Chicago Summer - Construction Season

So, we've been out a week and so far so good, (she says, immediately jinxing things). Ex Little Guy, (now just past his 13th birthday so need a new nickname), attended metal-working camp last week. Now, contrary to the movies etc, not all American kids' camps are over night-y jobs. In fact some of them aren't even full day - like the metal-working camp last week. It was just like having him back in half-day nursery school - dropping off at 9am and picking up at 12.30pm. I have time to come home, do one thing, and get back in the car. Mainly because of ..(See next paragraph).

There's a joke in Chicago about road works etc. - "There are two seasons in Chicago - winter, and construction." It's true - it's too cold in the winter to do any construction 'cause digging frozen ground is hard, and the sub-zero temps play havoc with the concrete and tar. So basically, as soon as the weather gets decent, the roadworks start. Even the smaller side streets are "dug up" because our winter temps are so severe, they crack the roads - so many of them have to be re-paved during the summer. It's like a geography puzzle trying to figure out how to get from A to B and avoid heavy traffic due to one lane traffic.

So not only do I have to contend with still-getting-up-to-attend-to-child, I also have to contend with drop-off driving. I whine about this because son walks to school and I rarely use my car all year (not a good reason) and my back is still un-OK enough that sitting in a car for any length of time is not good.(legit reason).

"How far is this camp?" you must be asking. Oh , less than three miles. And yet - it takes me almost half an hour to get there, then I drop child off and turn back - and now I'm in rush hour traffic heading for downtown. And I do that again at noon-ish. Not good for the back.

This week however, he is playing tennis outdoors, on the lakefront. An idyllic drive with no construction in sight. I will try to take a photo when I'm not behind the wheel!