Chicago This Week

Sounds like the title of a new morning TV show, doesn't it?  "Chicago This Week," starring Kathy Tracy-- join her as she rediscovers the city of her birth . . . on foot. But today it rained. No walking or exploring outside for me. My hair frizzes up when it rains.

I figure as long as I have to drive into the city a couple of times a week, which will considerably cut into my time to quilt and also won't give me much else to talk about for awhile, I might as well take you all along for company . . . .

       

I was going to but forgot to bring along my hand quilting as we were rushing out the door this morning, so I went to a nearby bookstore to spend some time.

                          

Found a warm, quiet place to sit and read and think and watch the rain for an hour.

To be sure, there are many, many very crummy, gritty parts of the city, but I love this particular Chicago with its clean streets and old buildings mixed with fancy new ones. Reminds me of  when I was 18 and had a summer job downtown working at the Chicago Tribune, always hopping on or off a bus or rushing up and down the street with everyone else, almost all grown up but not quite.

Did a little inside exploring instead. Look what I found. (Did you really think I wouldn't check??)

What a surprise. That's the first time I've EVER seen one of my books in a major bookstore. Who knew any place other than quilts shops or hobby stores carried it?

Walked to the Water Tower Place mall after. Took the glass elevator up to the 7th floor and walked a few laps down and around.

I get slightly claustrophobic in elevators and last week almost panicked when we were "stuck" in a very small one between floors for more than a few minutes. Very creepy. I wish all elevators were glass elevators. Those aren't so bad. But, all in all, considering the rain and the traffic, the commute back home (to the puddle that's in my backyard) wasn't bad at all. Maybe because I remembered to buy Strawberry Twizzlers . . . .