Monday, September 14, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, took about an hour to fall asleep, slept through the night, finally waking/getting up at 7am.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 3,101 steps yesterday and last night I slept for 7 hours and 17 minutes for a sleep score of 80.

Another photo of Annie James

I tried balancing my USAA checking account but I’m off by about $20. I’ll get to that again later.

We left the Airbnb just after 9:30 and drove to Woodfield mall. I had asked ChatGPT where to park to be closest to the JD Sports store. I parked between Penney’s and Nordstrom and the store was just inside and around a corner. I quickly returned the $150 shoes I bought a couple weeks ago and we were back on the road.

We stopped at a Jewel supermarket and bought a bouquet of flowers. We continued on to the cemetery where my mother is buried. We found her grave, cleaned it with a special knife we found in our Airbnb and sat down and said a prayer.

We drove to Geneva arriving at noon and I found a parking spot right in front of the restaurant, Nosh. We walked around town for about 20 minutes but didn’t find anything interesting and some stores are closed on Mondays.

We returned to the restaurant and Jim, Joan and David (my cousin) were already there.

Left to right: me, Teresa, Dave, Jim, Joan.

I haven’t seen Dave in probably 10 years. We shared a large table and I ordered a chicken sandwich (minus the bacon) for Teresa and I ordered a half-price on Mondays burger for me. We shared stories including Dave explaining in detail how he used to catch rattlesnakes for $15 each for milking when he lived in Arizona.

We left at 2pm and drove out to a mall west of town where we found a couple discount stores. We returned to town and at my brother’s advice parked a couple blocks south of downtown where we walked through a couple of old houses repurposed as boutique stores. One that impressed me the most was named Cocoon and I was impressed by the owner’s layout and design skills.

We drove east of town to a mall where we found a Marshall’s, a Ross and a Nordstrom Rack where we spent some time shopping.

We finally left there about 6:15 and drove to Mr. Beef and Pizza on Elmhurst Road where we had our last Italian beef sandwich for this trip.

We returned to the Airbnb and prepared for bed. We found we’re out of zopiclone sleeping pills so we each took a full Benadryl.

 

RELEASE ALL THE EPSTEIN FILES NOW!

 

FUNNY

 

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, took about an hour to fall asleep, slept through the night, finally waking at 6am and getting up with Teresa at 6:30.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 3,665 steps yesterday and last night I slept for 6 hours and 44 minutes for a sleep score of 81.

With veggie leftovers from yesterday’s party, Teresa made omelets this morning.

I had a 42-minute nap after breakfast.

We left the apt at 12:30 and drove to Broken Tee Brewing Company in Highwood where I found a parking space right across the street. We walked inside and there was a young family eating and watching the game. It certainly didn’t look like a party going on. Then someone came in that recognized us and informed us the party was in back. Behind the building they have a patio and half a dozen young families with kids were celebrating Annie’s second 1^st birthday. They had premade hotdogs and a lettuce salad for everyone to share. Of course you go inside for your drinks. Just before halftime (the Bears were ahead 28-21) we got some raindrops and moved everything inside to a side room. For dessert they had delicious cupcakes. They put a candle in a cupcake and we all joined in singing Happy Birthday to Annie James. They soon brought out a bowl of watermelon slices pierced with sticks. Annie’s eyes lit up because that’s her favorite dessert. By the time she finished her 5 slices her dress was wet from all the dripping. 

The party broke up at 3pm and we helped J & J carry stuff out to their cars. The Bears beat the Carolina Panthers 59-37. I’ll have to wait until we return to Envigado to resubscribe to DAZN (aka NFL Game Pass) to watch the game. We drove back to the apt and just relaxed for a while.

Chesswiz98 resigned our game increasing my rating to 1553.

We left the Airbnb just before 6pm and drove to Himalayan Restaurant in Niles where I ordered Garlic Naan bread to share (Teresa had one bite and I two slices) and Teresa had fish tikka masala and I had chicken tikka masala for a total of $50.40 including tip. It was all delicious.

We walked to a nearby Marshall’s where Teresa found a jacket for the gym and baseball cap she liked and I found a less expensive and more suitable fanny pack for less than I paid at L.L. Bean so I’ll return that one.

We returned to the apt and got ready for bed.

 

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FUNNY

 

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, fell asleep pretty quickly, slept through the night, finally waking/getting up with Teresa at 7:15.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 6,701 steps yesterday and last night I slept for 7 hours and 53 minutes for a sleep score of 80.

Teresa took out the eggs for breakfast and showed me we only had 2. It’s like her not to give me a heads up when we are low on something. I drove to Walmart where I bought our usual carton of 18 eggs plus a small container of blueberry preserves. I stopped at my old townhouse and picked up some genealogical material my ex left between the door and the screen door.

Teresa made herself breakfast while I just collapsed on the couch.

Teresa finally talked to her mother this morning after calling her all week and her never answering.

