Memorial Day Weekend, Chicago, etc.

The past 4 days have flown by like a whirlwind!

Monday - Memorial Day

Mary and I woke bright and early to attend my very first Rassi Memorial Day breakfast! We arrived at the Fondulac Park shelter at precisely 7:30 am and joined the small crowd of faithful bacon and egg fryers. Soon the charcoal was just right...and we began to fry the bacon. In honor of it being my first year, I was given the smallest frying pan and the shortest fork to turn the bacon with. I suppose that was to teach me to respect the grease. Even with a long fork the occasional grease in the eye could not be avoided! About two hours later and 23 lbs. of bacon fried later...we were done... In the meantime...Mike and Phillip had started frying the eggs. I never realized what an art egg frying was...but they sure did a nice job. Anyway, when we were done frying, we did finally get to eat and it was delicious! I think we will be returning next year...only difference...I will have a very long fork and a large cast iron skillet! In the afternoon Mary and I picked strawberries..as we have been just about everyday for a week or so now! We then went over to Dad and Mom Rassi's to see Phil off. Then we returned home, made strawberry shortcake, clean some garden lettuce, and cut up strawberries to take to Dad and Mom Beutel's for a Beutel Family Memorial Day Get-together! We had some delicious fillet mignon for supper! Then we played several games of basketball...all I can say is...the three old office workers kinda cleaned house...

Tuesday...

So I worked all day Tuesday...started a few corporate tax returns...did some payroll...the usual summer stuff...

At night Mary and I went to Morton to eat at Ruby Tuesday. Delicious food! Then we checked into the Day's Inn. We had bought a night in the Oriental Suite they have there at a silent auction earlier in the year. It was a very cool room...felt like we were in China instead of Morton. Before it got dark we went to a park north of Morton where they have a Frisbee golf course....18 holes! There were some pretty difficult holes and all in all I think it is good we didn't keep track of the score! We had a blast and really want to go back soon!

Wednesday...

Got up fairly good time...left the hotel. Dropped off our stuff at home and headed for Chicago. Mary had an appointment with a surgeon that removed part of a bone tumor (benign) from her wrist about 10 years ago. We have been trying to get Mary health insurance for about 7 months to no avail because only part of the tumor was removed. Anyway... the insurance company wanted a current examination that stated that she DOES NOT need any further surgery. We arrived at Loyola University Outpatient Center about 1/2 an hour early. Mary filled out a bunch of forms and then they asked for her insurance card. We told them that we were self-pay...obviously...since we were her to get her examined so that we can get insurance for her. They looked at us like we were second rate citizens. Then the dude that was helping us turned to the lady behind him and was like...do they need to talk to the financial counselor now to set up the payment plan or after the appointment. So I asked them how much this appointment was going to cost. Of course nobody had a clue. Needless to say...I think Mary and I both got a little nervous at that point. I mean, why would they be talking about a payment plan unless it was expensive. Anyway...they gave up on that idea and we just wait for the doctor. We got in...talked to the doctor and others...he dictated a letter to be sent to BC/BS and then we went back out. BTW - the doctor was amazing...very professional and friendly! So back in the front office Mary fills out a form to send the medical records to BC/BS. While she is doing this I tell the lady that I can pay the bill. So she is showing this guy how to do the billing...they run my credit card...bring the receipt back up for me to sign....you'll never guess how much the bill was...$45.00 That's right...forty-five dollars! It would have been fun to ask them to put us on a five year payment plan....$9 a year! Anyway...all jokes aside...we were glad the visit was cheap and we were glad that the doctor believe Mary's wrist will never require further surgery!

After the doctor visit we went to Panara Bread and had a nice relaxing lunch. Then we headed to IKEA. We ended up taking a pretty big blue bag full of stuff home with us. No big purchases though! It was quite fun!

When we got home...guess what we did? Yep...picked strawberries...I had called Mom and asked her to make some shortcake so it would be ready when we got to their house! Then we went to Dad and Mom's looked at Tim's pics from Italy...very cool Tim...and eat shortcake. Finally we headed home...and went to sleep! Ahhh.....