Cubs v Cardinals

I knocked two things of my "baseball bucket list" this week. I got to see a Cubs/Cards game at Wrigley (I saw one at the old Busch Stadium a while back) and I went to a weekday day game at Wrigley. It was super fun. We lucked out and it was sunny for the game and didn't rain until later in the evening. Even better, the tickets were free and our seats were in the shade.

It was a long, hot day, but was a lot of fun. The game went pretty quick. We didn't get there until the middle of the 2nd inning. It was a great game and the Cubs beat the Cards 5 to 0. Not bad, considering the Cards are currently in 1st place in the NL Central. 

Yesterday, I walked the Bix with my friend Tim. His wife (also my friend) Jada ran it. It was pouring down rain. I'm talking cats and dogs. For those that don't know, the Bix is a 7 mile race with some pretty big hills. The start of the race is straight up Brady Street which is a 1/2 mile hill that's steep enough I always have to downshift in the bug to climb it. Tim and I made pretty good time. We finished at 1 hour, 49 minutes. This included a stop for Tim to tie his shoe, to contemplate going down the slip n slide someone had set up in their yard at the turn around, to get a couple Twinkies from the Hostess truck, for Tim to grab a Miller High Life off the water table, me to slap the hands of all the little kids along the road and just in general having fun. Tim and I did not go down the slip n slide. Jada did. Tim and I are still kicking ourselves for not doing the slip n slide. 

All that aside, it was super fun. I think Jada and I have started a tradition now of having a bloody mary after a race. We did it after the Bridge Run in March and we did it again yesterday. Here's a photo of us at Mac's Tavern in Davenport. You can't see it, but we are still soaking wet. We are all fired up for the Bridge Run next year. 

My first ever guest post on a blog!

Check out The Mighty Rib...Kevin asked me to do a short review of a place I went while in St. Louis last weekend.

What I've Been Up To in the Back Yard

This year, my 4 foot X 4 foot garden has the following:

• grape tomato
• yellow pear tomato
• beefsteak tomato
• red bell pepper
• jalapeno pepper
• yellow banana pepper
• 8-ball squash
• radishes
• flat leaf parsley
• sweet basil
• thyme
• cilantro
• green beans when the radishes are done

I took this picture earlier in the week. Everything has pretty much doubled in size as we've had plenty of rain and warm weather. 

Everything else has been blooming for a while. The begonias up front look great. I'll take a picture of them once the Asiatic Lilies open up. There have been several baby birds in the yard. A few very young cardinals and assorted "chee-chee birds" as my dad calls them. I potted dahlias this year in some new blue pots I got a good deal on and one old one I've had for ever. 

All that warm weather and rain has been sticking around. Last night my friend Elisabeth and I ran a 5K out in Blue Grass, IA. It started at 7 PM and was 86-degrees and high humidity. Elisabeth was great and ran slow with me and walked and was a great running buddy. I beat my 5K personal best by a little more than a minute. Finished in just over 43 minutes.

For the record:

Top 5 shows of all time (in chronological order, because I can't possibly pick a best one):

Rollins Band, Helmet, Sausage @ International Ballroom in Houston, TX with Mel House

Hum, The Toadies, Bush @ some place I can't remember in Springfield, MO with Alex Silvius and Josh Sutterfield

Murder City Devils, Supersuckers @ Fitzgerald's in Houston, TX with Mike Quinn, Jason Kwiatkowski, Dave Hahn and Rich Macy

Ben Folds @ The Adler in Davenport, IA with Jim Purins

Robert Earl Keen, Bruce Robison, Todd Snider @ The Capitol Theatre in Davenport, IA with Robert and Lisa Burnett

So, the guy just stands up there and talks?

Either you have heard of Henry Rollins or you haven't. For those that haven't, here's what the wiki has to say about him and what he has to say about himself. I've now seen him twice. The first time was at the International Ballroom in Houston, TX. Mel House and I saw Sausage and Helmet open for the Rollins Band in the early 90's. That show is in my top five of all time list. I don't even know if the International Ballroom is still there. I think it used to be a grocery store. Anyway, that was an awesome show...so much bass it made me a little sick to my stomach (but in a good way) and I am pretty sure my ears rang for at least 2 days (this was back before I practiced safe rock). But I digress. Last night, I saw Henry Rollins for the second time. He was doing spoken word at The Capitol Theatre. Items of note:

• He talked for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Straight. Non-stop. No long pauses at all. Very few brief pauses at that. Never once took a drink of water. 
• I am fairly certain that he only knows one way to hold a mic: cord wrapped around his fist a time or two. 
• He's friends with William Shatner and Ru-Paul and had great stories to share.
• I now have a new favorite way to say spastic: spastique (as though it were a French word). Like me, Henry Rollins is apparently rather clumsy. 
• He does a good George W. impersonation. 

