I just spent $7.25 at mcdonalds... On myself. How crazy is that? Got the chicken club. Mcd's is so awful.

My top Mexican places in Lawrence

Off the top of my head.

Would be interested in yours, too, I promise I won't make fun or call you any more ethnic slurs.

1. Ixtapa
2. Cielito Lindo
3. Casa Agave
4. Either of the places across the river
5. El Mezcal

And my top five movies, as of this moment, in case you were wondering:

1. The Proefessional
2. Ed Wood
3. Gattaca
4. Pulp Fiction
5. Major League

Seriously, we need more Mexicans

Reading this blog. Because only Gringos would have voted for La Familia!

Just kidding. It's not my favorite, though. I wouldn't put it in my top five, probably, but I do realize a lot of Grin- people... like that place.

OK. So, crazy week already. I saw Evey this evening and I said, "I dressed you in that today?" It was such a long day, it felt like yesterday that I put her in that particular yellow dress.

Likewise, I couldn't figure out why they were showing Monday Night Football on a Tuesday night last night. Me and Dad watched the game at KUMed together last night.

Yeah, it's been a long week.

Photo of Evey and her 2nd cousin (my cousin Nichol's daughter -- that right?) Sophie. She's Mexican. And she's familia. But she no te gusta La Familia!

Monday afternoon with my Dad

Had a great Monday afternoon with my Dad.

Went to his radiation appointment. Afterwards, we went to the Ford dealership to get an oil change on Dad's new Ford Fusion (the Jones family has always been a Chevy family, this new Ford befuddles me... but it is nice.)

Since we were way out on the west side of Wichita anyway, we checked to see the show times at the Palace movie theater. The Palace is a second-run theater, so they have older movies, but it's only $2.50 to see a movie. (I remember when it was only $1.) The Palace was pretty lonely, there was hardly anyone there, and the kid who sold me our tickets also had to walk over to concessions to sell me some hot tamales.

Dad had really been wanting to see "Public Enemy" with Johnny Depp playing the role of John Dillinger. Dad wanted to see it because parts of the story take place in Indiana. It was a pretty good movie, actually. I'd give it four out of five stars. Bloody, but great acting, interesting story.

Funny (or not-so-funny) thing happened at the theater. Me and my Dad, Dad walking with a cane, are trying to decide where to sit in the empty theater. The lady sweeping the theater bowls her way past us... and turns off the lights. The theater goes pitch black. We can't see a thing. Eventually we fumbled around and got seated. Thanks, lady. Then, the lights come back on... and they leave them on for part of the movie!

I guess this is what you get for $2.50. The movie is cheap, but the employees will try to make you fall.

We also hit a Mexican restaurant for some lunch. Pretty good stuff. Actually, I was still sick, and Dad has cancer, so neither of us could taste anything we were eating. But we ate it like it was good.

Got Dad home only 45 minutes late for his meds. I think Mom was only half-mad.

Great time hanging out with my Dad. And he's looking good for a guy who had brain surgery only three weeks ago.

Evey's got some long hair!

Last week, I got me and Evey ready for work/daycare. After we were both showered and dressed, I decided we were both too sick to go to work/daycare. Evey had mocos (boogers) and I was dealing with some other problems (which later evolved into pink eye and a respiratory infection). So we were all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Evey is rocking her Chivas jersey. She looks so cute in it, whenever she wears it I take photos of her.

Now I download the photos, and I'm like, "Wow! Look at all that hair!"

I've been gone for five days, and she is growing so fast. Even faster when you've been away from her for a few days.

Quick Evey story: While my Dad was in intensive care following his surgery (to remove a piece of the tumor for a biopsy), we could only have two people at a time in his room. Another rule: NO CHILDREN. So the day Adrianne and Evelyn came down, we had to keep Evey entertained out in the lobby, or wherever, while the other one of us was with my Dad.

So my sister Jessica takes a turn watching Evey for us so we can both we with my Dad. Jess takes Evey to the big courtyard at Wesley Hospital. Evey thinks very highly of her Aunt Jessica (who is also her Godmother) and she was being very mindful of my Sis. Evey is, after all, an especially good girl.

