All Of The "Illinois Bunch" Are Here and The Cook-out

Rantoul, IL.

57 deg. clear, no wind.

Forecast =  Sunny. Highs in the mid 80s. Light south winds.


Denny came over for awhile yesterday morning and he and Jim sat outside under my awning and talked for awhile. They have known each other for years, and in fact, lived only about a block apart when they were growing up.

They always seem to find something to talk about. Being from the same small town, they both know a lot of the same people and Denny keeps Jim abreast of what's going on with them.

I think if was about 9:30 or 10:00 when I saw Gordy and Dorthy pull into the CG. They had driven down here for the day, and just brought their car instead of the Motor home. Once they were here, that meant that the whole "Illinois Bunch" was here. : )  After they were here for a little while, Dorthy came over and visited with Linda for awhile and Jim went over to Denny's RV, where everyone was gathering, and visited.

During the afternoon, Linda was busy getting food together for the Cook-out that was planned. She baked a cake, cut up some cantaloupe, made a cucumber and onion salad, "doctored up" the potato salad she had bought at the grocery store, and baked a green bean casserole.

Then, about 4:30, everything was packed up and taken over to Denny's site where Dave and Denny had built a campfire. (Denny and Dorthy helped Jim carry the food over there). After everyone was there with the food that they had prepared, they started cooking hot dogs and brats over the fire, and cooking a few burgers on a grill.

Jim and Linda had invited Paul and Louise to come to the cook-out so they came over and had something to eat also. They had to leave once when an RV came into the park, but once they got them registered and into a site, they came back over and visited for awhile longer.

Jim and Linda both said that they think everyone enjoyed the cook-out. There was more than enough food for everyone and everything really tasted good. : )

After visiting for awhile, Jim and Linda came back here. (Denny and Dorothy helped Jim and Linda carry some of the stuff back). While Linda was putting the left-overs away, Jim went back and visited for a little longer and then came back here for the evening.

Gordy and Dorthy went back home last night and today the rest of the "Illinois Bunch" will be leaving. : ( It's too bad that they couldn't stay longer, but they have to get back home. I'm hoping that I'll get to see them again this winter, down in Florida. 

This afternoon, Jim has to go see his eye doctor. He's not looking forward to going, but knows it's best to go and make shure everything is OK.

Did you know that Americans eat more than 16 billion hot dogs each year?