Reverend Ref +

BACK TO CHICAGO

Have I mentioned that this trip has been lots of fun? If not, I have been remiss . . . this trip has been lots of fun.

Beginning with our arrival Tuesday night and notifying the motherly type that we all arrived in one piece; to Wednesday morning seeing old friends on campus, hearing Rev. Jane preach (nicely done), having lunch with Mrs. Ref's former co-workers and spending the evening with Rev. Heather;

to Thursday when Mrs. Ref roamed around with our host, me taking The Kid to see her former school, teachers and friends (the kids were shocked -- SHOCKED!! -- to learn that our home town only has 100 more people in it than the middle school they will attend next year . . . LOL), hanging out and watch the seniors rehearse graduation, to dinner with a lovely friend, to conversation and the chance to be silly and serious all at the same time;

to Friday with the actual graduation, reasurring words spoken and heard, the reception, the bbq in Frank & AKMA's back yard, the movie "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" with my wife, our hostess, The Kid and The Kid's friend (making me the only male in that group and, as it turns out, one of only two men in the entire theater);

to Saturday when Mrs. Ref and our hostess went shopping at an Outlet Mall (I'm sure there's a litany for that somewhere, but I only know the response right now, "Lord have mercy"), a little sermon work, laundry, and dinner with Tripp and Trish;

to today with church on the beach (Sandy Mass) and at the building itself as a former member of St. Augustine's, Wilmette, visiting with more old friends and taking Mrs. Ref down to SWTS to meet up with a group of scrapbooking fiends ("Lord have mercy").

Yes, it has been a wunderbar vacation so far. Obviously, the highlight has been seeing old friends, and that's as it should be; however, the Honest to God Truth is that I am SO glad to be out of this area in general and town in particular. It's been hot and humid and muggy and traffic and . . . . Well, I thank God every day that I now call SW Montana home.

But I have enjoyed myself immensely. And now it is time to wake up Mrs. Ref from her nap so she can go scrapbooking -- Lord Have Mercy.