Galena Anniversary Tour

Shawn had a Black Friday party at National Karate in the morning. It was probably planned to give parents a chance to shop sans kids for a couple of hours, but neither Raj nor I are very excited about dodging elbows to score a deal, so Shawn partied while Raj saw a couple of patients.

I found myself in terrible shape with food poisoning-like symptoms, yet no one else was affected and we all ate the same thing, which was only slightly reassuring. Along with the awful intestinal/stomach issues, I was dehydrated and having low blood sugar issues to top it off. Lovely! I spent all morning laying on the bathroom floor with my feet propped up on the side of the bathtub. I felt like I had been run over by a truck!

By around 1:00, I was able to stand upright again and felt much better, though far from 'normal.' Still, I was determined to will myself healthy - we were going to Galena!! I was NOT going to miss that!

I slept in the car and felt a little better when we got to our cabin at the Goldmoor Inn. After we unpacked the car and settled in, I couldn't help but giggle as Lilly danced around the cabin repeating, "Mommy happy! Daddy happy! Shawn happy! Baron happy!" (She recently started to put 2 words together and I love her simple sentences!)

(This microwave is a running joke between Raj and me because it's been here for years
and it reaffirms that it really is the land that time forgot!)

We relaxed and soaked in the peacefulness. We decided to go into town for dinner (there aren't many other options). Unfortunately, the drive through the hills sent me back into dizziness, and I had to sit for a few minutes when we parked in town. We picked a nearby restaurant so I wouldn't have to walk far, but the menu didn't have much that I thought I could handle, so I nibbled on crackers and sipped 7-Up. They did let me bring home a cup of soup from the salad bar, which they made sure we knew was against policy (because of their all-you-can-eat special). Luckily, I was able to eat it later back at the cabin. That night I felt significantly better, but still on the road to recovery. I have to admit, just being at the cabin was a great place to feel better!

Shawn slept in a fort made of 2 arm chairs facing each other with a comforter thrown over their tops. He loved it! Lilly slept with Raj and me in the king sized bed. Baron slept by my bedside, keeping an eye on me all night. It was a very quiet and restful night for everyone.

Saturday we had breakfast delivered to us and we ate in bed: yogurt parfait, creme brûlée french toast, sausage, baked apples, coffee, tea, milk, orange juice... I was relieved I could eat again! I would've hated to miss all that!

We spent the day walking around downtown. We visited our regular stops: Galena Canning Company (one of Raj's favorites), an art gallery (we picked out a scene from our drive to the cabin - I've been wanting a local art piece for years!), an old fashioned toy store, a candy store (both favorites for Shawn)... We picked out gourmet caramel apples and chocolates, Christmas ornaments for both kids and a bird feeder for the backyard. It was disheartening to see how many of the businesses were closing their doors by the end of the year; however, hopefully they'll have new merchants move in to keep the town going. It'll be interesting to see how it's changed next year. New businesses could be a good thing, too.

 Shawn found a house that we've never noticed before very close to the main street. It turned out to be the oldest house in Galena and we were able to go on a guided tour. The timing was perfect for Lilly's nap. We learned that it was an 1826 trading post downstairs and the owner, Mr. Dowling and his family, lived upstairs (though he had to go outside to get there - no direct access back then).
"Most folks come to Galena, Illinois, to shop for antiques and arts and crafts and jewelry, dine at some very good restaurants and maybe soak up the history of a town that produced U.S. Grant and eight other Civil War generals. But almost hidden at the far end of Main Street, at a fork in the road known as Diagonal Street, is the home of John Dowling, arguably the first citizen of Galena. His house is the oldest in the town, dating to the early 1800s. It also is the oldest stone structure in Illinois. The narrated tour of Dowling's house and the Galena Territory Trading Post is filled with 1826 furnishings and pottery, which makes it all a very interesting comparison to the Washburne and Belvedere mansions that were constructed later in the century." Shawn loved the tour and our guide admitted she was impressed by his behavior on a 'grown-up' tour (???) I'm bot sure what she was expecting or what her past experience has been with kids, but Shawn smiled from the compliment.

(Copied from http://home.comcast.net/~mywebfiles/galena/galena_002.htm)

We also walked through a small welcome center that honored U.S. Grant and had shelves of memorabilia, history, and archives. Shawn wasn't as enthusiastic about this history lesson, but it was getting late in the day, so his interest was fading in general.

We caught the last half of a holiday parade. Santa brought up the end with a horse drawn carriage. (We had tried to see him all day at a little hut in the center of town, but it turned out that we were looking for him at the wrong place. By the time we realized where he had been all day, he was gone. Oops.)

For dinner, we went to The Woodstone Restaurant at Eagle Ridge Resort. It's on the outskirts of town, which we pass each year when we arrive. Food was good, but nothing special.

Back at the cabin, I turned my phone back on (I enjoy being unplugged while in Galena), but only for the camera mode. I figured out how to set a delay and we got a family picture in one of our favorite places.

Then, the kids got silly playing with stuff in the cabin.

Look out! There's a bear behind you!	Row, row, row your boat...
Taking a closer look	He's my size!

Kiss on the nose!

Awww, I love it. Stories before bedtime.

On Sunday, we enjoyed our breakfast in bed again: ham soufflé, yogurt parfait, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, milk, orange juice... Yum. After we packed up the car, we headed back into town just to make sure we didn't miss anything. We also went for a short hike near the Galena River. It was cold, so my efforts to defer our departure didn't last long. Luckily, Shawn helped postpone our trip home by suggesting we get lunch first. We found a little cafe (that was only serving breakfast) and filled up before driving back to St. Charles.

Back home, Raj must've been inspired by our getaway because he threw himself into holiday decorating mode. We don't have a tree yet and we're getting help to put lights outside, but the inside of our house is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

As much as I enjoy Galena and hate to leave our peaceful retreat, I do love our home. (Plus, I'm feeling significantly better than a few days ago!)