Great sub and thinking of Miss Vickie

Can you say "adorable"?

It's an Irish thing

IL - Ohio River - KY

Last night's home made cheeseburger

American cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, mustard, and ketchup finish off a half pound burger cooked on the grill. Yum.

The El

In Chicago, the trains operate underground, at street level, and some are elevated. The latter are called "el" trains, or simply "the el". In the downtown area, they are very loud as they blast past you overhead with the noise ricocheting off of the tall buildings they ride between.

I don't remember which book it was, but Kurt Vonnegut described the sound of fighter jets taking off from the air base near where his character lived as a sound that "ripped the sky to shreds". I am often reminded of his words when I hear the el.

Staring at a fire, burning in lifetime memories

Papa and Alex mesmerized by the fire he built in the chiminea-- after Papa taught him how to build a fire.

Alexander the Goof

Line up girls. Here's the very handsome and always charming grandson!

Sunset (enhanced)

Woods walk

The amber glow of a maple forest in the late afternoon autumn light, and long shadows on a crunchy carpet. Can you just hear it and smell it?

Hydrangea in autumn

The basket

It was a beautiful fall day here and Terri and I took Morgan for a walk in the nearby forest preserve. We came upon this mixture of fallen and live trees that made me think of the framework of a basket. I think what made the arrangement so appealing to me was that it happened all by itself.

You know I did

It's the first time I've been an early adopter. We have been waiting for the 5 for nearly six months because we wanted to switch from AT&T to Verizon. Figured it made most sense to switch when the newest model came out. VERY impressed with the phone AND Verizon. Switching was extremely easy. Oh, and 4G LTE is awesome-- rivals WiFi speed!

Great sky Tuesday night

Cozy

The Wall

It was in a bar bathroom in New Orleans, but when I saw it I couldn't help hearing British voices singing "We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control."

Chicago, Illinois

On the way in to the Emerald City to see the Great and Powerful Oz. Actually, on the way in to dinner at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, just one (large) beer at the German-American Festival, and finally, the Sons of the Never Wrong anniversary concert at The Old Town School of Folk Music. Yes, a great night.

Chicago's German-American Festival

Big steins of beer, brats and fried bologna on the grill, music, lederhosen, and people in funny hats. Good times.

Details...

Lake Michigan, Day 2

Sunny, calm, and warmer Monday

Lake Michigan, Day 1

Overcast, windy, and cold Sunday

Happy birthday, Pete

We discovered the southwest together. Without a plan, we took off and did things we never thought we could do and never would do again. It was a summer full of life and adventure that changed me forever.

On what would have been your 54th birthday, I remember you and miss you, my friend.

Remembering Steve

One year after his death, the legacy of Steve Jobs lives on. I had hoped that Apple would name the new iPhone the "Steve" instead of the iPhone 5.

Steve Jobs

2-24-1955 - 10-5-2011

An accidental picture

I was putting my camera (iPhone) back into my pocket and took this unknowingly.

Weeds on a nice day

Just down the street

Morgan, tolerating the paparazzo

On the patio, looking up

Feeding time

I thought it was funny

Crush

Looks like a certain little girl might have a crush on big, strong, handsome, and athletic Alex.

Alex about to blow past #28

Carryout

First had 17th Street BBQ at the original Murphysboro, Illinois location several years ago. Good stuff! Most recently have had it at the O'Fallon, Illinois location. The atmosphere is different, and the food is just as good. Today-- for the first time-- I am bringing some sauce home. (It's the original, with "a little kick".)

Besides the food, the proprietor (Mike Mills) seems to be quite the character. He's won many BBQ contests and awards and has written a book titled Peace, Love and BBQ. Gotta love a guy who's got his priorities right!



By the way, I took this pic with my iPhone using the "Camera Awesome" app from SmugMug. The effect shown here is called "More Cowbell".

Isabella meets Alex

Isabella meets big brother Alex for the first time, on her birthday. Both grandchildren, forever connected.

Apparently that guy was wrong...

Just saw this on Facebook and had to post. Someone else commented that, though there may not be an "I" in "team", there is a "me".

Love seeing how people solve puzzles!

Pub burger

Half pound of beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado slices, mustard, sweet pickles, a little mayo, a fresh bakery roll (toasted), and salt & vinegar chips.

Pass the Lipitor please.

Cool bumper sticker

Saw this on a little car (or was it a big piece of cheese?) at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

I like the sentiment and the simplicity with which it was conveyed.

When in Rome...

The old saying is, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." I like to adhere to that philosophy when I travel. This past Memorial Day weekend, Terri, Luke and I were at a basketball tournament in Kenosha, Wisconsin. One restaurant I always enjoyed for good "road food" is the Brat Stop. Our hotel was less than a mile from the Brat Stop, so a meal there was a certainty.

After our Saturday dinner, we went to the souvenir / liquor / butcher / cheese shop in the same building. I saw a label next to the Schlitz beer that said, "Made with the original 1960s recipe" and instantly pictured the old Schlitz sign with the man with the flat-top crew cut that hung above the bar on the west side of Kedzie Avenue just north of 85th Street near where I grew up.

And, as we were in "America's Dairyland", we bought some cheese-- cheddar cheese curds to be precise.

Then we returned to our hotel to "do as the Romans do".

Terri & Lake Michigan (Carthage College)

New in the neighborhood

Not long ago, my neighborhood was a farm field with no trees. Now the trees that were planted when the houses were built are getting big enough that squirrels are moving in.

Yesterday morning I had the dog out and watched as two robins chased, treed, and completely harassed this squirrel.

This morning I had the dog out again and there (in the same tree) sat the squirrel-- very still. Then I noticed the robin sitting on the same branch about six feet behind him.

I think this squirrel is undergoing some training about how to behave-- courtesy of the robins.

Hailstorm May 6, 2012

Happy Birthday Stevie!

Bourbon Street

When we saw him "working" the first night we gave him a dollar to take his picture.

Sexy, huh?

Talent

This is a painting of someone playing Operation done by stepson Jake Marotta for a HS art project a few years ago.

As you can see, he's very talented.

The new Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet, Illinois

Started and ended my "procedure" in this room today. Pretty much of a blur in between. The surgeon assured Terri that the "microdiscectomy and annular repair" went well.

Lazy afternoon

Saralyn dozing on the screen porch, four and a half years ago. She was just starting her senior year in high school then.

Today was her final day of student teaching, so she is officially finished with college!

Congratulations Sleeping Beauty!

Plates on a wall

Taken at Lambert's Cafe in Sikeston, MO. It is known as the "home of the throwed rolls" because they literally throw the rolls to you from the front of the restaurant. Very interesting.

Summer's coming

One of the best things about summer is the abundance of free live music outdoors. All different kinds of people come together for a variety of reasons, but all share the sounds and moods created by whoever is on stage at the time. It's rarely disappointing and almost always memorable.

I'm ready.

3 little boys and 3 big boys playing

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