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Nov. 21st, 2009
Greetings from St. Charles
Nov. 21st, 2009 06:54 amThis is me, sitting in the kitchen/dining room of my brother Aaron's house in St. Charles, Missouri. Bro and sis-in-law Karen are cooking breakfast (bacon and hash browns so far; I assume eggs will come afterward), and one of the kidlets is on brother's lap at the moment.
The trip up was largely uneventful. We left Springfield at 4:00, headed up I-44. After a while I hooked up my iPod Touch to the FM transmitter and regaled the folks with some pan flute stuff from "The Lonely Shepherd" and then switched to Simon & Garfunkel, "The Concert in Central Park" which we listened for most of the way. We stopped in St. James for dinner at Subway.
We got to the bro's place at about 8:30, and he and Karen showed us the short bus that they purchased a while back (when you've got 4 kids, you need a bus if you want to take them, their friends, and their friends' parents anywhere, apparently). After a while, we all went to bed in our respective sleeping places, then later I got up and here I was.
Not sure what the plans for the day are at this point. Probably going to be busy. My other brother and his wife are on the way in from Indianapolis, starting from Effingham this morning, so they'll be here in a couple of hours.
Annoyingly my laptop is starting to flake out on me. Probably the battery is giving up its final ghost and has a hard time retaining sufficient charge to let me start up. Maybe I should just spend $50 to get another one. It's just a little annoying given that I only paid about twice that for the laptop to begin with.
Breakfast before too long. May post more later.
The trip up was largely uneventful. We left Springfield at 4:00, headed up I-44. After a while I hooked up my iPod Touch to the FM transmitter and regaled the folks with some pan flute stuff from "The Lonely Shepherd" and then switched to Simon & Garfunkel, "The Concert in Central Park" which we listened for most of the way. We stopped in St. James for dinner at Subway.
We got to the bro's place at about 8:30, and he and Karen showed us the short bus that they purchased a while back (when you've got 4 kids, you need a bus if you want to take them, their friends, and their friends' parents anywhere, apparently). After a while, we all went to bed in our respective sleeping places, then later I got up and here I was.
Not sure what the plans for the day are at this point. Probably going to be busy. My other brother and his wife are on the way in from Indianapolis, starting from Effingham this morning, so they'll be here in a couple of hours.
Annoyingly my laptop is starting to flake out on me. Probably the battery is giving up its final ghost and has a hard time retaining sufficient charge to let me start up. Maybe I should just spend $50 to get another one. It's just a little annoying given that I only paid about twice that for the laptop to begin with.
Breakfast before too long. May post more later.
Greetings from St. Charles
Nov. 21st, 2009 06:54 amThis is me, sitting in the kitchen/dining room of my brother Aaron's house in St. Charles, Missouri. Bro and sis-in-law Karen are cooking breakfast (bacon and hash browns so far; I assume eggs will come afterward), and one of the kidlets is on brother's lap at the moment.
The trip up was largely uneventful. We left Springfield at 4:00, headed up I-44. After a while I hooked up my iPod Touch to the FM transmitter and regaled the folks with some pan flute stuff from "The Lonely Shepherd" and then switched to Simon & Garfunkel, "The Concert in Central Park" which we listened for most of the way. We stopped in St. James for dinner at Subway.
We got to the bro's place at about 8:30, and he and Karen showed us the short bus that they purchased a while back (when you've got 4 kids, you need a bus if you want to take them, their friends, and their friends' parents anywhere, apparently). After a while, we all went to bed in our respective sleeping places, then later I got up and here I was.
Not sure what the plans for the day are at this point. Probably going to be busy. My other brother and his wife are on the way in from Indianapolis, starting from Effingham this morning, so they'll be here in a couple of hours.
Annoyingly my laptop is starting to flake out on me. Probably the battery is giving up its final ghost and has a hard time retaining sufficient charge to let me start up. Maybe I should just spend $50 to get another one. It's just a little annoying given that I only paid about twice that for the laptop to begin with.
Breakfast before too long. May post more later.
The trip up was largely uneventful. We left Springfield at 4:00, headed up I-44. After a while I hooked up my iPod Touch to the FM transmitter and regaled the folks with some pan flute stuff from "The Lonely Shepherd" and then switched to Simon & Garfunkel, "The Concert in Central Park" which we listened for most of the way. We stopped in St. James for dinner at Subway.
We got to the bro's place at about 8:30, and he and Karen showed us the short bus that they purchased a while back (when you've got 4 kids, you need a bus if you want to take them, their friends, and their friends' parents anywhere, apparently). After a while, we all went to bed in our respective sleeping places, then later I got up and here I was.
Not sure what the plans for the day are at this point. Probably going to be busy. My other brother and his wife are on the way in from Indianapolis, starting from Effingham this morning, so they'll be here in a couple of hours.
