30-31 Jan 2010

This past weekend was a short trip. I arrived at 12.30 on the train with my rolling duffle full of burglar bars, electrical boxes & another portable radio (which, like
the first, also doesn't pick up Chicago stations good enough for me). The vet met me around 1.30pm & we drove over to the Olive Garden to have a bite to eat with a
friend of his who lives in Crown Point (who happened to be visiting the outlet maul in MCI). I haven't been to an Olive Garden restaurant in close to 20 years ... the
menu really didn't appeal to me at all & the clientele was just as unappealing ... not to mention, who knew this place would be sooo busy in the middle of the
afternoon? I guess everyone there just goes & eats out during the day/nights on weekends. I will have to find some local eats to frequent, I've never been a big
fan of the national chains. Not that there was a choice for either of us in this matter, the vet's friend was already at the OG & we were just stopping by to meet
him before continuing on.

After having a bite at the OG, we drove across the street to the Lowe's, then the Menard's next door to that. I was hoping to get vinyl gutters for the house, but
didn't get on this trip (need a ladder too & the vet's RAV4 back door window doesn't open, so couldn't get a ladder in the back (and probably not the gutters either).
Will have to wait a little longer for the new eaves troughs (will probably not be able to install until March anyway).

Continued with installing burglar bars on windows, since the home isn't occupied full-time right now, I figured the bars would be a good deterrent (until I get an
alarm installed at least). Also continued removing the old carpeting from bedrooms, cutting into 3x3 foot pieces to more easily dispose of.

The furnace seems to work fine, though it cycles on/off a bit too frequently (should stay on for longer I would think before turning off). Hopefully it will run fine
through Spring and I can have it serviced in the off season.