Back @ it

Here I am at Bixby's, where I live during the school year. I thought while I ate my coconut curry soup and spinach bagel with cucumber slices I would type up a quick little blog.

It's my 3rd day back to school and already I am feeling out of place, lonely, and overwhelmed. I find I have to continually remind myself that this is a good idea and in the long run I will be very happy. I am happy with my schedule and classes this semester. I have Pathophysiology, German, Financial Accounting, and Quantitative Management. The only one I am unsure about is Patho... there is no textbook, no assignments, 5 tests, and a very brief and sketchy outline. I like structure and so far this class doesn't seem to have any. How will I study? I may take advantage of the tutor through the Mentur Project for this one.

My German class only has 4 students! At first I thought this was going to be awful... no way to hide in the back of the room... but it is turning out to be kinda fun. 2 of the 3 other students I know from last years German class, so that helps.

Brandon is really liking school so far this year. Has talked non stop every night. Well, except last night because they really worked him at football practice and he was too exhausted to say much. They practice for 2 hours every night except Fridays.

Speaking of football... anyone watch the Gopher game last Saturday? I am almost embarrassed to say that I have season tickets! Well, at least it isn't Michigan. ;-D

Brandon and I will be going to the game on Saturday morning... I'm hoping I can make it back in time for Perry and Dasia's wedding celebration! The game is at 11am, so I should be back on the road by 2:30...

My veggie garden is doing really well this year. I have cherry toms that barely fit in your mouth! And the sunflowers are blooming now. My perenniel garden is looking a little worse for wear though... and my marigolds leading to the front door look terrible! The grasshoppers really munched them all to hell this summer. I should just pull them out.



I've attached some photos from our trip for your viewing pleasure.

This first one is of this awesome gas sign at this little gas station on a lonely stretch of highway between our ranch and Yellowstone. It actually had the cheapest gas around!

















This is my favorite photo that I took of Jeff, Ricky and Robbie at one of our picnics at Yellowstone. We had sandwiches at a picnic area in Hayden Valley. The buffalo were so close that we could hear them grunting while we ate our lunches!

















This is Cowboy Brandon and his horse Alamo. Notice how they are looking at each other like they both are annoyed with me and my camera!
















And this is Jeff standing in front of Old Faithful at Yellowstone. It was at the tail end of its performance so it doesn't look like much at this point. But it's not really what I look at when I look at this photo anyway...

;-0

Summer is ending and I am sad

This is it folks, the end of summer as we know it. I always start my summer with such big intentions… paint the house inside and out, build a garden gate, hike in a new place once a week, lose a thousand pounds, blog regularly… and somehow none of it happens. What happens with time that it always goes so fast during the awesome days of summer? Why do cold snowy winter days go so slowly? Does anyone have the answer??

Our school supplies are purchased and waiting to be organized into our backpacks. I love new school supplies… new notebooks with fresh pages inside waiting patiently to be written on, new pens and pencils and post-it notes. Its fun that I get to share this with Brandon, although I don't think he gets such a big kick out of it like I do. This year I decided to abandon Frank, my trusty Franklin Planner that I have religiously used for the last 10 years, and find a less bulky way to track my life. It was a tough decision… Frank and I have been through so much over the years! He has kept me organized and sane and I feel a little guilty dumping him only because he is taking up too much room in my backpack. Ah, change and progress; they go hand in hand. So, I have taken up a new relationship with Outlook 2007 and OneNote. I've been playing with it for a couple of days now and I think it will work out okay. It means bringing my laptop to school every day, buy hey, that's why I bought it last year, right? I get an awesome deal through St. Scholastica on software, so I bought the whole 2007 Microsoft package saving hundreds and hundreds of dollars. Wow, is it different! Word even has a blog post deal that I am trying out right now. If you haven't seen the 2007 Microsoft package, it looks nothing like what we are used to. They have completely overhauled it.

