Tinkered around the yard tonight.  Avoided all chores.  Cleared my mind from the day, good and bad things.  Collected my five things I am grateful for today.

1.  Blooming flowers all over my yard - front porch, patio, side of house, garden.
2.  Monday Night Baseball.
3.  Independence - this should really be #1, but these arent in any specific order.  If it werent for my independence, I wouldnt be where I am at today. 
4.  Sister Laura calling.
5.  Friend Laura making me laugh.

Last night I went into the city to visit with my friend Jessica.  I've known her since she was in high school.  We used to work together part-time at Talbots in downtown Naperville.  Its so cool now that I can go to a bar with her and talk about guys, beer, work and she can relate.  She's all grown up!

 
*texting the new dude

We decided to go to one of my favorite places, Goose Island.  I love their entire menu - beer and food.  I also love the location (a few feet down from Wrigley) and the enormous beer garden they have.  My body said no more air conditioning yesterday afternoon, so we just had to sit outside.  I was in heaven.  And the weather worked out perfectly!   

If you had to use the ladies room, the staff was directing traffic from the beer garden to the restaurant via the brew room.  I've never been this close to a giant vat of beer.  My heart swooned. 

This just reaffirms my love for Goose Island.  They do their part.

Ali Edwards gave instruction/inspiration to capture a 'right now' moment.  Here is my right now.  

-relaxing on the couch after work, reading the 'net and watching the Dog.
-drafting a pros + cons list about dating.
-planning for tomorrow, a day not in the office.
-doing chores, laundry, dishes + floors, during commercials. 

Was sent to this website, The Simple Woman's Daybook,  I left inspired to do this exercise myself.  I believe this captures the moment, right now as it is. 

For Today.

Outside my window ... dark street with one street light barely working.

I am thinking ... how can I support my lifestyle I want without having to report to an office five days a week. 

I am thankful for ... great friends.  Spent the evening with two of my closest friends, talking, playing with makeup, relaxing.  I left encouraged to pursue alternative incomes. 

From the kitchen ... nothing right now, but will need to make some goodies for a 40th birthday party this weekend.  Plan to use some of the new dips from Tastefully Simple.  

I am wearing ... peace sweatshirt, blue polka-dot pyjama pants and ponytail.

I am creating ... this blog post. 

I am going ... to read some of my book, Free-Range Chickens by Simon Rich, before I go to bed.

I am reading ... besides the above, The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.

I am hoping ... that I am intersting enough to others to continue reading my blog.  I like sharing.  I like sharing what I do, hoping to inspire others. 

I am hearing ... the circulating fan and the air conditioner.

One of my favorite things ... capturing a perfect not-so-perfect moment, and being able to return to it and cherish it every day.  Thank you digital photography. 

A few plans for the rest of the week ... office work, a couple of appointments outside the office, spending Friday night in the city and a milestone birthday party on Saturday.  Looking forward to seeing friends. 

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there in the world.  Here are the fathers that are in my life. 

 
*step-father, Al

 
*father, Ken

 
*brother, Andrew

 
*brother-in-law, Geno

 
*brother-in-law, Ron

Hope every father on the planet had a good day, especially these five fathers.  Life would be pretty boring without all of them.  Thank you for being you. 

I am Mary Kay customer.  I love all of their products.  I have been wearing them for years.  One of my favorite products as of late has been the Satin Lips set. 

I love how the mask removes dead skin from the lip area and leaves my lips feeling SO smooth.  Apply the lip balm and its heaven.  This balm doesnt feel heavy on the lips, its very light, not oily.  Its almost like the feeling of having been in the pool/ocean/lake/pond for a long time.  The lips are that tender.  Kissable. 

Now I just need to get someone to kiss!

This is a great product for everyone - guys + ladies.  If you are thinking you need to try this set, drop me an email and I'll get you to the right person. 

Took a walk on Sunday afternoon with the twin nephews.  One big double stroller.  One quick stroller nap.  Good times. 