It was really quite fun. Josh, Emily and Chanda joined me. So yeah, the guy just stands up there and talks. But what he says is good, interesting and often quite funny.

New Stuff

Somehow, through a series of moves and the dividing of the stuff, I've found myself without a socket set. My friend Rob would tell you that this is a most unfortunate position to be in, particularly when you've just purchased a 1970 automobile. I kindly remind him that I have friends like him with well stocked garages and mad car-fixin' experience and skills to hold me over until I get off my duff and buy new tools. I finally got off my duff a few weeks ago, marched myself down to sears, and bought a new socket set. It has about eleventy-seventy pieces in it. It's a beautiful sight. Now that I have a set, I have not yet had a need for it. Now that I've said that, I will. This is the first in a series of tool purchases that are becoming necessary. Next on the list is likely a saw of some sort.

In other new stuff news, I finally found some new towels for my bathroom. I had pale yellow ones that matched a shower curtain that I no longer use. The pale yellow went with nothing else in the bathroom. The pale yellow does not get clean enough. The pale yellow is stained from using it to wipe off Miner's paws after late winter/early spring walks. And I really wanted some striped ones. And I really wanted some that had the blue-ish green color of the bathroom walls in them. And I really did not want to spend a fortune. As luck would have it, I scored big at Marshall's/TJ Maxx this weekend and found the perfect towels at a great bargain. I know, I know, I sound like a commercial, but seriously, don't they look great?! I wish you could see the photo my cousin Stephanie took a little better in this snapshot. It is so beach-y and looks great. Also, on the shelf, whose reflection you can see in the mirror, is a thrift store vase full of the seashells I picked up in South Carolina. I am so in love with my bathroom this week!

And lastly, there's a new blog I am following. A high school friend named Kevin has what I would call a foodie blog that I am really enjoying. Check out The Mighty Rib. I am thinking Mom and Dad will dig it. Kevin ranks Teotihuacan Mexican Restaurant in Houston, TX in his top 20. I always knew he was smart.

Neglectful

So, I realize I have been neglectful about posting lately. I must apologize. There's no real excuse, just nothing major happening on the home front lately. I've been running, Miner goes out with me most times. It's finally starting to warm up and the Bumble Bee has been out 3 times already this year. 

I did have a very fun long weekend and vacation this weekend though. The only bad thing is my throat and sinuses are messed up enough that I lost my voice on Sunday afternoon. I am going to do my best to not talk at work tomorrow, though it was difficult not to this afternoon at the Training Center.

My vacation was to South Carolina. I ran the Cooper River Bridge Run with my friends Jada, Tim and a group of their friends from Texas and the Carolinas. Here's all of us on the beach Sunday morning. Left to right is: Julia, Toby, Jes, me, Jada, Tim, Sara and Walt. 

It's a 10K and you go over this big pretty suspension bridge. The run ends up in downtown Charleston. We stayed out on Folly Beach which was great. They all headed home on Sunday afternoon and I stuck around two more nights. I didn't do a whole lot...I wandered around the beach and went and saw this huge tree.

I got up very early this morning to fly home. I got to pick Miner up all clean from his bath at the kennel. Since Easter is coming up, he got this little bandanna. This is only the second time he's ever had a bath there that they put a bandanna on him. I am thinking it may also be the only other time where I have picked him up right after his bath and not the following day. 

That thing weighs more than Miner!!

Friday night was the annual pumpkin carving and chili party at Josh and Emily's house. The highlight of the night was Vonda's 68 pound monster of a pumpkin.

It was so big, we stuck Janet and Luke's little boy Paul (age 9 monhts) in it.

I was Shawna's date...

...to her friend's wedding this weekend. I had never met anyone prior to coming to MSP for this shin-dig. I had SO much fun and met lots of very nice people. We danced our butts off. It was great.

Between the wedding and reception, Shawna and I went shopping at LB. We made friends with the manager. She was a hoot and apparently we cracked her up, too. She tried to recruit Shawna to work there.

