Blogging on the train...

I just had to try this out.

I got my new Verizon Wireless card today for my work laptop. So, when I realized that not only did I leave my cell phone at home this morning - but I also did not call Steve from the office to let him know when to expect me - starting up my laptop was the obvious answer.

Not a major catstrophe by any means - he could live without the information that I am on the 4:28 which gets in at 5:12.

However, now I have the ability to send him an email from my laptop on the train. Alas - I have no idea how fast it will send from underneath union station nor if I even caught him before he left the office....

What's a girl to do?

Of course I can send a text message to his phone.

So now I am in utter suspense. Did he get the emails (one from gmail, one from my work account)? Will the tm reach him in time?

The only way I will now for sure is if when I exit the train a small pup named PorTillo is waiting for me....

So now we will see how long it takes to post a blog....and how long my battery lasts. In 15 mins we have gone down to 78% - not looking good.

I get phone calls ......for dead people

One of the things about living in a house that has been in the family for a while - is that most if not all of your utilities bills may in fact be in the names of relatives who are no longer with us.

Getting our names on the bills - is changing this week as we officially have a mortgage as of tomorrow. In the meantime - it is awkward to have someone call and ask for your grandmother who has been dead for 8 years.

When I first lived in the house only a year after my grandpa passed, it was hard to get calls and mail for him because it reminded me of him. As time passed the calls lessoned and having my name on the phone bill has certainly made an impact.

It seems like some of the charities are going off of old phone lists. When we get calls for picking up donated goods, I have to resist saying "no, she's no longer with us."

Many of the marketing materials that come to the house just say "Residents at..." so you are never quite sure if it is a mass mailing or targeted to some demographic.

I did for a time get mail with my name on it for funeral homes, senior living, being cremeated, etc - which I can only assume was due to having my grandparents demographic info mixed with my name. I can assure you - I mainly got dating service ads when I was at the townhouse.

So what prompted this post? I received a reminder phone call the other day for a pick-up of a donation. The woman completely skipped over asking for one of my deceased relatives and went directly to "Is your mom there?"

Given what I described above - I am ready for people calling and asking for just about anybody - but my mom, really do I sound that young. So I guess in addition to clearing up names associated with the house, I am also going to have to work on sounding like I am older than 12.

Itsy Bitsy...Spiderman

Who else can teach your kids about gang signs?

I just saw a commercial for "IBS" and had to know about this plush toy that is sure to be a Christmas blockbuster.

Well worth seeing the flash promo with the singing and dancing.

hmmmm...actually some of those dance moves look vaguely familiar.......

Unknowingly keeping Da Bears 6-0

Sometime during the 4th Quarter I got a phone call from Steve who was watching the game from a local watering hall with a few friends.

"Go to my closet and put on my Walter Payton jersey right now".

I am not a wife who takes kindly to such demands - but I had seen the 4 interceptions in the first half and I knew what I would have to deal with if the Bears continued down the path of a total disaster.

Miraculously, the Bears pulled out a win as I learned in another call (putting on the jersey didn't curtail my watching home improvement shows).

Just happy I was able to help out the team.

Piecing together 108 North

So tonight I was doing some research on the style of 108 North. The house was included in a book, "A Guide to Chicago Historic Suburbs On Wheels & On Foot" and classified as of the Italianate style c. 1870. I began by googling Italianate house and was able to find the following:

The Italianate style was derived from the villas of the Italian countryside. Two full stories, low-pitched hip roofs with cupolas, and expansive overhangs supported by decorative brackets are typical features of the style.
The Italianate style dominated American houses constructed between 1850 and 1880. It was particularly common in the expanding towns and cities of the Midwest as well as in many older but still growing cities of the northeastern seaboard.

Here is an example of a classic Italianate house. I can see parts of 108 North in this image...

The Guidebook indicates that the front porch was most likely added in the 1910s which seems to fit with my family moving in to the house in 1916. It also refers to the "slightly lower service wing" which we call the kitchen and dining room as having the original tin roof. What is troubling to me is that it doesn't seem to fit with the Italianate style. Although the upstairs windows go to the floor - they have none of the characteristics of the style. Plus the roof doesn't match.

The more I look at the house - the more I want to know how did it get to be this way? What were the original owners like? How many bedrooms were there upstairs? Why was the "service wing" made lower than the rest of the house? Was the back always 2 stories? The house was white when I was little - but what was the original color?

The more questions I come up with the more I want to know. I guess I'd better get back to the "service wing" - the dishes won't wash themselves.

***Crazily enough our plans for that part of the house include expanding the kitchen into the dining room - so I guess we may be returning it to its original use.

Reflected Reflection

Please honey, you have given insight into more important things that College basketball or Mall walking.

