Happy Walspurgisnacht 2024

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

I know a lot of people, both young and old, that don't have kids, some of them by choice, others because they are unable to, and while some of them are perfectly happy, some have told me that they regret not having kids. I will admit that sometimes it can be frustrating dealing with kids, and you are always worried about them, especially with the way the world is today, but I think the joy you get from them outweighs that. I know that my mother is happy that we are grown up and living our own life, but she still worries about us and calls us at least once a week to check on us, even though I live less than a hour from her.

By the way Murf, I hope you have a great time in Chicago when you're visiting your son.

If you and your son are fans of pizza then I suggest you visit Vito and Nick's Pizzeria on the south side, I haven't been there in years so I don't know if they are still around, but if they are then I ABSOLUTELY recommend that you try them, I know there's a bunch of options for pizza in that city, and I'm sure that there are some great new restaurants that have come along since I've been there, but every time I visit I always go to their restaurant for my pizza before I try any other place.

[Murfreesboro]

I'm grateful I was fortunate enough to have a family, even though I procrastinated. I was never one of those girls who spent my time dreaming about marriage or motherhood. I decided to have a child in my mid-30s just so I could say I hadn't missed out on it, sort of like checking a box. And then when I had him I wondered why I hadn't had a dozen of them. Even now, though I was blessed with three, the only actual regret I feel is that I didn't have more. Far and away the best thing that ever happened to me. And probably the only thing I've done in my life that actually mattered.

Thanks for the well-wishes and the recommendation. I won't be there very long, less than a week,.and I'm not sure what to expect. But I do hope to enjoy my time with my son in his new city.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Apparently June 8th was officially Ghostbusters day but I just found out about it yesterday, so I told the kids that we are going to have a movie marathon this weekend for them to dress up and celebrate.

They also revealed some of the new merchandise that they will be releasing this year, there were some great items, but the thing that I want to get is the Slimer pumpkin, this is a great piece because he was this shape in the original cartoon and comics when I was younger, so I will be getting a few of them.

ghostbusters_slimer_pumpkin_a.jpg (330.59 KiB) Viewed 10014 times

[Murfreesboro]

I didn't know about it, either, but that pumpkin looks cute. On June 8 I was touring Lincoln Park Zoo and watching fireworks at Navy Pier from Promontory Point, near my son's apartment on Lake Michigan.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Hi Murf! I hope that you have been well. It sounds like you had a fun time in Chicago. How is your son doing? Any new interesting developments in his life?

[Murfreesboro]

My son loves his location right now and is trying to figure out how he can stay there once his job at U of C wraps up this coming January. We had a lovely visit in beautiful weather. He has a lake front apartment in the Hyde Park area, so it's pretty nice around there. Just a few minutes' walk from Museum of Science and Industry, a beach with a lifeguard, Promontory Point Park, and the lakeshore hiking/biking trail. We did a lot of free stuff, like attending a blues festival in Millennium Park, strolling the Riverwalk, going to Lincoln Park Zoo. He treated me to brunch at a diner called Valois, which claims to have been Obama's fave spot before he was president. They have a sign listing his favorite dishes. My last night we walked out to the Point and watched a big fireworks show up the way at Navy Pier. Apparently they do this twice a week during the summer. Of course he also gave me a walking tour of the univ campus, and we explored a Japanese garden behind the Museum of S&I. Both the garden and the museum have been there since the world's fair of 1893, although the garden was destroyed by vandals during WW2 and was rebuilt in the 1980s.

All my kids' lives are still in flux. Nobody has a significant other or a secure career. But if anybody can land on his feet, it's this older boy.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

Well, as long as he is safe, healthy, and happy then that's what matters for now. If he is meant to stay there then the right opportunity will present itself for him, but if this is just another stop on his path to his real destination then at least he is making some great memories.

[Murfreesboro]

That's a lovely way to look at it.

[Andybev01]

'...which claims to have been Obama's fave spot before he was president.'

I hope that isn't where he found his chef.

[Murfreesboro]

Omg you made me laugh!

Whatever one thinks of the Obamas, they generally seem to have a taste for the good life. The diner was good, and the neighborhood in which they once lived is upscale and pretty. I gather that Hyde Park is a kind of oasis in the midst of crime-ridden south side Chicago. Having been there, I worry less than I did about my son's current situation.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

MauEvig - I hope that you enjoyed Sonic day. I got a clone system for my kids so that they could play the original Sonic games, and we watched both movies.

I also hope that Murf is having a great time at her reunion with her cousins.

[Andybev01]

I like to be a fly on the wall at that reunion.

I'm guessing she is a party girl at heart.

[Murfreesboro]

Lol! Just got back maybe an hour ago. We did have a good time. Many of my relatives are professional musicians, so there was lots of music and singing. Also we pigged out! The food was like Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled together.

[TheHeadlessHorseman]

I'm glad to hear that you had fun Murf. I think it's great that you are still close to your relatives, and that you still stay in contact, especially these days with time passing by, it makes you appreciate family even more.

Like last year when we got together with our extended family for that big reunion, I saw family members that I hadn't seen in years, and got to meet some of the younger members for the first time, it was a day that is very special to me. I don't know if we will have a reunion that big again anytime soon, I know it won't be this year because of scheduling, but I'm thankful that I got to experience it.

[Murfreesboro]

Yes, reunions are great. My father's family has always been into them. My mother's less so. Perhaps I should look into changing that.