Chicago and a visit from Katie's parents - Week of June 20th

For the week of June 20th, Charlie had to go to Chicago for work...this time he was teaching new audit seniors and afterwards he stayed the weekend to visit with some high school and college friends that live there.  He got to see many of his friends - Kris (known best as "Roadkill" to many of Katie's Labyrinth friends) and his wife Tina, Craig - who had driven up from Cincinnati on the way to Wisconsin and stopped in Chicago for a night, Jon "Kiess-ring" - who now lives in Miami but was also visiting Chicago that weekend,   "Big Jay", Tommy aka "Tomas", Jason - his best friend from high school, and others.  Charlie spent Friday night beer ponging with Jay, Kris, and Craig into the wee hours of the morning at a bar near Kris's house, then went to Jason's on Saturday.  He spent Saturday afternoon hanging out with some of Jason's friends, then met Jon, Tommy, Jay and others at one of Chicago's many summer festivals.

While Charlie was away, my parent's (Bob and Sue) decided to come visit and keep me company while baby-sitting our dog.  Bob and Sue made the 10 hour drive from Ohio all in one day and arrived in New Jersey Monday evening.  I went to work each day and Griffey got to show them the neighborhood.  We all think he really enjoyed being out of the cage for a week; getting several walks a day by mom, taking naking naps on the couch with my dad and laying in the sun in the back-yard while Bob and Sue helped make the yard a bit more presentable and safer for Griffey.  A little bit about our New Jersey yard...I believe in one of our first posts we sent pictures of the house and yard, basically it could be a really nice yard but it has been let go for so long that it is over-run with poison ivy, an above ground pool that has been partially sunk into the ground with a fairly decent paver patio around it, which all it does it collect rain water and leaves and junk on the cover that from time to time we clean off just so the cover doesn't get too full and a rotted wooden children's play-ground equipment.  The play-ground area of the yard is one of Griffey's favorite parts of the yard..probably because it is so gross and muddy and this area has the worst of the poison ivy, so we always struggle to keep him out of this area.  So my dad had an idea to buy some chicken wire fencing and wooden posts to block off this area.  On Sunday my dad and I put the fencing up and completely blocked off this area...it looks pretty ghetto ...but heh it's Jersey...and the yard is hopeless anyways.  Unfortunately, one side effect of putting up this fence was that I happen to get too close to the poison ivy and unknowingly got some on my legs.  For some reason, the rash did not really show up on my legs until 2 weeks later ...right in time to go on vacation to the Cayman Island's (more on that trip and the poison ivy later).

Other than helping clean our house and yard and baby-sit our dog, I showed my parent's a few of our nearby favorite restaurants in Allendale and Ramsey and on Saturday we took the train into the City for the broadway show "Mary Poppins".  We had orginally wanted to see Jersey Boys...but it is the most expensive ticket in town, so since I am an only child and loved Mary Poppins growing up, my dad decided to suck it up and go see it.  Although we happened to sit right in front of 2 kids who would not stop kicking my dad's seat (Carico luck as he would call it)....we all really enjoyed the play (including Bob).  Afterwards, we walked through Times Square and then took the train back to Ramsey.  

Charlie returned Sunday evening and the 4 of us went to eat at Brady's in Ramsey which over-looks the train station and had a great time catching up with each other.

On Monday, Charlie and Katie had to go to work, but Bob and Sue drove up to West Point Academy which is only about and hour from our house.  Charlie and I had previously gone on the West Point tour last summer with Charlie's parents and we knew my parents would really enjoy it.

It was sort of sad to see them go, but one good thing about being far away is we all really appreciate the time together a lot more.  Thanks Mom and Dad - for all your help around the house and taking care of Griffey.  He sure does miss all the walks and attention.