Endless Summer

I'm happy to admit I didn't have the guts a few months ago to BELIEVE that this summer wouldn't disappoint...but so far it has performed above and beyond my very modest expectations. We've been thoroughly enjoying every moment of it outdoors.

Here we are at the German Wakeboarding Championships - well, let's just say it's a developing sport here.Monchi donned a helmet for the first time this past week and is now part of the local biker gang.
On lazy Sunday afternoons we sometimes make our way to one or the other beach clubs in the city for a pretend getaway.

Pig training for Venice Beach.


Check out the palms

Jochen soon discovered Monchi is a babe magnet. Several girls under 20 (I have no idea how old they are, they're just still young and hot) came up to coo over Monchi as her father watched on, grinning like an idiot. The guys generally stood to the side and tried not to look bored as their girlfriends fussed over the baby....Girls, I can only say, take your time, cuz no amount of chill out music will give you your cool back once that bundle of joy arrives...

Love getting nekkid!

Les Cousins

Our extended family in Chicago includes my aunt and uncle and their daughter Jean's family. It now seems eons ago since our annual tradition as kids to visit Jean and John for the weekend at their grad student apartment in Hyde Park. I remember the yellow VW Beetle, Mollie the cat, the outings to the museums, and always one nice meal out at a restaurant we'd pick for its favorable review in the Chicago Magazine. Back in 1983 splashing out meant a restaurant bill of $35 for four people. I think I had my first green tea ice cream on such a memorable occasion - at that age I could not imagine anything more inventive...

Years and years and years later, the restaurants visits are now at places with a few more stars, and the outings include the next generation of cousins. Because Pig is completely besotted with Jean's younger boy, the switch finally flicked on and after 4 years of understanding English but hardly trying a word, he's now attempting a fluent pidgen (I want not milk. Give me no excooses).

The two of them are adorable together.

Waiting to start a "cooking course" on how to make guacamole.


Pretend play area in the Children's Museum at Navy Pier.


Dinosaur dig.


Real men hold hands.


Laurie save this pic for the montage. These guys are a dying breed: they have a more than a fair chance of going gold.

Best Sister

My one and only sibling:

• is five and a half years younger than me
• is about the same height but lucked out in the gene pool with the longer leg/shorter torso combination instead of my bizarre longer torso/squat leg build, and this is why she always looks taller (ok, ok, she's also skinnier than I am)
• is not a morning person. At all.
  
• did much better in school than I did
• is a prodigious saver but like me will prioritize travel above almost anything else
  
• HATES social obligations
  

This last point means she likes her own space, she's really not the chummy gushy type and she generally manages to keep what family drama/intrigue at arm's length. However, she has always been more than generous with her time and resources when it comes to doting on Pig, and now Monchi. For this last visit she selflessly gave up her valuable free time before starting her very first real job by hanging out with us 24/7, watched the two kids constantly (while the mom went awol), put up with countless meltdowns and temper tantrums (I won't say from which kid, but guess!) was our ride EVERYWHERE, and even got a Shedd membership in anticipation of our future visits.



So Hsin, congrats on starting what will be a fine surgical career - good luck on your first day tomorrow!! Make lots of dough so you can keep coming to visit us. Jochen is already looking forward to the next opportunity to dust off our hiking boots, or at least toast you with an elderberry aperitif this winter when we're back in Chicago (hopefully you'll have recovered from this last visit). Thanks so much for being so good to us....