missed a day of work; left on th. for chicago, to support my wife's attendance of a board meeting of the midwest sociological society. right near salem, illinois, lost several hours due to a train derailment...saw part of the countryside i'd never seen.

in chicago did millenium park and the beach, but the high point of the trip was seeing the foster family of the youngest son, and using the hotel ironing board as a car-racing ramp, at the 38th-floor floor-to-ceiling window of the mag-mile-marriott, with the 4-yr.-old. the dan ryan was impressive-lots of orange cones, dug-out trenches, construction machinery, mud. occasional visitors like us aren't up on alternate routes, so they leave two lanes open no matter how bad things get. makes for a story, i guess.

coming back it was the same old state- lots of corn waiting for the harvest; a bright red sun setting on it; american food served in central-illinois-culture sauce; a rest-area cappucino machine that delivered the coffee before it delivered the cup. september is a pretty time to travel, though- and illinois is a lot like iowa, except it has a city in it. it's good to be home.