Grutz says, "Moving is not for the meek." or "Yep, I'll get to that, don't worry."

Here's what I'm doing when I should be cleaning, packing, moving, and looking for a job!

Our busy, busy July is almost over.  Here's some highlights.  First, Missouri!

On our way back from Columbia we took a few detours and found a covered bridge.  It was  detailed in years of graffiti.  Only after uploading the shot did we see the writing on the floor.  Yes, I'm bad, apparently.

Getting some invites out for a friend's babyshower. (Note: Everyone who is cool is having babies in the next six months.)

Caleen glueing the cards together.  The theme was owls and we came up with a pretty neat design and used some of my old art I had floating around in my "Arts & Crafts" box.

 Some of the Owl Cards.  Here are some of the families:

The Stevensons.

The Kerwolskis.

The Lowels.

Which Owl family is your favorite?

Lastly, as I was changing utility services a moment ago and Carleen was doing this:

Babywatching.  Priceless.

Baby baby baby baby.  Our lives, it would seem, is all about baby.  (And the baby isn't due until December!)

So back to moving/job stuff.  But if you want to keep avoiding responsibilities check out our older blogs or these fine blogs!

Ciaran's blog!  A great entry about the synchronicity of the Simpsons.  Meta!  He's writing while in Ireland.

Emmanuel's blog!  He's building an acoustic guitar and some neat tools.  And he's in Ireland, too!

Miranda and Jason's blog!  My cousin and her husband have started a blog documenting their adventures, such as having a baby and moving (see?!?! everyone is doing it!).  They're not in Ireland.  They're in Oklahoma, or Missouri, or they work in Missouri and live in Oklahoma or right on the border of Missouri and Oklahoma...........  Anyway, maybe someone can clear that up for me.

Off to call about insurance.

Oh, and when we get settled, I get back to the birthdays, sorry about that.

Grutz says, "Ketchup." or "Ciaran says, 'Rioting, the game the whole family can play!'"

Keeping things in perspective.

My last post may have seemed a little random (oh, and rather off my regular posting schedule) and some expressed some concern. My cousin and her family are going through some challenges. A situation that puts all the things in our lives that make us so busy and so stress or seem so important or critical in to one simple category: trivial. Family, that's one I'd put in the 'profound' category.

Something I've been meaning to do....

Arnie and I go on many walks. Lately, they've been on the soggy side. But a few weeks ago we had one of those June days that, well, was truly a June day. Sunny, mild, dry, classic. So on one of our 4-5 walks I decided to document some of the sights of Pilsen. I've been meaning to do this for some time and will continue to do so. A quick note, I am often very critical of Pilsen in this blog. Of course it is not the worst place in the world, but it's very easy to point out the negative aspects or the stinking kids across the street that shoot off fireworks every night for the last three weeks. Oh and Pilsen makes it easy. Oh brother does it ever. But I'm not going into that now, just a few pics from one of our walks.

A block from our home is Miranda's Grocery. I have a cousin by the name Miranda. Interesting. You can also spy the giant smoke stack from the coal-fired power plant, too. It's pretty bad for you and here's the data from the Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization (PERRO).

You may notice that the sidewalk is higher than the front door in photo. That's quite common in Pilsen. In the 1850's Chicago 'fixed' its drainage problems by raising the streets (4-14 feet!) and installing sewers. Those that could afford it jacked their buildings up, those that couldn't, well, many didn't do anything or just moved the front door to the second floor.

This is an interesting church facade at 19th and Peoria. At first glance I thought it was a burned out shell. But as you can see....

....it's well maintained. I'm not sure what kinds of events take place here, but it's NOT open to the public.

One of the many religious murals in Pilsen. One of these days Arnie and I will document the dozens of others.

When in Rome Belfast do as the Romans Belfastians* do.

Ah, keeping the stereotypes alive and kicking in Belfast! Ciaran's getting doughy.†
(photo:Peter Morrison/
†That's not Ciaran, an no, he's not doughy.

So my wonderful friend Ciaran is back in his old stomping grounds of Belfast, Northern Ireland. And guess what? They're rioting. I'm pretty sure Ciaran has nothing to do with it, but I'm not holding my breath. Actually, I hope you all realize that Belfast is a great town and I'd love to go back and visit. Too bad many ONLY associate the 'Troubles' with this fine city. I think it's grand that the whole island is represented here, at DiscoverIreland. Check it out. Plan a trip. Take me with.

*I wasn't too sure how to refer to natives of Belfast and apparently no one else is sure either! Here's a link the Belfast Telegraph about this phenomenon. Enjoy!

Guilty as charged.

