Vacation coming, finally!

Only a week away. Finally. Time for Sue and me to play.

We will leave Saturday 10/16 and drive about 8 hours to Nashville. Got a really good rate at the Springhill Suites for two nights.

On Sunday we will visit The Hermitage, the estates of President Andrew Jackson. We will also visit the Belle Meade plantation.

Monday we will drive to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We have reservations for a room Thu, Wed, Thu at a hotel in Cherokee, NC. This is one the east side of the park; found rates there better than on the Tennesee side.

We plan to play much by ear in the Smokies. May stay a night or two longer, or may move on to other sights. Not too worried about being out of touch what with internet technology and cell phones. I'll be taking pictures and throwing raw shots up to Picassa every day according to plan. Will refine content over time after the trip is done.

In the interim, next week I will be flying over the same territory that we will drive. I have a business trip that will take me into Raleigh, NC Wednesday, then drive to a small town called Faison. Then meetings Thursday and back home that evening. Sorry Dave, no chance to buy you dinner this trip.

So watch for photo posts in about a week.

Lazy September Sunday

Hard to believe that summer is over. I hate to see it go. Some folks like fall, and it can be pretty, but I am always reminded that winter will follow.

Speaking of fall, we will have one good thing next




month. Sue and I are taking a week off and traveling to see the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. We'll be gone the week of October 18 and we're praying for stellar weather that week. All reports are that the views should be spectacular then. I promise to post photo highlights.

Of course life at our house revolves around one of the very most handsome and intelligent grandsons there ever was. Here is photographic documentation of his handsomeness and brilliance.

Sorry the layout of the layout of this post isn't as brilliant as the child. I am losing patience trying to get it right, so will come back another time to make it look prettier.

Time to go work on supper. Sue and Laura both working today, so I'm in charge of meal prep. Pork roast is in the oven and summer squash casserole needs to be prepared.

Hello all,

Greetings from the Chicago monsoons. The last couple days have been dry, but we've had nothing but rain, rain, rain for weeks. Combine that with a good amount of heat and our back yard looks like the Amazon rain forests. I'm expecting to do battle with jaguars and anacondas any day.

I've had a pleasant Sunday afternoon. I've been watching recorded shows, reading the Sunday Trib, chatting online with a high school friend, and playing online Scrabble with her at the same time. Nice to have the down time.

Yesterday, Sue and I spent some time in the basement making it less of a mess (getting organized would be too grand of a term). I found my workshop from under the crud. Then we both did some work on the general pile of stuff that had accumulated in the cellar. Took an old door and lamp to the curb, old boxes to recycling, that kind of stuff. Looks a bit better. With the shop found, maybe next week I can start creating the toy box for now 6-month-old grandnephew Max.

On the techie side of life, about a month ago I was finally delivered my new Google Android Incredible phone (back-ordered for several weeks). You all may have friends with an iPhone.....this one is intended to compete head-to-head, but is available through Verizon, our wireless provider. iPhones are strictly AT&T, at least for now.

Every time I use this phone, I remember Sue's Dad. He was amazed with pocket calculators before he died some 25 years ago. He thought the calculating power was truly remarkable. His thoughts were from his time in the Navy at the end of WWII...when a slide-rule was high tech. I can hardly imagine what he'd think of everybody having a mobile phone, of the internet, my ability to use GPS navigation at will, of being able to call anyone I want without toll charges evenings and weekends....and other Verizon customers at anytime. It's truly amazing stuff.

And then there's this Facebook stuff. Most of the stuff there is time-wasting fluff, but I have surely had fun getting reconnected with old, old friends. Amazing that those people I knew 40 years ago are still enjoyable to know even with the decades of gap in our acquaintances. Also a reminder of fleeting time and my own mortality, I guess.....how is it possible that I have known someone for 40 years? that I have a grandchild? all that stuff.


Sue and I have vacation scheduled for October. We will drive to the Great Smokey Mountains to be tourists. We are only beginning to plan the trip, so haven't any specific plans just yet. We will take lots of pictures and share online during our travels.....should be really pretty as long as we don't arrive during a rainy period.

We are all well. Everyone has work. In these times, that could change, but why buy trouble worrying about tomorrow? Rob and Amanda have a happy healthy 1-year-old son. Laura has her physicist boyfriend who is a pleasant young fellow who tries to explain quantum physics in English with remarkable patience. (He's also OK because he will get his PhD from Iowa State).

Greetings to one and all. Don't be strangers. Coming to Chicagoland?????drop on by.

Not an insomniac post

Hey all, here are some thoughts coming from me in the late afternoon rather than the middle of the night. I don't know that there will be a greater wisdom or deeper thoughts. But at least They are coming during daylight hours.

It's a Sunday afternoon and Sue has gone to do some shopping. She will be bringing back a sandwich, so we don't have to worry about what to cook for supper. Laura is working today.

It's been hot as billy H here, but probably the same way at your house. We haven't had "real" summer here for a few years, so it's been a bit hard to take. Hard to believe now that when I was young, I'd do physical labor all day out in this kind of heat and go home and get cleaned up and be ready to go out and howl at night. Doesn't work that way these days.

We had a pair of beagles staying with us for 10 days or so.....our Minister was on vacation and we got the dogs. Sue has become a real dog whisperer, and had them whipped into pretty good shape. But it's work, and while we enjoy their occasional visits, it's nice when they go home too.

Some of you may have noticed my postings about getting a spiffy new smart phone....and Android Incredible. It's really, really powerful.....and it costs a bit less for care and feeding than my former Blackberry. I am really pleased with it. Really pleased. Of course, a bigger and better version came out about two weeks after I got mine....can't be on top of technology for long these days. I'm just beginning to get my arms around what this phone can do and how to make it work for me.

