R&R at the B&B

I'm heading off to the Brightwood Inn Bed and Breakfast today for a couple days of rest and relaxation.   I'll be taking books, camera, and my computer.  So, Gentle Readers, you will get to hear about the delicious breakfasts (I wonder if they serve hummus?), the colors of the trees at Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks, and whatever else I happen upon in my not-very-far-from-home travels.  My friend Cindy, a work friend from Chicago, will join me for part of the trip.  (You may remember her from my trip to Chicago in March with Sierra.)

I have been to the Brightwood before.  It's built in the style of an old farmhouse but it's really new.  The other time I visited there it was winter, icy outside, and I did most of my relaxing indoors in front of the gas fireplace in my room.  This time I'm counting on doing some hiking and sitting outside on the porch as well.  And I'll probably complain that it isn't even cool enough at night to turn on that fireplace.  But I shall survive.

I hope I will come back rested and relaxed.  Actually, I feel rested and relaxed already.  But I like the idea of getting away a couple days so I don't spend my entire week off from work either 1) fretting that I'm not doing any of the countless house-and-yard related projects that are on my mental to-do list OR 2) actually DOING one of them.  Just kidding.  When I get back on Thursday I hope to start getting rid of the upstairs bathroom wallpaper and paint the walls a pretty shade of lilac. 

Lilac reminds me that about 2 weeks ago, in late September, I saw a lilac bush over on Highpoint Street (one of Wolf's favorite pee spots) with a small area about the size of a quarter with new blossoms on it!  It bloomed for several days before fading away.  I couldn't reach it to get a dose of that wonderful scent, but every day I saw it, it made me think how wonderful and full of surprises life can be.  All I have to do is slow down and keep my eyes open to strange and beautiful possibilities.