July 28, 2000: Titanic Display

Showed Mike where I worked out at Ballys.  We went to see the Titanic display at the Field Museum.   Somehow, Mike and I got separated in the display, so I had to wait for him at the end.   I got a kick out of the funny mirrors that made you either look tall or fat, but I didn't think he thought it was too funny.    I was hoping we would go to dinner, but he ended up going home, which disappointed me.   I think this was the answer I was seeking. 

I am finally growing up and realizing I don't need a man to be happy.   This statement had been reinforced to me this summer.    It would be nice to have someone, but as long as they respect me and can make me laugh.  The whole summer had been very enlightening to me.     

I spent the past 2 years dealing with the infatuation with Joe Idstein and the fact that he married my roommate from college, Dawn.    I wish I had not spent so much time on that situation and just moved on right away.    They ended up getting divorced about 5 years after marriage.        

July 27, 2000: Jimmy Buffett Concert with Mike

Mike Tabaczka, from Muskegon, came to Chicago to visit me.   I was so excited.   He took a wrong turn and ended up way up in Lake Forest, so I had to redirect him back downtown to IRI.   We went to the Jimmy Buffett concert out at the New World Music Theater in Tinley Park.   

The Jimmy Buffett concert was fun.    Mike stayed at my apartment.   I was nervous as I had never had a guy spend the night at my apartment, other than good friends of mine.    I met Mike through Sue and her sister, Chris Arnouts.    He used to do the photography and the website for the bike racing up near Newaygo. It was called Big Air.   I volunteered to work at the registration counter at Big Air a couple of times.    

I had a good time at the concert.  I love Jimmy Buffett's music.   It is always so happy.

July 17, 2000: Lisa Syverson

I learned a very valuable lesson from my friend Lisa Syverson, who was in my bible study.   She said a friend of hers haf a fiance and asked him if he 'needed' her in his life.    What he said was that he didn't 'need' her,  but 'wanted' her in his life.   That was the key difference.    You don't need certain people in your life, but want them in your life.     She said she did alot of things by herself.      You have to learn to be happy with yourself and be yourself before you can be happy with someone else.        Lisa was a beautiful woman and could find any man, but chose to enjoy her life with or without a man.    I think that was fantastic. 

July 9, 2000: Food Depository at the Taste of Chicago

Yesterday, Fontrise Charles and Tamara Ohs were supposed to visit me, but ended up canceling the plans.   Tamara had missed the train to go to Chicago from Gary, IN, so that was why she wasn't able to meet me at the Taste of Chicago.   

Today, I did some volunteer work for the Food Depository at the Taste of Chicago.   Yolanda Thomas worked there with me.    I helped collect the leftover food from each of the vendors.    We got free meal tickets for helping.   I met a nice gal named Mary Ann, who worked at the festival with me.   Channel 7 news interviewed us and took pictures of the rolls we had.   It didn't air on TV, but it was still neat.     Mary Ann took the 'El' back with me, as she lived in Ravenswood.   We met this nice older gentleman on the 'El' who worked for the City of Chicago.    He had worked with Mayor Daly and had done some volunteer work.    He worked at the tourism booth at the Taste of Chicago.

July 6, 2000: Taste of Chicago

After work, I went with Yolanda Thomas, Bryan Kerr, and Lilly to the Taste of Chicago.   We had some good food there.  Lilly got a free sundae.   We think the guy at the booth thought she was cute so that was why she got the free sundae.   I had a good time hanging out with all of them.     

Chicago was a fun place to live in, as there was always something going on.    I had always enjoyed going to the Taste of Chicago.  My mom and I went to this festival long before I lived in Chicago.

July 4, 2000: Bonnie & Tessie

It was nice to be able to spend the day with my mom.  We did some errands.  We visited Hazel's sister, Tessie, in the nursing home off of Seminole Ave.   We thought the facility was gorgeous.   I don't think Tessie knew who we were, but I'm glad we went to see her.  Hazel Wentzloff was one of my grandmother's good friends from Muskegon.    Hazel used to go visit her down in Florida.    After her last trip down to FL, something must have upset Hazel, as she never spoke to my grandmother again.   Both my grandmother and I have no idea why. We tried to trace back what happened, but couldn't figure it out.   

