September 2026 Recap

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09/05 (Sat)
Did a little shopping at Michael’s and got these cute fall and Halloween floral picks for the small vase I keep on the table by the front door.

Also stopped at Half Price Books and finally found a copy of Seaquest for the Atari. They were having a 20% off everything sale for the holiday weekend so it was only $8.

09/06 (Sun)
We headed to Schaumburg’s Septemberfest. Instead of trying to find parking nearby we parked at James B. Conant High School and took the frequently running shuttlebus to the grounds. It was a bit of an adventure not having ridden on a bus since we toured NASA in 2015 but we enjoyed it and would do it again since it takes away the stress of looking for parking.

The festival is one of our favorites due to the extensive craft tents booths and their food tent and ample seating nearby. We tried a Korean BBQ Rice Bowl w/ Bulgogi Beef from K Grill and potstickers and Pad Se Ew from Thai Buri. The former was delicious and we’d get again but the latter, while not bad, was nothing special and we’d try a different booth next year.

After a couple of hours at the fest we grew bored and wanted a sweet treat so we left and hit up Rainbow Cone on the way home.

09/07 (Mon)
We went early morning grocery shopping, and when we left there was a huge line at the 7 Brew across the street just a few minutes after opening. As we drove past Joe counted over 70 cars. We were like “WTH is going on over there?!?” and guessed they were giving away free coffee. It was actually worse than that…

I cannot fathom waiting in that long of a line over a toy. One which looked like something I used to get in exchange for Skeeball tickets when I was a kid, no less. Have people collectively lost their minds?!?

We didn’t do a traditional cookout for Labor Day this year, but we went to Jewel and grabbed some fried chicken and what they call Tator Babies, which are basically potato wedges that are way better than KFC.

09/08 (Tue)
We were killing time while Costco was installing my new tires this morning when we saw they have mums! I heard they can sell out fast, so we grabbed this ginormous purple one even though I hadn’t planned on buying any just yet.

We were chuckling at the size while Joe was unwrapping it. I gave it a good soaking per instructions since it was really dry.

I hope they’re as good quality as I’ve heard. Time will only tell whether or not it was an $18 mistake. They have smaller ones in a four pack for $18 too. I saw purple, yellow, and orange. I’m not sure if they carry maroon. They only seemed to have the big ones in purple right now.

Afterwards we decided to hit up a place called Egg-lectic Café for lunch. We intended to sit outside but the wasps had another idea so we ended up eating inside which wasn’t as anxiety-producing as I worried about since we were the only ones there (we got there around 1:20 or so and they close at 2:30). I tried their Waldorf chicken melt with what they call onion petals (like onion rings but in a petal shape). Both were so good I want to go back there soon.

09/10 (Thu)
We attended a Radio Gaga concert (imagine Queen performing with Lady Gaga) at Wheaton’s Memorial Park. It was $12 each to get in. They had a couple of food trucks and a concession stand. While I wasn’t thrilled with the selection, I was pleasantly surprised by the reasonable prices at the concession window.

We brought our own snacks and water just in case, but always like to see what’s on offer.

We opted to sit in the back which would have been better if not for this guy who was so distracting walking around almost as much as his kids who couldn’t sit still.

I will never understand parents who let their children run rampant at these events. It’s like they have no concern about whether they are disturbing others. And of course the kids had a ball. I think those should be banned at events like these but that won’t happen until someone gets seriously injured.

I was initially worried about the small bathroom attached to the back of the stage area that only had three stalls, but they had an entire area on the west side of the park with porta-potties, which is where I took this photo.

As for the music, it was a bit of a letdown, especially the Lady Gaga impersonator and her backup singers who didn’t seem to know all the words to some of the songs.

We had parked in a nearby garage and left a few songs before the end so we wouldn’t have to deal with the crowd getting out of the park since they had all but one entrance/exit blocked. We ended up pulling into a parking spot outside the park to listen to the end of the concert.

Even with some of the annoyances I’d still attend a concert there if the act sounded interesting enough because it was a cheap night out and the drive home was a breeze.

09/12 (Sat)
We picked up some breakfast from Paris Baguette and brought it to the arboretum to eat on the veranda.

They were giving away free branded packable bags to members starting at 9 am. I saw them unlock the doors a couple of minutes early so I went inside and got mine. As I was walking away they must have just opened the main doors because a line of people came streaming in to get their bag. I inadvertently cut the line just by entering the door off the veranda area.

