We made it to Bartlett

It was a long drive from Sioux Falls, SD to Bartlett, IL. We probably should have tried to leave the motel a bit earlier; as it was we left at about 10a.m., and we felt a bit under pressure. I started us out on Iowa, Rte. 9 which goes across the northern border. My thought was that we might be able to go down through Spillville, IA on our way to Dubuque, and visit the Dvorak Museum there. But we soon realized that there would be no time for that if we were going to get to Bartlett at a reasonable hour, and in  fact, we needed to get on to a faster road. So we went south to Rte. 18 and then, eventually, to U.S. 20, which is four-lane highway much of the way across Iowa. And then we just kept going, stopping only for gas and snacks. We got to Bartlett at 7:45p.m., which was a bit later than we had originally hoped, but not too bad. Maggie and Jerry welcomed us with ice cream bars!

Our "entertainment" in the car took four forms: (1) my reading aloud from Jill Lepore's These Truths, which continues to be a fascinating read; (2) listening to Teaching Company lectures on the history of food; (3)listening to NPR; and (4) listening to music. These Truths is a history of the US which focuses on the conflict between the founding principles of equality and freedom and the reality of slavery, and how that played out in virtually every aspect of American life. The period we were reading about yesterday was the Jacksonian period, a time eerily like the present!  The food history was dealing with the period of the Romans, early Christians and the beginnings of Islam. And the CD I pulled out at random was a 2010 Blanche Moyse Chorale concert which featured several pieces by Schubert, and Mendelsohn's Die Erste Walpurgisnacht. I don't remember ever having listened to the CD before, and had very fuzzy memories of singing in the concert! I had to look up the Chorale History on the computer to be reminded of details like, who was playing the piano? Turned out that Robbie Merfeld was playing the Schubert and the Mendelsohn was a piano 4-hand duo, two very accomplished Chinese students that Mary Westbrook-Geha knew.  It all seems like a long time ago.

Becky is coming over tonight; everyone else in the family is either busy or away. Maggie has eye surgery Monday morning, and needs Sunday to get ready, so we will leave Sunday morning.

Later:
We had a yummy supper ordered in from Pasta Mia with various veggie options and BBQ ribs. Followed by chocolate pie. Becky brought fruit and a strawberry rhubarb pie which will be for breakfast. We had a good talk with Becky. They are going to be removing asbestos this week from the attic at "Whitewood" - where Becky lives (Stewart's old house)  -  sort of scary but necessary. It will be done by "pros" - but you have to sort of feel for them, especially in hot, humid weather. Suzy and Dennis' house is on the market, but no offers as yet. If they actually end up selling the house and moving to Everett, WA where their son Ryan is - and Alicia and sweet little Ireland - they are really going to be missed here! Hard to even imagine after all these years. But nothing stays the same forever.

We may return via Swarthmore - we're checking.