Saturday, May 31, 2025 – Day 291

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Good morning.
 It’s a beautiful sunrise over Lake Michigan this morning.

We’re at Illinois Beach State Park for an open house later today. I haven’t been here in about 40 years, and it’s strange—but also kind of great—to be back. The state has made a lot of changes, starting with the entrance. What used to be a straight shot into the park is now a long, curving road to the lake. It’s a beautiful sight, but it feels foreign in my mind. I had to ask my brother Tim to confirm that the old entrance really was what I remembered.

We’re staying at the hotel inside the park. This is only my second time here—the first was back in 1976, if memory serves, for a dinner after the Waukegan East High School homecoming festivities. I’ve tried to remember who my date was that night, but I’m coming up blank. If you’re reading this and were that date… I’m sorry for the mental lapse! I never had a steady girlfriend in those days—many of my dance dates were arranged by other girls in our friend group. I’ll have to ask Chrissy or Carrie if they remember who it was. They usually know this kind of stuff.

Oh oh! I’ve got a serious interruption in the morning routine.

Pause… pause… pause…

Okay, I’m back after a few curveballs to start the day.

First, I slept in until 5:00 a.m.—which, for me, is sleeping in. I didn’t want to get up earlier and risk waking Cindy.

Then came the real tragedy: the in-room coffee maker didn’t work, and the hotel doesn’t serve coffee until 7:00. That wasn’t going to fly. No how… no way.

So, Cindy and my sister Maria headed out to McDonald’s for coffee and breakfast sandwiches while I stayed back and tried to write. Everything was mostly good… except for the whole no coffee situation.

I was alone in the lounge, and suddenly my stomach started turning. I’d taken my morning pills, and they weren’t sitting well. Things were getting worse by the minute. I could feel the churn and tried to keep my lips sealed, we know that doesn’t work well. A few gag reflexes kicked in. I was sweating, the back of my neck soaked, eyes tearing up (not the sentimental kind), and full-on panic starting to set in. No bathroom in sight. Rug in danger.

Then—right on cue—Cindy and Maria walked through the hotel doors like a rescue squad. Cindy immediately clocked the situation. I was standing, hunched over, clearly in trouble. She raced over, emptied the food bag, and handed it to me. Emergency barf bag, ready to go… assuming the bottom held.

Then Maria—cool under pressure—spotted a three-foot-tall R2-D2-shaped garbage can, wrapped it in a bear hug and waddled over, and dropped it right next to me. That move alone might earn her a medal.

And just like that, the wave of nausea passed. I stayed upright. Pills stayed down. I took off my glasses, grabbed a napkin, wiped my eyes, mopped my neck, blew my nose—and finally reached for the coffee and breakfast sandwich. I felt so much better. What felt like a major monkey wrench in the day turned out to be just a speed bump.
 Whew.

It’s getting late now, and people are stirring are starting to ask questions, so I’ll have to finish the rest of this story over the next few days

Have a great Saturday.

Love you guys❤️