We returned home yesterday (we flew) and slept in our own beds last night! My legs and feet were so sore form walking up and down the stairs--his apartment is up three flights (42 steps to be exact) and the day we moved him in, it was a minimum of 30 trips up and down. So you can imagine that Butch, me, and Shane were all three very sore. Shane recovered very quickly, but Butch and I were sore fore the duration of the trip. of course we had to walk a lot--we used the Chicago Transit Authority (the buses and trains) to go anywhere, and each time we rode the train, we had stairs to deal with to either get up on the platform or go down to the subway. But it was the most effective way for us to travel around. We had a wonderful time.
I think I told you all we were driving up in a uhaul truck. Imagine our shock and surprise when we picked up the truck and it only had two bucket seats in the front (it was one of those that has a minivan type front.) We went into the storage and got a folding chair to put in the middle that just fit, and one of us rode in that the whole way up there. Since Shane is almost as big as Butch, most of the time I was the one who sat there. Shane tried to do it a couple of times, but he was just to large to sit there comfortably. So it wasn't exactly safe, but it worked. I wish I had thought to take a picture of us sitting like we were. It was remarkable to say the least!
We left Thursday evening and drove all the way to Canton Ohio--where we stayed the night. We then drove the uhaul to the football hall of fame, and spent roughly 2 and a half hours there. Then we drove on up to Cleveland. In Cleveland we drove into the city to eat supper at the Hard Rock Cafe, and then attend the Cleveland Indians game. We looked nuts trying to park that uhaul but park we did! We spent the night in Cleveland, and then drove the next day to Chicago. We stayed in a hotel one night out near O'hare. Once we were in the hotel, we decided to explore a little. We got on the hotel shuttle to the airport, found our way around (since O'hare is so big) and purchased our week long passes for the CTA. We rode the train back to the stop nearest our hotel, and ate supper at a Bennigans. The next day we checked out and drove into the area of Chicago (Lincoln Park) where Clyde's apartment is. Bad though, Clyde had gone sailing with friends and was supposed to be back Saturday afternoon, but they decided to stay an extra day, so he did not get back until Sunday around 1:30. We did not have a key or anything to get in. But lucky us, there was another tenant moving out, and so we were able to get into the back gate, and we just unloaded everything, hauled it upteen times up those stairs, and just stacked it all around the back deck at his door. There was a nice cool breeze too, which made the hard work easier. When Clyde arrived, we loaded everything inside, built his bed, set up his rooms, and made a list of things we would need to shop for, like lamps, towels, etc. We set out to return the truck, and had to take it to a place four miles from the apartment. It forced us to ride the bus back, and I discovered (though I was a little afraid) that the bus was filled with all different types of people, not just poor folks or thugs as I had imagined. Clyde had to work the next day (actually each day except the 4th)--and had a class that evening, so we set out to discover Chicago on our own. We had to travel a long way to the other side of Chicago to goto a Target, but got most everything he needed to be set up. We had three BIG bags, but there were three of us. Yes we had to lug them up and down stairs to get to the train platforms, and we had to walk 2 blocks to get to the train dept and the store, but we seemed to manage. We ate dinner at a favorite wing place of Clyde's. The next day we went to explore the Magnificent Mile (shopping area), the Navy Pier, go up in the Sears Tower, and do a city boat tour along Lake Michigan. We went to eat supper at an italian restauant called Harry Caray's (from Cubs baseball fame). We took Clyde shopping the last day, getting him odds and ends he needed, and ate at a restaurant called ESPN Zone. We left at 6:30 yesterday morning to ride the train to O'hare. Shockingly, it took an hour and a half to get there using the train, but Clyde told us a cab would have taken anywhere from the same amount of time to longer, and we had passes to ride the train.
After spending the few days there at Clyde's apartment, and even in the city itself, I decided he is in a fairly safe place. I did not see any hoodlums (as I thought I would) and I think I only daw a handful of what may have been homeless people. The area Clyde lives in is filled with College students, young single and married professionals, and young families. Yuppies for the most part. There is a grocery store one block away, and a CVS and even a McDonalds--though Clyde says he has never been in the McDonalds. He likes a Wing place, a pizza place, and Mexican place the most. We ate at Lincoln Park Town Bar and Grill for lunch one day, and it was delightful. I honestly feel he is safe where he is at. We met him for lunch downtown on MOnday, and his place of employment is at the campus on the loop. We ate at a Chipotle Mexican Grill (fast food Mexican, but a little better than Taco Bell), and Clyde says he eats a lot at a Pot Belly something or another --roast beef sandwiches, and Foo Yung's, a small chinese restaurant. It was VERY busy that day, and many folks were around shopping and eating lunch. CLyde works in the campus lab there, and they are practically working him full time this summer, which is good. He is making some good spending money, and Clyde has never been one to spend frivolously, so some of this money s being set aside in a savings account. His apartment has a/c and is old, but nice. What does he still need? I would like for him to have a few more towels and wash cloths, and some dish towels too. he doesn't know what happened to the ones he had at the beginning of school last fall. He says his roommate may have them, but he doesn't know or care--one towel is enough. I bought him 2 more while there just because i didn't feel the same way.
Okay now for some pictures!
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I forgot to take a picture of his bedroom--rats!
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