Two Memorial Days are better than one

I’ve been so busy since our vacation started that I haven’t had the time, nor inclination, to update, so here’s a quick rundown of what we’ve been up to.

Saturday was spent running errands and cleaning the house. Joe also finished painting the molding around the hall closet and front door. The guest bath still needs work, but at least the foyer area looks good.

Sunday we celebrated Memorial Day early at my parents’ house. We got there early to work on Brother #2’s computer which is infected with a trojan. Even after reformatting his hard drive and reinstalling Windows, it was STILL there. Joe spent a good two hours working to try to eradicate it and was unsuccessful. It’s preventing my brother from being able to do Windows Updates so he’s probably going to end up buying a new computer. Just as well seeing how his is several years old at this point.

Monday we had our own BBQ at our place with friends. The weather was rather uncooperative, but the rain let up long enough to allow me to grill burgers and hot dogs. We played Pictionary and because Joe and I were on opposing teams, we both lost! It was a travesty. We also played a new game one of our friends brought over called Phase 10. It was pretty interesting, but with six people, one game lasted nearly two hours! By that time it was late so everyone took off since one of the couples weren’t off work the next day like the rest of us were.

Yesterday we got our license plate stickers and tried a new restaurant for lunch, then walked around Cosley Zoo for awhile. They have a really cool tank in their gift shop that has poison dart frogs inside. Oh, and I got this short video of a Baltimore Oriole chirping. He’s quite a bright orange!



We had a plumber come over at 1 pm to look at our damaged water spout outside. Unfortunately the part we need has to be ordered so he wasn’t able to fix it yet. We also wanted him to relocate the gas line behind the stove since it is preventing us from pushing the stove against the wall, but he was able to twist something back there to allow us to move the stove back without having to do all that work. Best of all he didn’t charge us anything. I really like that guy! He installed our water heater earlier this year when our old one died.

After the plumber left we had a quick lunch and then went to an afternoon showing of Star Trek which I really enjoyed. I was not thrilled with the three rude teenage boys sitting down the aisle from us, however. Who pays to see a movie and then instead talks the whole time, actually raising their voices during the loud parts? Joe and I both gave them a verbal lashing after twenty minutes of their bullshit and they finally shut up.

After the movie we stopped at Petco where I decided to get a Betta fish who has yet to be named. I came across my old 2-gallon tank the other day so I figured I’d fill it with something. I was originally going to get a goldfish but decided against it since the ones I like aren’t recommended for novices. I’d rather stick with a fish I know how to handle instead of killing one with my inexperience.

Here’s my Betta swimming around in his new tank this morning.



Today we just ran some more errands since it’s been raining off and on. We’re supposed to attend a beginner’s archery class tonight but at this rate I think it might get cancelled. I guess we’ll see.

Gluttony

This weekend centered heavily on food.

Saturday we went to the tile store to buy grout colorant and there was an A&W across the street so we decided to have lunch there. I don’t think we’ve eaten at an A&W since our honeymoon in Florida. Unfortunately, we weren’t missing much. Even the fried cheese curds were just ok and this is coming from a self-proclaimed cheese addict.

Sunday we needed to stop at Joe’s great Aunt’s house in his old neighborhood so we got down there early so we could have lunch at the best BBQ place ever, The Pit Rib House. Then to kill some time we went to a nearby arcade.

After visiting with family and scoping out Joe’s parents’ old house, which looks nothing like it used to, we stopped at the Pepperidge Farm store to get some cookies and then picked up some pizzas from the best pizza place ever, Palermo’s. Or perhaps I should say former best pizza place ever since it didn’t taste like I remember? It was disappointing. I have such fond memories of when Joe and I were first dating – we’d pick up a half cheese half sausage pizza and then get garlic dipping sticks from the Gino’s East (which was torn down a few years ago and is now a Panda Express). *Sigh*

We took the pizzas over to my parents’ and spent a few hours hanging out and eating. I took a quick photo of a raccoon hanging out in the tree by their house before we headed back home.

So that was our lovely weekend. It went by too quickly as always. And I think I’m 5 lbs. heavier now. ;)

Not a dull moment

We attended a volunteer event sponsored by Joe’s employer at the Northern Illinois Food Bank yesterday. The volunteers helped with a variety of duties including packing boxes of food/supplies, labeling meats, and sterilizing packaging. It was tiring work and I really wanted to take a nap once we got home but couldn’t because it was Brother #1’s birthday party at my parents’. As usual, we stayed far too late playing board games and didn’t crawl into bed until 1:30 am.

It was with great reluctance with which we dragged out butts out of bed this morning, but it had to be done. We hit Lowes for a few supplies for Joe to finish tiling the foyer and guest bath, which he’s working on right now while I slowly starve to death thinking about all the yummy leftovers from the party sitting in our fridge that I can’t eat until he’s done.

We also purchased a squirrel baffle so that I will never again have to deal with the pesky squirrels messing with our bird feeder. Enjoy the video I took on Wednesday when I was working from home.



Fall Weekend Activities

We took the kids to the pumpkin farm yesterday. Unlike last year, it actually felt like a Fall day. The weather was quite beautiful – sunny and cool, but not too cold. The kids are getting too old to go on most of the rides offered, although the boy did go on the Fun Slide and another ride. No one was interested in the haunted houses, so we all went on a short wagon ride “through the woods”. It was cute, albeit not very thrilling. And of course we had food. I think we spent just about the same time and money as last year. The girl and I got a walking taco just like last time too.

Cat eyes and mummy

Later in the evening, we all drove around St. Charles Illinois to check out the Gallery of Ghoulish Homes Tour courtesy of the park district. There are far too many homes to see them all, but we spent extra time at our favorites. Before heading home we stopped at Baskin-Robbins for ice cream.

The Fall foliage hasn't quite peaked yet

This morning after dropping off the kids, Joe and I enjoyed breakfast at IKEA. You can’t beat their prices – $2 for scrambled eggs, bacon, potatos, and french toast sticks. We needed to kill time before heading over to Greene Valley Hill in Naperville. I had read about theold landfill that was open to the public as a scenic overlook. Scenic, it was, but it’s terribly windy today and up on that hill it was brutal, so I took a few quick shots and we left.

Sonny Acres photos @ Flickr
Gallery of Ghoulish Homes Tour photos @ Flickr