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Time Keeps On Slipping...

2011-03-26T15:25:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I haven't been an avid blogger lately. You'd be surprised at how much time a little one consumes and how little time you have left for other things! So, here's what's happening:

1) Winter is almost over (thank God!)
2) "Baby Cheese" is 6 months old, plus I turned the big 4-0 last month...yikes!
3) Work has been super busy. It's the "Year of Didrik" according to my boss... *heh*
4) I've decided to go the Facebook route instead of blogging as much.
5) We're at end-of-lease for "J" - our 2008 Jetta Wolfsburg 2.0T, so we leased a 2011 Honda CR-V EX.

That's all for now, see ya later! :)

(Let It Snow!)*3

2010-12-12T06:42:00.004-06:00

The Twin Cities got nailed with the biggest snowstorm since Halloween 1991. Up to 22" fell in the metro area yesterday. The wife and I trekked across the cities to pick up our daughter at her cousin's house in Champlin before the worst part hit with only 4" on the ground. Coming back, we found our driveway snowed over with 8" of white fluffy snow - and got stuck. After an hour and a half, I was able to dig my way back into the garage! We ended up with about 18" total when all was said and done. Here's a pic of what several of us had to deal with yesterday.

Daddy's Little Girl

2010-09-22T09:07:00.003-05:00

Hello, world! Meet the newest addition to the family:

Solveig Grace Peterson
Born 9/19 @ 4:51 am
21.25" - 9 lb 2 oz
(it's pronounced SOL-vay in case you were wondering)

Scooter Rally

2010-08-22T12:17:00.002-05:00

I attended the Rattle My Bones scooter rally for the 2nd year in a row. Again, it was a lot of fun! Rode behind a '68 Lambretta that sounded and smelled like a weedwacker on steroids, but it was still a cool vintage ride. The couple that owned the '64 & '65 Honda 50s were there too and went on the first part of the Big Ride. Like me, they had issues getting up the hills. More cc's needed for that! Porter did get a lot of comments though, the only Passport in attendance this year! :)

Baking in the Shade

2010-08-09T21:30:00.002-05:00

It's that time of the year again when I wonder why I didn't move to Alaska. It got up to 97F today. That's just insane. Add some humidity to the mix, and you've got Atlanta - or New Orleans - or Miami - but no, this is MN. No sir, I don't like it!

Guys Night

2010-07-16T17:44:00.001-05:00

It'd been months since hanging out at Adam's house with the guys. So, I called him up to see what was going on - and it was a cookout. Good times, good food (most of it from Bylerly's meat counter) and a selection of beer that was quite refreshing!

Long Holiday Weekend

2010-07-12T22:20:00.002-05:00

The wife and I spent Independence Day weekend at her family's lake dwelling. We left Friday afternoon and met her folks for dinner on the way there at the 5 O'clock Club in Cumberland, WI. I enjoyed a Landshark while we waiting for them to arrive and we shared an order of Peg Legs (assorted cheese sticks). For dinner, I had the fish fry special - haddock. With au gratin potatoes on the side instead of fries. It was really good and the portions were very satisfying.

The remainder of the weekend at the lake was typical for celebrating July 4th. We prepped, cleaned up and got everything ready for company on Saturday. Family and friends joined us on Sunday for a cookout. Later that night, we went out on the lake for a few spins to see which neighbors were around. Toward dusk, the fish were jumping - I should have brought my pole!

It was a very relaxing weekend, the perfect thing for some mid-summer time off from the daily grind. I'm hoping we'll get to spend a few more weekends there next year. One just isn't enough! =)

Blog Fun

2010-07-12T22:16:00.002-05:00

I just realized (two months later) that I turned on comment moderation. I'm supposed to get an e-mail each time someone submits a comment -- apparently those aren't cutting through the spam filter on my Inbox! Anyway, so I logged in to post about something else and noticed that I had 12 COMMENTS to reject/publish. Only one was real...

This leads me to say two words, "Spam SUCKS!"

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T21:16:00.002-05:00

My parents came up to visit us for the weekend. It was the annual Back to the 50's car show at the MN State Fairgrounds and it also happened to coincide with Father's Day and my Father-In-Law's birthday. While I'm not officially a dad yet, both my parents and Jeff wished me well anyway. *laughs*

Mom brought a homemade apple pie which was really good. She also bought a little outfit for baby when she is old enough to wear it next summer, some baby stuff from when I was a kid, along with my baptismal gown - how neat!

Dad and I tried locating a replacement truck for the farm but without much success. The one we found close to their place sold on Thursday. Why do people leave multiple ads up on craigslist after the sale? It's really annoying! Anyway, it was fun - and I hope he finds a suitable truck for his needs and the dog's as well (he rides in the cab too).

Arizona!

2010-06-12T08:25:00.002-05:00

We just got back from our vacation to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, Arizona. We couldn't spend a lot of time there since we have to save our vacation time for when the baby is born, but three days was more than enough to see the sights and get some needed relaxation!

While at the Grand Canyon, we walked along the South Rim and witnessed several breathtaking views - it was a great experience! Sedona, about 2.5 hours south, is a small tourist town with lots of history itself. The red rock formations in this area are outstanding! This is the birthplace of the 'dirt shirt' that's gaining popularity nationwide. It was also a popular movie set location for several of Hollywood's westerns. It was a neat place to visit and I'm glad Elizabeth chose the area to stay while on vacation.

New baby = Girl baby!

2010-05-08T06:41:00.002-05:00

Our new baby is going to be a girl! Elizabeth and I now get to start figuring out girl names, what color to paint the baby's room and how to keep everything from being pink. ;)

Arse-Kickin Cold

2010-05-05T21:47:00.001-05:00

My second cold of the year is a real pain. I'm coughing every 10 min or less, my head hurts, my nose hates me, it's always hot everywhere, I'm tired a lot of the time and pretty much sick of being sick. I want normal back already! Darn it all!

MOD

2010-03-30T06:22:00.002-05:00

Every year the company I work for has fund-raising campaigns for the March of Dimes. My department's event is Office Golf - where we set up a miniature golf course around the floor, through the cubicles and using office-related items to make things a little interesting. It's a lot of fun - and a lot of work! All for a great cause, though...helping babies to be born healthy and full-term so they have enough time to develop. We've raised almost $1,200 so far in less than two months!

Porter Gets a New Pair o' Shoes

2010-03-27T07:39:00.003-05:00

Porter (my '81 Honda Passport C70) was purchased in 1982 and then parked in my grandfather's garage for 27 years. When the scooter was resurrected, the cycle shop said its tires were cracking and will eventually need to be replaced. Well, that time is now!

Last weekend I was headed out to meet up with my friend Keith to scoot around town for awhile. At a stop sign, I sometimes check to make sure the tires aren't losing air. What I saw was far worse - the rear tire has a large crack (about 12") running along the sidewall. Definitely not good!

Of course, a bike this old has hard-to-find parts. Five different repair shops didn't have both tires in stock. So they'll need to be ordered and installed in the next week or so.

One Month Later...

2010-03-18T21:24:00.002-05:00

So, there really hasn't been a lot of news going on since 'the announcement' - I've basically been telling everyone I know. :) Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. I had a Jameson & Ginger Ale at the quiet little place next to where I work, then took the train home. I twisted my knee funny a couple days ago and it hurt, so I wasn't up for partying much.

I did, however, see the Jameson promo girls hawking things on Nicollet Mall. They had these nifty-cool green & white striped hats that were similar to Dr. Seuss. :)

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-02-17T21:01:00.003-06:00

It's my birthday! I was able to get the day off from work (for FREE even), so I spent the entire day doing things that I like to do. Here's a little sample:

1) Had breakfast at White Castle (hey, don't knock it)
2) Went shopping for a new HDTV - and bought one!
3) Picked up a new HDTV cable box from Comcast
4) Got a massage - mmmmm....
5) Saved the wife from a bumpy bus ride
6) Went out to dinner
7) Found out what Wifey got me for my b-day. A Wii! =)
8) Watched stuff on the new TV!