I just got back from vacation with Brandon, Jeff, and his boys, Ricky and Robbie. We took to the road and headed west with the end goal of Yellowstone. The 20 hours in the car there and back were tense at times, but all in all it was worth it! We shared a lot of laughs and many adventures. For most of the trip we stayed at the D and R Ranch between Cody and Yellowstone. It was an awesome place right in the Rocky Mountains with an old historic lodge and a corral filled with friendly horses. As we hiked our way up the hill to the lodge each morning, the ranch dogs ran out to greet us, the sound of old cowboy music filled our ears, and the smell of a hearty breakfast wafted into our noses. The lodge is where we had breakfast "family style" every morning with the other ranch guests.

I will write more once I have the photos organized (waiting for Jeff to upload his!), but here is a rundown of our adventures:

1. Go-kart races in Sioux Falls, SD,
   
2. The Mitchell Corn Palace,
   
3. Horseback riding into the mountains with a cookout lunch,
   
4. Two and a ½ days at Yellowstone including picnic lunches, hikes, photo ops, and plenty of wildlife,
   
5. Whitewater rafting down the Shoshone river,
   
6. Cookout BBQ dinner in the Lodge,
   
7. Cody Rodeo,
   
8. Hours of Monopoly,
   
9. Football games in the field in front of our cabin,
   
10. Mount Rushmore, and
    
11. Whittling on the front porch.

We had a wonderful time and it was really difficult to say goodbye as I dropped them off in Plymouth. Thoughts of our next journey are already swirling in my head!

Can't believe it...

It's August 16th, I haven't blogged since June, and summer is almost over! I promised I would blog weekly this summer! So sorry! I had lots of things I planned on doing this summer that didn't happen. Frustrating.

I've had an awesome summer, even with summer school going on. Tonight's the last night for my marketing class thank God. We're having a potluck so I imagine it would be a terribly difficult class. I'm registered and books have been ordered for fall semester. My school supplies have been purchased as well... I'm ready to go.

I tried paint ball this summer and absolutely loved it! Jeff brought his boys up and along with Brandon we all played in the woods behind my house. It was awesome. I only got hit once and it was in the hand. It stung a little but really wasn't all that bad. Here's a couple of photos.











We look pretty tough, don't we?

We've also played a lot of Guitar Hero this summer, including a little tournament. Brandon took 1st Place and Ricky took 2nd place.









I've also spent a lot of hours in the garden this summer. Next blog will be after our Wild West adventure in Yellowstone!

What peace...

Brandon went to his Dad's this afternoon, and I have the house to myself. A rare occurrence lately. A missed, rare occurrence. I am sitting in my gazebo with my laptop in front of me and the only sounds are from the birds singing in the woods, the wind in the branches, and the downy woodpecker on my deck trying to crack open a stubborn seed. No tv, no traffic and, thankfully, no neighbor noise. People pay a lot of money for peace like this. And I have it right here in my backyard. I am truly blessed.

On a sad note, the other day Brandon and I were driving home from his baseball game in Gary/New Duluth and as we got onto Hwy 35 heading north, out of the corner of my eye I saw a little brown something come onto the road. Tragically, there was a lot of traffic, and the van in front of me slammed on his brakes and swerved over to the shoulder. There directly in front of me was a tiny little newborn fawn, struggling to get up. I slammed on my brakes, and the truck behind me just missed rear-ending me. All that was left to do was watch as this poor little creature with his apparent broken back legs try to pull himself off of the road. If Brandon hadn't have been in the car with me, I would have been sobbing. I immediately called 911 to tell them of the suffering animal on the side of the road and after being transferred 4 times the lady said she would dispatch someone out. I know these things happen, but why in hell did it have to happen in front of me? Not only is this video in my head replaying every so often, but I am also beating myself up wondering if I should have gotten out of the car and tried to help the little guy.

I'm thinking of having a casual, little cocktail party sometime this summer... anyone interested?

What an awesome day!

First off, the sun was shining! Wow, what a beautiful day!

The Sears guy came out today and tuned-up my tractor so it is ready to go. Also gave my washer and dryer a clean bill of health. If any of you have front-loader washing machines, be sure to use the HE detergent. He told me that he does tons of repairs on bearings because people are using regular detergents in their front-loaders.

