Our Camelot story

Why the name "Camelot"...
I grew up in Chicago. Not a suburb of Chicago...IN Chicago! Addison & Western/Wrigleyville. I went to Elementary/Middle & HS right at Leavitt & Irving Park Road in the city.
My Mom was retired but worked a few days a week as a cashier at a local grocery store 

(Sam's Finer Foods on Roscoe). 

My Dad worked for the Chicago Police Department at Western & Belmont.
ALL of our family (except us) lived South...south side Chicago, south suburbs and into NW Indiana.
*My Dad was a fun-loving, always joking kind of guy. Definitely one of the favorite Uncles.
We would go to family gatherings and people would ask, "How's Chicago?"
My dad's response would always be the same...
"Perfect! It's like Camelot! 72 degrees all year round. 

Never snows. Never humid. Only rains when we need it!"
Well...we all know that wasn't the case at all, but because of his answer...the question became,

 "Hey Uncle Rudy, How's Camelot?!"
His answer, now followed by laughter never changed!
My Dad passed away while shoveling, the one night that snow fell in Camelot.  

He was only 63 years old.  
Not a day goes by that I don't think of him or laugh when I  remember something he said.
He is Indiana Beach/Monticello, IN for me!
The 50+ years of memories that he and my mom created for all of us at Indiana Beach and Shafer Lake! He is why the area and the park mean so much to me.  I feel him with me everyday!

*My Sister Terrie (T)
T loved history. All kinds of history but American and English were her favorites. She Loved telling stories of English royalty and the family lines.  I was lucky enough to travel to England with T. We spent every day touring places like Canterbury, Stonehenge, Dover, Bath, Piccadilly Circus in London's West End, The Tower of London, Big Ben. We even visited Henry VIII's castle and that's where I learned of Anne Boleyn and his 5 other wives. ("Divorced, Beheaded, Died: Divorced, Beheaded, Survived") and SO much more! I listened to the tour guides, then I listened to T.
What an amazing trip. Her excitement was contagious and I learned more in that week with T than I ever did in any History class in school!
Her passion was King Arthur, Merlin,  Dragons, Lancelot and the Knights of the round table and 

the quest for the Holy Grail. Camelot.

She told me countless tales and I loved every one!
Is it a legend? Is it real? It doesn't matter. 

It's where the stories take you and what you believe. 

I was lucky enough to grow up with a sister that believed it "could have been."

So, I believe it could have been too.
Her knowledge and stories taught me to imagine and dream and I do...Everyday!
We lost T unexpectedly just 3 years ago, way too young. She was just 57. 

I carry her with me everywhere I go and she is part of whatever I do. 

Dream Often. Dream Big! 

NOTHING is out of reach. Not even Camelot...Whatever YOUR "Camelot" is!
Please stop by and dream with us!