May Day

Summer is almost here. That means it's about to get HOT. This lovely May day though, was just right. The clouds said goodbye as they moved on to water and shade a different patch of earth. We took the opportunity to get some much needed fresh air and sunshine. No electronics allowed- accept a camera...

                                                      ↑↑ Why yes, I did eat two strawberries before I took a picture. They were calling me...↑↑

Illinois: There and Back Again

 

A few weeks ago, I drove to Illinois with my grandparents.

What a drive.  Let me share...

We left early in the morning. I got up and caused no delays. Yay me! However, the weather did. We drove till about 1 p.m. We got stuck in Rawlins, Wyoming because I-80 was closed. What a great place to get stranded in- not. I guess there was an accident involving a semi carrying oil. That and really bad weather. There were so many trucks and cars where we had to stop and I began to get overwhelmed. We were able to find a motel and stayed there for the remainder of the day. I thought we might die. I was just so worried that we were going to be stranded there for longer than I could keep my sanity! The truckers kept telling stories about the road in the past being closed for many days. One of them even bragged about having everything one could possibly think of in the back of his truck- he was never caught unprepared! Well, good for you buddy. No need to freak me out!

The next day we waited till 10 a.m. but the road never opened. So we took a 150 mile detour up to Casper and then down to Cheyenne and on to Illinois. In a way it was an adventure. Not my idea of an adventure, more like an adventure for the trucker who was prepared for a week's-worth of strandedness.

Grandma drove from Orem to Casper and I drove the rest of the way. We drove through Nebraska, Iowa for about 30 minutes or so, and Missouri. I enjoyed it. Missouri the most though, if I'm being honest. It was such pretty green country. I wish we could have stopped at so many places along the way, but maybe another time.

And yes, I confess that while I drove (for at least 1000 miles) I listened to the Mamma Mia movie soundtrack so much that the other two in the car will probably never listen to it again. Sorry about that.

When we got to St. Louis, we had to take a detour as they were doing some road construction. It was dark and I was tired and hate driving on freeways. Did I have a panic attack? You bet. Did I let the passengers know? No. Nevertheless, did we arrive safely at our destination? Yes. Thank you guardian angels.

In trying to follow the detour, we drove over the Mississippi river. Now, I knew it, but chose to focus on driving. My grandma was trying to help me keep on course and take the right exits, etc. I thought it was a pretty crazy detour and was happy for the help. Halfway over it though, my grandma realized what was happening. In her words, "I was so excited to cross the Mississippi and I was half way over before I realized it.  There were two reasons:  it was dark and we had to take a detour." She had to have a do-over a couple of days later- Scott Air Force Base, IL, is 29 miles from St. Louis, so it was feasible. While we were crossing it (and no, I was not driving this time, thank goodness) she told us some facts about it. She does that. Some people might think it's silly, but I love facts so keep 'em coming!

Now that I've shared the 'getting there', here are some things I enjoyed while being there:

~ Laying down in the afternoon to read or relax, and listening to Chandler play his viola.

The first time this happened, I had a montage of every Jane Austen movie going through my head. For a moment, I was in that era, resting and enjoying the sounds of a viola filling the air. It was wonderful.

~ Wesley during Family Home Evening writing his list for the activity in cursive with a pink pen. 

Awesome!

~ Eating shwarma for the first time!

Tricia took grandma and I to a Greek restaurant called Lilly’s Gyros. I really only knew to expect pita bread, hummus and falafels (which Tricia had been telling me about). When we got inside and looked at the menu, I saw it: shawarma.

What’s the big deal, you ask? Well, in The Avengers, near the end of the big battle, after he almost died, Tony Stark says when they’re done he wants to try shawarma. He doesn’t know what it is but he’s always wanted to try it. They win the battle, peace is restored, the end. At the very end of the credits, they show the Avengers all tired and dirty after the fight, eating shawarma in a ruined restaurant. That’s it. No dialog, just eating (and Captain America sleeping).

So, when I saw that on the menu I decided to go for it. After all, it’s not something that can readily be found in Utah. After we ordered it, Tricia asked if I’d had it before, knew what it was, etc. I paused and almost didn’t tell the humorous truth- that I only knew it from The Avengers. But I was honest! I confessed.