09/13 (Sun)
We were back at the arboretum for the second day in a row for their semi-annual dog event. The booths were kinda boring because there were only 3 with dogs available for adoption – pitbulls, grey hounds, and some type of large breed puppies. One of the booths was cleverly named however. It was CRA (Chicago Rescue Authority) and all the colors were like the CTA L. We camped out on a bench by the visitor center so we could see all the people walking past with their dogs. They kept approaching Joe more than me though. How dare they! I did get a few quick hand licks at least.

09/18 (Fri)
Joe’s daughter and SO came over for dinner and games. We got food from Steamboat BBQ which everyone really enjoyed and played a new game called Something Wild that I had gotten Joe for his birthday.

It was… interesting. I didn’t love it. We eventually played a few games of Aggravation too.

09/25-09/27 – Extended weekend recap

Notable media this month:

Overcompensating (Prime) – Benny, a football player, struggles to accept his sexuality in college, finding himself overcompensating as he tries to appear as something he is not. We got hooked on this show quickly and blew through both seasons because we couldn’t get enough. I hope they end up making at least two more seasons before cancelling it!

They Will Kill You – I thought this was going to be another Ready or Not type movie but there’s more to it than initially meets the eye. While it got more and more strange it definitely kept our attention!

Scary Movie – Was it dumb? Yes. Was it funny? Also yes. It was good to see the original cast back and I do not regret borrowing this one from the library.

Passenger – Holy crap, this had some of the best jump scares of any movie I’ve seen in recent memory. Even when you KNEW it was coming it still made you jump!

Extended Weekend Recap (09/25-09/27)

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We had a lovely extended weekend even if it didn’t start out the greatest.

Joe took Friday (09/25) off and we decided to go out for breakfast which is a rare occurrence. We headed to Egg Harbor in Geneva where I had the most disappointing eggs benedict in my life which really sucks because it’s been years since having it and I had been craving it for quite awhile. Everything was so bland. Are they not familiar with seasoning? The canadian bacon was too think and didn’t taste grilled even though it bared some faint marks indicating otherwise, the English muffin was fluffy and tasted almost uncooked, and even the béchamel sauce which is full of butter and should taste rich was just meh. Even the side of potatoes, while good, were only so because they tasted like little square french fries. Not only did they turn me off to eggs benedict, but they made me angry that our bill was over $40 for such a lackluster meal. Joe even noted the sausage in his biscuits and gravy wasn’t very flavorful. Maybe their clientele likes bland food but I do not and don’t plan on going back there. I wish we had gone to Red Apple or Egglectic cafe instead.

We hit up a couple of parks in St. Charles without much success. It was so overcast that a new one we wanted to visit, Morris Park, would have been too dark with the thick canopy of trees. We ended up hearing back west to the shopping area in Geneva to look around at a hobby shop and Kohl’s. I could not believe there was Christmas decor in Kohl’s already. FFS it’s not even October! First Thanksgiving was ignored, and now Christmas is encroaching on Halloween. It’s pure lunacy at this point that a single holiday gets so much attention. I hate it more and more every year.

After my hunt for a forest green hoodie turned up nothing, we went to Peck Farm Park.

The views were nice but no birds were to be seen. By that point we were hungry again and considered trying a place called Currito but after the $42 breakfast bill I wasn’t liking the idea of dropping another $30 pm lunch. I decided I’d make my own chicken burrito bowls at home and tried a recipe for the black beans. They came out delicious! They were so good, in fact, that the following day I went full vegetarian with my bowl.

We finished up our day with an evening showing of the latest Scary Movie from the library. Was it great? No. But it was funny and interesting enough to keep me from browsing my phone so that’s a win in my book.

Saturday (09/26) we went to Elsen’s Hill in West DuPage Woods where we hit the warbler jackpot. Which to mean I saw more than one in passing. Yep, that’s what amounts to a jackpot lately when it comes to these quiet little birds that won’t stop moving. The grass was very damp and despite never having an issue in the past, the sock on my left foot got very wet. I thought my hiking boots were water proof so I was surprised by this.