I heard from a friends and family members alike wishing me a happy day. Some of which I hadn't heard from in awhile, so that was pretty cool!

Plus One

2010-02-13T21:17:00.001-06:00

Yup, that's right! We will be parents before the end of summer! *yay* Yes, you may freak out now - it's okay. *hehehe*

Lego Batman - 100% Complete!

2010-01-31T07:23:00.003-06:00

I finished Lego Batman on my trusty ol' PS2 last night. I know, it's not the toughest game in the world but it is time consuming at least. There were a few levels that had some tricks I hadn't seen in previous games (Star Wars, Indiana Jones - both Lego editions).

I only had to use Internet for help once - and that was only because my TV contrast was off, which prevented me from seeing the exit for a certain section. That was pretty silly!

I have a couple of months before Lego Harry Potter comes out, so that will give me a little break from the clickity-clack for a while.

Stupid Cold

2010-01-31T07:19:00.002-06:00

I caught a cold two weeks ago. While it seemed as though it had gone away, it came back with a vengeance early this past week. This does not make Loki happy - not one bit. I think it's finally starting to subside, as it has moved from my head to my chest. Elizabeth didn't like hearing me cough all the time but that too is finally starting to become more and more infrequent. Here's to plenty of OJ! =)

The Saints Go Marchin'

2010-01-25T06:31:00.002-06:00

I'm very confident that the commute into work and hallways outside my office will be relatively quiet today. After the Vikings lost to the Saints in OT, if I do hear any talk about the Vikings it will likely be 'if that one play' or 'if that one call' or 'if Brett didn't throw that Interception' or something else like it.

Being a Packers fan, I was cheering for the Saints the entire game. Now they're off to the Super Bowl! I'll be cheering for them again in hopes they play as well against Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. It'd be nice to see a team that's never made it that far come away with a victory!

Next Blog...

2010-01-23T21:45:00.004-06:00

So, every once in awhile I click on the 'Next Blog' link at the top of this page. Sometimes it takes me to interesting places, others not so exciting and bland, occasionally I'll hit a blog in a foreign language written by a 12-year-old.

But tonight was different. I clicked and got a cyclist blog. As in bicycle. While that would sometimes interest me (as I have a few bike geek buddies) it wasn't something I wanted to see. So I clicked again - and another bike blog.

This happened 12 times in a row! I always thought that link was random? Guess not...

Disney World Marathon

2010-01-16T06:16:00.003-06:00

Elizabeth had always wanted to run the marathon at Disney. This past week, she did just that! It was probably one of the coldest Disney World Marathons on record, too. We did not get the nice warm FL weather - it even snowed early in the morning on Saturday and there was ice on race day with temperatures in the 20's! Nonetheless, we still had a great time.

Christmas Time

2009-12-27T19:42:00.002-06:00

Elizabeth and I braved the snow, sleet, ice and rain to make it back to the farm for Christmas. The roads were great when we started out, but started to get worse as the trip went on - to the point that it took 2 hours to get to my parents house from Madison (it normally takes an hour or less). We had a great time spending the holiday with my parents and extended family.

On Christmas Day, we headed out on the road again to her parents' house (the roads were a lot better by then). We had a great time spending the day and weekend with her family. Our niece and nephew are the cutest kids ever! Allison invited us to join her and grandpa and see the movie, "Princess and The Frog" which was pretty good - even for adults!

Splendid Night With Friends

2009-12-23T13:36:00.002-06:00

It has been a long, long time since the two of us have been able to get together with the Kooyers. But we finally were able to find a free night on both sides for everyone to hang out. Adam & Heather had us over for dinner and to finish off the remainder of the wine they bought in Italy.

Adam made stuffed manicotti for dinner. Along with the wine. a nice salad and some Italian bread with olive oil & balsamic vinegar, it was a Feast of Italy! The manicotti was delicious - Adam made enough for a large family, which was great because they gave us some to take home. For dessert, Elizabeth and I picked up a French Silk pie at The Baker's Wife in Minneapolis. It was gigantic, but so incredibly yummy - we'll definitely do that again! As payment for the take-home Italian, we left the pie...much to their delight!

It was great to visit with our friends again and hopefully we'll be able to match up our schedules and do it again really soon.

Happy Anniversary

2009-12-12T10:42:00.002-06:00

This past week we celebrated our 4th anniversary. We decided ahead of time that we weren't going to get each other presents, but you pretty much know how that always turns out - there were presents after all! Elizabeth wanted to surprise me - and pretty much did so, as she led me out for dinner and a night's stay at Sofitel. It's a french-themed hotel & restaurant that she has always wanted to stay at. I bought her a gift certificate at Banana Republic, one of her favorite places to shop. We had a great time and it was nice not to have to work the next day (at least for me - wifey still had to work). :)

Vikings Lost!

2009-12-07T17:50:00.004-06:00

The Arizona Cardinals dominated the game almost entirely, winning 30-17. I was smiling. :) Brett Favre wasn't a savior, the defense was exposed and Adrian Peterson wasn't even an issue. Now, the perfect follow-up would be if the Packers end up winning tonight against Baltimore. *crosses fingers*

Update: The PACKERS won their game! *woo-HOO* =)

Turkey!

2009-12-04T12:47:00.002-06:00

The wife and I went to my parents farm for Thanksgiving weekend. I haven't been back home since June, so it was a welcome trip regardless of the holiday. Instead of spending time with the extended relatives, Mom thought it would be nice to just have a small celebration and be thankful in a small fashion. I agreed! We arrived just before the Packers game started (as scheduled) and there was plenty of turkey, stuffing, potatoes and carrots to go around. Mom also made these butter rolls that were to die for! =)

On Friday, Elizabeth and I wanted to go to Galena, Illinois to stock up at their winery and visit the little shops in the historic town. We were a little freaked out to find that our favorite popcorn place was gone - but then were joyous when we found it had just relocated further down on the other side of the street. Have you ever had Grape Popcorn?!?! Splendid...

Elizabeth wanted to run 10 miles in preparation for her next marathon, so I plotted a course through the hilly countryside. She finished it, but I'm sure she will want to look for flatter terrain in the future.

Mom wanted me to put up Christmas lights on the balcony, so that was my task for Saturday. Dad was 'volunteered' (to his dismay) to assist and it made the job a lot quicker. I also helped Dad get the pool ready for winter - the water was 32F. Needless to say, we didn't go swimming.

I ended up getting almost an entire batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies by the end of the weekend. I like going home to visit and it's great to spend time with my family. 2-3 times a year just isn't enough, though - so I hope to be able to make it a little more frequent in the future.

Winery Road Trip

2009-11-22T10:57:00.003-06:00

My parents stopped at a winery on the way home from visiting us this past summer. They are now fresh out of their supply and asked me to pick some up before going home for Thanksgiving next week.

In the little town of Cannon Falls, there's a neat little winery that uses a blend of grapes from Minnesota and other regions. Cannon River Winery sits in the heart of downtown. For $5, you get a full sampling of whatever is currently available - with the exception of the reserve (which requires forfeiture of an extra dollar bill) - from their wide variety of wines. I sampled about 14 different wines and found a few favorites of my own (Nouveaux, Minnesota Meritage, Lorraine's White, Sogn Blush). The reserve was also very tasty - but for $24 it seems a bit pricey for local grape goodness.

Little did I know, but Cannon River Winery supplies the famous Mancini's Char House with both a house white (West 7th White) and red (Mancini's Levee Red) vino. Both of which are quite good - and remind me of several good nights at that establishment.

Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T15:00:00.002-06:00

Today is Friday, November 13th. Are you worried about what might happen? Is the world going to end? Don't walk under that ladder! Beware of black felines crossing the path in front of you...

Want to know what's really weird?!?! I don't have to work another Friday until January 15, 2010! Of course, now that I've said that statement on this unluckiest of unlucky days something is bound to go wrong - isn't it?! =)

I've never believed in superstitions - but yet, I'm quite entertained by them and will sometimes say something just to get a reaction. Let's hope that I don't anger the spirits and jinx myself! ;)

*knocks on wood*

Trick!

2009-11-05T21:21:00.004-06:00

Elizabeth and I attended her co-worker's annual Halloween party. While last year's bash was held in a small apartment, the hosts (Nick & Tawny) have since moved into a house - and a very nice one, at that! Tawny expanded her Halloween decorations collection and did a great job at making everything spooky - with fog and everything.

This is one of the pictures hanging on the wall. At the party, we thought it looked very similar to David Bowie - what do you think?

Later in the evening, we were entertained by their two dogs. They're pretty funny, especially when they started having a howling contest. They did some other things, too - but this is a PG blog, so we won't go into that. :)

Birthday, Dinner & A Movie

2009-11-01T13:18:00.002-06:00

Last night, Elizabeth and I went to a friend's birthday celebration. It was a surprise dinner at P.F. Chang at the Southdale Mall in Edina. Miranda invited us to join in on the festivities to honor her fiance Gabe on his 30th birthday. Dinner was pretty good - I tried a new drink that I didn't like, but Elizabeth picked a good one (usually it's the other way around)! Gabe's brother and sister even dressed up for Halloween. :)

We had a great time at dinner, then the four of us went to see This Is It at our nearby local theatre. Michael Jackson was in really good form and looked ready to go. It would have been an awesome concert, that's for sure.

Marathon Mania

2009-10-15T06:13:00.002-05:00

Who in their right mind would run the Twin Cities Marathon and then two weeks later run another marathon in San Francisco? My wife, that's who! =) Elizabeth beat her personal record at the TCM two weekends ago. This morning, she and several of her running group friends are flying out to California and doing it all over again.

Juicy Lucy

2009-09-20T08:26:00.005-05:00

Elizabeth and I started going out on Fridays to various local establishments to sample their version of the "Juicy Lucy" - a cheeseburger with a layer of cheese melted inside the burger. It was supposedly invented here in the Twin Cities and there are several varieties.

It all started with Nook, a small bar & grill in residential St. Paul. Their version was so good, we started telling everyone about it. That's when the feedback occurred - our friends and co-workers would say, "Have you tried it at this other place?" We decided that we should do a comparison!

Here's the list of places we've been to so far (ranked in order of preference):

1) Nook - (St. Paul) visited first, hard to beat! *yummmm*
2) Matt's Bar - (Minneapolis) a great Jucy Lucy (note the spelling), cash only!
3) The Cardinal Tavern - (Minneapolis) visited last, good Lucy and Cheddar Crisps!
4) Blue Door Pub - (St. Paul) probably the best variety of Lucy (at least 10 of them)
5) The 5-8 Club - (Minneapolis) recommended by many, but it just wasn't as good.

It will be interesting to see how the list changes as the contest continues.

Rattle My Bones

2009-08-26T21:33:00.003-05:00

Alright, so I haven't been posting to the blog on a regular basis. But who has? Anyway, I've been busy this summer. Take the Rattle My Bones scooter rally for example. I was only able to attend part of the festivities, but let me tell you - riding with 250+ other scooter fans was pretty dang cool! A modest $35 registration gets you full access, plus a grab bag, shot glass, free food & drink and a heck of a good time. At first I thought I was going to be the only person there with a vintage Honda Passport. Then another guy pulls in with one a year newer (close call). However, I eventually got beat out by not one...not two...but three 1963 Honda 50's (basically the predecessor to the Cub/Passport) which were awesome classics. Two of which left before the Big Ride, a 70-mile jaunt through the backstreets of the metro. So mine wasn't the oldest, but Porter was the only blue Cub/Passport in the lot. I'll likely go back again next year - besides, with a kick butt logo and a rally named after a cool Suburbs tune what's not to like?

Go East!

2009-08-09T07:56:00.002-05:00

Last weekend, Elizabeth and I left to join her family on a road trip out east. I wasn't totally enthusiastic about it at first (5 adults and 2 toddlers packed into a Honda minivan) but it ended up being a great trip! We went, we saw and we did many things, including...

Dined with relatives in Cleveland, OH
Chatted with more relatives in Harrisburg, PA
Learned about chocolate in Hershey, PA
Toured the dutch region and ate lunch on an old-time train in Strasburg, PA
Dipped our feet in the Atlantic Ocean at Cape May, NJ
Walked through American history at various sites in Philadelphia, PA

There were a few more details but this pretty much sums it up. Now I have a couple days off to recover from a wacky sleep schedule, eating at weird times and de-kinking the knots in my back. ;)

My wife is a PK

2009-07-21T22:14:00.002-05:00

This weekend, Elizabeth and I went to Eau Claire for her father's ordination. It was a great celebration and he was able to share it with many of his friends, colleagues, family and fellow members of his congregation. That makes Bob-in-law a pastor, where he will start his new call and career in a few weeks. Later on Sunday, both Elizabeth and her sister were saying, "I'm a PK!" repeatedly and it was quite funny. I guess that makes me a PK-in-law. ;)

Remembrance

2009-07-01T23:07:00.002-05:00

The following four celebrities are no longer with us:

1) Michael Jackson
2) Farrah Fawcett
3) Ed McMahon
4) Billy Mays

Okay, now we can move on - right, mainstream media?

Fathers Day

2009-06-21T21:24:00.002-05:00

My parents came up for a visit and to once again go to the Back To The 50's car show. This year it coincided with Fathers Day. I'd say my dad had a great time this weekend, getting to see all the old cars and finding ones similar to his 1959 Chevy Impala coupe. This morning, Elizabeth and I treated my parents to breakfast at Original Pancake House. Dad even got to take Porter out for a spin before they left around noon.

This evening, we met Elizabeth's parents and her sister's family for dinner at the Freight House in Stillwater, MN. The kids (our niece and nephew) were great, especially Will - who insisted that I draw cars and trucks all over his place mat. It was also my father-in-law's birthday this weekend, so we celebrated that as well.

Strange & Funny Things

2009-06-14T07:49:00.002-05:00

I work in downtown Minneapolis, which unfortunately isn't really all that green. Not many trees, grassy areas, wooded parks or anything like that. That's why I found it rather strange that I saw a deer walking around the other day. It was lost and wandered in from a neighboring residential area. The doe just walked around, causing traffic to stop and people to stare in disbelief.

Later in the week, I took the scooter out for a spin after work - and saw the funniest car accident ever! Someone was making a left-hand turn onto a side street and missed the street completely! Instead, the driver hit the corner, went up on the curb and somehow managed to hang their car up on a bracing cable for a telephone pole. All four wheels were off the ground! I tried to take a picture but the iPhone's camera isn't that great with far away items.

Porter's Revenge

2009-06-07T16:34:00.002-05:00

It rained this weekend - a LOT! I'm not complaining one bit, though, because we're kind of in the middle of a drought so far this summer and we need the rain. Also, it gave me some time to work on Porter (my '81 Honda Passport C70...yes, I named it!). Porter has been a lot of fun so far this year, but I couldn't get him running right - ever. I vowed that I'd make him better - and I did just that!

