On scaring the piss out of toads

Lots and lots to report, but little time to do it in. So, first things first. The new wood floor in the guest room is almost done (first sealer coat went on today, next one tomorrow). The patio and fire pit and flagstone path are done (as of yesterday - yippee!!).

Here's an in-progress photo while the guys were working on it. Very dusty work -- I watered down the grass afterwards since each step would put up a puff of dust.

Here's Tony and Grace enjoying our first inaugural fire in the fire pit. This was right before Gracie went leaping off the wall over to the other side of the patio. We had no idea why until we went over to check it out -- it seems she found a toad/frog. In fact, she literally scared the piss out of it. Tony ran to scoop it up and save it and toss it back out into the yard so she couldn't play with it like she used to play with the lizards in Florida. And left behind was this little wet spot. Yep, our Gracie the Wonder Slug can actually move fast enough to scare the piss out of a toad.
Here's a close up of the fire pit. Tony burned some red oak that we'd gotten from Bill, the flooring guy. He'd given us a bag of loose bits after noticing Tony's monster grill. Tony was very excited.

So that brings me to today (leaving out all the places I've recently discovered but have not written up yet). Today Toms-Price delivered some of the office furniture. I'd thought they were supposed to be delivering the two tub chairs for the living room too, but no go. So I've got part of my office stuff (3 bookcases, the computer desk & hutch, and the pedestal desk & hutch). The rest is on backorder. However, the pedestal desk part has scratches all over it, so they are sending someone out on Saturday to see if they can get them out or whether or not they have to replace that whole piece.

In the meantime, I'm actually unpacking my books (i.e. not the kiddie lit books) and bringing them upstairs from the basement. I'm definitely getting my exercise today.

545 North Bar & Grill

545 North Bar & Grill
545 North Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville, Illinois 60048, (847) 247-8700

Tony had to stay later than normal at work yesterday, which means he missed his normal train. Then, he missed the next train out to Prairie Crossing too. So he called me to come meet him at the Libertyville station instead of having to wait until the 7 PM train. I made it there without too much hassle (i.e. I didn't get lost even once).

It was too late for him to start making the dinner he'd planned (turkey breast, stuffing & mashed potatoes -- we had it tonight instead), so we went to dinner in Libertyville at 545 North seeing as how it a) wound up being the closest restaurant to where I parked the car and b) it looked nice. It was actually a little nicer than we'd planned on for a Tuesday night dinner, but luckily I'd changed out of my shorts and t-shirt into something cuter. I was still sniffling and coughing, but at least I didn't look like a total drudge.

We decided to do an appetizer sampling and picked four off of the menu: an artichoke & spinach dip (very yummy and actually served with enough chips), beef skewers (really nice -- chunks of filet topped with blue cheese and skinny fries, done to a turn), chicken avocado quesadilla rolls (also really good, in what was labeled a lime creme sauce, though it didn't taste all that limey to me), and a foccacia bread Grilled Asparagus & Portobella Pizza (definitely my least favorite -- has a kind of odd smokey flavor but with an overwhelming sense of blandness for all that).

The waiter was personable, prompt, and polite -- Jeff, also a relative newcomer to Grayslake, though he's lived in the greater area all his life from the sound of it. He gave us some ideas of things to try out (Firkin, another place in Libertyville that has blues on Thursdays; some huge mall in Schaumburg that has an Improv playhouse in it with big headliners, but also funny local comedians; some monastery place that has a real pretty drive) and even explained to me the difference between Cubs and Sox fans. Good waiter. Ask for him if you go. I like when they'll talk to you like real human beings. He was even nice enough to take the pizza thing off of our bill (we left the majority of it; I think I had 3 bites).

Atmosphere-wise the place seemed pretty nice and stylish. Too bad it was raining though...they have an outdoor patio on the back with a really nice outdoor fireplace. That would have been really cozy. Everyone was actually pretty friendly. Not sure if it was the owner that lit the candle at our table, but it seemed like it -- who else is casually friendly and dressed in street clothes and comes and goes when they want? Oh -- and it passed Tony's water glass test...they kept the glasses filled.