Leaving Indiana

So, after 6 years of life in Indiana, I have finally left the Hoosier State “for good.” I only use quotations because—like many circumstances in my life—change is common and surprises are even more frequent. I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if by some twist of fate I end up back in Indiana. In any case, I moved all of my belongings back to Chicago and said my goodbyes to my family, friends, and the new addition to the family—Lola, the English bulldog.

How could I possibly leave that face?!

After reluctantly detaching myself from Lola, my mother (Mary), my aunt (Noreen) and I headed off early on Saturday morning for the West. In only 3 days, I would have to say that I have experienced some of the strangest events in my life; they include the following:

1) Aunt Noreen, Mom, and the “Snoring Symphony:” From a very young age, I knew that both of my parents snored obnoxiously loud; however, it wasn’t until this trip that I realized that my aunt is much, much, much worse than both my mom and dad combined! We have now dubbed her “Aunt Snoreen.” Just to paint a very detailed picture for you, she was snoring so loud I had to sleep in our hotel’s bathtub in order to take advantage of the noise barrier the bathroom door provided.

2) Dad and Grand Island, NE: When my dad called us to tell us to stop for the night in Grand Island, NE because it was a “lovely place,” he forgot to mention the fact that never has he been there nor had he heard of the place prior to the day that he called. Needless to say, Grand Island is not so grand—our hotel was hosting a Harley Davidson convention.

3) Kitsch, Kitsch, and More Kitsch: On a lighter note, I have found a fondness for kitschy things, such as the free Buffalo Bill Cody Museum in Fort Cody, NE. Lovely people working there, decade old dioramas, and $12 buffalo jerky (we found a sign for $.99 buffalo jerky upon our arrival in Colorado). Definitely not a museum…


So much more to say; many more posts to come!