One Thing Leads to Another

Sometimes you begin a small chore and it ends up leading to a lot more than you had planned on.  I had noticed that over the years we had accumulated odd pieces of glassware that we weren't using.  Packing them up for donation to the Salvation Army seemed like a small task.  But it ended up with cleaning and rearranging several shelves, and it took all of yesterday afternoon.  It's embarassing to think about how long it's been since the very top shelf of the kitchen cabinet has been cleaned.  It's done now, and it brings a great feeling of accomplishment.

Veteran's Day Pride

Yesterday (Monday Holiday for Veteran's Day) when we went out to breakfast at Jack's I was wearing my t-shirt with the helicopters on it and "Proud Mother of an Army Chopper Pilot".  I was also wearing the set of wings that I got when my son got his.  The cashier commented on it, asking where my son was stationed and thanking me for his service.

Will is stateside at the moment, and I got to speak with him on Sunday.  I also spoke with our grandson Liam, who turned 4 years old on the traditional Veteran's Day, November 11.

Resurfacing and Community Days

The City of Chicago is in the process of resurfacing my street.  So far they have managed to finish the "grinding" process (removing the top 2-3 inches of old asphalt).  I'm amazed at how quickly and efficiently this was accomplished.  Two large trucks filled with what used to be street are now parked across from my house.  I don't know what the workmen's schedule is for the rest of the day.  I just hope there isn't any equipment blocking my driveway when it's time for me to leave for Harlem-Irving Plaza to sell coupon books for Carson's Community Days to benefit my church.  It's a really good deal.  The books cost $5.00 and contain a $10.00 coupon.  The church gets to keep all the proceeds from sales made up until today, and we share with other participating organizations in whatever is sold at the store today and tomorrow.

The Internet is Forever

I'm surprised this is still here.  Maybe I'll start this up again.

Why is it that I have the most pronounced tendency to buy something nice for myself when I know I should be thinking about Christmas shopping for other people. Maybe it's because I hardly ever just idlly shop. Usually I have something in mind that I plan on getting, and I go and buy it.

A book fair came to my company today, and I bought a leather briefcase, which I probably don't need, but I liked it. It has lots of zippers and pockets and places for pens and a cell phone.

Well, I was close. By my estimate, it was a 23 point meal. But good. It was the 9 point slice of apple pie that did me in.

The trouble with Weight Watchers, or any balanced reduced calorie diet, for that matter, is that you're always thinking of food. You have to plan very carefully, or you'll be left with nothing to eat by 3:00 p.m. That's why I really like the "Flex Points" system. You start out each dieting week (my third week starts today) with 35 extra points to be used at your discretion. A point is roughly 50 calories, with an advantage for more fiber in a food and a disadvantage for more fat. At my present weight, I'm allowed 26 points per day.

My company is giving us a voucher to go to the cafeteria today for a free special Thanksgiving lunch. I could easily eat a 25 point lunch today, and I've already had 6 points. This will severly cut into my Flex Points. Well, you know what they say. TNSTAAFL. There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch.

God loves us. Let me tell you how I know.

Thursday evening I stayed on the "L" and met Chuck downtown for the Symphony. It wasn't our regular subscription night, but one we swapped tickets for due to a conflict with the Steinmetz Homecoming football game. When we found each other, he told me we had car trouble. As he was going up the spiral ramp in the parking structure, the coolant light went on (couldn't have been the water pump or thermostat; I just had them replaced while Chuck was on his "meander" this summer). He said he could smell the antifreeze, and when he finally located a parking spot and got out of the car he could see the green iridescent trail the car had left.

The miracle of it was that he was in the parking structure when it happened. It didn't happen ten minutes earlier, when he was on the Kennedy. And it didn't happen Tuesday (Veteran's Day) when he drove to Champaign to stock up on Maul's Barbeque Sauce.

The concert was great, by the way. When I switched our tickets I had asked for "terrace" seating. We were right over the brass, and when the organ hit the low notes I could feel the music in my chest.

Dinner at Miller's Pub after the concert was wonderful, too. I ordered the salmon instead of the ribs. I've been on Weight Watchers for two weeks, and I've lost 8.8 lbs. My company is sponsoring a leader to come in to our offices. If I lose half of my initial goal (10% of my weight) the company will refund half of the fees to me. I'm almost there already. Let's see if I can keep going through Thanksgiving.

We took the Blue Line and the bus home, making perfect connections. Then Chuck got up early and called the Auto Club, took the CTA back downtown, paid an exorbitant amount for overnight parking, and met the tow truck, which took him and the car to the service station near Steinmetz. And he was on time for work!

It turned out to be the heater core, and while it was in the shop, we had the brakes worked on, too. It cost all but $13.00 of the money I had been saving for Christmas shopping. Oh, well. It's only money.

I had the day off Friday, but I had to stay home and wait for the movers to come for Ben's stuff. He is studying at the Air Force Language Institute in Monterey, CA. The movers finally showed up about 3:00 p.m., and it took all of about 30 minutes for them to pack and load all of Ben's worldly possessions.