A while back, I bought a carburetor rebuild kit as my first-ever purchase on eBay. I just never got time to put it in because the weather was always nice or I had something else to do. Yesterday, however, I took apart Porter's carb and rebuilt it with new needles, jets and gaskets. After resetting it to Honda specs, I put it back in the scooter - and it fired up instantly! It seemed to run okay but I wanted to test it out on the road.

The road test was today - and all I can say is what a difference it made! It idles smooth, runs without the choke pulled out and doesn't hesitate mid-throttle anymore. The scooter is even more fun to ride than it was before!

However, this enlightenment just furthers my frustration with the repair shop that had supposedly gone through everything and rebuilt the carb already. Why did I give you guys money, anyway?!

The New Graduates

2009-05-28T21:58:00.001-05:00

Memorial Weekend was also graduation weekend for my father- and sister-in-law. Both Georgia and Bob graduated from Luther Seminary this past Sunday. While I was unable to attend the festivities, my wife said that everyone had a great time celebrating with family and friends.

Congratulations to Georgia and Bob! =)

Kickin' Bass

2009-05-28T21:49:00.003-05:00

After a shaky start to Memorial Weekend with Elizabeth's car dying on us before leaving town, my friends and I made it to our usual hangout outside of Alexandria on Friday night. We immediately went out on the lake to get caught up on missed time with our swimming friends.

On the second cast, I caught my first fish in three years! After that, things were incredibly relaxed and we were just having fun. I ended catching over a dozen bass the entire weekend - which is pretty good for me! All of them went back into the lake, minus the last one which a friend wanted to fillet and keep.

It was a great weekend! I even won at poker two nights in a row. ;)

Goin Fishin

2009-05-19T21:51:00.003-05:00

This upcoming Memorial Weekend marks yet another trip with my friends and their families to Alexandria for an extended weekend of fishing. I look forward to this trip every year (much to my wife's dismay) and enjoy being out on the lake with my group of friends.

When Todd & Renae first started inviting friends several years ago, I didn't even fish. After a couple years of hanging out in the boat, I decided to give it a go and bought my own pole. The past two years have been rough - not a single fish caught by Loki.

But this year....THIS YEAR....things will be different! OR ELSE!!! :-/

Porter Goes To Work

2009-05-09T07:11:00.001-05:00

The weather for Thursday was supposed to be gorgeous and warm enough in the morning to make my first attempt at taking Porter (my Honda Passport scooter) into work. I estimated my travel time of about an hour and left 15 minutes early in case of traffic issues. It was a bit chilly in the shady areas, but overall the ride was splendid! No real traffic until I got close to downtown Minneapolis - one of the benefits of taking back streets.

Everyone was asking if I was going to commute in this fashion every day. I don't think that would be a good idea, as it's a shorter commute if I take the train. But I might ride my scooter to the bus stop more frequently as summer rolls in!

Good Day for a Picnic

2009-05-02T21:04:00.002-05:00

We went to Como Park for a picnic today in celebration of my mother-in-law's birthday earlier this week. It was really nice out (mid-60s) and even though there was a slight breeze it turned out to be good weather to pull up a bench and have some cake. Afterwards, we watched Allison and Will climb around on the playground - of course, they didn't want to leave when it was time to go. =)

Think About It. Think About It. Think...

2009-04-04T17:20:00.003-05:00

Last weekend on Saturday my friend Jason and I hung out, grabbed some beer and burgers at The Bulldog and then went to see Information Society in concert. We had fun, even though we purposely went late to avoid the opening acts and still ended up catching the last 2 out of 3 anyway. Insoc didn't go on until after 11pm, but it was worth the wait. I've forgotten how insanely hilarious these guys are from seeing interviews on MTV back in the 80's and 90's. They played a great set as well, including songs from their early early days (think 1981) that have never been released. Being originally from Minneapolis, Kurt kept saying, "We claim we are from here." What, like we're embarrased?

Mission Trip Highlights

2009-03-26T21:27:00.003-05:00

Elizabeth and I returned from our Mission Trip to Jamaica this past weekend. It was truly a great experience, one that I will always remember! Meeting the congregation there and becoming part of their community for only a few days was amazing.

We built a house - in four days! The family that was chosen to receive it were very grateful and appreciated it tremendously. Gregory, who was 5 years old, spent every day at the site "helping" us build what would soon become his home. I'm proud to be part of the team of people who helped make it a reality.

Elizabeth also spent time with the kids at the preschool. She showed her given talents in leading the group of youngsters through various songs and activities. My wife did a great job and I'm glad that I was able to join her and see it first hand.

Now I'm back to my normal life and I'm not quite used to it yet. I think that's a good thing...

Jamaica or Bust!

2009-03-13T00:03:00.003-05:00

Okay, I'll be honest - I choose Jamaica! It was -3' F in Minneapolis this morning when I was going into work. I checked the weather app on my iPhone and in Kingston it was 75! With a high of 83 today! The only thing I don't like is that we have to be at the airport at 4am. Yikes!

Blog Slacking

2009-03-07T10:27:00.003-06:00

I realized today that I haven't put up a post in awhile. Not because I've been completely lazy, but there just hasn't been that much going on! We've been laying pretty low and getting ready for the mission trip to Jamaica with Elizabeth's church back home. Other than that, here's what's happening:

- I got J stuck in our driveway coming home from work in the last snowstorm.
- Wifey and I went to Salut for dinner and it was really really good!
- Work has been busy and I've remained off the computer while at home.
- Elizabeth is teaching fitness classes and judging HS speech competitions.
- I can't seem to get past a certain level in Lego Batman...

Oh, and we're going to Mystic Lake Casino for dinner at the buffet tonight. I can't remember the last time I've been there...it might be 1996. ;)

Birthday Week

2009-02-21T09:15:00.004-06:00

While I had intended to put up a post on my birthday it just didn't happen. So, here's the recap of my birthday week! =) On Tuesday, I slept in because I had the day off. Then I bummed around on the computer, went out for coffee with a good friend, went shopping at the Apple Store, had lunch via White Castle, got my free birthday car wash and went out to dinner with Elizabeth. She gave me an iTunes gift card and a new office chair (mine squeaks a lot). I also got lots of text messages, e-cards and phone calls from friends & family wishing me a happy birthday. Gotta love technology! I got a card and phone call from my parents and my aunt sent a card as well. My mother-in-law even sang to me (via voicemail). Cool day!

Last night, the in-laws met us at Macaroni Grill at Rosedale Center. It was probably the best experience I've had at that restaurant - great food, fresh bread & fun with the family! I also got cards & presents there as well.

Lovers' Night Out

2009-02-15T08:24:00.003-06:00

For Valentine's Day, Elizabeth and I started a tradition of going out for dinner and taking turns at picking the restaurant. The only requirement is that it had to be someplace that neither of us had been to before.

This year was my pick and we made reservations for W.A. Frost & Company. It had a great rustic decor and excellent service. Wifey had the special, a tasting menu of six courses of various fare (I'd list them but I can't remember them all). I decided to go a different route, choosing the Tomato & Goat Cheese soup with a Caesar salad and then Norwegian salmon with Risotto. Very tasty!

Friday the 13th

2009-02-13T21:53:00.004-06:00

So, today is supposed to be the day. A black cat crosses your path. You break a mirror. Step on a crack and take your mom out of commission. Walk under that ladder. Breathe while passing a cemetery. Forget to throw spilled salt over your shoulder. How are you ever going to survive an unlucky day like this?!?!

The only thing weird that happened today was at happy hour in Brit's Pub - a nice 50-year-old woman invited me to have a drink with her while she waited for her girlfriends. That's it, really.

