Whirlwindy Tour of the Windy City

Sisi and I headed to Chi-town on the train last weekend, for a couple days of Girl Time. 

First we fortified ourselves with a heart breakfast at Lou Mitchells.  "Best breakfast ever " said Sisi.

 

Then we headed to the Art Institute where Sisi took 157 photos of the miniatures in the Miniature Room.  You will not be required to look at all 157, so do not run away just yet.

 

We checked into our room on the 29th floor of the Swissotel (there is supposed to be a pointy hat-shaped accent mark over the O ) where from the end of the hall we could see Navy Pier.  No sailors, though.

 

 

We had the un-upgraded Hotwire Room Plan, so the view from our room was not quite so expensive.

 

After a rest and some dinner we headed to Orchestra Hall for a free event, Riccardo Muti rehearsing with the Civic Orchestra.  That was a fabulously inspiring music rehearsal of some of the best young musicians in Chicago for my little viola player.  They played several suites from Romeo and Juliet, by Prokofiev.   In case you are wondering, it was not all work and no play.   Muti is quite the comedian as well.  And he told a long touching story about Prokofiev who died on the same day as Stalin, which of course caused his own funeral to be delayed for days and more or less ignored in Russia.  But, as Muti said, "which one are we celebrating still today?  Not Stalin."

 

As Sisi says, Lets take a Selfie!

Monday we headed to the Natural History Museum for the Biomechanics exhibit, but first we stopped by the Culture Center to look at the beautiful architecture and to listen to some harp-and-flute music in the rotunda.

 

and while we were there...

 

 

After more music and the biomechanics exhibit, we had to get our bags and head back to the train.  While I was in Chicago I realized I might become famous, just because of my first name - lookie here!

 

 

 

Quick trip home with time for just one more...

 

 

We arrived home safe and sound.  J-dude and The Player were waiting for us at the train station.  J-dude missed his sister so much that he said, "Those were the two longest days of my life.  It felt like you were gone a month."

 

I guess it's tough not having anyone to bother for 48 hours when you're 12. 

 

p.s.  It's opening day and The Cubs are in First Place.  (yes, their game is not over yet.)

 

 

Who Wants to be a Billionaire?

I admit it, I entered the Warren Buffett NCAA March Madness challenge, subjecting myself to stupid emails from Quicken Loans, just to see if I could win a billion dollars.

To win, one must predict the winner of all 63 games in the tournament.  Nearly impossible.  I made my best guesses and submitted my Bracket.  Then I went to work. 

While I was working, I got a text from The Player.  I had picked the wrong team in the very first game.  HAhaHAHAha!

Dang, so now I have to keep going to work.

At least I haven't been struck by lightening, which I believe is more likely than winning the challenge.

Well, I'll be a Bunkle's Uncle

I got a postcard in the mail today.  It was an invitation to a family reunion.  For a family of which I do not believe I am a member.

HUAC:  Ms Tingley, Are you or have you ever been a member of the McCarty family?

Me:  Huh?

Here are the events planned for said reunion:

 

Pot luck in Kinmundy, bonfire at a Winery in Alma,  Breakfast at Denny's in Salem.   Hmm.  Where are those towns? 

 

And who is that horse in the photo?    She's ready for her close-up, Mr DeMille...

 

Is that Joe McCarty?  From the HUAC?  Oh, no sorry, mistaken identity.

 

 

You may be wondering how I received an invitation to this reunion.  I'm wondering, too.  Here is the address on the other side.  They had my first and last names correct, my zip code to 9 digits, and wait, that's not My middle name.

 

 

 

 



Will the REAL Kim Dunkle please stand up?

 

 

I Hab a Code

My nose is running and my feet are smelling...wait, no, that's wrong.  My nose is runny and I'm sneezing a lot.  I have a small bottle of hand sanitizer that never leaves my side and I sent Ironing Man to the store for yet more Kleenex yesterday.  And some Tylenol.  And some Ricola cough drops because I also have a sore throat. 

Yes, I hab a code!

And I am in the process of buying a car.  Ironing Man's vehicle has something more serious than a cold...pneumonia?  TB?  Iron-poor blood?  We think it might be time for vehicle hospice.  Or for it to go to a teenager who is learning to drive and who has parents that appreciate a car that doesn't really want to go too fast or too far.  In any event, my car is getting up there in years and miles and with my work, I need reliable wheels for country roads.

So I test-drove a fancy slightly used car yesterday with lots of electronic bells and whistles.  It kind of freaked me out.  I opted for an up-to-date version of my basic Hyundai Elantra, this time in dark blue.  And....ta da...heated seats!!!  I really wanted heated seats after this winter.  And now that it is nearly spring I will get them!

So I pick up my new vehicle tomorrow after work.   I hope I don't sneeze all over it first thing.

What do You Get the Super-hero Who Has Everything?

The Player likes to iron.  The kids like Super-Heroes.  They recently came up with a new moniker for him..."Ironing Man."  Costumes vary in degree of wrinkledness depending upon whether he is in action or in an undercover disguise.  There was also some debate about what body part the steam would shoot from.  The kids are pre-teens after all. 

 

Here, on his ironing board, is my Valentine's Day gift to him.

 

 

The lid slides out!  Pretty cool, huh!?  And it's not just a mosaic, it's...

 

 

Yes, ENERGY!  Something every parental figure needs in spades.  This energy isn't in spades, it's in rocks and tiles and trinkets from thrift stores and Hobby Lobby.  

 

 

 

 

 

To Blog or Not to Blog?

My Blogger is messed up.  I'm not sure it will let me publish this. Testing testing one two...

 

Here are Samarra and Pi in a performance of Romeo and Juliet.  Each morning they perform a scene from Shakespeare in the living room.

Happy New Year, Baby!

There is a new baby in the family.  The kids' step-mom, Maria, had a beautiful baby girl on Sunday.  Shannon weighed in at 7 pounds 7 ounces, 20 inches long.  Big brother J-dude is a doting sibling.  Sisi isn't so sure about babies yet, and that's okay too. 

We've been blessed that Maria and "Oscar" have put us on the approved guest list.  I guess there's something weird about dropping by to hold your ex-husband's new baby, but it's weird in a "weird and wonderful" kind of way.  It's good the labels mean less than the warmth at this point.

We've come a long way, baby!