Last weekend Kel and I were in Chicago so I could attend a seminar. It was taught by Jeff Spencer, D.C., who is a chiropractor to elite athletes such as Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Dr. Spencer was actually with Lance during all 7 of his Tour victories and was on the staff for this year's winner, Alberto Contador. Needless to say, the class was excellent.
We got to Chicago at a decent time on Friday night, got checked into our hotel, and headed out for some yummy authentic "Chicago-Style" pizza at Lou Malnati's. We had eaten there before and we'd highly recommend it should your travels ever take you to the Chicagoland area.
It was also great to see my cousin, Jake, his wife, Marivelle, and Marivelle's little sister, Jasmine. They live in Schaumburg, which was not too far from where my seminar was taking place. Jake and Marivelle met up with Kel for some shopping on Saturday while I was in class, and we all went out to dinner that night.
Unfortunately, we left the camera at home, so this boring, pictureless post will have to suffice.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Our New View
It used to be that all you ever saw of the windows in our lower level were the mini blinds behind a layer of winterizing plastic that we left up year round. The mini blinds shielded us from the sight of our warped and drafty windows. The plastic slowed down the wind and the bugs from infiltrating our lower level.
There was no hiding the door that leads to the back yard with its lack of threshold and doggie door. We covered it with plastic too, but it did little to stop the cold and nothing to stop the bugs.
Two weekends ago that all changed; thanks to my brother, Mark, and parents we now have a new view in the lower level. The mini blinds are gone, the new windows and a new door are in. It is now the warmest level of the house. We need to put up some curtains, but for now we're enjoying the view.
That weekend was very productive. Two light fixtures were installed on Friday evening (the last of the work left to be done after the great leak of March 2007--no more dining in the dark!). Mark and Dad got up and made the first trip to Lowes and were back by 8:30 or so. Then the window removal and installations got started. Mark and Tony had four of the six windows put in by lunch time. After lunch they finished up the other two windows, made an additional run to Lowes for door installation materials and then put in two exterior doors. One door in the lower level and one in the kitchen (the former owner, Captain Handy, had put an interior door on the entry between the kitchen and the garage). Then there was putting up the final light fixture over the sink. Mark was all done and on the road by 6 p.m.
All that was left was putting up some trim and painting the newly exposed cement around the new windows. Mom and Dad took care of that in short order.
Also, during the course of the weekend Dad spent a good deal of time using our new gift of a small chipper/shredder to reduce our pile of sticks and tree trimmings to a little bit of nothing. The back corner looks so much better now. Mom spent a good deal of time doing prep and finish painting work for the new light fixtures as well as making sure there were good things to eat. She also kept all the waste picked up and organized.
Tony spent his time helping Mark with the windows and doors. I was the go-fer and also spent a lot of time trying to cover things that could be moved and cleaning up.
Deuce, my brother's dog, was also very busy. He enjoyed roaming our back yard and we hoped that his presents would help with our raccoon problem. He split his time between monitoring the window/door work and keeping and eye on The Angry Squirrel. We have a photo of him checking out a window opening as well as a photo of the staredown between him and The Angry Squirrel (he's on the wire directly above Deuce). There were many stares exchanged on Saturday. We're pretty sure Deuce won.
(In case you were wondering, The Angry Squirrel is the squirrel's offical title. If you happen to be outside, this squirrel becomes very angry. He chatters and chatters and will not move or be quiet until you go away. The Angry Squirrel also buries all his treasures in our back yard--as evidenced by all the little ripped up bits of grass.)
We want to say thank you again to Mark, Mom, and Dad for all your hard work! We really appreciate your generosity!
Below is a slideshow of some photos from the weekend. Enjoy!
There was no hiding the door that leads to the back yard with its lack of threshold and doggie door. We covered it with plastic too, but it did little to stop the cold and nothing to stop the bugs.
Two weekends ago that all changed; thanks to my brother, Mark, and parents we now have a new view in the lower level. The mini blinds are gone, the new windows and a new door are in. It is now the warmest level of the house. We need to put up some curtains, but for now we're enjoying the view.
