It's Goodbye For Now To Chicago....

Every goodbye makes the next hello closer.

Getting very cold for us now here in Chicago and even though we love being here we hate the cold even more.  We have had a wonderful summer here in Chicago and now it's time to go back to Florida and the warmth.

It took us over an hour to get the tickets because there were a few complications to get Brutus together with us on the same flight....and his round trip cost more than ours (ha!ha!)....Arvid even said that in the future he will just buy an extra seat for Brutus so that we can have the entire row to ourselves.....  Finally we have everything all set.  Leaving in less than week.

This gives us more time to look also for a place in Florida be it a house or a condo.   Very difficult to do so while living somewhere else.....

I am sad yet OK with it because I don't like the cold much and we have witnessed a few cold days already and it is only going to get worse.  The few days we have left we will be making the most of.... and going to many of our favorite places for the last time this year.

We have done so much here in Chicago and we have had so much fun.  We really love this city and cannot wait to be back here next year...we already have our tickets for our return trip.

We have met some wonderful people......Brutus has had the opportunity of also being with kind and caring people when we were away...to all of you thank you and we will be seeing you again next year....

Now to begin the packing process and to take care of a few things before we leave.....

Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.

until next time...

Weekend...

The only reason why we ask other people how their weekend was is so we can tell them about our own weekend.

As usual the weekends for us are always filled with fun and exciting things to do.  This is our last weekend here in Chicago.....since we will be leaving for Norway this Sunday.  That being the case we will try to do as much as possible before leaving.

Weekend started early for us.  Yesterday we went to the Chicago Yacht Club and had something delicious to drink......and then had a nice long walk along the lake.  Was a beautiful day and we made the most of it.

Already for today we went walking downtown...getting a few things to take back o Norway....

In a few minutes we most likely will go by the River and enjoy a little snack and something to drink.

There is always something to do and we sure know how to make the most of our time....tomorrow have a full day planned also.....saddest part of this is that soon will have to leave Brutus....

To everyone...have a great weekend...

There aren't enough days in the weekend

 

until later...

July 4th Weekend...

“Freedom is never given, it is won.”

I feel very fortunate to be living in the USA...there is no better place on earth as far as I am concerned.  I have traveled a bit and would never choose any other place to call home.

Being born in a different county makes you appreciate the USA even more.  Here we have the freedom to say and do what we like....

I have also lived in many states within the USA and I have to say that today my favorite place to call home is Chicago....

All summer long there is so much to do.  Again we tried to make it to Taste of Chicago...unfortunately there were over 1 million people in the park....never-the-less I had a great time just maneuvering through the crowd....we did manage to see/hear a bit of Steve Miller Band.

After we decided we did not wish to fight with the crowd we headed for a quieter spot and just relaxed....as you can see Arvid is already relaxing with his weekend drink...

We also did a bit sight seeing....and let me tell you there is a lot to see....

As usual we had a great time....

And I'm proud to be an American,

where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

PS: that flag was taken in Macys...the flag is 7 stories tall and Macys has a total of 12 stories....

until next time...

Pet Sitter For Brutus....

Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.....I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.

OK...today begins the interviewing process for a pet sitter  for Brutus.  How nerve racking.  We just finished with the first interview a very nice older woman who took right away to Brutus and he to her.  Problem here...I am not so sure she is the right one and neither is Arvid.

You know the feeling but you just can't pinpoint the exact reason why you have it.  She was professional.  Loved Brutus but........

Could be because the only way I have of getting in touch with her is by leaving a message at the lobby.  No phone calls and no emails.  She does not do those.

Well that's a bit too much for me.  Her prices were reasonably compared to the other lady we will be interviewing in a bit....but, this is Brutus we are talking about and for me it's not a matter of price but a matter of feeling like we are leaving him in good hands...he's after all our baby.....

Hopefully we will feel more at ease with the next person coming.............and make the right choice for Brutus.....and for us.

It often happens that a man is more humanely related to a cat or dog than to any human being.

until next time...

Navy Pier....

Sometimes it's important to work for that pot of gold. But other times it's essential to take time off and to make sure that your most important decision in the day simply consists of choosing which color to slide down on the rainbow....

It has been a couple of very exhausting weeks for us.....so today after working for most of the day we decided to just take a breather and do nothing.  That is no more work.  We played hooky and went to Navy Pier... Chicago's top tourist attraction which offers 50 acres of parks, gardens (beer and botanical), shops, restaurants, cultural attractions and a 150-foot Ferris wheel.

