Sunday, March 01, 2015

Weekend trip home (record time)

Since it was Jane's birthday, we took a weekend trip back "home." Jane had Friday off, and I got off at noon, so we headed back to Buda around 2 pm. We actually made it there in 4 hrs and 15 minutes - which is about as fast as we've ever done it in. The traffic was really good, and for the most part it was sunny and calm. Friday night we went to ZBest in Sheffield, where my parents treated us to a nice meal for Jane's birthday. It's a really good restaurant in a pretty small town, but you can park in the middle of Main Street.

Saturday we slept in and then went out and saw Jane's brother Terry's new house. It is on the site where the house Jane grew up in used to be. It is really nice. After that we swung through Sheffield and got a tour of the new Cornerstone Community Wellness center that nephew Tim and his wife are starting. Wow, it is an awesome place. So very cool.

We ate lunch at my parent's house, then Jane and my mom went shopping in Princeton. I stayed home with dad and I took like a 2-hour nap. I was feeling much better with hardly any effects of the vertigo remaining. We actually went back to ZBest for supper again Saturday night. Tim bought everyone supper, and Jane's brother John joined us, Tim's family, and my parents. Btw, I had Mahi Mahi Friday night (with mashed potatoes and veggies), and a bunless burger with veggies Saturday night. Both were fantastic!

After supper we took my parents back to Buda, then we went back to Sheffield to this gem of a place called Brothers Pub. The "brothers"'s band was playing on this night - Windjam. They are literally one of the best unheard of rock/blues bands anywhere. I guess Lisa was absent because she was sick, but Linda's daughter joined on several numbers, and her boyfriend(?) played bass on some songs, along with Anson Murray. Anson and daughter Carrie were actually the 1st grade Prom (or was it Homecoming?) attendants together. We always referred to him as "Dancin' Anson." On this night he was playing the keyboards - and he was pretty darn good. He sat in on a number of songs, and it looked like about half of them he was just playing along (meaning they hadn't practiced together and/or he didn't know the song). It was a fantastic night of music. They did a cover of All Along the Watchtower that I'd never heard them do before, as well as some old Jethro Tull and Mike played his flute. Fun, fun night. We spent most of it with niece Allison and nephew Tim.

The fun came to a pretty abrupt halt though, as Lady Jane came down with a stomach bug. She was dancing away, and had only had a few glasses of wine over the course of the night, but all of a sudden she started puking her guts out. I had to stop the car a couple times on the way home, then she was up almost all night. I have not seen her that sick in a long time. Poor girl. 

We were planning to leave for home in Indiana by 9 am Sunday, but she just wasn't up to it. So we hung out for awhile. Finally she thought she was okay to ride in the car, so we left a little after 1 pm (our time). Part of it was because she was sick, but it's partly just a game I always play, and I set out to establish a new personal best for the trip. I did it!! It is 275 miles, and we made it in 4 hours exactly (240 minutes). We didn't stop at all - other than stoplights on rte 30. I believe that averages out to 69 mph for the trip. Granted, half of it is I-80/94, but the other half is route 30 - which, even though it is 4-lane, it goes through several towns and had way too many stoplights. But I was on a mission. The weather wasn't bad, the traffic was good, and we barreled along. I make a point to never go more than 14 mph over the speed limit - other than that stretch between Joliet and Gary where you do around 80 in a 55 - and I managed to avoid any police. So... I did that.

All in all it was a nice visit, other than Jane getting sick. I suppose it is my turn now. Goody goody.