This is my kayak trailer during it's construction in Kentucky in early 2008. I adore this trailer. It's everything I ever wanted in a kayak trailer, and one of these days I am going to a remote place to kayak, throw a tarp over the rails, blow up mattress in the bed, and sleep under the stars along the sea.
Yo, my dearest paddler Brazilbrasil.... if you still want the venerable Ikea bags--those of your recent post on paddling.net, I would be more than pleased to secure and ship to your South Carolina doorstep. I will be there this weekend, my paddling brother. Email me.
Spent a gorgeous springtime Sunday walking casually in Glen Ellyn with Cathy, Jay and Alexia. We missed you, Dave. When you return to the States, we'll have to show you the pictures. What fine company, full of laughs and good times. All this on a bellyful of burritos. Thanks for swinging through Saint Charles; we'll hit the Stone House again when the owners decided they want to do business. Kidding.
This lovely image of State Street in Geneva, IL by Mr. Larson shows the backdrop for the Saturday night pub crawl, a benefit for the Geneva History Center. Cathy and I appreciate the tickets from Mike and Victoria. Eating meatballs and shrimp at Chris Cellini's Old Town Pub while listening to children' writer Donna Latham tell us about the giant martini glass, listening to jazz upstairs at Villa Verone and drinking Dumaine Dupage beer were all highlights. But the granddaddy highlight was meeting Kelly from http://www.genevadailyphoto.blogspot.com at Citizen Kane. A superb photographer, Kelly is fun and kind; it was thrilling to meet you! We'll definitely have to meet for tea sometime soon. Fun! Hey, Mike and Vic. You are special. You know what I mean. We're like this. Say no more.
I browsed Town House Books in St Charles on Saturday, and returned with Cathy, Alexia and Jay on Sunday. What a perfect day for bookhunting. I bought Eudora Welty's On Writing book, which looks like a 106-page scream! For writers, that is.
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. 
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.
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.
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.
