Serendipity

Lots of stories to tell but not much energy. This post will ramble. If you aren't in a rambling mood, move on!

I spent two weeks at my daughter's in Grayslake, IL. I went up on a Friday with the intention of staying only a week, but things happen. I had such a good time with Denis's Russian parents. First, I was going to come home on Thursday...then Sunday...then found out that the grandchildren had a day off on Tuesday and would need supervision, so I stayed until then. Was going to come home on the Wednesday after that...but I was too unenergetic to do anything. Thus, I didn't leave until the Thursday AFTER the original Thursday! Two weeks!

Denis's parents, Luda and Sergey, departed on Friday, Sept. 30th. Before that, however, we took turns cooking the supper meal for the breadwinners. It was unspoken. When I got there, they seemed to leave supper to me...but I had to be gone one day and they took over. It was all good. Meg has a cleaning service that comes every couple of weeks. On the day of the cleaning service, after Megan and Denis left for work, Luda and I just launched into picking up things to make the place clean enough to be cleaned. We didn't say anything to each other about it. It's a gal thing! Some things are just obvious in any culture!

I did attend a ceremony for Major Pat at The Salvation Army's Territorial Headquarters in Des Plaines on a Wednesday while I was there. Pat is retiring as National Director of SATERN, probably the largest radio network of its kind in the world. They had refreshments and a nice presentation by the National Commander/Commissioner (I'm not sure which). The man made it a point to say that SATERN is a "big deal"...and worthy of recognition from "national". I have to say that it is gratifying to hear that from a non-ham. Patrick--and all of the rest of us in amateur radio/SATERN--have struggled for years to help others to "get it". This little ceremony cemented that and gave Major Patrick his "due". Nice!

Unfortunately, being on the highways and byways of the Chicago area has its pitfalls. When I got off the tollway on the exit that would take me to THQ, there was an unattended toll booth that needed $1 in coins. I didn't have $1 in coins! I threw what I had in the basket and moved on. The same thing happened as I got back on the tollway to return to Meg's. Ugh! Had to get online to pay $2. As I came home, I got aced out of paying an 80-cent toll by the fact that there was only a 3/4th mile notice and the right two lanes were occupied by semis...so I couldn't get over in time to be in the cash lanes. I'm letting that one pass. They can sue me for 80 cents! It's not like I didn't try!

The Tuesday that I supervised the grandchildren was a busy one. I drove Robin (and Ryan) to Robin's dentist appointment. She went in alone, got her shot and a filling, and was back in the waiting room less than 30 minutes later! She was a trouper, bless her heart. After that, we went to have lunch with Meg, then I took the kids to the movie to see Dolphin Tale in 3-D. Thereafter, I drove the kids back home to Zion. It was a beautiful day.

Oh...didn't mention the genealogy trip! The weekend after Luda and Sergey left, Megan, Denis, and I drove several hours south into Illinois to seek the graves of my Covill grandparents. Megan printed out what information she had. We drove first to Princeton, IL, because they have a county genealogy society that is open one Saturday per month...which was THAT Saturday. We didn't get there until 1:00, and they close at 3:00, so we were busy little beavers! The gal in charge was totally knowledgeable and helpful. We got a lot of information in a relatively short time!

Armed with cemetery information about who is buried where, we went first to Tiskilwa, IL, to seek Grandma Covill, who was buried near her folks. We found her parents, but not her. Just some empty spaces in the cemetery row. Running out of time and daylight, we drove to LaMoille to look for Grandpa Covill who was buried near HIS folks. Same thing. We found his father's grave marker, barely readable...but nothing for Grandpa. The family was dirt-poor. It is our belief that no gravestones were ever placed for them. I wish I were a wealthy person so I could put markers on their graves in the memory of my father who probably helped pay for their funerals... Again, it was a beautiful day for a ride. We took pictures of a Civil War monument in Princeton that has my great-grandfather's name, and his brother's, inscribed. Although we weren't successful in finding the final resting places of my father's parents, we saw a part of Illinois that were part of their lives...and other information about family. I counted the trip as a success!

I came home from Megan's with a bug. Chest and head congestion. I have been trying to recuperate without seeming like a hypochondriac, but it's been tough. Thankfully, this isn't a major bug. If I got a major bug, I would probably not survive...

Hope to be well enough to go to church tomorrow!