Its been raining here in Chicago nearly non stop for over 24 hours. Everyonce in a while it stirs itself up into a thunderstorm with lightning and big boomers, but for the most part, just rain. Gray skies and rain. I spent most of yesterday, after weekly errands, just gaming, watching documentaries and drinking coffee or tea depending on my mood. The coffee mood continues as we type. If I could hide again today I would, but I have promised to go on an adventure with my landlord friends, Rachel and Ross (nicknames of course as I never use real names).
Gotham's version of a comic con is in Chicago this weekend and we are going to go today on a lark. See if we can get tickets and see if any photo ops or autograph ops are still available. They are not the same company as Wizard World so I can't use use my free admission or I would. But we really love his show and since there was not any advertising for it and the weather sucks, we are hoping that it wont be as busy as a comic con where there is a diverse supply of talent for fan girls and guys. With only the one show and the only guests being Riddler, Penguin, Alfred and Hammer-hand, and lots of vendors we might still get in. (Cat-woman and Ivy were Saturday but Rachel and I really didn't care as much about them, cant say the same for Ross). If not we can go on an adventure in Schaumburg or come back into Chicago. Its always an adventure with Rachel and Ross. Never a real plan, more of a guideline. And its always fun. Either way we will have a great day today celebrating Rachel's birthday fan girl style. She was so caught up in the excitement and happy for me when I went on my first con, that now that there is one here she is interested in she has decided to spend her birthday funds getting autographs and photo shoots. I may have opened the door to lots of cons for us all in the future. Pictures will follow as usual.
Next weekend my daughter and best friend and her husband, who is also a best friend, and their kids will be here. I should have lot to discuss in next weeks blog. Both about what happened today and with all of them. Wish us luck. We many need it.
Cheers
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Sunday, October 8, 2017
A Fun Day In Chicago, (with plugs for places to see)
Last weekend with Firstborn Son and Daughter-In-Law was amazing. We spent a fun-filled day together on Sunday, starting with brunch at a brand new place. The place I wanted to take them was in my neighborhood, about an hour from where they were staying, by train. We decided to save time and go to somewhere in-between. My son and I were anxious to see each other and she was still waking up. So I high-tailed it to them and saw the beautiful bed and breakfast they were staying at on the southside. Now I didn't know Chicago had any bed and breakfasts, and we don't have many, but the one they stayed at, called Welcome Inn Manor Bed & Breakfast, was full of the neighborhoods history of civil rights and jazz. (unfortunately I just read this article where it says the owner is selling because of the neighborhood. Sad.https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170906/bronzeville/welcome-inn-manor-bed-breakfast-closing-for-sale-chicago-crime-fears ) Trust me, they do it up right there. They have a free breakfast every morning. Sit down in the formal dining room not a stale donut and hotel room coffee. Safe places to park your car and a free shuttle, which the owner took us in to try to eat breakfast at Wildberry's. But by the time we got there it was a two hour wait so we decided to try and walk a short distance to the next cafe or breakfast joint we found and we found a gem. Toni's Patisserie & Cafe. Just two blocks from Wildberry, they get a lot of their overflow business and weren't surprised to see us switch it up with them. I may have to take First Daughter there on her trip here. It's a bit more expensive then my favorite place for brunch, but what the hell. It was a special occasion.
After breakfast their friend, we'll call him Philly that flew in from PA to see them and experience the Final Fantasy escape room with another local friend, (who shall remain nicknameless as he stood them up twice, bad form), joined us at the Shedd Aquarium https://www.sheddaquarium.org/. I have always wanted to see Chicago's aquarium but never found anyone to accompany me, and knowing it was on my kids hit list I waited for them to visit to see it. And I'm glad I did. It was beautiful. And not overwhelmingly large like a lot of museums in Chicago tend to feel. It felt almost intimate, and was so relaxing to see all they types of marine life our planet has. I even petted a stingray, which I'd never had the guts to do before, but my Daughter-In-Laws excitement to do it brought out the curiosity in me. They feel like fine course sandpaper.
After the Aquarium we were all feeling the pull of solitude. Too many people for us, so we decided to head back to my neighborhood so they could see how quaint Lincoln Square is and my studio. Unfortunately for us Applefest was going on in the square and too many people was still in our hearts. We wanted to be alone together or close to that, so we checked out my studio, which they loved and then went to my favorite neighborhood pub, The Red Lion Inn https://www.theredlionlincolnsquare.com/. And of course had some legit English munchies of fish and chips and bangers and mash to accompany our great ciders and beer. I'm a wine and beer drinker, well actually I'll drink just about anything that isn't gin. But I don't like cider. And I LOVE their ciders. Never had a bad one yet, but I stick to my chocolate organic stout and sample everyone else's choices.
We stayed at the Red Lion Inn after eating, for a long time just chatting. It's that kind of pub. Where you feel like your in your best friends living-room rather than a business. And it's so full of everything British that it reminds me of my fandom full studio. I also highly recommend checking it out for lunch or Friday night all you can eat fish and chips. Which I like to do when I need people around me.
We made plans to see each other for brunch on Tuesday before they left town, but unfortunately Flower Girl got stomach flu and I had to come in early since she couldn't go to school. But it's ok. They had fun and I'm sure they will visit again, and I will be with them for two weeks at Christmas/New Years this year. And I'm sure they'll be sick of me by then. Here's hoping you get to spend so much time with your loved ones that they can't wait to see you again too.
