Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Dixon, Illinois

It’s a famous place, you know.

We spent two hours in the greater Dixon metropolitan area late Sunday morning as we searched for an urgent care center that could treat the Captain. We found one. It was empty. She was treated right away. They accepted our insurance. And they didn’t charge us an arm and a leg. We only needed to find two Wal-Marts before we found a pharmacy that stocked the antibiotic we needed. That’s not a complaint. You’ve got to enjoy modern medicine in America before the federal government destroys it. And I offer no apologies to my Democratic readers. Your party is in the process of destroying health care in this country, and I can only hope that the negotiations between the house and senate completely fail in the new year.

But, I seriously digress.

We liked Dixon.



On the way into downtown Dixon we discovered the famous Dixon Arch. If you climb to the top of the arch you can see for two blocks in each direction.

On the way out of Dixon we discovered this cute little home.



It’s the childhood home of our 40th president, Ronald Wilson Reagan. We often stumble on things like this. A couple of years ago, in Wisconsin, we discovered a small building that was the birthplace of the Republican Party. This year we discovered one of the childhood homes of arguably the greatest Republican president. It was very cool. It was also closed, and we decided that we did not want to walk through the snow to get the children’s picture taken on the front porch for the annual Christmas letter (soon to be the New Year’s letter if I don’t get off my butt and write the darn thing). Well, that and the fact that it would sorely hack off the great many Democrats in our families. Maybe we should drive back…

I miss a lot of the action when I am driving on a family trip. The Boss was kind enough to point the camera over her should and capture life in the back seat.


It usually involves food.


Nothing says “road trip” like a hot and spicy beef stick! Yard-o-beef, anyone?

The most amusing part of the ride home came when the Boss called “Shotgun!” She commandeered the front passenger seat and the radio in search of a station that carried the Packers/Steelers game. We heard the pre-game show clearly until we reached the Illinois/Iowa border. That’s when the game started and reception vanished. “We’re close to LaCrosse,” she said. “I’ll be able to find the game.” She began to turn the dial.

At 12:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, while driving westbound on Interstate 80 in eastern Iowa, the Boss was able to locate the Buffalo Bills game broadcast from Rochester, New York, on the radio. She found the Denver Bronco’s game from Denver, Colorado. She found the Chiefs/Browns game from Kansas City. She even found a rebroadcast of the Punxsutawney College women’s quilting finals loss from a Pennsylvania radio station. She could not locate the Packer’s game.

“I could spit on Wisconsin from here!” she shouted, after several trips across the radio dial. “Why can’t I find the Packer’s game?!”

She was a bit scary, really.

Eventually, the Boss found the game. We picked up a signal from a Cedar Rapids, IA, radio station that carried the Packers. When that faded we found a station in New Orleans that broadcast the game. We found stations all across the country that carried the game. When one signal faded we found another. What did not locate was a Wisconsin radio station that carried the Green Bay Packers.

Christmas came early for Bears fans.  The Packers lost.

But, we returned safely.  We enjoyed our trip.  And we are happy to be home!

7 comments:

Jane Deskis said...

Glad you made it home before this cloud sat down on us. We can't see the back fence.
Merry Christmas, Arby and crew.

Kathleen said...

The USPS, Wisconsin radio stations...the list is growing of establishments that must be on the look out for the Boss! Just kidding, Boss!! I'd be as annoyed as you!

Glad your trip went well. Trust the Captain is better--judging by the look on her face as she chews on that beef, she's recovering!

A Merry Christmas to the whole Arby family, and may the Lord richly bless you in 2010!

Anonymous said...

The very warmest Christmas wishes to all of you. Dixon has now been added to my bucket list.

Kid said...

What are those kids eating? Carrots ? We'd have thrown those out the window at passing cars.

TobyBo said...

Welcome home!

Oklahoma Granny said...

I was laughing so hard I could hardly see through the tears to read about your adventure.

Wishing you and your family the merriest of Christmases and a very blessed New Year!

CrossView said...

Sorry about the Packers, Boss.

Glad you all made it back safely!