This Weekend

We pulled up carpet all week and this weekend was when we were going to sand them. We decided that the best thing to do is stay at a hotel on Saturday night because of the smell from the finish.

About Wednesday Matt emailed me at work to print up the hotel reservation. (Our home printer died and went to electronics heaven) I clicked on it and it was a reservation for a very expensive hotel downtown Chicago. When I questioned his sanity, he informed me that we could all use a treat, it wasn't that expensive, and it was closer to the museum that we wanted to take the kids to on Sunday. Frankly, I'm too tired to argue and I choose to not pick this as a battle.

On Friday Matt called me at work and asked me for our doctor's phone number. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me that he is sure that he broke his hand. I gave him the number while I shook my head in disbelief.

On Saturday, the water heater ruptured. The plumber came, it has to be replaced. Matt went and rented the sander, it weighed a ton!!!!! We had a terrible time getting it in and out of the car, especially with the broken hand. But, the floors did get sanded and we went downtown to our hotel.

It was way too swanky for us. It had down comforters on the bed, pillow top mattresses, a minibar, and are you ready for this?... A concierge! That's right, a concierge! That's french for expensive. Also, it was $44 to park your car. But we had a really nice time. Emerson got to swim. (Vivi HATES the water) When we checked out we decided to go to a diner that is on original Route 66, Lou Mitchell's. We had eaten there once before but the waitresses and hostess were really rude. But we decided to give it a second chance. We didn't get the opportunity, there was no parking and a huge line out front. We called my mom who lives downtown and she met us at a really nice diner by her house called Stella's.

After Stella's we went to The Museum of Science and Industry. They have a visiting exhibit called Body Worlds 2. They show different bodies without skin. REAL BODIES!!!! But that is all I know about it because when we were in line for tickets they sold out. I thought Matt was going to throw himself on the floor and have a tantrum. We calmed him down and got to see a lot of great exhibits. The Fairy Castle, the U-505, an AMAZING electric train, etc. Everyone learned something.

Now for a really strange part of my story. Earlier in the week, I had gotten a phone call from a neighbor from the street I grew up. He has called me rarely throughout the years, always to ask me to come see his band or something. He knows that I am married but it never really stops him from asking me out. So when I got this call, I let the machine get it. Well, as it turns out, his mom died and he was calling to personally invite me to her wake. Now, neither I nor anyone else has seen his mom in about 20 years. We figured him and his father put her in the wood chipper Fargo style. Because I was personally invited, I felt bad and stopped by the wake. Needless to say, his hug lasted too long. Then he went to a story about a picture he has of the two of us when we were little. I guess we were sitting at a picnic table eating fruit. I was so close to asking him if he had any other pictures of me, maybe taken without my knowledge? But I didn't, I paid my condolences and I left. I'm sure I will get the phone call very soon to get together to see that picture, but that's OK. He is not hurting anyone and I am just something from his past that he is trying to hold onto.