I'm Back And It's A Miracle!

To paraphrase Barry Manilow, you wouldn't believe where I've been. The cities and towns I've been in. From Creve Coeur to Dayton and every town in between.

Woo. Woo. Woo.

We at Mark's World are a little tired, having just flown in from our secret trip to Illinois. Three hotels in three nights. Attended (and helped set up) two parties in two nights. I have stories aplenty (and video!) for later this week but here are a couple of images.

First, Mary, my parents, Eric and I surprised my sister for her 50th birthday Friday night at Hank's in Ottawa, Ill. Karen thought she was going to meet her kids for a quick dinner before a gathering of friends at the Dayton Ridge Country Club. She was surprised – to say the least – to see us all there.


Here's Mom giving a shocked Karen a birthday hug.


My present to Karen was a blown-up picture of my Dad holding her as an infant roughly 50 years ago AND the actual sweater that he wore which somehow made it into my collection and stayed there all these years. This is as close as we could get to an actual recreation of that photo.


Here are the three kids: Me, Karen and Eric.

On Saturday we headed to Peoria – East Peoria, to be exact – to switch into our costumes for good friend Brad Keefauver's Vampire Ball at the Creve Coeur American Legion Hall. This was Brad's way of handling his own 50th birthday party.

I certainly do know a lot of old people, as it turns out...


Mary and I pose in our vampire best.


The 'Man of the Hour' Brad and his lovely wife, Kathy.

Stories? Do I have stories!?! The secret surprise that topped the surprise dinner party? Someone's new job that requires a move? The dance craze that will soon be sweeping YouTube.Com? What surprise reunion had many vampires holding their collective breaths (if vampires do require breathing, that is)?

More later,


Mark