Category: Family

July 2023 Recap

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4th of July we went out to multiple sites to take photos and saw the infamous Monk Parakeets that have taken up residence not far from where we live. How did I not know this before?

We also saw a tagged coyote near Joe’s work.

We had a little cookout at home where I made mushroom swiss burgers. We recently discovered the deliciousness that is small portabella mushrooms from Aldi sautéed in butter. Mmmm. I still hate the texture of mushrooms (so slimy!) but they are tasty.

I added more watch bands to my collection because I love wearing a color that matches my outfit. I got them from Jane for $20 which is a great price for five bands. They’re very comfortable!

I hit my annual reading goal of 24 books in July. Guess I’ll need to choose a more ambitious goal next year!

We got some delicious Rainbow Cone.

Joe found a tick on Wookie in the house. IN. THE. HOUSE. Ugh! Ticks freak me out. Between the possibility of Lyme Disease and Alpha-gal syndrome, where you become allergic to red meat, I can’t stand ticks! I check for them all the time and that’s the first time one has ever been in the house. I guess there’s one good thing about winter – no ticks.

We had a small tornado blow through town and tornado warnings more than once.

Our neighbor across the street passed away from an aggressive brain tumor. I feel so bad for his family. We went to the wake to pay our respects and rushed back home as yet more bad weather was on its way.

We saw some red-tailed hawks and on the way home from the grocery store one more saw a bald eagle!

Tried the Japanese Kewpie Mayo that everyone was raving about, only to learn it’s just disgusting Miracle Whip! Seriously, that’s exactly what it tastes like. What a letdown!

Joe got COVID, almost exactly a year to the day he got it the first time. We suspect it was the coworker who was coughing and sneezing all day. Luckily I managed to avoid catching it again. I feel really lucky that I’ve still yet to have COVID, or at least that I know of.

Both YouTube and Spotify decided now would be the perfect time to raise their rates even though wages have stagnated and we’re dealing with “inflation” (aka corporate greed they are trying to gaslight us into thinking is inflation even though they are reporting record profits). Needless to say, I put my YouTube Premium on hold because I’m not sure I want to pay $14 monthly just to avoid ads. We’ll see how I feel after the ads start showing up, though. I’m paid up through sometime in September I believe.

The kids came over for dinner and ended up staying until 2 am to avoid having to drive in the strong thunderstorms in the area. We had fun playing games most of the evening. We started out with Taboo, which is one of my favorites. You need at least four people to play so we rarely get the opportunity. Sadly, I lost because I was teamed up with K and we weren’t getting each other’s references. That’s the price of the generational divide. If it was Joe and me against the kids I think we’d win. We’ll have to try that next time, muahaha! Afterwards we played a Nightmare Before Christmas board game they had recently gotten us, which was better than any of us expected, and then various UNO games. We especially like UNO Flex and UNO Flip.

I keep saying this, but I really need to go back to posting more frequent blogs instead of these recaps, but I never seen to want to sit down and actually type out an entry on my computer even though I have the time to do it.

June 2023 Recap

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One day I was browsing Facebook and there was an ad for special edition Goose Creek candles featuring Strawberry Shortcake characters. I immediately thought of my cousin and sent her the link. She quickly responded “way ahead of you” and sent me a screenshot of an order she had placed for all of them the day before. Then a week later a package arrived at my house with these inside. My cousin is so thoughtful!

Joe and I were hanging out on the patio one evening when I spotted a rabbit amongst the basil my neighbors grow.

I was on my morning walk with Wookie on June 5th and texted Joe.

Me: Awww man the lighting out here is perfect for picture taking. I’m pulling you out of work. I’ll get the red sports car and disguise.

Joe’s reply: Do you have a kiss for daddy?

The funny thing is I had no idea this was the date from the movie until I saw this meme. What are the odds?

Some weird nature related wizard started letting me see insects & birds after I wished to do so out loud. It happened four times where I’d tell Joe I’d really like to see x thing and then not five minutes later, it would appear. It was really freaky! I have a hard time of believing in God (or any gods for that matter), but I did say he could turn me into a believer if he got rid of my tinnitus entirely by the end of the month. Sadly, it didn’t happen, so I remain a skeptic.

Donated items to my friend – including board games & a bunch of candles she said her daughter would like (I don’t plan on buying candles anymore because I’m worried about the harm they do to our lungs).

Heard that a new A&W restaurant recently opened in the area. Now, the last time I ate at one many moons ago I was not impressed, but we decided to give it a try since it was on the way back from a bird sanctuary we wanted to visit anyway. We ordered a root beer cream freeze (it’s like a cross between a float and a shake), corn dog nuggets, and a chili cheese dog. We also grabbed some Portillos fries on the way home. Everything except the freeze was disappointing. I suppose the silver lining is we won’t be tempted to eat at either place again anytime soon.

Met a fellow photographer at a park we frequent and became Facebook/Flickr friends which is cool.