Saturday was the LCC Fall Festival. Chuck and I went as "civilians" for the first time, since we dropped out of the choir this year. We attended the Director's Workshop, where the guest speaker was Anton Armstrong of St. Olaf College. We missed the Festival Choir rehearsal because we had to go to a wake. We went back to the Festival for the dinner and stayed to listen to the concert instead of singing this time.

It was really great to see everyone again. Bev was there with her baby, Abby. And of course, Floyd, who is having all kinds of fun teaching 6 and 7 year olds in a private school.

I have 50 more pages to read in a book for which I had high hopes.

I felt somewhat unqualified to render judgement on such a book. After all, the author was published and I was not. But then the voice of reason spoke: My husband said, "And how many books have you read?"

But, still, the author had written such a sensible tome about the proceess of writing itelf. (Is anyone into ornitology?) My thought is that the author should have re-read the previous publication and followed the rules set forth therein.

Everything is so jisjointed. There are probably three good stories in there, but they need to be separated from all the day-to-day garbage.

I don't really care about the changing of the seasons.

Well, yes, I do, but not in a book.

Does anybody out there know what book I'm talking about?

Through the wonders of modern technology, I was able to call my daugher-in-law, Donna in Germany while I was at work this week at a time when she would be likely to be home and awake, and still not lose my job for making non-business related transatlantic phone calls. I love my cell phone. What I found out is that everything is just peachy.

She went through a week of excruciating pain following a spinal tap that revealed that there is nothing wrong with her. She doesn't have a brain tumor. Her sudden loss of vision is due to a hormonal shift, and everybody seems to think everything's just fine. Donna now has glasses (Coke-bottle bottoms) that correct her vision to 20/20, and her driver's license has been reinstated.

Now that the crisis is over, I got my renewed passport in the mail today when I got home from work. (Yeah, this was my Saturday to work.) I suppose it's a good thing I didn't have it when all the hulabaloo was happening, or I might have just jumped on a plane.

They send the old passport back with the renewed one, so you can keep it as a souvenier. There are a couple of punch holes in the old one, so you won't get confused and take the wrong one on your next trip. It will be doubly easy for me to not get confused, because my old one was green. It was issued in 1993, and was the Benjamin Franklin memorial edition. The new one is blue like everyone else's.

Comparing the two pictures, I can't say I really look 10 years older, just several pounds heavier.

After the Cubs broke our hearts yet again this week, it was fun to go to the Steinmetz Homecoming football game at Hansen Park Thursday evening. Steinmetz won 30-29 in overtime.

An absolutely gorgeous fall day today, and I managed to take full advantage of it by taking my Dec. 24th floating holiday today. Chuck and Jim were both off, too. Chuck spent the day running around. One place he went was Supreme Lobster. In honor of the Cubs/Marlins playoff series still in progress, Chuck thought it would be appropriate to have grilled marlin for dinner.

Jim and I went out to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. I wanted to be sure to enjoy what may be the last really nice day of the season. It's supposed to be cold and rainy tomorrow.

It's been a nerve-wracking week. Donna is still having tests, and is scheduled for a spinal tap on Oct. 14. The German neurologist said there was "no need to intervene" and sent her to get corrective lenses for her now 20/700 vision. But she had to go back to the Army doctor for a referral before he could give her the prescription. Will was supposed to go back to Germany, but the Army decided Donna's condition wasn't "serious enough" to allow it. I wonder what they would consider serious enough?

Will called yesterday and assured us that they were handling things as well as could be expected.

I found out that what Donna has is a prolactinoma, a tumor on the pituitary gland. It is likely to be benign and to respond to medication, thank goodness. But before the medication begins to work, she may need to have a spinal tap to drain off the excess fluid, which is causing pressure on the optic nerve. I hope Will is allowed to go back to Germany to help her.

So, I've finally found out what it is that Chuck objects to about weblogging. He said, "Why are you giving so much energy to that (not that I have been) when you could be writing a short story or a novel?"

My immeidate reply was that I could only write about what I kenw, and I could be sued for that. So he said, "Just file off the serial numbers and deny everything."

Truth can be stranger than fiction. What do you think? Please respond. I don't think anyone beyond the family reads me anyway.

I was woken up at 3:00 a.m. by a phone call from Will from Iraq. He's having so much fun dodging the mortar shells that keep being fired into his camp. One exploded right behind him the other day. (Thanks, Will, for sharing that and adding to my worry). Donna, his wife, who is in Germany has been having some health problems. Apparently, there has been a build-up of fluid in Donna's brain that has caused her to lose part of her sight. If she is going to have to have surgery, Will should be allowed to go back to Germany, at least for a few weeks.

While I was at dance class last night, Diana called and talked to Chuck. Rick has another new job. At least this one is in town, not 300 miles away. David is in Cub Scouts now. Time flies.

The play went well, and the cast party was Sunday at the home of one of Floyd's voice students in Oak Park. We really had the A-team this year as a cast. Floyd commented that it was the most compatible cast in his memory. Grace and Mary even had an award for him. They gave him a cucumber for being "cool as a cucumber" this year. Of course, the level of professionalism of the group made getting hot under the collar quite unnecessary.

