it's been forever...

since I last posted but I did warn you I was getting busy - so I will do my best to catch you up on things since the last entry - which was the end of last month (about three weeks ago now) - on the night of the last post we had dinner at Brian and Tina's house - did mention the fabulous potato salad? well I should have.  A lovely evening before Tina left town to visit family in MD. 

Then that Friday at the last minute we decided to go to the lobster six course tasting dinner at Restaurant Michael in Winnetka (maybe Wilmette?) - I didn't take photos but trust me it was amazing- Sheila and Mary decided to go as well so we had a nice evening more or less (for us) on the spur of the moment. 

Over the following weekend I got things ready for a journey in September to Florida - boxes packed and stacked awaiting transport.... on Tuesday I left for a DART trip to what I then knew as upstate NY (LOL- innocent that I was...)

You may recall that my travel buddy Tom (TB) from Denver - and I go with some regularity on road trips to the past - given the name Disappearing America Road Trips (DART) by a woman in TB's past- they seek out the byways that were once well traveled in the golden age of family vacations in station wagons (sans dog on top - thanks Mitt)

We were headed for eight days to what we NOW know is north country NY- the Adirondacks Park (ADK) and the St Lawrence Seaway (Seaway).  Here is a map of our journey- I defy you to follow the route lined out here but the following posts will give you a day by day description of the trip and the great things we saw and did along the way....

when I returned it was full speed ahead with other things- Phil and I grabbed one dinner at Moody's and then our social calendar kept in full swing with Phil's three baseball games in five days, a concert and we managed to see Brian and Tina for dinner before Tina left for a big family reunion thing.  We also went for the first time in nearly ten years- back to Anna Maria Pastaria for dinner with Neil and Sheila and Mary... why? because we can again bring wine there.  Food was good so we will probably go again as it is easy for both Neil and us to get to...

I also rushed off to the framer's at Artist's Frame Services on Clyborn to get some of my Florida artwork framed in time for transport south when I go- this place is great - I am always happy with their work---- here are two choices we were working on for the latest painting I took there- I couldn't decide so I went with the wavy frame in the gold-ish color....LOL....

This week we have had family visiting - Steve, Suzanne and Jack & Marissa have come for a few days to visit Chicago.  And tonight we are celebrating Steve's birthday at Goosefoot with a 90 burgundy and an 82 Leoville Las Cases and some Krug etc... more on that later.  But here is a parting shot for this quick post - from our night at Moody's - I love their garden and the food (which was hit or miss for years) has actually gotten to be consistently decent....

Do stay tuned- I have lots of superb photos of the ADK and Seaway trip to North Country NY - and just in case you cannot wait for the photos - they are posted here:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbtHDNo4ZtVJ50

safe travels!!!!