Boring dad, Judgment Day, PBSKIDS and Genealogy in St. Charles

Wide-screen TV shot of a hungry Ruff Ruffman being naughty ©2011 PBS

I'm a man of little time and even less money (This is the price I must pay as a member of a hungry, endangered species in America known as Photo Retoucher) However, I don't need to be a man of boredom.

So I decided that if I'm going to hang out with genealogists at the DuPage County Genealogical Society's annual conference and hawk my photo restoration services and products, why not make a family vacation of it?

I truly believe that if I'm doing something in which my family cannot participate, I probably shouldn't be doing it.

As my children are probably not going to stop getting older—and may eventually find traveling with me uncool—I made sure we paid a visit to the tollway oasis. Having never been in a building over the highway, I knew this would be a special treat. The gumball machines were very tempting.

Fossil fuel fanfare from the I-294 Oasis

No sooner than we could indulge our indispensable cash stash on giant pretzels, gumball machine treats or souvenirs, we were deterred by an ominous billboard:

Not sure anyone wants to go to a forum to be judged on May 21!

Low-fat, High-yum

Thanks to Mr. Hilton, we have an indoor pool, a clean, dignified conference hotel room equipped with microwave oven, refrigerator and a very wide television screen with our favorite PBS cartoon character Ruff Ruffman. We packed plenty of food too—can my wife ever get a break?

While dad is working the vending area, mom and the children have a pool, 2 backpacks of toys, magazines and all kinds of places to visit around town. Although I won't be able to enjoy all of it with them, it's good to know they will have fond memories of our business trips.

Salt-covered compass marker at the 294 Oasis

Whatever direction I'm headed, it doesn't need to be boring and it certainly will include my family.

This article and photos are mine. Get permission before using or at least give me a credit!