I'm still tempted to go see the remake of Friday the 13th but I just finished watching a movie. Oh well, maybe next month! ;)

No Rest for the Wicked

2009-01-25T21:19:00.002-06:00

Last time I checked, the weekends are for sleeping in as long as you want to (or can) because there's not really anything to get up early for. We don't have kids yet - this is supposed to be to our advantage! So what's up with this:

Saturday: Woke up bright-eyed & bushy-tailed at 5:35 (for no reason whatsoever).
Sunday: Phone beeped at 6:20 (a work thing) and I couldn't fall back asleep.

That's 10 hours of sleep in two nights, folks. Not cool!

My First Root Canal

2009-01-24T10:22:00.004-06:00

They say it happens to everyone. Ladies and Gentlemen, I have now joined the Root Canal Club! It all started a couple days after Christmas when it hurt to chew on one side of my mouth. Then my formerly crowned tooth became extremely sensitive to temperature. Finally toothaches. Ouch!

Upon visiting the dentist, he mentioned that I might need a root canal. I've heard the stories. The pain, the agony, the drilling and scraping. I wasn't all that excited about it. The dentist made some adjustments to my bite by grinding off a little of the crown and the toothaches went away. I was praying for the best.....but no! I had been scheduled for a root canal.

Surprisingly, the entire experience was a positive one! They shot me full of five different types of Novocaine, tested with liquid nitrogen to make sure I wouldn't feel anything and explained every step as they went along. Metro Dental Care rocks! They even called me the day after to see if I had any questions and if I was feeling okay.

Now I can eat normal again. *YAY*
(image is of The Tooth Stool, designed by Philippe Starck)

Heat Wave!

2009-01-21T17:02:00.002-06:00

So, Old Man Winter really stuck it to us last week - temps were as cold as 25 degrees below zero on some mornings, making the daily commute quite a pain in the arse. It was so cold that you could spit ice cubes!

This week, however, has been quite pleasurable and mild - for January, anyway. Temps are about 50 degrees warmer than last week (that's 25 above zero, folks!). I was able to clear the snow, slush and ice off my driveway today. Maybe now my garage will stay clean...

Old Man Winter

2009-01-08T16:55:00.003-06:00

We're supposedly going to get a decent amount of snow tonight and tomorrow, with 2-5 inches of white fluffy goodness expected. This is a good thing - I like snow!

The problem is that next week it'll be really freakishly cold. We're talking highs of zero and sometimes below that. This is what I don't like about winter and living in Minnesota. Highs in the 20's are fine. Highs with negative numbers aren't.

Old Man Winter should make up his mind. This up & down stuff is for the penguins!

Update: We didn't get more than a light dusting. Go figure!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T07:46:00.002-06:00

It was a great holiday season! Wifey and I were able to spend a lot of quality time together and were able to visit each side of the family for Christmas. There was a lot of snow! Then it rained a lot and froze, leaving a big ice rink in our main driveway - but that made it more fun to back out and swing our car around like in the movies. ;)

Tonight we'll be spending time with friends while ringing in the New Year. Let's hear it for 2009! =)

Swarm of Meat

2008-12-20T09:23:00.003-06:00

Earlier this month my wife and I celebrated our third anniversary. We decided to go out for dinner at someplace new for a change (usually that's reserved for Valentine's Day) and ended up going to Fogo de Chao. It's a Brazilian steakhouse and is the place to go if you're a carnivore.

We had reservations for 6pm on a weeknight and the restaurant wasn't busy at all. This usually would be a good thing, but when there are a dozen or so anxious servers it's a little overwhelming. If you're not familiar with this restaurant, upon your signal they bring meat to your table - a pretty neat concept. However, we were literally swarmed with meat within a 2-minute time span. Yikes!!! Once more people arrived a little later, things got a lot more manageable and we would have one person stop by every so often.

It was a great experience overall with superb customer service. I'd recommend it to anyone that likes a variety of meats - there are 15 of them, after all - and they have a great salad bar as well. You won't leave hungry!

Unbelievable

2008-12-05T11:57:00.005-06:00

I paid only $1.54/gallon for gas last week. Unbelievable, considering that earlier this year I unloaded my Jeep Liberty in favor of a Jetta 2.0T just before fuel spiked up to $4+. Who would have thought that this was possible? Too bad it's not something to really celebrate considering the global economy and all. I checked GasBuddy and it ranges from $1.58 to $1.64 today in my neighborhood.

Back in August 2005 when I bought the Jeep it was at around $1.82 (we had months worth of constant reminders as a gas station in Brooklyn Park had closed with that amount still on the sign). Two weeks afterward, it leaped to $2.39. When I was a teen I could fill up my 20 gallon tank for less than $16 (when it was $.84/gal). Will we see that again? Who knows...but I doubt it. Of course, I never expected to see these kind of prices again either!

Necessary Farts

2008-11-30T15:45:00.002-06:00

Last night we got together with a few friends for dinner and a play. Yes, a play! Due to a lot of spawning, our friends haven't been getting out as much as they'd like to - so they got a sitter (aka Grandma) and set up an outing. We went to Maynard's in Excelsior - a first for us. They had really good food and even passed the French Onion soup test! Afterward, we caught a play at the Old Log Theater called "An Unnecessary Farce." It was an okay show, but it's title caused a bit of confusion among the group - it became a running joke the entire evening. =)

Turkey Trot

2008-11-30T15:37:00.002-06:00

Every Thanksgiving, Elizabeth's family has a 'running' tradition of participating in the Turkey Trot. It's a nice little 5K that takes place in the streets of Eau Claire, WI. The proceeds benefit the local food shelf. It's always a fun run! This is my second year of participating though I've attended twice before that.

Afterward, we spent Thanksgiving Day with family and friends - the first holiday at her parents' new house. My folks weren't able to come up this year but I was able to talk to Mom for awhile on the phone. I had to work on Friday, but was able to break away for a late lunch with Elizabeth, her parents and the Larson clan. Allie and Will are so cute sometimes!

Viva La Vida

2008-11-20T22:20:00.004-06:00

Elizabeth and I went to see Coldplay in concert on Friday night. We ended up with terrific seats on the main floor and it was a really great performance. Here's a pic of their final set, taken with my iPhone. If only it had a zoom! ;)

Coldplay was originally scheduled to play here in July. Chris Martin was really nice about it and apologized profusely, but promised that it was worth the wait - and that they sound a lot better now than they did back then. I'd have to agree. Everything was quite showy, from the funky globes to the laser lightshow to the millions of nylon butterflies covering the crowd. It was very cool to witness it all!

It's Over! Well, Almost...

2008-11-05T21:21:00.004-06:00

This is probably my favorite time of any election year. No signs in every yard and on every corner. No dorky looking person waving as people honk. No smear campaigns or negative ads on television.

Just...
...Quiet!

Except that Coleman and Franken are still tied in a dead heat and we now have to hear about the recount for what could possibly be several weeks?!?! Yikes...glad I'm not them!

By the way, if you didn't vote yesterday you have no right to complain about anything that happens during the next term of the candidate who won each ballot. You do, however, have the right to wear this t-shirt. :)

Nice Day For A Ride

2008-11-01T19:19:00.003-05:00

Today started out a bit chilly, but by afternoon of was nice enough to take Porter out for a couple of hours. I drove through a few local dealerships just to see what was there (something I do frequently) and I got a compliment from one of the salespeople who loved the scooter.

It's nice to hear good things while joyriding! :)

New Door!

2008-10-30T22:13:00.001-05:00

How exciting is my life that I'm proclaiming my new storm door, huh? But it is quite a nice piece of adornment on the front of our town house. My friend Keith and I put in in late Saturday afternoon with little problems. However, the vinyl retainers that lock the glass in place didn't quite want to go in - so that waited until Sunday afternoon (when it was a lot colder).

I'll add a picture to this post when I decide to take one - which will probably be this weekend. I still need to caulk around the edges where the door meets the house.