I skipped cleaning and crap today and went for a 5.2 mile hike at Gooseberry instead. I decided that when I am old and sitting in a nursing home, am I going to be recalling the fond memories I have of cleaning? Hell no! So, I went hiking instead and oh how glorious it was! I headed up the river and then took a trail away from the river. I packed a lunch and everything... how come a plain ole sandwich tastes so good on a hike?

Afterwards I decided to hang out in town until B finished Baseball practice. Drove thru my favorite coffee shop and got my favorite latte which was free because my little card was full... awesome! My fav coffee guy was working and we shared mosquito stories... only in Mn. I went to Burlington Bay and looked over the lake, drank my coffee, read my book, and said a little prayer thanking God that I live in such a beautiful place.

When I got home I drove my tractor around... it was so much fun that I didn't even mind all the happy little gnats flying around my head.

And then I checked my grades for the 1400th time since I handed in my last paper... and, well, you can see below. I don't mind tooting my own horn because I had to work so damn hard... so TOOT! TOOT!

Hatha Yoga: A-
Biochemistry and Cell Biology: B+
Introduction to Literature: A
Beginning German III-IV: A
World History II: A-
Leadership Hlth Care Systems: A

Current Term: 18.000 Credits 3.76 GPA
Cumulative: 32.000 Credits 3.74 GPA

TOOT! TOOT!

Wow, do I feel good!

A friend of mine referred me to a Chiropractor in TH who is also a nutritionist (Dr. Stout on 7th Ave next to Al's Bait). After hearing Jacquie continually rave about her Dr. Dan in the cities, and Rose rave about Dr. Stout, I decided to make an appt. I went to see her today. She spent a lot of time discussing the neck and shoulder pain I've been having, and then also spent quite a bit of time talking about some other issues I've been experiencing and nutritional changes I can make in my diet to alleviate them. She then did a bunch of little "tests" on my shoulders, neck and arms and found that my neck was out of line, which would cause my headaches and the weird shoulder ache I've been having lately. She then put some heat on it for awhile and then did an adjustment. The noise my bones made scared the crap out of me, but OMG did I feel amazing afterwards! My head felt so free... like it was floating on top of my body!

My only hope now is that my insurance will cover some of this, because now that I know how good I can feel, it's gonna be hard to give up.

Brandon had catechism tonight and I went to the library as usual, except this time I just sat and read mindless magazines the whole time instead of studying. Wow, did that feel wonderful!

Here's a couple of more Norway photos...
This is an actual Viking ship that was found buried on a farm in Norway. Many times Vikings would bury someone of importance on a ship... they would be on the ship, and then the whole ship would be buried. There are three of these ships in this museum near Oslo.

Really, really cool.










If you are ever in Oslo, this is a must see museum.


Tomorrow the sun is suppose to shine (it's been raining and in the 40s for 2 days straight) so I hope to clean up my gardens a bit. A little to chilly to lay out... only gonna be a high of 58.

Yesterday I had my coffee with Jenn. Why do I always feel better about everything after chatting with her? Probably because she gets me and we think the same way about stuff. She looked great! Divorce definitely agrees with her! We're gonna have lunch next week.

We also ran into Dave and Edna at Super One the other day. Made me miss my friends and I vowed that this summer I will reconnect.

Enough chit chat... will write again soon!

let the errands and to do list begin

Well, it's official. I am on summer vacation until the middle of July. I emailed my last paper (history paper on King Leopold's Ghost -- King of Belgium who lied his way into privately owning the Congo) to my history prof yesterday morning. I have a chemistry book to sell back to the school today, and that is it for the year!

I'm going to take a week or two to try and get some order back in my life, and then I'll start working at the nursing home again. Everything gets put on the back burner while I'm in school... and I mean everything! Laundry, house cleaning, hair cuts, it all doesn't happen during school. My friends also get sadly neglected, so I plan on doing some reconnecting over the summer as well.

Friday I got my hair cut... found a great new stylist (had to find a new one since the last one is an old friend of Jeff's ex-wife and that just felt awkward as hell!) at Headlines on Superior Street in Duluth. Her name is Erin and I immediately felt a connection. It's been so long since I have had a stylist that I clicked with, and who understands my hair and what I like, so this makes me crazy happy!

