I flew up to Burlington, Iowa for my Gramma's 80th Birfaday.
My Mom's been planning the event for month's, so it was great to see it all come together so smoothly.
I flew up to St. Louis, and then took a little plane over to the Moline-Quad City airport. Rented a car there, and drove a little over an hour to Burlington.
It's amazing how I don't even think twice about traveling anymore. Feel like an old pro with the exception I still need Tim to remind me WHEN and WHERE I need to be.
I even pack a power strip in my laptop bag, and am hailed a hero by fellow laptop power users who are scrambling to find a chair near a power outlet (How do they vacuum airports with so few power outlets?!)
The drive down to Burlington was a breeze, and I checked into the Fairfield Inn late Friday afternoon. Everyone was staying there, so it was really convenient. Even better…FREE Internet access! Just had to check out an Ethernet cable at the front desk.
Saturday was the day of the party, and we had a few errands to run first.
My parents offered to give me a tour of the town the grew up in, and I was psyched they offered. I vaguely remember our infrequent trips back to Burlington. I don't think I have been here since I was 12 or 13.
My sister's girls, Sarah and Hannah also sound excited to take the tour too, though not sure if they just wanted to spend time with me and the grandparents. They're both super sweet kids, and it surprises me when they want to spend time with us.
Pictured are the backseat drivers, Mom, Sarah and Hannah.
This is the house my Mom grew up in, and was built by my Grampa who died when I was about 12 or 13. My grandma remarried a couple years later, but she lives just down the street a couple houses.
The neighborhoods in Iowa are fantastic and truly what you call "hometown." We don't get much Fall foliage in Austin (not much in Colorado- 'cepting the Aspen) so it was awesome to be here and feel like it was Fall.
Our first stop was in downtown Burlington where we stopped to get to get the Birfaday cake at the the Bakery Haus.
Next to the Bakery was this statue. We thought it might be someone famous, but it the figure symbolizes education and teachers. Upon close inspection, it is actually metal fragements welded together, while the stern teacher beats an eduction into my dad's brain.
Here my dad shows me the Big Muddy..or the Mississippi river that runs right down the Eastern side of Burlington. Dad's lots of great stories about growing up around the river. They really lived an ideal youth. No wonder we turned out so Brady Bunch.
One of the things I DO remember is Snake Alley, which is kind of how I envisioned Diagnon Alley in the Harry Potter Books.
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Snake Alley, according to the sign, is the crookedest street in America.
Ya know how you have BIG memories of things and then when you return, it all seems tiny? I'm glad to report that Snake Alley WAS still a cool thing to visit…and not only that, you could STILL drive down it.
Which we did. Ok, so not a big thrill, but some things are still fun despite not having a mall nearby
Then it was off to Crapo Park. Parks are very important in Burlington, and this is a park I do remember visiting as a kid. I especially remember the fireflies as we picnicked there-Colorado is not firefly country, so to me they are still real novel.
Apparently there is a large munitions plant in Burlington, so the calm peaceful parks have got to uh…canons aimed squarely at Illinois. I asked my dad about the guns and he said, "Oh yeah, that was back when we were at war with Illinois….we lost" He cracks me up!
The BIG BIG thing to go see is the new bridge that goes from Iowa to Illinois over the Mississipi. This is EXACTLY what the city needs, an awesome gateway between the two, and it's really quite memorable.
We finished up our little tour (my parents said there really wasn't much else to see!) and headed to the Wycliffye in to setup the party.
My mom made and brought all the table decorations, and she had all of us working to making the place look fall festive.
She sunk flowers in glass bowls with crystal rocks holding the flowers down, and then floated flower candles on the top and they looked really nice.
The Wycliffe in has a big swimming pool in the center, and I think they have..uh..a mold problem. The one draw back was the musky smell, and the feeling that the black patches on the ceiling for dangerous mold spores. So if we get respiratory sickness we will all know the source.
The party went off without a hitch, and everyone showed up, mingled nicely and I there was no doubt my grandma had a fine time.
After the party we headed back to my gramma's house where took some outdoor shots.
Here is a picture of the "core" family.
And this is the Ockert clan.
My gramma bookended by my Mom and Aunt Marla (who I've been begging to come live with me!)
After the party we went and ate dinner at a place called Big Muddy's and I got myself a t-shirt.
Sunday we all met for breakfast and said our goodbyes. I drove back up to Moline and traveled most of the day back to Austin.
What a whirlwind weekend, but actually quite peaceful.
If the weather wasn't so…wintery..I would love to live in Burlington.
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