Annoyingly my laptop is starting to flake out on me. Probably the battery is giving up its final ghost and has a hard time retaining sufficient charge to let me start up. Maybe I should just spend $50 to get another one. It's just a little annoying given that I only paid about twice that for the laptop to begin with.
Breakfast before too long. May post more later.
After dinner at the brother's household
Nov. 21st, 2009 12:49 pmWe had sloppy joes, corn on the cob, and carrots for lunch. Nothing all that complicated or hard to fix, because we're going to have a huge supper. Now the kids are in the other room playing Wii with my sister-in-law Rachael, while s-i-l Karen has taken their dog Bella out for a walk.
My Mom & Dad are about to head over to visit the ex-sister-in-law briefly, and I think I'll tag along. More later.
My Mom & Dad are about to head over to visit the ex-sister-in-law briefly, and I think I'll tag along. More later.
After dinner at the brother's household
Nov. 21st, 2009 12:49 pmWe had sloppy joes, corn on the cob, and carrots for lunch. Nothing all that complicated or hard to fix, because we're going to have a huge supper. Now the kids are in the other room playing Wii with my sister-in-law Rachael, while s-i-l Karen has taken their dog Bella out for a walk.
My Mom & Dad are about to head over to visit the ex-sister-in-law briefly, and I think I'll tag along. More later.
My Mom & Dad are about to head over to visit the ex-sister-in-law briefly, and I think I'll tag along. More later.
So here I am, back at the bro's house in St. Peters, MO. The brothers are sitting around playing video games.
I had hoped we might take advantage of being in St. Louis to do touristy things. I had particularly hoped to get down to University City and visit Fitz's, and take back a couple more cases of root beer and cream soda with me. It's just 20 miles away. But it looks like that's not in the cards. We're just going to sit around all day.
Grumble.
I had hoped we might take advantage of being in St. Louis to do touristy things. I had particularly hoped to get down to University City and visit Fitz's, and take back a couple more cases of root beer and cream soda with me. It's just 20 miles away. But it looks like that's not in the cards. We're just going to sit around all day.
Grumble.
So here I am, back at the bro's house in St. Peters, MO. The brothers are sitting around playing video games.
I had hoped we might take advantage of being in St. Louis to do touristy things. I had particularly hoped to get down to University City and visit Fitz's, and take back a couple more cases of root beer and cream soda with me. It's just 20 miles away. But it looks like that's not in the cards. We're just going to sit around all day.
Grumble.
I had hoped we might take advantage of being in St. Louis to do touristy things. I had particularly hoped to get down to University City and visit Fitz's, and take back a couple more cases of root beer and cream soda with me. It's just 20 miles away. But it looks like that's not in the cards. We're just going to sit around all day.
Grumble.
A brief Barnes & Noble expedition
Nov. 21st, 2009 05:06 pmWell, Aaron, Alex, Dad, and I headed out to a nearby Barnes & Noble aboard the "Chef Bus"—the short bus that is painted with the logo of "The Pampered Chef" (my Aaron's wife Karen is one of their demonstrators). They have it really nicely set up inside, complete with an inverter to power a TV/DVD player mounted over the driver's head to play movies for any kiddies what might be riding the bus.
Sadly, the local B&N didn't have the Nook yet. I was hoping to get the chance to play with a demonstrator. The Springfield store wasn't expecting it before the end of the month, but I had hoped that a store in the St. Louis metro area would have them now. Apparently only the very largest stores have them, and none of the ones in St. Louis qualify.
I dropped by the embedded Starbuck's and had myself a venti cafe mocha and a chocolate cupcake while the bros and father looked around. One of the brothers found the Castle tie-in novel, ostensibly by the titular character of the TV series, and bought it. They really enjoy the series; I've been meaning to get into it but haven't ever gotten around to it.
After that, we headed on back here, and here we are.
Sadly, the local B&N didn't have the Nook yet. I was hoping to get the chance to play with a demonstrator. The Springfield store wasn't expecting it before the end of the month, but I had hoped that a store in the St. Louis metro area would have them now. Apparently only the very largest stores have them, and none of the ones in St. Louis qualify.
I dropped by the embedded Starbuck's and had myself a venti cafe mocha and a chocolate cupcake while the bros and father looked around. One of the brothers found the Castle tie-in novel, ostensibly by the titular character of the TV series, and bought it. They really enjoy the series; I've been meaning to get into it but haven't ever gotten around to it.
After that, we headed on back here, and here we are.
A brief Barnes & Noble expedition
Nov. 21st, 2009 05:06 pmWell, Aaron, Alex, Dad, and I headed out to a nearby Barnes & Noble aboard the "Chef Bus"—the short bus that is painted with the logo of "The Pampered Chef" (my Aaron's wife Karen is one of their demonstrators). They have it really nicely set up inside, complete with an inverter to power a TV/DVD player mounted over the driver's head to play movies for any kiddies what might be riding the bus.