Oh, by the way, it’s just a really delicious sandwich- a Greek sandwich. That makes all the difference…

~ Speaking of food, Tricia and Sarah made many delicious meals and desserts.

Enchiladas (yum!), cheesecake (so good), homemade chicken alfredo… I’ve been trying so hard to eat healthy food, but this was a trip and doesn’t failing to eat as healthy as usual usually follow? All I know is I was fed yummy food which I enjoyed eating and now it’s time to clean up my act. I will succeed! 

~ Driving down the original main street in St. Louis.

Most if not all the buildings/shops were original. The road was definitely the original brick road, and boy was it bumpy! I imagined how uncomfortable it would have been riding in a horse-drawn carriage down those roads- oh the headaches! 

~ Crossing- and seeing- the Mississippi river.

Someday I’ll ride a river boat down it- The Princess and the Frog-style.

~ Eating at Crown Candy in St. Louis.

It’s a 100 year old diner that hasn’t moved. It was quite tiny, but so charming. It was like going back in time- a past time I happen to love experiencing. For dessert we had sundaes made with homemade ice cream. Mine had candied pecans, hot fudge, caramel and whipped cream. It was so bad, but so good.

~ Riding a very tiny pod up to the top of the arch in St. Louis.

The view was worth the slight panic attack on the way up, and the thought of the distance at which I’d have to fall if anything went wrong- with the pod or the arch.

After two weeks, it was time to go home. Sarah and I flew back to Utah. The first flight was 3 hours- how do people fly overseas or even 3 hours without taking something to knock you out cold! Crazy. I also, for the first time, got sick. I've flown quite a bit in my life and have never had much of an issue. I always like sitting by the window- who doesn't- and have usually been just fine. However, this time around, about halfway through the first flight, I felt nauseous and looking out the window did not help. Fortunately though, I made it through both flights without any incident. But if you don't mind, I think I'll take a break from flying. Talk to me in a year or so. Roadtrips though, are still welcome.

Thoughts on a book...

I recently finished reading A Long Way from Chicago. Again, it was a children's book, but they are great! This one was set in the early 30's. Every summer for a number of years, a brother and sister visit their grandma in rural Illinois. Each chapter tells stories of the week's events. The grandma is, as my grandma said, a hoot.

About three years ago, my grandma wanted all her family to read it, and then when we next got together, talk about it- basically a family book club. Well, two things never happened.

1.    I didn't read it.
2.    We never got together to discuss it.

But let's not dwell on the past, shall we? I’ve read it now and don’t regret it.

One of my favorite parts was when the grandma decides to bake a gooseberry pie for a big fair-like event, and win a blue ribbon for her town's honor. She spends all day and goes through two 25-pound sacks of sugar, lots and lots of pie crusts, and all her gooseberries to bake the perfect pie. When they arrive, grandma's got all the confidence in the world, as she's sure no one else had the guts to bake the same pie. However, they discover that someone else did enter a gooseberry pie- I guess that gooseberries are difficult to use because they are so sour and prickly. "Gooseberries are so tart that more sugar than fruit goes into the pie."

Alright, so they see that they have competition. Grandma gets worried and tells the kids that the man who stands in the way of their blue ribbon is the best home-baker in the state of Illinois, and that she's a goner. So what does she do? She cheats and switches the names on the pies, so her name is in front of the other man's pie and his in front of hers. When all is said and done, guess who wins? The competition, Rupert Pennypacker, with grandma's pie wins.

How relatable! Not the cheating -or baking pies for that matter- but the self doubt. I have second guessed myself too many times and haven't learned to trust my instincts. And most of the time, they're right.  

One more thing I want to mention, and that’s my almost perfect timing. I read this book while staying in Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. I know, it’s not Chicago, but the book didn’t take place there. That’s where the kids lived- but their grandma, like I said, lived in rural Illinois. Well, Scott Air Force base just happens to be surrounded by corn fields and country homes and fields of bright yellow flowers. So, I guess it was meant to be that I failed to read it when I was supposed to, and instead read it when I was somewhere very much like the book.