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We got here around 5 last night after a quick stop at the grocery for a gallon of milk, a hand of bananas, a rotisserie chicken, and a bag of frozen broccoli.  I unloaded the van while Durwood got some fake potatoes stirred together and micro-ed the broccoli.  We had a quick supper then I went off to Friday Night Knitting which might have been a mistake since I was quickly tired, but I stuck it out until the bitter end, although I might have been a little vague and out of it toward the end.

I realized while I was unloading the van last night that we hadn't bought any souvenirs, well, not much more than yarn and a bit of fabric.  In Wilmington I got a fish ornament for the Xmas tree and an ashtray with a harness racer on it.  Aunt B gave me a darning egg that Grandpa Stephan turned on his lathe and a couple linen dishtowels I admired.  That's it.  I'm just not much of a "thing" person; I take pictures and store up memories, those don't cost much and they're priceless.  Plus my kids won't have to dispose of them when I go tits up one of these days.

We had a great time at supper on Thursday evening with my aunt and uncle in Indy.  They took us 10 miles out of town to Gray's Cafeteria which was Mom's favorite when she visited them.  I had fried chicken with hush puppies, green beans, broccoli & cauliflower with cheese, coleslaw, with a garlic and cheese muffin I saved for later.  Durwood had the roast beef, a tossed salad, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy.  I told you about Aunt G's homemade apple pie yesterday so I won't torture you with it again.  (it was delicious--just sayin')

I guess we drove away from the motel around 9 30-ish, Durwood taking the first turn driving.  We'd missed rush hour in Indy and made good time.  Once again we drove through the wind farm in central Indiana.  I am fascinated by the vast rows of giant windmills lazily turning in the wind.  (on the drive down we passed a semi hauling one of the blades for a windmill, it was like seeing a whale on a trailer, huge and foreign and very interesting) We stopped for lunch about 90 miles south of Chicago and switched drivers.  Durwood said he'd nap and then drive through the Windy City but he was still sawing them off when I made the big turn toward Gary, IN so I kept on driving.  There really isn't a safe place to pull over to switch drivers once you get there so I just drove.  The speed limit says 55 but I figure they just had no place to store those signs so they stuck them up along the road because NOBODY drives 55 unless they're having car trouble.  Someone driving 55 would probably get a ticket for impeding the flow anyway.  I mostly did 70 and people left me behind right and left.  I didn't mind, traffic was flowing smoothly and the only place I had to stop was at tollbooths.  By the time we reached the Lake Forest Oasis, the last one before the WI state line, I had to pee so I pulled off and we switched drivers.  I was proud of myself and Durwood was a little impressed, I think.  I drove way more than my 100 mile share and only started to feel tired toward the end.  Maybe I'm getting better at this long distance driving thing.

Today I have to stop at the dive shop to discuss my schedule the next few weeks because Mrs. Boss is flying off tomorrow until Nov. 1 to help her mom move from Idaho to Colorado, then she's tootling off to Orlando for a diving manufacturer's show and then spending a few days diving in the Keys.  Sucks to be her, huh?  I have to say I wouldn't want to be there for the mom-move or really even the dive gear show but I would like to be in the Keys diving... all I need to do is rinse out some socks and I could be packed in an hour, I even have a little money left.  Then I have held books to pick up at the Library and some prescriptions at the pharmacy, and I also need ingredients to make a vat of work lunch soup.  Fruit too, I need fruits to cut up for lunch fruit.  Better make a list.

I didn't write last night so there's no bit of story for you today.  Now that the sun's up I think I'll go out and rescue more tomatoes and fill the birdfeeders.  See you later.
--Barbara