That weekend was very productive. Two light fixtures were installed on Friday evening (the last of the work left to be done after the great leak of March 2007--no more dining in the dark!). Mark and Dad got up and made the first trip to Lowes and were back by 8:30 or so. Then the window removal and installations got started. Mark and Tony had four of the six windows put in by lunch time. After lunch they finished up the other two windows, made an additional run to Lowes for door installation materials and then put in two exterior doors. One door in the lower level and one in the kitchen (the former owner, Captain Handy, had put an interior door on the entry between the kitchen and the garage). Then there was putting up the final light fixture over the sink. Mark was all done and on the road by 6 p.m.
All that was left was putting up some trim and painting the newly exposed cement around the new windows. Mom and Dad took care of that in short order.
Also, during the course of the weekend Dad spent a good deal of time using our new gift of a small chipper/shredder to reduce our pile of sticks and tree trimmings to a little bit of nothing. The back corner looks so much better now. Mom spent a good deal of time doing prep and finish painting work for the new light fixtures as well as making sure there were good things to eat. She also kept all the waste picked up and organized.
Tony spent his time helping Mark with the windows and doors. I was the go-fer and also spent a lot of time trying to cover things that could be moved and cleaning up.
Deuce, my brother's dog, was also very busy. He enjoyed roaming our back yard and we hoped that his presents would help with our raccoon problem. He split his time between monitoring the window/door work and keeping and eye on The Angry Squirrel. We have a photo of him checking out a window opening as well as a photo of the staredown between him and The Angry Squirrel (he's on the wire directly above Deuce). There were many stares exchanged on Saturday. We're pretty sure Deuce won.
(In case you were wondering, The Angry Squirrel is the squirrel's offical title. If you happen to be outside, this squirrel becomes very angry. He chatters and chatters and will not move or be quiet until you go away. The Angry Squirrel also buries all his treasures in our back yard--as evidenced by all the little ripped up bits of grass.)
We want to say thank you again to Mark, Mom, and Dad for all your hard work! We really appreciate your generosity!
Below is a slideshow of some photos from the weekend. Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Time to Retreat
We realized that we couldn't remember when we took our last actual vacation. This coupled with my lack of ideas for Tony's birthday resulted in a little mini retreat to St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota.
The abbey is home to about 150 monks who hold prayer services in the morning and evening as well as a mid-day mass. They are open to people of all faiths and actually allow visitors to participate in the prayer services, sitting right up front with them. The services were so peaceful that we ended up making it a point to attend them.
The guesthouse itself is just under a year old. The rooms were spartan, but quite comfortable. The monks hand-crafted all the furniture and prepare the food for the guests. Wow, can they cook! The meals were great, but the kicker was all the different artisan breads. They were wonderful.
We spent the weekend exploring the trails in the game reserve and sitting on a bench overlooking one of the lakes. There were an inordinate amount of baby squirrels. They were everywhere and very brave. Heading out into the northern part of the grounds mid-day Saturday was not a good plan. We had to beat a hasty retreat after facing an onslaught of mosquitoes. Next time, bug repellent will be on the packing list. We also took advantage of the opportunity to talk with a monk. It was a very rewarding experience for both of us. The monk we spoke with was very thoughtful and wise--like a benevolent professor.
All in all, it was a great little retreat for us. It's amazing what a little time out in nature coupled with time reflecting can do for the soul.
The front of the Abbey Church
The view from our room in the guesthouse
The abbey is home to about 150 monks who hold prayer services in the morning and evening as well as a mid-day mass. They are open to people of all faiths and actually allow visitors to participate in the prayer services, sitting right up front with them. The services were so peaceful that we ended up making it a point to attend them.
The guesthouse itself is just under a year old. The rooms were spartan, but quite comfortable. The monks hand-crafted all the furniture and prepare the food for the guests. Wow, can they cook! The meals were great, but the kicker was all the different artisan breads. They were wonderful.
We spent the weekend exploring the trails in the game reserve and sitting on a bench overlooking one of the lakes. There were an inordinate amount of baby squirrels. They were everywhere and very brave. Heading out into the northern part of the grounds mid-day Saturday was not a good plan. We had to beat a hasty retreat after facing an onslaught of mosquitoes. Next time, bug repellent will be on the packing list. We also took advantage of the opportunity to talk with a monk. It was a very rewarding experience for both of us. The monk we spoke with was very thoughtful and wise--like a benevolent professor.
