Bryan's Moving!!

My Internet is up and running again. Yipee!
Thursday:
Bryan's move starts on Thursday with the closing. He comes out to Elgin to get some stuff.
We head out for dinner to celebrate, Mike had his last week of bowling. Bryan wants to go back to Shady and put a second coat on the bedroom furniture - Me, I want to stay and drink some more draft beers I already spent 2 nights sanding and painting the first coat.


Bryan wins - Here are the before and after pictures. Bryan was concentrating so hard on painting he didn't realize that he was tipping the small paint tray all over the floor. I laughed.

Friday:
The next day the weather looks like it's going to hold off so we load up the little red truck (Mike pointed out to me that I had the Mileage wrong - It only has 19,000 miles on it) put the mattress on top, fill Bryan's car, and my caddy. Everything fit!
Bryan and I take off and leave Mike in the "cash lane". I decide to slow down and let Mike catch up good thing I did the mattresses looked like they were slipping. We make a quick stop at the Oasis to cinch it up and strap it down.
A nice gentleman came by and offered to help tie it down. He worked in a lumber yard when he was younger. "Never lost a load". Mike and Bryan had it under control and we took off again.
I was following Bryan through the city and I swear he was taking a way so I would never find his place again. He had to stop twice for me to catch up. He went through 2 yellow lights. I did NOT! When we stopped I was told "Just do what I do". Huh?


Here are pictures of the front door and the back, where most of the furniture went into the Condo after Mike removed the back door and the screen door.
I love his new place. The building is not new it's 100 year old, but it's new to Bryan. I think he made a good choice. It fits him.
We fill another load from Grace and Mary joins us. Bryan forgot the keys so him and Mary head back to Grace while Mike and I head over to the corner liquor store to get some champagne.
I love the old, huge homes just around the corner from his place.

We are tired by then and go over to a place that had awesome pizza, sorry can't think of the name, and plan out Saturday.

Saturday Morning.
Our 1st stop Sat. morn was Menards to get a 2 step ladder and some shelf paper. I was planning on unpacking his kitchen and miss short arms here could not reach pass the second shelf.
Stop at Grace. Mary had some big items so we offered to take her stuff over to her new place while Bryan and his Dad go to the hardware store. Get her stuff moved and head back to Grace to get some more of Bryans. On the way over to the condo Mike spots the "Diner Grill". One of Mike's favorite shows is "Diners,Drive-ins, and Dives" so we stop in to get a burger. We order and in walks two regulars. I know this because they ordered something that was NOT on the menu. If it was I would of gotten one. A burger with a fried egg on top. NEXT TIME.....
Bryan calls and want to know where we are at. "Meet me at Grace we need to move BOB".
Bob gets moved, the kitchen is unpacked and Mike and I are ready to call it a day. One last stop back to Grace to pick up Bryan's old TV stand and the small frig. Mike checks out the location for "Smoque" another place seen on D,D,& D. It's on the way home so we stop for some of the famous BBQ for take out. The place was BUSY!!!!!

Bryan's moved.....
from here



to here

Signs of Spring

The flowers are bloomin"





And the "Little Red Truck" is out from under the tarp.
This is a picture of Mike's 79' little red Ford Courier truck with 37,000 miles on it. I bought it for him 5 years ago from my neighbor, Tom, over at Kate St. (There are people living there now).
Anyway Tom offered to give me this truck. He was getting old and wasn't using it anymore. I knew how much he treasured this truck and told him that I would feel strange him just giving it to me. He said that he would sell it to me for $100. I told him I wouldn't pay any less than $500. Aren't you supposed to negotiate down - not up? I know Mike thought I had lost it, too.
Mike is like a little kid when he gets to drive his truck. It's a stick shift. The horn toots like a toy horn. I like to drive it too. Everyone stares at the hot lady in the "little red truck". Okay they are looking at the truck, but a girl can dream can't she.

DQ or Sushi?

I saved a fellow co-worker from losing a $2000 sale and her sanity. Nothing special to me, just called in a couple favors. I have connections.
Anyway she wanted to reward me and said I could have anything I wanted on Friday. (My day off and Yes, I went into work. Seems I'm the only one that can get things done around there. Our Art Dept has made it's descent down to India via Aurora and you would think that the world has ended).
Everyone was screaming ideas - We narrowed it down to a Peanut Butter blizzard or Sushi. I'm pretty sure I can get Mike to take me to the DQ so Erin brought me in sushi for lunch. Spicy Tuna Rolls, Crab Cucumber Rolls, a salad and soup. I haven't had sushi since Bryan took me 2 summer ago. The only thing missing was the Saki. YUM!!!

Bloomin' Tulips??

Today is Jon's 26th birthday! Happy Birthday, Jon!
This is my favorite "baby" picture of him. He was 8 months old.
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When he was born I sent Sharen a tulip plant. Thinking every year on Jon's birthday the flowers would bloom and She would have flowers for the occasion. Whenever they would move She would dig up the bulbs and move them with her. With the weather we have had this year the tulips are not blooming. Dab-gum-it!
They are trying just not quite getting there. Come on spring!!!!!

Quilt Show

Twice a year Sharen takes a Friday off and we go the the quilt show. In the fall it is at Pheasant Run, but in the Spring it is at the Rosemont convention center. We get breakfast and head out. Traffic getting off the express to River Rd. was backed up, so I turned into a driver that I hate - Yes! I cut in.
After we get into the show we realize why it's so frikin' crowded - There was a jewelry show going on too. What the hell are they doing here? The quilters were out in force. 24 double aisles of just sewing. Heaven! By now we have figured out the secret to a successful show. We start at the far end and head back.

