From Home to home.

One last Virginia drive

A safe flight later, I drove straight to Morton Arboretum to meet Zachary.

After the Arboretum closed, Zachary rather magically produced this super delicious parcel and to go with coffee by the Barnes and Noble fountain.

When I got home, a gloriously powerful thunderstorm broke loose so I sat on the front porch and read by porch light and light night flash. 

Thursday brought a CODA concert (which went well) and left time to watch the sunset at Northside park before my late evening lesson.

Friday morning I went for a "run" at Morton Arboretum (I run a few paces. See a bluebird. Take picture. Run a few more paces. See beautiful path. Take picture. Ad infinitum. Basically I look like a happy puppy who's just been let off the leash)

Friday night brought a game and movie night at the Draper's house with Zachary, his brothers Joseph and Nathaniel and Mrs. Draper. Grand fun!!

Rose from a student on Saturday :)

An excellent sermon at Village Church of Barrington and then brunch to talk about it.

Super fun flower shopping with Zachary

The house that Zachary has an offer on presently. Isn't it adorable? And what a grand old tree!

A gorgeous rose we discovered called The Charleston. It's fragrance was amazing!

Here it is in full bloom (courtesy of an image I dug up from the internet). I definitely want to plant these in my own garden one day!

The somewhat less dignified but much more accurately happy representation of what most of this day was like :) 

Graduation party for Joseph at the Drapers house. It was great to meet many of the Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.

A much welcomed country drive through the late afternoon glow. 

The happiness in this picture cannot be properly described :) Kate Rusby playing, country drive, sunshine, excellent company and a mandolin to jam on. Doesn't get much better than that, folks :) 

On getting back to Geneva, Zachary and I planted our selections to much satisfaction. 

My dinner Sunday night was also rather satisfactory. Shrimp in a garlic cream sauce (and obviously some good cheese :) over angel hair pasta. Yummy in my tummy! 

A quiet Monday morning for reading, prayer and lots of work. Thankful for that gift of time!

Flowers from Zachary

Our pots, already looking perky in their new home!

Monday night, the remaining members of the Schubert Road Quintet got together at Justin's apartment to sight read quartets. What a fun evening! It took us a while to find our groove (and some extra sharps) but it felt wonderful to play together again and was great practice as well. 

We played until midnight in Wheaton so I invited Annie and Clara to sleepover in Geneva to avoid a sleepy drive back to downtown Chicago. Clara and I enjoyed some snuggle time when she woke very early this morning. Isn't she adorable? Those pudgy cheeks get me every time :) 

She found a chair just her size!

It was a great spot to try playing my art project. 

We had a lovely brunch before teaching at my favorite breakfast spot in Geneva

When I arrived at String Academy to teach, Mrs Mallard was crossing the parking lot. So funny to watch them scale the curb.