Back from Chicago

I spent the last week in Chicago taking care of my sister and her family. She started to feel better by the 4th day of my visit and every day after that she improved. I realize how spoiled we are living where we live. The biggest factors are the weather and the bugs. Chicago weather was actually pretty kind to me with 3 of the 8 days being in the 70s and 80s but the other 5 days were in the 90s and I experienced thunderstorms for the first time in a long time. Of course when it was in the 90s it was also very humid so the mosquitoes were ravenous. We had tickets to an open rehearsal of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Their new conductor is a stitch - very Italian and a great personality and sense of humor. I was able to visit with K three times during the week - a real treat. She introduced me to a new Chinese restaurant in the northside Chinatown - delicious crispy duck and beef with Chinese broccoli and rice noodles. It was so good, my sister, nephew and niece and I went back for lunch on another day! Then K and I went to a new restaurant called Uncommon Ground - a green restaurant. They grow some of their food on the roof of the restaurant and everything is from sustainable sources. Food was organic with a varied menu.