Springfield

So I can now say I've been to Springfield! No Simpsons mentioned anywhere but a helluva lot of Lincoln. A breif history lesson, Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862 and called for the use of black slaves to cease, basically to free the slaves. This affected majority of the Southern States as the blacks were used to work on the cotton fields, a major industry. So when this law was bought in it started the American Civil War, the Yankee's verse the Dixie's.
I found this is all very interesting as I never knew what actually started off the Civil War. Unfortunately, Alex didn't and at one point was walking around saying "Boring" over and over again in a loud voice so I had to rush around it with her. I only got to see the Early Years and the Presidential Years in fast forward but I spent a few hours in Mrs. Lincoln's Attic which is a hand's on area for kids, it has dress-ups, building logs, books, a dollhouse, period toys, a kitchen with pretend stuff to play with. So the kids liked that part and Pat had gone off to do her presentation so we hung out. Oh but! I managed to get a few photos in the areas you werne't supposed to because I didn't know that so I was just taking pictures until security came up and told me it wasn't allowed... Whoops. Good photos though!
We stayed at the Hilton which was nice, except the building creaked all night thanks to strong winds, a tornado warning had been issued that morning. Thank god I didn't know about it until I was there.
We went to an Italian place for dinner called Saputos which had THE BEST lasange. It was delicious.
On Friday morning I went and took a couple of pictures but due to the severe change in weather I felt like my face was cracking because of the cold. When we left I got a couple of photos of the State Capitol and we also did the drive to Lincoln's tomb, which resembled a war memorial excpt was different because there was an actaly body buried somewhere underneath it. Sort of like the Unknown Soldier at the War Memorial in Canberra.
The drive back was alright, exhausting sitting in a car for so long. We stopped off at Pat's parents and I met them Pat's dad had a stroke less than a year ago so he is disabled now. I know some people say you shouldn't feel sorry for handicapped people but I didn't because it was so hard or him to spit words out, he has them in his brain and they wouldn't just come out. I thought it must be so frustrating. But anyway, it's hard to say how I felt without because I don't know. I just thought I'd throw that in.
Last night I went out to the Olive Garden for dinner with the girls and then we went bowling at a place that could probably be referred to as dodgy and prbably where a lot of the underages go because they have nothing else to do so they go bowl for $1.99 per game or play pool. Lots of Hispancis. They're always interesting males. Anyway, point to this was I won the seocnd game!!! I cored 118 which made me the overall winner of the two games we played. How exciting! I got two strikes in a row. I was so proud of myself. I even made them print out a copy of the score for me.
Today I'm looking after Emily for the arvo. I'm in desperate need for a massage or something has I buggered my neck in the car and my headaches are starting to come back. It feels like forever ago that I left Australia. And I've been having really, REALLY, strange dreams.
Anyway, nothing else going on. Tonight I'm talking to mum then think I will chill out and go to bed as I got in very late last night/this morning, and tomorrow I'm finally going into Chicago!! Oh and guess what the temperature is right now???? I bet you'll never guess! -17 celcius. I went outside to put some postcards in the letter box for them to pick up and I got in the groceries for Pat. That will be the extent of my going outside today. This cold is not doing my skin any favours and keeps drying it out. Not nice. Apparently, according to Krissii (another Aussie, been here about 6 months), this is going to be the coldest day on record for the whole U.S. I dunno about that but it's cold alright. I didn't think I'd be able to survive -12 degrees let alone -17!
Must go, Emily has been asleep for an hour and I'm hoping to get another hour out of her and I have stuff to do.
Speak soon!