Na Zdrowie

I've posted the picture of our Sunday activities. Words will have to wait until I have more time and am not so tired.

Wildflowers

I love Tom Petty and this song is one of my favorites.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Mike!

Repeat

It's another Matt Night.

The Chris Farley Show

Mike took me to the book store today and I came home with this book.


I was a fan of Chris Farley's and I have heard very good things about this book. But, I picked it up and put it back twice today before deciding that I was walking out of the door with it. What made the difference? Well, while trying to decide if it was worth spending the money for a hard cover book, I flipped it open and the first line that caught my eye was this:

"...my greatest fear was being sixty years old and trying hard to remember this kid who was my brother."

It was as though Tom Farley had reached inside of my soul and pulled out my own emotion. This month will mark five years since Matt died and sometimes I'm scared that I'm forgetting him. That the mental picture I have of him is getting a little less clear and that I'm losing memories of all of the little things that made him who he was.

And I knew that this book was coming home with me. Watching Chris Farley was one of those rare things that made Matt happy and I couldn't think of a better way to spend this fifth June without him than reading about a man that he admired and mourned.

Holy Blog!

My friend (and a new Episcopal priest), Mother Rachael Evans, has a blog now! You can view it HERE or from the link on my sidebar.

If We Didn't Call You...

you probably weren't home! Let me 'splain. For a few weeks, Mike and I have noticed that there is a humming noise coming from our car, Jean Claude Grand Am.

No lights were coming on, so we didn't really sweat it. But, the noise had become bad enough that Mike decided to check it out. I questioned whether or not we wanted to sink any money into a car with over 100,000 miles on it. But Mike and I decided that putting a little money into a paid off car was worth it, since we'd never had any major repairs on it before - and we decided to wait to see what the mechanic said.

The next day Mike called me to say that the mechanic said that it was a wheel hub that needed replacing - about a $300 repair. We were happy it was such an easy fix. Ten minutes later, Mike called me back to say that the guy had said that he was also hearing a noise from our transmission, but that they don't fix transmissions at that particular shop. He told us that it definitely needed to be looked at. As people who've fixed a transmission before, we knew that just to diagnose the problem would be pricey, because they have to tear into it to see anything.

We discussed it and decided to go and see what a new car would run us. After doing some online research, we decided that a Ford Focus would be cheap and fuel efficient. Mike grumbled and whined about having to drive a Focus, but agreed to go looking with me.

About five hours later, we drove out with this totally-not-a-Ford-Focus beauty. This as-yet unnamed car is our brand new 2008 Ford Fusion. Mike is in love.







I'll let Mike post about all of the absolutely unnecessary, but so totally cool options that it has. I'll only say that it has what my Aunt Linda has dubbed a "spy phone." You hit a button on the steering wheel and it syncs with your cell phone and then you say, "Call Aunt Linda" or whoever - and it does it! I called my dad (three times), Mike's boss Arleen, and my Aunt Linda! We tried to call several people in Mike's family, but no answer.

So...what do we name it? Suggestions?

Another Too Lazy for a Real Post Saturday

I got a haircut today and thought I'd post pictures of it. Sorry for the quality of the pictures, but it's a little awkward trying to take pictures of your own head.

From the front

Right side

The top. I don't know why I took this - I think I was trying to get the back, but my arms will only go back so far...

From my left side.

Only in Chicago

So today on my lunch hour, I went to change the address on my driver's license. A bold move on my part, I know, since I've only lived in my "new" apartment for about eight months. What? I've been busy! Anyway, so I went to the county building where there is an express Secretary of State office. I changed my address without incident and wandered out. I exited the building and was facing Daley Plaza. I saw that they had a little rally going on with tents set up. Sometimes these tents sell stuff, so I thought I'd wander through on my way back to work. As I worked my way through the crowd, I could hear the speech going on, although I didn't really pay attention.

Suddenly, I've somehow worked my way to the front of the crowd and I look up in time to hear Mayor Daley say, "...our senator, Barack Obama!" And there - literally feet in front of me...is the democratic nominee for president.

I had accidentally stumbled onto Barack Obama's unscheduled stop at Chicago's Olympic Rally that was held today at the Daley Center. I listened to his speech and it was easy to see why he's been so successful. He's a really great speaker. I could hardly wait to get back to the office and call Mike to tell him! I don't care who you support or who you're voting for, whether you like Obama, Clinton, McCain or none of the above. No matter! This is history, baby. And today I was there!

Hey, Hey Hockeytown!

Congratulations to Mike's Beloved Detroit Red Wings!!!

Now he will watch them interview everyone. I made a joke the other day after sitting with him and watching over an hour of interviews with different players from the teams, coaches, etc. - I said that the next thing you know, they'll be interviewing the janitor. "So tell me, how does it feel to clean up after such a big win?" I don't get it - but it makes Mike happy, so it can't be bad.

The Weekend.

So Tom Petty was pretty awesome. There were a couple of incidents, including one where I nearly got into a fist fight with a girl who couldn't wait to smoke until the show was over. She lasted two songs into the show before she lit up and I had a couple of things to say.

Before the concert, Mike and I went to Abuelo's with his parents, sister and brother-in-law. Kelly and I split this cake. I can't remember what it's called, though - I just call it "yummo."

Kelly and Scott made silly faces for me. I told Kelly that she should have looked mean for this picture, but instead she's smiling. She said that was the point...but that now it was no good because I'd have to explain the picture. And so, I have.

I had a headache that I couldn't get rid of and Kelly kept trying to convince me that I shouldn't go to the concert if I didn't feel well. She offered to take my spot. I let her hold the tickets and then had to wrestle her to the ground to get them back. Ok - no actual wrestling took place, but that would have been really, really cool.

Mike's fam (sans his 'fe). ('Fe = wife. Pronounced "fee"...or, occasionally by Mike, "Fefe." Like I'm a poodle. 'Sha. )

Sandy's kids - (Mike's 'Fe included this time).
Kelly decided that we should all take a "candid" shot with all of us laughing, like the photographer insisted we take in Florida. (If you weren't there, it's sort of a long story). Scott and Kelly did really good, but Mike's just looking like, "I don't know these people."
On the way home, Mike took me here.

Perhaps you don't understand. He took me here!!!! My favorite. Found in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa and Battle Creek, Michigan - and apparently very few places inbetween. I eat it at every conceivable opportunity.
So that was most of our weekend. We did make a stop at Gibraltar Trade Center for my dad, but that's really a post for another day. And now I'm back to work. Booooo!

So how was your weekend?