Intended to go to the DMV to get the REAL ID that is now required to get into Fermilab’s grounds (they have some nice nature areas I want to photograph), but could not find my birth certificate anywhere. Took advantage of Joe having the morning off anyway and visited Cantigny Park to get loads of lovely flower photos. I wish it had been a more peaceful visit, however. After a little mulling over, I sent them a message via Facebook:

I’m not trying to be THAT person, but I came early today to enjoy a rare morning off with my husband and it was anything but peaceful with staff members walking around with loud leaf blowers and kicking up dust. I’m not sure why they can’t do that before you’re open to the public, but I’d like to avoid it in the future because it ruined an otherwise pleasant visit. Therefore, if you could tell me what days/times your staff normally walks around with the leaf blowers I can avoid the park during those times. Thanks.

That was on a Friday right before 5 pm so I wasn’t surprised they didn’t respond, so on the following Monday after 7 pm I sent another message:

The above wasn’t a rhetorical question. I would like to know the schedule for the leaf blowers, please.

Still no response (other than an automated one stating they’d respond during business hours, even though to this date they never have). Ok, then. I see how much they care about their visitors. I guess all subsequent visits will be via the Museum Pass I can get at the library instead of paying them. I just hope I can avoid those goddamn loud leafblowers!!!

I was able to get a photo of the birth certificate my mom has and use that info to request my own copies. We’ll see how long that takes!

I had my annual wellness exam with a new doctor because mine left the practice. She’s… ok. I don’t dislike her but I don’t love her either. She ordered bloodwork which you have to fast for, and I knew this ahead of time, but made the mistake of making an 11 am appointment and wasn’t sure I’d last. I called the office to confirm they do have a phlebotomist on staff and they assured me they do not and that I would have to go next door to immediate care to get my blood drawn. I assumed that would take too long mid-day and would just come back a different day when they first open. Well, that was a mistake! Not only did I find out from the doctor there is a phlebotomist on staff, so I wouldn’t have had to wait, but when I did go to immediate care a few days later I was behind 8 other people who arrived early as well. The wait ended up being slightly over a half hour which still wasn’t bad, but it would have been zero had I not eaten on the call center person’s advice. Note for future reference, I guess.

Joe’s great aunt (his late father’s sister) passed away and we attended her funeral and wake. On the way home we stopped and picked up Culver’s because we were hungry and it seemed like a fitting tribute since she loved that place. In fact, the last time we saw her was when Joe, me, she, and Joe’s dad went out to Culver’s for lunch.

May 2023 Recap

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Visited Lilacia Park to see the blooming flowers and test my new camera. The lilacs weren’t in full bloom yet, but the tulips certainly were, and I prefer them anyway!

Prior to that we visited Cheap Kiss Records (cute, but not that impressive) and a place called Kuppies Bakery where I had the yummiest banana muffin. There was a small coffee place next door (Funky Java Coffee House) that makes a great latte for a reasonable price too.

Created a time-lapse of the zinnia seedlings we planted in a pot in April as they reach toward the sunlight; then planted them outside the following day.

Zinnia Seeds Timelapse

Went to Murphy’s Farm to get flowers for the patio because they are always a good quality at a great price.

Afterwards we stopped at the Ukrainian church to pick up some pierogis and stuffed cabbage. We’ve only been talking about going there for years and never doing it. The food was good!

Was watching Ted Lasso when I spotted a familiar typeface and paused it to see Trent was wearing a Cure shirt. This was the best you could see as there was never a scene where it was fully visible.

Received the Monin syrups we had ordered.

The white peach syrup is going to be used to re-create the gone, but never forgotten, Chick-fil-A peach tea lemonade I’ve been craving since they so cruelly removed it from their menu years ago.

Got my annual hair cut. Not even joking. I am so bad about getting it cut I usually do it once a year when it starts getting warm outside. It came out very uneven which was disappointing because I like the woman, but I won’t be going back. I think she was in a hurry to get back to her visiting friend (she does hair from her basement; my friend is her cousin). Oh well.

Tried Butter Chicken for the first time. We got it at Costco and loved it!

Sold some undeveloped property that Joe’s mother “gifted us” years ago. We never wanted/asked for this financial burden, but didn’t want to hurt her feelings by selling it when she was alive. Let this be a lesson to everyone – it’s not a gift if it’s going to cost someone time/effort/money (unless they asked for it).

Was sitting on the couch one afternoon when I suddenly realized all the birds were going nuts outside, so I went to take a look. Apparently a sharp-shinned hawk had gotten hold of a bird and they were pissed. I was able to grab my camera and get a clear photo after stepping onto the patio.

My friend and her dog came to visit! We’ve been to her house several times over the past few years, but she hasn’t been to my place since before the pandemic. She usually has dogs she is sitting which is why she doesn’t leave her house often. She got to try our favorite place – Just Kabobs – and loved it, just like I thought she would.

