get on up

21Jul08

The Belvidere Oasis, on Rt 90 north in Illinois, is one of seven “oases”, or rest areas, that span the tollways.

Sociologists will appreciate that Rt 90 is also known as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, after that great lady. (She’s a Nobel Prize winner because of her work with the Settlement House Movement, in the U.S.)

This is not your average roadside stop: they’ve got Sparro’s Pizza, McDonalds, Subway, Annie’s Pretzels, The Hot Dogger (or something punny like that, about hot dogs), a Greek place with brats, Taco Bell, Starbucks, Panda Express Gourmet, and vendors I can’t remember.

Interior, Belvidere Oasis

Unfortunately, the place is filled with flies. Whatever the current thinking is about fly abatement at the Belvidere Oasis, it needs rethinking.

***

Whilst at Swan Lake, we did have some cheese curds, and I have to admit, they’re pretty awesome. But I’m a soft target…salty on a hot day = yummster.

Uncle Jim told a story about being a shrimper after he got out of the Navy, and one about streaking a formal Navy event in Bermuda in order to get out of the punishment he earned by staying in bed with a blonde in Carolina. Although he burnt my fake chicken chicken patty, I didn’t have to go skiing, so I”ll call it a draw.

Grandma’s worried we won’t pluck out her rogue facial hairs once she’s non compos mentis, and she’s right. We probably won’t bother. I don’t think my saying “you won’t notice, either” was very reassuring for her.

I don’t see my cousins (on that side) very often. I’m hoping that I’ll get a shout out soon and share with you the work of the other genius in the family.

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