Welcome Home & Weekend Projects

Hoops finally got to come home! She was a little freaked out with the "remodeling" of her apartment and still seems a bit skittish of the basement. Can't say I blame her, there was some bad mojo goin' on down there. I may still need to perform an exorcism. Actually, she's probably just not sure what to do with such a clean boudoir -- given all the bleach I went through, it's probably the cleanest the basement has ever been. BUT I did find not one but two dead mice before Hoops returned, which was a little creepy. One appeared to have run into a corner and given up, the other was wedged between the faucets in the shower, which was just odd.

Anyway, Hoops is pictured here under one of the new valances I put up with Lenore's help on Sunday. I'm quite pleased with said valances, especially since they cost me about $.03. We went to Lake Geneva for a bi-annual rummage sale. It's $2/bag, and we usually find a bargain or two, such as the lifetime supply we both now own of iced tea spoons, linen napkins, and vintage kitchen stuff. This year I found these really cute valances, which were a perfect fit for my porch windows. And just in time for the remodeling too. Behold the before-after shots. I still need to paint the basement steps -- Lenore earned a Dairy Queen by scraping all the old adhesive off the steps for me. I think maybe I got the better end of the deal.




This is after the carpet was ripped out and a skim coat put on the floor.




All finished! I got the table cloth at the rummage sale too.




In other DYI news, I dyed a few shirts. The long sleeved one features a new color combo.

Paula and Paula

I got tickets to see Paula Poundstone last week as a Thank You treat for Lenore, since she was such a big help with all my flooding woes. It was a fabulous show! I was only able to get one picture of her after the show...I'm not sure who that guy is, but he seemed nice.

A little adjustment with Photo Shop and the picture looks much better!

Struggling with iTunes

Congratulations to the Windmill Movie Soundtrack contest winner, Lynda! She suggested the lively musical stylings of "Struggling with Windmills" from Don Quixote, a fitting tune since not only does the music go nicely with the movie, but the story behind the music is appropriate too. Our hero Don, for those who don't know, mistakes windmills for giants in the story, hence the title, Struggling with Windmills.

Just then they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that rise from that plain. And no sooner did Don Quixote see them that he said to his squire, "Fortune is guiding our affairs better than we ourselves could have wished. Do you see over yonder, friend Sancho, thirty or forty hulking giants? I intend to do battle with them and slay them. With their spoils we shall begin to be rich for this is a righteous war and the removal of so foul a brood from off the face of the earth is a service God will bless."
"What giants?" asked Sancho Panza.
"Those you see over there," replied his master, "with their long arms. Some of them have arms well nigh two leagues in length."
"Take care, sir," cried Sancho. "Those over there are not giants but windmills. Those things that seem to be their arms are sails which, when they are whirled around by the wind, turn the millstone." - Cervantes

An honest mistake.

My struggle was with iTunes, because first I couldn't play the file Lynda bought and sent to me, so then I tried to buy it, but bought the wrong flippin' song (who knew there were two songs with "windmill" in the title in Don Quixote?!). In my defense, the song I bought went nicely too...it's just called "Windmills" if you're interested in sampling it. Where was I? Oh, so then I bought the right song, but it downloaded as an MP4 file, which I couldn't use...several days go by... I bought it again from Amazon, because they sell MP3 files, but then I couldn't FIND the file on my computer. Grrrr. THEN, and only then, did I have the brilliant brain flash to burn the MP4 song I had to CD, then re save it to my computer, THEN import into movie maker. At any rate, here is the finished version. Thanks Lynda, for your patience! I hope to create your tie dyed prize this weekend! (Though I do have a rummage sale to attend...) Notice the shed and stately walnut tree in the background behind my windmill. Both shed and tree were destroyed in the big storm. :( My windmill suffered a face plant and a bent leg, but survived the onslaught.



Here's a fun little clip from an old black and white movie about DQ.



Coming soon, the German-American Breakfast, documented; another visit with Paula Poundstone; Weekend in Wilton, new flooring...too much to blog and not enough time.

While You're Waiting...

...for something new to look at here, take a listen to Brood XIII, a new song by Congress of Starlings. They are my new favorite group. You can download and listen to other songs of theirs on their site.

Here are some new potholders commemorating the start of my German class. I gave one to Tante Leni, who is visiting from Germany this very moment. I think it was probably a highlight of the trip, but I could be wrong. Photos of our American Breakfast Outing coming soon!




Also, a fall sunrise color scheme...

The Leaning Shed of Dundee

This is the inside of my shed as it stands right now. I thought I'd document it before it gets torn down. Poor little shed.

Wait Wait & Meatloaf

A few other happenings that I haven’t had time to document include our trip into Chicago to see the taping of Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz.

This is our second time going to the show, which is taped at the Chase Auditorium. It takes about 2 hours to tape the show, which then airs the following Saturday on National Public Radio. People who call in to play can win Carl Kasell’s voice on their home answering machines, which to fans of the show is SO COOL! It’s a great dose of (much-needed) non-stop laughter, especially when Paula Poundstone is on the panel, which she was, along with Roy Blount Jr. (also a favorite) and Angela Nissel (funny too).