No Update Needed

2008-10-18T09:39:00.002-05:00

That's the truth, really - there really isn't all that much going on lately. I'm not complaining about that either. It's kind of nice to not have a lot of things happening. After all, the holidays are just around the corner and I need to build up my sanity storage banks. ;)

It's Hot?!?!

2008-10-12T21:02:00.002-05:00

I love the fall season with leaves turning various shades, cooler evenings and wonderful smells of a decaying summer. Today, however, is a little too warm for October - as it's 80 degrees F in my house (warmer upstairs) with all windows open. I know that I shouldn't complain, as temps will likely be below zero in a few months (maybe days), but this is ridiculous!

The only good thing about today's unseasonal warmth is that I was able to take the scooter out for about 5 hours worth of joy riding. It was great to see all the colors!

26.2 - complete!

2008-10-05T21:14:00.004-05:00

Well, the rain came back - with a vengeance! Shortly before Elizabeth got to Lake Calhoun, the clouds opened up and dumped sheets upon sheets of rain with a cold wind of 25-30 mph off the lake. It wasn't pleasant for me standing behind a tree and holding an umbrella. The Robbinsdale City Band packed it up and left. The runners got s-o-a-k-e-d! I asked the wife if getting rained on is better than running in 85-degree humid weather and she said NO!

Elizabeth did finish the marathon though, running mostly by herself and with an injured foot to boot! I'm proud of her accomplishments and was glad I was able to cheer her on. I even managed to get a couple of good pictures (taken later at 10m and 23-24m when it wasn't raining). But she's supposedly doing her own blog post, so you'll have to go see it there. =)

Rain^2 Go Away!

2008-10-05T06:55:00.002-05:00

Today's the day of the Twin Cities Marathon -- and it's raining! The forecast says that it'll rain throughout the majority of the race. I was going to take Porter as a "seeitoldyouso" to the various points of the course and cheer on my wife who's running again this year (with an injury even!). I didn't care if I was out & about and it started to rain - but I don't much care for having it rain the entire time! Aside from the annoyance factor, it's just not very safe - and being cold and wet isn't that enjoyable.

117 mpg!

2008-09-28T21:00:00.002-05:00

On Saturday I decided to find out how long it would take me to get from home to Lake Calhoun, using only back streets since I was riding Porter (the scooter). It took about 54 minutes to get to the Caribou on Excelsior - not bad, as I had given myself an hour to get there. On the way back, Porter started to sputter and lose speed...time to switch over to the Reserve tank and find the nearest gas station!

After filling up with 3/4 gallon of premium petrol (a whopping $2.76) I calculated the gas mileage - and was quite pleased at the 117.33 mpg I received! That definitely makes the scooter a fun weekend hobby. =)

Almost Packed

2008-09-20T16:06:00.001-05:00

The wife and I are leaving town for a few days. She has a business-related trip that lands her about an hour away from my parents' farm. So, I decided to go with to keep her company on the five-hour drive - and then I'll hang out with the cows for a few days. =)

Zoot Scootin' Riot

2008-09-20T15:41:00.002-05:00

I took my Motorcycle Permit exam yesterday morning before work, passing with flying colors. So of course, today I had to get out on the streets with Porter (the name of our '81 Honda Passport) and scoot around town...and then a few other towns as well! =)

Some things that I've forgotten since my youthful days of motorcycling:
- Bugs hurt! (even at 30 mph)
- You seem to notice the smell of car exhaust more.
- A 70cc engine does not like to get you up hills quickly.
- Your butt starts to hurt after a couple hours of riding!

All that aside, it was a lot of fun tooling around town this morning. Porter got a great break-in and filling up is very nice on the wallet, with a whopping $2.76 for .73 gallons! =)

Summer in September

2008-09-17T20:27:00.003-05:00

The weather has been absolutely terrific this week! Temperatures in the upper 70's to low 80's, warm sunny days, cool breezy nights - simply wonderful. I went for a walk after work this evening and even with shorts on it was pretty warm. Tomorrow I shall go for a ride on my scooter! *sweeet*

Pendulum - "Other Side"

2008-09-11T21:48:00.005-05:00

When we were in Italy last year with Adam & Heather, we caught some music videos on Italy's national MTV-alike called AllMusic. Every once in awhile I visit their stream on the web and see things I normally wouldn't have in my own bubble.

Check these Aussie guys out - they're pretty cool:

Hey Mom, Look!

2008-09-11T21:13:00.005-05:00

I stumbled upon this site yesterday and thought I should share:

Passive-Aggressive (and just plain Aggressive) Notes

This kind of stuff makes me chuckle. If you go back far enough you'll find some pretty strange stuff in the land of written communication! =)

Go Pack Go!

2008-09-09T18:35:00.002-05:00

The 2008 NFL season kicked off this past weekend and I'm pleased to announce that the Green Bay Packers won their first game against the Minnesota Vikings. Yay!!! I'm really proud of my fellow fans who were at the game last night at Lambeau Field - some of them had signs that supported Aaron Rodgers (our new QB) and others that said they still love Favre. All of them, however, were cheering on the Packers the entire game. Even though I was still deathly ill, I cheered along with them - with a really hoarse voice and coughing a few times afterward.

Week In Review

2008-09-06T06:09:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since my last post, but things have been a little busy so you know how it works - yes, the blog gets pushed to the back of the pile. Anyway, Labor Day weekend was excellent! It started off with the wife and I's usual Friday night trivia outing at Majors. I met my friend Miranda for coffee the next morning for our weekly hangout at Caribou Coffee. I was going to get my Motorcycle permit but everything was closed due to the holiday weekend.

Wifey and I then headed "up north" to her sister's cabin for the weekend, both to see the cabin for the first time and to spend time with family as we celebrate her sister's birthday. We had a great time! On Sunday we went to a winery in McGregor, MN - a town that I had been to a long long time ago. It was weird seeing it again as an adult! I wanted to drive by my uncle's cabin at a nearby lake but we didn't have time and I didn't know exactly where it was. We later spent the evening at our brother-in-law's parents lake house and had a splendid dinner and great conversation.

This week, Elizabeth's Dad stayed with us for a couple of nights. He offered to make us dinner and we gladly accepted. It was nice to have him stay with us.

I'm starting to come down with a cold. Hopefully it won't get too annoying with it's scratchy throat and stuffy nose. I'm not a big fan of being sick. = P

Deep Fried Spam Curds

2008-08-27T22:23:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, my friend Heather and I went to the MN State Fair. Wifey was sleeping off an injured foot and Adam was out of town. It was a great evening, with really nice weather and decent crowds. We ate our 'fair' share of food and even went on the big yellow slide. All in all, we had a fun time at the fair!

Every year I try to get something new. This year, it was two things - a Salted Nut Roll (not from Pearson's) and Deep Fried Spam Curds! Now, that was a real treat...Spam, Cheese, Crispy Batter, with BBQ and Ranch sauce for dipping. Yum!

Heather and I finished up the evening by sampling some of the Minnesota wines. I can't remember what it was called, but it tasted good - and the musicians were covering Journey. :)

WinXP SP3 - Cumulative? Not!

2008-08-24T20:52:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was greeting by my trusty little yellow shield next to my clock. Upon examining the details, it said that SP3 was available and wrapped all of the updates into one neat & tidy package. So I installed it...and today, the yellow shield returned with another update.

I know Microsoft lies, but c'mon - one freakin' day? Not a chance in hell I'll buy Vista...

Vroom Vroom!

