Summer may be here in Chicago in theory, and we may have had 3/4 30+ degree days in the last week, but we are having the most insane thunder storms I have ever experienced! The thunder was so loud on Sunday I think I felt the building shake, it sounded like a massive explosion, and some of the lightning storms have been keeping me awake at night because they are so bright.

So it has made planning activities a little challenging as we try to avoid getting wet in the torrential downpours.

However we are managing. On Monday myself, Janey and some of the other first year students went to see Avenue Q at the theatre. We went for dinner first at one of the outside bars and had a few drinks before heading up. It was a really fun show and I really enjoyed it. It was defintely aimed at college student/graduates.

On Wednesday I had lunch with Victoria, one of the girls who I had had classes with last semester and who had spent last summer in Costa Rica. It was great to ask her all the really stupid questions I had about the trip and here how much she had enjoyed it!

After lunch I bit the bullet and went and got my hair highlighted for the first time ever! It was pretty scary smelling all that lightening stuff as it went on my hair and hoping that the hairdresser did a good job. Luckily she knew what she was doing and 3 hours later I left with nice lighter hair. I think it looks a lot better.

There were about 4 festivals on this weekend even with the horrific weather and I managed to make it out to two of them. On Saturday I went to the Printers Row Book Festival where there were about 30 different book stalls, most selling second hand books, some selling first editions and loads of different author events. It was a disaster for my bank account as I bought a load of books, but I would have spent twice as much in a proper book shop, and they are proper grown up books not trashy romance novels, so they will give me something to enjoy on the beach in Costa Rica.

On Sunday I was volunteering in the children's church in the morning, where I must have lifted one of them strangely as my back is killing me! But it was insane but fun as usual with 14 babies and 6 volunteers.

In the evening, once the thunderstorm of the day was over I headed out to the blues festival and enjoyed my dinner while listening to some great bands play in the park. It was insanely hot, and I was roasted in my jeans and t-shirt.

Today has been another busy day, along with running errands, I also had lunch with Jenn and her daughter. Jenn was on the New Orleans trip with me and it was great to catch up with her. We went to a cool restaurant called the flat top grill where it was an all you can eat stir fry place and really tasty. It is also right beside Harpo Studios where Oprah is filmed so I got my picture taken with the sign!!

This evening I met Kate for dinner. It is strange now she doesnt live next door anymore, but it is nice to have the excuse to meet up for dinner. She is at home in Wisconsin and she is looking forward to going to Costa Rica in a few weeks.

Not much planned for this weekend, a few more festivals and lunches planned, trying to see all my friends again between jobs before I leave in like 5 weeks :(