So Jess and Evey are sitting together on a park bench, admiring the weather (it was unusually nice out at the time). My sister looks at Evey and says, "Evelyn, you're being such a good girl. Thank you. It's not fun to be at the hospital, but you're doing just a great job and being such a good girl."

And Evey looks back at her and says, "Thanks," with a smile. "Will you tell my Mom and Dad?"

The Half Mez-Can at El Mezcal

Evey Jones rocking some shades at the new El Mezcal out by our office at 15th and Wakarusa.

The food was pretty darn good... possibly better than usual at El Mez (sometimes that place underwhelms me... no one has as good of Mexican food in Lawrence as Ixtapa).

Uh-oh... I feel a survey coming on! I haven't done this one yet, have I?

Best Mexican food in Lawrence? You have one week to decide!

Fruit basket

Check out the awesome fruit basket Steve and Jan sent my Dad! Wasn't that nice? It's FRUIT... carved into the shapes of FLOWERS! We were very impressed.

I haven't said it here yet, but I guess I have to eventually. My Dad was diagnosed with brain cancer a few weeks ago.

He started the chemo and radiation last Monday. He's been doing REALLY WELL. He's a little weak, and sometimes he has a hard time finding a word (today's word we had to help him with: cottage cheese). But he's eating well, he has his sense of humor, he still likes to read the paper and watch the Sunday news programs...

My Dad, my family, we're all doing well. Thanks for your well wishes/positive vibes. No need to post any comments or anything, I know you all are rooting for my dad (in fact, comments for this post have been turned OFF!). When you see me and my Dad at Memorial Stadium this season, cheering on the Jayhawks to a Big 12 championship, just be sure and say hello to Boyd and tell him it's good to see him!

Evey and Grey

Star gazing

Saw about 12 meteors in the time it took me to drink one beer. Wanted to see a few more before I called it a night, but then I went on a serious drought.

I was sitting real still, staring up at one star in particular. Suddenly, I felt like something else was nearby. I looked down and there was an orange cat about 10 feet away from me. Made my stomach jump.

Stupid cat waited a minute and then tried to rub against me. At least he waited until I saw him before he tried that, can you imagine how bad he would have scared me had he rubbed up on me sight unseen?

Finally saw a couple more meteors after about a 15-minute dry spell.

Highlight was seeing three good ones, directly overhead, all within a minute...

Grandma Jo-Jo

Grandma Jo-Jo, Evey and me, two weeks ago.

USA loses to Mexico 2-1 tonight. Had Bart and Jeff over to watch the game with me (on tape delay). Exciting beginning, rest of the game sucked.

Going to Google this meteor shower and then go outside with a beer and watch it. Already saw one shooting star while I was taking out the trash. Won't tell you what I wished for, but I bet you could guess.

The 6th Solo

The Abasolo family (Mike, Amanda, Lexie, Trey and Kaiden) all swooped in on my mom and dad's house Monday night and finished the job that Mike and I started on Saturday -- picking up branches from a tree we cut down and pruning back tree limbs that had grown onto the roof of my mom and dad's home. Big thanks to those guys for selflessly going over there and helping out and getting that project done. Less stress for my mom and dad.

More photos of Evey's time with the Abasolo family (she's now the unofficial 6th Solo). Lead photo is of the crew working on picking up the branches. "Child labor!" Mike told me tonight, "That's what we got 'em for!"

Hello.

How are you?

My time at the CBR yacht was fun until...

Spider-Man made a pass at me. Seriously, Spidey, watch those hands!

Still here with my Dad in Wichita. I think we'll get to go home from the hosptial this afternoon. Fingers crossed...

Abasolo's always had my back

And him and his family have been quite simply AMAZING in helping out me and my family.

Please click here to see what I think you'll agree are some beautiful pictures of my little girl playing with Solo's kids while me and Adrianne were spending time at the hospital with my dad.

http://solospace5.spaces.live.com/default.aspx

Thank you, thank you, thank you Mike, Amanda, Lexie, Trey and Kaiden. What a wonderful thing you did for us this weekend, taking care of our most precious gift, Evelyn, for us.

A less sentimental, more whimsical post about this will probably be coming once I'm feeling less sentinemtal and more whimsical.