Today was the day for the Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon.  I woke up, extra early on a Saturday, well not really.  I woke up the same time I usually do Mon-Fri, however on Saturdays, I stay in bed until 6am.  So here I am running around the house getting ready, packing my lunch and snacks for the day.  My sister Laura and niece Megan show up, with my mother arriving minutes later.  We pile into my car and head into Chicago. 

We meet up with other Team Travelers at 8am.  We register with the event, and head towards the buses. 

We arrive at our location, Sandoval School.  We were welcomed by staff and parents from the community. 

We were then given our assignments of painting classrooms, stairwells, a mural in the gym and the pre-school classrooms with alpha-gators.  Mom, Megan, Laura + I were the lucky ones and were selected for the alpha-gator painting!!  This totally made the day!  Though volunteering always makes me feel great, this was the bonus. 

And the final product.

Saturday I will be participating at the Chicago Cares volunteer-a-thon.  It'll be a day spent with my mother, sister Laura + niece Megan in the city, in a neighborhood that is not as comfortable as my own, painting or cleaning a school/playground/recreation center.  I will be tweeting during the event so do follow me @whattheharry.  I'll even have pictures too.  Pictures of 4 suburbanites in the 'hood.  That should be a hoot. 

Ever wonder what its like to be the President of the United States of America?  Ever wonder what its like to be president and travel to counties only heard of in the news?  Me too. 

Thank you sister Sharon for sending this to me.  It was the very first email I opened Wednesday and made me feel appreciative of our nation.  It kept away the work naggies (you know the little annoying things at work ... yes, i make up words) for most of the day. 

Every year my step-father takes off for the great white north (Canada) for probably a total of 3 weeks, all broken out over 2 to 3 trips.  He'll be gone so far north to areas that dont have cell phone service or even paved roads.  He'll take a float plane into the lodge.  He lives for this stuff. 

When he is gone, my mother is basically a widow.  The lures, fishing rods, reels, etc ... all that fishing stuff ... has taken her husband away.  And she is absolutely fine with the temporary absence of my step-father.  She does miss him and looks forward to his return, but at the same time, she enjoys her alone time.  I used to fret of her  being by herself so I would be over there all the time.  I soon sensed she didnt mind being alone, in fact she looked forward to it. 

I went over to their house on Sunday to take Mom to the Wilton Tent Sale for some baking goodies.  I went into the basement to get something and I noticed the 'fishing' room was looking a bit vacant.  Come to think of it the whole house felt a little vacant. 

My friend Rich, whom I adore with all my heart, asked me to attend a wine festival with him on Saturday at the Chicago Botanical gardens.  When we talked about it, we were both all about the 'taking pictures of the flowers and blooms' part.  We were slightly interested in the wine part.

When Saturday arrived, we were more interested in the wine part, because it was cold and rainy.  Who wants to take pictures of flowers in the rain?  Especially when it was cold out? Most of the blooms were probably closed off and sucked inside the plant.  I dont blame them!

The highlight of the day?  The bird poop on my head.  While devouring a mini cheeseburger from Morton's steakhouse, a bird flew over and opened up on my head.  All I could say to Rich was 'Look!' pointing to my head, and 'Get it out!'.

(if you look closely, you'll see a white space/mark on my head, yeah, that's the bird poop)
  

And we were introduced to Kim Massie.  Man, does this woman have a voice.  Oo. La. La.  

Friday night I headed to the Schaumburg Flyers game with my friend Stefan.  Minor leagues games are fun.  Just the entertainment in between innings alone is worth the $10 ticket. 

I really enjoy these games for the fact that these guys show up to play the game, not to count their millions.  I can probably safely bet that A-Rod has gone up to bat and while waiting for the pitch has calculated how much he will make on that one pitch.  The guys in the minors? They count their blessings they get to play the game.  I am more than happy to support these guys who probably make less than minimum wage per pitch. 

 
*dairy queen cone and flyers mascot (which is a bear...still trying to figure that one out)

*and the boy wins! 

A couple of weeks ago I went over to my brother's to help out.  I helped with teaching kisses and raspberries.  Charlie was my first student. 

Kisses.
 

Raspberries.

Watch this and you'll have no recollection of the previous eight hours.