What A Weekend

Even though I was up late Friday night mopping the floor (it was my turn), it enabled me to catch the end of the Cubs game and get some comic book reading in.

I had my concerns about the cubs going in to San Diego against a pretty good Padre team, so I was plenty surprised to turn the game on late Friday night to see them leading 3 to 1 in the top of the ninth. (While these West Coast trips give me an opportunity to watch the Cubs during the week, it also means that if I wasn't to see it through to the end I'm up to 11 pm or later. It can be rough) I was just in time to see the Cubs load the bases and new-comer Jose Macias step up to the plate and smash triple down the left-field line scoring three more runs. Confident of the win, I was able to shut the television off and finish my mopping.

We were pretty busy Saturday and Sunday, so the Friday night game was the only one game I got to see. Having the Cubs sweep the Padres and Houston continue to struggle made things look good in the standings Monday morning. I figure the Astros and Cubs might be up and down in the top spot of the N.L Central all season, but it feels better when the Cubs are leading.

While waiting for the kitchen floor to dry enough for me to finish up, I got to read Superman #204 and Batman #626. The Superman comic is the first in the 12-part story from writer Brian Azzarello and artist Jim Lee that I've been talking about. Just like what Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee did last year in Batman, Azzarello and Lee are weaving a yearlong story in Superman. I'd my reservations about the story, but as I've mentioned here before, the allure of Azzarello's writing and Lee's pencils might just be too much for me.

After reading the first part in the story I'm totally hooked. While Superman isn't a character I read regularly at all, every few years or so I like a good Superman yarn. In just one issue, Azzarello convinced me that this is going to be that Superman story for me. He sets up the mystery of the plot, without giving away anything, and he introduces the main players - it's just fantastic. And his dialogue! Wow. People have their own voice. You can hear it. The comic isn't just pictures with captions and word balloons. Each character has their own sense of speech. It's almost poetic.

I figure I'll buy the individual issues and see how the whole thing plays out. A trade collection is inevitable, but I don't feel like waiting. If I enjoy it enough (and after one issue I'm already think I will) that I want to own the collected edition, then I plan to package up the 12 issues and auction them off on eBay. They'll sell easily. Then I can take that money and put it towards buying the trade. Seems like a good plan to me.

Batman #626 was also a great read. Written by Judd Winick, with art by Dustin Nguyen, it's part one of the six-part "As The Crow Flies" storyline (Sunday I got to read Batman #627 also). I could do without the cheesy Matt Wagner covers, but the interior artwork from Nguyen is moody and sharp - a perfect match for Batman. Winick's story entertaining and well constructed. The story is a bit genre in that it's a basic team-up between the Penguin and the Scarecrow and Batman's investigation into their work. However, Winick delivers with polish and style that makes the story seem more than mere genre. Batman is another recommended comic.

Actually the Batman and Superman comics were part of the monthly stash I picked up with Ian Thursday afternoon after my dentist appointment. Besides comics from DC Comic's Big Two, I also got new issues of The Losers, Gotham Central, The Light Brigade, and Scurvy Dogs. All of which I am extremely eager to read. I'm really feeling good about the steps I've taken over the last few months two weed out the marginal comics I was picking up. I've gone lean and it's paying off with a stack of quality comics that I want to sit down and read as soon as I get home. I love that!

Saturday was a busy morning as Heather ran out to do a bunch of errands. I was home playing Mr. Mom. Late Saturday afternoon was Heather and I getting dressed up and heading downtown to my cousin's Dan wedding reception. Usually Heather and I go to the ceremony and reception when we're invited to a wedding. We both feel it's the right thing to do. However, with a 2-month old baby, Heather knew 1) she couldn't be away from Zoe as long as we would have been if we went to both. Heather has to breast feed the baby at some point or things will explode and 2) it's not practical to take Zoe with us to a wedding. So Mom came over to watch our untamable pack of wild children so Heather and I could escape to the world of adults for a while.

Heather and I had fun driving into downtown Chicago and finding the well-hidden country club the reception was being held at. There was the usual shock of seeing your cousins walking around with fiancée, brides, and boyfriends. . whatever, all holding bottles of beer or glasses of wine. I'm the oldest of 10 cousins on my Dad's side of the family - and I'm about four or five years older then the next oldest cousin (excluding my brother, of course). For the most part I still see my cousins as being 11, 10, or even 9-years old. There are some I'll forever see as being 6. It never manages to shock me to see them driving a car or wearing an engagement ring. Even though the age difference isn't that large, I think it's contributed to me never being to close with any of my cousins. Maybe it's my personality. I don't know. I do know Elizabeth is in tight with most of them.

The wedding was good, but our time there wasn't too long. Around 8pm we got the call from my Mom that there were problems at home and that we should probably head back - which we did. By the time we got home Ian and Emma were just heading off to sleep and Zoe was waking up for her next feeding. Turns out there wasn't anything wrong with the kids, it was the regular craziness of a 4-year old, 21-month old, and 2-month old paired with a weak-stomached cat and a bunch of other smaller problems all happening at the same time. Separately not anything big. Happening all at once with only one adult to deal with it - quite overwhelming. While Heather and I were disappointed to have to leave the party, we both understood the need to have us back home.

Nobody's upset, Mom. In fact, be warned, we'll ask you to baby-sit again. You're still hands down the best babysitter we know.

Sunday was spent doing yard work out in the sunshine and un-seasonable warm May weather. I love working in the yard. Digging, cutting, planting, pulling. Whether it's pruning bushes or cleaning the deck, I love being outside working the landscape around the house into something pleasing to the eye and fun to relax in. I ended up being outside for over 4 hours straight cutting the grass, spreading new mulch, replacing bulbs in the landscape lights, feeding the lilacs, evergreen tree and other bushes. Even took some time to play with Ian and Emma, and take a walk with Ian, Emma, Zoe and Heather. Had pizza for dinner from the local pizza place Heather and I recently discovered that makes a very good pizza for a reasonable price and is literally 5 minutes away. Heather made a great chocolate chip cookie torte thingy (I forgot the name) for dessert that is absolutely fantastic. There are plenty of leftovers, so I'll get to have me another slice tomorrow.

Sunday night I found myself exhausted, almost pleasantly so - but not quite. Was still able to muster the strength to plow through some ironing - which I never enjoy. It was made more tolerable by watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Harvey Birdman, Sealab 2021, and The Brak Show on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. I love Adult Swim, especially Sunday nights. Every show is very funny and entertaining. Just wish they were on earlier in the evening so I wouldn't have to be up so late watching them.

Ian and Emma are sick now. Ian woke up with a clogged up nose Sunday morning. Emma's illness seemed to surface overnight Sunday/Monday. I don't think I'll be able to peg this on Elizabeth like I did last time. What's nice about Ian getting older is now he's able to care for himself when he gets sick. He will wipe his nose and cover his mouth when he coughs. Sure there are lapses in behavior - he is only 4 after all - but overall he's aware of what he should be doing. He just forgets sometimes. I'm also starting to push the value of drinking lots of fluids when he gets sick. Because I don't want him asking Heather for juice all day, I've been telling him drinking a lot of water when he's sick will help him get healthy faster. I hope that sticks.

We're half way through a horribly busy month of May. Elizabeth's graduation, Mother's Day, and Dan's & Shannon's wedding down. Zoe's Baptism and Ian's graduation from preschool to go. I think we're going to make it.