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This afternoon, my friend Shawna, her 5-year-old son Payton, and our friend Chad participated in a "Green" scavenger hunt. The intent was that you should complete the entire hunt on foot, bike or public transport. Of the three teams that competed, we were the only ones that went completely green. We had to find 16 individual items and get 22 different photos with at least 2 team members in them. Some of the best ones (or best stories to go with them) are below:
We were the only team to take a photo in a fountain that actually had water in it. Payton was standing watch to alert us if any cops came by.
We had to get a photo with a uniformed police officer or firefighter. The first cop we stopped was a young guy who told us "No, I can't do that. I don't want to wind up on some my space page." So, while walking to the bus, Chad notices a fire truck and ambulance at a furniture store. His master plan was to walk by "casual like" and he'd take our picture with the paramedics in the background.
We walked across the Centennial Bridge (a first for me) and hit a gold mine at the Davenport Farmer's market as it was closing up. A photo with a port-a-potty. This is Chad's "paparazzi face."
The playground equipment there is SO cool.
We had to get our photos in front of someone playing a musical instrument. Chad and Shawna noticed that a couple kids had viola and flute cases. They had been playing at the farmers market to raise money for earthquake relief in China. They played beautifully and Chad gave them $5 towards their fundraiser.
We also needed a photo with something Polish. We saw a hot dog vendor packing up, so I told him what we were doing and that we needed a photo with something Polish and asked if he had any Polish Sausages. He said no, and as we thanked him and started to walk off, he said, "Wait, do you just need a picture with something Polish? I'm Polish!" So Chad, Shawna and Payton took a picture with him. He tells us, "the name's Crackwheel." Not sure that's exactly how it's spelled, but that sure is what it sounded like to us. 
We also needed a photo in front of the vats at a local brewery. We visited Front Street Brewery in Davenport. Their vats are down in the basement. Chad talked the bar tender into taking us down there. It's down 2 flights of stairs, through the banquet room, through a storage area and way in the back. 
This final photo is all the items we had to collect. The hardest to find was a non-expired pizza coupon. 4 papers and a phone book later, Shawna was able to get one from the Radisson in Moline. 
It was a great time. Even though we were the last team to finish, we got a bonus prize for actually going green. We each got John Deere water bottles and a $10 gift card to Best Buy!
...George Lucas has gotten pretty lame in his old age. We went to see the new Indiana Jones movie. I must say that Cate Blanchett was pretty good. I just kept waiting for her to say "moose and squirrel." Most of the special effects were pretty cool, but there was a scene where they're in an army vehicle chase in the jungle, and they're sword fighting between two vehicles and it was just entirely too contrived and very "green screen" looking. By that, I mean you could not suspend disbelief because you could SO tell that it was done on a green screen. So, I give it an "Eh." It was entertaining, but it kept making me think of how crappy the end of Return of the Jedi turned out when Lucas re-did them.
It's still spring and I love it. It's cool enough in the morning and night for a jacket and has been nice and sunny. Last weekend we got the garden in. Already, some radishes are sprouting. I am hoping one of the three yellow pear tomatoes that I planted from seed will take.
Other than that, I have been SO busy at work and just exhausted, so that's why no posts for such a long time. We start prep for the deck and retaining wall this weekend, so there will be plenty of pictures to share.
I had a nice long weekend in TX. I flew into Houston on Wednesday night. Thursday my mom, dad and I drove to Austin for my cousin Kelli's wedding. It was a 3 day party! So much fun. There was a rehearsal dinner on Thursday, the wedding was Friday night and a brunch on Saturday. She and Nick got married at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. It was so beautiful and Kelli looked so pretty. I got to see lots of other cousins and aunts and uncles. We had a good time. The food was awesome, chocolate cake and dancing until late.
I was also able to get a good tex-mex fix with several mornings of breakfast tacos and lunch on South Congress with Holly. Yumm! Then last night, Mom, Linda and I went to Fuzzy's Pizza in Houston for dinner. We ordered a great pizza with the unfortunate name of "President Bush's Pizza" named for George H. W. Bush who is buddies with Fuzzy (the owner). We told the kid at the counter that we were celebrating Jenna Bush's wedding. He looked at us like we were nuts. But it was awesome pizza with artichoke hearts, pepperoni, sausage, canadian bacon, onion, mushrooms, black olives and green peppers. SO GOOD!
Things I miss about TX: family, food, all things pretty and green
Things I don't miss about TX: heat, humidity, traffic
our furnace went out last night. The fan/blower part works, so it might be the thermostat. At least that's what I am hoping for...or something similarly cheap.
High of about 50 for today. Tonight's low is supposed to be in the mid 30's. WTF?!? It's really windy and means that much longer before I can get a garden in.
Miner got a new toy last night. It's a stuffed duck that quacks. He loves it. This morning, when I let him out, he took it with him. It's like a kid with his blankie.
23 down, 77 to go. My usual instructor wasn't there today. The sub was ok, but it meant no PT class today. Ah, well.
The playground equipment there is SO cool.
We had to get our photos in front of someone playing a musical instrument. Chad and Shawna noticed that a couple kids had viola and flute cases. They had been playing at the farmers market to raise money for earthquake relief in China. They played beautifully and Chad gave them $5 towards their fundraiser. 
This final photo is all the items we had to collect. The hardest to find was a non-expired pizza coupon. 4 papers and a phone book later, Shawna was able to get one from the Radisson in Moline. 
