Chicago: Beach!

Deprived of good summer weather for the most part in Norway this summer, we (surprisingly, perhaps) really enjoyed the Chicago summer heat.  Devon told us how to get to the beach by taking one bus just a couple of blocks from her home.  We were very surprised to find a beautiful, sandy beach with clean, warm water (78 degrees Fahrenheit).  We went to the beach twice while we were in Chicago.

I posted some pix of the beach on Facebook last week.  I asked friends to guess where the pix were taken. Some people guessed Mexico, others, Spain, Norway.  Gwen Morgan knew that it was Chicago.  One of my friends guessed Montrose Beach, which is just a little bit north of where we were.  I didn't know where Montrose Beach was until I just now Googled it.

Just after "a dip"

This pic probably prompted the "Mexico" guess.  There was another guy with a backpack illegally selling beer.  "Psst, hey buddy, wanna cold one?"

Chicago Skyline.

View North toward the ritzy condos on the shore.

There were lifeguards in dory boats about every 50 yards down the beach.

Chicago!

O'Hare makes LAX look like a 3rd World Airport 

We left Trondheim on July 26 bound for Chicago through Copenhagen.  It was a surprisingly pleasant trip.  It is so much quicker than flying to L.A., plus the 7-hour time difference makes jet lag easier to overcome.

We purposely planned our trip to arrive the day after Ryan completed the 2-day Illinois bar exam.  We didn't want to be "in the way" during bar exam preparation, which is tense enough without houseguests getting in the way.   It was warm and humid in Chicago, but we had been so summer-deprived this summer in Norway that we actually reveled in it.

Ryan, I (obscured) and Wendy on their street walking to Devon's house.  

Ryan and Wendy live in a nice apartment less than a 15 minute walk from Devon and Patrick's loft in Bucktown.  Bucktown is a trendy Chicago neighborhood that used to be quite run down but has over the past decade become somewhat gentrified.  There are lots of little bars, taverns and restaurants amid tree-lined streets with interesting townhouses, many which were built just after the Chicago Fire (the Mrs. O'Leary's cow-caused fire, not the soccer team).

Of course, one of our main purposes apart from visiting "the kids" was to introduce ourselves to my new grandson, Graham.  What a joy it was to meet the little guy, although he really did seem little compared to Ola.  He is very sweet and cuddly.  He is very lucky to have a great little family to take care of him.

Devon, the attentive Graham, Piper cracking up.

Graham's hair looks very red in certain light.

Graham was wriggling in delight (thus the blurry face) as Bestemor Tove held him.  They liked each other. 

We stayed in Chicago 6 days.  One night we all went to a film in the park.  It was a little tough on the little ones (a bit passed their bed-time) but it was so good to be outside in the cooler night air.

Graham know where the camera is at all times.

I love Piper's expression.

Ryan and Wendy enjoying the evening with us.

On our last night in Chicago, we all went out to dinner.  I didn't take a lot of pictures at dinner, but I like these:

After dinner, we had coffee on Devon's rooftop.  That's the Chicago Skyline.

More to come.

The July Visitors

Ingvild, Arild and Mari came to visit us for a week.  We had a day or two of some very nice weather in during their stay.

Apple cake and coffee in the back yard.  Clockwise:  Ingvild, Mari, Kitty, Arild, Frank.  Tove is the photographer. 

We all went to Tove's summer home on the coast for the weekend.  The weather was, for the most part, lousy.  But we still had a good time.  It was "Ocean Festival" time out there, so there were some concerts and other activities.  Ingvild and Arild went to see "Tre små kinesere" which translated means "Three Little Chinese".  The name comes from a nursery rhyme.  They are a very popular pop band with good voices, nice songs and great lyrics.  We stayed home and watched Mari.

Mari and Mormor

Peace Out.

The day after we came back from the island, Unn and 2 and 1/2 month old Ola came for a visit.  It was Ingvild, Arild and Mari's last day with us, so it was fun for everyone to get together.  Kitty got to meet her great-grandson!

"I'm cute aren't I"

Kitty meets Ola 

Tove enjoys her first grandson 

 Unn and Ola spent a week with us, and then we were joined by Ole Morten.  Ola was happy to see Dad.  While they were visiting, I came down with a 24-hr. virus that made me feel like I'd been run over by a Mack truck.  I slept for 20 hours and then I was basically fine!  Which reminds me, while Ingvild was here, she was naseous, but maintained a good appetite.  Hmmmm.....

Dad is the best.  I think Ola looks a lot like his father in this picture.

After a couple of weeks with kids and grandkids around, the house seemed really empty and quiet.  But we had no time to take it in.  In a few days we'd be off to Chicago.