Journal

Using frequent flyer miles and hotel points, we decided to head to Dallas last weekend for a 50th birthday party for Tim G. The weather on Saturday was fine but the forecast for Sunday was for 6 to 10 inches of snow and we were not sure we'd make it back on Sunday - even packed an extra pair of jeans just in case. We met Rita, Kathleen & John and Tim & Felicia at the hotel. Pat had made reservations at our favorite restaurant in Dallas when we lived there - called Oyster's then and called Remington's now - and it was a lot of fun to have dinner with everyone. The party at the Gavin's house was crowded and fun. Most of our group (Felician and John went back to the hotel before midnight) stayed until about 1:30. I can attest that if there are 3 people sleeping in a king size bed, the best place to be is in the middle - I didn't have to worry about the bottom sheet slipping off and I always had covers on the top. We stopped by the Gavin's house for coffee in the morning and then to the airport. We got on a flight 2 hours earlier than the one we booked, called Rita to tell her we would not have to spend the night and made it to KC without any difficulty. The roads were a little bit slick but otherwise no problems.

It snowed almost all day yesterday and added about 2 to 3 inches to what we already had. It is really lovely falling down. I like looking out my upstairs window in the study when I'm working and seeing the snow covered trees.
After it quit snowing Pat took the garden tractor out to shovel the driveway. Pat's set up has the chains on the back wheels like the picture but has a blade instead of the snowblower. One of the hard parts about doing the driveway is figuring out where the driveway is when everything is all covered with snow. He slid off the road about one third of the way down and finally got the tractor back up to the road.

When we bought our house on West Gaywood in the early 1980's, we had a 14.5% interest rate with a 10 year balloon note. 4 years ago the interest rates were down in the 7%'s. I didn't think I'd ever see the day that interest rates would be back at a 1950-60's level but it happened. We finally got around to taking advantage of it and got a modifcation to our mortgage at 5.5%.

The driveway was pretty clear on Saturday but then the winds came on Sunday. The drifts made sections of the driveway very difficult to get through especially in the mailbox area which is at the top of the hill. On Monday, Pat cleared some of the driveway and then dug a trench in the snow by the mailbox - the sides were 2-3 feet high - so the mailman could get through. And the mailman was nice enough to get out of his car and walk through the trench to get to the box. Later that day John, our hero, came with his tractor and bladed the driveway - what a nice neighbor he is!! It's quick work with a tractor - Pat wants one!

I finally finished Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone auf Deutsch. Those who speak multiple languages will not see that this is much to brag about, but it was a milestone for me. Eliz bought it for me quite some time ago and I started it quite some time ago but in the last few weeks I really got into it. It was very enjoyable and a great book to read in a foreign language.

There is an HBO Movie "Iron Jawed Angels" that is well worth watching if you have access to HBO. (I watched it in a hotel in Iowa City.) It is about the women's suffrage movement and one of their leaders, Alice Paul. It was a very well done movie and brought home the dedication of the women that struggled to gain the right to vote. It is easy to forget that our mothers or grandmothers were born before women could cast a ballot.

Elaine picked me up at O'Hare on Friday afternoon and we headed to downtown Chicago. At Elaine's suggestion we ate at The Berghoff restaurant. It is a wonderful, old restaurant and I had a great Wiener Schnitzel. From there we headed to the Schubert Theatre a really grand old theatre. I really like the old theatres that aren't too huge. However, the play "The Graduate" with Lorraine Bracco (The Sopranos) as Mrs. Robinson was less than entrancing. The play is taken from the book and not the movie so there are differences but we both agreed that this Mrs. Robinson was totally lacking.

Saturday was a beautiful day so we went downtown to the Navy Pier. A wide variety of "stuff" and things to do including the Smith Museum of Stained Glass. The collection of Tiffany stained glass is beautiful; I would go back to this exhibit again.

In the evening Leah, Brian and I went to the Lyric Opera production of Lucia di Lammermoor. While we all thought there were some weak aspects to the opera, Lucia's famous mad scene was spectacular and drew numerous "bravas". The review in the Sun Times rightly calls Natalie Dessay stunning.

It was a great weekend in Chicago visiting friend and family!