View from the Smurfit-Stone Building in Chicago

Friday I had a meeting at the Smurfit-Stone Building in downtown Chicago.

The view was incredible!

We were just to the west of Millennium Park.


The shiney silver object that looks like a giant bean is called the Cloud Gate. It's a 110-ton elliptical sculpture made up of a series of polished stainless steel plates that reflect the city's skyline and the clouds above it. It has a 12 foot high arch that serves as a gate to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture.

Goodyear Blimp Over South Bend

The Goodyear Blimp is in town for this weekend's Notre Dame football game.

I remember one night, as a young child living in Lafayette, I saw flashing lights in the sky above our neighborhood. I thought for sure it was a UFO so I ran in and told my parents, as did other kids in the neighborhood.

Everyone came out into the middle of our street, looking up at these strange lights on this nearly invisible space craft, wondering who was going to be the first person abducted by the aliens. Then, the space craft took a sudden turn and we could read "Go Purdue" written in the flashing lights.

That was my first encounter with the Goodyear blimp.

Patoka Lake Summit 2007

The 2007 Patoka Lake Summit included 11 of us split up between two cabins at Patoka 4 Season's Resort in Eckerty, Indiana.

As soon as we unpacked, we headed down to the pool which was just a short walk from the cabins. Outside of our shaded and air conditioned cabins, it was about 95 degrees.

Friday all 11 of us enjoyed a day of boating, skiing, inner tubing, fishing and swimming at Patoka Lake. It's a huge lake and we practically had it to ourselves the entire day.

One evening we walked downhill through the woods behind the cabin and finally found the lake shore for some fishing and rock skipping.

The problem with walking downhill is eventually you have to walk back uphill. By the time we left, it was just dark enough to make walking through the woods too challenging so we took the direct path back to the cabins. The hill was about a 75 degree climb and very difficult for most of us. When we got back to the pool area, Tim suggested next year's summit be full of physical fitness events at a fat farm. The group next to us took offense -- they thought we were talking about them.

Bruce was the big winner at the stuffed animal grab game in the game room off of the pool deck. Over the course of the trip he won over 30 animals. The grand prize was the orange octopus.

Playing Washers on a Rainy Day

The original plan was to hang out at Jerry's pool Sunday afternoon. But, it's not so much fun to do that when it's raining.

Jerry's sister and brother-in-law were visiting from Ohio and brought their washers game. It was the first time I played and I ended up being pretty decent at it.

Later in the afternoon I drove out and visited with my best friend from high school that I hadn't seen in over 20 years. It was nice to catch up and reconnect. It's a shame we don't live closer together.

Frank's Joy Ride

Met up with some old friends that I haven't seen in a long time this weekend.

Three flew in from other states and two drove in for the Frank's Joy Ride annual concert in Lafayette.

Even though we're all grown up now, everyone still knows how to have a great time!

Why I'll Never Be A Professional Portrait Photographer

Cousin Tammy patiently holds onto her two squirming, and very adorable, children while I take a photo.


Unfortunately, I cut Tammy's face out of the shot, caught her daughter with closed eyes and couldn't interest her son long enough to snap the photo.

Liberated Goose Finds New Home

The goose that we liberated from captivity in Shipshewana is enjoying a new life in central Indiana with Aunt Joyce Ann.