Small weekend road-trips are the best -- even if your destination is somewhere in the middle of flat, rural Illinois. My last weekend excursion began right after work on Saturday afternoon; it should only have taken me 2 1/2 hours to drive, but I inevitably got lost somewhere in East St. Louis. Only someone like me can get so easily turned around and end up in the parking lot of a pretty sketchy Jack in the Box frantically searching Google Maps!
Once I had finally reached G--- Illinois, I met up with a certain someone whom you have yet to meet.... Enter Charlie: boyfriend, partner in crime, grower-of-cucumbers and motorcyclist. He's pretty okay I guess (as in splendiferouslywondertastically amazing!!) -- we always have the best adventures and together we are seizing life and making the most of it :) That evening was spent eating out at Joe's Pizza and walking around the historical part of town, admiring the big white houses with spacious front porches. There was an overpopulation of mosquitoes so we spent quite some time smearing skeeter guts all over the place and acquiring large itchy welts on our ankles. Despite this, we have the satisfaction of knowing that we eventually triumphed over an army of angry nasty insects.
On Sunday morning, Charlie took me to his church in Woburn IL. Picture this: a quaint, white church nestled in the quietness of a small town and acres of cornfield. Walking inside, we are greeted warmly by the elder's wife and twenty odd congregational members who are older couples and farmers -- the very salt of the earth. Dick Moses (the elder) gives the announcements and a welcoming prayer followed by a string of hymns. "Standing on the Promises", "Golden Bells", "Let Us Break Bread Together", and many others. Though it was a simple service led by a small congregation, it was a lovely and worshipful morning filled with God's presence.
Sunday afternoon plans included a stop at the St. Louis art museum in Forest Park. En route, I noticed a large cemetery filled with old stones and big wonderful Sycamore trees. It was an impulsive stop, but I love cemeteries and so Charlie obligingly pulled over to walk around a bit. We found headstones with old German names such as Baehrenwald
and Obermeier.
To conclude our outing, we spent hours strolling around the Art Museum, admiring the masterpieces and feeling like quite the cultured young couple. Of course we inevitably set off the alarm by pointing a finger too far over the line, but no security guards came rushing over so we quickly left the scene of the crime as inconspicuously as possible :)
The whole weekend was an adventure, but now it's back to the routine of work and school. I'd do it all over again, given the chance -- in fact, I think next weekend will be a good time to explore southern Missouri :)