2008-08-23T07:20:00.003-05:00

My scooter is once again running! Quite well, in fact. All of that rust from the tank really did a number on performance. Some of the particles were so small and looked like really fine dust - that made its way through the filter screen on the carb and settled in various collection points. After trying to acid rinse the tank myself at the recommendation of a local cycle shop, I then took it to Tank Renu - a little outfit in Shakopee. They media blasted the tank and baked on a liner. Good as (or maybe even better than) new! And for $35 it was well worth it.

I also bought new fuel lines as the old ones were getting pretty dried out and I didn't want any cracks or leaks. Instead of going with original lines, I opted for standard hose from a local auto parts store. Another $4 investment well spent.

After putting everything together, I rode around the neighborhood adjusting and tweaking until it purrs like I remember from way back in 1982 (the first time I rode it at my grandparents' house).

The license plates are in the mail, so I'll be hitting the streets very soon!

A Penny Sold is A Hundred Pennies Earned

2008-08-22T13:25:00.003-05:00

My boss took my co-worker RaeAnn and I out for lunch today to celebrate RaeAnn's birthday. On the way there, we saw this guy and his really clever business model. I wonder how he's doing...

In case you can't see the writing, it says "LUCKY PENNY - $1$"

I didn't stop to ask him about the details, but I just might do that if he's still hanging around after happy hour. =)

Door County

2008-08-11T20:33:00.003-05:00

Like I said, I didn't want to worry about blogging while in scenic Door County. It was one of the most relaxing vacation spots I've been to - and the funny thing is that both Elizabeth and I are from Wisconsin and neither of us had been there before.

We got arrived at Sister Bay around 8pm on Thursday, checked into the resort and decided to pick up food and bring it back to our condo. This was a wise move as the Mexican restaurant was packed with a long wait...not something good for two toddlers. The food was excellent!

On Friday, we started off slow and went to breakfast at the infamous Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant and Butik. The servers were dressed up in Scandinavian traditional attire and the food was splendid - well worth the 1.5 hour wait. For the afternoon, we explored the 'thumb' of Wisconsin and went all the way to the tip...just to say we were there. ;) That evening, we went further south to Egg Harbor and ate at Shipwrecked, another fine establishment. Georgia, Brian, Elizabeth and I then played mini-golf at Pirate's Cove. I got a hole-in-one!!! =)

Saturday started off with my wife's marathon training, a 14-mile run around rural Door County starting shortly after 6am. I was the clock/water stop guy with the van. I have to hand it to my wife, she's got a lot of desire to be able to run like she does! I found a cool little series on YouTube that kept me occupied. Later on Saturday, we did toured a few wineries and found some great deals on some really good wine. We also stopped by a state park to hang out at the beach, which was a lot of fun for our niece & nephew - and the rest of us who got to watch as they got extremely wet and covered in sand. Unfortunately, Elizabeth started coming down with a nasty cold - but the rest of us went to Fish Creek for a 'fish boil' - my very first. The food was once again excellent.

Elizabeth and I decided that we'll definitely go back to Door County again. We had a great time and would have loved to spend more time exploring the little towns and finding more great experiences.

Chicago Trip: Day 4

2008-08-10T19:33:00.003-05:00

Okay, so this is a wee bit delayed - but I just didn't feel like going on the Internet all that much from our resort in Door County.

On the last day of our trip to Chicago, we ate breakfast at the Hilton on Michigan Avenue. It was a really good spread of different breakfast buffet items and was quite delicious. Afterward, we went into a few shops to see some of the local touristy fare.

We then walked back to our hotel (one last time) and packed up. On the way out of town, we stopped by the American Girl Doll store at the request of the ladies - my 3-year-old niece was more interested in riding the escalator. ;) Us guys just drove around soaking in the town one more time before heading up north.

Chicago Trip: Day 3

2008-08-06T17:56:00.002-05:00

Today we started out slow as we were still recovering from yesterday. The wife and I slept in while her parents and sister went running out to Navy Pier and back. We then ate breakfast on Route 66 at Lou Mitchell's - which was a little cash-only diner not far from our hotel.

Afterward we walked over to the Sears Tower and went all the way up to the Skydeck to see what we could see - and we could see just about everything! It was a great view.

Next up was the Museum of Science and Industry, which I thought would be a lot more historical but ended up being very family & kid-friendly. I wasn't disappointed, though. We still had a great time. Especially because we took the bus there & back, with only limited walking necessary.

Tomorrow we leave this windy city of Chicago, but I look forward to our next visit - whenever that might be.

Chicago Invasion: Day 2

2008-08-06T17:48:00.004-05:00

Today I realized that I never updated my blog with yesterday's madness, so here's the quick & dirty version. We started off the day at the Chicago Institute of Art, which had some really cool exhibits and well-known pieces like 'that one in Ferris Bueller's Day Off' and 'that one with the farmer & his wife." *grin* I know their real names and artists, but it's a lot more fun to say it in the format of Friends episodes! =)

After that, we had lunch and walked through Millennium Park - and then down to the Adler Planetarium along Lake Michigan's shoreline. Did you happen to notice that the weather was damned hot on Tuesday? It was in Chicago as well - and we pretty much withered away once all moisture evaporated from our bodies.

It was kind of late for dinner, so we tried to get in at a local pizza place - but didn't want to wait an additional 50 minutes for a table. Us guys stayed in the bar waiting for take-out while the gals & kiddies went back to the hotel. We ate (not as much as we ordered) and went straight to bed...we were completely exhausted!

Invasion of Chicago

2008-08-04T21:43:00.001-05:00

After a fun-filled day at the farm, we trekked south of the Wisconsin border into Illinois and arrived at our hotel in Chicago at around 7:30pm. It must have been a while since my last visit, as the tolls were exorbenant compared to the $.40 I remember...$1.60 for the first one and then another $.80 for the next two into town! Once at the hotel, we had dinner at the in-house pizzeria - the food was phenomenal! The service, however, was probably the worst ever...it took us 45 minutes to get our check. Another couple waited 30 minutes at their table only to find out from the staff that the place was closed - and they couldn't order. Wow!

Today we went to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum. Both I had been to before, but it had been awhile so it was nice to revisit them. For dinner, we went to a really cool Irish Pub called Poag Mahone's that was really good. Their Monday night special was their signature 9oz burger for $2.50! Then the tornado sirens sounded and it poured cats & dogs (they evacuated Wrigley Field - poor Cubs fans!) so we hung out for awhile - and I bought a shot of Red Breast Irish Whiskey for Brian & I. Good stuff!

Vacation Begins!

2008-08-03T11:31:00.003-05:00

We began our vacation officially yesterday, packing up our things and loading the car with various items that we'll use (or might use) on our trip.

First, we traveled to my parents farm - which is always a scenic and relaxing time. We arrived just in time to go to Monroe for dinner. We ate at a little Chinese restaurant called Chopsticks *grin* and it was pretty good overall.

I spent the morning washing my classic '72 Charger and then Dad helped so I would help him with his '55 Ford pickup. After getting all the dust off, we of course had to take them for a drive around the countryside.

Today my extended family (aka "The Outlaws") will also come to the farm. My niece and nephew haven't been on a real farm yet, so it should be a good time for all. Then we'll leave for the other extreme - the Windy City of Chicago.

B-Day: The Day After

2008-07-30T10:02:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was my wife's 32nd birthday. Here's what we did to celebrate:
- Last week: Suprised her with an iPhone.
- Saturday: Went out to dinner at Melting Pot.
- Sunday: Mini b-day party at her parents, with homemade Raspberry pie. *yum*
- Sunday Night: I got her car washed.
- Tuesday: She got a gift card to Anthropologie (her favorite store).
- Tuesday Night: Went to Sonic.

Her dad says that I spoil her, which is true - but she did have a great birthday so it was worth it! =)

Key Failure

2008-07-29T06:26:00.002-05:00

So, I brought in the helmet lock of my Passport to the shop on Saturday that supposedly has the original key from a previous repair. The guy working had no idea what I was talking about, so I explained to him what was told by his manager previously. I had to leave it there until Monday so they could try to match it up - no big deal, as the tank isn't ready to be put back in yet.

