Cruisin'

Nothing like a week in the Caribbean to clear your head. What a fabulous vacation. Not as fab as the cruise we took with all the kids years ago, but still excellent. Our favorite port was Grand Turk. While we have been to many beaches in our travels the beach on Grand Turk was unbelievable. So soft and the water so clear. Just perfect. Grand Turk is on our list of places to go in the future. That list is getting so long.

One perk from the cruise is getting your picture professionally taken on "formal night." It is not often, almost never, that we get dressed up for a portrait. The last time was the last cruise six years ago. If you've ever been on a cruise, you know the routine. You have your picture taken and the next day you go to the "photo room" and try to locate your picture among the 3000 pictures posted. Actually, the cruise ships have it figured out pretty well, labelling each photo board with where the picture was taken making it easier to find the picture you're looking for. Rick and I searched long and hard and could not locate our picture. It must have been so good that someone else bought it. Oh well, maybe next cruise.

While we were gone.......

The Bears won one and lost one. The loss against the Falcons really hurt. They gave that game away.

The Cubs took a huge post season dump. End of story.

Lauren is finally back on the ice after her knee surgery. Taking it slowly. (IllinoiSkating is skating to an Aerosmith medley this year. The music rocks. I wanted to post it on my site but I can't figure out how to do it.) Hopefully she will be ready for their first competition on November 22, her 20th birthday. I can't believe she is going to be 20! She is also the newest member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. The sorority thing is right up her alley. She has already committed to living in the sorority house next year. And hopefully her senior year as well. I am getting too old to be moving her every year. Just stay put for 5 minutes!

Cubs Clinch

The Cubs are the National League Central Division Champions! Two years in a row. Too bad me and Mom had to see such a shitty game on Friday. But Shirl was happy just be at Wrigley. We arrived early enough that she was able to walk around the entire stadium, twice. And we got a free t-shirt. Debbie and I both agreed that no one from our family can attend any playoff games since the Cubs lose 95% of the time we go to a game.

I'm off to the Bears home opener against the Bucs today. You all know I am a huge Cubs and Bears fan but I heard this joke the other day and couldn't help but laugh.

Do you know why the Bears suck?

They used to be Cubs!

B E A R D O W N !

Lucky Me

Rick and I spent the early part of this week in Las Vegas. But that is not what I am referring to when I call myself lucky. Today I am taking Shirl to the Cubs/Cardinals game at Wrigley. That's lucky. Even luckier is the tickets aren't costing me a thing thanks to Debbie. If the Cubs win today and the Brewers lose, the Cubs clinch the division title. GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!

Cubs Win!

What a HUGE win tonight over the Reds! And taking the game yesterday against the Cardinals. Beautiful.

Go Cubs Go!

Go Cubs Go!

Hey Chicago, what do you say?

The Cubs are gonna win today!

And a W for the Bears yesterday, too!

Unbelievable

We returned late last night from our first trip to Colorado and the Rocky Mountains. A client of Rick's was generous enough to let us use his "Kamp" as he calls it. His kids call it his 5 acre money pit and work farm. Let me tell you, hardly what I would describe as a camp! A gorgeous cedar log home complete with guest house where we stayed and where this picture was taken. We fished for rainbow trout on Lake Granby and actually caught some. Ate them too. YUMMY! We spent an afternoon driving through Rocky Mountain National Park. Overwhelmingly beautiful and scary at the same time. I'm not one for heights so there were times during the drive that I literally could not look. I've seen the Adirondack Mountains in all their seasonal glory, I've seen the Blue Ridge Mountains and they really do look blue, but the Rockies are truly spectacular. (I've also seen the Swiss and Italian Alps, but that's another continent altogether.) To be more than two miles above sea level is mind blowing and breathtaking, due to the altitude. We ended our trip with a night in Denver where we got to see Jeanne's "Booty Lounge" apartment. Very hip loft in the LoDo area of downtown Denver with extraordinary views of its own. We shared a delicious meal with J & J at a champagne bar that Jeanne selected just for her me, then the four of us went to a Colorado Rockies game. Really awesome stadium that was barely half full even with the Rockies in the running for a wild card spot in the playoffs. Sad, I thought. Saturday morning the kids took us out for a great brunch at the cutest little French bistro near Jeanne's apartment. Nothing like a few mimosas before you get on a plane! To view all the Colorado pictures, click here.



Sports Update

Today is the Bears season opener at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. I hope we kick their asses.

I hope my brother Bob is doing a little gloating down in St. Louis since the Cubs did win 2 out of 3 games against the Cards.

And Michigan whooped the shit out of Notre Dame yesterday!