NES outing

Hi everyone!  Let me introduce you to NES.  NES is our 7 year old shorthaired grey and white kitty.  He is the most loving and calm cat you will ever meet.  He is so sweet and even tempered that I'm convinced he could make even the nastiest cat haters love him. 

 

NES was born on the south side of Chicago.  His owner didn't want him (or any of his siblings) and threatened to throw them in the trash.  I rescued this little one (and his brother and sister who live in California) from an awful and certain death.  He has lived with me in Detroit and San Diego and now we're back in his home town of Chicago.

 

 

 

 

When we moved here, we were without jobs and needed to quickly find an apartment, so we settled for a quaint little studio.  Although the place isn't without its charm it is rather small for NES to run around. I know it's temporary until our lease is up, but sometimes I feel so bad having him cooped up in here.  So, to help him get his exercise and give him some fresh air, Roibeard and I have been taking him out on walks every few weekends. 

 

There is only one problem...he HATES being outside.  He is terrified of the outside world.  We take him in the courtyard because it's quiet and there are always very few people around.  Still, he is one major fraidy cat.  All he wants is to be back inside.  All we want is for him to happily frolic and enjoy the sunshine for a bit.

 

The thing is though...the second he actually gets back inside...he cries to go back out!!!  After the fact he convinces himself that he had a grand old time.

 

 

 

Don't let the eyes fool you...he is secretly loving this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IRELAND! part 1 belfast: arrival

Yay!  Ireland!  Yes, that's right!  After over a year of planning Roibeard and I finally made it to Ireland.  The trip was partly to meet his family, partly to look for wedding locations, and partly a vacation.  All around though it was amazing.  Too cheesey?  Too bad.

 

Since we were there for two weeks and took sooooo many photos I am going to share these with everyone (with anyone?  hello?  anyone?)  over the course of a few installments.

 

I have to admit that before I visited, when I pictured it in my mind my fiancé was from Hobbiton. That's right, complete with little cottages under green hills, music and dancing every night, the occasional dragon slaying, and breakfast, elevensies, afternoon tea, lunch, dinner, supper.....

 

As the trip got closer Roibeard became increasingly worried of my askew fantasies.  First of all, not only was the Hobbit not a work of Irish literature, but also he grew up in gritty Belfast during the tale end of the troubles.  He feared that I would be greatly disappointed when I got there.

 

The thing he wasn't taking into consideration was that I was experiencing this city for the first time.  Each day was unique and special to me.  I loved and cherished every moment of it and helped him to see around the troubled past of his city and through the eyes of an outsider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos

 

1) One of our first days in Belfast we took a trip to city hall.  It's one of our wedding location ideas.  (Basically if we can't afford a castle, this is our back up).  You can't see the building much, but I like that Roibeard looks so natural here. 

 

2) We came across this brightly painted gazebo just outside of city hall.  I liked the way it looked against the grey feel of the city.

 

3 & 4) Roibeard and I playing on a music installation downtown.  Not all of the "keys" worked, but it was fun to hop around and add to the urban sounds around us.

 

5)Bigfish mosaic sculpture on Donegall Quay.  The scales are covered in newspaper clippings, text, and images that relate to Belfast history.

 

6) We found an old telephone box while exploring and had some fun with it.  I'm pretty sure now a days it is used as a toilet.

 

7) Mural from the New Lodge area.  I found some of these murals to be so haunting.

 

8) More murals from Now Lodge.  Roibeard used to play in this area when he was a boy.  He told me so many wonderful stories of him and his "gang" running around these streets as children...up to no good, of course.

 

Green City Farmer's Market

Today is my day off.  This is important because I don't get many days off, so I when I do get a day off I need to take advantage of it.  Unfortunately this usually means waking up early to have a meaningful adventure with Roibeard before he himself has to get to work (what's even more rare than a day off is a day that we both have off...).  So far we have near failed at the farmer's market two weeks in a row.  The market is only open until 1 PM on Wednesdays and both times we have arrived after noon.  Last week was even more awkward as we assumed we would find a bank on the way (we didn't) and arrived with no cash.  That's right, we were the jerk eating all of the free samples and not buying anything.  This week we were a little better off as we brought cash, but the vendors were closing up about 15 minutes after we arrived.  Still, we managed to pick up a bunch of Kale, some delicious cherries, and two types of fancy cheese.  I love cheese.  Oh!  Also, I got a delicious crepe with organic honey.  Mmmmmm. 

Moving on, I was so happy to have a chance to wear my long vintage dress and floral hat.  I can't really wear these things at work because they would be covered in coffee within seconds if I did.   Also, I have to say that while I felt right at home in my flower child attire in California I feel a bit odd wearing it here in Chicago.  I don't mean that I get strange looks or anything, (okay, maybe I get a few looks, but most people compliment me) but I feel out of place with the big city as my back drop.  Especially when I'm in the subway stations.  A dress like this needs hills and the ocean!

