I received a very nice e-mail Sunday evening. It seems that I have a new place to hang out. How cool is that? IMSO gets to play along with the big girls and boys at Alltop! Like her, and her, and her, and this one too, oh and him, and him, and this guy. So many I can’t name them all. Just go check out all the great Moms and Dads at Alltop.

I hope know that other people taking off to Chicago this summer have been worrying wondering about the same thing I have ~ you know, the whole getting lost around in an unfamiliar town thing? I discovered that I won’t be stranded at the airport after all. The Windy City venue offers airport shuttle service, and it’s cheaper than a taxi! Woohoo! As long as I can read a sign, then I can find the right bus and just sit back and relax. Whew!

Second step taken. I’ve reserved my room at this lovely riverfront hotel. I CANNOT wait.

I’m negotiating with Hubs for some of his frequent flyer miles to bring down the cost of my flight there. What do you think I should promise in exchange for a discount on my tickets?

On a more serious note… I got another e-mail Sunday that wasn’t so nice. Through a notification program offered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, I receive periodic notices when a registered sexual offender moves into my neighborhood ~ well within five miles of my house.

This weekend I was informed that one such offender has moved in a few houses down from WK’s best friend B ~ right across the street from a local park where several city rec soccer teams practice and play their games.

I showed WK the e-mail and told him to let me know if he ever sees this guy or if he ever tries to talk to them. WK tells me that he and B have skated in front of where this guy lives many times.

I called our local police department to find out if our city had any sort of ordinance restricting where registered offenders could live in proximity to places where kids congregate. Apparently, we don’t. I’m not comfortable with that.

It seems that the only restrictions are based on schools and day cares. In the town where I work, they are limited from living within 2,500 feet from parks, schools, daycares, bus stops, anywhere kids gather ~ basically banning offenders from living inside city limits. I like that idea better. Maybe I should chat up my local city council member about a possible change in the city ordinance.