Beautiful Sunday With Beautiful Friends

Louie always teases me about how willing I am to do things when other people ask, but laugh at him when he suggests something out of the ordinary to do with him.(Out of ordinary point in this case, jumping on a motorcycle when it was 43*) Our new friends Dan and Lori invited Louie and I to their home in Northwestern Illinois on Sunday morning (we live in Eastern Iowa) for breakfast at 9:30, then at 11, we were to begin a beautiful Autumn motorcycle ride to Brennan's Market in Monroe Wisconsin. After Brennan's we were going to just take a leisurely ride through Wisconsin and Illinois on the curvy autumn tree lined roads.

We set our alarm clock early, so we would be ready to leave about 7:45am. We laughed at the cold, and told each other we were just going to pretend we were out for a nice, sunny, snowmobile ride, without snow. Yay, yay, that's the ticket!

Despite stopping a few times and looking at two or three of the maps, and Lori's instructions we had printed out, we made it to their beautiful home right on schedule. By the time we arrived, the temperature had increased by a nice amount, but the wind had picked up. We were not uncomfortable though. Dan and Lori's son Joe was visiting, so we got to meet him, and we all had breakfast together. We had wonderful fellowship, and enjoyed their beautiful home.

We left Dan and Lori's pretty much on the 11am schedule, and we headed for Monroe Wisconsin to Brennan's Market. The ride was beautiful. We all made some purchases at Brennan's, (which was colder inside than it was outside!), then we walked across the street to the little Outlet strip mall that housed The Swiss Colony, Seventh Avenue , and a few other little shops. I didn't take my camera across the street with me, but I wish I had, because there were a group of ladies on motorcycles of all sizes from Women On Wheels in the parking lot of the outlet mall. I did find these very same ladies on THIS website. I don't think they were all there, but the lady with the purple three wheeler was!
When we were done shopping, Dan and Lori planned our trip route, and we were off for a wonderful, relaxing journey into Wisconsin and Illinois country with our good friends. After enjoying the scenery and the fresh air and sunshine for a few hours, we wound our way back to Dan and Lori's, then Louie and I headed back home. We talked about our day on the way home, and how blessed we felt, then thanked the Lord for a beautiful day, for allowing us the fellowship of our friends, Dan and Lori, for God's love, and for His beautiful land that we so freely roam without restrictions.

Sadness only comes when I realize that the end of motorcycle season is very near, and it will be some time before we can ride with our new friends again. I am very thankful though, for the speed of the internet, where we can stay in touch, and for digital photos, and blogs.

Friendship

There's a miracle of Friendship

That dwells within the heart,

And you don't know how it happens

Or where it gets its start...

But the happiness it brings you

Always gives a special lift,

And you realize that Friendship

Is God's most perfect gift.

-Jean Kyler McManus