September 08, 2004
What I Did On My Summer Vacation, Part I
I traveled on Friday, September 3 to go back to Aurora, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago for fun and frolic with old friends and family. What follows is an account of the weekend, in parts - for it was a long and liquid one.
* My flight was early, early, early. Upon arrival I met a couple of friends - one flying in from Cincinnati, one from Florida, for beers at Harry Carey's Bar in the Midway Airport terminal.
* Had dinner at Elmer’s Dog House Friday night – Friday Night Fish Fry! Was looking for one guy – the owner of Elmer’s, but saw another guy we hadn’t seen in over 25 years – a friend of ex-boyfriend Tony.
* Met up with the old gal pals at Ach ‘n Lou’s pizza joint for a couple beers. This was the start of something fluid and unfettered.
* Headed over to Walter Payton’s Roundhouse for several more beers and a ridiculous U2 tribute band and dancing with the bride of the hour, not to mention scaring away “Bono”.
* Got a Pilsner hangover – it feels like an anvil in your head and shag carpeting in your sinuses.
* Went to the Kane County Flea Market in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity. Bought an old hood ornament, a Busch Beer jacket (in size small!) and an apple tart made by French nuns from a nearby Abbey. Lost the rental car in the parking lot for a good 15 minutes while melting.
* Had a beer at the Shore Club, formally known as LTD’s, formally known as THE place to go. Nobody was there. Found out later that it’s almost closed and all the regulars have moved on.
* Had a decent steak dinner at The Landing. Fox Bend Golf Club’s bar/restaurant. Took the night off beers and started with a Midwestern sized Kettle One and Tonic.
* Hooked up with my older brother, “the Commish” at one of the old haunts, The Office. The bartender had to fetch their Kettle One from Storage. Not a lot of demand.
* Had a conversation with a girl from the old neighborhood about the families and the old hood. She was one of seven, I was one of six. Our bus stop was her driveway. She lives in the same subdivision now with her family in a house that was then owned by a known swinger. Wendi told her to look under the rugs for some coke (she was the swinging couple’s babysitter.) I asked if any of her siblings – the other six – had moved away. She replied yes, one of them moved to Hinkley, one to Yorkville – two towns just adjacent to Aurora. Her brother, my classmate, is running for Mayor in ’05. They are deeply rooted.
* Couldn’t leave town without visiting Stoney’s, the local dive bar. Nobody was there. Apparently Friday is the big night with the kids from AU – Saturday it was just local mopher yokels. At least there was Absolut on the shelf, but like I said – the best brown liquor you are going to get there is Jack Daniels. Wendi observed that “white people drink there and black people come for package.”
* Got back to my sister’s house and found that my brother-in-law ate a third of the tart. In the morning found that he had eaten another piece to make it a half a tart. Learned that if there is a pie in the house, unmarked, he’s going to eat it. Lesson learned.
* Sunday took the half a tart to my parent’s home for brunch. Mom made a green salad with blueberry’s and strawberries. And two frittatas – one veggie and one Bavarian ham & goat cheddar. Always going to get the best meal at the parental units.
* Was informed that there was one more box of Norabilia in the garage and maybe I would like to do something about it. No better timing. The box contained two yearbooks, a mood ring, four more ancient calendars, and two large envelopes stuffed with love letters, school girl-passed notes, high school memorabilia and three yarmulkes!
To Be Continued……..
Also - check out my buzznet over the next week because they only let me upload ten pictures a day...
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