After we visited with Tessie, we went to see the outside part of the facility and met this nice old lady resident. She was sitting outside looking at the pond.    She said she enjoyed sitting there and watching the ducks.    It was very enjoyable just sitting there.

We checked out the new Agape Assisted Living home over by the Norton Shores library.   

I got to meet grandpa's new girlfriend, Bonnie.   She seemed very nice.    One of her kids used to live a couple houses down the street from us on Lawnel.

I still can't believe my grandfather started dating one month after my grandma passed away.

July 3, 2000: Charlevoix & Traverse City

We packed up the car and left for home.  First, we stopped at these springs in the UP that were absolutely gorgeous.  We took this wooden glass bottom boat out to the middle of the lake.  The water was a beautiful blue/green color.   Then, we stopped at a lookout point in the UP that overlooked the Mackinac Bridge.     Leah and I talked about going to Mackinac Island sometime.    We drove through Charlevoix which was the most beautiful town.   It was so classy and quaint.   I heard that Madonna had a summer home there.   We drove along the coast of Lake Michigan.  Leah and I talked about going to New York sometime.   

I know I won't ever forget this trip to the Upper Peninsula.    I realized more than ever that I am a city girl.   

For some reason this song by Marc Anthony, "You Sang to Me" kept playing in my head throughout the trip. My supervisor at IRI, Chris Blackwell, said that his wife liked that song.   That song got me through this vacation.

July 2, 2000: Rain & Card Playing

We wanted to go to Marquette for the day, but it rained all day.  We were afraid to drive down the 2 tracks and get stuck in the mud, so we had breakfast and played more cards.

It was a fun time playing cards and chatting with my friends.   Plus, we brought a bunch of snacks which was good too.

I was still paranoid about the ticks and all I wanted to do was go home.   Kara and Leah talked about how unhappy I looked after the tick incident.   So while we were playing cards,  Leah asked if I wanted to go home the next day.    I was afraid to say anything, as I knew that Kara was excited about this trip and I didn't want to disappoint her.  I did say I would like to go home.   We were all pretty scared of the ticks.   Plus, we were tired of feeling so dirty, as we couldn't take a real shower up at the cabin.    Kara and Leah said not to feel bad about going home early.  They wished I had said something earlier.   They just wanted all of us to have fun.      I thanked them and was so glad to have such wonderful friends.

We had homemade hot pockets that we roasted over the fire outside.    They were delicious.   Leah got a tick on her back, so Kara got it off and pounded it on the table with a hammer.   I found out that ticks hurt when they bury themselves in your skin.   Leah freaked out, but not as bad as I did.    I think that was the last straw for all of us. 

July 1, 2000: Stumps, Cards & Ticks

Kara, Leah, and I had a relaxing morning which was nice.   Kara made us pancakes on the griddle and I did the dishes.   It was hard to do the dishes as they had no sink.  I had to heat up the water on the stove for cleaning.

I ran to the outhouse to do my business, as I didn't want to get bit by ticks.     I don't think I enjoy roughing it in the wilderness.   

Kara, Leah, and I played a few games of "Hand and Foot".  Then, we got dressed to do some work outside.   We walked down the 2-track to saw a tree that had fallen across the road.  I used the saw to cut it in half.   Then, we moved the wood to the side of the road.  Kara and Leah fixed the mud in parts of the road so the water would filter out to the sides of the road.  

Then, we played more cards.   Later in the evening, we took a walk down the trail to see if we could spot some deer.   Kara said if we saw a bear that we should not say a word.   Somehow, I think that if I saw a bear that my natural reaction would be to scream.

We got back to the cabin and did our tick check.  We saw a few and brushed them off.   Then, we played some more cards.   
As we were sitting, Leah asked if my bra had a design on it and I said no.   It was a tick just inside my bra. I freaked out!   In a panic, I told Kara to get it out which she did.    Found some more ticks on my white shirt.    Kara found some ticks on her, too.   The ticks were all over the shoes that had been tied to the beams in the cabin.    We were all freaking out by now.   We checked each other for ticks from head-to-toe.  

We all had a hard time sleeping that night and were so paranoid of the bugs.   We all felt itches and thought they were ticks.