 

De Zwann

 

 

These photos were taken back in April when Roibeard, my brother, and I all went on a little trip to Holland, Michigan.  We were in Grand Rapids that weekend to attend my sister's college gradation (Congrats Sheryl!) and decided to take a stop over in Holland on our way back to Chicago.  Growing up I had always dreamed of the Holland Tulip Festival.  It sounded so unique and fun to me.  Now that I'm (mostly) a grown-up I have been here on two occasions.  My younger self would have loved it.  Unfortunately we came approximately one week before the tulips were in bloom.  Bummer.  Still, we saw the odd tulip here and there and were able to tour the windmill!

 

De Zwann is the only authentic, working windmill in the United States.  How amazing is that?  It is five stories tall and was first erected in Krommenie, Netherlands in 1761.  It made its way to Michigan by way of the Muskegon harbor in 1964.  One interesting thing I learned is that the position of the blades are used for communication.  The way they were positioned when we visited was to indicate that the mill was in a state of repair. 
 

 

 

The lone tulips:

 

We also saw this amazing street organ and beautifully painted carousel...oh my gosh...so wonderful.

On the way back to Chicago we made a brief stop in Beverly to see Chicago's only castle!  It is now a Unitarian church, it was built by Chicago's early Irish settlers in 1886. (Yes, in America that's old for us...)  Anyway, it was a way to start getting pumped about our trip to Ireland...there's a bunch of posts and a lot of photos to follow!
 

First Signs of Spring

After the most brutal and longest winter on record Chicago is FINALLY starting to see some spring time temperatures.  (Never mind that it snowed again this week and I had to break my winter coat back out of storage...)

 

These photos were taken on one of those rare spring days.  It was a bit cloudy and overcast with a light drizzle...but it actually reached 60 degrees. 

 

 

 

 

I couldn't help but run around for joy!  Seriously, after spending two years in California it has been so difficult for my body to readjust to the frigid temperatures. 

 

 

 

 

If I remember correctly I am almost certain that we did a double feature this day, although I can't remember off hand just what we saw.  I have been so bad with keeping up with movies lately.  I use to see everything that my cinema had to offer, but these days I just don't have the time.

 

The café I work at during the week is so busy and I work almost straight through for 8-9 hour days.  By the time I am off work I'm just so exhausted.

 

I'm trying to work on that though.  I want to make the most of the summer and start making art again and getting a portfolio together.  It's been too long.  

This last photo was taken at the Logan Theatre for the season 7 Mad Men premiere party.  Roibeard had to work, which is why he is in uniform, but I got to get gussied up and sip manhattans.  It was amazing and I am so glad that I finally got to attend one of these events.  

 





Spring Equinox is Here!

 

 

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat as these photos were actually taken yesterday on the last day of winter.  Of course, right now it doesn't matter all that much because this morning I woke up to snow outside my window.  At this point in the year waking up to snow is just too depressing.  I want warmth and sunshine and long days. 

 

 

 

I'm breaking in my new rain booties that I bought for my upcoming trip to Ireland.  I have never bought rain boots before in my adult life.  They make me feel like a child again and when I went grocery shopping with Roibeard the other day I made sure to purposely splash in the puddles...well...just because I could!

 

This weekend is going to be really busy and tiring.  I'm working both jobs (the café and the movie theatre) on Friday and Saturday.  Also, it looks like I'm not going to have a day off again for quite a few weeks.  It's good because I need the money, but everyone needs at least one day to themselves, right?

 

Anyway, happy first day of spring!  Whooooo!

Out like a....what?

 

Oh wow, it's hard to believe the last post I did was over Christmas!  It certainly has been awhile.  I whole heartedly wanted to keep up with this blog, but this winter has just been...brutal.

 

I'm reading my last post about the snow and how nice it was to wake up to every morning in December...if only I had known what was coming.

 

I've heard that this has been the worst winter in Chicago in 15 years.  I've heard that this has been the worst winter in Chicago in 100 years.  I've also head that this has been the worst winter in Chicago ever.  Whatever the case, it has been truly terrible in terms of weather and Roibeard, NES and I have mostly been in hibernation all winter long.

 

Which explains the lack of posts.  Anytime Roibeard and I did brave the cold to leave the apartment it was either too dark to take photos or so cold I'd risk frost bite if I exposed any section of skin.

 

Anyway, here's are some collages of our past few months:

 

1) Watching the river turn green (March)

2) Homemade NYE Gluten Free Pizza! (December)

3) Deep Freeze (-40 degrees...during the day!) (January)

4) NYE 2014 (December/January)

 

 

Below:

 

1) Academy Awards Cocktail Party (March)

2) Hancock Tower on a foggy evening (January)

3) Chicago river turns green (March)

4) Roibeard's 28th birthday (January)

 

Only one more day to brave until spring officially starts.  Too bad it's suppose to snow again this weekend...

 

So much for out like a lamb...