGO...and a visit to the PrivateBank theater.  Basically, a trial run of our January Hamilton trip...

Lilly, with her four Grandmas...Sandy, Jackie, me, and Linda.  WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT TIME..!!

Grandma Camp Snack Hack

Grandma Camp is winding down. It's been a wonderful summer with the kids. I only lost my temper and patience once or twice (each day, that is)...but the kids forgave me. Because Lilly is 8 and Warren is 4 -- they are VERY EASY TO PLEASE.

It just doesn't take much to delight them.  A simple picnic in the park will do just fine!!

 The other day, I was packing our usual stuff -- the big cooler for water...sunscreen, etc...

WHEN IT DAWNED ON ME!!

This is the cooler we always take for our ice water.

I could just stick a few Gogurts in the ice water!!

And some string cheese, too!!

When I showed Lilly what I was doing, she said, "You've created a hack, Grandma. Actually -- it's a Snack Hack."

It'll be enough of a snack to tide them over until lunchtime.

Because figuring out all this equipment can wear a kid out...

I had some errands to run, so Ross took them to another park...

Lilly loves to watch "hacks" on YouTube. Hacking used to mean getting into other people's computer data...but now, it's more like how to MacGuyver your life...things like -- how would you cut a cake if you had no silverware? (dental floss?)..

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MMWI:  233.0

Helen Farro's Potato Salad

One of the reasons I am willing to suffer the Iowa HEAT and HUMIDITY is what it does for the garden.  My two favorite the hot weather crops are plentiful now.  Sweet corn and tomatoes...YUMMO...

There is nothing better than sweetcorn...and warm, fresh picked juicy ripe tomatoes...

Along with fresh eggs from our own chickens -- I am on my way to one of my favorite summer dishes...

Making the PERFECT hard boiled egg is a part of Grandma Camp.

Since she was three years old, Lilly has always loved slicing the eggs for this dish...

My mother-in-law, Helen Farro's green bean potato salad:

Helen's cooking was never so much about a recipe -- as it was about techniques or flavor. But here's the basic idea:

2 cups of cubed boiled, peeled potatoes
2 cups of chopped raw tomatoes
2 cups of cooked (crisp) green beans
1 cup of diced hard boiled eggs
1/2 c. sliced black olives
1/2 c. sliced green olives
1/2 c. chopped green onions

Dress it with your favorite vinaigrette...I like olive oil and Balsamic vinegar (3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar)...with some minced garlic and oregano.

The salad is best if it sits for an hour or so before serving. And it is GREAT the next day!!

How will you know me?

THIS year, as Becky and I were discussing the possibilities for our fall visit, we heard from another roommate, who would love to be a part of our little reunion. Betsy lives in Minneapolis, and we haven't seen her for about 20 years. It just has never worked out for her to join us...

Although we'd love to have her...there are some logistics involved, and she would probably fly -- so we need to pick an airport, and a date, of course.  I got right on it...

I suggested we go to a lakeside "resort" north of Chicago (it is a motel with a lake view and an indoor pool).  It's near Becky's house -- Bets could fly into O'Hare.  Hey -- I MIGHT TAKE THE TRAIN into the city!! It could work...(I've done it twice now, I'm nearly an expert...)

In the middle of these back and forth email negotiations, Betsy says, "it's been so long since I've seen you, how will I recognize you?"

I told her not to worry -- I haven't changed much.  But I sent a recent picture, just in case...

College Roommate Reunion

Every Fall, I look forward to a few road trips. John and I usually do a Wisconsin Cheese Tour...and I always get together with my old college chum Becky -- who lives in Chicago. We usually try to split the distance...so we meet in some quaint Illinois town...

I love a good road trip!!

Especially if it starts off with some Bacon Pizza from Casey's!

Who could forget the Tinker Cottage in Rockford, Illinois?

Or the Barbed Wire Museum in DeKalb!!

Usually, we find the city park and sit there for a couple of hours...

It is always thrilling to realize how quickly you can get down to business -- and REALLY SHARE YOUR LIFE -- with a friend you've had for 40 years...