Today (right now, actually) I'm at Kolar getting some work done on my truck. They are doing the 90K check. putting on new tires and back brakes. At the end of the summer I need to have stuff flushed and belts replaced, but he told me I could put that off a bit and just do the safety stuff first (tires and brakes). I had them look at my driver seat too... it's wiggly and I found a nut. They checked it out and the seat is safe. To replace the nut and stop the wiggle they would have to pull the whole seat out and take it apart... he advised to wait on that as well. I wrecked the mat in the cargo area because I forgot I had a battery sitting back there to be dropped off at Sears and it leaked stuff. Sadly, they can't order me a new one because it comes with the truck. I can get a rubber one, but that costs about $200. He advised that I put indoor/outdoor carpeting or a big rug back there. I gotta make this vehicle last me at least until 2011 -- he told me that this engine or whatever has been known to go 350K so it should make it. That's why I bought it, so I keep my fingers crossed! Luckily I sold my Stratus last week to a cute high school girl down the road from me, so that money will go towards these repairs.

Tomorrow I am going to the chiropractor. A friend of mine recommended her. I'm having pain in my shoulder that I can feel go all the way down to my thumb. It's a bad ache, more than a pain. Hopefully she can do something about it without breaking the bank. I only have student health insurance and it doesn't cover much!

Tuesday Sears is coming out to do yearly maintenance stuff on my tractor and my washer and dryer.

And in just a little bit I'm going to be having coffee with Jenn. It will be non-stop talking and laughing the entire time and I can't wait!

I'm working on the rest of my summer "to do" list and this summer and I swear I will accomplish everything! It is just so amazing how fast the summer goes! This summer will go extra fast since I need to take summer school.

I have absolutely no traveling plans mapped out for the summer yet. My camper has been recalled and is unusable until I get it fixed (it'll be on the list). I'd like to go with Jeff and all the boys out to Custer State Park, but I'm not sure that will happen. I've also had an idea of renting cabins at Itasca with Fred and his family and me and Jeff and all the boys (they know nothing of this idea yet!) for a long weekend or something. It's so late in the year I don't even know if cabins are available anymore. Most people plan their summers way back in January. Lately I've had the traveling itch and find myself thinking of Norway!


Here's a stave church that they moved from somewhere in Norway to this "historic outdoor museum" in Oslo that I went to. There are only about4 of these left. The rest were burned or destroyed during wars.

Anyway, that's probably enough rambling for today. There will be more blogs from now that summer is here, I promise!

Stay safe!

I'm not gonna make it

Here I am at the the start of Finals week and blogging instead of studying Chemistry, or Literature, or writing the 5-7 page paper on the Congo due on Thursday that I haven't even started. The last 3 weeks of school have been absolute hell. I am so exhausted I can't think anymore. It's not a sleepy kind of exhaustion... more like a brain exhaustion. I had my German written test AND the oral test on Friday. I wasn't as prepared for either of them as I should have been. For the oral test you partner up with another student (Aaron, an English major, is my partner) and you go into the prof's office and make conversation with her. It's horrible. I do fine talking in class, and fine on the written tests, and singing the songs, putting on performances (well, except the last one where I was the Fairy King... got my first B+ on that one), but you put me in that office and I totally freeze up and only gibberish comes out. She asked me, in German, what I do when I get up in the morning. I answered in German that first I stretch and then I brush my teeth and then I shower. Well... that's what I thought I said... what I REALLY said was that first I KNIT and then I brush the HOUSE! Well, at least I made my prof laugh!

I so can't wait until next week! School will be done for me and I can take the whole week and get all my laundry caught up and my house cleaned. And just watch mindless tv and lay in the sun if I want. I feel like for the last 3 months all I have done is go to class and come home and study. My highlight of every day is playing catch with Brandon. Hmmm, and just 3 more years to go.

BTW, my 2000 Dodge Stratus is for sale. 90k miles, new brakes, new battery, mint condition. $3900. Let me know if you know anyone interested.

