A Trip to Central Illinois.

Fossils we found on the Mackinaw River.

If I wrote every detail down from my amazing trip we'd be here all night.  I'll just write down some highlights:  

Took Friday off work and drove to Illinois, landed in East Peoria at two and picked up Matt, ate Thai food, find two abandoned kittens and save their lives, go to Rhodell's to drink micro-brews with my amazing professor (Oscar Gillespie) and a smattering of others (we play darts, I hate darts).  Hug Juice Wallis. Go to the Mackinaw  River with friends (Steve, Jessie, Chris, Dave, Christine, Matt, and a few new friends) where we float in tepid water, look for fossils, and drink beer.  Go to Steve's house to see Rishika!  Get some nostalgic photos while we listen to music and do "other" things.  Sleep.  Wake up at 9 and have some food with Miss Elizabeth Carol.  Leave for Bloomington, IL to see my brother, Barton.  Get some food and beers while we wait for my mom to show up.  Go to the National Guard gym and see my little brother, Paul, receive three awards (he's at the top of his class, woot!).  Mom arrives and feeds the three of us at another micro-brewery.  Boys leave and mom and I get a hotel.  We buy swimming suits and beer.  We sit by the poolside and catch up, drinking beer and smoking cigs (ahhh!)...coz, we cool like that.  We watch dumb teenager poolside antics and meet a young man that was about to audition for The Voice (he wouldn't perform for us...he's gonna suck).  Mom and I get hungry and go to Stake and Shake....mmmm.  Go back to the hotel, sleep, wake up, hug mom "bye", love her so much!  Hit the road for Iowa.  The sadness from losing my Ryder-dog is heavy in my heart on the ride home.  I think about him a lot.  Think about my Ryder-Dog and what a good life we had and how it's ok to be sad for awhile.  Come home to a happy boyfriend and a happy dog.  Life is good.  I had an amazing weekend.