Back in town!

Our final summer 2010 getaway is in the books - another week spent in Michigan, this time in Farmington Hills with my parents.  It was a nice, relaxing week on the whole.  There were tentative plans for me to attend a week-long chemistry training, but there was not room for me.  It was a somewhat a relief, because otherwise I would have been around much less.  So instead, I played golf; Rachel picked blueberries; I went to see my sister's chemistry lab; Rachel went shopping. 

Back in Bridgeport, we got a wild "welcome home."  On Sunday, there were 2 parades (yes, TWO) that went down our street.  The first one had floats and marching bands - it was a celebration put on by St. Jerome's, the Croatian church up the street.  We missed it, but my parents were here and took some pictures.  Later we walked up to the church festival and enjoyed some yummy sausages and fried dough.  I love the summer in Chicago!

More bizarre (but not unusual for this area?) was the St. Rocco's parade.  This parade was sponsored by a men's club that runs out of a church in Chinatown.  The church, though it is half Chinese nowadays, was started and is still attended by the Italian immigrants and their descendants.  The parade is a fundraiser, as the men carry a statue of St. Rocco around to parishioners' homes and collect donations.  For each donation, the band plays a little ditty in celebration.  Apparently this goes on for hours.  The house across the street set up a big party, and we were alerted to the parade's presence when we heard an incredibly dangerous amount of firecrackers being set off outside.  Our backyard is littered with red paper that the wind blew in.  Reminds me of China at New Year's time!  Best off all - think of the membership of this very exclusive club: a bunch of old Sicilian guys...you catch my drift.

Oh Bridgeport, our crazy home.

alan