I miss my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spring Break

Since I'm a college student, shouldn't I be somewhere sunny and warm, where I can lay around in the sun, drinking margaritas? Doesn't this go with college? Well, then why have I spent the last 3 days of my spring break spring cleaning?! Granted, my house desperately needed it... this is what happens when you don't clean for 5 months. The only things that managed to stay clean since school started in the fall are my kitchen counters and sink, and my toilets. This is thanks to FlyLady. http://www.flylady.net/ I can't imagine how god awful my house would be if I didn't follow a little of the flylady plan. I keep telling myself that during the summer months my house will be clean and all will be well. In the meantime I pray that no unexpected guests show up at my door, or that I die and everyone I know will flock to my house (Jenn, you know the plan!).

I have participated in a bit of leisure activity on my spring break... it hasn't been all drudgery. While cleaning, I have watched Judging Amy every day from 11 to 1. My God I've missed this show! Each episode is guaranteed to pull at my heart strings in some way, make me laugh, make me cry, or just make me feel good inside. I continue to ask myself why on earth they would pull this quality show off television so apruptly? Not enough violence (well, there is plenty of talk of abuse)? Not enough nudity (there was that scary episode where icky Stu was nude at the pool... ewww.)? Not mindless enought; did it make Americans think too much? I miss it soooo much.

I have also been doing a lot of reading on my spring break. Brandon has hockey every day (except Wednesday because of church) from 4 to 5 so I've been going to the library with Java Express Latte in hand to kill time. I've been reading "King Leopold's Ghost" for history class.
It's about the colonization of the Congo in Africa in the late 1800's. It's actually a pretty good read if you like history.

I've also been reading The Secret. If you haven't heard of it, you must live in a cave. Oprah had it on her show and it's been on the best selling list ever since. For a few weeks you couldn't find it in stores if you're live depended on it. I'm undecided on how I feel about it... it has good points, but so far, it really isn't anything I haven't heard before. I'm only a quarter of the way through it, so maybe it's too soon to tell.

The third book I'm reading is How to Be Like Walt; Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life. I have always loved the history behind Walt Disney and am intrigued about his philosphies. This book is written by Pat Williams, who is the owner of the Orlando Magic. It's a very simply written book, and most of the stories of Mr. Disney I have already read about, but I like the way Pat shows how to take Mr. Disney's experiences and apply them to your life. Mr. Disney had many qualities that CEO's and owners of companies could use today. He is an inspiration. Art Linkletter wrote a particularly moving introduction as well. I'm about a 1/3 of the way through it.



I also watched Mona Lisa Smile. This movie really displays how far women have come... and also how far we have yet to go. Not a mindless movie and there is no violence, sex or nudity. If this is what you're into, you won't find it in this movie, so save your rental dollars.

I have to go make a dessert now... we have a dinner at church every Wednesday during Lent and the youth group is hosting tonight's. Brandon signed me up to bring dessert, so dessert I am bringing.

And I have much more cleaning to do.....

Be safe!

Now this is what I call WINTER!

My class and Brandon's school were both cancelled today (and they've already announced that they'll be closed again tomorrow) so we have been cooped up all day. I guess nearly all of Duluth was shut down today (well, apparently all but 50 Below, but that's all a whole nuther story -- what some people will do to avoid spending time with their kids)... even the Urgent Cares and clinics. The DOT shut down the Expressway between Duluth and Two Harbors @ 4pm as well as Canal Park and Park Point... actually put barricades up keeping people out of there. Isn't this a cool photo I found of what Aerial Lift Bridge looked like this afternoon?


I got all my tax stuff done today; tomorrow I'll file with FAFSA for the student loan and grant stuff for next year. Me and B went out and played a little in the snow and did some shoveling. We also walked to the mailbox to get the mail and check on my truck. I parked on the end because once again my dear neighbor who has a lifetime commitment of plowing my driveway has broken his plow and doesn't know when he'll get time to fix it. And he actually was expecting some pity from me! Whatever! B and I didn't last too long out thought... the wind felt like someone was throwing tiny razor blades at my face.

Brandon is suppose to go to his Dad's this weekend, and once again his Dad had a hundred and one excuses. So, if the weather cooperates I'm gonna drive him down and then do laundry at my parents.

Did I mention that my septic system is frozen and we're living like pioneers? I need spring to get here quick.

