Wii've Been Sick

And still not feeling 100%. Mike and I both missed work on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. We were back today, but neither one of us was feeling like doing a marathon or anything. And, despite my best efforts, a nasty head cold has taken root and we're both coughing and sniffling up a storm here.

Ordinarily, I'd love to have a couple of days off with the Schmikester, but not when we're both sick. Each of us whining and miserable and trying to bribe the other to get up to fetch medicine, water, soup etc.

Buuuut, being stetched out on the couches for two days did inspire us a little bit. Mike realized that with our wireless internet, we can connect our Wii. This allows us to download old nintendo, super nintendo, nintendo 64 and sega games. We took a look and flipped through the choices...just to see our options.

I expect us to be declaring bankruptcy sometime next month. We spent about an hour going, "Ooooh! Look! They have (insert 1987 Nintendo title here)! I love that one!" Of course, they're not free. They are relatively cheap - most running about $5.00. I immediately said we needed to get some "Wii points," which you trade for downloads. 100 points = about $1. Mike's response? "What's the highest you can get?" We're both salivating like Pavlov's dogs over these games we played as pre-teens. But we settled on three to start with. We agreed to limit our purchases - otherwise we really will be broke all the time. There are literally hundreds of old games available.

Toejam & Earl. One of my favorites! I used to play this with Matt, so it has a lot of sentimental value on top of being quite entertaining to me.


The original Zelda. The one that started my love of all things Zelda. This was selected because I thought it would be something that we would both play. Mike later said that he probably won't ever play it, but that he wanted me to have it because he knew how much I love Zelda. He's always very thoughtful.

And Mike's selection. Blades of Steel. A game that he declares to be "the best hockey game of all time." Um...yeah. Whatever you say, Mikey. He's been practicing...he's a little rusty. He lost his first game in a shoot-out. After I teased him about losing he said, "I didn't think it was too bad for a game that I haven't played in 10 years!" I was like, "10?! Try 20, Mikey. We're old now."

I think we've both selected our next downloads. I'm going for one of the old Mario Bros. games, while Mike is probably going to download something called Tecmo Bowl? I dunno. Not one I ever played. I just know that when he saw it, he drooled down his chin a little bit. :D

But, for now, I suspect an early night lies ahead of us. Neither one of us is up to partying this weekend. I just want to feel human again before I have to head back to work on Monday. Wish me luck!

Quote of the Day

To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. - Maya Angelou

What To Do?

This is my now defunct Tuomo Ruutu hat. I have been debating its fate for a couple of hours now. I'm leaning toward giving it a "Viking Funeral"...which basically means I ritualistically set it aflame, while I mourn the loss of my favorite Blackhawk.

I dunno, I'm still mulling it over. Any ideas?

Gramma's Boy

Furio is infatuated with his Gramma K. He was super extremely friendly to her all weekend. She got "rub by"s, purring and even a close encounter with his lap cat side. Yes, it's true. Furio sat on her lap for awhile!

But by far the cutest was when he lay down on the floor, rolled over and gazed at her adoringly.

Mike says that he's ready for "Camp Gramma." I know he's hoping she comes back really, really soon!

Thank you!

Thanks to everyone for the birthday cards, emails, wishes and what have you. I had a quiet afternoon with a Sudoku book and Mr. Giuntacat on the couch, after dropping off Mom and Dad at the train station and waiting to pick up Cindi from work.

After I picked up Cindi downtown, we headed for the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. I had a complimentary pass for 2 for their buffet and it was spectacular. They had all sorts of food available (prime rib, italian & polish sausage, oven roasted turkey, bbq, grilled and fried chicken, and "so good you gotta get seconds" mashed potatoes) and a decent salad bar for Lucinda. The desserts were also excellent, and I had a birthday cupcake. I thought that it was funny that Cindi was bugging me to finish up so that she could get her "gamble on." Normally, that would totally be me.

Cindi signed up for their player's card and got a free keychain. I redeemed my $20 table play coupon and we were off for the tables. With my free $20 and 25 bucks in my wallet, I managed to play blackjack for about 20 minutes and cashed out with $125. Cindi was funny, remarking that this must be the leather jacket table cuz me and a few of my fellow gamblers were all decked out in leather and telling everyone who would listen that it was my birthday. Pretty soon it was the birthday table for all newcomers. Cindi and I decided to leave while we were ahead and head home. It was a fun day, the sun was out must of the day and I had the day off. Couldn't ask for much more than that! Thanks again everyone!