My list is as follows (just to name a few):

1. Naperville - deserves its reputation.

2. Just do it - while I like to plan 108 projects - you start removing wallpaper.

3. We have to make appointments - talk about busy schedules.

4. Little dogs - yeah, I will give that one but I still want a Husky!

5. From Professional woman to little girl in 3 seconds flat - when you want something or need something after I just sat down to watch Patton.

6. Features and Benefits - we are both stubborn but even when I say "End of story" you continue to zig and zag and before I know it I am sold on an idea. Slighty evil.

7. It takes two to tango - I thought I did a lot when I was solo, that is nothing compared to what we got ourselves into now (108, a certain clock ticking which I can't mention, etc.)

8. Cool chicks - they exist! Who had the idea of me coming in as Elvis and then let me do it?!?

9. Thinking things through - "what would happen if I strapped a jet engine to the car? hmmmm" (I would like to say those ideas are no more but at least they are less frequent)

10. Angel - I can't tell you enough of how I need you in my life.

Possible Halloween costumes....

Super Steve!

German Skier from the future?

Army Guy!

Bat Girl?

Reflection

Yesterday we celebrated Steve's 35th birthday with the family (although the actual date is this Sat the 14th). It has been a tradition for the last few years to go bowling for his birthday.

So in the spirit of celebrating my hubby, I started thinking about how in addition to a bowling birthday what else Steve has brought into my life (in no particular order).

1. Watching the news in the morning - I am just not a news person in general and so without Steve I probably would have never known what was going on in the world.
2. NPR - to be honest I am more tolerant of news in the morning than news radio, but it is good to see this whole other world called "Wait, wait don't tell me" and "Car Talk" - although I can only handle about 15 mins
3. Rescue Me - definitely a show I would have never thought to watch. Plus the theme song gets stuck in my head.
4. Discovery & History Channels - 2 channels I seriously never knew existed
5. Elvis - while I will always be more of a Beatles girl - I have to say that the man has grown on me
6. People watching - Steve enjoys sitting and watching people more than anyone I know and so when I travel (read am stuck in the airport or eating dinner by myself without a book) - I find myself people watching because I know how much Steve would appreciate it - if he was there.
7. Soccer - I now not only understand some of the rules - but can sit through a whole game and plus I love the side bets
8. Beer - now I am not saying I enjoy beer anymore than pS (pre-Steve), but I have a better appreciation for how many different kinds there are
9. Rolling Stones - another band that I always enjoyed - but didn't get until we saw them live
10. Fantasy football - I haven't gone so far as to look at "his guys" but I do ask how he is doing and have a general understanding of how it works

On the flip side - here is what (I think) I have brought to Steve - perhaps he has his own thoughts.... (hint, hint - this is where you chime in)


1. Watching videos on MTV and VH1 in the morning
2. College basketball
3. Little dogs
4. Apple donuts from the Long Grove Apple Festival
5. Westin's Heavenly Bed
6. Russell's dry cleaners
7. Panera's Potato soup
8. Mall walking
9. Home repair/design shows
10. Tom Petty

One simple project

I have started one little project slightly under Katie's radar. I read an article in FastCompany about these lightbulbs and I have installed a few but now I am on a mission to replace all of them. The decorative ones will remain the same, but the rest are getting swapped out one by one.

This is an underlying theme in my mind for 108, simple ways to make the house more energy efficient and a bit more green. Another idea is to replace the water heater with tankless one.

Baby steps...ummmmm baybay!

And that's the truth...

This was taken near our resort/lodge in Lake Tahoe on the Honeymoon. It's my Edith Ann impression.

Here's a novel idea...

So I was reminded tonight by my husband that the purpose of this site was to blog about the house....so I thought I might want to actually post some pics of...welll...the house.

As Promised..

Who could resist that smile?

Pics from the "Katie and Steve Show"

Steve and I put together a slide show for the rehearsal dinner.
Here are some of my favorite pictures of me. Steve's will be up soon as well....



(Left) - This was taken at Brookfield Zoo. As the lore goes, soon after the shot was taken - the pig knocked me over.












(Right) This picture cracks me up for several reasons - note the groovy 1970s outfits and my dad's ears looking very Spock like. It is also cool to have a picture at 108 in the dining room when I was small.

(Above) oh yeah - I was styling in my patent leather shoes and underoos!

My problem with blogging or Where do I start part2

Brevity.

I have really good intentions - I will just write a quick stream of conscious post about the important/interesting parts of an event....but I end up flooded with words.

Take my last post...I even started with a list. That will for sure keep me on track........not so much.

To me every detail is important - summarizing is great for 6th grade book reports - but doesn't fit with how I think or write. So bare with me as I learn to find my blog "voice" and describe my life in a way that might be interesting to more than just me. I may have to start up a diary again for the detailed descriptions of life at 108.

In the meantime, here is one of my favorite pictures from the wedding. It reminds me of Reservoir Dogs as I walk with my posse. PorTillo was great - it was like he knew exactly where he was going.