14 Innings at Wrigley

Last Thursday, we spent five hours at Wrigley Field! Huzzah! My mom, Mama D, Alyssa and Jaida went shopping. The rest of us took the blue line down to Jackson. From there, the red line was packed. The Addison stop is very conveniently placed next to Wrigley, though, so it was worth it. Peter and Michael met us (a tad late) at the ballpark.

The Brookfield Zoo

This year was the best Father’s Day…ever. Partly because we have the best dad ever…and partly because all six of us kids were together for the first Father’s Day in years. And we had Leatitia and the Downes with us!

The 16th of June is also Kodiak Frankenstein Nelson’s birthday. He did his best to share the spotlight with the fathers present.

The Father’s Day/birthday cookout was fab. Peter cooked the burgers to perfection. We spent the afternoon at the Brookfield Zoo, and topped off the night with cards, gifts and cake!

A Day With the Downes

Monday...the last day...heading to the 31st street beach!

The Blues Festival of 2000 and 13.

I love downtown Chicago. Maybe one day I'll be sick of the sights, sounds and smells of the city...but not today. And certainly not last Friday, when we visited the Blues Fest in Grant Park. Apparently the Chicago Blues Festival is the biggest free Blues Festival in the world. I love music, and as stated above I love downtown Chicago. So how could the Blues Festival in Grant Park be anything less than fantabulous? It couldn't. And it wasn't.

By the way, I couldn't help but think of Bangor's own musical fair...the Folk Festival...as we were traipsing about the park. It was blues rather than folk and skyscrapers replaced the Penobscot River in the backdrop...but it was all the same wacky people and exorbitantly priced food. :)

Grant Park...that's the Buckingham Fountain with the Sears Tower in the background.

National Iced Tea Day

Well, if DD declares it so, then I suppose it must be true, but...seriously? It's not even free???

Mr. Nelson

Dad, Bob and I helped Peter clear out his St. Dorothy's classroom on Friday...it was also National Donut Day. My oldest brother is a teacher. He has taught at St. Dorothy's Catholic School for three years. He's moving on to a great position at a charter school, but it was a little bittersweet to get all his stuff from the 7th grade homeroom. I've only visited St. Dorothy's twice, but all his kids have been amazing...and it cracks me up to here them refer to Peter as Mr. Nelson. Hopefully next year I'll be able to visit his high school kids often.

Mr. Nelson's classroom.

Memorial Day...The Extended Celebration.

I know, I know. Memorial Day was nearly two weeks ago. Why did I wait until now to write about it? Because I was sick for like a week and didn't feel like writing much of anything. Why didn't I ditch writing about it? Because I had an amazing Memorial Day!

To begin the narration, Sunday was ridiculously fun. Bob and Nancy met us for church, to kick off the celebration. Peter came out to Berwyn for dinner, and he and I left with mom's admonition to drink nothing stronger than sprite. Michael and Sarah Bauer met us at the Chicago Brauhaus in Lincoln Square. The Brauhaus is a German restaurant and bar, where elderly, awesome, German musicians perform. It's crazy. Have you ever had beef tar tar? My brothers have been raving about it since last spring in Poland. It is raw cow meat served with a raw egg, capers, onions and anchovies. Disgusted? You should be. I was none too pleased when Peter ordered tar tar with our delicious, giant pretzel. However, I agreed to taste it. I did not agree to Peter feeding me tar tar out of his hand, but I did taste it. After chewing it for an entire minute, I came to the conclusion that the texture of tar tar is nasty...but the taste is not bad. No, I would not eat it again. Anyways, after the Brauhaus we continued to party hard at Peter, Sarah and Cassie's apartment.

So you see why I am still motivated to write about this an entire week after the fact.

When Memorial Day dawned we headed back out to Berwyn, accompanied by a crazy man for a leg of the trip. Monday was pretty chill...your average cookout complete with picture telephone and the name game.

Tuesday=field trip day! I had never heard of The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, but I'll never forget it. Their main attraction was an exhibit called Destroy the Picture: Painting the Void. It's all art from the years following The World Wars. Theodor Adorno said, "to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric". The artists of that time were obviously less interested in poetry than expressing the devastation around them...you can see for yourself...