I don't know that I know much else, but figured that as long as I had a few odd moments it was time to try doing better at staying up to date.

Everybody take care and let me know what's happening on your end as time permits.

Jim

Time for another insomniac post

Not very regular, or very frequent posts lately. Sorry.

Of course, the grandson remains the center of the universe. He doesn't look all that different from the last photo I posted, So I'll spare the world from more. His mobility has improved at warp speed and the cats at our house are not grateful for that. They would rather he remain crawling and slow. No words just yet, but definitely showing signs of communicating wishes and desires and interaction with folks around him. Sure is fun watching Nathan grow.

Looking forward to the long weekend. No fancy plans, but Rob, Amanda, and Nathan will be here for barbecue on Sunday. Ribs, corn on the cob. Supposed to be pretty hot then, so we may not be out on the patio so much.

The last of my father's siblings died recently. For the Eilers' line, that now puts us (my brothers and cousins) in the eldest generation. I reminded my big brother that he was now the Senior...not sure he appreciated the title. On my Mom's side, her 'younger' brother is still among us (pushing 90 or so). Mom would be 91 and Dad 97 if they were still around. It amazes me when I think of the time that has passed. In my mind, I'm still 20. (NOT!)

I have a new grand-nephew, named Max. I owe him a toy chest from my workshop, but I have yet to begin the project. I will need to motivate myself soon. Not a good example to set if i procrastinate too long.

Early in June I ordered a fancy new cell phone (not the iPhone that has been all the buzz, my carrier doesn't provide them). Demand has been higher than supply, so the phone was supposed to ship in about three weeks after I ordered. Well, we're now into the 4th week and still no phone. It will be probably Thursday next week before I get my Android Incredible, and I have to tell you I'm dyin' here. Waiting is killing me. To make matters worse, while I'm waiting they've already announced a new phone making my yet-to-be-delivered phone obsolete.

My last post I mentioned getting together with an old schoolmate from 40 years ago. We had lunch and walk-around time on the Mag Mile in Chicago last month. It was a really wonderful day. The funny thing was that while having lunch with one old, old friend, my phone went off with a Facebook friend request from another old schoolmate we both had known way back when. Funny how people you liked 40 years ago are still people you like after all those years have passed. I guess it just shows how our core values remain constant over the years.

Well, it has been nice to catch up at the opening of this holiday weekend when there's time to relax. Even so, if we're going to have a picnic on Sunday there's work to prepare and that means I should probably sleep a bit before then. Regards and love to all until the next time I get around to posting an update.......Jim

I think it's finally Spring

I haven't been very faithful with updates it seems, but here's anew installment -- even if tardy.

Nathan, our grandson, will be a year old in a couple of weeks. Little scutter sure is cute. He doesn't walk yet, but only because it hasn't occurred to him to do so. No words yet either.

Not so much different here for the adults. Laura and Sue have their same jobs. I have passed my first anniversary at my 'new' job.

One thing that is new is old as well. I have been getting reacquainted with old friends from high school via Facebook. I have really enjoyed getting reacquainted with one in particular, though have 'chatted' with several. New new/old friend Bobette will actually be in Chicago in a week and we're going to get together for lunch an a few hours of showing her Chicago before she has dinner with family who live here. Looking forward to seeing someone I knew 40 years ago (man that's a long time!)

Sue and I have to work up some ambition soon and prepare the back half of the house to get the floors refinished....had the front half done when we did the kitchen about 18 months back. Hate the thought of moving all that stuff, but no help for it if we want the floor. Maybe an excuse to get rid of some junk at the same time.

Whoa, it's been a month since I posted

Let's see, where to start.

Niece coming for summer, nope. Different plan.
Me to Pittsburgh to work, maybe sometime, not yet.
Big storm. Yep had that, snows all gone, but an inch or so new snow today (first day of spring)

Did taxes today. Owe the Feds. That depressed me until I remembered that a year ago today I was unemployed. What with two employers this last year, etc., etc., that we didn't withhold enough just means that we made more money than expected, "so quit your bitchin', James!"

Watching the grandson grow is a real joy. Let's see, he's now 9, no, almost 10 months old. Still the most intelligent and handsome child ever. We have lots of pictures, of course. They're just not organized, so posting some will wait for another day.

There were some really nice spring days here last week, even though we turned cruddy this weekend. The crocus and daffodils were trying to break through, but haven't bloomed yet. The little boy mallards are following the little girl mallards around eagerly. Robins appeared from nowhere and are everywhere now. Before this new blanket of snow, most of the grass wasn't looking so brown anymore. The catkins on the birch in the back yard seem to be getting fatter.

I met Laura's latest boyfriend briefly the other day. His name is Nathan (just like the grandson). He's a PhD candidate at Iowa State who is here doing work at Fermi Lab or Argonne (forget which), but fancy physics one way of the other. We'll get better acquainted soon. I'm told he's coming for Easter dinner.

Looking forward (if you can call it that) to a couple improvement projects once the weather turns nice. We had the floors in the front half of the house sanded and refinished when we did the kitchen last year....need to do the back half of the house next...don't look forward to moving all the furniture and crud for the project, but can't be helped. Then we need to have a plumber in to make repairs to our sewer line. I wouldn't be surprised if the line from the house to the street needs to be replaced...maybe we'll get lucky. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

My woodwork shop has been just gathering dust (and not sawdust) lately. I have received a shop order for a toy chest for new grandnephew, Max, so maybe I'll dust things off one day soon. I made a chest for his older sister, but have some different design elements in mind for this young man this time.

Last time I mentioned that Sue was feeling poorly. That's mostly gone away now, seems to have just been a combination of viruses and no longer being 18 years old. She was pretty miserable for a time, but is pretty well back to her old irreverent self now.

I guess that's all the news from Lake Wobegone for now.