Trip to Chicago and Playing Catch-Up

I accompanied DH to Chicago where he was attending the annual RSNA meeting.

RSNA 2014 Annual meeting

He'd eaten at an Italian restaurant on an earlier trip and thought I'd like it too.  I did.  Good food, interesting ambiance, and a waiter who was very friendly and funny.

Pizano's

I also got to have lunch with one of my (axe murderer) friends, Pam.  (DH calls my internet buddies "axe murderer friends).  We enjoyed a great lunch at Park Grill right under The Bean. (I had no idea what The Bean was until I looked it up.)  I don't know if the food tasted so good because it was or if it tasted even better because I got to eat with my friend that I hadn't seen in WAY too long.  (Please forgive my "hat hair".)


Park Grill

Here are a few pictures I took:

The Bean

There's an outdoor ice skating rink just under The Bean.  For some reason, I didn't snap a picture of it with the skaters.  Maybe I was too cold.  ;-)


I've not mastered the art of selfies but here's my reflection in The Bean:

Some cityscape:

Did I mention that it was cold?!  The day we left Texas, it was in the 70's.  We arrived to the 40's in Chicago but the temps plunged down to the low 20's one day and then warmed up to the 30's.  I actually enjoyed walking around in the brisk temps.  Probably knowing that I'd warm up in a few days helped.  (It's in the mid 70's here in Texas now.)

On the stitching front....I'd intended to finish up the model and send it out before we left but I discovered I was one stitch off so had to do some frogging and restitching.  I'm really down to the last little details now and hope to send it out Monday.  THAT will teach me not to push through and stitch when I'm too tired...it was a rookie mistake.  But....I love the design and you will too when it's released.

I worked a bit on a little Christmas piece for myself while in Chicago but haven't taken a picture yet.  Hopefully next time I post here, I'll have a finish pic to share.

I was the lucky winner of one of Nancy's (Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe) recent contests...I won the entire 1795 floss collection.  WOO HOO!!!  I was going to take a picture but Nancy's is all arranged beautifully so I'll borrow it to post here.  Isn't it gorgeous?!

The trip caused me to be late preparing for Christmas so we're hoping to put up the tree and some decorations today.

Happy stitching!