Visiting my cousin

Good Morning ( or Gppd Morning) All....  I have arrived at Lake Villa, IL, just a tad north of Chicago.  I am living in the Little Lake House that my cousin, Linda Mehnert, owns on North Loon Lake.  The trip up from Columbus was very nice until I reached Gary, IN.

I opted to go smaller roads and drove through small towns in Indiana that time has forgotten.  Reminded me of the days growing up in Ashland, KY back in the 50's and 60's.  Cute little houses that were well maintained.  Downtown sections with older storefronts with local names and not a Walmart in sight.  Two lane roads and very little traffic.  It was glorious.

The I got to Gary.  I was approaching I-65 and my GPS popped up with an alternate route to get around a traffic situation.  Always looking for a better way, I punched on the yes button and veered off the planned route.  I was turning right and left but always heading either north or northwest which is how I wanted to be going.  But then I ran into a road closure that Miss GPS wanted me to drive through, but I had to turn.  Then the turns became more frequent but still heading in the correct direction.  But industrial areas and the burned out houses and closed, boarded up businesses began to scare me.  Finally I closed out the GPS directions and started it again and within 2 minutes I was on I-90/I-94 slowly going very slowly on familiar road as it was now rush hour.  It probably took me at least an hour or more  of turning, so I was on the road driving for well over 9 hours.

I will never agree to an alternate route again!!!  NEVER!!!!!

The cottage where I am staying has no internet... just so you know.  I meet Linda each morning at a coffee shop that has free internet, so I will blog when I can until I get to Brian's house Sunday evening.  Then I will be connected again.

Linda took me fabric shopping yesterday.  It is a small sewing center that was more machines than fabric.  I had been there before.  Nice shop and I did buy one more different Fold and Stitch pattern.  Dave, Linda's husband, joined us for lunch at a Chinese restaurant where I had a very nice Shrimp Egg Foo Young.  Linda was going to the Black Hawks Hockey game, a plan that was made before I firmed up dates.  I enjoyed a quiet evening with the dogs, watching DVDs and working on a PowerPoint presentation.

This morning we at the coffee shop having a turkey and spinach Quiche with chocolate coffee.  We will meet Dave for lunch and then meet a friend to attend a local quilt show.  No idea what kind, I have my camera ready to capture anything special.  Then, tonight we will be going to a painting session at The Periwinkle doing a vintage Halloween Pumpkin.  Pictures there for sure.

So, still alive and doing well.  A good trip so far, save for the one hour of getting lost.  Keep checking.  There will be more.