Augustana, My Amazing Friends, Fun at the Orchard, Happy 8th Anniversary

First, I need to point out that I have a lot of work to do getting good at this blogging thing.  If I want to chronicle my adventures, I need to be better about taking pictures.  Pictures that anyone would want to see anyway.  I find I use my phone's camera more for reminders, references, and jokes than anything.  Kind of a waste.  I'll try to do better in the new year.  It's not even Jan 1 and I have some resolutions ahead of me.

Next I'll actually move on to some of the fun I had!  In late October my friend Ethan and his parents hosted a "Nerd Weekend" for some of my college friends. We gathered to play nerdy games, eat good food, and drink good beer.  I started the weekend off by meeting my good friend Nate at our Alma Mater: Augustana College in Rock Island.  We enjoyed a stroll around campus, marveling at just how good the kids there have it these days.  It was a beautiful morning all around.

I have a lot of great memories from Augie.  I met some amazing people there, people I have carried forward the lessons I learned, and the people I love from that place.  That said, there are many parts of Augie I don't miss.  The overwhelmingly liberal culture (as evidenced by the "Feel the BERN 2016" graffiti that was... everywhere) which pervades most campuses, and the abandonment of their Lutheran principles.  Still, it was nice to be back, even for just an hour. The rest of the weekend was also a ton of fun.  A shout out to the hosts with the most, the Essers!  

Very early in November the official service for my grandfather was held in Mahomet. He passed away in October.  We had a small family service, which was lovely, but this memorial was for his friends.  What I wanted to share here was the amazing tribute that MY friends, some of whom had never even met my grandfather, paid to him with this lovely arrangement.  It moved both me and my grandmother.  I couldn't ask for better people.

While in Mahomet, we also met some of my other friends, Matt and Jenny for a meal at my absolute favorite spot: Filippo's Pizza.  Filippos is a small, family owned chain of restaurants based out of Monticello IL, with branches in Mt Zion and Mahomet.  Each branch is owned by a son or daughter of the original Filippo Galbo.  The pizza is truly the best anywhere.  I am a sucker for the Thick, Extra-Sauce, Meatball variety (pictured above).  It was a great meal, with good people. I hope I get to go back soon.  And if I do, yes there will be more pictures.

As we cruised into November we managed to get in a trip to Tanner's Orchard, out near Bradford IL.  It is always a fun time.  Mandi was asked by Forrest to join her on the spring-riders. She got going, though not quite as fast as he did:

Heh Heh.  Kid loves those little spring-riders.  

Lastly, I'd like to note that Mandi and I had a wonderful 8th anniversary. I brought her a single red rose, a fun mini-cake she had commented on a while back, and a card.  It was a quiet night in for us, but sometimes that is best.