We got up around 6:15 am and left our apartment at about 7 am. Don took us to the airport. We got to use the self-check in and self-bag tag processes for the first time, which Jack was excited about. It's definitely more efficient. We took the excalator (not the elevator) up to the trains and hopped over to security. The line wasn't too long. We actually ended up behind a woman with a really little baby--she had to have been only a couple weeks old--plus two young boys. We asked her if she needed any help and she thanked us but said she had it. Even so I both sympathized with her and felt all the happier that Jack and I were traveling without kids, haha.
As we were going through security Jack's backpack got pulled aside so I went up to claim it. The TSA agent pulled out our bag of beef jerky and said "Oh. Are you traveling out of state?" Me: "Yeah." TSA: "With this kind of food you actually need to fill out a form to take it out of state." Me: "Are you serious?" TSA: [laughing] "No! Just messing with you!" I laughed but he could've easily convinced me it was true. You never know what incredibly stupid rule California will come up with.
Anyway we got to our gate and enjoyed some of the turkey rolls we'd brought and some Reese's. At first I just scrolled FB on my phone but eventually I got out my laptop and continued working on my presentation for the PL conference in September. I continued to work on it during our brief flight to Las Vegas, while we waited in Las Vegas airport, and again on the much longer flight to Chicago. Being able to work on something I'm interested in without interruption is so deeply satisfying. The presentation has a long way to go but I definitely made progress. And while in flight I was able to listen to a lot of my Spotify music that I've downloaded locally. That's a great app. Meanwhile Jack watched Ant Man on his laptop and I could see him laughing to himself throughout the movie, haha.
We landed at Midway and took a Lyft into the city. At this point I was pretty sleepy from sitting still for so long in so many places, but I still was awake enough to see the skyline appear in the distance and later see everyone biking and running down Lake Shore Drive. We saw the Field Museum, the aquarium, the planetarium, etc. (I learned later that cluster of cultural icons is called the "Museum Campus.")
We checked in to the hotel and relaxed for a bit, then walked about 10 minutes to Portillo's hot dogs, which several local people had recommended. I got a chocolate malt milkshake and a jumbo hot dog with everything. Jack got some kind of IPA in a goblet, basically, and a polish dog also with everything. We couldn't actually tell the difference between our hot dogs but they were both delicious. We sat upstairs by the windows where we could see the city and cars driving by. Easy first dinner.
Then we walked around a bit and stopped by Jewel-Osco, a grocery store I vaguely remember from when my family briefly lived in the Chicago area. We picked up snacks to keep at the hotel, plus a bottle of cheap wine, then moseyed on back. After dropping off the food we explored the hotel a bit and found the rooftop terrace--it took awhile because we thought it would be on the top floor of the hotel (about 15 stories or so) but it's actually on level 6, just outside the pool area. The weather was beautiful - summer nights are pretty nice here, warm enough you don't need a jacket but cool enough you're comfortable. We leaned against the terrace railing and stared at the night-time city skyline (a view I have always loved, though traditionally of San Francisco, not Chicago) and talked about what it was like when we were kids and where we think we'll live eventually, what we like about birthdays, other random things. It was one of the best parts of the day.
We went back to our room and video chatted with our adorable daughters and Mimi and GPa just before the girls were going to bed. Clara very proudly told us 3-4 times "pooped in the potty! Ice cream!!" which was great. Jane was so happy to see us she kept shoving her fingers in her mouth, haha. Man I love those kids.
Then we just relaxed in the hotel and ate snacks and watched Netflix on the big screen (an awesome option, it's the future). Finally finished the Scooby Doo episode of Supernatural, haha. Then passed out.
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