Denver

Back in August Lori got me on an airplane to Denver to see grandson Kai, Neely, Jamie and Cam.


Well, Lori and two double gin and tonics got me on the plane.

We opened Bonnie's present of a hand-made quilt based on a young Neely illustration the first day, then took a walk downtown the next day to visit the statuary.

On our last full day, we went for a hike southwest of town.

Below, see the video of Lori (a.k.a. Mimi) and Kai.

All in all, a fun trip.

Prohibition Jazz Orchestra

Sunday (7/31) we went to Fitzgerald's for a couple of hours to hear this group.


They are a 10-piece (or near that) ensemble, including a tuba player and banjo. On this night they also had their former vocalist back with them.


As the name suggests, they play period jazz arrangements from the 20s and early 30s.


There are a couple of videos below to give you the flavor.

Downtown Saturday

We took the Blue Line into the city last Saturday afternoon, for no particular reason.

We started off at Millennium Park (you can see us in the middle of the bean), where Lori took part in an art project organized by one of our neighbors. Can you guess who her model was?

Then we walked up up Michigan Avenue to the Riverwalk, which we followed west until it petered out.

Then we walked west on Randolph Street, past Haymarket Square, to a brew-pub on Halsted that Lori had heard about. We had a couple of the pub's own beers and a sausage-platter appetizer, then headed south to get back on the Blue Line.

They're Back: Yay!

Glenn and Marlis were back Saturday and Sunday, on their way back from band camp in Wisconsin to Kansas City.



We hung out and played cards Saturday night.



Sunday we drove into the city for brunch at Wishbone in the West Loop, then drove up North Michigan to see the spectacular new sculpture in Pioneer Square.

Mark and Dianne's Wedding

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Lori and I drove up to Madison Saturday for my cousin Mark's wedding to Dianne Fisher.



The wedding was in their backyard on one of the lakes surrounding the city--it was beautiful. Mark's sisters Christa and Jill did readings, and his brother Brian was his best man. Jill's husband Scott was a groomsman, and Christa's husband Chuck did a lot of photographing and videographing.



The reception was at a country club south of town--very elegant. Lori and I were at a table with Jill, Brian's wife Brooke (whom we met for the first time and loved) and with Christa and Chuck.



And the next morning, we had a potluck brunch on Dianne's parents' back lawn--lots of great food and fun conversation. We actually didn't get to meet Dianne until the brunch because of all the standard wedding day craziness, and because we left the reception a little early as we were worn out and it was a bit of a drive back to town. But when we did meet her, it was worth the wait, as she is as charming as she is beautiful.



It was great to see my uncles and aunts--Gary and Patty and David and Kay--and to see my cousins and their husbands and wives and all their beautiful, but growing-up-too-fast children, and to meet Dianne and her family and friends.

Mo' from Lo'

Here are the latest pix from Lori in Hawaii.

Sam in Peoria

I drove down to Peoria to see Sam on Thursday and Friday.


We went shopping for clothes and other stuff, then shot pool at his house, then went out to dinner.


After dinner, we walked along the Illinois riverfront and came across a big band playing, so we sat and listened for awhile.


Friday morning we went to breakfast at a dangerous place called Gebby's.