Maples at the Sonatas is located in northern Illinois, just 10 miles from the Wisconsin border. We are right smack at the intersection where Bears territory and Packers territory overlap. If you can picture a Venn diagram, we are at dead center.

So it is no surprise that our neighborhood is split in loyalty to the two teams that played last night. Nearly 25 of us met in the neutral territory of our clubhouse to watch the game and to share some good-natured barbs.

By now, we all know the game didn’t go as most had predicted. As a Bears fans, I had planned to go early, socialize for a while, and, as soon as the Bears fell behind, go home to watch Dancing with the Stars. It’s a good thing I had set my DVR because the battle of second-string quarterbacks proved too entertaining to leave.

Here are some pictures I took early in the evening. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized almost all of them were of Packers fans.

Art definitely had the most stylish team attire.

Sylvia served her snacks in a Packers bowl. That, however, did not stop the Bears fans from helping themselves.

Two of the couples at the party are on opposite sides of the football but still happy together.

Here are Art and Judi.

And here is new homeowner Katie and her boyfriend, Ryan.

Once the game started, all eyes were on the TV.

Later in the game,  Linn’s expression says it all, and Fred has to look away from the TV.

But there will be no gloating here. Not with a Bears-Packers rematch coming next month!