Finally

Ya, it was a hot one here again... Just as we were leaving the pool so I could go teach the 4pm karate class...

15:00 - 97.7 °F / 36.5 °C

**sizzzzzzzle**

Earlier,

Finally
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

I was tellin' little K over and over... "you'll be so mad if you don't go down the slide at all this summer. It's so much fun and the green slide is the slower one!"

Sure enough... "you were right, mom, it's really fun."

He then proceeded to spend the rest of the 2 hours on the slide... heh

Mom knows best! Always!

7am wake-up phone call anyone?

So, it was the business owner... calling to say he had bad news.... sigh. Turns out the landlord that he rents from finally answered the phone. Two months ago he negotiated 2 more years at the same rent price. Now, it seems that the landlord may declare bankruptcy as he's late on at least 2 years of property taxes.... the county may step in and take the building from him.... aaargh.

So, Kurt and I toss around the possibilities... I wonder if we should find a partner and buy the building.... perhaps see if our boss wants to buy the building and we'll pay him the monthly rent when we're the owners of the school... heh.... maybe his mom would like to buy a building....

Well, our boss, is going to call around on the square... there is another building that has been up for rent. It's a bigger place, has a basement as well as a large main area, entrances and windows on both sides, so now it's visible from the train station... but the downside, no parking lot. People would need to find parking on the street.... sigh. That, and rent is probably double what he's currently paying.

Ya, I don't think we will have this all wrapped up and be the new owners before we fly to Wales.... rats.

It's never dull up here in cowtown. Stay tuned!

and the heat continues

We went to the pool yesterday, had 15 mins to swim and then mother nature cleared the pool with a spectacular thunder and light show...sigh.... But, that brought with it some cooler breezes...briefly, until the humidity blanketed the evening. The house temp reached 84 last night.... We put the fans on, and it does manage to cool down to 77 by morning. But the good news this summer.... with all this lack of rain, we have really no mosquitos to speak of! It's lovely! We can still enjoy dinner on the deck, and play in the yard. Imagine that, you can actually play outside without being drained of all your blood!

What else is exciting?? Hmmm. Well, after more ups and down with the sale and closing of the business.... We're back on. The closing will not be by June 30th, however, it will take place before we leave for Wales....

Oh, and then I got a call yesterday from the band manager. Seems awhile back, Kurt had thoughtfully volunteered us to host a German family this summer, and she was wondering if the offer still stood. Cool! So, the week after we return from Wales, we'll have a family of three here from Munich!!! The mother, Heidi is 41, great, only a few years older than me, the husband, 45 and their son, Tomas, is 15. They speak both German and English. Kurt said, "oh, too bad... you should have to work to communicate, it's the only way you'd improve your German!" He's right... I'll end up being lazy and our conversations will be in English! heh Much fun to come!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee

hot enough for ya?

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Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

One really gets tired of hearing that.... ah well. Yes, it is. You know it will be another warm one when it's in the mid 80's before 8am....

Checking the week...looks like we'll be enjoying 95 degrees through next Wed. heh.

Today I have my 10am karate class, then I'll pay some bills and then we're going poolside.

Memories of the pool

It was a brilliant day yesterday at the pool with family. Today is another scorcher... 90's and clear, sunny skies... the city pool will be packed. Too bad we'll be at the dentist..... ug. And, to add insult to injury.... it's an hour carride, each way. Oh joy.





Me and my cousin, Mieke!

It's going to be another hot one this week

Hooray for summertime! Yesterday and today high 80's with Friday going up to 94! I think we'll be poolside that day! It will be our first trip to the pool this season. Pics to follow!

Tomorrow we're headed to the Lake for our annual swimming afternoon at Aunt Patsy's house. My cousin will be there too... "hi, Mieke!"

Meanwhile, keep cool everyone! hahahah

View from Oak Street Beach

Image16
Originally uploaded by frau cowtown.

One of, if not the most popular beach in Chicago....Oak Street Beach and the view of the city.

