Scenes from a Street in Chicago

It is a beautiful, sunny day in Chicago. Still cold, but sunny.
So, I walked to lunch at Wishbone. On the way back, my tummy full of black-eyed peas, I snapped these photos on my iPhone in the 800 block of W. Washington.
On my side of the street: an art gallery, with this on display in [...]

Five Things to Do with Kids on Winter Weekends

Chicago winters never bothered me. I figured the people who complained about winter were the same people who complained about taxes and Mayor Daley. Complainers. Yeah.
Then I had kids. Changed my whole outlook on all of the above.
Winter isn’t so wonderful when you’re wrestling two kids into down-coats, balaclavas, mittens and boots at 6:50 a.m. [...]

St. Stephen’s Day, and The End of 2009

For us, 2009 ended much as it began: with snow and coats and hoods and mittens. On St. Stephan’s day, Ruairi and Liam were big enough to shovel us out.

A few days later, clad in SpongeBob SquarePants pajamas, they decided being a firefighter was a better option; even if the fire hose was really a [...]

A Long Winter

I began wearing my Lands’ End hooded down coat in mid-October, 2008. Today–April 13–the day after Easter and the day of the Cubs’ home opener, I’m still wearing that coat. And a space heater still hums next to my feet in my office.
I’m in the midst of my 11th winter in Chicago. The severity no [...]

Saturday Diary

6:30 a.m.Enter sons’ room. Notice oldest son is covered in poop. Both socks. Outside of underwear. Sheets. Shirt. Oh, and poop on the floor. Son is playing with matchbox cars.
6:35 a.m.Sheets, socks, underwear, blankets are in the washing machine. Oldest son is in the bath.
10:35 a.m.Youngest son completely wigs out at the indoor gym we [...]