I spoke to my son in Germany yesterday, and he'll be going back to Iraq on Thursday. This time around, though he's been promised better conditions such as latrines instead of "dig your own hole", cots instead of sleeping in the back of a truck, showers, temporary mess halls instead of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), and more opportunities to communicate with loved ones. Donna will stay in Germany with the girls. Heidi starts pre-school next week, and what a talker she is! She got on the phone and talked to me for five minutes without a breath.

This past week was a predictable round of work and play rehearsals, and now I'm gearing up for a marathon week ending in opening night on Friday. Tonight is the first dress rehearsal. For any of my vast Chicagoland readership who is interested, here is the info:

Trinity Players present
TEN LITTLE INDIANS
by Agatha Christie

Six Performances Only!

September 12, 13, 19, 20, 2003 at 8:00 pm
September 14, 21, 2003 at 2 pm

Trinity Lutheran Church
5106 N. LaCrosse Ave.
(Foster, Elston and Cicero Avenues)
Chicago, Illinois 60630

Tickets: Adult $10.00 Student (with ID) $8.00 Child (12 & under) $5.00

Call 773-736-1457 for info or tickets

I'm still trying to get used to the new schedule. No more time for posting first thing in the morning, and I've been too tired to do it at night, so here's a catch up on the past week:

Friday, August 22, 2003 - Bob and I went to see the L'Opera Picola production of The Barber of Seville. I'm beginning to be a bit concerned about him. He managed to get lost driving down there. He dropped me off to pick up the tickets, so I didn't see where he parked. After the performance, we got lost walking to his car. He told me it was a good hike, but we seemed to be walking forever. When we got to Diversey, he decided we were off course. We finally did find it. Glad I was wearing comfortable shoes.

Saturday, August 23, 2003 - I went with Janis and Joanie to the dedication of the portion of Milwaukee Avenue named for our dance teacher, follwed by a luncheon at La Villa. Later that afternoon we hosted the annual Choir Barbeque. In spite of some folks being away on vacation, there was a good turnout, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. My usual pre-party jitters of "Nobody's going to show up" turned out, as usual, to be unfounded.

Tuesday, August 26 - I tried out the beauty salon in the next building and got a haircut during my lunch hour. It's the first time I've had anyone but Julie cut my hair in about six years, but it sure was convenient, and Melissa did a nice job. It saves a Saturday morning for me, driving all the way to Six Corners.

Wednesday, August 27 - Dawn and I got together with Mary for lunch. Just like old times when the three of us worked at Sabratek. Mary works just across Higgins from where we are. Next time we'll have to think of someplace better than McDonald's to meet.

Friday, August 29 - I talked to my daughter and found out that she had gallbladder surgery a week ago on the 22nd. Rick took the week off from work, and Diana is doing fine. I knew she was going to have it, but I didn't know when, and she negelcted to call me before she went in the hospital. Fortunately, it was able to be done laporiscopically.

Saturday, August 30 - Bruce's father passed away, and we attended the funeral Saturday morning. Bruce was best man at our wedding, and his wife Joan is the daughter of the minister who married us. They live in Texas, and Chuck visited them while he was on his three week "meander" this summer.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at a Troop 979 Boy Scout reunion picnic honoring Russ's 50 years as Scoutmaster. People came from all over the country for this. Today at church the gymnasium will be named in honor of Russ.

I needed time to walk for exercise. I needed time to read. Both those things came to me this past week in the form of my company's move to its new office space. I now walk 10 minutes to the bus, read until I get to the end of the line, take the Blue Line one stop and walk 15 minutes to my building.

My company is renting three floors of one of a complex of three buildings at Higgins and River Road. The workspaces are constructed in such a way that everyone has natural light, much different from our place in Skokie, where most of us never knew what was happening outside.

It's all beautifully landscaped, and there is a plaza between the buildings with chairs and tables for dining al fresco. Our building has a full-service cafeteria, and the next building over has a Wall Street Deli, a florist, a copy place, a bank, a hair salon and a health club. Our floor also has a "cafe" for those who bring their lunch, which I managed to do all last week. There is a refrigerator, two microwaves, vending machines and about ten tables.

The move went pretty smoothly. My department was in the second phase of the move, and the third and final phase is happening this weekend. All my boxes were waiting for me Monday morning in my cube, and it didn't take me very long to unpack. The only problem was we weren't set up to print until Tuesday, and then Wednesday we were down most of the day due to a virus in the system.

Be It Ordained by the City Council of the City of Chicago:
SECTION 1. That an ordinance heretofore passed by the City Council of the City
of Chicago establishing honorary street-name signs to honor “Miss Geris Way” in
the 3400 block of North Milwaukee Avenue is hereby amended by changing the
honorary street-name signs to “Miss Mroz Panicko Way”.
SECTION 2. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force hereinafter its
passage and due publication.

The above is from the minutes of the Chicago City Council of July 9, 2003. The reason for the change was that Miss Geri wanted to honor her mother, who made it possible for her to fulfill her dream at the age of seventeen and open a dance studio. I took part in her 51st recital on June 14 of this year.

The ceremony for the street naming will be on Saturday, August 23 at 10:30 a.m.