 

There is just so much to do there.  First of course we walked from our apartment and let me tell you that was no easy feat.  This is a city of pedestrians and bicycles.  Many a times we were almost run over by these busy runners, walkers and people on bicycles.  Even so it was fun dodging these ferocious people....makes for an interesting walk.

Of course we had to have something to drink.  Arvid has a huge selection of beer on tap to choose from...... he was in heaven.  I decided on Haagen Daz chocolate ice cream......was delicious.

Every Saturday and Wednesday nights all summer long Navy Pier has fireworks.  We saw it last weekend and I will say it is amazing.  A full 30 minutes long of non-stop fireworks.....seeing it right now from our living room.

We are looking forward to exploring the city and to enjoying it to the fullest.......

Life is like sailing. You can use any wind to go in any direction.

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be......

until next time......

Backpacking Our way

We grew tired of the pace of this lifestyle living in the city. A lifestyle that was very unbalanced and truly draining.

We needed a change in our lifestyle.....and CHICAGO was that change!!!

OK everyone I have to admit that so far the lifestyle we have had so far in Chicago s a bit different than the one we lead in Florida.

No complaints here.  Here we are not quite as "glamorous" as we would be back in Ft. Lauderdale.  We are much more relaxed and less stressed. We are much more comfortable at home here compared to what we were in Ft. Lauderdale. You might ask why? What's different? All I can say is that just getting away from Ft. Lauderdale had a lot to do with it. Summers there are just horrible.

Where we live in Ft. Lauderdale lots of the people around us were so fake. Always so stuck up. Here  as Arvid and I say they are more normal and I think we fit in well.

Don't misunderstand.  We like Ft. Lauderdale.  In the winter you can't beat the weather....but aside from the beach which we never go to there is not much to do.  Of course restaurants and stuff but those you find everywhere.  Here in Chicago within a short distance we have so much we can do......one of my favorites is The Shedd Aquarium. 

Since coming to Chicago we have lived in our sneakers and I have not yet used a purse/handbag. No matter where we go it's a backpack. I noticed this with most people here in the city also be it man or woman the main accessory is a backpack as you can see from the pictures.  We feel comfortable and at ease with it......

Not a bad place to call home for a bit...............

When the heart is at ease, the body is healthy”

Chicago Blues Festival

The blues tells a story. Every line of the blues has a meaning. 

I was not one to be interested in The Blues that is not until I met my husband Arvid..........11 years ago.

If there was a man really born to listen to this kind of music it is him.  He lives it and feels it with an intensity like no other person I know.  So that said, we are constantly on a quest to follow the music be it wherever it takes us.

The Chicago Blues Festival has turned out to be our favorite venue for Blues Music. 

It is the largest free blues festival in the world and remains the largest of Chicago's Music Festivals. During three days on five stages, more than 640,000 blues fans prove that Chicago is the "Blues Capital of the World." Past performers include Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, B.B. King, the late Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy and the late Koko Taylor.

http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/supporting_narrative/events___special_events/events/mose/chicago_blues_festival34.html

We have been coming here for many years and we right away fell in love with this beautiful and exciting city.

Home is Fort Lauderdale but more and more we are loving Chicago.  Arvid actually told me that he would not mind making this home..........if the winters were not that cold.  That said we could not live here in the cold months.

Yesterday was day one of the festival and let me tell you it was full of good music and to make it even more interesting there were so many things/people to look at doing and wearing unusual gear.  For instance take this man with the funny hat.  He was promoting the fact that The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup Championship......

Simple music is the hardest music to play and blues is simple music.

Looking forward to the next two days filled with good music and who knows what else..........

 This is beautiful city with friendly people......unlike Ft. Lauderdale people here are more down to earth.  You would not find young girls at the blues festival wearing heels...here everyone is dressed for comfort and practicality.  Fort Lauderdale is another story.....not too many are practical.  Here you don't see the young girls with so much make-up....back home many young people I know hardly get out of their apartments without spackling (Arvid's word) their faces with tons of makeup.......when going to the beach some girls  take hours to prep themselves.......here it is more relaxed and we love it....we have not joined the rest of Chicago...instead of carrying a purse/handbag we now ONLY carry a backback everywhere we go....

The best part of all of this is that when we come home Brutus is waiting for us......

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

Music is what feelings sound like

Time to go and listen to more music.....hasta luego amigos...

until later.....