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Thursday, June 23, 2011

A Midsummer's Knight's Read In Which Hijinks Ensue....

Fried.

That's what I am.

No!  Not like these fries at Gibson's in Chicago, here served with filet sliders w/ maitre d' butter.  And no, I don't know anything about maitre d' butter except that it should be served on everything.


I am fried in the sense of being exhausted.  (Yeah, I know, you already figured that out.  You are smart, after all.)  I just got home after a significantly delayed flight and had to present a workshop for teachers in a graduate class at San Diego State University about Storytelling and Early Literacy Development FOR 3 HOURS.  Seriously.  Even I get tired of me after 3 hours.  (And folks at SDSU, thanks for not throwing stuff at me...)

Anyway, someone one said (probably a famous person, for famous people are always saying stuff) that a picture is worth a thousand words.  So here are some pictures of my excellent adventure in Chicago, but not very many words I'm afraid.
Really, I wasn't as cranky as I look here...except for maybe a little at my GPS on my phone, which kept trying to tell me that the bank on the left was actually a library (which was on the RIGHT, Hagatha!  THE RIGHT!)

Lovely story area in Des Plaines.  With the castle and clouds, I felt right at home!
What?? Get this picture out of here.  This post is supposed to be about my adventures and not about what I ate.  (Except that the broasted chicken sandwich at Chick n Dip in Hampshire was incredible!)

Yes, as a matter of fact that is my castle back there.

I know...just a poster about me....but I thought it was cool!

Sir Andrew and Sir James...yes, folks, there were KNIGHTS at the show in Bartlett!!

How lucky can a queen get??  Two fabulous knights!

Dudes.  They battled.  Seriously.

And there were crafts in Geneva (Father's Day cards depicting knights in shining armor...so sweet!)

And crown shaped cookies (even sweeter!)

Mark Twain and I having a private moment in Batavia.  (I know.  It totally looks like he is sniffing my hair.  And I don't know how I feel about that.)

An indoor lunch picnic because it was so hot outside the queen would have melted.

Hey, Italian Beef Sandwich!  Get out of my post!  I am not talking about food.  This is about adventure.

My peeps at the South Elgin Assisted Living (it was Bring-Your-Grandparent-to-Storytime.)  Remember, you are never too young for a good story.

Ooooh!  Pretty, pretty Plainfield.

Heigh-ho, off we go!

Me and a small friend.

I know!  Librarian Vince's crown is spectacular!

Me and bloggy buddy Kelly Polark.  (She is about 6 feet tall and drop dead gorgeous.  So are her kids.  Well, her kids aren't six feet tall, but they are lookers, I tell you!  That is because the best looking people read this blog.

Yes, back to the fried-ness of this post.  (There are sweet potato fries from Culver's Butterburger.  Yes, there is a place that cooks burgers in butter.  Not maitre d' butter, but butter is butter, right?)




So, I wanted to take more pictures of me with all the kids that came, but it is very awkward to stop and take a picture in the middle of the story!  And for some reason (nerves, most likely) I kept forgetting to hand my camera off to someone to shoot some pictures during the performances.  Anyhow, the kids were so wonderful and polite and non-heckling (and some even printed my picture off the internet and had me sign them!!! Rockstar moment) and the librarians could not have been more awesome.  These folks love their libraries!  And their communities love them as well.  

Thank you for having me.  It was an honor.

hrh

What?  Are you expecting a picture of deep-dish pizza?  Well, me too!  Unfortunately the only picture is on the cell-phone and Hagatha is being stubborn and not letting me download it.  She is such a stinker sometimes.


Speaking of stinkers, blogger is not letting me move this bit out of the caption.  *sigh*





11 comments:

Jess said...

Those knights are pretty darn cool, the food looks delicious, and you look fabulous~ very Queenly! Looks like a fun time. Thanks for sharing photos :)

Laura S. said...

Great pictures, Shelley. Looks like you had a terrific time! Hope you get some refreshing rest now!

Matthew MacNish said...

OMG those knights look awesome! And I love Kelly. She rules.

Lydia Kang said...

You are famous! Mark Twain sniffed your hair. Sigh.

Glad you had a great, successful tour! Woohoo!

Margo Berendsen said...

Oh, what an adventure! Your captions were just as delightful as your pictures! I LOVVVVVVVED the knights. Oh, send me some, can you???

Christina Lee said...

Well you *are* a rock star!!!! YAY---looks like you need a looongggg nap. xoxo

Laura Pauling said...

Sounds like an awesome trip. I don't blame you for being exhausted - that's a lot to do and a lot of people to interact with! :)

Kelly Polark said...

I loved looking through the photos of your trip! The foodie ones too (I love Culver's). I have to tell you how wonderful it was to have my children reading quietly in the back seat on the way home after your reading. Well, first they were talking excitedly about you, then opened their books to read the newest story!
Thanks for your kind words, too. You seriously are an amazing writer and entertainer! I'm so happy we got to meet up!

And how come I live in Illinois and Mark Twain has never sniffed my hair, darn it!?

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

I loved taking that journey with you through pix. You are the bestest.

Anonymous said...

All of the pictures are great! Well the food ones are making me hungry. Got up way too early and now my tummy is rumbling.

How cool that there were knights and castles, and a librarian with a crown. The poster of your visit was cool, too. It sounds like you had a wonderful adventure of travel and meeting new young fans.

storyqueen said...

Jess-yes, the knights were awesome...and their weapons were real!

Laura-Rest? Ha! But I am getting work done, so that is good I 'spose.

Matthew-I know! Kelly rocks (and not only because she is a rock-n-roll princess!)

Lydia-But look at him...it looks like he doesn't think it smells very good...

Margo-Yes, of course, dahling. How many knights would you like?

Christina-Well, not really a rock star. More like a very sleepy cat or sloth or something.

Laura-Luckily, everyone was really great. But you are right, lots of interacting. And driving. And more driving.

Kelly-You are too tall for Twain to be able to sniff your hair. But honestly, I'd rather have the height than the sniff. And thanks again for coming out to Cary.

It really meant a lot.

Tricia-Missing you! Come back to blogland soon!

Susanne-It was really fun and wonderful and delicious. But it is also very nice to be home. I really missed my family!