We left the Airbnb at 12:30 and drove to Jeannie & Jacob’s house for Annie’s first 1^st birthday party. I saw a number of people I haven’t seen since Annette’s funeral: Kia, Chris & Mark, Valerie & her husband, Angie, Jerry & Toulah.

Everyone left by 3pm and Jeannie opened our presents for Annie: a book Mis Primeras Palabras in Spanish, 2 dresses and I told Jeannie about our 529 contribution.

We left a few minutes later. I drove us back to our Airbnb where we collapsed for a few minutes. We ate the half sandwiches Jeannie had given us and at 7pm we drove to Potbelly where we each had a bowl of their broccoli cheese soup.

We went to bed at our usual 10pm.

 

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FUNNY

Friday, September 11, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10:15, was still awake when Teresa got up at 12:30, we both took another ½ zopiclona and returned to bed this time falling asleep quickly, finally waking/getting up at 6:45 and Teresa was already up.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 5,313 steps yesterday and last night I slept for 6 hours and 42 minutes for a sleep score of 75.

Wow, today is the 25^th anniversary of 9/11; can’t believe it’s a quarter century in the past already. Well, it’s understandable when I think of where I was then and where I am now.

We left the apt at 9:30 and drove to Deerfield Bakery in Buffalo Grove. Again, Teresa had the skillet and I had the 2x2 and we shared a pecan roll with coffee. Teresa ate half her skillet and got the remainder to go. We drove to All Seasons Orchard in Woodstock.

We presented our free passes and they gave us two small paper bags for our apples. I understood any more than fit in the bags and we would have to pay for more bags. A tractor pulled us in a hayrack a short distance to the orchard. They had American flags indicating the rows (one gala and the other honey crisp) that we were supposed to use. I couldn’t believe how plentiful the apples were; previously I’ve always gone in October when it was difficult to find ripe apples.

We easily filled one of the bags then walked down to the honey crisp row. The honey crisp didn’t look healthy as they all had a spot on them. We returned to the gala row and filled the 2^nd bag and then some. We returned to the entrance and the girl nicely didn’t charge us for the extra apples.

We stopped in their store where we shared an apple cider donut and a glass of apple cider (she was not impressed) and got a small apple pie to go.

We drove to Crystal Lake where Teresa checked out Ross and I bought a 10-pack of thin socks and a stick of deodorant. We stopped nearby at a T.J. Maxx where Teresa returned a few items. Sitting in the car in the parking lot we finished the leftovers from Teresa’s breakfast.

I stopped at a gas station and filled up the car with $4.25 per gallon gas.

We returned to the Airbnb and brought up our things to our apt. We left again at 7:30 and drove to the nearby Chinese restaurant Twin Dragon where we shared a plate of chicken with rice and I had a hot tea. The check was $15.55 and I gave them $20 and told them to keep the change.

We stopped at a Walgreens where Teresa was looking for some type of fingernail polish. I found a group of 6 teenagers (1 guy, 5 girls) and one spoke Spanish and helped Teresa find what she was looking for.

We returned to the Airbnb.

I finished James Patterson’s Kill Alex Cross on my Kindle and downloaded the next book in the series.

 

RELEASE ALL THE EPSTEIN FILES NOW!

 

FUNNY

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10:30, fell asleep quickly, got up once at 2am, took a little while to fall back asleep, finally waking at 7am and getting up with Teresa at 8am.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 5,445 yesterday and last night I slept for 6 hours and 46 minutes for a sleep score of 79.

I went for a nap after breakfast but didn’t sleep much if at all.

We left the apt just before 11:30 and arrived at Jeannie’s apartment right at noon. (The google maps lady did me wrong again and took me on the tollway for a few minutes. Somehow the ‘avoid tollways’ option got turned off and I had to turn it back on again.)

We fed the girls then took them in the double stroller to Michael’s Grill where Teresa had a grilled chicken sandwich, Jeannie had some type of wrap and I had a cheeseburger with a Coke.

We walked a couple blocks further to Harmony Coffee Bar where I had a latte and Jeannie a Matcha Latte. We sat outside and Teresa took the girls on several walks around the area in their stroller.

We stopped at Walgreen’s where Jeannie picked up some photos. Back at the house we soon said our goodbyes as it was time for their naps.

We drove to a couple malls finally settling on Marshall’s in Deerbrook Mall where Teresa bought 2 blouses and I found a Bears cap for only $12.99. I bought a Sun-Times in Jewel next door. As I was returning to Marshall’s I saw a Brinks truck parked outside. A 50-ish man came out carrying a bag (which I later deduced was probably empty) and I told him in Medellin, Colombia he would have a 45 revolver at his side and another man with him carrying a shotgun.

We returned to the apt.

Troyclough resigned our game increasing my rating to 1547.

For supper Teresa had leftover Fish Tikka Masala and I had the remainder of my Gale Street ribs. Everything was just as delicious as when then were fresh.