Sadly, the local B&N didn't have the Nook yet. I was hoping to get the chance to play with a demonstrator. The Springfield store wasn't expecting it before the end of the month, but I had hoped that a store in the St. Louis metro area would have them now. Apparently only the very largest stores have them, and none of the ones in St. Louis qualify.
I dropped by the embedded Starbuck's and had myself a venti cafe mocha and a chocolate cupcake while the bros and father looked around. One of the brothers found the Castle tie-in novel, ostensibly by the titular character of the TV series, and bought it. They really enjoy the series; I've been meaning to get into it but haven't ever gotten around to it.
After that, we headed on back here, and here we are.
Sadly, the local B&N didn't have the Nook yet. I was hoping to get the chance to play with a demonstrator. The Springfield store wasn't expecting it before the end of the month, but I had hoped that a store in the St. Louis metro area would have them now. Apparently only the very largest stores have them, and none of the ones in St. Louis qualify.
I dropped by the embedded Starbuck's and had myself a venti cafe mocha and a chocolate cupcake while the bros and father looked around. One of the brothers found the Castle tie-in novel, ostensibly by the titular character of the TV series, and bought it. They really enjoy the series; I've been meaning to get into it but haven't ever gotten around to it.
After that, we headed on back here, and here we are.
Late evening in St. Peter
Nov. 21st, 2009 09:18 pmSo here it is, late evening.
Everyone except Aaron and Alex has gone up to bed. (Except Rachael, who is dozing on the sofa.) My brothers are playing Dynasty Warriors 6 on the PS3.
I'm pretty tired; will probably be going to bed soon (assuming I can ignore the lights and sounds coming from the next room). Tomorrow we're planning to go to the 9:15 service at the church Aaron & Karen attend, then either coming back here for lunch or eating it on the road; we haven't quite decided which yet. After that, it's back down to Springfield for me (and past that to their home for the parents).
It's been a decent enough visit, I guess. We didn't actually do much, but it was nice to see people again. I heard some interesting stories, had some decent food and even a little really good beer.
A lot better than sitting at home being bored all weekend.
I guess I'll go ahead and shower and get ready for bed. More later.
Everyone except Aaron and Alex has gone up to bed. (Except Rachael, who is dozing on the sofa.) My brothers are playing Dynasty Warriors 6 on the PS3.
I'm pretty tired; will probably be going to bed soon (assuming I can ignore the lights and sounds coming from the next room). Tomorrow we're planning to go to the 9:15 service at the church Aaron & Karen attend, then either coming back here for lunch or eating it on the road; we haven't quite decided which yet. After that, it's back down to Springfield for me (and past that to their home for the parents).
It's been a decent enough visit, I guess. We didn't actually do much, but it was nice to see people again. I heard some interesting stories, had some decent food and even a little really good beer.
A lot better than sitting at home being bored all weekend.
I guess I'll go ahead and shower and get ready for bed. More later.
Late evening in St. Peter
Nov. 21st, 2009 09:18 pmSo here it is, late evening.
Everyone except Aaron and Alex has gone up to bed. (Except Rachael, who is dozing on the sofa.) My brothers are playing Dynasty Warriors 6 on the PS3.
I'm pretty tired; will probably be going to bed soon (assuming I can ignore the lights and sounds coming from the next room). Tomorrow we're planning to go to the 9:15 service at the church Aaron & Karen attend, then either coming back here for lunch or eating it on the road; we haven't quite decided which yet. After that, it's back down to Springfield for me (and past that to their home for the parents).
It's been a decent enough visit, I guess. We didn't actually do much, but it was nice to see people again. I heard some interesting stories, had some decent food and even a little really good beer.
A lot better than sitting at home being bored all weekend.
I guess I'll go ahead and shower and get ready for bed. More later.
Everyone except Aaron and Alex has gone up to bed. (Except Rachael, who is dozing on the sofa.) My brothers are playing Dynasty Warriors 6 on the PS3.
I'm pretty tired; will probably be going to bed soon (assuming I can ignore the lights and sounds coming from the next room). Tomorrow we're planning to go to the 9:15 service at the church Aaron & Karen attend, then either coming back here for lunch or eating it on the road; we haven't quite decided which yet. After that, it's back down to Springfield for me (and past that to their home for the parents).
It's been a decent enough visit, I guess. We didn't actually do much, but it was nice to see people again. I heard some interesting stories, had some decent food and even a little really good beer.
A lot better than sitting at home being bored all weekend.
I guess I'll go ahead and shower and get ready for bed. More later.