All in all, it was a great little retreat for us. It's amazing what a little time out in nature coupled with time reflecting can do for the soul.
The front of the Abbey Church
The view from our room in the guesthouse
Friday, August 31, 2007
Thursday Night Lights
Hope was running high in Ames last night. The weather was beautiful. ISU has a new coach, new systems, new players, new attitude. The tailgating was in full effect. Reports were coming in from patients that traffic was snarled up all over town. We hurriedly bolted out of the office with my brother and sister-in-law so that we could get to the game before kickoff. The team emerged from the smoke filled tunnel to 47,000+ people cheering. They teed it up and proceeded to...
STINK IT UP!
They were terrible. On both sides of the ball. It was very difficult to watch. If not for a couple of fortunate turnovers deep in ISU territory, we could have very well lost by another 10-14 points. My expectations for this season were fairly low anyway, but this game was one I thought was going to be a notch in the "Win" column. It's hard to believe, but we may actually be worse than last year.
It's going to be a looooooooong season in Cloneville.
STINK IT UP!
They were terrible. On both sides of the ball. It was very difficult to watch. If not for a couple of fortunate turnovers deep in ISU territory, we could have very well lost by another 10-14 points. My expectations for this season were fairly low anyway, but this game was one I thought was going to be a notch in the "Win" column. It's hard to believe, but we may actually be worse than last year.
It's going to be a looooooooong season in Cloneville.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Marching Out
Either the 409 was so toxic that the ants couldn't go near the sprayed areas or Tony scared them away with the vacuum. Regardless, they have marched themselves out of our house.
Tony & Kel: 1
Ants: 0
We take victory where we can.
Tony & Kel: 1
Ants: 0
We take victory where we can.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Marching In
The ants are marching in. I always wish I could prevent it, but each spring and summer, the little tiny ants invade (my mom calls them "sweet ants", but there's nothing sweet about them infesting our kitchen).
This morning Tony pried himself out of bed first and ventured down for some water. My enjoyable minutes of being a bed-bug were cut short by the sound of the vacuum. He had the attachments out and was going after the ants. I decided to join in on the attack with some 409. Folks, it's scary how quickly 409 kills ants. Makes you wonder if you should be spraying it on something your food could touch.
The ants feasted well overnight as two of the four traps we set out yesterday were licked clean. We set out more traps before we left for work. Hopefully they will decide that our home is not a hospitable environment and march themselves out.
This morning Tony pried himself out of bed first and ventured down for some water. My enjoyable minutes of being a bed-bug were cut short by the sound of the vacuum. He had the attachments out and was going after the ants. I decided to join in on the attack with some 409. Folks, it's scary how quickly 409 kills ants. Makes you wonder if you should be spraying it on something your food could touch.
The ants feasted well overnight as two of the four traps we set out yesterday were licked clean. We set out more traps before we left for work. Hopefully they will decide that our home is not a hospitable environment and march themselves out.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Our State Fair is a Great State Fair...
Kel and I are big fans of the State Fair. We try and go down for at least one day each year to soak in all the sights, sounds and "fair-omas."
We finally had our chance to go on Saturday. It was a nearly perfect day weather-wise for fairgoing. We got there at around 9 and were able to take in all the major sights very quickly without having to wait around in line. That gave us plenty of time to mosey through the animal barns, the 4-H Building and the commercial exhibits.
In total our State Fair experience was complete. Kel got to pet a baby pig. We saw the butter cow, the Super Bull, the Biggest Boar and the Biggest Ram. We counsumed our annual four-course fair lunch (details below) and ran into some friends that we hadn't seen in awhile.
This year's four-course fair lunch included:
We finally had our chance to go on Saturday. It was a nearly perfect day weather-wise for fairgoing. We got there at around 9 and were able to take in all the major sights very quickly without having to wait around in line. That gave us plenty of time to mosey through the animal barns, the 4-H Building and the commercial exhibits.
