All posts by jah

Chicago Waterfront

I took the long way to the Bean. I made the mistake of wearing long pants, which I regretted almost immediately since it was so damn (comfortably) warm. You can see my pants in the shot of the ground, which I included to show how the joint between the sections of the overpass on the Chicago River had enough space for a mobile phone to easily fall through and go directly into the water, which was nerve-wracking since I had my phone out at all times.

Chicago Museum Campus

I went to the Adler Planetarium, which, of course, could not compete with my memories of the HAYDEN Planetarium.

I calculated that I walked at least 15 miles that day. Every time I thought I couldn’t walk the next leg and had to call a cab, I pushed myself. I was constantly hydrating. Even though it wasn’t muggy, I was smart enough to never run out of water. I also refilled my refillable water bottle whenever I passed a fountain.

I was very impressed with the people in the water, on the beaches, and on boats. I had never been to Chicago in summer in the previous 11 or so times I was there. The beaches look so inviting. I’m so glad that they get use within the city, much like I’ve only seen before in Barcelona and other smaller cities in Europe.

I thought the statue of Jane Goodall and a Chimpanzee was very cool. Next time I’d really like to try to get into the aquarium, even though I think I’ll have to compare it to the one in Monterey, which literally interacts with the local water 24 hours a day.

I’m constantly impressed by the landscaping, but I realize a lot of the flowers are grown in greenhouses and strategically placed all over the city. I like the planning that goes into that.

Walking by trees, I heard screeching so loud I was shocked not to see huge flocks of birds. I later found out that the high-decibel sounds were from cicadas!!! I don’t think I ever heard that noise in my life!

Visiting Sabina, Ken and their Dogs

Shea and I were in the Sacramento area for a pool party, so we stopped by to hang out with my sister and brother-in-law, who just adopted a second dog to keep their dog Ricki company. Meet Phil. They have a habit of giving their dogs human names. Pete was their pit-bull mix from years ago. After he died they got another dog named Pete, although they also referred to him as REPETE.

Glen Cove Rental Area Walk

We did another neighborhood walk with Bonnie, Snoopy and the fosters Millie and Dolly.

The rental that we’re still stuck in while the house is being renovated is in another part of the Glen Cove neighborhood of Vallejo. We enjoy some of the walks in the area, although the foxtails this time of year are still a big worry, as well as burrs, which seem to be ubiquitous.