There are several panelists that rotate from show to show. I also really like Tom Bodett, Mo Rocca and Amy Dickenson…but actually they’re all good. The show always features interesting celebrity guests who call in to play "not my job," where they answer questions about really obscure topics. The first time we went to a taping, Tom Hanks was on, and this time it was author Judy Blume.

After the show, we were able to mingle with the celebs, take pictures and have them sign our programs. It’s very low-key and casual because most people don’t stick around after the show, so you can have a nice little chat like you’re at a small party. I asked Peter Segel, "Can I have a picture, your autograph and five dollars?" He laughed and when he signed my program, he wrote, "Paula, no, you can’t have any money." Then afterwards, when we were on our way out, they all wandered over to the same bank of cash machines Lenore and I were using, and I said, "Oh, perfect, now you can get met that five dollars!" and he said, "You just won’t let it go, will you." OK, it was much funnier and less beggar/stalker-like at the time.

Unfortunately, Carl Kasell wasn’t there, but the guest scorekeeper Korva Coleman was great, and she was very friendly too. Here are a few pictures from the evening.






This is Lenore and me (above) with the host, Peter Segel. The other picture is us with Roy. Roy and I were having a nice chat about McHenry County College 'til I realized he was talking about a totally different school. Oh well... McHendry College or something like that. His brother-in-law works there, in case you didn't know.

Also, Odie came home for his birthday, which was timed nicely with my need for muscle in hauling out drywall from the basement! He and dad were a big help and earned their extra helpings of birthday meatloaf.




Notice the before/after documentation of aforementioned meatloaf. The boy loves him his meatloaf!

I tuned up one of my bikes for Odie to ride around town while he was home, and we also went for a nice little bike ride up the trail. I’m not sure it was enough "muffler" to suit his tastes though. He’s thinking he needs another motorcycle for his trips home. He’d have to wear his hawt new leather vest that I gave him, that’s for sure.




This weekend I'm going canoeing down in Ottowa, IL, and I'm looking forward to seeing a couple of bands at Heritagage Fest: High Infidelity and Cat Fight. I'm not looking forward to more cleaning of the basement and porch. I have to clear stuff out of the porch so I can get my new floor next week (yay), which I hope is going to look fabulous. Actually, anything will look better than the crappy old carpet (if you can call it that) that's in there now. K, that's all for now.

Lenore Has Been Deported

While Lenore's IP port has served her well, we're happy to report the little bugger was removed yesterday with no ill effects. Once pathology signs off, Lenore will even get to keep her port for...what, I'm not sure. She's going to try and put it under her pillow and see what happens. At the very least, it should make a nice cat toy. I'm sure it'll eventually end up in Xena's food bowl, like many other items she seems to collect from around the house when Lenore's not home. Nothing is sacred.

At Long Last

Lenore had her final IP chemo treatment on Friday!! I'm writing this on Sunday night, so she's still battling waves of stomach cramps and feeling pukey, but a celebration will be forthcoming. I know she's feeling bad when she turns down offers to bring her Starbucks or a cheeseburger from Diamond Jim's. The day after seems to be the worst as her body works to absorb 2 liters of fluid. Friday after we got back from her treatment, however, little miss overachiever decided she'd help me haul paneling, drywall, and junk from the shed across the street to the dumpster. Then she helped my neighbor do the same. She said it kept her mind off of how she felt. I'd have gone for drugs or maybe a stiff drink, but that's just me.

Here's Abby hooking up Lenore to her bag-o-chemicals. Lenore enjoyed a horizontal picnic while waiting for the fluids to drip, drip, drip into her belly.





Is it me, or does it seem like they're having way too much fun? What exactly is really in those bags? Gin?



Dr. Lestingi, Lenore's oncologist, brought a med student by to see the IP port in action, and, it turns out, to take our picture! Nicely done, don't you think?



We noticed some people donated money to have exam rooms and the like named after them. Unfortunately, all we can afford right now is maybe a paper towel holder (but a nice one!) and also a box of bendy straws, because for all the medical technology present, they don't have any bendy straws! How can patients have a fulfilling medical experience without bendy straws? Jeeze.

Later That Same Weekend...

My staff had to work overtime to get the downed trees and limbs cleaned up. Thankfully, my insurance is covering (allegedly anyway) emergency tree removal to get the walnut tree off the shed. Pictured here is "Monkey Boy" (that's what the crew was calling him). Lenore and I both liked his boots. He told me he also rock climbs and is getting into recreational tree climbing. Seems like he’s in the right line of work.




(My attempt to straighten out the shed didn't work.)


The back yard is looking much better now that the swamp has dried up and the tree limbs are gone. Some of the neighbors came over with chain saws to harvest firewood. And my neighbor, Tim, came over to cut up limbs just to be helpful, and because he wanted to play with his brother’s chain saw. Whatever works!



I prefer my staff to go shirtless whenever possible...




I took some pictures around the neighborhood, and also the progress we’re making on unfinishing my basement. Odie and dad came over and made short(er) work of getting all the soggy drywall out to the curb, and Odie swept and tidied up for me too. My basement is going from partially finished to unfinished with each flood. Eventually I’ll install a pond and some floating furniture. Maybe a mosquito zapper.






Here are some neighborhood basements out on the curb.




I can't believe all this fit in their house, let alone the basement.