And of course, the rest of the 32 pics are up on flickr too! And now, I'm so geeky, I can email my pics from my camera phone, to flickr and up to my blog!!! How cool is that?! hahaha

Some other highlights were a trip to H&M on Michigan Avenue for some sale shopping. A stroll past the Museum of Contemporary Art , ice cream at Ghiradelli's chocolate shop, listening to the bucket boys street-side band show, and just havin' fun!

Chicago was lovely

This trip to the city I saw it through different eyes. I really enjoyed myself, enjoyed all the pretty women and the fashion, the shopping, the beach, the walks and even the noises of the night. It felt very strange to be back in my country bed.... it was quiet, and dark.... odd.

I've also joined the bandwagon and joined flickr! Heh. This after Kurt pointed out an article in his geek magazine!! He laughed as he told me he knew I'd be interested!! "watch out, you're becoming a geek too!"

So, go click on the little sticker button down on the side..... Enjoy!

Windy City, here we come!

We're heading to the city this evening. We'll be staying with Kurt's parents at their condo across the street from the Hancock building.

As seen from their livingroom window.



This will be little K's first visit to their house. Maybe we'll go up to the observatory... or just walk around and window shop along Michigan Avenue.... Kurt will be busy with a parade down by the Chicago Yacht Club, but we should be able to meet up with him for lunch on Saturday!

I'll be bringing my camera and should come back with lots of goodies.

Last weekend

We drove Saturday to visit our old friend who lives near Cedarburg Wisconsin... about 100 miles from our driveway to hers.... It had been nearly 3 years since we last visited at her stone cottage on 175 wooded acres. It was great to be back visiting with her, Bob and all her animals! We had lunch beside the pool under the shady arbor. We brought along 2 bottles of wine, a red French and an Australian chardonnay, some humus and crackers, sausage and cheese and French bread.


Then everyone went for a hike in her woods, down to her Lake Constance, the place where dogs and kids historically like to swim! Being a delightfully hot day, everyone went in....

Balls in the air

....or, 1-handed blogging.....argh... takes too long... back to regular typing.

The summer with the kids is settling in nicely now, we're getting into a better routine... doesn't hurt that the kids now sleep in until after 7am! heh. We are so busy though... especially this week with volleyball camp for one and babysitting classes for another, and baseball practice for the third. My little K is my helper.... he drives all over cowtown with me, dropping kids hither and thither, running to grocery stores, and back home, puts away groceries....! Yikes!

And now, I need a quick lunch of fresh-baked Vienna bread and cheese... then it's out to mow the lawn before it pours rain again... .sheeesh. We've had so much rain and flash, summer downpours that the grass has finally dried out so I can mow it!

My work schedule has really increased since I stated my morning summer karate class. I'm also supposed to show up from 3-7pm on Wed and Thurs.... The sale of the school is just about complete. It is going forward after several rough spots... supposedly the closing is June 30th. There is still so much to organize, like when and what bills will need to be paid on the first of July.... getting teachers in place when we leave on the 12th.... and of course, having the household/pet matters in order before we leave.... aiy yi yi....

Then, you have to throw in all the visits to and from friends' houses.... gah, I'm going to need a break after this summer break!


After this week, I'll have a bit more time to dedicate to pics and more regular nonsense! heh

11 weeks

We're not even home an hour after school officially closed this morning and I've already had to micro manage a tantrum. I was fearing this adjustment period. Other summers I've looked forward to the kids being home all the time. Not this year. Too many changes have occurred. Middle K, now officially promoted to middle school sixth grade(with grades: an A, 2 B's and a C -- not too shabby!), feels he should have friends over ALL THE TIME. I'm constantly pestered with "can I have so&so over? Can I go to so&so's house?" CONSTANTLY. So, I've laid down the law with him. This summer will not be a perpetual party with friends! And, why is it all the middleschool boys want to hang at our house?? Have you seen how much they eat and drink?? Even Kurt teases now. When he found the $1 boxes of snack crackers at the dollar store, he laughingly said, "hey, just what we need for the boys!"

Then, there's middle cee. She's already hormonal, now add to it her natural frustration and anger at her diabetes and you have the makings for many tantrums. It's hard. She's already trashed her and little K's room, pulling toys off of shelves, tearing up papers on her desk..... eiy, yi, yi.... this will be such a mental struggle for me this summer.

