The Windy City, the Golden Dome and an international moving company.

So next stop on our whirlwind tour of the USA was South Bend, Indiana ~ home to Notre Dame and of course…us. We welcomed my parents into our humble apartment…and then gently informed them that we were moving to a much bigger place…in three days. My parents were great sports about it ~ and did not object too strongly to becoming hired help for a few days and we shifted our things into our new home closer to campus. We of course convinced ourselves that my parents would actually ‘like’ to help…you know…part of that always present maternal instinct…one look from my father quickly dispelled this idea. So…after our bedroom became a storage area for our bikes ~ we decided we needed more room and that if we pooled our resources with a close friend ~ we would be able to upgrade from our apartment to a townhouse ~ complete with an attached garage for those cold winter mornings!

During the move we took time to show my parents the campus and the surrounding suburbs…the river and the downtown area…a quick trip South to Amish Acres…and of course…multiple stops at Starbucks to satisfy my mother’s heroin-like addiction to frappuccinos.

Then to complete our Midwest adventure we headed to Chicago ~ the setting for the Blues Brothers ~ and a great city to finish the trip in. We were able to sample Chicago style pizza at the famous Tastes of Chicago festival ~ and make our way along Navy Pier and the Magnificent Mile to see the sites. It was a wonderful end to the trip ~ but so sad to have to say goodbye. The final part of the role-reversal was watching my parents walk through security this time ~ comforted by the fact that it will only be six months until I return to Melbourne.