Thanksgiving Weekend

The boy came over for the Thanksgiving Weekend.

Tried to do a timer selfie when we took Gil for a walk. 

Didn't quite make it.

Went to the Casino, where the boy came out $7.60 ahead.

I lost $5.

We also saw 2 movies: Ladybird (ok) 

and Three Billboards in Missouri (Excellent. Highly recommend it!)

Decorated the Christmas Tree.

Went to the town tree lighting. Santa arrived on an old fashioned firetruck.

Seeing the boy off at the train station.

RIP David

Sad news about David Cassidy. I got to see him once at the Ohio State Fair when I was quite young. Played his albums the other morning in tribute.

Rutherford Hall

Took a little trip to Rutherford Hall on Sunday. They were having a craft fair, but I really just wanted to see the house. It was the home of Lucy Rutherford, who was a mistress of FDR. He visited her here on occasion. It was very beautiful inside, but alas, I got no photographic evidence.

Illustrated Poetry

In Chicago I went to an illustrated poetry workshop. I finally finished my project last week. Below is the final product. A poem and collage about Henry Darger, one of the most famous figures in outsider art.

Trey's back again

Well, it's been many, many months but Trey has finally returned to the back yard. She's the 3 legged deer I first saw over a year ago. Just when I'm about to give up and assume she's died, she turns up! At first she was alone, but then another female and a baby came along. They nuzzled her then all began eating grass in the yard. A while later the rest of the herd showed up, including a couple of bucks. They all left together eventually.

Its very heart warming to see how they take care of Trey.

Trip to CIA

My ladies group organized a trip to the Culinary Institute of America in New York. We had a nice tour, given by one of the students as well as an excellent lunch!

The room where the student's eat.

Group photo.....yes, that's snow.

Sturgeon sculpture made of silverware.

My lunch was the Quiche of the day; broccoli and boursin. It was excellent. The salad however......way too much vinegar on the dressing impossible to eat.

Fashion Museum NYC

The boy and I walked around Chelsea and went to a really cool fashion museum. Below are some pics from one of the exhibits.

Probably the last nice fall day. Apparently winter arrives tomorrow.

Trip to Windy City

Spent nearly a week in the Windy City supervising the work in the condo and visiting the kids.

Dinner at an Ethiopian Restaurant

New berber carpet in the bedrooms.

My wedding rings disappeared during the carpet installation. :(

Visit to the International Museum of Surgical Science.

It was pretty interesting. Wish it had more medical oddities.

Below: an old ad for some medicine; He Wants It.

Inside the original Walgreens re-creation.

The 3 story building was once a private home.

It was pretty cool. They had photos of how it looked when the family lived there.

Fireplace Mantel

Exhibit in the Eye room

In the Hall of statues

An old time child with shingles on the face

Bust (by Louis Linck) of Maurice Tillet who was diagnosed with acromegaly (bone overgrowth and thickening) at age 20. Feeling a freak in the world, he  became a successful  professional wrestler in America in 1940, using the ring name The French Angel. Rumor has it that he was the inspiration for Shrek. This bust is actual size.

This appears to be Santa Claus performing a C-section, while uncle Fester reads the directions to him.

Night out at Kingston Mines. Two great Blues Ladies: 

Nora Jean Buso and Nellie Tiger Travis

A girl and her cat