It's time to do some serious outlining of our days for the summer. They will need some structure if I'm to keep any of my sanity. So, on to the scanning of my German Klasse 1 books I picked up at a Tuebingen bookstore, scanning in cursive sheets for the little guy, adding more chores to their lists and setting up their piano lesson times with me.

gah, I'm down already... and it's not even noon.....

True to fashion....

Summer in Chicago arrived as it usually does, overnight. And, as most often happens, with a rain storm. Last night was a serious rain storm! It always cool to me when it sounds like the heavens just open up and universe-size buckets of water just pour from the skies. When I woke up this morning to bright, sunny skies it felt a bit out of place after the water works of last night. But, here it is, summer time, complete with the sticky, hot weather. Gone are the ever so short days of springtime, as the hot, Chicago days are now upon us. It was 84 and humid today up in cowtown. sigh... ah well. The mosquitos aren't out in force yet.... I'm so hesitant to even type it, for fear I'll jinx myself and be bombarded with them tomorrow... hahahah

Oh my, a steamy week is in store for us!



Anyways, I have 1 final day of quiet. One final, glorious day all to myself before the schools close their doors for the next 11 weeks and 2 days.... but who's countin'??!!!

11 weeks!!

That is a really long time with 3 kids who's favorite pasttime is nonstop bickering.... sheeesh. That's from Kurt's side, I swear, my sibs and I were normal, quiet kids... hahahah Ya, he's saying "kids=quiet" not normal!

So tomorrow, I take the pup to the vet for her yearly checkup and to see why she's been feeling a bit under the weather today.... after discovering the bloody paw prints on the kitchen floor this morning, and checking out what seemed to be just a scraped pad on her back foot.... I thought she'd be her usual self... instead, she slept a lot today... maybe a bit of a fever or infection going on with her too.... So, I'll take her in for a once-over! Then there's the first of the bi-weekly grocery shopping to be done, a trip to the bookstore to purchase teacher gift cards, a stop at my bank and back home to do some karate business work. I need to get together my inventory list for another order, and type up some stuff for the lawyer. Oh, and I really need to get a pet sitter lined up while we're in Wales... aack! Tues morning is honors day at the school. I'll need to be there for that one... little cee is getting more this year again.... What else???? .... I think that's it. That'll keep me busy for the 6 hours, eh?!

The end of May

And just because I can't stop obsessing over these mayflowers against the perfect blue skies of May.... I give you more white flowers this final evening in May.




and one more.... because I obesess!


Both of these photos as seen through my viewfinder... untouched here. My, what a difference reading the camera manual makes... funny that! Go figure!

Yesterday at work I saw 49 "sick" kids. I use that word lightly, as they were all suffering from weekend-itis. Noone had a temperature, but they all had headaches and stomach aches and wanted to call mommy to go home.... and the mothers all agreed. I must have sent home at least 8 or 9 of them. I think word got out that there was a sub in the nurese's office because after lunch I had a surge of nonsense kids coming in looking for a place to lie down for an afternoon nap. Bah, with only 1 cot, everyone had to just sit and then there was the overflow into the hallway outside my office. And in this day and age of political correctness and law suits, you have to let them phone their parents and take everything seriously. Gah, they all needed a swift kick in the behind and to be sent back to class. Let's see, I wonder if you might be missing PE right now.... you are, well, what a surprise..... For those unlucky kids whose parents were at work and couldn't go home, I gave them the required 15 min rest, then booted them out. I'm such a sympathetic soul, eh?! ;) I even had one brazen girl who just cut to the chase and told her mom she was too tired to stay in school.... and her mom even came to pick her up.... aack! Eiy yi yi. Kids today!

Later that evening I found out Kurt was working late and wouldn't be joining us for dinner on the deck... sigh. Ah well, the kids and I had an enjoyable dinner and play.

Some snippets of conversation yesterday while little cee and I were swinging on the swings.... "c'mon mom, if you swing you'll get rid of all that blubber and then your hips wont hurt on these swings....." or,

"well, you don't really look like a kid, ..... but, inside you're a kid...."

Fun times, fun times!