Lazy long weekend

The Memorial Day holiday is just about at a close, and what did we do over this long weekend? Pretty much nothing, which was actually kind of cool. Saturday night we went downtown for a few drinks, and I tried a new beer called Sunrye, which I liked. Mike didn't like it so much, but he had a Guiness beforehand, and this was the complete opposite. Sunday we tried a new (to us) place for breakfast called Sammy's. Good food, but the service was so-so at best. Probably not someplace we'll go back to. In the afternoon we saw the new X-Men movie, which was pretty good. A lot of characters got killed off, but if you stay past the credits you'll see an extra scene which raises some questions. Today we went to Allerton Park. We didn't stay long because it was very hot, but it was still nice to be out there. We also stopped by Circuit City, and their computers were working again so we were able to pick up some movies and music. I got the new Eagles of Death Metal cd, as well as the Raconteurs, and I'm very excited to give those a listen. We've picked up a lot of new music lately, and I'm still trying to catch up.

And of course, the reason for this day off-the men and women who serve our country. I may not agree with the situation in Iraq, but I am very appreciative and supportive of the soldiers who are serving there and in other parts of the world. And of course, the ones who have fought over the years and have given up so much in order to serve their country. To all the veterans, thank you.

Junk for Sale

The subdivision across the street from us had a community garage sale today, and we wandered over there this morning to see if we could find anything good. I found a couple of books, but that was about it. I am constantly amazed at what people try to sell. One house was trying to sell the Scrubbing Bubbles toilet wand. That's been in their toilet-gross! Another house was selling planters without the plants-just dirty, old planters. We did a rummage sale a long time ago with someone who sold her old underwear-yes, people bought it! I know that one person's trash is another's treasure, but there's got to be a limit! We've got some stuff that we're accumulating and I assure you, our junk is much better!

Relay for Life

The Champaign County Relay for Life is this weekend. It's a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society, and Mike and I have participated every year that we've been here. We've had family members touched by cancer, and this is a way to honor not only those who've lost the struggle, but also the ones that have survived. We got involved in this through the bank, which sponsors a team every year. This means we don't have to collect donations, but if you would like to help you can donate online. What we basically do is walk around Centennial's track. The relay starts at 6 PM on Saturday and goes to 6 AM on Sunday. Mike and I are scheduled to walk from 3-4 AM, which is actually a very nice time to walk. The luminaria are lit and it creates a really peaceful atmosphere. Everyone on our team keeps track of how many laps they walk and we tally it up at the end. I know last year we beat the previous year's totals, so hopefully we'll do the same this year. I don't think we get anything special for it, just bragging rights. There's also all sorts of other activities going on throughout the night, such as theme laps and there's usually a band playing at some point. So if you're bored at 3 AM and feel like getting some excercise, come on out to Centennial and walk with us. We'll be easy to spot, we'll be wearing the bright green T-shirts.

Spa Day!

We've been on vacation this week, and boy what a week it was. We went to Phoenix, Arizona on Friday and returned on Tuesday. Phoenix itself was okay, but the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. I could totally get used to seeing mountains every day. And while it was hot, I could tell the difference immediately. Much nicer without the humidity. We did miss the 100+ degree days, that happened after we left. Mike's blog has more detail about the trip, so I won't repeat. But the train ride was really fun, and the scenery around Sedona was just gorgeous.

Today was Spa Day. As an early graduation gift, Mike got me a "Day at the Spa" from BJ Grand Salon & Spa. Talk about relaxation and pampering! The morning started out with a full body massage. Laura is a Director, which is the highest level BJ's has. I could immediately see why. She made me feel very comfortable, and she gave a damn good massage. Even the other times I saw her she was very friendly and kept asking how I was doing, if she could get me anything. In other words, she made me feel like a princess!

Next up was a facial and eyebrow wax with Debbie. I wasn't sure what to expect, since my experiences with waxing at home were dubious. But it only hurt for a second, and the difference is amazing. The facial was so relaxing, and my skin still feels shiny and new. She used a seaweed mask, the first of many seaweed treatments of the day.

Next was a pedicure with Jo, which was also a first for me. This also involved a seaweed treatment, which was a bizarre yet nice feeling. The mixture is warm and you can feel it crackling and popping. This helps release the toxins, and she mentioned that she gave a pedicure once to someone who was drinking vanilla martinis the night before, and after she did the seaweed treatment she could smell the vanilla. Remind me to watch what I eat next time I have this done!

After a short lunch break, it was time for the manicure. Again, there was a seaweed treatment. I'm starting to understand how sushi feels. I gotta admit, my hands were smooth and shiny when she was done. Remember what I said about toxins? She knew that I had eaten a few onions in my lunch!

Last stop of the day was a hair treatment with you guessed it-seaweed! Lori gave me a really nice head massage first, and then it was time for slime. Then a shampoo, and a blow dry, and it was all over. I felt so relaxed, it was almost hard to drive home. This was definitely a wonderful present, and I couldn't have asked for a better day. Thanks so much honey!!!