Illinois, October 2012
by Scott Hardie on October 30, 2012
Our road trip to see friends and family in Illinois was well worth it.
The drive both ways was pleasant. I indulged in junk food like a man taking a break from six months of dieting (since my post-Atkins diet started in June, I've lost 50 pounds). We tried some Star Trek and Doctor Who audiobooks, but they weren't very good.
First, we spent a weekend with Kelly's old friends in Springfield. I'm used to listening to hours of Amtgard talk at a time, so I didn't mind. At a fabric store's final day in business, Kelly scored $400 worth of fabric for $28, and the car was so happy for her that it nearly burst.
Next up was five days with Kelly's parents in Princeton. I'll keep the family drama private, but there were lots of good times, including hiking in Starved Rock State Park, having a early Christmas, grilling our own steaks at a local restaurant, visiting our hometown, and playing with stray cats at her brother's house. I'm glad that Kelly's parents built another bedroom in the basement where it's much more comfortable to sleep, but I'll be even more glad when they finish the bathroom down there, so I don't have to climb two flights of stairs silently in the middle of the night every time I need to pee.
Finally, we drove to St. Louis for a half-day. We were told that the City Museum was fun for adults, but half of the building was designed for children, and physically accessible only to them in some cases. We did enjoy the circus and the aquarium, smaller than those in Florida but with more than enough personality to make up for it. Dinner at Lotawata Creek with Funeratic members was the perfect conclusion to the week, relaxing and fun and getting my mind back on "regular life."
Now that GooCon is no longer an annual event, I don't know when our next visit up north will be, but I'm already looking forward to it.
Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
alt.tv.bitchbitchbitch
Continuing in my tradition of discussing pop culture 5-to-10 years after its shelf life: Once upon a time, I was an enormous fan of ER. From the time I started watching early in season one, I didn't miss a single first-run broadcast until I finally stopped watching late in season five. I learned the medical jargon; I memorized every minor character's name; I speculated about and debated the future plotlines endlessly. Go »Summer of Suck
It's been a tough summer so far. Here's venting. - Some good people were laid off in my department. Go »Rowr
For all you Lost Skeleton of Cadavra fans... (If you haven't seen it, rent it, or at least watch the trailer there.) Go »The Vagueness Continues
Things are looking up. Tomorrow, we sign the lease on a new house in Sarasota, bigger and cheaper than the ridiculously overpriced apartment we've had for five years. It's the first in a series of changes that we've wanted to make for a long time. Go »24 Hours in Orlando
Recent conversation with Brenda: me: "It's nice to meet you!" Brenda: "It's nice to meet you too!" As Steve mentioned, Kelly and I drove up to Orlando on Friday night to have dinner with the vacationing West family. Go »
