3 days was not enough

We went to Clear Lake last weekend for the holiday. Rather than rush out of here on Friday, we decided to leave early on Saturday. We rolled in to CL at around 11am. The girls slept a little and were good most of the way. A 2 hour stretch is about all Ellen can handle still, which keeps a couple places we'd like to visit once in a while a little out of reach comfortably. Of course we could make it if we really had to, but who wants to deal with that.

In the original planning stages of the trip, we were going to seal the deck Mom and Dad's house. No small feat if you've seen it. The weather wasn't cooperating, so dad called on Friday morning and told me we might be golfing instead. We packed the clubs, but when we got there, the windy conditions had dried out enough to allow us to work on the deck. It was good to get it done, but I obviously would have rather been golfing. It took us about 3 or 4 hours, but it's done and looks pretty good considering I don't think the previous owners ever sealed the deck. While we were slaving away, Mom and Stacey and the girls were galavanting about indoors. The weather was kinda shitty, so that was a good place for them to be. That evening we got the kids fed and Kim and Cuddy stopped by. Always good to see them. Later, we grilled a loin and sat outside for a while. Dad and I smoked a cigar, and relaxed with a few cold ones.

Sunday Stacey headed to Charles City to see Gramma Alice while Mom, Dad, and I took the girls to Belmond. I wanted them to see, and I wanted to see Grandpa and Grandma Thompson (my Mom's parents) plus Mom wanted to take care of some Memorial Day business at the Belmond cemetery. We spent about an hour at Grandpa and Grandma's condo. The girls played in the living room and were actually pretty well behaved. Grandpa and Grandma lived on the farm for as long as I knew until a few years back. They moved in town to a condo, which I'm sure Grandpa hated having lived on a farm for so long. My point is, ya know how Grandpa and Grandma's house has a smell and feel that puts you in a nostalgic daze when you enter the home? I swear that even though they live in a different home now, it feels the same as the farm house to me. I could lay down on their sofa and sleep after a meal and feel like I was in the farm house.

Anyway, we left there and hit the cemetery. I admit I was a bit taken aback by all the familiar names I saw. Names that aren't supposed to be there yet but are. Reality is a tough pill to swallow sometimes. Sorry for the somber note.

It was then off to Uncle Buck's farm. Mara and Ellen got to see cows less than a foot from them. Only a fence seperating them and the very cow that will occupy our freezer in 6 short months. I haven't explained that to Mara yet. I don't think she'd understand anyway, but if she did, we'd probably have to see a counseler. We also got to climb up on the tractors. I was certain that actually taking Mara for a ride on one would go over like a turd in a punch bowl, so I didn't bother. She liked being around them though. I think they are bigger than she thought they would be. The old John Deere 4320 is still my favorite. I hope Buck keeps that one around for a while.

Back home, we relaxed most of the rest of the day. Dad and I got his boat out of storage and into the boat lift ready for action.

Monday, Dad left for work pretty early and I didn't see him go. Monday turned out to be the most beautiful day of the weekend, so I took the boat out to blow the cobwebs out of it. Ended up taking the girls out for a spin too.

We're hoping to spend a lot more time up there this summer.

Galena rocked

We had a great time in Galena this weekend. The girls were good for Mom which is a relief. We did a lot of hanging out with old friends and had a few (I had quite a few) beers. We slept in both Saturday and Sunday morning. Stacey got a lot of rest that she seemed to really need. She also treated herself to a nice pair of Merrel's that she found in Galena. She doesn't treat herself much these days, so I was proud of her. We ate a really nice lunch on Saturday at Vini Vanucci's and shared a bottle of wine.

I got some riding in Saturday morning while my friends' wives were competing in the triathlon. I'm thinkin that if I learn to swim over the next year, I could do one of those. I'm still a decent runner, although the condition of my knees would not allow me to train much for the running. I think I could still easily pull off 7 minute miles or better. The biking would be in the bag, but the swimming scares the shit out of me.

Got home from work tonight and had to mow the f---ing lawn again. The grass Mara and I planted is growing in. Though it probably won't look great until next year.

Time to get serious on the bike. Gotta get in better shape.

Gramma's and Grampa's

Mara and Ellen got to go to Grampa and Gramma Schwartz's last Friday and gets to see Gramma K this weekend. She is so stoked. It's funny how the kids bond to grandparents. We got them a playhouse that I'll unveil on Friday afternoon so Gramma will get all the novelty points. The downside for Gramma K will be draggin Ellen in from outside. Both girls love the outdoors, but Ellen gets particularly irate when it's time to go inside. I think she's going to like camping.

We're going to Galena this weekend with some old Des Moines friends. Gonna get good and pickled at the Irish Cottage. I want to take Stacey to a new wine bar there. Gotta be careful with Stacey and wine though. The slurred speech comes seemingly from out of nowhere and it's all downhill from there with a good two day recovery. Hasn't happened for a LONG time, but I think she has the itch to throw a few back.

Sweet Midwest Singletrack

I headed down to Peoria this weekend for the 2008 Midwest Mountain Bike Festival. It moves locations every couple years, but for the last 2 years it's been located in the mighty Peoria, IL. Peoria isn't much of a town, okay, it's kind of a shithole, but it has some of the best MTB trails in the midwest. I met up with some ol' pals from the Chi-town area that I used to ride with.

Left to Right: Blatz, Double-D, JTM and me.

The weather started out kinda shitty, but turned out to be pretty nice. Got a lot of riding in including a kick-ass night ride. The festival was held at an area that doesn't allow camping any other time of year. The down side to that is no ground fires are allowed. We were going to try to muscle through with out one, but on a cold and windy Saturday morning, we decided to all pitch in for a fire pit. I collected the dough and headed into town, breaking my "my truck isn't moving until Sunday" promise to myself. The camping was made even a little more interesting by a neighboring farm. See, Farmdale Reservoir sits in a low area surrounded by ridges. Up on one of the ridges is a farm with a few roosters. Even all the beers I drank didn't keep me from waking up to those sons-a-bitches cock-a-doodle-doodling all morning starting at 4am.

All in all it was a great time with some great friends on some fantastic trails.

Me and JTM on some singletrack

Me on a fire road stream crossing

Off the skinny and up the teeter

The teeter coming down onto another skinny.

I love camping as most of you know. But it sure was great getting home to these two, well, three if you count Stacey.