Friday we spent the day with my college big brother, Doug, in Chicago. It was an afternoon of talking, laughing, and remembering. Lunch was at the Rainforest Cafe, an experience Jean and I had never seen. It was loud, crazy, and jungle-like in a Disneyesque sort of way. After many stories (some of them may have been true) we called it a day well spent.

Doug and Paul Among the Apes

Jean and Doug Aong the Apes

Saturday we got a cab out to Ohare to pick up our rental car. We got a Hyundai with Colorado license plates! Then we drove through rain storms to Janesville, Wisconsin. My cousin Cindy lives in a big house on the Rock River on the north end of Janesville. Aunt Joyce was there to greet us as well. After a brief round of laughing and talking Cindy left to attend a Ziggy Marley concert in Madison and Jean and I settled down with Joyce to chat and watch a little TV. We ended up talking until 11:00 PM before we crashed.

Aunt Joyce an Ruh Roh

This morning we spent some more time chatting with Joyce and Cindy and hearing about the Marley show last night. However, we had a date to meet another aunt, Betsy, in McFarland for lunch so we hit the road. Cindy and Joyce couldn’t join us for lunch because Joyce has been ill and our long day Saturday really tired her out. We arrived at the 5100 Bar to find Aunt Betsy and cousin Sarah waiting for us. I hadn’t seen Sarah in about 40 years (she was in middle school at that time) and Aunt Betsy in about 25 years. We spent 3 hours conversing in a private room the restaurant generously let us use. What a time catching up on news, memories, and just getting to know each other again.

Sarah, Paul and Aunt Betsy

It has been a wonderful weekend to reconnect with family and friends and share old stories as well as new ones. Next we are off to eastern Wisconsin.

Paul