Chicago

I was looking forward to our last day in Chicago.

My daughter and I had driven my wife, who was asked not to drive during the last month of pregnancy, to Chicago for some training she was to attend. Each of the three days there, my daughter and I would drop off my wife and then spend the day playing tourist. It excited me to show my daughter around town. My only exposure to Chicago had been with my wife ten years prior and in high school before that.

We arrived late Saturday evening, with barely enough time to find dinner and go for a swim. My daughter absolutely loves the pool; a major point when searching out hotels.

Sunday, the three of us toured around on my wife's only day without something to do. We drove to the Shedd Aquarium. Being early April, weather was a consideration. How much so would catch us off guard. We thread our way through the insane traffic of Chicago, parking nearby the aquarium. Wind off lake Michigan whipped about us while we stood in line, outside, waiting to get in. Soon drops of cold rain began pattering about to murmurs in the crowd. The rain intensified, flung by wind, so I rushed back to our car hoping to return with warmer jackets and rain gear. Thunder echoed from buildings as I neared the parking garage. When I returned, laden with gear, my umbrella pushing against wind and rain...it began to snow.
Leaving the Shedd Aquarium, after visiting, presented not traffic, but heavy snow. Wet, heavy snow obscured the roads and even blanked out highway signs.

Monday, my daughter and I dropped my wife at her training and drove back to the hotel so we could swim.