Sometimes, life just be good!

   DMan and I had the most fabulous weekend together!  It was the first time in a long time (and won't happen again for a long time) when neither of us had to work or had other commitments.  We made the best of it.
   Friday night we enjoyed the Springfield Cardinals game from the Redbird Roost.  DMan had invited his friends Bob and Carol to join us, which was great because he could talk baseball with them (I am totally baseball ignorant and contented to stay that way) while I kept an eye on my nachos, and french fries and kettle chips for that matter.  There was a baby girl with her mother in the seat next to me and she was intent on sinking the two tiny teeth she had into everything on my plate.  I had to eat fast and watch out for her groping hands and feet!  She left me alone when we got the free beer to sip while on the big screen for the "Thirst Inning" -- who can blame her, it was Budweiser.  DMan and I snuck in a "kiss cam" moment during our camera time.  The wonderful breeze kept us cool through 13 whole innings (was it the curse of Friday the 13th to make me endure such a long game?), when the Cards finally won because of a walk and they got to shoot off the fireworks before the 11pm noise ban.  DMan loves fireworks, so it topped off a great night for him!
   After our home chores on Saturday, we roadtripped north of town to Tyler Ridge Winery.  The winery is nothing fancy and still a work in progress, but  owners Mike and Kathy Dennis were very hospitable and eager to talk wine.  We did a full tasting and there wasn't an untasty wine in the bunch.  We settled on a bottle of the Vignoles Semi-Sweet and the Burnt Barn Red.  If you get out to Tyler Ridge yourself, ask Mike the story about the barn.  It actually did burn, which is a shame, but they got a darn good wine out of the tragedy.  We'll definitely be back to Tyler Ridge to sip more wine and spend time on their deck overlooking the rolling vineyard.  
   We stopped off at Fellows Lake, just a quick drive from the winery, and enjoyed the chilled Vignoles sitting under a pavilion and watching the sailboats and kayaks cruising the lake.  There was a nice breeze blowing in off the water, and listening to the lapping waves was so peaceful and romantic.
   Last stop was the new Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet on north Kearney.  I swear, the place was like the Disneyworld of buffets -- bright lights and vivid colors, with kiosk after kiosk of exotic foods, and crowds of people wandering around grazing.  DMan had heard they had octopus.  We never saw that, but there was a wild looking "salad" someone said was made from squid.  We stuck to regular salad to be safe.  We did get crrr-azy and try the sushi.  Yuck is the best way I can describe it.  Won't be trying that again.  Ever.  But everything else was delicious, especially the macaroni and cheese casserole that had an unusual alfredo flair.
   Today we did some major housecleaning (do the chores ever end??) and then treated ourselves to a chilled stroll through the Springfield Art Musuem to see the Watercolor USA show.  We try to catch the show every year and save the big reveal until the end of which piece was our favorite.  DMan picked the still life "Utility Pole" -- he was taken with the simplicity yet intricacy of something so ordinary -- while I was torn between "Winter Sunrise" (loved the rainbow pops of color in the icicles) and "Teepee Tourist Site" (just too fun and kitschy not to love!).  What better to do to top off a hootie weekend but to have a long nap?  Nothing!  So we did.
   Hope yall had a life-be-good weekend as well and carry that right on into the new week!