Space vs Place


At 3:30 am, it’s cold on Concourse M, Terminal 5 at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.  Our 6:20 pm Friday night flight to Minneapolis/Saint Paul was re-scheduled (twice) and finally departed at 10 am Saturday morning.  After several phone calls to hotels (those closest to the airport were full), consideration of distance and time (1.5 hrs) back to Velsignet, we decided to make the best we could camping on the benches at Gate M4.  As a young woman (in the same predicament) who walked by (trying to warm herself) said, “Makes me want to start a fire in one of the garbage cans!”

After our arrival to Saint Paul last Saturday, we made a trip to Glenwood, MN to spend the evening with the Lehman family (Mike’s sister’s family:  sister Carol, husband Jim, son Michael, wife Kelly, children Chloe-8, Keena-4, Collin-2 and Kelsey-3 mos) at their new Lake Amelia home (so much fun seeing the differences between Mike and Kelly’s young cherubs!).  On Sunday, we spent the afternoon and evening in Stillwater at the Stow home with Jordan, Jared and the kids, as well as Brenda’s mom and brother Bret (loved the delicious dinner, lively dinner discussion and after-dinner Yahtzee game!)  By Monday morning, Mike was at the office in Seattle and Brenda and her mom were at the Saint Paul condo enjoying coffee conversation!

Today, Brenda flies out of Minneapolis on Sun Country and Mike flies Delta from Seattle to return to the fascinating city of Chicago.  This week, we look forward to getting together with our niece, Emily, and friends Amy and Chas (both live in or near Chicago), as well as our trip to the Indianapolis are for the long-awaited and planned-for wedding of Claire (niece) and David, as well as a Finkenbinder family reunion.



Our first evening with Steve and Kathy in Chicago included a fine dinner and "Hamilton."
It was a beautiful evening as well for strolling downtown.


It was a joy to spend 2 days with Steve and Kathy (MV "Red Pearl"; their "home on the hard" is in Goshen, IN--2 hours away).  To be beside Kathy's dad as he struggles with health complications, Kathy and Steve's Looping adventure is on hold.  However, we'll see them while in Chicago and have plans to reunite in Key West, FL in February.

This is Us.  We're with Kathy and Steve on a boat awaiting our take off for an architectural tour of Chicago.  The company, the sunshine and comfortable temperature make for a PERFECT day to explore by water and learn from a guide the history and stories that accompany the many impressive buildings of downtown Chicago.

The tour took off from Navy Pier and proceeded on the Chicago River.  We took note of the many bridges as we hope to cruise Velsignet through the Chicago River (instead of the Calamut River) towards the Illinois River.

Did you know... the Sears Tower (now known as the Willis Bldg) was designed with a pack of cigarettes in mind?  

After the architectural tour, we explored Chicago's new Riverwalk.  Along the way were these interested benches.  Obviously we had to check them out!!

Brenda's mom, Teddy, drove to Saint Paul and spent a couple of days with Brenda at the condo.  While together, they met Jordan to see Jordan's suite for her new business:  Feature Beauty Bar (eye lash extensions and spray tan salon)

Four generations of girls at the condo: Mom, Claudia (16), Jordan, and Astri (8).
When Brenda is in Saint Paul, she appreciates the time spent with our daughter and grandkids.


Comments

Post a Comment

We would love to hear your comments!

Popular posts from this blog

Pandemic and Protests: A Postlude

There has been no return to "normal" since getting off Velsignet and back into our Long Lake home near Bemidji MN.  On the contrary.  Life as we once knew it hasn't happened yet.  And who could imagine that as our  9-year-old granddaughter conducted her school studies from home would get to a state where she "is so DONE with Zoom?!" Since Velsignet (March 1), the pandemic of the Corona-19 virus began spreading across the country hitting cities like New York City and Seattle hardest.  The federal government and other countries issued international travel bans.  Stay-at-home orders and "social distancing measures" were issued by state Governors as well as mandatory closures of businesses and services that were deemed "unessential."  Other businesses were encouraged to allow employees to work from home.  Schools and universities and churches conducted online services and classes.  Zoom rose to become a popular meeting app for keeping groups and ...
Read more

Good Stuff!

Image
Kati-Jane and Mike were in heavy discussion when I approached them.  We were in the art studio of Paul Murray, Kati-Jane's husband. Paul's drawings and paintings are captivating as they portray the spirit of folks who live deep in the Appalachians.  And so it was with surprise when I found Kati-Jane holding a quart canning jar filled with liquid (explaining how she gets it from hill folks they know and that she expected a "delivery" in just an hour's time), inviting Mike to "go ahead and drink from the jar; it'll kill any germs you leave on it."  While Brenda is pondering on what piece of art would fit into the Northwoods of Minnesota, Mike has already secured his own "delivery" of a quart of homemade distilled moonshine, "the good stuff" from the hills near the Great Smoky Mountains! The Great Smoky Mountain National Park--even after the peak of the fall colors--is breathtakingly beautiful.  It boasts all kinds of scenic views...
Read more

Florida Fauna, Flora and Friends

Image
Mike and Brenda are perplexed.  Cruising from Venice towards Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico on a clear calm day, a round "something" was floating atop the water.  Was it a piece of carpet?  What could it be?  As we slowly crept near the object, we discovered with pleasant surprise that it was a turtle.  A large turtle. Just there.  Floating.  Then, as if waking from a slumber, the turtle startled and looked up out of the water and took a gracefully descending dive (like turtles do).  But what kind of turtle was it? (Erica E...HELP!) Brenda remembers how its shapely domed shell was flared out almost like the brim of a hat (OR...was this an illusion created from the water?).  Mike saw the front flippers typical of sea turtles.  Its color was brownish.  Its size was BIG (Mike thinks at least 3 feet).  Was it a loggerhead?  A green sea turtle?  Kemps Ridley? Boating is a wonderful transportation mode for site-seeing...
Read more