Happy Birthday to the boys!

Before I head off to St. Louis with Mike ( Yes, I finally wised up and am going to his softball tourney. Suppose to really HOT. I'm going to soak up some sun and watch some softball)
I need to wish a.....

Happy Birthday to Bryan!!

Bryan back when he had too much hair.....



The present with his cousins that share the same birthday.


Happy Birthday to Andy and Nate Too!!

Golf Outing

So they are looking for a 4th for this outing, South Elgin Chamber. So Mike, the editor, asked me if I was interested. Helloooooo, of course, but you better check with my boss to see if it's OK with him. NO - the big fat idiot said NO. He would find somebody that HE thought was more appropriate - What the hell does that mean?
To make a long story short. I ended up playing in the foursome with Michael from photo, Mike the editor and Erik from sports.
Here we are!!

I had a great time - We had 6 birdies and 2 boogies for a 68. Three teams finished with 64's. I think I impressed them a little bit because they invited me back.
Probably cause I WON the longest drive contest for Woman. Woo Hoo!!!! $65 to the pro shop - New shoes here I come.

Home Sweet Home

No - not for me!


This is Carrie & Dave's new digs. It's out in the boonies of Burlington.
Ain't it a beauty!

All the walls are white and the landscaping could use some major TLC. It needs some major finishing but Carrie seems to have things well in hand. Luckily they have the time before they will be moving in. Dave has to finish his time in the ROPE house.

Carrie can have a boy or a girl (she's not having twins - Big Bummer!!!) cause I love the colors she picked out for both in the baby's room.

I stopped out this weekend and Sharen was already at work on the planting.

Stopping....

Whenever Sharen & I go to one of our craft/quilt shows we will always shout out "stopping" whenever we see something that needs further attention. Just so you don't look like the idiot walking down the aisle talking to yourself.
Well - Mike & Steve caught on pretty quick when I was "Stopping" to take a picture. Here is the results of my "Stopping" in New York.
Enjoy!!!

Days 3 - 4 & 5

Saturday 7/19 -we sleep in.
Yankees game starts at 1:05. Turns out Steve only lives 10 minutes away - by subway, of course.



It's Steve's first baseball game EVER and he sits down next to a 4 yr old who is at his 1st game too. Mike insisted on wearing his Cubs hat and t-shirt and he sits down next to a woman with Cub gear on too. Turns out this crazy woman has season tickets to the CUBS. She lives in New York (20 yrs) and travels to Chicago for long home stands. The rest of the tickets she sells to family and friends or StubHub. Mike got her business card.

We made it through 5 full innings (longer than I thought we would). It was 97 degrees! Steve proclaims to know what Hell feels like now.
Bought some souvenirs for the boys outside at Stan the Man Concession Stand which was right next to the bowling alley, and headed home to get cleaned up and dressed for our night on the town.

Steve got us tickets to a jazz club, Birdland, to see Lucie Arnaz. Yeah - Lucy and Desi's daughter.


It was just like you would think a supper club would be.Dark and sexy! We had a center table and a great dinner. (Don't even want to know the cost). A kid that works for Steve joined us, Jeffrey. He was waiting for the results from a call back for My Fair Lady. Keep your fingers crossed. Steve recognized some Broadway celebrities and Lucie's daughter sang. She was really good. Her Son played in the band.


We all order dessert and my cheesecake came with hearts on the plate - I felt like I was on Iron Chef.



It was a another great day. Bedtime 12:00


Sunday 7/20
Steve makes us breakfast.
We lounge around until it's time for our 3RD Broadway play. Hairspray at the Neil Simon Theater. A matinee that starred George Wendt. Very Funny!

I loved all the plays they were all different and perfect choices.

Steve knew I wanted to see Mama Mia so he decides to take us to the movie instead. So after catching some dinner at a Chinese place in Times Square - we head over to the movie theater
Our movie was in #16 on the 5th floor. 25 movies screens and you get your tickets at a kiosk.
I LOVED THIS MOVIE. I could be Meryl Streep. I can't wait to see it again. Yes - I want to go see a movie again!!!
After the movie we all head down a single file escalator. I was hoping there was room at the bottom for me - It looked crowded. We made it though.

Headed on home.
Bedtime 11:00.

Monday 7/21
Sightseeing Day.
We catch the subway and head down to catch the Staten Island ferry. Someone said to just ride the ferry to see Ellis Island and the Statue - won't cost you anything and you get great pictures. We rode the Spirit of America across and back. Sweet!

Got some great pictures!










Now it's time - Oh Yeah - to eat again.
We stop in the village cause Steve wants to take us to one of his favorite restaurants in New York. Cowgirl! Again we had way too much food. Here is a picture of the place and our appetizers. The sweet potatoes fries were to die for. The Margarita was tasty too. Oh and the draft beer tasted pretty cold too.


With a stop at the Empire state building and Madison Square Garden we are just about done in.
Though the temperature is only about 90 today.











We order pizza - delivered.
Bedtime 10:30.



Tuesday, 7/22
Traveling Day
Steve needs to get back to work and heads out about 11:00 and says. "I left some money on the night table for the car".
he goes and hires a "Car" to take us back to the airport. Love Him!!!

Steve was right about one thing I did feel like a queen for 5 days. But the best part was knowing that he is in a place that he is thriving and happy.
I hope he can make it out for Thanksgiving cause I would love to cook him a home cooked meal!

Hot Time Summer in the City Day 1 & 2

New York is one HOT city!!! It never got below 90 degrees.
Not many people are fortunate enough to have many "GOOD" friends. Mike (and I think me too) has one in Steve. Mike & Steve have known each other since grade school. They became really good friends attending ECC doing theater. Steve moved around pursuing his passion for the theater. Mike was always there to help him move, because that is what you do for your friends. I even helped a couple times when he moved once in St. Paul and once in Chicago. Well Steve has found his "home" town. New York, New York. He has lived there for 5 years now and Mike and I decided that we haven't seen him in awhile and really needed to see how he was doing. Steve was overjoyed to know we were coming and said that he would treat us to a vacation we would never forget. He promised I would be treated like a queen. I cry to think how he went to such extreme planning and thoughtfulness for us. Not to mention the money spent!!!

Thursday 7/17.
Left Elgin 6:00am
Arrived in NYC - Grabbed a Cab (only my 4th time in a Taxi)..
Got to Steve's apartment in Harlem.(127th & Convent) Dropped our bags off and off we go on the Subway. (Steve bought a pass). Steve's apt. is only 1 short block away from the 125th exit. I even got to see a subway rat.

The Subway is a production in itself. Too many strange people, doing strange things, wearing strange clothes, and I caught myself staring at the array of strange shoes.
I never realized the subway is three stories deep. We grabbed some lunch on 42nd St. and then went to Time Square.
Walked and gawked and got caught up in the crowds.


Time to get ready for our 1st Broadway play. Wicked.


Caught some dinner at the
Stage Deli.
This is my Alex Rodriquez sandwich. Way too much food! Notice the empty beer glass - Brooklyn Lager,YUM. Took me 1 beer to figure out how to eat this huge thing.




Wicked was at the Gershwin Theater. Fancy! I loved it!!!
Back home to bed. 12:30.


Friday 7/18.
Out the door by 10:00 - got to a BBQ place in
Chelsea near Steve's work place for lunch at noon. I decide to buy lunch so I grab each ticket while Steve is in the bathroom and head up to pay. $84.97 - WTF!!! You have got to be kidding me - for lunch. We pass a nail place on the way to Steve's office and we stop and Steve treats me to a manicure. Nice... I'm beginning to feel like that queen Steve promised me I would be.We stop in Chelsea Studios to see Steve's place of work. It's great to know that our friend has found something that he can do around the profession that he loves. He is the Studio Manager. Everyone there respects him and his work. He did admit to being star struck at times when his idols come in to rehearse. He has met some really big names! I love to hear his stories. Whoppie was just there rehearsing her role in Xanadu, she starts in August.
On to Ground Zero.
They really have this all blocked off with construction - They want to finish building by 2010. There is a memorial at the "Chapel that stood". We stop in to see the exhibits and I gotta say it was very overwelming.
Our surprise from Steve for tonight - tickets to Xanadu. There are seats on stage for 28 people. Yup! We sat ON the F*in' stage. I could not stop smiling and Mike can say he finally made it in a Broadway production.

It was a wonderful experience! Here is me and Mike after the show. Still smiling.
We go back to the Stage Deli to get some of that carrot cake I saw last night and Steve springs another surprise on us.
Carriage ride through central park.

The glow sticks around our necks are from the play. Our ride was at night so it was a little hard to see all that the driver was pointing out to us until we got to "Tavern on the Green". OMG--- It was beautiful. There must of been 1000 laterns in the trees.
To bed. 1:00 am
Stay tuned for Day 3,4 & 5.

Feeling sorry for myself

Boy - this weekend was a long one. Got a phone call from Mike - he was in Champaign winning baseball games. Got a phone call from Bryan - he was in my favorite place to vacation (maybe even live one day) North Carolina coast. Got a text from Andy doing what I love to do on vacation those 4 letter words - golf and beer. (Yuenling to top it off in North Carolina). While I was at home trying to figure out how to get the baby toads outa our window wells. Good Time!
So when my friend Deanna texts -Yeah me texting :)- and wants to meet up for dinner with the bowling team I said YES.
Monday night I got dressed up. Met my bowling team for some beers and had a good time catching up.
Our plans for the next week.
I'm headed off to New York. Michelle is headed to her place in Wisconsin. Deanna is heading down to her new house in Myrtle Beach and Cheryl is dreaming about the cruise she is taking in October.