Cheers
After breakfast their friend, we'll call him Philly that flew in from PA to see them and experience the Final Fantasy escape room with another local friend, (who shall remain nicknameless as he stood them up twice, bad form), joined us at the Shedd Aquarium https://www.sheddaquarium.org/. I have always wanted to see Chicago's aquarium but never found anyone to accompany me, and knowing it was on my kids hit list I waited for them to visit to see it. And I'm glad I did. It was beautiful. And not overwhelmingly large like a lot of museums in Chicago tend to feel. It felt almost intimate, and was so relaxing to see all they types of marine life our planet has. I even petted a stingray, which I'd never had the guts to do before, but my Daughter-In-Laws excitement to do it brought out the curiosity in me. They feel like fine course sandpaper.
After the Aquarium we were all feeling the pull of solitude. Too many people for us, so we decided to head back to my neighborhood so they could see how quaint Lincoln Square is and my studio. Unfortunately for us Applefest was going on in the square and too many people was still in our hearts. We wanted to be alone together or close to that, so we checked out my studio, which they loved and then went to my favorite neighborhood pub, The Red Lion Inn https://www.theredlionlincolnsquare.com/. And of course had some legit English munchies of fish and chips and bangers and mash to accompany our great ciders and beer. I'm a wine and beer drinker, well actually I'll drink just about anything that isn't gin. But I don't like cider. And I LOVE their ciders. Never had a bad one yet, but I stick to my chocolate organic stout and sample everyone else's choices.
We stayed at the Red Lion Inn after eating, for a long time just chatting. It's that kind of pub. Where you feel like your in your best friends living-room rather than a business. And it's so full of everything British that it reminds me of my fandom full studio. I also highly recommend checking it out for lunch or Friday night all you can eat fish and chips. Which I like to do when I need people around me.
We made plans to see each other for brunch on Tuesday before they left town, but unfortunately Flower Girl got stomach flu and I had to come in early since she couldn't go to school. But it's ok. They had fun and I'm sure they will visit again, and I will be with them for two weeks at Christmas/New Years this year. And I'm sure they'll be sick of me by then. Here's hoping you get to spend so much time with your loved ones that they can't wait to see you again too.
Cheers
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Sunday Funday!
My first wave of company is here in Chicago. They arrived on Thursday and have had plans with both local friends and friends that flew in since they arrived. With a rest up day yesterday from their events before my full day today. I'm excited to get started with a brunch and then possibly the Shedd Aquarium and maybe another nice meal later tonight. Who knows. I want to show them my neighborhood and where I live and just sit and talk with them for hours. I've missed them so much and this is their first trip here since I moved here three years ago. We try and see each other at least once a year but never here. So I'm super excited to show them My Chicago. And since I have a tiny studio with no real room for company of more than one, they are staying at a bed and breakfast near the south loop. About an hour south from my neighborhood. And since they are late sleepers and even the call of Chicago Sunday Brunch, might not stir them until 10 am. I will try to busy myself with other things until they call. Unfortunately I'm an early riser and sleeping in for me is 7 am. And I'm not going to wake them on vacation. Although the temptation is very real.
That's the hardest part with adult children. You can't treat them like they are your children anymore. You have to step back and see what you did. I'm lucky. Most of the time I'm not shaking my head in confusion wondering what my adult children are thinking. When they were young adults in their teens and twenties I did. But now that they are both approaching thirty or in their thirties, I find that I don't worry about them near as much as I used to. And I trust their judgement so much, that slowly they are becoming the people I ask questions of. I feel like the circle is becoming complete and they are assuming the role of caretaker with me.
I know someday, if I'm unlucky and don't just die in my sleep, I'll be living with my daughter as I become too old to live alone. She has promised me I'd always have a place to go. And I know she's sincere. I don't ever want to be a burden to her or my son but you just don't know what life will deal you so you have to be prepared. Unfortunately most of my being prepared was lost during the last melt down in the stocks, and at my age it is nearly impossible to get that back. But worrying about retirement when you don't even know if you'll live that long will for sure cause you stress enough to cut your life short. hum... I may be on to something here. But you know how that works too, right? The best laid plans...
I hate talking about death with my grown children. I know it's something I have to do and I do. I tell them where all the important papers are, and the combinations. But they get that look in their eyes. All glossy like the way I get when men talk about most sports. I know they aren't listening. Not really. I mean they are. But they hate talking about what happens when I die. As an only child with both parents gone, they are my only family and the burden would probably fall to them even with siblings. And hopefully they will have each other to lean on. Time to to stop thinking about this and get some coffee and get ready to hurry up and wait.
Cheers
That's the hardest part with adult children. You can't treat them like they are your children anymore. You have to step back and see what you did. I'm lucky. Most of the time I'm not shaking my head in confusion wondering what my adult children are thinking. When they were young adults in their teens and twenties I did. But now that they are both approaching thirty or in their thirties, I find that I don't worry about them near as much as I used to. And I trust their judgement so much, that slowly they are becoming the people I ask questions of. I feel like the circle is becoming complete and they are assuming the role of caretaker with me.
I know someday, if I'm unlucky and don't just die in my sleep, I'll be living with my daughter as I become too old to live alone. She has promised me I'd always have a place to go. And I know she's sincere. I don't ever want to be a burden to her or my son but you just don't know what life will deal you so you have to be prepared. Unfortunately most of my being prepared was lost during the last melt down in the stocks, and at my age it is nearly impossible to get that back. But worrying about retirement when you don't even know if you'll live that long will for sure cause you stress enough to cut your life short. hum... I may be on to something here. But you know how that works too, right? The best laid plans...
I hate talking about death with my grown children. I know it's something I have to do and I do. I tell them where all the important papers are, and the combinations. But they get that look in their eyes. All glossy like the way I get when men talk about most sports. I know they aren't listening. Not really. I mean they are. But they hate talking about what happens when I die. As an only child with both parents gone, they are my only family and the burden would probably fall to them even with siblings. And hopefully they will have each other to lean on. Time to to stop thinking about this and get some coffee and get ready to hurry up and wait.
Cheers
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