September, school and travel adventures!!

We have been super busy since my last post(are you noticing a trend?)
So here is the low down.
I have ordered, recieved and used my new CTA Plus/iGo card.
My husband has FINALLY straightened out the confusion from his old emplyer and the CTA.
Our son started Kindergarten and now commutes by CTA 5 days a week to and from school.

We have developed a schedule that allows us to get him to school early and my husband to work on time, all taking the same train. It is really special for our son, getting to ride the train with Daddy. I have planned my shopping, appoinmtents and gym time around the schol bell and tranist times.
We borrowed my moms car for a wedding Saturday in the burbs and tomorrow we use iGo for the first time for a trek to our dentist!!

I was asked if I missed my car, and I could not think of a time when I said to my self, Darn I wish I had a car!
Though I have learned that sometimes the bus is better, because not all El stops have elevators, and hauling the Target goods up 3 flights of stairs can cause massive bruising to my legs.

I still need to remember to carry one "cold" reusable bag and one regular at all times, just in case I end up near a grocery and can fit in some shopping!
So far so good, I am feeling food about how this change in our lives has made us more organized, better shoppers, better planners, and given us the chance to explore new El and bus lines.

Well the week is young, Dentist tomorrow, ballet and tap on Wednesday, and Irish Dance on Thursday. All new to our travel schedule!!

Banking and such...

So yesterday I had a meeting downtown, I plotted my route and set my alarm so that I could make it in plenty of time even if the CTA was late. Well....I woke up and hour and a half later than my alarm!!! Thank the universe for an awesome friend, who happens to live next door, who dropped everything to get me to my appointment on time!
Leaving my appointment I used google maps to get home, sadly i missed my bus so i refreshed, walked 8 blocks to the train, missed it by 30 seconds, refreshed and replotted.....Finally made it home and met my guys at the beach for an lovely relaxing afternoon. Then being Tuesday I had to jump on the red line then the 80 to get to my students by 6 :)

Today I had 2 objectives, check on my brothers house and plants in the burbs, and get to my bank branch.
D and I set about about 10, took cta to a metra stop, transferred and walked to my brothers. I took the opportunity to stop by a local shop owned by my childhood friends family , where she now works, to pop in reconnect and show her how big my lil guy has gotten.
After we watered the plants, cleaned up the raccoon scavenged garbage and secured the house we wandered to the park I used to play at as a child, the book store where I spent so much time and money, and the toy shop, where a picture of my neighbor(who was half owner) was displayed, made me smile!! I bought Dwyer a butterfly net and some bubbles, and some kindergarten skills cards, yes I am always a teacher. We stopped for lunch an them Mom met us, graciously took us to our bank and to BK for a 2nd lunch, dern kid was still hungry, or he just wanted a toy! then on to home.

Tomorrow, I have another meeting on the mag mile, because I also need a sitter, D's Grandpa is on duty as my chauffeur and D's sitter. After that we hit the beach....trying to squeeze in as much time there, and with D, as I can before school starts!

Been busy

So we have been super busy since my last post. My Brothers babysitter quit...I was called in as backup, my mother insisted I use her car(we had borrowed it for eye Doc appts the day before). Dwyer and I had 2 wonderful days with his cousins, my niece and nephew. We went to the beach one day and the pool the next. They deemed me the best babysitter ever, yeah I am that good :)

I took advantage of having my moms car Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and made trips to Sam's club(where I filled her tank) and hit target for Dwyer's school supplies.

So we did not have to rely on public transport, but it was awesome for Dwyer to hang with his cousins, and I got to solidify my place as "Best Aunt EVER" with John and Phoebe.

