trip to chicago

Donna & I left Oakland on way there taking Pennsylvania & Ohio turnpikes then the skyway (which had road construction with ‘jersey barriers’ then to 55 then into Cicero/Berwyn. We arrived earlier than planned as I forgot the gained hour coming into CST.

We stopped about every 100 miles for a restroom break and to walk around. At 3 of the 5 stops I encountered guys with a “wide stance” or more. But did not comply –

We couldn’t go to any the restaurants I knew open or still in business. I had told Donna about Steak & Egger in Cicero, so returned there having passed it on our way to Berwyn. We ate steak and eggs and Donna had two pancakes with plenty of coffee.

Then I drove us around looking for Dave and Anna’s home knowing it was on Wisconsin but not the other street that bordered their property. Finally found it on 13th just catching Donna before she left for work. Anna went up to wake Dave & Donna & I brought our kits & luggage in for the duration of our visit. After Dave brought down sheets and a blow up mat we went to bed in their basement (a cat free area for me & my allergies).

After we awoke we went to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, one block west of Austin & 26th where I had 3 tacos, 2 tongue & one lamb, Donna had a chicken burrito as they were out of chiriso. Then we went to the Old Fashion Candies, Inc., 6210 W. Cermak Rd., Berwyn, IL 60402 – 708.788.6669. We bought caramel apples, 1 with pecan for me & 1 with Brazil nuts for Donna, 2 brandy truffles for me, a chocolate covered pretzel for Donna, some black licorice wheels for me and were given some coconut dream cycle.
We then went to the Mexican bakery next door to get some cookies to share with Dave & Anna, a piece of 3 milk cake for Donna & some rice pudding for me. Went to Carson Perie Scott to get Donna a nightgown as she forgot one. Too late to go to Fruitful Yield in Berwyn…

We arrived at Dave and Anna’s, & Anna was home from work. We hung out with Anna until Dave arrived. I took a shower while waiting for him to come home. Donna was very chatty so we didn’t get any ‘we time.’ The next day after Dave puttered around and Donna fiddled about we left for Senica Restaurant and had a meal there before leaving to go get the uhaul and to the storage place. We arrived & could get the place to open a locker. So Donna & Dave left to go to a hardware store but couldn’t buy a bolt cutter. So we had to call a locksmith that charged us $40 to arrive & an extra $100 to saw open the lock. After finally getting inside the locker we found a mass of feathers and two dead mice but even worse that that was the water damage that the brick wall was leaking. Even plastic tubs were full of water, black & mildew laden. The attendant at the place was wonderful but the manager didn’t contact me herself. There was damage to all my books even journals and autographed books as well as coffee-table books. Lost two designer swords, collector’s items like numbered dragon statues and such, photographs and such then 5 or 6 bags of clothes including shoes.

Dave loaded the truck as Donna & I fought off the crumbling wet wall, feathers and dead mice to load up dollies to bring my stuff down the elevator, load after load. Dave was to go to a wake/funeral but I don’t know if he made it as he drove the truck to his house. Donna & I drove to Devon to get some authentic Indian food -- in what appeared to be a dive for 18.69 we got 4 entrees and brought extra food back to Dave and Anna’s.

Friday I couldn’t get Donna up and going so we had a late start getting to the Czech Plaza where I had ¼ duck and roast pork and Donna had perigees. I also had smashed potatoes and sweet and sour cabbage Donna’s sides was cucumbers then for dessert she had a kolichki & I had Jell-O & both of us had liver dumpling soup. Their address is: 7016 West Cermak Rd., Berwyn, IL 60402, 708.795.6555

Then I drove us to Clark and Belmont – walking to the Alley and Flashy Trash. At the Alley we bought an ‘Alley’ patch for me then went next door to the south where Donna got a spider ring & an alley T shirt that said “I am smiling because they haven’t found the bodies yet” at one of the Alley stores: the Architectural Revolution, 3226 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60657, 773.752.7837, www.myspace.com/architecturalrevolution Then at Flashy trash we got 2 kimonos for me to make jacket/shirts for Donna & me. Dave called my cell & we drove back to Dave & Anna’s to then have Dave drive us to dinner. The first place we went to had over an hour waiting so we then went to the “Flat Top Grill,” where you build your own Asian stir fry bowls…
Dave drove us back to his and Anna’s home & we pack up the rest of our stuff into the car and uhaul truck for the long trek home. I lead the way to and across the skyway then Donna led the way home using cruse control while I suffered without it – lagging behind & then speeding up etc.

We drove on and on to get home stopping a little more often than we did on the way to Chicago as neither of us had a relief driver, he - he – he –

We stopped at King’s in Harmerville where Donna ordered pancakes and I ordered corn beef hash and some eggs over hard. The eggs were green when they arrived. So Bill the manager when I asked if the green was green pepper he said probably “old grease...” at this point my appetite was pretty much ruined, even with replacement eggs.
We went to Donna’s and brought in a few things then laid down for a nap. Neither of us could sleep well. We unpacked and Chris came to help. We left to return the uhaul truck & drove here then not able to return it. So, we went to “Villa Ballanca” at 2740 Leechburgh Rd, Lower Burrell, PA 15068, where I had baked fish and baked potato with onion soup – the 3 of us shared some blush Chablis. Chris took the war wagon home to his place with a load of my stuff --

The next day we got up had a wee bite of breakfast and went to a laundry mat to wash tons of clothes, bedding and fabric pieces. Some of the dryers didn’t work, the place looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in days. After going through the 2 rolls of quarters that Chris had given me and $15 in cash that I had – Donna had to give me a 20 and the black machine ate it up not giving us any change. Then Donna got another 20 and then the other machine gave us some change. After getting the wash in the washers and then dryers Donna left to hang up the stuff that couldn’t be dried.

After coming back to pick me & the laundry up Donna & I went to dinner at another King’s where I had grilled chicken salad and a cup of chili & Donna had a dinner salad and custard filled pan cakes. For dessert I had a pecan ice cream ball and she had some whipped cream with a small slice of pumpkin pie under it…

I went back & worked on my stuff and then watched an episode of Dexter and had sex. The next day I got up late and had the last of my GF donuts. As we were starting our day, Barry called her former bf so we left for pittsburgh mills and it was too late to meet him. At my suggestion we ate BBQ at Smokey Bones where I had a wee order of ribs and some smoke turkey, a bake potato with the works and a baked apples then for dessert had 2 scoops of ice cream with caramel sauce. Then we did a water run after picking up some paper towels. Then went home after the water run and I packed up some more, cleaned some of the furnishing and such before Chris arrived to load up his blue car with stuff. We loaded up Donna’s car and then drove to my apartment and unloaded.