Afterwards we stopped at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. I have notifications turned off on my phone so thankfully I had seen a reel the other day about their members weekend where you get a free smoothie with the purchase of a bowl or breakfast item. Joe had no issues with the app, but mine was not letting me complete my order. First the “Apple Pay” button wouldn’t respond when tapped, then after putting in my credit card info and clicking “Place Order” it just kept saying processing over and over but never submitted it.

We ended up going inside where I explained the issue to the very friendly and helpful employee. She rang my order up in a way that my total was less than it was in the app because she selected a combo but still applied the free smoothie discount (which I could not recreate when I tested it in the app the following day). I was so grateful, I gave her a tip. I usually don’t for pickup orders because I think it’s ridiculous to tip for counter service. Furthermore, how is a tip appropriate prior to receiving service? Shouldn’t I determine if a tip is warranted based on the service I’ve received? Call me crazy!

Anyway, we took our breakfast home and headed back out after eating. We stopped at the library to pick up a hold and browse the new movies before heading to the Itasca bird sanctuary. Was able to get a warbler there, but other than that it wasn’t terribly exciting.

As we were leaving a guy in the parking lot stopped us to chat. He and a few others were using the parking lot as a staging area for their clients attending the big golf event that the idiot in charge was part of this weekend. I could tell with his little remarks that he’s racist and I really didn’t want to talk to him so after a bit I told him we needed to go. Even without the racists undertones I really hate it when people monopolize a conversation. I didn’t ask you to brag to me about how much you’ve traveled and this that and the other. It’s funny because I do find people interesting, but they tend to turn me off with their narcissistic tendencies. We all like to talk about ourselves but at least I make a point to ask people questions and encourage them to talk too, damnit!

We headed to Springbrook Nature Center next where they were working on a picnic shelter so we had to park in the neighboring water park lot to access the trails. Some dumb lady proceeded to nearly back over us while pulling out of a spot because looking behind you when you put a car in reverse is apparently a foreign concept to some people.

We didn’t spot any warblers, but we did hear a Red-shouldered hawk which we initially pegged as the resident one until we distinctly heard two them calling in opposite directions. We tracked the wild one down to a very tall tree and got a photo before it flew away. I guess they were chatting.

On the way home we stopped at the Salvation Army store to scope it out. It doesn’t have much beyond clothing, and their selection pales in comparison to Savers, but they have dressing rooms which is nice. I am still mad at Savers for removing theirs. I got so many great clothes there but other than stuff I can try on the aisles I’m not about to take a chance on stuff when I always miscalculate whether something is going to fit or look good on me. They don’t offer refunds – only exchanges within 7 days of purchase. That doesn’t work for me.

In any case, I also wanted to verify if they really do take computer monitors like the website indicated but there was only one person working inside, so we drove around to the donation drop-off area where I asked them and they said no. Glad I checked. I hate that you have to pay to offload these things. I did email the Salvation Army, though, because I checked their site and they do list computer monitors as items they accept so I don’t know why they can’t take them at the store. Maybe you have to schedule a pickup? Seems wasteful to make them come get it, but I will do that if necessary (and will likely have to since no one bothered to ever answer my email).

We ran back out later in the evening to a nearby park but didn’t see much wildlife other than goldfinches which seem to be all over the place lately.

We ended our night with a movie – this time it was Toy Story 5 which, as I anticipated, made me cry. Those Pixar movies get me every time!

Sunday (09/27) we woke up to the thickest fog we’ve seen in a long time. I made us some breakfast burritos and we contemplated whether it was worth going out warbler hunting in the fog.

We ultimately decided it was and found ourselves at Hidden Lake where I immediately saw two warblers in a tree by the parking lot but was unable to get a photo of either. Migration is such a frustrating time of year! I get so excited but also very frustrated.

The fog was really thick so I was able to get some interesting photos and videos before it dissipated.

Then we found ourselves at the arboretum even though we hadn’t intended to visit this weekend.

Afterwards we headed over to Lisle Community Park for Barkapalooza. It always amazes me how they get enough interest in the event when there are no posted signs on the street near the park. You wouldn’t even know an event was going on since it sits way back from the street.

We parked by the school and walked over to the event area checking out the different booths and food trucks. I also found the sponsor’s baked goods tent but was disappointed they didn’t have any rice crispy treats this year. They spoiled me in 2024 with how delicious they were. Please tell me why, however, the lady helping us felt the need to tell me she doesn’t care for them. Did I ask? People are so weird and full of themselves. We grabbed some banana bread, a brookie, and a bag of treats called puppy chow. That was the best of the three as the baked items were dry.

