Extending My Summer Vacation State of Mind

Labor Day weekend this year, my parents, sister, niece and I were tourists in the Geneva, Batavia area.

First, a stop at the authentic Dutch windmill. Dad and his Dutch women.

Notice the authentic Dutch woman in the middle.

Then off to Batavia to see the sanatorium where Mary Todd Lincoln spent some time.

Bellvue - what is with that name and mental health issues!

It's now apartments. Eerie.

Is that Mary TL calling?!!

Don't you love pig-tails? Especially beautiful red ones?

We finished with a picnic somewhere near the Fox River . . .

Somewhere near this incredibly rooted tree . . .

The food is already gone and packed away.

It was good. You know, in the way that food always tastes better when eaten outside, good.

Then there were the after eating activities.

Hannah takes a bike ride . . .

Opa takes a bike ride (see him on the far side of the prairie grass sort of in the middle of the picture right to left) . . .

I take a bike ride . . . .

Teresa and Hannah pack up, sort -of . . . .

And Mom just takes it all in.

This was one wonderful day. The comforts of the day could be greatly attributed to my parent's new vehicle. It is so spacious inside. I think my Dad is loving it. He misses his 4-Runner, but this truck definitely has it attributes - like we all fit comfortably in it and can drive around sight seeing together without have to squish our shoulders together and kiss our knees.

Here I am in the back seat.

Look at all that leg room

This is our Queen Mother in the backseat.

And this is King Dad in the drivers seat.

You may be saying, "what the heck, this post is supposed to be about their picnic, not the truck." But I claim that this day was very much a success because of this truck. The last time we, more than four of us, spent a day touring together was at least five years ago when my parents owned a van. To be able to all fit comfortably in one vehicle played a critical role in making this outing not only possible, but also successful.

Giddy Up.