SunSpotting: January 2010

Logan Square Stop #3.

Logan Square Stop #3.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Ahh. That is 2210 N. Lowell, and that was home from 1972-1979. That was the house with the gigantic vegetable garden in the backyard, the knotty pine-panelled + red&white-tile-floored basement of wonder where I watched Dave Kingman hit his one-handed homerun and played with both my Barbies and METAL Tonka trucks and which had an additional full kitchen, the vast cavernous attic of mysteries, the main floor kitchen where we had all sorts of taffy-pulling/bread-rising/cookie-baking/papier-mache-building/homework-completing/family-dinner-devouring activities. This is the neighborhood with the alley down the middle of the block which held such grand hazards as bike-devouring pot-holes, behemoth garbage trucks, and voraciously-grilled family cars. Norman Rockwell couln't have painted a more idyllic childhood. I miss that magical place.

Logan Square Stop #3.

Ahh. That is 2210 N. Lowell, and that was home from 1972-1979. That was the house with the gigantic vegetable garden in the backyard, the knotty pine-panelled + red&white-tile-floored basement of wonder where I watched Dave Kingman hit his one-handed homerun and played with both my Barbies and METAL Tonka trucks and which had an additional full kitchen, the vast cavernous attic of mysteries, the main floor kitchen where we had all sorts of taffy-pulling/bread-rising/cookie-baking/papier-mache-building/homework-completing/family-dinner-devouring activities. This is the neighborhood with the alley down the middle of the block which held such grand hazards as bike-devouring pot-holes, behemoth garbage trucks, and voraciously-grilled family cars. Norman Rockwell couln't have painted a more idyllic childhood. I miss that magical place.

Logan Square Stop #2.

Logan Square Stop #2.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Up until 1972 this was a 2-family apartment. We lived upstairs here from 1968 until we bought the house on N. Lowell. It was a good location because Daddy was teaching 6th & 7th grades at Christ, which loomed large in our big picture window. The picture window was part of a story about me at the age of 3 which my maternal grandmother used to love to share. I was near the big window when I heard a blue jay. Excited, I ran to tell my mom, who flatly denied that I heard a jay. Blue jays don't live in the city. But I insisted. That was the summer Grandma Kopsell started teaching me birds, and Grandma was God as far as I was concerned, so I was dead confident. Mom and I argued for a short while, but only until she remembered that she was arguing with a 3-year-old. Mom gave up on what was clearly a pointless argument and looked up towards the picture window, which was precisely when she saw the biggest, bluest blue jay she'd ever seen in her life.

Logan Square Stop #2.

Up until 1972 this was a 2-family apartment. We lived upstairs here from 1968 until we bought the house on N. Lowell. It was a good location because Daddy was teaching 6th & 7th grades at Christ, which loomed large in our big picture window. The picture window was part of a story about me at the age of 3 which my maternal grandmother used to love to share. I was near the big window when I heard a blue jay. Excited, I ran to tell my mom, who flatly denied that I heard a jay. Blue jays don't live in the city. But I insisted. That was the summer Grandma Kopsell started teaching me birds, and Grandma was God as far as I was concerned, so I was dead confident. Mom and I argued for a short while, but only until she remembered that she was arguing with a 3-year-old. Mom gave up on what was clearly a pointless argument and looked up towards the picture window, which was precisely when she saw the biggest, bluest blue jay she'd ever seen in her life.

Logan Square Stop #1.

Logan Square Stop #1.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

This used to be Christ Lutheran Church, the church and school of my childhood. In my very early days there was even stained glass (note the painted wood) but the Latin Kings and the Cobras took care of that with gang wars every weekend. Funny, how things (buildings, open areas, etc) are so monumental in our memories, but when revisiting them after a time they seem to have shrunk.

Logan Square Stop #1.

This used to be Christ Lutheran Church, the church and school of my childhood. In my very early days there was even stained glass (note the painted wood) but the Latin Kings and the Cobras took care of that with gang wars every weekend. Funny, how things (buildings, open areas, etc) are so monumental in our memories, but when revisiting them after a time they seem to have shrunk.

It's my way or the Skyway...