I checked my crossword puzzle from yesterday and I got it 100% correct. 😊

This video of Annie James is from last Friday when they were driving to Lake Geneva:

 

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FUNNY

 

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, took at least until midnight to tall asleep, got up once during the night, finally waking at 6:30 and getting up with Terea at 8am.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 6,554 yesterday and last night I slept for 5 hours and 14 minutes for a sleep score of 63.

I had a 39-minute nap after breakfast.

We left the apt at 10:30 and I dropped Teresa off at Marshall’s while I headed to the laundromat. The woman there helped me get change (quarters) and starting the washers and dryers. I did a load of whites and one of coloreds. I walked across the street to the 7-11 but they didn’t have the Sun-Times. After I folded everything and put it in the trunk I drove to Walgreen’s where I bought the only Sun-Times they had. I drove to Marshall’s where Teresa was trying on clothes. She didn’t find anything she liked but I found a Bears sleeveless t-shirt in the larger size I needed for $16.99.

We had our usual lunch in Panera Bread then went nearby to Ross Dress for Less but they didn’t have anything we were interested in.

Back at the apt Teresa took a nap while I successfully completed the Sun-Times crossword puzzle.

We left the Airbnb at 6:30 and drove to Gale Street Inn on Milwaukee where Michael and his girlfriend Chelsey (sp?) were waiting for us. Unfortunately, our seats were right under an A/C vent and I almost froze my backside. Michael doesn’t remember the little Spanish he knew because he’s got Russian running through his brain which I hear pisses off his Czeck friends. He won’t be able to attend Annie’s birthday party because he has a friend in Atlanta dying of brain cancer he needs to visit. I learned Chelsey does event planning. Michael and I ordered a full rack of ribs, Chelsie (sp?) their jumbalaya, and Teresa their salmon. Teresa told me later her salmon was dry but our ribs were great, much better than Carson’s. I ate half my ribs and got the other half to go.

We left at 8:30 and stopped in Walmart for a few groceries before returning to the Airbnb.

 

RELEASE ALL THE EPSTEIN FILES NOW!

 

FUNNY

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

Last night I went to bed at 10pm, fell asleep quickly, got up twice during the night, finally waking/getting up at 6:15.

According to my Fitbit, I got in 3,398 yesterday and last night I slept for 7 hours and 42 minutes for a sleep score of 81.

Teresa slept in until 8am.

I’m trying to schedule supper with Michael (aka Mr_Blamo) for tomorrow night. I’m suggesting we meet at Gale Street Inn on North Milwaukee. They have salmon and great ribs; hoping they’re better than Carson’s from the other night. Speaking of tomorrow, it’s looking more and more like rain so we may be moving our apple picking outing to Friday.

After breakfast I had a nap for an hour but my Fitbit says I only slept for 17 minutes.

We left the Airbnb at 11am and at first I had a little problem with the google maps lady giving me a route. We arrived at Jeannie’s house by 11:45. Today she is taking care of her own daughter plus Joanne’s daughter Lucy. After playing with the kids for a while, we walked two blocks to downtown Highland Park where we had drinks in Harmony Café. 

We stopped on the way back to the house at Michael’s Grill where we bought a hotdog for me, chicken sandwich for Teresa and hamburger for the girls. Back at the house, after finishing lunch, we played in their playpen for a while until Joanne arrived to pick up Lucy.

Joanne and Jeannie have been friends since kindergarten after playing on the same AYSO soccer team. Jeannie’s Lucy is one month older than Annie. Jeannie and Joanne both live in Highland Park 1 mile from each other. Joanne is an interior decorator and she was instrumental in Jeannie becoming a private consultant for interior designers. Joanne watches both girls on Monday & Wednesdays and Jeannie watches them on Tuesdays & Thursdays. 😊

We gifted Joanne a couple of Colombian dresses for Lucy.

We left about 3:30 and drove to a nearby T.J. Maxx on Skokie Blvd. Teresa returned a blouse and I bought a National Geographic magazine about The Revolutionary War for Jimmy. We drove to another T.J. Maxx in Morton Grove where Teresa found 2 pairs of jeans and I found a Bears sleeveless t-shirt

to wear around the house.

We drove to Twin Dragon restaurant on Golf Rd but found it closed. I drove us nearby to Himalayan Restaurant where I ordered fish tika masala for Teresa and chicken tika masala for me and they came with basmati rice. Delicious! She didn’t remember the place until after she tasted the food, which she loved. Me too! She got about 1/3 of it to go with some basmati rice.

Chesswiz98 resigned our game on the 24^th move increasing my rating to 1543.

Teresa tried on the pants and decided she’ll return them.

I went out to the car to retrieve Teresa’s cellphone and about 15 feet away I saw 2 raccoons climb up the side of the dumpster.

We went to bed at 10pm but I couldn’t fall asleep until about midnight after Teresa asked me to get up and turn up the air conditioning. I was feeling warm also but just too lazy to get up and change it.

 

RELEASE ALL THE EPSTEIN FILES NOW!

 

FUNNY