Vacations are good

Went to the grocery market yesterday and got the stuff to make Shepherd's Pie for me and Dad. It came out very yummy. Easy peasy too.

This morning I am going to make a cheese and chiles pie for breakfast, which will be something Dad's never had.

This evening we are going to SPTLM's for dinner. *sigh*.

I miss my quilting rather a lot. I brought NOTHING to do for hand-work this time, and it is nagging at me a bit that I should be DOING something. Well, I will have 3 days to do somethings in after I get home before I have to go back to work so that will all be good.

MY FEET HURT

And I am going to blame it on Zac - just because - and because he's not here to thwap me.

Kili is at the boarding kennel. She was NOT A HAPPY KITTY yesterday morning, as I had to once again put her into the dreaded cat-carry-box and then we went out in the COLD.. MOM IT"S COLD.. PUT ME BACK IN THE WARM HOUSE IT IS COLD OUT HERE. HELP!! ANYBODY? IT IS COLD AND SHE IS RIPPING MY FUR OFF!!!!!!

(No fur was ripped off. The neighbors, however, may not realize this.)

I believe it may have been around this time that my cell phone made a break for it and fell out of my purse. Back in the back foot-well of the car, I presume. That is where it usually hides.

The limo came right on time to get me to the airport. Yes, I said Limo. Surprisingly it was cheaper than a taxi. Embarassingly, they sent a white stretch limo like they use for weddings. Very plush, but... a bit over the top. I'd have settled for a nice town car.

Then the adventure began. First I couldn't figure out how to work the check-in screen at the airport. So I stood like a doofus until a lady helped me. Got boarding pass. Lovely. The gate is a mile and a half down the damn concourse. Security was a cakewalk, which was nice as I am always terrified of the TSA. Then more walking, walking, walking. Luckily I managed to snag a seat in the boarding area and parked my fat white ass in it until the plane arrived.

NOT so fortunately, this family of 7 with 3 sneezy, snotty, coughy kids (gorgeous, beautiful kids, but germy too). "No liquids, gels or creams allowed through the security checkpoint" - which means no Purell - which means I will probably get the sneezy, snotty, coughy thing. I hope Mickey Mouse spits in their cokes.

Landed in Nashville, the pilot SANG. Southwest Airlines is so weird.

Had to walk thru Nsshville airport from gate B208 to gate C789. Ok, maybe it was just Gate B15 to C22 - but it FELT like a 10 mile hike. I stopped 1/2 way and got a bottle of water.

The flight to Orlando was uneventful. The waiting for Dad was fraught. He got lost on the way to the airport, and I got a bit nervous waiting 2 hours on the pavement looking at EVERY SINGLE Toyota that came down the ramp, because I didn't remember if his car was red or beige.

Once I got picked up, Dad dropped the bombshell.

Dinner on Saturday with SPTLM and family.

*sigh*

No cell phone to vent to S or Pirate.

I am a big girl. In more ways than one. I can do this. I am an adult. I can manage a few hours with SPTLM.

*sigh*

A City Adventure!

So, my friend Zac - who is really just this kid I met in WoW - and his lovely ladyfriend came to Chicago this last weekend for Valentine's day.

What could be more romantic than Valentine's day in Chicago in Fucking February? Ummm....

Gosh.... I really am at a loss to think of anything LESS romantic. But then, Zac is different.

I mean, here he is, in the Big City with his lovely lady - and he wants to spend the day with a crabby old curmudgeon like me????

Obviously nuttier than a fruitcake.

Anyhow - seeing as they are from Pencil-Vane-Ya, we did the obligatory visit to the top of the SEARS Tower.

Way up there in the 103rd floor there is a "Skydeck", which lets you look out over the city. The view was awesome Saturday afternoon - you could see Indiana easily, and you could almost see all the way past O'Hare. They have these plexiglass things built into the western side of the Tower now, that hang out over the edge of the building and you can see all the way down to the street.


I did step onto it. Just barely. For once in my life I was glad of not being able to see my feet standing on "thin air" - I stayed close enough to the inside of the building so I could jump back in if it even WIGGLED.

Zac wouldn't go within 10 feet of it. *chuckle*

Anyhow, after that we went and browsed the many shops of Chicago Kitsch Souviniers (there was a mug I seriously coveted, but not $15.00 worth of coveting and besides of which it was heavy and I didn't want to lug it around) - then we made our way down the street SORTA with the help of their GPS except not exactly... I saw the sign for where we were going before the GPS could tell us where to go. Oh how we laughed.

Well, I did. So did his g/friend. Zac just gave us dirty look.

We went to Giordano's Pizza - a nice little pizzaria, very crowded.



They make a to-die-for spinach & mushroom deep dish pizza.



By the time we got done talking and all, it was time for me to turn into a pumpkin, so we caught a cab back to Navy Pier.




We were all surprised that the Ferris Wheel was operating - even with the extreme cold. We did not attempt to ride it. I'm not that insane. Besides, I had to hike back to my car, which was several blocks away, in the cold.



In all, a fun time, and I only wish we'd had more time, and less transportation issues. Cabs are farking EXPENSIVE - and so is parking. Maybe next time I see them, we can take the "Sewmouse Tour of Chicago" - which includes some memorable Blues Brothers sites. *giggle*

Oh - and 186 of 625!