It's my way or the Skyway...
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

This trip we're actually going through Chicago to get to McHenry County. Usually we go around the city (Chicago has perpetual rush hour, and we have become soft and spoiled by Cleveland's easy traffic), but this time we're going to take Rick to see our old neighborhood. Nicole, Nikki, and Jodie, I sure wish we could stop and see you, but I'll at least be thinking of you!! Next visit. It's nice to be home, even if it's just a drive-by.

It's my way or the Skyway...

This trip we're actually going through Chicago to get to McHenry County. Usually we go around the city (Chicago has perpetual rush hour, and we have become soft and spoiled by Cleveland's easy traffic), but this time we're going to take Rick to see our old neighborhood. Nicole, Nikki, and Jodie, I sure wish we could stop and see you, but I'll at least be thinking of you!! Next visit. It's nice to be home, even if it's just a drive-by.

It's 'Iron Chef' Big Pot Night. CHILI.

It's 'Iron Chef' Big Pot Night. CHILI.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Make that SEVEN DIFFERENT TYPES of chili. Wow. That's gonna leave a mark!!

It's 'Iron Chef' Big Pot Night. CHILI.

Make that SEVEN DIFFERENT TYPES of chili. Wow. That's gonna leave a mark!!

Lazy Sunday

Lazy Sunday
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Aww. Very snuggly. You should hear the purring.

Lazy Sunday

Aww. Very snuggly. You should hear the purring.

U gotta FIGHT! 4 your RIGHT! 2 PAR-TAY!

U gotta FIGHT! 4 your RIGHT! 2 PAR-TAY!
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Patti, Nina, and Carlina bust a move to some rap song that uses Beethoven's Fur (with an umlaut) Elise'... 'I know I can... Be what I wanna be... If I work hard at it... I can be what I wanna be!' Good song. Nice jam session.

U gotta FIGHT! 4 your RIGHT! 2 PAR-TAY!

Patti, Nina, and Carlina bust a move to some rap song that uses Beethoven's Fur (with an umlaut) Elise'... 'I know I can... Be what I wanna be... If I work hard at it... I can be what I wanna be!' Good song. Nice jam session.

Not a giant pancake...

Not a giant pancake...
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

A piece of Mike's first Apollo parties. MAN, I wish I'd been allowed to go to that one, but it was '99, and my first husband was very anti-fun.

Not a giant pancake...

A piece of Mike's first Apollo parties. MAN, I wish I'd been allowed to go to that one, but it was '99, and my first husband was very anti-fun.

Cirrus.

Cirrus.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

The thing that drives me nuts is that he's just so goddamned gorgeous. But the CLAWS... the claws... Dear GOD, the claws...

Cirrus.

The thing that drives me nuts is that he's just so goddamned gorgeous. But the CLAWS... the claws... Dear GOD, the claws...

This is Love.

This is Love.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

'Nuff sed.

This is Love.

'Nuff sed.

So silly.

So silly.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Tim with Cirrus (in lap) an Nina requesting a picture of Cirrus. What a silly evening.

So silly.

Tim with Cirrus (in lap) an Nina requesting a picture of Cirrus. What a silly evening.

Best. Drinking game. EVER.

Best. Drinking game. EVER.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

When Nina drinks, WE drink. Cheers!!!

Best. Drinking game. EVER.

When Nina drinks, WE drink. Cheers!!!

NINA!!!!

NINA!!!!
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Dinner at Mike'n'Patti's with Tim, Carlina, and Nina Bramhall. Nina is such a charming dinner fellow!! She's got great manners, and her conversation is scintillating!

NINA!!!!

Dinner at Mike'n'Patti's with Tim, Carlina, and Nina Bramhall. Nina is such a charming dinner fellow!! She's got great manners, and her conversation is scintillating!

Impressive.

Impressive.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

What's even more impressive is that I nailed that while being all congested-dizzy.

Impressive.

What's even more impressive is that I nailed that while being all congested-dizzy.

Mmmmm. Ok.

Mmmmm. Ok.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Unless there's something stronger and Belgian. Then I'm all over that, instead. WAAAAY 'instead'. 'Cause Guinness is like chocolatey water without so much chocolate.

Mmmmm. Ok.

Unless there's something stronger and Belgian. Then I'm all over that, instead. WAAAAY 'instead'. 'Cause Guinness is like chocolatey water without so much chocolate.