Our move to Illinois came in March 2001 and it snow­ed the day the movers arrived. We were lucky that Gustavo moved from The Bay Area the same time we did. We at least had someone to share this new city and the difficulties of moving to a new state with no friend or family.

The people in the Midwest are the best! Friendly helpful just nice people. We knew all our neighbors and talked to them daily. Other than Chicago there was not much to do where we lived. Although we had great access to what were really great dog parks. Acres of open fields with lakes streams rolling hills well, rolling hills for Illinois, The dogs went crazy. We met great new friends from Hank's place of employment. We really missed the great people we met living there, but the weather which amounts to 9 months of winter and a very COLD winter too.

Our first home located 40 miles north of Chicago proper in Lindenherst Ill. Our property was pie shaped, so a small front yard and a huge back yard! There was almost no land­scaping in the back yard. We added a fair amount of trees and shrubs in the two years we were living there but had a long way to go. The house was 2 years old when we bought it. In a way I don't miss the back yard, it was a great place to play and run around especialy for the dogs but mowing the lawn was a bitch! Of course picking up dog poop was a Easter egg hunt!