My father used to take me to air shows in Ohio when I was a boy so it was a special treat to attend the Chicago Air and Water Show this weekend. We took the train and bus downtown to North Shore Beach to join thousands of others for the show. We attended the second half of the show for the sake of the children – they would not last an entire day. F-15s roared across the sky as we arrived, followed by stunt prop planes. The show concluded with the Thunderbirds.

There was the imminent threat of rain which paused the show. We took cover in the Drake hotel to enjoy a masterfully played harp and the countries top rated Ladies Restroom – complete with a dozen flat panel televisions for who knows what sort of entertainment while powdering.

While returning to the busses the rain came. We got drenched and Alexis was in tears from the onslaught. Air conditioners in the bus and train kept us fridgid the remainder of the trip – should have brought additional clothes or an umbrella. All in all it was an excellent trip. We’ll always have good memories of the 2009 Air and Water Show.