Much like Pilsen, Arnie can, at times, get a bad rap on this blog. Now, he is amazing. 95% of the time his is utterly wonderful. And 5% of the time he acts like a dog. So I can't get upset with him when he does something less than stellar. "Oh, right, you're a dog." Such as the following, what really inspired Carleen and I to crate him was shoe destruction and his one man show of furniture ruination. I'm sure I can salvage the chair, but first the evidence.

"Oh why did I finish the wood in bacon grease?!?!" Actually, I have no idea why he'd nibble on the armrest, but like everything he does, he does it well.

Here's the repaired armrest. Notice the "I'm pretending like nothing happened" pose by Arnie. "Guilty!" I say.

Up close of the patch. I had some very, very old wood putty that needed tons of wood glue to work. I mixed the two in a container that had some dried orange paint. Result: putty that looked like carrot cake (looks much better dry). I'll be painting the frame shortly. Arnie, "What? Why are you looking at me? I don't know anything about, what? A chair?"

Lastly, a little taste of what's on deck......

Yep, that's my lovely wife, Carleen, at her brother Matt's wedding this last weekend. Priceless.

Grutz says, "Jon Rolling says, 'Those damn pirates.'" or "Wow, it's like Iowa knew....." or "Look what Scott Walker did now. He is pathetic."

A public apology...
April 1st was opening day for the Cubs at Wrigley Field against the mighty "often-less-than-stellar-bottom-dwelling-team-who-always-beat-the-Cubs-after-the Cubs-sweep-the-Cardinals" Pittsburgh Pirates. Needless to say the Cubs loss, actually dropping 2 of 3 to the Pirates (luckily, they're back to .500 after yesterday's win vs. the D-bagsbacks). I wrote a bit during the game here (and yes I was at a coffee shop with a portable radio and headphones listening, antenna fully extended. Har har, why yes, I am a dork, why do you ask?). During the day my very good friend and Chicago Cubs uber-fan, Jon Rolling, and I exchanged messages about the game's progress. After the loss, he texted me from Dubuque, "Those damn pirates." And I have to say it did lighten my spirits with a fine chuckle. Back in Dubuque Jon would host opening-day parties in years past, alas, I did miss attending the event. It primarily consisted of nachos, Chicago-style hotdogs, Old Style, and, of course, the Cubs (and when we were young and stupid silly, we'd sport only Cubby t-shirts and brave the brisk weather outside, as if we were braving the hawkwind at Wrigley). In the razzle-dazzle of opening-day I was blind to something rather important and I feel very fooling for forget about it. April 1st was also Jon's birthday! And I totally forgot!

So happy (late) birthday Jon.

If anyone in DBQ runs into Jon around town, give him some b-day love for me. Don't worry Jon, I got your gift and I swear, it will make up for my incompetence. For now, the only thing I can do is to post a ridiculously old photo of Jon, Ciaran, and me from St. Patrick's Day, about 4 or 5 years ago. Yes, this makes it all kind of better.

Pretty boys with pretty whiskers (except me). Jon, me, and Ciaran (l-r)

Somebody's in the know, you know what I mean?
I'm sure all of you, even those not in Iowa, know that this week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa (April 4-8). And no, I am not making this up, check the facts, yo. And quite a number of states have these weeks, too. Yesterday, April 4th, a crazy hail storm rocked Dubuque. To quote the Telegraph-Herald, "Damage? Hail yes!" HA HA HA, Ba-zing!

Stunning lightening burst over downtown Dubuque.

BANG, POW, CA-CHING! Huge hail stones pelted Dubuque Monday night. And apparently a cue ball and a quarter. (Editor's note: the cue ball and quarter included to emphasize the size of hail stones, we regret in the ignorance of the author.)

It was a bad storm, and there are some reports of minor damage. The thing that gets me is how did they know?! Right on cue, the severe weather hits. So what now? Some horrid system each day of the week? A typhoon on Wednesday? Sandstorm on Thursday? Cats and dogs living harmony on Friday? If something terrible does really happen, and lord knows tornadoes are not uncommon at this time of year, I can just hear Gov. Braindead Branstad saying, "Can't say we didn't warn you." It's a little eerie.

Is there anything your wonderful wife can't do?
Last night, I attended a Dance Chance Chicago at The Ruth Pace Center for the Arts for three different pieces, the last including my talented wife, Carleen. It's a pretty neat concept, each month choreographers/artists put their name in an empty fishbowl and three names are chosen at random. These three people then have a month to put together a piece and perform it. Heck, I put my name in last night for the May performance, but alas, my name was not selected. One of Carleen's friends from Contact Improv (at this site, you can see Carleen in a photo!) was selected in March, so he included her in his piece last night. It was an improv with six dancers and a cellist. Maybe I'm biased, but it was the best of the three.

Carleen and friends doing their thing. It's quite a spectacle and takes great skill and concentration to pull of good improvisational dance.

