Flipping Chicago

After a particularly grueling Memorial Day Weekend (4 events in 4 days), I spent my "weekend" (Tuesday & Wednesday) in Chicago, getting my rental unit ready for a new tenant.

After the three-hour drive from Iowa, the first order of business was lunch at Kopi A Travelers Cafe, and a brief walk around Andersonville. 

Candyality

Swedish Bakery

Brimfield

Brimfield

Brimfield

Yes, I like that Brimfield place (both the town in Massachusetts and the store in Chicago).

After a little spackle and touch-up paint, we took a break to see Far from the Madding Crowd, the story of a headstrong, independent women who refused to marry...

“Well, what I mean is that I shouldn't mind being a bride at a wedding, if I could be one without having a husband.” 

― Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd

(Me too, Bathsheba.)

Because...

“It appears that ordinary men take wives because possession is not possible without marriage, and that ordinary women accept husbands because marriage is not possible without possession” 

― Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd

(That is GOOD!)

The next morning, we had breakfast at A Taste of Heaven (another favorite), which was once (relatively) famous for a simple, wonderful sign.

After finishing the work on the apartment and turning over the keys to the new tenant, we did a little yarn shopping at Windy Knitty, where I purchased the pattern and red yarn to make the adorable Audrey in Unst, and stopped at the amazing Gethsemane Garden Center.

Next year, I'm going to plan ahead and take a bigger car.

Saving the Worst for Last

I started ripping up the carpet throughout the house almost two years ago.

(I took a lot of breaks.)

I had one room to go, and with the prospect of an available truck & trailer this weekend to haul it away, I decided to finally finish the job.

I am SO glad this was the last room I did or I probably wouldn't have done any of the others.

These floors were, by far, the worst in the house...

This is something I hadn't seen before.  What is that?!?  It looks like the top of a tin can, nailed to the  floor.

It is the top of a tin can, nailed to the floor.

The tin cans (yes, there are three!), are covering gouges in the floor - not all the gouges, though.  Some are still there...

Me?  I prefer the gouges to the tin cans.

The odd thing is, although these floors are in the worst condition, they instantly became my favorite floors in the house - they're SO old!  I love them!!!

Sunday

After working Saturday, and a meeting Sunday morning, I drove to Wisconsin for lunch and a barn dance (that's right).

It was pouring down rain when I left home, but luckily that ended, because...

new bike!

We went to lunch at Daniel's Lounge, a bar inside a motor sports shop (yes, really), then rode to Galena, where I paid way too much for a very small can of paint.

I've been intrigued by this Annie Sloan Chalk Paint stuff for a while, so decided to finally try it.  I was going to be practical and get white, but as soon as I saw all the colors (so many pretty colors!), I knew that wasn't going to happen.  I was drawn to Antoinette, a very pretty pale pink, so that's what I got.  Projects to follow!

We finally made it to the barn dance at Council Hill Station, but it was late and soon became a private concert.

So we went outside and watched a bunch of guys drive jeeps through the river.

(Yes, really.)