Eat your hearts out, people! Seriously, I met up with Jill (after spending one full hour trying to find the underground parking lot at McCormick Place where my car was parked – they have way too many building there now – and it set me back $21).  I drove up to the Sheraton and got here about 7 (remember the time, it’s important and may result in a quiz later).  Jill had about 150 pounds of “stuff” sitting around here from a quick trip around the Exhibit Hall – I can’t wait until tomorrow for my share! There was a White Cloud party scheduled for the same time as the movie screening (Austenland). It featured the White Cloud princess in a dress made of toilet paper, fog drifting out of the rooms; I think it was a cocktail party of sorts.  Well, we headed over to the movie, which started15 minutes late.  When it was over, I headed back down to the self-parking section of the garage and pulled my ticket out and inserted it into the machine in the garage lobby:  $31!  Mind you, we’re talking less than three hours!  Then, when I got in the car and drove up to the gate, the machine tried to charge me another $33!  Total parking BS, as I see it.  But the movie was funny and the characters very likable.  Got a couple of t-shirts and a calendar.  Did you know movies now have color and sound (yes, it’s been a while).

So off to bed, etc. so I can up early tomorrow, park in the CLOSE LOT and, if required, make many trips to and from the garage with my “STUFF.”  ’cause Stuff is good.  and I have a large SUV…