I called them yesterday, and they can't find a key (my key) anywhere. So now, they will be taking my helmet lock to a locksmith to have another key made that will fit it.

The saga continues...

Mahna Mahna

2008-07-27T21:23:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I get bored and go to YouTube just to see what's there. I'm not sure exactly how I came across this, but it's one of my favorite Muppet songs of all time. This one is from The Muppet Show - enjoy!

The New LokiPhone!

2008-07-24T22:07:00.004-05:00

My wife had mentioned at one point that she was tired of her cell phone and wanted an iPhone, but they were too expensive at the time - and a good friend told us to wait until the 3G version came out.

So we did! And it looked even more enticing...so I went over to MOA after work to see if they had run out yet (third trip so far). They were out of the black 16GB version, but had several 8GB in stock - so since I figured I wouldn't get the chance beforehand, I bought one for her birthday present!

My original Razr V3 was dying a slow & painful death, so I bought one for myself too. It's a great little gadget! I'm still getting used to the new-fangled way of doing things, though.

On another unrelated topic, this is post #200 on my blog! Who would've thunk it...

Stoopit Cycle Shops

2008-07-20T22:04:00.005-05:00

I was saving this for its own post. A lot of people don't know the history of my bringing the Passport back to life. It started last summer, when my dad took it to a local shop to clean it up and get it running. It took them three months. They found mice, messed around with the carb a little (including breaking the float)...and then hooked it up to a 12-volt battery (it's a 6-volt bike) and fried just about everything in it. I then fetched it and brought it closer to home to a supposedly reputable establishment here in the cities.

I'm not sure which shop hooked the gas tank up backwards, running the Main line into the Reserve input on the fuel valve. That takes real talent - as an "O" and and "R" look about as much alike as Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum! *argh*

It took "shop #2" two months and half the bikes value in labor costs to get it running again. Which, I didn't complain about at first. It ran, after all - at least for awhile...and it's an old bike, so it was going to take some work. However, they replaced my ignition and kept my key - which also was used for the helmet lock and fork lock. Now I have to go back again so they can sort through their 25 keys until they find mine. Lame. They were also supposed to fix all the wiring damage from the mice and clean out the rust from the gas tank, which either didn't happen or they just overlooked a LOT of it. Also, a rubber gasket for the carb was broke by the shop and they fixed it with some silicone sealant. Sorry, but if I'm paying you $70/hour in labor you'd better be using original parts and fixing what you break for free!

My rant is done now. If I end up taking the bike to a shop again, it'll go somewhere else. I only took it in because I didn't want to spend the time on it. I really enjoyed getting my hands dirty this weekend and had a great time - even though I'm really sore today from contorting myself for six hours. ;)

Apart Again

2008-07-20T21:56:00.003-05:00

Today I was planning on taking apart the Passport to find out why the thing wouldn't run. After sleeping in until 9am, then putzing for an hour, I finally got around to it. First task was cleaning out the gas lines and installing an in-line fuel filter. Easy!

That done, I started the daunting task of taking out the gas tank (it's under the seat) and figuring out how to "derustify" it. After sitting for 25 years, the 1/2 tank of gasoline rusted the inside of the gas tank - leaving tiny pieces of rust floating in the fuel. I had previously consulted a local Honda dealer, and they said to use this 2-step solution to remove the rust chemically. The tank is currently soaking overnight - hopefully it'll work as intended, because it's about $150 to take it someplace and blast the inside of the tank out.

Then I took off the carburetor and cleaned out all the rust deposits. Did I mention it's really handy to have an air compressor? It is! I then taped up some exposed wiring (thanks to little mice who made this bike their home over the years) and put everything back together, minus the tank.

It's Official!

2008-07-11T09:35:00.004-05:00

After dropping the wife off at work this morning, I went to the DMV to get a title and license for my 1981 Honda Passport. I spent quite a bit of time going through all the necessary paperwork with the clerk but it paid off. It's now officially registered in the state of MN!

I went "all out" by choosing personalized classic motorcycle plates and putting it in the collector class as well. By the time I'm done restoring it, I'll probably have invested the same amount as what it's worth...but hopefully less. ;)

Now all I have to do is take my motorcyle drivers permit exam and I can drive it - once I get it running again, anyway.

Extended Weekend

2008-07-10T22:56:00.002-05:00

Work wasn't as bad as I thought it would be after a Holiday weekend, but that could be because I have another extended weekend starting tomorrow! The wife and I are meeting our family way up on the North Shore of Lake Superior. We'll be staying at the Naniboujou Lodge, plus taking in some scenery along the Gunflint Trail. I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend.

27 Years & Still The Same

2008-07-06T22:23:00.003-05:00

Partially just to say that "I had four posts in one day!" for the nay-sayers, but more just to rant - I found this ad on the Internet while looking for something else one day and never got around to posting about it. Please note the EPA City/Hwy gas mileage rating in the lower-left corner, which reads 22/29.

That was bragging rights way back in 1981. However, this is for the AMC Eagle SX/4 - the sporty model that had an AWD setup and a four cylinder engine. It has no ABS, no ESP, no airbags even. But it still got decent gas mileage when the average price was $1.38/gallon.

So what, tell me, has the auto industry been doing for 27 years? Sure - we have safer and more reliable transportation than we did back in '81. We also have a LOT more power under the hood. However, my latest car (2008 Jetta Wolfsburg 2.0T) gets the same gas mileage as a 1981 AMC Eagle that supposedly drove in the 4th Dimension (as the ad states). The majority of I4 and V6 cars on the road today do as well.

You would think that Legislation and the auto industry could have spent just as much time & effort on fuel efficiency as they did on safety measures and horsepower. I'll get off my soapbox now...

Taste of Minnesota... yuk

2008-07-06T17:34:00.004-05:00

On the way back from the cottage we stopped in at the Taste Of Minnesota - the local Twin Cities 4th of July celebration. We didn't like it - as usual. Not sure why we did it, not sure what we were thinking! I did want to catch the fireworks, but we didn't do that either. Large groups of drunk people can be annoying when you're sober! Maybe I'm getting old, or maybe it's just that my preferences have changed to something a little less chaotic.

Not to mention that I'm still peeved of the event's name - I'm not sure how they can pass it off, actually. Taste of MN? Not hardly...more like a taste of the MN State Fair but way more expensive.

Independence Weekend

2008-07-06T17:32:00.003-05:00

For the 4th of July Weekend, the wife and I headed up to her family's cottage on the lake. This has been a family tradition for several years now and it's always a fun time. Her parents invite friends from their hometown of Eau Claire plus the usual family suspects. Good wine, great food and fun games for all - including Bingo! (with prizes, too!)

Going Commercial

2008-07-06T17:27:00.004-05:00

Every once in awhile I attend the weekly "Guys Night" get-together with Adam & Friends. We have a geeky ol' time, playing video games old and new, watching a movie or just getting some good food & drink. Last week it was at Adams, and they had a collection of video game commercials playing from the 70's/80's. Hilarious! I remembered a lot of them, but what was even more interesting was some of the music they played in the background - very New Wave, very Rock-n-Roll, or just bleeps and blips. Some of the actors were famous later in life, too.

Back to the 50's

2008-06-27T06:23:00.002-05:00

This past weekend my parents came up for a visit. I made it worth their while by scheduling it for the Back to the 50's weekend, as my dad has always been a car nut and mom has taken an interest as well. We spent the majority of the day on Saturday looking at old classics, hot rods and custom kit-cars. There was also an auction so we could see what our favorites were going for. We had a great time!