Happy Birthday!!!!

Today my Michael turns 31! YaY!

I'm so happy we're the same age again! :D

Picking A New Favorite

As you may or may not know...I'm guessing probably not...my favorite Chicago Blackhawk, Tuomo Ruutu, has been traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. I was crushed. Today was my first post-Tuomo Blackhawks game. (I was invited to the March 12 Chicago v. Carolina game, but I refused to go because it would mean seeing Tuomo as a Hurricane.) I have recovered enough from the loss to begin thinking about replacing him with a new favorite Blackhawk.

So today I gave it some thought. I watched a few different guys and thought about what I would require in a new favorite. I actually picked Tuomo based strictly on the facts that a) he's cute and b) his name is really fun to say. One of my first games, they showed him on the jumbo-tron translating some hockey terms into Finnish and I was instantly smitten. I tried to "get over it" and find someone I like strictly on hockey, but could never shake it off. I was (and am) determined that this time, I would go based on merit!

But what does that mean? I decided that I was going to go with one of the "old-timers." I wanted somebody around my age or older. Problem. Hockey is a young man's game. Chicago only has, like, five guys in their 30's. Two of them are goalies. Khabibulin's ok, but he just doesn't set off my "favorite" button. Lalime hardly ever plays when I'm there - so he's out.

Mike tried to turn me on to Lang. My interest was piqued...then he said that he'd played for the Red Wings. He's not passing his left-overs off on me. Bah!

That pretty much left Yanic Perreault, who was the only older player we could think of. I hadn't ever really heard of him, but he was pretty much the front runner.

But then, I saw this...

...and am intrigued. Wisniewski is a player that I've heard of. Today, in fact, he scored the goal that tied up the game with 56 seconds to go - sending it into overtime. (Sorry about the ad first - Stupid NHL.com.)

Everybody knows that the fighting is the best part of hockey...so I asked Mikey who the "enforcer" is. He kinda shrugged and said that Adam Burish does his share of fighting. I dismissed him off-hand because (while he's cute), he's only 25. Imagine my dismay to find out that James Wisniewski is only 24! Geez - if I was going for a baby, I'd have picked Patrick Kane - who is so a-damn-dorable that he's hard to resist!

And then, when the fighting video was finished, it brought up a link to this...

...and I'm afraid I may be smitten again.

I'm torn. On one hand, he's got a solid hockey base for being my new favorite. On top of that, he's a Polak from the suburbs of Detroit...and I do love Detroit Polaks (I married one, didn't I?) And, he's kind of a Baldwin - in a hockey player sort of way. Hockey is not rife with pretty boys like baseball - so it's always a bonus when they're cute.

On the other, he's 24. Twenty. Four. And only just! I really wanted to go with experience this time. But I can't help myself. I'm trying him on for "new favorite player" size.

I wonder if it'll take.

My Three Words

LET'S GO BLACKHAWKS!!!!

Happy Easter!

Spring Has Sprung!

Happy First Day of.....what the...?

Yes, that is correct. The first full day of Spring looks like this in Chicago. 6 new inches of snow fell today. If Spring has sprung, then why am I still walking in a Winter wonderland? Bah!

A Short Update

The Michigan Kurczewskis have safely arrived in Chicago! YaY!

We started out the weekend early. (No work for me tomorrow - YaY!)


And we went to Leona's for dinner, one of Mike's favorite eats.


I, naturally, had something slathered in blue cheese.

And we played trivia - where I placed #238 in the National Rankings in RetroacTiVe trivia!


And set a new recent high for our location!

And now Mike's going to go and get stuff so that we can make French Toast for breakfast tomorrow morning! Yumm-o!

We're Gonna Party Like It's Yo' Birfday

Today was a great day! Thank you to everyone who helped make it so! Thank you for the e-cards, blog "props" (Aunt Linda), emails, phone calls, snail mail cards and well-wishing comments. I had to work today, which bites...but it was alright, because Mike made it up to me by taking me out afterwards. I talked to my dear, dear friend Vitka over the weekend and invited her out with us tonight. She made room for us in her schedule and we went to Dave and Buster's after work.

Mike made me take a picture of him with his Guinness. I guess he wanted to prove to the world he was supporting the Irish. :D


Here we are. 31 year old Cindi with 30 year old Mike. Older woman - younger man...Scandalous!


Mike and Vitka.


My birthday dessert. They insisted on singing happy birthday to me, even though I asked them not to.


