A GREAT WEEK-END

The weekend started with a call thursday evening from Cindi telling me they were coming to Mt. Pleasant after work friday. I went over friday evening and picked up Caleb and he spent the night with us (Mike and Cindi arrived about 10:30 friday evening). Regretfully, Caleb had to work saturday, so I took him home sat. morning. Then Cindi, Mike and I went to Burlington and updated out cell phones. We then went to Mike and Linda's and had a great time visiting and playing various games with them and Mallory. Saturday night Mike and Cindi left the Parker's and I to go to the casino. I stayed and visited with Mike, Linda and Mallory for a while. I came home and watched a little of SNL then went to bed. Before falling asleep I heard (with my yapping dogs who could help it?) Mike and Cindi get home. They had lost their "alloted" amount of money.
Sunday we got up and they packed up to return to Chicago. We left and agreed to meet in Moline at Bishop's Buffet for lunch. They was stopping in Burlington, and me in New London. I drove to Illinois to find, with the warm temps. and rain that I-280 was closed for a 3mile stretch due to an Ice Jam that had flooded it. I detoured around and arrived about 10 minutes ahead of Mike and Cindi. We had a nice lunch and visit, then came the hard part - parting - It was Wonderful having them here I just wish it could last longer. But hopefully, I can get to Chicago sometime soon. They both have birthdays in March (one week apart) and usually the weather is good enough to venture that far by then - in Jan. and Feb. I don't trust the weather to stay good long enough to make the trip.
The weather was (other than sloppy gravel roads)FANTASTIC. Sunday night with the warm temps and rain, the snow was nearly gone. Then this morning when I awoke it was snowing and we already had approximately an inch on the ground. I thought "yeah, things are getting back to normal"!