Got in a little accident the other day on Arrowhead and Haines. I was approaching a red light and my truck started slipping way back but stopped right at a van's bumper in front of me. I literally tapped him. This guy who looked like he hadn't showered in a year got out holding his neck and back and before he even got to the back of his van he says, "Well, I can guarantee that my van doors aren't gonna open." Of course, they didn't even tho I TAPPED him. I literally laughed out loud. Then he started going on about how he hoped his back wouldn't hurt later and then asked if I was okay. Of course I'm okay... I only TAPPPED you. Anyway, he didn't seem like the kind of character I really wanted to spend time with, so I got the info and hightailed it out of there. I called my agent and told her the whole scamming story. So we'll see. It just pissed me off because it's because of people like him that our rates are so high. Ass.

Check out my patio door... this is not a drift, just straight snow!!

Okay, I gotta go play a little Guitar Hero with Brandon... have you played this yet? It rocks! And I'm addicted!

Later snow peeps!

Could it be any colder?

On days like today I find myself again asking the question "Why do I live here?" At least during normal winters we have snow and I can go snowshoeing, but with no snow, what the hell is the point of having winter at all? Parking at school absolutely sucks. First I drive around the close lot, stalking everyone who walks by, praying that they are leaving. When that fails, and time is running out, I head to the back lots. Most days I have to park at the furthest lot which means a 15 minute uphill walk. The school is at one of the highest points in Duluth which means most days it is windy. This walk sucks! I bundle up with a hat, scarve, mittens, and closed toe shoes, and still I am frozen by the time I get there. I mention the closed toe shoes, because you would be amazed at how many stupid college girls are wearing flip flops or dressy sandal type shoes and walking through snow and cold to school. And boys who refuse to wear a winter coat and head to class in their sweatshirts. Boy, I am really sounding like a mother right now, aren't I?

For German class, our group project is that we have to lip sync a German pop song called Kussen Verbotten. Translation = Kissing Forbidden. If you are interested, email me and I'll be happy to send you the mp3 of the song... It's not bad, actually! I'm a little old to be in an air band, but I will do my best! My friends and I did take 3rd place in an Air Band concert in college the first time I went... at least, I think we did. My memory is foggy on these years... Jacquie will remember and I'm sure she'll comment with a correction if needed! She remembers this stuff way better than I do. Hey! But ask me anything about Christopher Columbus and I bet I will remember! Well, maybe...

We saw the movie Arthur and the Invisibles over the weekend. My advice to you is don't waste your precious dollars. If you must see it, rent, do not buy, but rent the movie when it comes out. It had a few laughing moments, but that was about it. I preferred the movie when it was real people and not a cartoon. I thought the cartoon part was really lacking. They tried to sell it by throwing Snoop Dogg in it, and while that part was slightly entertaining, it didn't make up for the rest of the movie. The cartoon girl was played by Madonna and she was suppose to by like a 14 year old girl. Personally, I thought she was drawn like a midriff-exposing 22-year-old instead. The 12-year-old in the movie of course falls in love with her, and she with him. Incredibly unrealistic and again, shows young girls that this is what you need to look like, even if you're a cartoon, to even attempt at getting a young kid to be interested in you. We are all going to hell in a handbasket.

I also watched In America for the second time, this time with Jeff. He of course hated it because it made him sad. He thinks I have this morbid taste in movies, like City of Angels (one of my all time favorites), always picking the most depressing movies with horribly sad, tragic endings. My answer to him was they are just too deep for him to handle. :-) He didn't find that very funny... Anyway, In America is a movie about an Catholic Irish family who moves to Manhattan from Ireland in the 80s. They are in search of a better life in America and basically sell everything they own just to get here. They have two adorable little girls, and tragically lost their little boy to a brain tumor. It's all about how their lives change for the better even though they are living in horrific conditions surrounded by a life that is new to them. If you are looking for a "feeling movie," rather than the shallow stuff Hollywood usually throws at is, see this one.

I even watched One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. I haven't seen this movie in years, and was surprised how differently I viewed it this time. I can sure tell that I have grown up since the last time I saw it! If you don't remember, this was a movie from 1975 starring Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, and Christopher Lloyd and takes place in a mental hospital. Quite disturbing, but good movie. My physchology professor from last year said that up until the 1960s, lobotomies were performed quite regularly in mental institutions. Nice.

