We left on August 22 for our second annual pilgrimage to the USA. Last year we tried to squeeze it all into three weeks and came home exhausted. This year, we extended the trip to four weeks and still came home exhausted, even though we bypassed Connecticut. Hopefully in the future this trip will be more of a vacation. Click HERE for photos.
Our first ten days were spent in Chicago, staying at an Airbnb in Evanston. I was a bit overwhelmed with all the stuff we had to do. Our first evening, we had dinner with daughters Maureen and Caroline and granddaughter Liz, which was a fun get-together. Wednesday, we had eye examinations, a trip to the bank to check our safety deposit box, and a stop at our storage locker to assess the contents. We made several visits to Costco to stock up on some Costco essentials and to order and pickup our new glasses.
One of the primary goals for this trip was to reduce the stuff in the storage locker and move what was left to a smaller and less expensive locker. I am happy to report that this effort was very successful. Maureen had asked if she and husband Todd could use our dining table until we decided to sell it or move it to Italy. This created a logistical challenge, moving the table and chairs to their apartment in Andersonville, then moving the rest to a new storage facility. We thought about this for about ten minutes, then called Professional Movers. It was a very good decision. Hauling the table up narrow stairs to Maureen’s apartment was not something we wanted to do. The movers arrived on time and were done in about two hours. Well worth the money, and what a relief!
Mike had scheduled a visit with his Chicago cardiologist to get his opinion on how his heart is holding up. While we are confident with his Italian cardiologist, Mike just wanted to touch base with his Chicago cardiologist. We were very pleased to learn that all his vitals are good, some even better, and that his heart is in good shape. Another relief! But, the Chicago cardiologist was unhappy with the medication changes made by the Italian cardiologist and we will need to reconcile this once we are back in Italy.
Mike’s birthday this year was jam-packed with activity.
First thing in the morning we met our daughter-in-law’s parents Mary Ann and Eric for coffee at a coffee shop in Streeterville. It’s always good to see them and catch up. Then we met daughter Maureen for lunch at a Chinese restaurant we used to like to go to when we lived in Chicago. Then Mike had a dentist appointment. After that, we went to the movies and saw the Barbie movie. Just fun. For something else we used to like to do, we went to listen to jazz at Andy’s Jazz Club. Then dinner at Shaw’s Crab House. I told the waiter it was Mike’s birthday, and he brought out cake and sang happy birthday to him. I was really happy that Mike had such a fun full day. But in the back of my mind, I was thinking: my birthday is just three days away and nothing is planned. Little did I know what a nice surprise was in store for me.
One day we drove to Oak Park to have lunch with friends Mary and Jim Parks and Joan Suchomel. It was really nice to see them again. After lunch, we visited with our friend Anne Rooney in her new home. Another friend Teri Somrak, joined us.
Another of our goals was to see granddaughter Liz ride horses. Maureen went with us on Sunday to the barn, where we got to see both Liz and Caroline ride. It was really fund to watch.
Our newfound friends Cecil and Valerie, who live in Evanston, met us for dinner one evening. This is an interesting story, if you haven’t already read about it. We met them while on a tour of a little town in Abruzzo called San Buono. They had recently bought an apartment in Pescara, and, like us, were eager to visit surrounding small towns and learn their history. Naturally, we all were surprised to discover that they lived in Evanston, just a few blocks from our daughter Caroline. And Valerie used to live in Oak Park and was a member of Unity Temple. Small World! When they were in Abruzzo, we visited them in Pescara and they us in Casalanguida. This will definitely be a continuing friendship.
On Friday, we left our nice Airbnb and headed south to Cincinnati. Our plan, which worked out quite well, was to drive our Chicago rental car there, stay at a hotel near son Matthew and family, and to leave the rental car at the local airport when we took off for the next leg of our trip. Happy to say that it all worked out well and was much easier than driving the rental back to Chicago and flying from Ohare.
What a fun, busy weekend. Matthew, Ashley, and kids Connall (age 8), and Isla (age 4) are full of energy. We played games, watched a little TV, and ate some good food. We gifted my keyboard to them, as Connall has been taking piano lessons and was using a small keyboard. I am hoping that he continues his interest in playing the piano and that Isla also shows an interest. Mike, Matthew, and Connall went golfing one morning even though it was very hot outside.
My big surprise was on Saturday, my birthday. We were all gathered around the table in the back yard, and Ashely, Connall, and Isla disappeared for a bit. Then, there they were, bringing out a big birthday cake with candles, and singing Happy Birthday to me. What a wonderful treat! It was truly very special.
Matt and Ashley have an au pair named Anna who is from Brazil, and on Monday (Labor Day holiday) she had a few of her friends from Brazil, who are also au pairs, prepare a marvelous Brazilian barbeque meal for us. It was so much fun to meet them. It was more red meat in one meal than we have eaten the entire past year.
Tuesday morning we dropped by their house for coffee, sent the kids off to school, and said goodbye. Then we headed to Oklahoma City to visit Mike’s mom, Evelyn.
Our OKC visit went really well. It was good to see Evelyn. We took Evelyn and Colleen, Colleen’s daughter Nicole, and Nicole’s daughter Lexi to dinner at their favorite Mexican restaurant. One afternoon we took Evelyn shopping at Talbots so she could use a gift card that Maureen had sent, and I had a good time helping her pick out a dress and two shirts. We had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.
On Friday, we flew to Houston to visit son Mikey and family. Daughter-in-law Lynn is delightful, and the kids – son Brandon (3) Lynn’s daughter Nghi (12) – are lots of fun. Daughter Rebecca and her daughter Devlin drove from Austin to join us for the weekend. Mike helped Mikey install shelving in the kids’ rooms while Rebecca, Devlin, and I went to the nail salon where Lynn works to get pedicures and manicures.
Then on Monday, it was back to Chicago. We stayed at a hotel this time. These last few days were more relaxing, as it gave us time to make sure we’d done everything we needed to do. We did get to spend a little time with son-in-law Todd as we all met for dinner one evening.
It felt really good to tidy things up and check off things from our to-do list. It also felt really good to get back home here in Italy.
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