Chicago, & The Supreme Court

I had such a lovely weekend in Chicago. How did I get so lucky, to meet and get to know such wonderful people? Jen, thanks soooo much for having me. Everyone else, thanks for spending time with me. My only disappointment was that when I jumped ten feet after seeing the giant centipede at the aquarium, I didn't land in Paul's arms. He's got a good preservation instinct for avoiding hernias and back injuries.

I agree that we simply must get together and have a SDMB MST3K sometime. I loved watching that horrid Jean-Claude Van Damme movie with you guys.

One odd thing--never have I been to Chicago and done so little shopping.

My friend Anne looked strong. Hairless, but strong and happy and normal. She starts radiation in a week, and that has far fewer side effects. Her baby was tiny but he looks fine; you'd never know he'd been on a respirator for five days and had just come home. Kirk was never that size since he was born over 9 lbs. Luke is still not 6 lbs. I pretty much snatched him from her as soon as I got done with the hugs and greetings, and Kristi and I didn't give him back until we had to leave.

I knew yesterday might be chaotic, with one day left to go before Supreme Court arguments. I was right about that. Still, managed to have our Opening Day (baseball) party at lunch. Now, I look at the clock and see that arguments have started. We will have a morning of quiet, and then it will begin again: 3 or more months of Monday morning quarterbacking and analysis of justice questions. Someone kill me now.s

Today's pace: frenetic

Everyone: You know that thing you were working on for me? I need it RIGHT NOW.

Karen: Shit.

(no subject)

1. What is your lineage? Where are your ancestors from?

My mom is 100% Dutch--she's not an immigrant, but her parents were from a little all-dutch community in Iowa. My dad is 50% Czech. His other half was a mystery but he's done a lot of research and it appears we have some Irish in us, and English. Not sure what else, though he would know.

That makes me 50% dutch, 25% Czech, and the rest a mix. Even though I'm more Dutch than anything, I feel like I'm more Czech because I look so much like my Dad and his Czech side of the family.

2. Of those countries, which would you most like to visit?

I'd really like to go to Ireland. But frankly I'm interested in all of these places as a chance to learn more about my heritage. I'm fascinated by it, really. I know my Czech relatives escaped a very hard life (although I think it was more of the same here in the U.S.) and I'd like to see the physical place where they came from. I believe they were farmers.

3. Which would you least like to visit?

Hmm. Well, I don't know. I'll say the Netherlands, but only because I've visited there already.

4. Do you do anything during the year to celebrate or recognize your heritage?

Well, only sort of. I have a pair of wooden shoes which I admire periodically. I feel a special affinity for tulips. I would like to do more via foods or festivals to make a bigger deal out of this, though. You know, make kolaches at a certain time of year, take my son to the tulip festival, learn how to make cabbage rolls and have them be a holiday staple, etc. My husband's family is all German, and they decorate with nutcrackers at Christmas and his dad speaks German at some family celebrations. We should do more, though.

5. Who were the first ancestors to move to your present country (parents, grandparents, etc.)

Oh my. Well, according to my Dad we have one relative that came over real early. But I'm sort of prouder (or maybe, more intrigued) by the ones who came over more recently. I believe my great-grandfather came over from the Netherlands in 1917 or thereabouts. Alas, I think he was dodging military service.