Basketball, Volleyball, Birthday Celebration, and a Concert

We decided to see how many activities you could pack into four days over the last weekend.  We started on Thursday with going to the Milwaukee Bucks playoff game against the Boston Celtics at the Bradley Center.  These were last minute tickets courtesy of Northwestern Mutual - go NM!  Since the Bradley Center is going to be torn down this summer as the Bucks move to their new arena this was the last basketball game there as well.  We were fortunate to use the Northwestern Mutual suite and got to see an exciting game in which the home town team won - unfortunately, the Bucks lost over the weekend and were eliminated from the playoffs.  We had a great time cheering the team on, so much, that Jo's voice was pretty raspy for the rest of the evening and most of the following day.  Lastly, this will be the last picture of the Bucks blimp from inside the Bradley Center.

On Friday, I picked up Jo from work and we headed to Madison to check on our condo and to watch the Badger volleyball team play an exhibition match with their cross-state rivals, Marquette.  The condo is coming along, especially as we hadn't seen it about a month, although progress has slowed since the tile installation didn't get started on time and is currently the rate controlling step.  But our fireplace surrounds are complete and came out like we had envisioned.  Also the walls have been painted and we both like the new color - and yes the walls are white for all those who were hoping we might actually put some color on our walls for once.  We went to the volleyball game with Kathy and John and had a lot of fun watching the games.  Also, in keeping with the weekend tradition the home town team won in three sets.  Both Jo and I reflected how watching the women play makes us miss the days when we used to play volleyball, before wrist, knee, and ankle joints all started making it painful.

Saturday we were up early to chat with Kathy and John a bit before we got in the car to drive to Elmhurst for a visit with our friends, John and Linda (and yes, we know a lot of John's).  Linda, John, and I are all turning sixty this year (and yes, the names are listed in the order of birthdays - I'm the youngest of the three by many, many months!!!).  To celebrate we got tickets to see Hamilton downtown Chicago and then we headed out for a celebratory dinner at Gaetano's in Forest Park.  Jo did remind us and anyone else who would listen that she wasn't anywhere near our age.  Anyway, it was a lot of fun catching up with John and Linda as well as seeing Hamilton again.  And the show didn't disappoint in the second viewing and we all found that you see things you missed in the first viewing.  We also made sure to take the obligatory Hamilton photo.  The only thing remaining on our Hamilton bucket list is seeing the show in New York - well that is on Jo's bucket list, which means it is on mine as well, I suppose.  Dinner was Italian and tasty even the birthday tiramisu's for dessert. 

Sunday after a wonderful french toast brunch which Linda managed to whip up at the last minute after we decided to not go to a restaurant, we headed home to Milwaukee in time to catch up on a few chores before Jo and Kathy (over from Madison) went to the Bon Jovi concert at the Bradley Center.  So, Jo managed in 4 days to see the last basketball game at the Bradley Center as well as the last concert.  And in July she will attend the last convention to be held at the Center when Northwestern Mutual hosts its annual get together there - quite a list of lasts that she is accumulating.  She is also going to be one tired puppy today as the concert didn't finish until eleven last night and she has been on the go for four straight days.

Sunny California to Wintery Wisconsin

We had the enviable task of attending several conferences in Southwestern CA over the last two weeks.  First up was Newport Beach where we got to see temperatures in the 60's and 70's for the first time since last October (maybe November).  It was great being outside in the sun and warmth which were able to fit in around Jo's meetings.  We had a great time exploring the Newport Beach area with a trip to Balboa Island and walks along the beach.  We also found time for a day of hiking in the canyons nearby.  Although since it is still early spring there not too much was blooming.  So a lot of brown, dusty trails and dried out plants.  We found the "Shake Shack" which sat on the bluffs above the ocean and had excellent milk shakes.  So good, that on our last day there we had breakfast there in the morning and decided to get milk shakes to go with our french toast and eggs.  Not particularly healthy but it sure tasted good!  Our evenings were spent at various cocktail hours and dinners and as you can see Jo looks fabulous when all decked out (she looks fabulous otherwise, but you get my drift).

After our week in Newport we headed to San Diego and the Hotel Del Coronado for another five days (yep, Jo had back to back meetings).  Again we found time to get out in the sun and warm temperatures while working around the meetings.  In San Diego we spent a day exploring Balboa Park, which certainly wasn't anywhere near enough time.  We particularly liked the cactus garden in the park where they had some really unusual species of cacti.  For our evening dinners, there fortunately, at least for me, weren't any black tie events but after hitting our eighth cocktail party/dinner in ten days I was pretty well talked out.  I mean I get talked out at one cocktail hour, much less eight.  We enjoyed our time seeing San Diego again, but were ready, sort of - see below, to come home.

Unfortunately, we came home to piles of snow and 30 degree temperatures - with more to come.  We received about 6-8 inches of snow two days before we came home and then another 3 inches just two days ago.  Winter just doesn't want to give up this year.   Hard to believe I'm still shoveling in late April.  But spring should be coming.... I have my spring fertilizer already, just need the snow to actually melt so I can see the grass to spread it on.

Isn't it Spring?

That time of the year when the daffodils and tulips begin to push up through the frozen ground, the birds are starting to sing in the trees again, and everyone begins to look forward to another spring.  Well not today!  I woke up to an inch or two of snow on the ground and roadways.  Which led to another round of shoveling, although I am hopeful it will be the last one for the season.  While snow is not unexpected in April, it isn't particularly welcome.  I know that April showers bring May flowers, but I generally expect my precipitation to come in the liquid not frozen form.  Well there is always next week to hope for warmer temps.  Fortunately, Jo is in Miami enjoying warm walks along the beach and while she says she wishes she was with me, I'm a bit skeptical given the weather differences.