The Big Boy Trip: Beyond the Trains
I'm breaking this trip up into several posts because there are just too many pictures otherwise. Tuesday we finished up at the Train Museum in the outdoor shed. We probably would have spent longer but it was 90 degrees and wandering around huge pieces of metal got us a tad weary, and damned hot and sweaty. We tumbled into the air conditioned gift shop and Leo actually bought a couple of SOUVENIRS! That's unheard of. Of course it's going to cost us a freaking fortune to have his 54" picture of the Big Boy framed...but whaddya gonna do? We got back into the Honda and everybody agreed the best plan was to head back to the condo. We'd spent several hours there and oddly enough....even looking at things you love can be tiring. We ignored our phone's directions and took the road through town back which made me happy....some beautiful old houses in Green Bay. At a stop sign, about to turn onto our road, I sighted two signs....one said "Polka Mass at 10:00 am" and the other said, "Survivor, Live in Freedom, Wisconsin." Once we got back to our place the boys collapsed in the living room and relaxed so Ernie and I got ourselves a beverage and headed out to sit by our murky water. A cold front was coming through the the breeze picked up, gettting progressively cooler as the waves got angrier. It was heavenly. I had picked out a local supper club for dinner and I decided we couldn't go until it would be dark enough to see the neon sign so we hung out and chatted for a bit.
Ernie and I love a good supper club. This one was perfect....knotty pine, open only 5-9, simple menu, friendly people. Owen and I ordered steak. I can't even recall the last time I ordered steak in a restaurant but somehow it seemed the thing to do. We started with fried cheese curds because, again, it seemed the thing to do. Iceberg lettuce salad with Italian dressing, a big ass rib eye, some rolls and some fries. We couldn't begin to finish all our food so we left happily with leftovers and all of us in a bit of a giggly mood.
Despite the fact that we were all stuffed, we felt obligated to stop at the Frosty Tip.
When we got back home we could feel the wind blowing off the bay and hear the waves. We all went out and sat there...it was glorious. The wind was blowing so hard that you could occasionally feel the sand slapping against your face but it felt incredibly invigorating. Eventually Owen and I headed in, while Ernie and Leo sat and talked.
As we were moaning about how good our bacon was that morning, Owen reported that they had that hot/cool bags for sale at Marchant's so before we headed home the next day, we stopped back there and bought some more bacon, some Belgian Trippe (pork sausage with cabbage in it) and some ring bologna! All hail the bologna!! I lingered over the head cheese and the sulz but didn't get it...which I regret a bit now. I grabbed some other kind of sausage while I was there and then we trundled along home.
On the way home we stopped at the Bolingbrook Ikea to get desk chair for Leo and a new dresser for Owen as his old one doesn't fit in his room in its new configuration. I'll sell his old one. We got it at Ikea years ago and the top folds out to be a changing table. Then when you move past that stage you fold that up and add some additional shelves on top of it. It's nice if you don't want a changing table on its own, or don't have room for one, as we didn't in Owen's old bedroom. If anyone's interested let me know and I'll send you a picture.
We managed to get through Ikea pretty quickly. I must be getting old because all I wanted was a ton of candles. Well, that and a $3 salad spinner made me happy. We managed to get everything into the car only to find an accident blocking our way back onto the highway. We figured out a different route and started off. Leo had requested lunch (the nerve, I know) and he hates eating in the car. We were just about to turn onto the road to the highway when Ernie spied a Portillos. I yelled, "THAT'S where we should go" so he kindly turned around. My Mom and I used to love Portillo's but I think the last time I was in one was circa 1982. They're much bigger and louder and campier now but damn, it was still a great hot dog.
We got stuck in some road construction but made it home about 5:00. The boys happily shooed us off and we went to meet our friend Teri for a birthday drink. Oh yeah, it was my birthday. We had a wonderful time sitting there, Teri spoils us absolutely rotton, and our beloved Jessica gave me a gift and a present teaching me to put my hair in a bun. We hooted and hollered and it was delightful.
For dinner? Popeye's spicy chicken. Frankly....I can't imagine a better birthday. Thanks to all those that gave me birthday wishes! And thanks to my beautiful, beautiful boys and Wisconsin!