Happy birthday, SML

Today is the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML's birthday. If you're dying to know how old she is, go back to my post on this same day in 2008 and then do some quick math and you'll have it figured out. Good luck.

When you are out of the house by 6AM to get to your office, it precludes a lot of breakfast in bed traditional niceties. It doesn't help either that your kitchen is torn up for a much-needed and long-awaited "cosmetic" procedure. So I managed to warm up a blueberry muffin before she headed out to a day full of teeth and more teeth. When you're a dental assistant, that's what it's all about.

Her gift remains in a tragic heap in the basement. This thing has tested my handyman abilities like nothing I've ever encountered. I got as far as Step 2 in the myriad of steps before I threw in the towel. I called the store today and am thrilled to report that a "tech" will be out to put the thing (a treadmill - now before I get flaming comments for buying this for her - she's been asking for one, so back off, haters!)

And more birthday fun...we have no running water in our kitchen, no countertops, exposed drywall and no dishwasher. So dinner is going to be interesting. Nothing says loving like paper plates. But in the end, the new kitchen will be worth it. Like I said earlier, it's a cosmetic procedure, more of a nip and tuck than something like this train wreck:

No, no Cat Lady horror story makeover for our kitchen. Instead, it's getting rid of the wrinkly old faux granite Formica counters and purging the backsplash with its painted ivy. Gone, baby, gone. Today's destruction of the kitchen did reveal more electrical shenanigans - a newer wired junction box behind a piece of drywall. It also revealed a couple of cabinets not even mounted to the wall. Nice, nice, nice. So I'm glad the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML was at work today during this phase of the overhaul. The good news is that we have a really good contractor and I think it's going to be done by the end of the week. So we'll make that a part of the birthday fest once it's done.

So I hope this has been a good day for my wife. I'm very blessed to be married to her. She's my best friend. Really wouldn't want to live life without her. She's made this life awesome. She's awesome herself.

Swampy Saturday - brief recap

So yesterday was swampy. Yes, swampy. I can think of no better way to describe yesterday. It was hot and humid...just plain swampy. So what does one do in swampy weather? Here's what went down:

- Ten mile run with my group. It was pretty hideous-felt like the walking wounded once it was over. And I could not believe how many groups were on the Prairie Path yesterday morning. Our group (CARA), the Wheaton running club (thanks guys for letting us borrow some of your ice cold water at mile seven - it was a godsend!); the Team in Training guys, plus a lot of lone runners, and the usual slew of bikers, both courteous and rude.
- Shopping for the stunningly patient and mighty fine SML's birthday present. Mission accomplished. Still trying to put it together. I suspect this will NOT end well. Why? For a host of reasons, not the least of which is that I was born missing the handyman gene. Secondly, she is way better at putting stuff together than me. I have no trouble admitting that and don't feel like I have to turn in my man card as a result. I don't think the DIY Network covers what I need to assemble. So as I said earlier, this is not going to end well.
- Watching a little bit of the World Cup. Kudos to the Germans for taking third place.
- Swimming and a BBQ with good friends that was interrupted by a bizarre downpour while the sun shone brightly. I also played my first game of water basketball in forever. I was reminded why basketball was not one of my sports. Apologies for the loss, well both losses, to my team...

And now it's Sunday. Spain just beat the Netherlands for their first World Cup title. Felicidades a Espana. Although my Northern European heritage cried for a win by the Netherlands. It's also National Blueberry Muffin Day. I hope you have celebrated appropriately. If you haven't, there's still time to do something about it. Please do so now. Thank you.

A Bike Ride

So in honor of our nation's birthday, my company, like so many others, was closed on Monday, 5 July. Woo and hoo! So what to do? It's just the three of us - me, the mighty fine SML and CAL. What to do?

I got up early, with all intentions of another five-mile run. That went horribly wrong. Right about mile one, the unmistakable rumbling in my stomach started and it was on - the gastrointestinal battle that I was destined to lose. At the end of mile two, it was clear that the pounding sensation from the running was wreaking havoc on me and that a porta-potty was priority numero uno if the run was to continue. I turned tail and walked home, yes, walked (running was a death sentence at this point) fast home.

Once home, battle over, we decided to drive into the city to rent bikes and ride along the Lakeshore Trail. This awesome trail runs all along Chicago's Lake Shore Drive. It's incredible. Simply incredible. We rented our bikes through the very cool people at BikeChicago at Millenium Park and before you knew it, we were off.
CAL and the mighty fine SML ready to go

It was a gorgeous morning (the heatwave we are experiencing now hadn't hit yet) and the trail was full of bikers and runners. I was so, so envious of the runners. I decided then and there that one day we are moving downtown, simply to run and ride on the trail. Dare to dream!

We had such a good time riding. I took a couple of pictures from my iPhone as we rode:


We round up riding for just under eleven miles. It was awesome. We probably looked like tourists - OK, no denying it, we totally did, but it was great. The helmet proves once again that my head is unnaturally large. I look like a complete spaz. Still, a great time...

We're looking forward to doing this again, sooner rather than later. This is such a great city. So much to do, so much to enjoy. I'm pretty fortunate.

A Fine 4th - Happy 234th, USA!

It's the 4th of July and best wishes to the USA on her 234th birthday, better known as Independence Day. In terms of nations, the US is actually pretty young. It is a nation that has done much in her brief history. I'm grateful to be a son of the USA. Being born here has afforded me many things - the freedom to speak as I wish (this blog is proof of that), the freedom to participate in the electoral process (hello, Barack and good-bye, Blago), and the freedom to travel around the world. I cherish these freedoms but I count the ability to travel as I wish as one of the choicest. I've been very fortunate to travel all over the world, using one of these:

It's allowed me to see how other people live. I've literally tasted the world while I was at it. It's allowed me to appreciate the wonder that is living in the US. As I reflected on this holiday last year, I recognized that in many ways, the US is one big train wreck. It still is, but that's the beauty of this country. It manages to hang together in spite of itself. The economy is still teetering. We've got a state that is moving rapidly towards fascism (um, that would be you, Arizona); we can't quite figure out how to get socialized medicine right; and we're stuck in an endless war. That being said, this is still an amazing country. I'm glad to be one of her citizens.

It's also an auspicious day. It's my mother-in-law's birthday today! Happy birthday to Julie, who let me assure you, is nowhere near 234 years old. She's pretty awesome. She's hanging with the Boy today and I hope she's having fun with him.

Hope your 4th is a good one. Celebrate and enjoy.