Chicago

So Kami’s brother Brent took Kami and I to the airport on Wednesday. We had a short 90-minute flight to Chicago from Washington D.C. at noon and Wendy would be picking us up at the airport when we arrived.

Wendy kindly offered to put us up for 5 nights a couple of months ago, and I could tell by all her Facebook posts on my wall from Tuesday night before our flight that she was excited to see us both.

When we arrived around 1:30, Wendy was in the cell phone lot. Our flight was half an hour early, and by the time we had come through the baggage claim and picked up our checked luggage she was outside at “vestibule” 1 to whisk us away to her compound.

“Vestibule” 1D ? Don’t they have doors here ?   Kami and Wendy.

  

Wendy had her daughter Zoe in the car with her. I’d seen pictures online of Zoe and was looking forward to meeting her—I’d met Wendy’s son Cal a few months before. Zoe is just as cute in person as she is in her pictures, and while she was a little shy to start off with, within a couple of hours she was running around like she had known Kami and I for years. Wendy’s husband Chris was away camping with Cal, and they were halfway through the ten hour drive home. He would be joining us for dinner later on. Wendy, Zoe, and I watched Yo Gabba Gabba on the TV for a couple of hours. Wendy knows of my liking for Long Island Iced Teas and had rounded up all of the ingredients needed and set out to make her first one. “Unfortunately,” while it was awesome, I’d had a bad headache since the flight and wasn't feeling too great. Otherwise, I’d have had another couple straight away. As it happens, I just had the one, and that one kind of knocked me out for the rest of the night!

Chris got home around 9 P.M. and we all sat down for a great dinner. By 11 we were all in bed, but not just any bed but THE biggest beds I've ever slept in! Mine was HUGE. I just laid there for the first ten minutes wiggling my feet around, not believing that I’d found a bed where my feet were 18 inches from touching the bottom!

Awesome huge bed                            Me with Zoe and Cal      Zoe

   

I woke up the next morning and didn't want to move, so I didn't! I've still got a little jetlag, so I’m waking up at 5 A.M. It’s getting later and later as the days go by, though. We had an amazing breakfast out on the deck, and then I realised how difficult it is entertaining two young kids! Oh my GOD they never stop! First they want something, then they don't, then they’re happy, then they’re not, and it just goes on and on!

Don't get me wrong—I'm not complaining about Cal and Zoe AT ALL. They were awesome and well behaved. This is just how kids are and I'm so not used to it. Cal got out their two plastic pools and started to fill them with water. I knew from the second I saw the hosepipe that things were going to get wet! And they did—water pistols, buckets of water, squirting fish, etc. I had a blast playing with them both in the garden. When Kami asked me jokingly if I “wanted some” (meaning kids) I said NO! It’s great to play, but it’s nice to be able to give them back to their parents when I'm done!

Teaching Cal to shake cocktails!           I knew I was gonna get sprayed!           Zoe and her toys in the pool

Wendy, Kami, and I were moving down to Wendy’s parents house today. They have an apartment in downtown Chicago and are away for the weekend, so we’re staying there the night before and night of the show. After packing our cases and saying goodbye to Cal and Zoe, we headed downtown, calling in at the venue to pick up Wendy’s tickets for the show.

Our friends Chris, Meagan, and Matt were arriving in town today, and we had arranged a couple of months ago to all have dinner at their hotel downtown tonight. Wendy’s dad was heading up to their summer house for the weekend around 6 P.M., so Wendy invited Chris, Meagan, and Matt over for cocktails at 5 before our dinner together. Their hotel was only a 15 minute walk from us.

The view from the apartment and the apartment itself are beautiful. It’s right on Lakeshore Drive opposite the beach, and the view below is from one of the two balconies belonging to the apartment. Most of the apartments are half the size of this, however. Wendy’s parents’ is two apartments knocked into one.

Around 6 P.M. we all headed downtown to the restaurant in the Waldorf. Robbie's wife Victoria had called earlier on to say Robbie had some family in town, and she wanted to hangout with us if she could. She joined us at the table for drinks, and it was great to see her again. Robbie joined her later on to say hi to us all, then we settled down for our 4 course dinner. I’d asked Dave K. if he wanted to join us, but his girlfriend was due to arrive today, so he understandably took a pass this once on coming down to see us.

I’ve known Chris and Meagan a long time, and it’s always good to see them and hang out with them. Wendy’s good friend Jessica whom Kami and I had met in Philly in 2010 joined us for dinner, too. Matt Alford, whom I’d been friends with on Facebook for a while and who knew Chris through Facebook was with us as well, and we had a great night eating, drinking, and chatting. We were at the table for well over 3 hours! It was great to finally meet you, Matt, and I'm so glad you enjoyed our little group:)

Meagan, Jessica, Kami and Wendy at dinner     Chris and I                         Myself, Matt and Chris at dinner

   

We headed to the hotel bar after dinner, but not before checking out Chris and Meagan's room to take a few obligatory bathroom pictures! The girls spotted Absinth on the bar menu and had to try it. I settled with a coke.

Wanna take a baaaaath ?                                                                                Absinth being “cooked” at the table!

        

After an hour in the bar and a couple of shots of Absinth each, Chris and Meagan headed up to their room, and Kami, Wendy, and I walked back to the apartment. I’m sure I speak for everyone else when i say it was a great night full of great people and great food. It was so nice to sit and relax in good company and be able to chat and have a good laugh for a few hours without the hustle of a preshow meet up followed by a rush to get in the show. I think I also speak for everyone else at dinner when I say I can’t thank Meagan and Chris enough for their hospitality last night. It was hugely appreciated by everyone.

Album of pictures below:

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