September 23, 2000: Chicago Cares

This was my third weekend monitoring for work. I ended up going into work to get it done faster.   I did some volunteer work for Chicago Cares at the food depository.   I got a ride from some girls to the facility on Pulaski.   They were all impressed by my great sense of direction.   We spent 3 hours packaging noodles.   On the way home, we stopped at Krispy Kreme donuts.   Then, I went back to Information Resources to check on the jobs in the system. I gave Jase a call.   He broke his foot during the first week of training at the state police academy, so had to be on crutches.   He wasn't sure if he would be able to finish the course.   He said life didn't always go the way you wanted it to.   Adam hurt his vertebrae, so he couldn't play sports.    Skip had to have cataract surgery on Monday.    

September 17, 2000: St. Clements

Mom, Shari, and I went to the catholic church, St. Clements, which was on Deming and Orchard. They seemed to enjoy the service. Then, we walked around the botanical gardens and the Lincoln Park zoo.

September 16, 2000: Gangster Tour

Mom, Shari Goodhue, and I went to the Golden Nugget Restaurant for breakfast. We went on the gangster tour and saw the places where Al Capone hung out around Chicago. Then, we had lunch at Navy Pier and took a ride on the ferris wheel.

September 15, 2000: Mom and Sherri's Visit

Mom and her friend, Shari Goodhue, came to visit me.   Their train was late, so I wasn't able to have a nicer lunch with them.   However, we had fast food.   I had received an email from a good friend, saying I was too negative and got tired of hearing about my future plans.  She told me to have a good life.  I was pretty hurt by it.   Ceylon told me to not let it bother me, as people will come and go in your life.  Those that stick around are your real friends and not to worry about the others and to just move forward.   She said she used to get upset by that stuff, but after her boyfriend said it was crazy and that some people are like that.    You just have to move forward.     

After work,  Mom, Shari, and I went to the Italian restaurant, 'Buca Buca', on Clark/Oakdale.  We had this pizza that had goat cheese on it. It was pretty good.  We went to an English film and fell asleep during it.   It was pretty funny that we did that.

September 10, 2000: Jase Lawver

I called the Lawvers to congratulate Jase on passing the interview and getting into the Police Academy.    I talked with Jase for about an hour.   He said he was glad I had called.   He said we will definitely have to go camping once I moved back to Michigan.  His training started on Sept. 17th and he planned to come home every weekend.    Chad was now substitute teaching and seemed to enjoy it.   I think that was the first time I had spoken with him that long on the phone.   

August 28, 2000: Train back to Chicago

Marianne took me to the train station station for my trip back to Chicago.    Wendy wanted to have a child, but they were having trouble.    The doctor said to try in a year.     It was sad to leave as I loved to see them.  I realized all summer how much my family meant to me. I got along with everyone especially the Gonyo side, as they were so down-to-earth.   I always felt like myself around them.

August 26, 2000: Camping Trip

Got up for breakfast. Harold was picking on us as usual.    He made us pancakes for breakfast.   Kim seemed very happy being a mother.     Owen was pretty quiet for some reason.    Cheryl, Wendy, Todd, Joy, Marianne, and George came down to the beach.   Cheryl and I were talking about teaching, as it had been an interest of mine.

Skip came camping.   The guys tried to get Cheryl and I to get them beers but we wouldn't.   Then, Jo, Jase, and Adam came down to the beach.   Jase sat next to me.    He had one more interview to go through in order to be accepted into the Michigan State Police Academy.    Chad was living in Bloomington, IN.  He was training for the Navy Seals.   He proposed to Christy in May, but she didn't accept.   Jo wasn't sure why Christy said no to the proposal.    Adam hurt his vertebrae in football.   He had dyed his hair blonde.

Then, Harold, Jase and I walked back together to the campsite.  Harold was telling me how he took Jase to this bar after they tried on tuxedos for Dawn's wedding.  I guess some girl had her eyes on Jase at the bar.

Harold asked Jase if he had a girlfriend. Jase's response was 'yes, she was in jail.'.    I thought that was a hilarious response. Jase got his mom and I a pop.    Jase was the sweetest and best looking dude I've ever met.   He didn't like sweeping for his dad, but said it was a job.

We all had to eat fast as the sky was getting very dark.  We could hear thunder in the distance.    Sure enough, as soon as we finished dinner, it began to pour down rain outside.      We all ran for the camper.    Kim's in-laws had come for dinner.   Jase, Jo, and I talked for quite a while.    Showed them my pictures of the Mexico trip and of the gay pride day parade in Chicago.   That parade was so funny!    We got about 4 inches of rain that night.    Wendy and Todd's tent had 4 inches of water, so they packed up and went home.

Jase and Adam left as Jase had to do some road sweeping the next day.    Dawn showed me her beautiful wedding pictures.  Jo gave me some beautiful dish towels with lighthouses on them.     Marianne gave me the same card that my cube mate had given me. I got a kick out of that.

The rest of us went inside the camper and talked.    The adults were talking about the old days and how each of them met their spouses and how they were proposed to.    Skip and Jo went home as Skip had to fly somewhere the next day for a conference.