Fun on Route 41

US Highway 41 seems to be running like an asphalted red thread through GABROEN's life in the United States. For our orientation visit, we stayed in an Atlanta hotel on Cobb Parkway, a.k.a. the local name for US-41, and we looked in amazement at the lack of esthetics in the collection of car dealerships and strip malls along this 8-lane stretch. Our very first house in the U.S. was off US-41, my first work place was off US-41, and our first vacation was to Florida, driving 600 miles south and back north either on or parallel to that very same US-41. And today, the largest part of my daily commute is along Skokie Valley Highway, a.k.a. the local name for, you guessed it......, again that very same US-41. The highway actually runs from Michigan north of us all the way down to Miami Beach.

So it was fitting that we were invited to a surprise party for NanC's birthday, on Chicago's Lincoln Avenue, a.k.a. US-41. Before the party started, GABROEN first explored the neighborhood of Lincoln Square, and enjoyed a bite and a 'flight' of Belgian-style beers from microbreweries around the country - probably none on US-41.

The party was at a somewhat obscure bar called Hidden Cove Lounge, with a defect neon palm tree sign - perhaps a reminiscent reminder of the final destination if you continue following that very road southbound. It brought additional meaning to the surprise party concept, because none of the guests were expecting this place to be the location for a party for the birthday girl. But it is actually the bar where NanC's daughter Jessica regularly performs with her band, and they were playing the roof off with their enthusiasm. And it was still a much bigger surprise for the birthday girl, who innocently entered under the palm tree sign for what she thought would be just a night with the band. NanC has been more and more explicit about her wish for a surprise party, so it was great to see that everyone was able to keep this a secret for her.

The band's enthusiasm was contagious, and it turned out to be great party. Nothing beats dancing to some golden oldies. Happy birthday, NanC!

All the beading ladies

In case you, GABROEN follower, had not yet realized: Gabri is contributing, both as an artist and as a fierce desert queen (see the posts in January about an awesome photoshoot in the Tucson desert, such as 'The no-name-will-do-it-justice experience') to the new book Contemporary Geometric Beadwork by Kate McKinnon and Jean Power. You can get a preview of the book on its Facebook page, and of course like them. Also, the mighty Jean Power posted the following on her blog about one of Gabri's pieces. Check it out, as well as other posts on jeanpower.com - it's pretty funny!!

Beading With Friends

Today GABROEN went to Beading With Friends, a local club of bead artists that meets monthly in Highland Park. Gabri is a "long term" member, joining the moment we moved to Illinois, but today was Jeroen's first. When blogging about anything that was said, shared, disclosed or blurted out at these club gatherings, the names of other club members will be changed in order to protect their identity, and any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental. Why putting these rules in place? Well, let me list, in no particular order, some of the topics that were discussed today:

• velcro not being a useful tool in Puerto Vallarta;
• one can never have too many bowling balls in one's garden;
• three incestuous sisters;
• olympic pee;
• loving Dutch Babies for breakfast, with powdered sugar;
• a party to celebrate someone's passing, or a surprise funeral;
• an elderly woman kneeling down with a glass tabletop on her back, pretending she was a coffee table;
• space poo, and where the heck it goes;
• wishing for an "amazing raise" from the casket at one's own funeral, right around the third verse of "Amazing Grace";

I rest my case. Suffice it to say this is months worth of blogging material.

It is a lot of fun to spend your Sunday with crafty, crazy, nifty and witty minds. GABROEN is renewing its BWF membership. Thanks to all Bee Wee eFfers, in particular Nancy (as stated above, not her real name..........). See you next time.

Masks

by Shel Silverstein


She had blue skin.
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by –
And never knew.


A photo update on the " day of the dead" mask by Gabriella.

I'm half way! Do I scare you?