The birthday card that Vitka gave me. It made me laugh.


The inside of the card, which I had to include because she calls me "Cinda Blox," which Mike thinks is hilarious. He says that should be my rap name. MC Cinda Blox.


This was funny, too. I had my camera out and this random guy wanted me to take his picture with the wall of candy. When I did he was like, "Yeah, baby...now that's a real picture." Hilarious. You can see Mike laughing in the corner of this one, too.


Mike and I played a lot of skeeball.


And, as you can see, Mike's pretty good at it!


And so is Vitka. She's so loveably silly. Silly, silly Vitka.


At the end of the night, Mike and Vitka gave me all of their tickets that they won playing carnival games. We had 190 tickets, which was just enough to get me this beautiful pink fluffy-topped pen, which will no doubt fall apart in less than a week if I attempt to use it.


And now it's bedtime. I am too, too old now to be staying up all night. I have to work in the morning. Hope everyone had a safe, but festive St. Patrick's Day! Thanks again to everyone who thought of me on my birthday!

A Few Words and a Quote for Today

I have insomnia tonight and I miss my mom really, really bad. I should have expected it with my birthday coming up, but I'd been doing so well that I thought my birthday was going to come and go without missing-Mom-related sadness. Alas, it is not.

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next." ~Gilda Radner

A Weekend With the Cheeseheads

As this is my pre-birthday weekend (Really? How ever could you tell?), my dad is visiting Chicago. He got in last evening and will be staying until tomorrow.

I woke up about 7:30 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep. About 9, I asked Dad if he felt like some breakfast. I decided we should probably mention it to Mike in case he wanted to come along. He did. So he showered and we all headed for I-HOP.

While we were hanging out at the I-HOP, we were trying to figure out what to do with ourselves today. Dad is going to take us out for a birthday dinner tonight, but we had the whole day ahead of us.

The first thing we had to do was pick up our new glasses. Both Mike and I were due for a check-up and we each got a new pair of glasses. So, first we headed to the mall.

This picture's for Laurie, by the way. He's trying to show his support for the Tigers. Don't be fooled, Laurie - he bought a Cubs hat the last time we were at the mall. It's a ruse. :D But here he is with his new glasses.

And here I am with mine. After they fitted me with them, the guy realized there was a sort of spider-webby defect in the coating on one lens, so I had to leave without them and come back and get them later.

Despite it being a rather overcast, gloomy day...

...we headed for WISCONSIN! YaY! My dad wanted to know how far it was, because it's the only state between Ohio and Colorado that he hasn't been in. Or something like that. You'll have to ask him if you want specifics. He's also been on both coasts, but he's missed a few states here and there. Anyway, he wanted to take a trip to Wisconsin. So we did!

We headed up to Milwaukee - where we visited the Miller Plant.

And took the tour!

What follows is a few pictures from the tour:

A close-up of Mike - which shows off his new glasses quite well, if I do say so myself.

The girl in the moon. She's on the Miller High Life logo...and on the building here, as well.

The guys outside the Brewery visitors center.

My beer-chocolate. I got it for the novelty...chocolate with a beer logo on it.

On the way back to Chi-town, we topped at the Mars Cheese Castle. Awesome. We got a selection of cheese, a few cookies from their bakery, and something called "Kick Ass" bread. It also had a few items that amused me, which I did not buy...

Such as Uncle Phil's Gourmet Polish mustard. Any of you Polacks got an "Uncle Phil?" And what exactly is Polish mustard? It's a puzzle.

They also had "Fat Squirrel" beer. Mike thought about buying some, but the description convinced him that he'd rather not. I don't remember what sort of beer it was, but Mike didn't think he'd like it and didn't want to pay for it simply because it's called "Fat Squirrel." If I was a beer drinker, I'd have totally bought it. I have no such qualms. They also had a beer that boasted a "deep chocolate and coffee flavor." Chocolate-coffee-beer? Pass.

Utter shaped mugs. They amused me very much.

And piggy oven mits.

This I took a picture of because the other day I asked Mike if he had any cash on him and he said something to the effect of, "Are you kidding? Do I have cash? I'm married now, remember?" I didn't really think it was that funny at the time he said it, but by the time he'd come to and picked himself up off the floor...I thought it was funnier. ;)

And now we're home...for now. Everybody (except me) is taking a nap before we head out for some good eats. We're not sure where we'll end up yet, but I'm excited. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some napping to do!