Sunday June 28th

Sundays are probably the easiest going, quietest days here at the RIC. I woke up around six, thoroughly in pain, for I no longer take any pain medication throughout the night. So, I immediately requested one of my narco's to ease the pain. Maggie came in quickly and dosed me up. Shortly after I feel back asleep until about 7:30. Then, I began trying to get myself oriented. My breakfast came around 8 o'clock so I requested my knife and foam handle for my fork so that I could begin cutting up my french toast and throw it down. Shortly after I was done eating Kalli and her parents showed up and we all sat and talked for a while. Our goal for the morning was to get down to the beach and enjoy the beautiful waterfront Chicago has to offer. Kalli and I wanted to get a little blogging in to try to catch up so her parents decided to go and figure out the best way to wheel down to the beach. We blogged for about an hour, got dressed and out of bed so that we could go and meet Kalli's parents outside.

We followed the new route that they had figured out. Basically, we went behind the 680 building to a ramp about three blocks away that goes under the road and to the beach. It didn't take long at all and we were sitting front row seats in the grass to the entire beach. Boats slowly gathered, mooring one after another in the water about fifty yards out from the beach. People were sunbathing, reading, running and biking everywhere around us, it created a pretty neat atmosphere to just sit back and relax. To the right of us stretched out the beautiful Lake Michigan and off to our left the edge of downtown's expanding skyline. The entire waterfront of Chicago has been quite neatly created into a park and aquatic play land for people to exercise and enjoy.

After about an hour and a half of people watching and great conversation we headed to the apartment to make some lunch. With out apartment being about half way between RIC and the beach it was just about two and a half blocks away. We flew up the speedy elevators of the McClurg building where Kalli and my mom have become best buds. In the apartment there was hoards of food, taco makings, guacamole, two or three different pasta salads, and also the fixings for a Hippert family favorite radish sandwiches. I am sure many of you have never had a wonderful radish sandwich - so why don't I explain how to make one so you can all run out and get the fixings. It is very simple. You toast some white bread, spread on mayo (Helmans is my choice) on each piece of toast, then you thinly slice some nicely cleaned radishes and layer them on in a nice assortment, one to two thick. Then you sprinkle the spread of radishes with just a touch of salt to take the bite away. Place the second piece of toast on top and enjoy! I have even seen people, like Kalli, that don't particularly enjoy radishes ask for seconds! So, I filled my plate with a wonderful radish sandwich that Kalli prepared for me and a pile of one of my favorite recipes that Kalli's mom makes called Summer Salad. It mostly consists of cauliflower, broccoli and bacon. Rose, Todd, Mary, Kalli and myself all had our fill and then decided it was time to get me back to RIC for another dose of meds.

It was wonderful having Kalli's mom and dad around while my mother took the weekend off. But, it was time for them to depart and catch the train. So, we said our goodbyes and they were off to hail a taxi. Once I got back, my roommate Joey reminded me we had a recreational therapy session with Mike, the activity coordinator. So, I got dosed up and we headed up to the ninth floor where they have their activity room. On the agenda today was simply playing some pool. I mageivered up a velcro strap fastened to my hand to attach to the already affixed velcro strips on the end of the pool stick. It helps me a lot to hold the stick with my weak ass grip. Mike, Joey and I racked up some cut throat and began knocking each others balls around. Joey won the first game and the fun went on and on. Once we had our fix of playing pool we headed down to my room to get some more blogging in, again in order to catch up for we really did let ourselves get behind.

After we got in about a half a day of blogging, a handful of my friends all returned for another visit. Teale, her husband Kevin, Ashley, Anthony, Crazy Carl and Maeghan all came storming in to my room. We began telling stories and reminiscing which turned in to a loud thunder of about five people talking at once. So, I decided why don't we take this out of my little room, so that my roommate can hear himself talk to his mom and head to the canary room where we can all have a little more space. Plus, I really wanted to put together my new toy, a mini Foosball table that Kalli's parents got for me. Once we got in the canary room we ripped open the box and assembled the table. Crazy Carl did most of it, for my hands are kind of weak and Anthony has a humongous cast still on his hand from surgery. Once all put together, Kevin and I began a fierce game of foos. We went back and forth, neck and neck the whole game. But then, when it counted, right at the end I suckered schooled three goals on him, one after another to finish it in glory! All of a sudden I realized that it was after 5 and time to get some chow. So, Kalli and I headed down to the cafeteria to use my voucher for dinner. The pickins were more than slim this Sunday evening, so bad that I decided I want to just head to McDonalds and go get me a Big N' Tasty. So, Anthony, Crazy Carl, Kalli and I all headed to the McDonalds about a block and a half away. We got in there and ordered our food to go so that we could come back and eat with everyone back in the canary room.

When we got back they were playing foosball and all just sitting around and chatting. So, I proceeded to open my food and get my eat on. Meanwhile, everyone decided they really needed to get going to catch the next train back to Milwaukee. So we all said goodbye and there were hugs all around until next time. Once everyone was gone I finally got the chance to open my McDonalds burger box with my wonderful Big N' Tasty. To my disappointment, I opened the lid and there sat not a Big N' Tasty but a Big N' Fishy - some sort of disgusting square fish laying on a bun. My gosh I have been swimming and fishing so many times and have never seen a square fish just swimming around. But, somehow or another McDonalds manufactures millions of these special square fish. I was truly disappointed in this colossal mistake, the non-english speaking cashier made. So, Kalli, being the absolute sweetheart that she is offered to run back and get the Big N' Tasty that was rightfully mine. Meanwhile, I decided I would jump into bed and eat my food there when she returned.

After pounding down the real Big N' Tasty, not the disgusting Big N' Fishy I got the first time, I sat back satisfied and Kalli and I began to blog again. This session of blogging finally got us all caught up and back to our normal schedule of just one a day. I promise within the next two days I will do an Andrew speaks again, but for now I hate to make Kalli's fingers type another single word after the probably nine pages we wrote throughout the day today. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend for I certainly did. With over a dozen visitors and a fun filled weekend I am ready bust ass and begin another week of therapy. Keep you informed and talk to you tomorrow! Goodnight.