trip pics

So much for posting during the trip. I had time but lacked the motivation to think about blog posts. All in all, it was a great trip :) I just wish it hadn't flown by so quickly although I think my bank account is thankful that it ended when it did.

Leg 1: Visiting Derek
I started out driving down through Virginia and Tennessee and then heading north to visit by older brother, who lives on the border of Tennessee and Kentucky. The trip down was uneventful barring an all too excellent stop at Foam Henge and the mandatory check engine light that always pops on when I visit my brother. Odd.

Foam Henge


Derek & me


Leg 2: Visiting Meghan
Next on the agenda was a trip up to the Indy area to visit Meghan and finally see Ella for the first time. I couldn't let Meghan have her next baby before I'd had a chance to meet Miss Ella. It was a wonderful (but short) visit :)

Ella Bella


Meghan & me


Leg 3: Conference in Chicago
My conference was good and more filled with meetings than usual, but of course, the best parts of the Chicago visit had nothing at all to do with the conference. I got to catch up with some old friends from library school, go to a Cubs game at Wrigley, and do a bit of sight-seeing in the city. I heart Chicago. It's most definitely in my top three cities category (which is unranked).

Wrigley Field at Night


The Chicago Tribune + American Gothic


The Old Water Tower


Leg 4: Back Home
I have no pictures of the drive home even though it lasted 12+ hours. For this leg of the journey, I at least had some company since one of my co-workers "hitched" a ride back with me. And to round out the trip nicely, my check engine came on again right before I got back to Virginia.

More vacation pics are in my Picasa albums.