In total our State Fair experience was complete. Kel got to pet a baby pig. We saw the butter cow, the Super Bull, the Biggest Boar and the Biggest Ram. We counsumed our annual four-course fair lunch (details below) and ran into some friends that we hadn't seen in awhile.
This year's four-course fair lunch included:
- Appetizer: Cheese-on-a-Stick
- Main Course: Kel- Pork Chop-on-a-Stick; Tony- Footlong Corn Dog
- Side Dish: Sweet Potato Fries- This was our "new" thing to try this year. They were really good!
- Dessert: Deep Fat Fried Twinkie (on a stick, naturally)
Attached is slide show of some pictures we took at the fair. Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Spring has Sprung into Summer
After three years of driving quickly into our garage to avoid looking at our weed infested flowerbeds, this past spring we finally did something to improve them.
Many thanks to Tony's mom and dad for their help in choosing plants and preparing the beds as well as helping to plant everything. Thanks to Nicki for the lovely book carrying gnome. He contributes mightily to the ISU red and gold theme.
The hostas and day lilies have survived our care very well. As it has been so hot, they've kinda given up blooming, but the coreopsis in the front bed have kept blooming regardless of weather. Now that summer is in full swing the hibiscus and their lovely mammoth blooms are in their glory. And yes, we are aware that the hibiscus do not fall into the red and gold theme. The seeds were from red plants, but these particular plants seemed to have a different color in mind. As most of you are aware, pink is not a color I would ever choose for anything...but the blooms are so pretty I forget that every time I look at them.
Lusty Leland Day Lilies
We tried to come up with a better name, but he's known as "Gnomie" and you better not have a problem with that or he'll throw his little black book at you. He takes guarding the front flower bed very seriously--and you can tell by his attire that he is a huge Iowa State fan.
Here is the "so dark pink you think I might be red" hibiscus stretching out a morning bloom.
Many thanks to Tony's mom and dad for their help in choosing plants and preparing the beds as well as helping to plant everything. Thanks to Nicki for the lovely book carrying gnome. He contributes mightily to the ISU red and gold theme.
The hostas and day lilies have survived our care very well. As it has been so hot, they've kinda given up blooming, but the coreopsis in the front bed have kept blooming regardless of weather. Now that summer is in full swing the hibiscus and their lovely mammoth blooms are in their glory. And yes, we are aware that the hibiscus do not fall into the red and gold theme. The seeds were from red plants, but these particular plants seemed to have a different color in mind. As most of you are aware, pink is not a color I would ever choose for anything...but the blooms are so pretty I forget that every time I look at them.
Lusty Leland Day Lilies
We tried to come up with a better name, but he's known as "Gnomie" and you better not have a problem with that or he'll throw his little black book at you. He takes guarding the front flower bed very seriously--and you can tell by his attire that he is a huge Iowa State fan.
Here is the "so dark pink you think I might be red" hibiscus stretching out a morning bloom.
We Came to the Conclusion...
that we have been doing a really crummy job of keeping in touch with everyone. Some of you may be surprised to know that we are indeed still alive.
In brainstorming ideas of how to do a better job of communicating, we thought, "Why not start a blog?" Apparently that's what all the cool kids are doing. So, here it is!
Kel and I will be posting pictures and stories here to help keep everyone up to date on the goings on in our lives. Add us to your favorite aggregator (Google Reader, Bloglines, etc.) or add us to your favorites folder for exciting updates. Ok, not all of them will be exciting, but they will be updates. In addition, we'd love to read your comments!
Here's a picture of us, just in case it has been so long that you've forgotten what we look like (plus, we've heard that blog posts are more interesting with pictures):
In brainstorming ideas of how to do a better job of communicating, we thought, "Why not start a blog?" Apparently that's what all the cool kids are doing. So, here it is!
Kel and I will be posting pictures and stories here to help keep everyone up to date on the goings on in our lives. Add us to your favorite aggregator (Google Reader, Bloglines, etc.) or add us to your favorites folder for exciting updates. Ok, not all of them will be exciting, but they will be updates. In addition, we'd love to read your comments!
Here's a picture of us, just in case it has been so long that you've forgotten what we look like (plus, we've heard that blog posts are more interesting with pictures):
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