All right, enough procrastinating on my end. I must go study German and Chemistry. I have tests in both on Friday. Scary!

Later little peeps!

In a slump

Well, I survived my first week back at school. I have really good classes this semester:
1) German, again. We sing German songs so I love it.
2) Modern World History after 1500. History is always good!
3) Yoga. Enough said.
4) American Literature. I love to read stories, so no complaints here.
5) Biochemistry. Well.... I do tend to fall asleep in lecture, but so far I am learning lots about proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, etc. Useful knowledge to have, I suppose.

Its a full load though, with 17 credits. My life is studying.

After a year, my ceiling fan part over my kitchen table has finally come in (thank you Jeff for ordering it for me). Now let's see how long it takes me to hook it up.

My new doors on my porch will not shut. Neighbor Kevin says its because our houses (he has the same problem) are built on a frost line, and with no snow, it is causing the ground to shift. In spring they will shut again. I don't know... he could be full of shit.

Have you heard about the 29 year old sexual predator who enrolled himself as a 12-year-old at a middle school in Arizona? What the hell is wrong with people? I sure would hate to be the parents of his classmates!

Brandon and I saw Charlotte's Web last weekend followed by a nummy meal at Hacienda Del Sol on Superior St. Excellent movie, although I am a bit biased since this was one of my favorite books as a kid. Julia Roberts had the perfect voice for Charlotte. The crows made me laugh hard. And the pig was cute.

I seem to be in a gray mood slump lately that I can't seem to shake. Is it cabin fever? Is it pre-menopause? Am I not eating enough fiber? What is causing it and how do I put the sunshine back into my life?! Send me your ideas...

This is a picture of what the maid did to our washcloths and toothbrushes while we were away from our room at Walt Disney World. We stayed at the French Quarter of Port Orleans within the Walt Disney resort. Very nice... I would stay there again.

This next photo is of our hotel. I would share more photos but I switched memory cards halfway through the trip, and now I can't find the other one!

Okay, I must go clean the house a little. Tonight is catechism night, which means I drop B off and head to the library. Oh the joys...

A very sad ending to 2006

I am back from spending Christmas with my parents on the Gulf Coast in Alabama and from a visit to the happiest place on earth (Disney World, silly!). It was a much needed rest as my week before Christmas was a rough one. It's not usually good, but this one was especially bad. I had finals that week. I had to pack and prepare for the trip. I went to court to fight a speeding ticket. And, most sad of all, I had to take Polar to the vet to be put down.

Polar would have been 18 years old on June 1st. I have had her nearly my entire adult life! She and I had been through an awful lot together and I still have a hard time imagining her not here with me. But I feel so incredibly blessed to have had such a fantastic companion for so many years. I couldn't have asked for a better dog... I'll never forget her.


Anyway, on to happier topics... Brandon and I flew out of Mpls on Christmas Eve and spent about a week with my parents. My brother Glen was there for part of the time also. I haven't spent Christmas with Glen in a very long time! My friend Fred's mom and step-dad, Nancy and Tom, joined us on Christmas Day for dinner. That was also an extra special treat! The weather was not the greatest, but I still managed to get a 2 mile walk in on the beach every day. I got to see the dolphins swimming. And the Blue Angels flew over several times. And a crazy bi-plane did insane tricks right in front of our beach. We spent New Year's Eve at Nancy and Tom's along with their daughter Linda, and a whole group of the snow-bird friends. Because Brandon and I had to get up so early for the long drive to Orlando the next day, we didn't stay up to ring in the new year.

Disney World was awesome as usual. It rained at some point every day but one. But we still enjoyed ourselves immensly! My new favorite all-time ride is Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom. This ride totally rocks! Brandon's favorite was the Talk with Crush at The Seas in Epcot. My only regret is that I came home with no tan whatsoever.




















This week I am spending at home cleaning and doing laundry. I need to get my house back in order before school starts next Tuesday. Speaking of school, I got all A's in my classes except for a damn B in Chemistry. I wanted an A in that class so badly!!! Ah, well... I really shouldn't complain. My gpa is 3.71.