We planned on going to bingo Friday afternoon. We checked in at a Days Inn Motel in Racine, Wisconsin right after dinner.

When we arrived to "Potawatomi Casino" bingo, I couldn't believe how many people were there, over 1500. We ran into one of Chuck's mom's friend named Hattie. She told us that Mom was there. It was so crowded, all I could do was wave at her. There wasn't even any table left to sit at, we had to wait. The hall was paying double that day. The minimum pay-out was $2,000. Bingo started as soon as we were seated.

One of the guards confiscated my cell phone, even though I explained to him that I needed it in case my granddaughter called me from Ohio. She was babysitting my grandson with diabetes, and might have had questions on how much insulin he needed. Chuck was furious, specially since there was a woman that sat behind us that had a cell phone ringing all afternoon & evening. We had to go pick it up on our way out. After Bingo was over, we had to wait for at least half an hour to get my phone back. The guard finally brought it back to me and he dropped it on the floor. Chuck really told him off. I was worried he'd get in real trouble, so I finally talked him into leaving.

It was getting late, so we rented a motel at a "Comfort Inn", somewhere in Wisconsin. I told him that I'd love to meet his brother that lived in Wisconsin and he admitted to me that he made up the story because he was too nervous to meet me and he didn't like following Tammy's semi all the way to Ohio. He had no brother in Wisconsin. His older brother lived in Laporte, Indiana and his younger brother lived at home with them.

We checked out around noon, Saturday morning and headed down towards Romeoville, IL. (Chuck's hometown). I asked him if we could go visit his mom and he said no, because of the 5 dogs. He told me that the Rottweiler was real mean. He had 3 Greyhounds, a Rottweiler and his mom's favorite, a Chow-chow. We drove by his house but didn't stop. Saturday afternoon, we went to Bingo in Villa Park. It was the first time I had ever played computer bingo. I liked that place, even though we didn't win. It was much better than Milwaukee.

After bingo, we checked in at a Super-8 motel in Romeoville. It was going to be our last night together for a while, Chuck had to take me back to Ohio, the next day because he had to go back to work Sunday night.

I was very depressed and sad all the way home. I didn't want our weekend to end. We arrived at my house early afternoon. It was hard to let him go, but I knew I had to. He told me he'd be back the following Friday, right after work.

I waited all day Friday, no Chuck. I was being stood up again. No e-mail, no phone call until Sunday evening. He called me and gave me some excuse that I can't remember. I know that he told me that he'd be there for sure the following Friday.

He called me early Friday morning, to tell me he was on his way. He arrived around 3:00 PM. I had some Canadian meat pies ready for us to eat. It was the first meal I ever cooked for him and he loved it. My daughter Tania & her boy friend were arguing, so we left my house right after supper and rented a motel in Toledo.

Saturday night, we went to my favorite Bingo Hall. I introduced him to my friends. Everyone loved him and were happy for me, specially Bill & Connie. Connie was like a mother to me. I had known them since they first opened up the Bingo in 1984.

In early December, Tammy called me to tell me to lay off of Chuck, that I was too pushy. She said that she talked to him and that I was going to have him lose his job. I told her that he had missed a few Sundays but that it wasn't my fault, I had tried to talk him out of missing work. She called me a liar and said that Chuck had told her that he only came to see me because he didn't want to hurt my feelings. I told her that Chuck was as pushy as I was, that he even was talking about getting married. She didn't believe a word that I said. She took me for the liar. I cried for hours over it. I suspected that Chuck had told her some excuses why he stood me up so many times. I knew that he was an habitual liar but Tammy wouldn't believe me, she believed him. I was real mad at her, I swore I'd never talk to her again. I called Chuck and he denied telling her those lies. I hate lies and CANNOT stand for anyone to call me a liar.

Chuck had 2 whole weeks off for the Holidays. We stayed at my house for most of his vacation. We had my kids & grandkids over on Christmas Eve. We had a big dinner (Canadian style) and after dinner, we opened up the presents.

After a week or so at my house, we headed back to Illinois. We checked in at a Motel-6 in Joliet. We went to Bingo in the Joliet area a few times. After 3 days there, Chuck had to take me home. He had to go back to work. We promised each other that soon, we would never have to part.

After the Holidays, we started taking turns visiting on weekends. I wanted to meet his mom, but he didn't trust his dogs. After he shaved his beard one weekend, he told me that Rocky (the Rott) attacked him when he went in the house. I became suspicious on that one and told him that his dog should know him by his scent, not his looks.

He gave me directions on how to get to his house. I was shaking when I knocked on his door. His mom answered and shut the door while she went and got him. He came to the door and told me to wait in the car, he'd be right out.

We went to our favorite Motel-6. On the way to Joliet, he told me that he forgot to let Rocky out of the bathroom. He had to put him there before he came to the door.

We bought a Joliet newspaper and started looking for an apartment. All the reasonable ones were in a bad neighborhood. Sunday night came too fast, it was too hard to say goodbye. I called Tania and told her to find a babysitter for her son Dustin, because I was spending another night in Illinois. I was all alone all night Sunday, while Chuck was at work.

Monday evening came too soon, it was time for me to go back to Ohio. He told me that when it became warmer outside, he would come and pick me up on his Harley. I told him not to bother, I was afraid of motorcycles. That was one thing I didn't like about him, riding a motorcycle. My son had almost been killed on one and I was afraid I'd lose him in an accident.

Since it was a 5 hour drive home, I left around 7:00 PM. Chuck went ahead of me and showed me how to get back to the Indiana Toll Road. We stopped at a Plaza in Portage, IN and said our goodbyes.

We took turns driving back and forth during the whole month of January. By the end of the month, his Chow died. He finally took me to his mom's house, after admitting that he made up the story about his other 4 dogs.

I felt like I found a new mom, because I had just lost mine to a long illness with her heart & lungs. I couldn't even afford to go to her funerals in Quebec.

We were hoping to find an apartment by my birthday, February 4th. Chuck took a week vacation for that week, to help me pack. By the end of the week, we had most of my belongings packed. We drove to Joliet, determined to find a place.

Chuck remembered that he knew of a trailer park in Shorewood, a suburb of Joliet. He called the Imperial Mobile Home Park office and the manager said that yes, they had a trailer that was almost ready to move in. We went to check it out right away. It was a 1973, 12X65 white with black shutters, Holly Park trailer. The manager told us that it was for sale at $6,000.00 but we could rent it for $500.00/month, with the option to buy. We gave her the deposit and we immediately left for Ohio.