15k+ Coins to 6+ hrs Driving to 1 Solar Eclipse

Since returning to Illinois from Texas this week, the past half week has been all over the place.   I arrived back to Illinois last Thursday, August 10^th, and on my way back to my grandma’s house I stopped at my old High School to pick up a copy of my 508, or whatever the papers are called that have the “official” school record and details regarding my dyslexia.  Then I headed back to my grandma’s house.  On the way I stopped at a bank and withdrew $510 in half dollars – 1,020 coins. Upon arriving there I found that my cousin Cristina was also staying there.    Before supper, Cristina helped me go through all the half dollars (at her request) and she found two 90% silver ones and one possible error half dollar.  My aunt asked if I could then bring her home the next day.   That night the three of us, grandma, Cristina, and I played one of grandma’s top games, RACKO.   Then we all headed to bed.  

Friday morning, Cristina and I drove over to Eureka (about a 40-50 minute drive) to meet up with her older sister (also my cousin), Bethany, at Uncle Bobs Ice Cream Shop.    We had some delicious ice cream for lunch (just after 11am) and then took off.   I drove around to some banks on Friday as well.   I exchanged the half dollars for a box of  $500 of quarters – 2,000 coins.    I searched through all the quarters, and found some ones I was looking for, including a proof coin!   I then on Saturday took the quarters in and got cash and some pennies, though the bank I went to would only give be one box of pennies (each box of pennies is $25).  So I had to go to 5 different banks and in total I was able to get $125 in pennies.   Between Saturday and Sunday I went through all of those only looking for wheat pennies.  I had a hard time not pulling out all the other “potentially valuable” ones, but that is not why I got the pennies.   It was on the other hand, a relief and a lot less stressfull not looking for errors or anything like that.  I had one type of coin I was looking for and that was it.   However in the end I did pull out a few others, like Canadian pennies, a clipped coin (and obvious and somewhat valuable error coin) and some more obvious errors.   But mostly wheat pennies.   In all, out of the $125 in pennies – 12,500 pennies – I found exactly 50 wheat pennies, each valuing at about 2-3 cents each.   I made maybe a dollar profit.   Haha, but that’s alright, because I had fun doing it, and I’m super excited that I found a clipped coin so obvious – I don’t think I have found one like this before.   

Anyways I had a wonderful Saturday night!   I met my brother, Jonathan, in Morton at Monical’s Pizza and we had a nearly 2.5 hour talk – it was awesome!  I don’t recall a time that good with my brother in a long time!   I am so blessed that he suggested that we get together!!!    On Sunday I drove about an hour to the old, old church I went to shortly after we first moved to Illinois, back from Texas 11 years ago.   Northfield Christian Fellowship.    I had a great time there, I caught up with some people and had some good conversations.  I enjoyed the worship, though I am still in search for a place that I feel the freedom to more fully express myself to God in worship, which is one big thing I really liked (and miss) about Koinonia.  

Sunday night my dad flew in to town.   He has some meetings this week up in Chicago, but he came a few days early to spend some time in the local office and to spend some evenings with us.   Last night we played Rummy (a card game).  And tonight we also played Rummy.  This time Grandma watched dad a bit more and really caught one quick – she also caught some things that my dad had missed in some of the rounds.  After my dad went to bed, grandma and I decided to play a round – just one J.   But that “one” turned into quite a few.  Each one was followed by a “just one more”.   Haha, it was so much fun.  Even though I was creamed – which seems unusual to me, but that could just be me, haha. 

Monday I drove a dvd that Cristina had left at grandma’s (that was from the library) over to there house.  Then I got to meet all there 4 new kittens – AWE They are so cute and adorable!    I love them!   I’m excited that I will be living there and get to spend some time there with them.    Then I headed to Bloomington to drop off a painting that my sister Abi had sent back with me to give to a friend.  After delivering the painting, I went to my college, Heartland, and dropped off the documents that my advisor gave me to fill out and my dyslexia documents from my High School to the Heartland Disabilities Service department.   They will get in contact with me within a week.   I also made some stops on the way home looking for some Solar Eclipse Glasses to be able to look at the eclipse on Monday the 21^st.   However I found that (at least) 3 Wal-Mart’s, Walgreens, Target, and Hy-Vee are all sold out.  Amazon sells them but they are super expensive.  eBay has them, but If you don’t want to pay a fortune, they guarantee delivery after the eclipse, which does me no good.  Heartland is offering a free “class” on it that includes free Solar Glasses, but the class is full.  I am now on the waiting list.  I might just cheat and take a quick look up in the sky on Monday.  Also I might take a few pictures with my phone and then look at those – either way, I am confident the web will be flooded with really cool pictures of the full eclipse the next day.