So glad you hear you are safe and your home is ok.

Have fun in Chicago....you deserve it!

Glad to know you made it through the storm safely. I hope your friend's home hasn't too much damage.

Will Chicago be a 'windy city' after what you went through?

I have been thinking about you and had wondered whether you were traveling since you hadn't posted in a while (I thought). Now see your Mom passed and I wish you sincere condolescences. Glad to hear you weathered the storm safely. ((f))

Patrick, I'm so glad you're going to be able to do the Chicago trip. I'd followed your threads about it and know you put a lot of "work" into this trip. Hope you and Lee have a wonderful time!

Patrick~I just read the morning paper which described Naples in the face of Wilma. I'm glad you and Lee are both safe and the "home" is dry.

I wish you a great stay in the windy city and good passage through the wake of all your travail.

Patrick, I am glad you and Lee are out of danger.

I think it's the 2nd time you post about old type dial phones, they work in case of emergency. Good to know!

Well with the Ft. Lauderdale airport closed due to damage, our flight to Chicago was cancelled, but AA rerouted us out of Ft. Myers through St. Louis so we did get to Chicago about 6 PM last night, in time to get to the Oriental from O'Hare by the Blue Line, check our luggage in the theatre coat check and see WICKED.

No, Chicago being called the "windy city" is laughable having come from Wilma-stricken Naples.

And OO, yes, the Z-3 roof is fine -- not damage at all, and not a leak inside which was really surprising considering what it went through on the roof of the parking garage.

And yes, that flooded parking garage is the one we were parked in, but only the first floor was flooded and not that deep, but as of yesterday morning it was still flooded. Our storm sewers in Naples need power to pump the water away and so the water is still unable to drain. We were able to get the car down to the ground floor and around the deepest part of the water. So funny that we put it there, when our own garage was dry as a bone.

Our water in Naples was at a trickle and of course no power, so this morning that hot shower in Chicago was a welcome relief after five days of cold water "trickles".

LOL Patrick!

That is so funny. I see a Naples city parking garage and think of your Z car parked on the roof and it is the one you parked in.

Glad you are enjoying Chicago!

Patrick...I've been thinking of you, wondering if you have power yet etc! Isn't it wonderful getting in the shower again when you haven't been able to? And turning on a coffee pot and having it work? Flipping the light switch and actually having light? LOL Gives you an entirely new perspective on things, doesn't it.

Glad you made it out OK and especially glad your little tough-as-nuts Z3 breezed through the storm up there on the roof of the parking garage...all by her lonely. She's liable to throw her transmission in retaliation now. :) As you can see, I ascribe feeling to cars. LOL

Glad you made it to Chicago Patrick! Recently, I read Erik Larson's "The Devil in The White City" a non-fiction story based in Chicago during the World's Fair. According to the author the term "windy city" had nothing to do with wind but of business men who talked a big game so to speak. Great read. Enjoy a great trip!

GoTravel, don't be too proud of yourself. Since that's the only parking garage in downtown Naples, odds were awfully good that it was the right one!! LOL

Have some pretzel bread for me, Patrick! YUMMY!

Patrick,
I lurk often, but don't post too frequently. However, I had to post to offer my condolences on your mother's passing. You certainly had a rough few weeks.

I always enjoy your posts - love your sense of humor and outlook.

How was Wicked? I have tickets to see it in November in St. Louis.

I saw Wicked with the original cast on Broadway. I had heard the Chicago leads were great. So when we arrived and opened our program to find BOTH leads were understudies I was disappointed. But they were both wonderful. The Glinda was almost a clone of the wonderful Kristen Chenowith, but perhaps even a little more over the top -- if that's possible. And I actually thought Elpheba was more "animated" than Ms. Menzel -- although admittedly her voice wasn't quite as strong. The Wizard was NO Joel Grey, however. All in all, the production was pretty much equal to the Broadway one.