Our first hosts in one of of my favorite cities in the country...San Francisco being the other...I guess I just like cities with great food...and my waistline is beginning to show the effects.  This is the Henderson's home in an area just outside of Chicago's downtown, it's very close to the vibrant city.  It is also about 3 blocks from Lake Michigan.
Their home was built around the turn of the century and after they purchased it, completly gutted it, re-doing it with all  the modern conviences, it's like living in a really nice bed and breakfast!  All the while keeping the integrety of the original home.
Their house has 4 levels (I didn't see them all), but I.m sure at some point in her explorations Ruby found them!
I failed to mention the other day Saturday...on our arrival date, that the Hennderson's had just returned from Southern Illinois, where the state high school track meet was held and their son Brit finished 2nd in the state in his event...not to shabby...ehhh (my Canadian coming out again, I had practiced that dilligently before being denied entry)...it's gotta come out somewhere!

Craig in front of his house with my baby and her newest best buddy Riley...Linda's dog is named Bailey...I screwed up more times than I can count and called Riley...Bailey...poor Riley!
The 1st day that they were together the 15 year old Riley, tried his newtered best to hump Ruby's brains out!  Ruby being the unabashed slut that she is rolled onto her back (missionary) and let Riley have his way...I really believe that my innocent little dog thought they were playing!
Or maybe not!   

Craig and his lovely, charming, phenominal cook and wonderful mother to 3 beautiful children...Patty!
Craig and Patty were high school sweethearts and have been married for something like 35 years...needless to say they have a beautiful relationship and a terrific marriage...they both seem extremely happy!
I'm proud to call them both my friends...they really are a class couple...both spend countless hours working with charities in the Chicago area...giving back to the community in a BIG way!

After the baton (me) was passed from the Henderson's to my closest friend from my former life (car dealer) Dave Dickens, who owns Sherman Dodge,Jeep Chrysler in Skokie.  Dave is another person that is on my hero list...he began his working life after dropping out of high school and following his father into the brick laying business.  As you can imagine laying brick in a Chicago winter is no walk in the park...Dave finally hit the wall one cold winter day, picked up his tools and said I'm not doing this shit anymore.
He got a job selling cars (in the warmth of a showroom) at a local dealership, eventually working himself up to General Manager before putting the money together to buy Sherman.
Dealerships are very capital intensive business' and Dave has put up with a lot with his ex-partners but now owns 100% of the business.
But now another highlight of my trip...Wrigley Field..home of the perennially worthless Cubs.  They have the distinction of being the team going the longest amount of time without winning a World Series, going back to the 1920's, I believe.
I have been to Fenway in Boston, Tiger Stadium in Detroit, but never Wrigley...an absolute shrine to any baseball lover or sports fan of any type...this was to me an absoulute treat..the smells, the atmosphere, the electricity in the air...everything that baseball should be!
I felt like I was in church...

FRONT ROWWWW!
Dave was kind enough to go to the trouble to line up his contacts and secure the best seats I have ever sat in at a baseball game..did I mention that they were in the front row!  Directly behind the Cubs dugout...I was so excited that I almost threw up!
At game time the temperature was 97 degrees...a record for Memorial Day!  (Might explain the puking).  It was sweltering!  Almost hard to breath and with the ever present mid-west humidity...It was brutally hot!
Dave reminded me sarcasticaly, that I was in Chicago in January when they had their worst snow storm of the year and now I was back on the hottest day of the year..he suggested that maybe I was a curse and should skip Chicago in the future!
He did say that if the Cubs won ending an 11 game loosing streak that all would be forgiven...I kept my fingers crossed because I really like Chicago!

This eagle flew in from center field at the conclusion of the National Anthem...a spectacular site to behold...I'm a big time jet fly over fan but this was really cool! 

Dave and I standing at our seats...have I mentioned that we were in the front row?
It's amazing that we had the energy to stand up...I felt like a flower under a sun lamp!
Wilting by the moment...I couldn't drink water fast enough, probably a bottle per inning.

From our FRONT ROW SEATS...Alphonso Soriano stroking a pretty double...the ball was jumping off the bats and at one point there were a total of 16 hits in the game and 7 of those were home runs!

A close play at the plate...he was out...go Cubs..I have to break this curse!

Brian Dennahe (spelling?) leading the Cub faithfull in the their time honored tradition of a very loud and raucous "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch.  He was reading the words to the song (very disappointing..it's not a really complicated song)!
If you don't recognize him the only movie I can actualy remember him in (I know he's done a lot), is Tommy Boy" with Chicago native Chris Farley starring.
Wrigley was also featured in one of my all time favorite movies "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"

One, two, three strikes your out...and the Padres were.  Clay's Chicago curse finally broken...I still get to visit the city with the Cubs win..since then they have won 2 in a row..if they win the Series they are now talking about naming a bar after me!
Just like life...a goat (pun intended) one minute, a celebrity the next!
I love this country!