Sweet home Chicago

The bus arrived back in Staunton on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and I spent the night at Cindy's house. The next day we drove to Carlinville where I got on the Amtrak train. It was scheduled to arrive at 9:15 a.m. but didn't show up until about 9:35. I was starting to think Amtrak was shut down along with the national parks. I was already planning for Cindy to drive me to Chicago when we heard the train whistle blow.

The train came into Chicago's Union Station late and on the wrong track. Everyone got off the train and was heading into the station when one of the conductors started yelling for everyone to get back on the train (really?) so they could back up and come in on a different track. Ugh. That might have been my last Amtrak trip. Driving is so much better.

Andy was waiting at the station for me. I thought we were walking to the car, but we walked to his office instead. I've just been on a train for four-plus hours and now I'm walking blocks and blocks through Chicago? He's been warned if I take Amtrak again I'm expecting him to pick me up in the car. Any way, I hung out at his office while he finished up his work before we headed home ... on the el train. Again, he should have drove! It was a bit challenging to shove me and a suitcase through the el entrance. We were lucky to run into Claude on the way to the el station. He's looking good.

Here's Andy hard at work.

When he says his phone doesn't stop ringing, he's not joking. At least he has a nice view from his office if he gets the chance to glance away from his computer screen.

The kids were glad I was home and happy that I brought them chocolate. They got little souvenirs from New York. They told me they didn't want T-shirts, so E got an "I <3 New York" magnet, B got a pen and L got a license plate-type keychain with her name on it. We went out for a family dinner where I showed them all the pictures and told them all about the trip.