>>>>George --
>>>>
>>>> If you have some time on the commute up here, feel free to drop by. I'll even cook up some Chinese for you!
>>>>
>>>
>>>Jay,
>>>
>>>Thanks for the offer, but not this trip. We're flying into Chicago O'Hare, and we're not renting a car (friends are providing the transportation). We'll be staying about 25 miles north of Chicago (Libertyville).
>>
>>The offer's open anytime. <s>
>
>Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. After last summer's trip (which I dubbed "The Plagues of Egypt Tour" because of what happened), I have the feeling that until we make the move, we'll be flying from now on. Of course, I said that a couple of years ago too, so who knows.< g >

Now, I don't make this offer to just anyone, but, from the title, I might be interested in seeing your pictures from the trip!

>
>>We've been having a lot of Indian summers here. Over the weekend, we had our first hard frost -- at least according to my garden. But, the weather's bounced back again. Torrential rains a couple weeks ago brought down some leaves and muted the colors of others -- but those who relish subtlety will still enjoy the season.
>>
>We're in the midst of a cold snap down here. Lows in the lower 30s, frost etc. But, like up there, it's suppsed to warm back up.
>
>BTW, this trip is tentatively titled "The 'Payback Is Hell' Tour". We're going up because one of our friends is having a birthday that ends in 0 and last year my wife and the same and we went up there and she got a "good going over" if you know what I mean.

One of my buddies defused one of those situations quite nicely. On his birthday, he dressed up as an old man -- actually a very old man -- and went to the office and wandered around. The people he's worked with for years made a passing glance at him, and just assumed that he was seeing someone other than them. So, when they did finally suprise him with the black balloons and cake, it was a bit old hat. Great to have the last laugh!

Jay