Father-Daughter Weekend (guest writer Ben)

Friday: Departure Day -1

Julie's sister, Stacy, was having a Bachelorette party at the Dells this weekend. Lydia was a little young and I was of the wrong gender, so we were both persona non-Grata. And so it became a father-daughter weekend. I wanted to have a nice family outing on Friday. We either had the option of a free outdoor Christian concert or an indoor Bach organ concert. It was threatening thunder storms after work, so the outdoor concert was out. The Bach concert did not start until 8:30, which is Lydia's bed time. So...no concert at all. These early bedtimes really cut into one's social agenda!

Saturday: Day 1

Julie left us to fend for ourselves on Saturday. It was the kick-off weekend of summer in Peoria and our options for entertainment seemed endless. We had a full supply of milk and freezer pops in the freezer. A Honey Do list and planned outdoor activities. We were ready to go!

The rain continued for most of Saturday. And though I had a $10 coupon for Lowe's, I could not muster the energy to load up all the baby paraphernalia for the trip to use it. So Lydia and I read some books, stared at ceiling fans, and laughed at jingling animals.

Here is Lydia entertaining herself while her Dad eats some Ramen noodles for dinner. We did get out for a walk in the evening, and then it was bedtime for Lydia. At this time the sky turned black and the threat of tornadoes loomed. I ended up bringing a pillow downstairs so that I could rest while watching the TV for updates on the storm. Our neighborhood siren did not go off, but Northern Peoria saw a couple tornadoes.

Sunday: Day 2

Lydia and I met some friends at an art fair after lunch. Most of the stuff was either too expensive, too breakable or just not practical. For instance, I could have purchased a carved 4-ft statue of Abraham Lincoln. They also had a performer that specializes in children's music and a balloon artist. All things I can look forward to in the future.

Afterwards, Lydia and I went to the Botanical Gardens for their annual plant sale. We went last year and they had tables and tables of garden ornaments, music, and refreshments. So when I got there, I went straight for the music. This year there were cloth tablecloths, finger foods, and drinks served in real stemware. I thought, "Sweet, they upgraded!" It was only after grabbing a glass of passionfruit punch that I noticed that everybody else was wearing church clothes and had name tags. Oops. Good punch though.

We did buy some flowers for a spot where weeds are currently thriving. Julie would rather have grass there, but I keep mentioning that I am more successful at growing flowers. Julie got home mid-afternoon and the family was reunited! I was happy to have my wife back.