Early Christmas in Valparaiso
Group shot of everyone, enjoying some Vichyssoise (a traditional favorite, though I’ve only ever had it hot).
Group shot of everyone, enjoying some Vichyssoise (a traditional favorite, though I’ve only ever had it hot).
After work, Liz and I headed to Journeyman Distillery, in Valparaiso. We were meeting up with family to celebrate Julie’s 70th birthday, at a unique local venue.
So many molds. Interestingly, these machines are inextricably tied to MSI in my mind. I remember them from my visits as a child, and the sights and sounds (and especially the smell) elicit a very strong wave of nostalgia.
We learned the Ford kids were moving on a little earlier than expected. Our plans were to try to squeeze in another visit over the weekend, but instead… we realized we needed to hop over tonight, after work, to see them once more before they left.
I need to send them a photo of this rock, and let them know their artwork has traveled over to Hyde Park and Chicago. I wonder if any of their other rocks have gone further.
On the way to visit Julie and Bob for Mother’s Day in Valparaiso, we stopped off at the “Egg House.” This is a house we spotted several years ago, that has a custom-built, self-serve stand where anyone can just stop in and purchase fresh eggs.
It’s exciting to see this RV become a reality. The two of them have been researching and planning for a long while, and there will be a lot of travels and trips in their future. I’m happy things have become more real, and they really do have the means now to just pick up and go. Liz and I are both thrilled they’re now actively planning excursions and trips they want to do. Well deserved, and a long time coming.
Tim’s father, Ray, was the officiant who did the marriage all those years ago. He was also the one who officiated last year (when they officially tied the knot). And he was the officiant today, when Tim and Katie were married in front of all their family and friends.
Ray is in the unique position to have married Katie and Tim not once, not twice, but thrice. Which seems like a very special and lucky thing, if you ask me.
It was a tough decision for us, but Liz and I decided to visit Valparaiso for a brief Christmas evening with Bob and Julie.
We had an impromptu trip out to Valparaiso today, right in the middle of the work day. The temperatures have gotten really warm this week, and our goal was to head out to borrow the large AC unit from Julie and Bob for another summer.
On arriving, Liz put up the note.
After talking with Julie a few minutes on the phone, I was given the signal to knock on the front door.
Today and tomorrow are a bit weird, in that I’m staying out in Valparaiso, IN but commuting in to Chicago. I rode in with Bob early in the AM (he came in to work on our place while I was at work), but took the South Shore line back out to Valpo at the end of the day.
Bob got involved in the Facetime chat, asking Audrey some questions as she tried out the “lie detector machine” we got her as a gift. Apparently, it dings when you tell the truth but shocks you if you lie.
Post-dinner, we played a few rounds of Secret Hitler, which Katie had brought over. Last year, we played Ticket to Ride, and this year we brought over Azul.
Woke up pretty early, and got on the road around 6:00 AM. While there wasn’t any rain in the forecast, the whole day looked pretty overcast. And in the morning, there was a significant fog all the way as I was heading East through Indiana.