On the way to a park to take some photos we spotted a Cooper’s Hawk less than a block from the house. I scared it when I got out of the car, but was able to get this photo of it in the tree.

We went to my parents’ house the day before Memorial Day to celebrate the holiday. We played badminton in the backyard which was fun.

Visited Lincoln Marsh in Wheaton for the first time. Not only was it a bust, but we got eaten by mosquitos on the way out of the forest area. I’ve never seen that many of them in one place! We will probably go back at some point, but will be applying the bug spray liberally.

Took this cute photo of a female cardinal on my neighbor’s grill.

Almost cracked my Apple Watch on a doorway. Luckily the screen protector saved it.

April 2023 Recap

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Recently tried Zevia again. We got a black cherry flavor and Dr. Zevia. Neither are very good. I wish I liked it more. I drink water 99% of the time but crave soda occasionally. (Still sad that Culver’s went and switched from Pepsi to Coke).

Tried Chick-fil-A’s new watermelon mint lemonade which was ok but not great. I really miss the peach tea lemonade they used to have years ago. I will never get over them taking it away from me.

Decorated the fireplace mantel for Easter with some faux flowers I found in the garage that I hadn’t used in years, plus a new ceramic bunny I found at JoAnn’s. Would have liked two, but it was literally the last one left and they weren’t expecting any more.

My mom invited us over for Easter but I ended up cancelling two days before because I was having the weird nerve pains all over my body again. It lasted several days but eventually went away. Ironically, I ended hearing from both her and my brother Easter evening because their landline stopped working (they use Facebook Messenger to communicate since no one in the house has a cellphone). I spent the next week getting the run-around from AT&T just to locate the right department to issue a repair ticket so they were without phone service for 8 days.

Bought a new camera (more on that in a separate post).

Found my old pedometer and figured it was time to chuck that thing in the trash. My Apple Watch is all I need to track my steps and I love it.

Organized my not-so-much junk drawer because once in awhile it needs to be redone. It’s always pretty organized, but there was stuff in there that belonged either somewhere else or in the trash.

Decluttered the garage and tried to see if any of my friends wanted the stuff I would like to get rid of, but didn’t get any takers. I am not sure what to do with stuff. I don’t enjoy listing things for sale because people are so freaking annoying to deal with, but I also don’t like donating to Goodwill or Savers anymore now that they’ve raised their prices to take advantage of people. I would feel better if I could give to someone in need directly. So right now all the stuff is sitting in boxes in the garage. Sigh.

Heard they brought back an old school Kool-Aid flavor called Sharkleberry Fin and decided to try it.

I’ve never been a fan of Kool-Aid, so it’s no surprise I wasn’t impressed.

Started researching window replacement companies because ours needs to be replaced.

Spotted a sharp-shinned hawk hanging out in a puddle in the street in front of my neighbors house.

Fortunately I was able to run downstairs to grab my new camera to get this shot. The zoom is 150mm which is the max on the lens that came with the camera, plus I was behind a dirty window, but I still feel fortunate to have gotten a photo at all.

Decided against participating in Record Store Day this year even though Show by The Cure was available. For one, it’s a picture disc which I hate. I want a nice jacket, not one with a hole in it! Secondly, it would have been $40. I’m starting to question why I’ve continue to collect Cure vinyl at all. It’s not the same as the 90’s where you could find a used copy for a few bucks. Lately the choices seem to be rare used stuff that’s over $100 or new reissues that are $30-$40. Playing vinyl isn’t exactly convenient, either since only so many songs fit on each side. Longer albums tend to be double vinyl so you have to get up four times just to listen to an album. Besides, what’s going to happen to all this stuff when I’m dead? I dunno, I just feel like I should put that money toward something I’ll get more bang for my buck with, so to speak, like camera equipment. I really want a bigger telephoto lens for my new camera, for instance. I’d use it quite often during the warm months.

We planted some zinnia seeds in an egg carton and small pot so we could get them going a little earlier this year. I love zinnias, but they take forever to bloom and I’m impatient.

Family Dinner

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The kids came over Friday (just them) for dinner. They were a bit late (we agreed on 5:30, they texted earlier in the day to say they’d be over closer to 6, but arrived around 6:10 (turns out K had been at Indiana Beach with her SO and they caught traffic getting home)).

E brought us another copy of Aggravation.

I’m not terribly fond of this version. It’s sweet how he always buys them for us, though.

He also got me a Cure vinyl import called Pillbox Tales I had never even heard of!

I made spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread for dinner, which they loved (my meatballs came out fantastic even though I haven’t made them in years) and we played UNO all evening. They left around 11 pm.

Yesterday I realized you can make public portions of your collection in Libib (a free app/website I use to track all our music, DVDs, and video games) so I published my vinyl collection and shared the link with E. He in turn shared his whole collection from the same app, haha! I wonder if he got the idea to use it from an Instagram post I made a few years ago when I started using it. I’ll have to ask him next time I see him.