Time to rip off the bandage this Memorial Day weekend, and get over my fear of going back to Chicago. Long-time readers will remember what happened the last time CU and I went took a trip to the Windy City.

Ironically, we’re heading up there for the wedding of one of CU’s roommates (tentmates? deploymentmates? sandmates?) in Iraq…and I had to go dig out CU’s discharge papers to verify, with 100% accuracy, that by some sicko twist of fate he couldn’t wind up going back. I’ve met the groom…once…the day they came back from Iraq. CU lived with him for 8 months, but me…I hardly know the guy, so it seems incredibly odd to be going to his wedding.

Anyhoo…now the fun part begins…where do we stay, what do we see…where do we eat…do we stay at the Conrad, where I can fall out of bed and roll right into Nordstrom? For giggles, do we follow Giada’s lead, or do we throw caution to the wind and plan nothing until we get there? Ahahaha…yeah, you’re right. I’d never do that.

CU and I are a strange breed of traveling couple. Most couples are either the lay-around-and-soak-up-the-sun types…or they’re very active and adventurous. We’re kind of a mix. If we go to Hawaii, I want to plant my happy ass on a beach and sit there for a week. If we go to Chicago though…or Seattle or New Orleans (back when we used to go there), I’m all about the walking and the sight-seeing and being very active and arranging our day around where we’re going to eat.

I do know I want to hit the Shedd Aquarium this time…and maybe take a cool architectural tour. And of course, I’ll have to go shopping. Dallas has some great shopping…but there’s nothing like Michigan Avenue.