Getting to Disney

We left beautiful Wisconsin early this morning. The skies cried on us. I cried because I was getting on a plane but after two and a half hours, we arrived in warm Florida at Orlando. The airport is very pretty.


I made the flight without valium - my longest flight without it! Don't know that I can make the 12 hour one without mother's little helper though. My irrational fear of flying is a big killjoy.
So far we have eaten lunch and looked around our resort in the park. It is already 5.41 and I realize we have lost another hour with the time warp.
The Port Orleans riverside resort here is beautiful. All staff are in period costume to suit the theme of the Resort and they are all very helpful.
We booked the Princess rooms for Hunter and she loves it. The bed headboards light up with fireworks displays. Dan loves being a princess too.
The quick service food is reasonably tasty considering the numbers flowing through the restaurant. Internet here is very sketchy so photos may not upload. They certainly are not transferring across through the photo stream. Maybe it will be better in other parts of the park which, by the way, is huge.
Tom has hired a car for the holiday which will help us getting around quicker although they have busses to take you around. In the meantime limited photos on the iPhone will have to suffice. Tomorrow we hit Epcot.


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Location:Dixie Dr,Orlando,United States

A visit to a virtual school

Met a 92 carriage train on our travels this morning. Very long trains are common in this flat part of the world.


Up again early this morning to travel an hour northward to visit Rick Nettesheim, principal of a virtual school, in Waukesha. This is the e-achieve school websiteThe school has about 850 students from all over Wisconsin including 50 from the town of Waukesha.
Rick was informative and helpful and very charming as well. I spent an hour with him which flew by. This e-school is having much success with results and is living proof of the fact that e-schools can meet the needs of a diverse group of students for whom bricks and mortar schools do not suit for a variety of reasons. More later for those in the education sector!
Traveling through the Wisconsin country gave me a last look at barns


and down the Racine end of Wi, fields of cabbage presumably for the sauerkraut for which this area is known.


Never tire of the landscapes.


We visited an antique store while in Waukesha and browsed around finding out that there were 24 dealers housed in the shop with caretaker shop attendants. Hunter found a few things there that tickled her fancy - white gloves and....


A parasol


Lunchtime treat from Tom at the Cheesecake factory


Oh dear...... Stuffed myself full. But it was nice.


Some of our choices.



I had the salmon miso- it was delicious.


Followed by Dulce de Leche Caramel cheesecake.


Mmmmmm just finished the rest of it tonight. Had a moe on the way home ah bliss! We spent the rest of the day packing for our flight to Florida tomorrow morning. Had to balance the bags a bit. Disneyworld here we come!
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What a day!

From beginning to end, eventful!
Dan noticed two young cardinals at the bird feeder. Although not in their full red plumage, they made good subjects, even through the mesh in the windows.





An unexpected trip to the dentist for Janet took priority over our plans. Luckily, all damage was repairable and she was in and out of there in record time. We set off by lunchtime. This unusual barn is not far from where they live.


There were vegetables being grown and sold from the property.


The skyline started to change


We made it into the heart of Chicago! We had been on the fantastic Architectural River Cruise in 2006 and Tom and Janet were keen to try this out, too. It is a must-do in Chicago!


So we joined the cruise mid afternoon.


The fabulous Joseph Kennedy acquisition that made their family rather wealthy is the largest building on the river.


This gold topped skyscraper was sculpted to represent a champagne bottle bubbling over... Hmmmm.


The second highest in USA is the glamorous Trump Tower - no unsuitable coiff on the top of this baby.


The reflections in some of the buildings are just as impressive as the buildings themselves.


And one and a half hours later we walked down to the millennium park


which is world renowned as well. Camera batteries were getting a bit low but managed to get a few shots of the amazing silver bean


which follows the theme of the city reflections. I am in these photos, its like wheres Wally - you just have to find me.


We travelled home again and while picking up supplies at the chemist I lost my credit card. I searched the car at home and then rang the BNZ Visa overseas number to cancel the card. They were amazing! Best phone service ever. That sorted, Janet insisted we go back to the chemist to scout around for the card in the dark. Fat chance I thought! But there on the ground where we had parked we found it with the torch! Another call to BNZ again saved the day, reinstated card.


Hunter and Janet hit the road in the big C.
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Location:Rosalind Ave,Racine,United States

Retail therapy

A late brunch at home followed by retail therapy at Kohls today. Grocery shopping as well. Saw a lot of things i had never cooked with. Pomegranates.


Baby red onions


Fennel


Unusual fungi


White eggplants


Artichokes


Does anyone cook with these things? And also saw NZ apples and kiwifruit cheaper than at home. What?
Hunter enjoying the Wii and the Nintendo and the movies.


Then a gin and pad Thai. Look at the clock at 10.30pm. Where did that day go?

Location:Rosalind Ave,Racine,United States

A trip to Iowa

We had put aside the day to travel to Iowa to visit Dan and Tom's aunt Sister Imogene




across the state border and the Mississippi River at Dubuque.




Interesting houses all around.




Really enjoy the variety in the homes.




There was a fireman collecting money at the intersection at Kansasville.




Without having to drive, I finally had a chance to photograph some of the amazing barns in Wisconsin again.




I love the barns and silos.




Wonder what goes on in these places.




We had lunch at Berloit in the park by the river - very pretty but no restrooms open made for an uncomfortable fifteen minutes until a stop at dairy queen.




Sister Imogene is Dan and Tom's mother's sister and lives in the St Francis Convent there.




The buildings were beautiful. She graciously took a lot of time to show us around the convent




and show and explain to us the many works of Art both in the new and old buildings.








We also enjoyed the hospitality of a meal in the convent, meeting many friends of Sister Imogene.




She is a very popular and happy lady.




We finished the day there overlooking the Mississippi River from the Eagle Point Park lookout before heading home. There was a lock on the river below.




The mist and rain set in and it was a watery experience at first but the skies cleared.




We sheltered under the trees.




The sun was setting among the storm clouds giving an ethereal red glow in the West.




We travelled on in the dark, we were tired and very grateful to Tom for driving the whole trip. A nice day!
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Location:Dubuque