The rustic backs of buildings in St Charles

See, I can take an artsy photo when I want to. I just usually don't want to, that's all.

The Cottage Stamper

Saturday, Cathy made a winning "explosion" photo album at her favorite scrapbooking store in the universe: The Cottage Stamper on Third Street in St. Charles. I walked around the town for three hours, and took in th sights and snapped a few photos.

Za Za's Trattoria St. Charles

Unassuming from the outside, Za Za's was delicious, warm and cozy on the inside. This past Friday, Cathy and I enjoyed a superb meal with friends Alexia and Dave. I almost said "new friends", but you know, at some point, new friends feel like old friends. Like a well-fitting pair of comfortable slippers. I cannot express in words how wonderful all of our time has been with Alexia and Dave. Sharing stories about our past and current lives shows a comfort level that is second to none. It's like opening a tiny toy box in the attic. Full of ghosts of our past, each with its own story to tell. Old tales to those who know us, but new interest to those newly invited to our cubby.

Dave and Alexia. Our dear new friends.

The basketball is still bouncing in the Geneva Hydraulic

Looking out my plantation blinds, the pond looks...

...kayakable!

Kayaking Season 2009 starts April 4

The brand new Smiley's all ready and waiting. First organized paddle on April 4, Saturday. I shall post it on www.paddling.net

How do I feel about boating? Like this guy does about Slayer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSoh3c7QVyw

Join me at Slayer July 25?

Okay, so many questions: these are Hawaiian Rolls

Sunday Dinner on Me!

Got the slow cooker (a.k.a. Crock Pot) going, and trying my hand at a generous 4 lb. pot roast with potatoes and carrots purring away since 8AM this morning. Lord only knows, I can't cook. But I saw an online article on slow cooking, and thought--what the hey! Add in some delicious Hawaiian Rolls, and we got ourselves a feast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLw0RdsBR7k

Geneva Transplant Now Anorexic & Preggers in LA

http://www.blogger.com/profile/11087009130750521693





Click her "A Blog"

Cortney, I wish you and your husband the very best with your first boy.

I only need HGTV, Bravo, Discovery and TLC

I mean, seriously. Tuedays its Housewives of Orange County (Jeanna's son plays for the Kane County Cougars). Thursdays its Millionaire Matchmaker with smart-mouth Patti (above). Throw in a half dozen episodes of HGTV's Househunters on the other nights, a Dog The Bounty Hunter marathon on Saturday afternoon, and if I'm really randy, a couple episodes of the midget family show Little People Big World: there you have a fun and educational week of cable TV. Grab a box of Ring Dings and a Diet Dr. Pepper, climb under the electric blankie, and its "Da plane! Da Plane! Welcome...to Fantasy Island."-type good times.

Mickey D's Yorkville, IL

I stopped in the McDonald's on the south side of Yorkville, IL the other afternoon, and saw this airplane prop mounted above the cash registers. It was wooden and old looking. It was well mounted and I never feared that it would fall on my head, although I confess to giving it a once-over when I stepped under it to pay. On Yahoo today, healthiest fast food places listed by the "Eat This, Not That" guys, and McDonald's was near the very top! Best: Subway and Chik-A-Fila!

I ordered a #2, by the way. Gotta run, time for Housewives of Orange County on Bravo.

And this creep, too, was on my camera. Spooky.

Could these guys be from another dimension? Twilight Zone? Maybe my Sony takes pictures of dead people? Is this Fred from I Love Lucy?

Who's this fellow?

This must be the dude that owned the eBay camera before me. He looks dour. A used car salesman--miserable from the economic slowdown--is my guess. Note to self: up nose photographs are never flattering.

Taco Fresco when I don't feel so fresco.

I cannot thank Dave and Alexia enough for a wonderful meal on Friday, and meeting Sylva and Dennis was the absolute pinnacle of my weekend. Scrumptious food and superb stories makes for a fantastic time. You are truly the host and hostess with the mostest. I spent the rest of the weekend down with a head cold--started Thursday, peaked Sat and now Sunday. Chills, fever, cough, the works. Yours was my only outtrip of the entire weekend, except for a foray to Taco Fresco at Geneva Commons. The place sure looks nice enough, but the food was so-so, served without a smile or a good word. I have to show you Chicks N Salsa, in case you've not been, in Glen Ellyn by I-355. The best burrito I have ever had. Fresh and good. Cathy loves teh fish burrito. Anyhow, I even missed the kayak show. I thought all day I could go, but with mounting illness as Saturday went on, I couldn't do it and called it off. Darn!

Mystery Eagle

I bought my camera used on eBay. This picture was still in its memory. It's a neat photo of an eagle in a tree somewhere. There were other photos that were not as flattering. I shall post those next.

Warning Will Robinson. Danger Danger!

Geneva Dam in late winter

The Geneva dam is very interesting. It features a killer hydraulic. All those kayakers out there know what I'm speaking of. Absolutely "killer". Yorkville dam, for instance, has claimed 13 lives over the years. Has Gevena Dam yanked the toilet chain of life on any hapless boaters yet? I don't know. What I can tell you is, once stuck in a hydraulic, even the rescuers aren't able to get you out. Click this pic and see the basketball in the current. It will float there endlessly. It's probably still there as I write this post. Trees, logs, you name it, it's stuck in there. But good. Be careful, Kimosabes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeL0sr0NbTM&feature=related

White Castle

My son and I were one of the first customers at White Castle in Hoffman Estates yesterday. Yes, the place was pristine blue and white and clean and ready to serve us hamburglers at 10:45AM. So, we went for it. Yumm.