This past Sunday we had a Family Meetup, Dwyer and I took the red line, to the 84 bus, met up with the other families and Kris took the red line to the 11 bus to meet us. We had a lovely evening eating wings and playing board games. Then we took the bus back to the red line(with some of our new friends) on on to home.
So far we are not "missing" having a car. The only time I really needed it, when I did not have Mom's, was today. I had done some cleaning and organizing of our storage after it flooded, nothing was damaged. But our car bit it before I could drive the give aways to Howard Brown. So today I had a spurt of cleaning frenzy and filled 2 more boxes. I called my amazing friend and neighbor Darrin, and he graciously loaded all my stuff in his car and took it to Howard Brown for me.
So far I have learned that not having a car means you have to plan, and have a backup plan for everything. I have also learned that for the things we cannot do with public transport, it is great to have friends and family who believe they owe you(when I think I owe them) or just love you enough to lend a car or take your hand-me-downs to some needy folks.
Til the next transportation challenge,


Jeanne

Solving the carseat issue

So we own 3 carseats...and no car. Lugging our carseat or the booster around is a real pain. So after some research, which I actually started before the car died, and consulting Dwyers Dr. and several safety websites....It look like we are going to invest in a RideSafer Travel vest. This is a "space vest" that a regular car seat belt threads through. It is small, portable and Dwyer thinks it looks cool :)

http://www.safetrafficsystem.com/

One whole week

So far we are adjusting, it is requiring some more organization and planning before we leave the house each day.
Most of our regular spots are easily accessible by bus and/or train. I am learning to combine trips to save on bus fare(I plan on buying a monthly pass in September), for example a trip to the Dr. is also a trip to CVS and our bank, all within walking distance of the purple line. A trip to work, was combined with a trip to storage, Target and Dominick's. I have to get in the habit of bringing my reusable bags with me.... and look into a cart that is super lightweight and folds up, possibly to the size of my messenger bag :)
Saturday we conquered traveling home from the far west side, it took 2 buses and 1 train, but was relatively painless(that could have been the wine I had )
I have booked my son's dental appointment, 4 months in advance, in order to be sure we got a time that allows for travel via PACE.
Things I am not missing...filling the tank and shelling out $70+, paying to park, paying insurance....

Day ONE

So after being driven back to home by my gracious Mother in Law last night. Today was our first official day without a car.
Just to make things interesting I woke up with bites all over my legs and had to go to the Dr. Thankfully this dovetailed nicely since my credit union is around the corner from his office, and we are still without debit cards so I have to visit the branch to withdraw cash. Our account was compromised, for the second time this month, on Sunday and cards were frozen. So one train ride, it was miraculously an express , we hit the Dr., the bank, and the pharmacy. We needed to go to Target for contact solution and frozen meals for my husband to take to work. I checked the bus schedule on my phone and decided that it was best for us to go home, eat lunch, ditch the rain gear and rest as Lil Man was tired and then hit the big T.

 We came home, rested, ate, played and then after consulting the weather channel I decided we needed to go before the storms hit. We made our trip , got our supplies and came home and made dinner.

All in all the first day was okay. The hardest part....my son. He is not used to the amount of walking and waiting. Bringing a stroller would just make everything harder. We are all just going to have to buck up! Be more organized and deal with the waiting and walking.
Tomorrow....no real plans, no errands(that I can think of) so we will see how things go.

21 years

For the last 21 years I have owned a car. I bought my first car when I was 15 and in drivers ed. A family I babysat for was moving to London so they sold me their 1982 Toyota Carolla for $250. It sat in the car park that summer while I learned to drive. My Dad took me out in it to teach me how to drive stick. I finally got my license a month after I turned 16. I drove that car for 3 years, sold it for $250 with a flat tire!!!
By then I was in college and driving to campus from home in my red Jetta. That car lasted 3 years and finally gave out shortly after I graduated. Once again Dad came to my rescue. He helped me get a loan on a Pontiac Sunfire. It was a nice little car. 3 years later I was ready to upgrade, and Dad helped me again. I bought a 2000 Xterra! I was over the moon, huge storage for camping gear and my bike and not a bad looking little

SUV.  Since then I have moved 3 times, got married, changed jobs and careers, and had a son.
Yesterday, while my husband was driving us to his mothers, the engine locked up.The mechanic confirmed our worst fear....she was DOA. The cost to repair was far to much for us to pay and or borrow. So we made the decision to sell her for scrap and go without a car for the foreseeable future. So now we begin a new phase, a urban family(who have always had a car) without a car. I know others have done it, so I can too.