Every year there is always something new that Sharen and I have to try out. At the fall show I bought a pattern on how to make a quick pillow case. Seriously I can make a pillow case in less than 5 minutes. Here are a couple I made for the birthdays coming up.
Princesses for our little princess Kaylyn and Transformers for our Optimus Prime Logan.

Well this year a couple of booths had rag hooking. I have tons of scraps (I have a hard time throwing out anything). We stop and watch one lady and she wants $42.00 for the "kit". Sharen asks her if she sold just the books and she had some in the car, but not with her. Yeah - what do we look like suckers.

We move on and found this nice lady form CA. who showed us some short cuts AND had books for sale with all the tools we need for $12.00.
We went back to the other booth and whispered to all that were watching that the booth two aisle over was cheaper. I bet she brings some books with her on Sat.


We stopped at a booth that was a "Make it and Take it" to see what they were doing and there was a young lady there from Iowa that showed me how to hitch my thread to itself so my needle won't fall off. She said it's great when your doing binding. Now I have been sewing for a long time and have never seen this I am soooo excited to try it out. After 3 1/2 hours of mingling with the quilters we head on home we our new projects in hand.

Lucy

Got an e-mail from our friend Steve in New York saying we had to tune into the Today show Sat. morn. His little Shitzu Lucy had been chosen for a make over contest. We set the DVR and got to watch Lucy take 2nd place in the New York groomers make over contest. She lost to a standard poodle that went from dirty white to a shocking pink including a pink pedicure. Okay there were only 3 dogs but Steve can be proud of Lucy she looked cutey patooty...

Sun Times hits YouTube

Got this e-mail today from the power in the tower (aka Sun Times downtown) announcing the Sun Times on YouTube. Not a site that I visit, but after I saw this I knew I had to pass it along. Check it out - Way Funny!!! SunTimes

Biggest Loser

This person was the biggest person there. He never fell below the yellow line. He had the most to lose. He handled himself with integrity and worked his butt off. He deserve to stay in this game. He deserves a chance to win it all. Roger has to stay!!
That's why I voted for........ (pause for drama) MARK!!!!

I watch realty TV. LOVE it!!! So when I got the chance to vote for someone to be voted off last night on the Biggest Loser I went right to my computer and voted for Mark. (aka Crybaby)
I really want Ali to win and Kellie can lose 50 more pounds and still look big to me and Roger had proven to be the best at this game so far...."In order to be the Best You have to Beat the Best" and that is Roger.

Clean Desk

When it is slow at work, I know most people get online and surf, me I clean. I take the spray bottle and dust and clean my workstation. Fellow co-workers laugh at me, but they are the ones who are sick!
I'm not sure who is sitting at my desk on Friday's sooooo I like to keep it clean and tidy because I eat lunch there too.. I wipe down my phone and keyboard all the time.
Here are a few desks in the Advertising Department at the Courier News. Guess which one is mine? Click on the picture and you will fine a few familar faces.(Yes - I have stuff at work, too)

55 Yr Old Movers

I'm one of the lucky ones I do not get sick. I have seen first hand at home and at work how the flu this year can knock you on your butt. Mom caught the flu. She was REALLY sick and weak. She decides that she want the "lift" chair that Dup's mother had. Sharen and I decide that we can move this sucker by ourselves. It didn't look too big, but it won't fit through the bedroom door (fatty, fatty 2X4 was going through my head). We tried, it wasn't going - we have to remove the door. Got the door off and the chair out of the bedroom. It was heavy!!! Must of been the motor. Got it outside and Nope won't fit in the SRX. After much talk and measuring (yes I have a measuring tape in my purse - I don't leave home without it). We laid it on it's side and it fit. I think there is room for that small kitchen table and chairs for Bryan. YES! They fit too. Head over to Mom's. We get her old chair downstairs and move her new one in place. She was having a time trying it out. Way funny!
Sharen and I had a good laugh at ourselves - 10 years ago we would of have moved the chairs and had been on our second beer by the time it took us now.
Note to Bryan - I'll paint, I'll clean, I'll sew drapes, pillow, I'll unpack or even pack, but I'm not going to move anything. :)

Describe Funk

I'm sitting in a Sales Meeting and we have the new sales person for the Internet trying to sell the idea of advertising online. He is talking about who is reading the paper and what kind of Advertisers they are looking for. Usually by now I'm zoning out and thinking of the deadlines that I'm missing.
A sales rep asked him who is subscribing to the e-mail newsletter. All I can hear is Andy telling me that over 80% of young professionals that have a computer are reading their news online. So the guy asks if anyone knows anyone who subscribes to the Sun Times online. I'm pissed that they are dismissing this so fast so I raise my hand. I'm not sure that Clint Funk is a subscriber but he has the link on his blog so I said Yeah, I do. They all look at me like Really!!! He told me to "Describe what kinda of person he is."
He's tall (What did I say that for - of course, that is the first thing that popped into my head -like that makes him a candidate for being a subscriber) He's 30 years old. He lives in the city. He works downtown. He's a smart professional. He's a Republican who likes to talk politics and he's a huge Sox fan.
So, If I have offended you Clint, I sorry! But I got my point across!