Chicago

My company is rolling out a new accounting system.  Of course, I have 2 studies converting to this accounting system immediately. So off to Chicago for a day long training.  I decided to fly in and out of Chicago (about 5 hours drive time from me) on the same day, how hard could it be???  So Rocket stayed with scouting friends on Wednesday night, Pablo stayed with Auntie Lulu and Uncle Darrell and I stayed home alone. 

I will admit staying home alone was maybe not the best idea- I was freaked out Thursday night thinking someone else was in the house.  More on that later.

 

Thursday morning, up at 3 am and out the door to the airport by 4 am.  My flight left at 6 am, and it was still dark outside when we took off.  When I landed in Chicago, it was just before dawn.  The training was north of the airport and I go these pictures as the sun was rising over the lake- yes there is a lake out near the horizon.  Oh, did I mention the cab ride was $100!!!!  Apparently there are 2 types of cabs, one for around the city and airport and one for the suburbs.  If you want a suburb cab, you have to call to make an appointment, you cant get one at the airport.  Do they tell you this when you get in the cab??? NO, they wait until you are paying at the end of the ride.  I should have not paid the amount and said the meter showed X amount and that is all I am paying, but I was to cowered to do it.  I really need to start getting tough.

Training started at 8 am.  I knew my old boss from Michigan was in the class, but we were both surprised to see another colleague from Michigan.  Of course we sat in the back and had a good time talking together during the breaks in the class. 

This is Me, then in back in Gayle, then next to me in the red print is my former boss, Denise.

We had a long day.  Training 8-5 pm.  We had a semi working lunch.  You had to be present for the entire training to get credit.  It is kind of scary actually in terms of how strict they are on attendance for this class.  no other class has been like this.

 

Denise and I were both on the same airline going home, so we shared a cab back to the airport- it was much cheaper because the hotel where the training was called the correct cab.

 

As we were leaving, the clouds looked like this.  Pretty interesting.  I am very grateful that the weather was nice in Chicago- no wind, no snow and no cold.

 

On the way back to the airport, we saw this company.  Doesn't it look like the Jawas ship in Star Wars?  We have another former colleague who works here so we sent him a shout out on Facebook during the cab ride.

 

the sun was also setting on the way to airport- so sunrise to sunset in Chicago

but the sunset views from the airport were so much cooler.  this is the view from the restaurant where we had dinner.

 

and this is most of my dinner- 1/2 a beer, 1/2 a salad and 1/2 a mushroom pizza.  Denise had the other half of the salad and pizza.  After dinner we shopped for our kids and then headed off to our gates.  Of course, Denise's gate was in another terminal from me, so we could not talk together until our flights left.

 

I got home at midnight- that includes driving home from airport here.  I crawl in bed after the scare of thinking there was someone in the house- I saw something out of the corner of my eye and heard something in the kitchen- I swear it!  I had to sleep with Rocket's light on because I was so freaked out.  I slept until 9 am, then went and picked up Pablo, went back to sleep for another 2 hours, picked Rocket up from school, took him to basketball practice and piano lessons, got him dinner and then crashed on the couch again.  I don't think going for 21 hours is a good thing for me.  I used to be able to do it, but I guess I am getting too old.

 

next post will be pictures from Rocket's last basketball game this season and some fun with friends from Monday.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb