more memorial day

WONDERFUL WEEKEND

SHADOW CAME OUT OF THE CLOSET

That is literally not figuratively.As most of you know Shadow follows me everywhere, but once we go to bed he is all over the house. I never know where he is going to sleep. When I get up in the morning he appears. Sunday I got up and no Shadow. I finally started getting worried and looked for him. I looked in every room and even under the bed. No Shadow. Then I looked outside and in the car. Ray was asleep, and I woke him up to help me look. He put his robe on and it was when he opened the shut closet door to get his slippers that we found our stupid dog. All night and not a sound was made.

YIKES!

As some of you know we just remodeled our bathroom. Well I suddenly noticed a big brownish/blackish hole the size of a half dollar on the wall. There would be a picture if my normally procrastinator of a husband hadn't quickly painted over it. Anyway ,this is what happened. I put a magnifying two sided mirror on the wall. Evidently my large eyebrow window over the sink sent sun beams directly to the mirror and just like Survivor it started a fire. Lesson learned and shared.

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two more days

Yesterday it was about 80 degrees. Now I am not complaining but it was hot. And the first nice day here and everyone is on spring break so you combine that with a free zoo and Oh my was it crowded.Ray got tired and went home before me so I got a little lost. But just for a minute, just turned the wrong way.Finally found my way to the blue line and got home safe and sound.
Today it was also very warm. We went to the museum of science and industry. It was wonderful. I have never seen anything like it. Our kids especially Sam and Aiden would have loved the weather place with Tornado's and lightening.It is really a great museum but it would take at least a week to see everything. We also saw little chicks hatching right in front of our eyes.We have taken only public transportation, buses and trains, no taxis. We are very proud of ourselves. Tomorrow we will do Oak Park with the Frank Loyd Wright tour. Then maybe just hang around millennium park and watch people. Also there is a free ice skating rink.

IT IS WARMER

Lovely day. Much, much warmer. Probably 60.Went to the Art Institute and saw a wonderful exhibit of Mattise plus wonderful impressionist artist like Manet, Monet, Pissaro etc. Also took a long ride on the elevated train, which allows you to se in peoples windows and office and many cool neighborhoods. We also had a nice lunch at a fancy restaurant. so all in all a good day. By the way Jennifer we went past Rick Bayles's restaurant. Evidentally he owns three and he does not take reservations,you have to stand in line.

day two, Chicago

High today of either 44 or 42 depending on who you believe. It is easy to tell the difference between California and native. One(California) has seven layers, hats gloves and scarfs. Native people are in shirt sleeves, flip flops and beach wear.So today, since we are now pro with the Chicago transit system .We are on the blue line, we went downtown and then got on the hop on hop off bus for a overall picture of Chicago and then went to the Field museum We saw great exhibits and a wonderful 3 d movie of the Egyptian Kings and mummies and how they were found. 40 in one below ground grave. And because we are so honest and finally told them, when we did not have to that we had not paid,(on the bus) I am sure we get extra gold stars or something. If it is warmer tomorrow, then the zoo.Oh and we stumbled on the wonderful stained glass museum at the Navy pier. I took pictures but can't post them because I forgot my memory card, (XD) more expensive and mine is home!!!!

chicago

Well in spite of myself I decided to do a blog. Chicago is definitely a story and not a conversation. The house is very old and has a lot of charm. Heather my exchange person noted that we must be a perfect match because we have the same bathroom floor and the same breadbox.It is icy cold here but is supposed to warm up. We got wonderful help from the transit people and think we have it figured out.. We were on our way to Millennium park when we saw a free concert was starting at the Chicago Performing arts theater. So we were waylayed.. But it was worth it. Classical music. Wonderful musicians.Tomorrow we are going to do a "what to do in a day" from my guide book. But will end up at the zoo, which is one of very few remaining free zoos. There is also a Oz garden in homage to Frank Baum, with oz statues.We have not changed to Chicago time yet so are still two hours behind the city.We ask for help a lot and people are very nice about giving it.Had left over Pizza for dinner and a little wine. Can't be on vacation without wine. Ray is doing great and said he feels better after the walking. By the way we did go to Millennium part and it is pretty special.

A BAD TERRIBLE AWFUL MOVIE

OK. We all can remember the worst job we ever had or a terrible meal or the most embarrassing thing that ever happened so I am sure you will understand when I truthfully say that Jennifer. Sonrisa and I saw the worst, really terrible movie, probably ever made. Now on Fandango one person said it was really funny but I figure she probably got her brains from the same gene pool that Sarah Palin got hers. Probably a member of the Tea(Pee) Party.So Listen to me when I say that "When In Rome" was not only bad but no one could figure out how it ever got made. As Jennifer said "did some big studio say, Oh what a great script. Let's give them tons of money and make this picture." And don't be fooled by the title and think you are going to see scenes in Rome. They are in Rome for five minutes at the beginning and two minutes at the end. Sonrisa said"it should be titled five minutes in Rome"I NOT ONLY WANT MY MONEY BACK I WANT TO BE COMPENSATED FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING

THE JOURNEY

Well it all started when I found a small German phrase book that I wanted to send to Jennifer and Scott, so that they could learn German before they actually go to Germany. So I hunt all over the house for a envelope that it will fit it. No such thing. To the drugstore, where I buy a the "perfect" size. At the register I try and put the book in the envelope but it would not fit. The cashier also tried to force it in.Back to the place where the envelopes are buy a package of them. It fits in these. I start to put their address on it and remember that I made a mistake on their Christmas card. Was it 110 or 112. I have known this address forever but now I am confused so back home. Where I decide to go to the post office the next day. In the meantime I bring it in the house because if I leave it in the car , for sure we will be in the other car. The next day I totally forget to mail it. But I did carry it out to the car and then back in the house. I was going to mail it on the way to meeting Sonrisa but realized I did not have time. So back in the house it goes. Now today I put it in the car but we ended up having our car serviced and there was no post office within miles. All but the main ones close at noon.And that blessed little envelope is back in the house and can not go anywhere until Monday.

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OH DEAR!

Today in restraining order clinic, I had a lady have a pretty big seizure. I noticed she had stopped writing, when I asked her why, she looked at me and uttered gibberish. I thought maybe she had Tourettes Syndrome, but then she fell across her desk. All my first aid classes flashed before my eyes. I went over grabbed her and with the help of another volunteer, we got her on the floor on her side. I asked someone to get me a towel and I just kept telling her she would be fine, while using the damp towel on her forehead. Suddenly there were Sheriffs and EMTs all over the place. They transported her to the hospital. I just got a email saying she is feeling much better now. Thank heavens. Wew!!!!!

A Christmas tale

A very cute real
christmas story from our friends Amanda and Jesse and the twins

A few weeks before Christmas, a family of four went to a Christmas party. The party had a “special guest” on the itinerary and the instructions for all parents were to bring a small wrapped toy for each child. Before the party, the toys were collected and put into a big red sack. When Santa arrived, he distributed the gifts from his sack and the two boys received a set of four cars each. Both boys were overjoyed with the presents and thanked Santa very much. Santa responded that, “the next time they saw their good friend Chuck, tell him he’s a ‘great guy’!” It was very cute. The family stayed at the party for a while, then when it was time to leave, collected all of the cars and set off for home. Once they arrived home, one of the boys became bossy and possessive regarding the cars. “Be careful!” the father said. “Santa brought those toys and he can take them back whenever you misbehave.” Thinking he’d tamed the dragon, the father turned around, only to have one of the cars ‘whiz’ by his head. “Okay,” he responded, “it’s gone. You lose it.” The father took the car and hid it, amidst the crying of the young boy. “You need to make better choices,” the father said.
“I’d like my car back please,” the boy said the next morning.
“Sorry,” replied the father. “You need to make better choices. If Santa wants to return it to you, you’ll have to wait until Christmas. If you’ve been well behaved, you’ll get it back.”
After a few days, the boy threw another tantrum. “You lose another one!” The father said promptly, taking another car, to the boy’s protest.
“I’ll make better choices,” the boy sobbed, slowly, after calming down.
The following week, the family decided to visit a Christmas show, with a song and dance routine by multiple characters including Santa. “Daddy,” the boy said, “can you tell Santa to give me my two cars back?”
“I sure will,” the father said. “But you need to make good choices until Christmas.” Eventually, Santa and the rest of the show came down to see the people, wave and say, “Ho Ho Ho!”
“SANTA!!,” the boy shouted, “I would really like my cars back, please,” after getting a brief moment of time with the showman. “Umm…” the Santa started, “I’ll see what I can do.”
The boy behaved well for the next week and the family decided to attend another function. This was a city-sponsored float, in which Santa rode around the town and waved to people who came out of their houses to see him. Occasionally, the float would stop and Santa (and other helpers) would hand out candy canes. Because the float would have to drive down some areas with heavy traffic, the city added a microphone and giant speakers to the float, so Santa’s merriness and cheer could be heard by everyone. The family watched as the float went by and waved to the Santa. At the next intersection, the float stopped and the family trekked down the street to get closer to Santa, and possibly capture some candy canes. The young boy, broke away from his father and ran to the side of the float.
“Santa!” he yelled. “Santa!!”
It would be at this point that the city-sponsored Santa SHOULD have just said, “Merry Christmas little boy! Remember to behave and leave some milk and cookies out for me…” Instead, he said, “Someone get that kid the microphone.”
“Would you please bring the two cars back,” the boy spoke clearly and directly into the microphone. “The two cars that were taken away from me…will you please bring them back to me. I’m making good choices now.” The crowd spun and looked at the parents.
“You have to make good choices until Christmas,” the father said loudly.
“Yeah,” Santa replied. “Then you’ll get those cars back…and two NEW ones.”

Thanks Santa. The lesson? Never give your child a microphone. Merry Christmas!


PS – This story is true. The boy’s name is Jack. The family’s name is Armitage.

click on this

Piano stairs - TheFunTheory.com - Rolighetsteorin.se

A wonderful young man.

Some of you know that my dear friend, Mary Ellen's daughter has Leukemia, the same kind that Jennifer's best friend Carol died from. She is in her 30's. She was in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant. Her brother was not a match and her parents were too old. A 24 year old man who did not know Emberly or her family had volunteered on a donor list. He was a good match. And he went through the marrow donation. Not a pleasant or easy thing to do. Today after about three weeks Emberly has been moved to The City of Hope apartments for the next 100 days. This week her doctor said, after a bone marrow test, that all the cells were of the donor, which is very good news. Thanks to a stranger she has a good chance of surviving. They will not reveal the name of the donor for a YEAR.

JURY DUTY, Need I say more.

Oh how much I did not want to be put on a jury. And finally at 4pm I was allowed to go home. But first I had to be tortured. Arrive at 8am and listen to how many cases were asking for juries (119). Sounded bad to me. Out of the 200 people who had been called ,two panels of 50 people were led up to two different courtrooms.They called them alphabetically so once they were on the E's I could relax. It was finally clear to me that the rest of us had escaped but we still had to sit there. The man behind me was snoring loudly as were several other desperate people. Of course I brought a book which I almost finished but it was purely terrible to have to sit there, and sit there. In the same length of time I could have flown to New York or farther.

some pictures from the trip from Hell

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The top picture is where it all began,then a picture going into Stolkholm, then Gypsies on a boat in Russia, then the Hermitage,the city of Tallinn, Estonia(where Ray went to the hospital)and finally a video from Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark
. Ray only saw Tivoli Gardens .

Chris this is for you

First I broke my camera, and before we left had to get a new one. These pictures are in San Diego. We stayed in two different hotels the two dark pictures and the sailboat are from the same one.

Thomas the train day