We were hungry but not feeling it with the food at the event, so after the doggie costume contest we went to Minnie Bird to pick up some food. We took it to Herrick Lake and ate in the car. Then we drove over to Lincoln Marsh in pursuit of warblers. I saw some, but capturing them was another story. I did add another bird to my life list, however – the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

We watched a horror movie in the evening called Passenger which had some really good jump scares. I’m so happy my nervous system issues from last year have mostly disappeared and I can watch stuff without having a weird reaction. Last Halloween season we didn’t watch any scary movies because I could not handle it.

Costco Tire Center Experience

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The day after labor day (09/07) I got my new tires installed at Costco. They quoted us 45 minutes to an hour but were done in just 45. My only complaint? They left all the caps to the tire valves quite loose so we had to tighten them. Every single one!

Fast forward to this past Tuesday (09/22) and I got a warning on the dashboard while driving to a doctor’s appointment. I wasn’t quite sure what it was for and forgot about it until the next day (09/23), so I took the car for a drive around the neighborhood until I could get it to come back up.

It was a TPMS error and we determined it was likely a sensor in one of the rims that monitors tire pressure. I don’t drive the car much so I find it interesting how that happened only two weeks after getting new tires. I’m not saying they did something, as they are reaching their natural end of life, but the timing is weird. I looked it up and read the process of replacing tires can either expose a failing sensor or even cause damage to one, so who knows what the case is here. If the car wasn’t already 8 years old I would have a problem with the timing of the failure, but those sensors last from 5-10 years so it’s not unreasonable that it could have already been failing.

In any case, I called Costco and set up an appointment at their tire center for Thursday (09/24) at 3:15. When we brought it in they said they’d let me know what they found, explained the lifespan of the sensors and pricing, and said it would be about 45 minutes to an hour.

While browsing the store waiting to hear from them, we decided since it’s $58.28 per sensor, if it was one sensor we’d just replace that one, but if it was two or more we’d have them all replaced.

Surprisingly, we weren’t even called to be told the status until 47 minutes later (4:02 pm). It took them less time to replace all four tires! In any case, it was a single sensor so we opted for that. At that point they said it would be another half hour.

We were done shopping so we chilled in the café with ice cream and soda. I purposely sat along the side where you can watch them make pizzas in the back. They have pre-portioned dough that someone spreads out on a pan and uses a roller to create little air pockets to prevent it from bubbling when cooking. Then they place it on a flat round machine that spins while a pre-portioned amount of sauce is added in way that prevents them from having to manually spread it. Then they put it on a rack for the person who handles the toppings.

This is the part when things got dicey. It was driving me nuts watching the toppings employee continuously grab the pizzas from the bottom two slots, where the employee kept adding the most recent prepped pizza bases, and ignore the top ones. This went on the entire time I sat there watching. Why wouldn’t they rotate between slots so that they weren’t letting any pizzas get old? I imagine the sauce drying out the longer it sat there. It was seriously bugging me.

In any case, it was interesting to see how many pepperoni pizzas they make – nearly all but two pizzas in the twenty minutes we sat there were cheese. They weigh out the cheese based on pizza type (pepperoni gets less) and then count out exactly 60 pieces of pepperoni. Quality control to ensure you get the same experience every time. Unless, of course, you get a pizza that sat for over twenty minutes being ignored for some reason!

My phone rang at 4:23 pm but no one was there when I said hello. We assumed it was to say the car was ready so headed over. So weird they wouldn’t even try to call back though.

When we got to the car the air valve cap was missing so Joe had to go over and ask for one intending to put it on himself. However, the manager insisted the guy who worked on the car come out and do it. Of course we had to tighten it just like last time. I do not understand their aversion to tightening the valve caps! Laziness? How long could it possibly take though?

I Curse Thee, Photoshop

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It often feels like software developers change things just for the sake of it. How else do you explain the recent change to dialog boxes in Photoshop? All they did was make them harder to read. How is that an improvement? Luckily they can be changed back to how they were… for now.

Old dialog box

New dialog box

It’s bad enough the software is subscription based now, the least they could do is stop messing with the interface. Back when you purchased Photoshop you could opt not to upgrade but now you’re at the mercy of developers who seemingly don’t even use the software they keep changing.