DeJa Vu

Mike is headed off to one of his softball weekends so He calls me and wants to know if I want to have lunch. Sure - Lets go to Al's and we can eat outside. That way I can walk there and get some steps in.
12:15 - I leave work and cut through the town homes next to the Courier. I walk in front of the townhouse where we started the "Amazing Race" and my right knee started to hurt and it felt like I was getting a blister. I got to festival park where we solved a word puzzle and I found I couldn't catch my breath. Help me!
I told myself You are only going to lunch at Al's, nothing more. I made it to Al's and there were people eating malts - granted not as fast as Jon did that day, but malts just the same. I started looking around for another clue and started sweating. Just then Mike walked up and we had a pleasant lunch. No malts though!

To err on the side of caution I decided on the walk back to head on up the hill pass the old "Yankee Doodle" and the "Prince Castle" and remind myself of pleasant memories of skipping class and square ice cream cones.

$4.35 - $4.25 - $4.19

I swore I would NEVER be that driver that will drive out of their way for cheaper gas.
On the way to work I noticed that I needed to get some gas - quick! I drove by a gas station that is on the WAY to work, but not on the route I take home. ($4.19) I file that in the back of my head and get to work (on time).
On the way home I pass my normal place to stop, the Shell on Randall. ($4.35) Nope not stopping. Go 1/2 mile down the road to the Meijer. ($4.25) See Ya.

I did it!!! I drove over to the Thornton's on McLean, 1.2 miles and crossed my fingers that gas was still $4.19. Yeah for me! I filled up $75.00! OUCH!!!
That should last me for the next 2 weeks.

Old Friends

Some old friends showed up at Stacy's graduation party a few weeks back and we got to reminiscing. All the stories weren't told so I had them over on Sunday. Bob, Dup and Mike have been friends for 24 years. They played softball on the same teams. And now their daughters will all be teaching in the same school district.
One tradition that started about 20 plus years ago when Bob & Eileen were living on Michigan is - after a ball game sitting on the deck the empties must be thrown in the yard. I think it had to something to do with pissing off the neighbors.


We started a mini bags tourney. Spouses couldn't be partners. So it was Dup/Eileen - Mike/Sharen - Bob/me. We all won a bunch of games.

This game set is the first one that Mike & I made back in 1998. It has held up pretty good, but I really need to update the bags. NASTY! Sure is boring to what I paint now!

Anyway we all decided that the big star of the day was this.
Mike made this scorecard a few years back when the drunks couldn't agree on the score or even add the scores. It has solved problems and I'm sure even saved marriages. It sure came in handy Sunday. Everyone keeps score at this stupid game differently. we do - both teams scores points unless the points are cancelled. 3 pts ringer, 2 pts. leaner, 1 pt on. Games go pretty fast! So you shout out your bags color and your points and drink up. Let someone on the side lines handle the scoreboard.

Taste of Chicago

Bryan calls and wants to know what we are doing on the 4th. We had no plans so we decide to meet up with him and Mary and head on down to the taste. Mike has been wanting to go for a few years now, so what the heck.


It was exactly what you would expect. Crowds and more crowds. The weather was perfect though. The traffic getting in and out was almost non-existent. Sweet!

The food was really good. I liked the fact that you got smaller portions, so you can try more things. I had Vegetable tempera, Pad Thai, Shining noodles and a Bao (kung Pao chicken flavor) I will definitely have to try those again.
All was good!!! 1 mojito and 1 beer and I am DONE!!! I lost track of all that Mike tried - Ribs, Corn on the cob, Buffalo wings, & cheesecake were on the list though.



Last time we went (a few years back) I ran into someone that I knew. I mentioned to Mike that I'll probably see someone I know. I thought I saw my boss, but no - Looked alot like him though.

I did enjoy the street music. and performers. Those poor people in those tubes.

A+ Blood Donor

I'm a blood donor! I enjoy giving blood. I feel very strong about it.
I have been giving blood ever since my niece Angie needed her first liver transplant and needed blood. That is the same reason I have donor plates on my car. (The state of Illinois paid for her transplants and now I am helping give someone else the chance). Okay being that they are Walter Payton plates helped too. :)

I don't have the best veins for this sorta things and the last few times my girl Charlotte hasn't been there and they did not get my blood and butchered my arms. VERY OUCH!!
They call and are looking for my type A+. They are also giving out coupons for free ice cream at Oberweis. I made sure Charlotte was working and made an appointment. They got my blood and I got a coupon for a quart of ice cream.
I usually don't eat ice cream. I hit Oberweis on my way home and really wanted the chocolate peanut butter which has 280 calories for 1/2 cup. I thought about getting Vanilla for Mike, but settled for the low fat Chocolate Marshmallow 110 calories a cup. I'm pretty sure that it will last me for a couple weeks.