There she goes!

This is a sculpture outside the Palette and Chisel, next door the The Ruth Page Center for the Arts. I just thought is was pretty neat. See, it's a sculpture of artists sculpting. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, witty.

You can't have crafty without.....rafty?
So I've been taking some time off from building/crafting/keeping busy doing things with superglue, etc. So yesterday I made a pledge to do something. I think the inspiration for this was a visit with MarySue and Matt on Saturday. We enjoyed their company, some fine pizza, and grouted tiles that will be used for their wedding this summer. As you dedicated reader remember, we mosaic-ed with them before our trip out west. Here's a link to the post Carleen wrote for all you who've recently jumped on the band wagon known as Nick and Carleen's blog.

I've been working on some feather earrings fom Carleen, finding some challenges, having some successes. It's hard mating metal findings to organic feathers/fabrics. Here's my latest attempt.

Front (l) and back (r). Notice at the top of right feather, a metal finding glued to feather. The rings around the bottom of the feather is to keep the feathers from fraying/splitting apart.

Moving on. I bought some inexpensive 12 in x 12 in mirror, meant to be used as tiles. I've already made one framed mirror as you can see here. I cut a mirror and created a wood frame. The second mirror I made a mold to make a plaster frame, for something different.

Cut the glass and the wood. Look, Ma! I gots all my fingers!

Chiseling out a channel for the mirror to rest in on the back of the frame.

Dry-fitted mirror and handsome, charming man. (Wink.)

The finished mirror with a light coat of orange paint. I plan to make more mirrors of differing sizes.

The clay mold for the plaster frame.

Plaster poured in the mold.

The cured frame from the back. The wires are to reinforce the plaster. I may have inserted the hook too close to the placement of the mirror. We'll see....

The front of the frame. The parchment paper I used wrinkled up from the moisture in the plaster leaving this interesting pattern behind. The plaster also picked up the faint pencil outline I drew of the mirror on the parchment paper.

Now I have to remove plaster from the back to insert the mirror, clean up the plaster, and paint the frame. I'll get up a photo when it's finished. So why am I doing this? One, it keeps me out of trouble. Two, our apartment is still kind of bare and Carleen is working, so I have to make it look nice. Three, it's inexpensive. Four, it takes up little space, unlike building a deck or pulling an engine. Five, it's fun. Six, sometimes I don't want to clean or make dinner or play music. Seven, it keeps me out of trouble.

One of my next projects involves these windows I found Sunday in our alley.

A great find, four rather large windows.

I'm going to remove the pane of glass from a window and replace it with plywood or possibly mdf that has been painted with with chalkboard paint. Every house needs a chalkboard. Though I'm not sure if chalkboard paint comes only in spray can form, as spray paint is not sold in Chicago. Also, I had to show my id when I bought the glass cutter. Weird hardware laws.

Everyone is getting smarter starting right now!


Arthur Hailey (5 April 1920 – 24 November 2004) was a British/Canadian novelist.Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, England, Hailey served in the Royal Air Force from the start of World War II during 1939 until 1947, when he went to live in Canada. After working at a number of jobs and writing part-time, he became a writer full-time during 1956, encouraged by the success of the CBC television drama, Flight into Danger (in print as Runway Zero Eight). He also wrote Airport, Hotel, and Wheels. (I see a trend here.)


Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915. He was the first leader of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institut (later to become Tuskegee University). He authored such books as The Story of My Life and Work, Up from Slavery, and The Story of the Negro: The Rise of the Race from Slavery Vols I &II.

I couldn't pass this up...
You can't have douchebag and hypocrite without........Scott Walker? Oh, wait, yes you can.

"Walker administration hired lobbyist's son for $81K job"

The administration of Gov. Scott Walker hired the 27-year-old son of a veteran lobbyist then promoted him to an $81,500-per-year job overseeing environmental and regulatory matters and dozens of employees, despite his having no college degree and little management experience, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday. (from the Wisconsin State Journal).


Here's a link to two articles in the Wisconsin State Journal and the breaking story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.


Wow. This is the same fella that b!tched and moaned about "cushy" public sector jobs (read: teachers) and did his best to bust up the unions. What a moron. Really. Talk about the worst time to try to pull this off. Are people advising him to do this? Hey let's pay this guy a lot of money for a PUBLIC sector job (even though we think they're oh so bad and costing the state oh so much money!) because his Dad gave us a bunch of money. Oh wait! Let's pay him a bunch of money for something he's not even qualified to do! Yeah!


I keep toying the the idea of going back to school to get a few more credits to get additional teaching endorsements, but I should just take that money I'd spend and donate to a political election fund and get employment that way. Right? It's the American way......aparently.


At least the eaglets are safe..............for now.