Nice long weekend

This is just what I needed, a nice long weekend to catch up with family and friends and even get in some long, overdue, touch up painting done in the house. Usually, Captain Candy and I spend the day after Thanksgiving in Chicago for Black Friday. We have kept that tradition since we met, but this year we decided to stay home and save. Last year when we spent the weekend, in Chicago after Thanksgiving, oh how I remember... It was a perfect night, the snow started to fall and the streets were lit with beautiful lights and it was so festive. We found this great little Bar at Ralph Lauren on Michigan street and we spent the rest of the evening there drinking martini's.

Thanksgiving this year was at Tulla's and there was no way I was going to make it to the famous Turkey Ride that started at Beno's. Yeah Im a looser and a boozer and I just could not make it. Besides, we had too much fun playing with our new nephew Frankie and time slipped by so quickly.

Friday I decided to finish painting the downstairs bathroom and the dining room molding and living room molding. We had the hardwood floors refinished about 3 years ago, and had to take off the quarter rounds on the base boards prior to the sanding. Well three years later... I got started with the bathroom and finished just before noon and made my way to the dining room, finished that too. Headed downstairs to change paint for the living room. Started to paint the base boards in the living room and realized the paint does not match. I was to use antique white and I think we screwed up the label on the can of paint I was using, because it was stark white, YIKES. Thank god I caught this early. Well by then I was a bit frustrated and decided to call it quits. I started to get stir crazy after this, it was 50 some degrees outside and I had no one to ride with at night. I was driving Captain Candy crazy cause he can't do squat with that busted shoulder. Maybe I should rub some dirt on his shoulder like Rusty said. I can't wait till I get my buddy back.

Well she is back! We got Trail Girl out on the bike on Saturday after almost two years in hibernation. Tony and Ulla planned on riding on Saturday morning and I decide to join in. We met at the Tosa bridge by 11:00 AM. Sanjay came along for the ride too and it was another perfect day for trail riding. We did the Tosa trail, Rusty Bubba trail, Harley trail and some others that I am not familiar with. We stopped for pee breaks along the way and a breather too. I have to say Trail girl still has it in her, all she had to do was shake off a little dust off that bike and they were both as good as new!

Saturday afternoon off to Steins for outdoor decorations and a pit stop to REI. Friends stopped by and I derailed from my painting tasks and had some fun. Our plan was to have a wreath decorating party tomorrow, but that foiled so we decided to get the stuff we needed to decorate the outside of our homes. Of course, shopping with Mari is never to one destination, we had to check out the down filled coats that REI had on sale. In the mean time, her girls Lauren and Emily wanted to show me there ability to climb the walls. I guess they take rock climbing classes with there dad at REI and had to show off there talent. After shopping we headed down to Cathedral Square to check out the nice christmas tree decorations and have dinner at Louise's Trattoria. I even got Emily to eat some calamari for a buck. Next time I'll bet her 20 if she can down a raw oyster. Oh what fun to play!