Long Weekend in Review

[kate_nepveu]

Friday we flew to Chicago for the wedding of a college friend of Chad's. We treated it as our vacation for the summer, and I, at least, was probably more successful at having a relaxingly good time than if it had been our usual just-us vacation.

Saturday we spent the afternoon at the Field Museum. In the three years since we were last there, the "Life Over Time" exhibit was revamped into "Evolving Planet", which was really quite good. I think the highlight of the additions was the Cambrian/Ordovician "aquarium"—three big adjacent screens showing an animated recreation of what it might've looked like underwater at the time. You can see some images on the exhibit's website; be sure to check out the "Curious Creatures." We also really liked the charming explanatory cartoons that replaced the newscast-style videos of the old exhibit.

Also, though this sounds silly: the Corner Bakery within the Museum is exceptionally well-run and a pleasure to eat at.

Saturday night we ate at a place on Orrington (we were staying in Evanston) called Vive la Crepe, which was delicious, and then had drinks with various people in town for the wedding. (Chocolate martini: yum. And I was not carded, to my surprise.) The goal for the day was low-key relaxation and enjoyment, and we achieved it.

The wedding was late afternoon Sunday, after a brunch hosted by two local friends. Very nice, characteristic ceremony, and the reception after was the same. They'd hired the same band that played two prior weddings of these friends; I danced like an idiot and moved gingerly all the next day. (I wore the dress without the sash and with a single pearl on a chain. We didn't bring our camera, but if pictures surface, I'll post them here so y'all can see the results of your fashion advice.)

Yesterday I spent the afternoon recharging by myself; one of the benefits of the wedding weekend was that I didn't feel too guilty about hibernating alone, because Chad could go hang out with the friends who were still in town. It worked a treat; I was quite cheerful by the evening cookout and fireworks at the groom's family's lakefront house. Apparently they were the Willamette fireworks, not the Chicago ones, but they were very nice all the same (and my first live fireworks since, I think, 1999).

Travel today went very smoothly, despite my fears about crews calling in sick and East Coast thunderstorms and so on. The dog was beside herself with joy to see us, which just about makes up for her being a nudge now. Well, it is nice to be missed.

I have a good deal of work to do in the remainder of the week, and at present we don't expect to get into Readercon until 9 or 10 pm on Friday. I'll probably do a quick schedule post tomorrow when the rest of the descriptions are posted, though.