I am tried, but looking forward to brunch with Brian in about an hour and then IKEA and headed home. AND I have discovered why I love AMC for playing Mad Men back to back...I can see the season premier even if I don't make it back home before 9 PM. Woot!

Summer of the Deck

I have declared this to be the Summer of the Deck. Last night, I had 8 friends over for grilled spicy pork tacos (recipe care of Cook's Country). It was a great time.

I've also decided that I want to put of some privacy fencing on the west side of my back yard. Just 6 or so panels similar to what my neighbors put up on the west side of their patio. So, I am off to Menard's this morning to price that out.

Great Weekend

I had a great weekend! Friday, I took the day off. I did laundry, cleaned house and painted the "people door" to the garage.

Saturday, I went to get the oil changed in my car. I had an appointment, but they were running a little behind. Really, I didn't have to wait all that long, and I had a New Yorker with me to read...but after waiting about 15 minutes or so, the manager poked his head into the waiting room and said, "Since we are running behind and your time is important...I am not going to charge you for the oil change or tire rotation." This is why I love Tuffy's in Davenport! :)

Sunday, I got up early and drove down to St. Louis for a cook-out at Dave? and Kelly's house. Josh and Sarah were in town from Germany. I got to visit all my St. Louis Los Bike friends. It was great. I stayed over night and my neighbors watched Miner for me.

Today, I got up early, spent a half hour talking with Pat before hitting the road. About 60 miles out of town, the rain was so bad I had to get off the highway and wait it out for 10 minutes at a gas station. After that, it rained on me most of the way home, but not any where near as bad. I got home around 12:30 and cleaned up my sewing room in the basement. (I have lots of stuff to make for all these babies my friends are having). Then later this evening I had some friends over for ice cream sundaes.

And reports from my neighbor was that Miner was very well behaved. Miner got to sit outside with Rick and their dog Shelby (Miner's girlfriend) for 4 or 5 hours yesterday while he was smoking ribs. Miner got to sniff and lick where all the pork goodness was dripping from the smoker. Amy said she took him for a walk this morning, too. He's such a good boy!

They're White!!

Late last summer, my friend Marcy gave me a bucket full of irises from her neighbor. We didn't know what color they were, so I've been waiting patiently to find out. There have been buds on them for weeks and over night, one finally opened.


Miner doesn't seem real enthused about them.

Philly Report

I arrived in Philadelphia yesterday afternoon and hopped on a train to the Children's Hospital to see Holly, Chris and Ruby. Ruby's had a nice run of good days here lately, and is doing well. I chilled at Holly and Chris's apartment this morning and then came up around lunch time to the hospital today. Holly and I got lunch and then have been hanging out in Ruby's room all afternoon. Holly was holding Ruby for a good two and a half hours and Ruby was awake the whole time. :)

Oh yeah...

...and next Sunday, I am going to St. Louis for one night to see my Los Bike buddies...including Los Germany!! My neighbors are great, they will let Miner out and feed him Sunday night and Monday morning of Memorial Day weekend. I need to think of a good St. Louis-type thank you I can get them.

Getting Excited!!

Saturday, I drop Miner off at the doggie spa. Then it's the last class of this intersession. And THEN, on Sunday I get to go see Holly and Chris and Ruby!!! :) Seriously, I am so excited to see them.

Hanging Rock State Park, NC

My trip to NC was great. Saturday afternoon, I got into Greensboro and Jada, Tim and Vonda picked me up from the airport. Jada and Vonda came running and screaming at me from behind a pillar like the crazy people they are. :) We wandered around REI and Sur La Table because it was raining. Then went and had yummy dinner at Cafe Europa. I had a big bowl of muscles. Deliscious!

Saturday morning, Tim made us French toast, which was great. Then we packed up the car and drove to Hanging Rock State Park. We hiked the Wolf Rock trail and the Hanging Rock trail. We went all the way up to the top of Hanging Rock and ate our lunch up there. It was a good reminder that I need to keep working out, but the view was definitely worth the climb. I'll post a picture of us when Tim forwards it on. When we were done we drove a little and went to see the Lower Cascade Falls in another part of the park. One the way home, we stopped for sodas in glass bottles at a little gas station.

After getting cleaned up, we had a great dinner with a couple that lives 2 doors down from Jada and Tim. Yummy food, good deserts and fun conversation.

So, I am home now. I will have to be sure to walk the dog after I pick him up, otherwise I won't be able to move tomorrow!

So much for not traveling...

...but it was an offer I couldn't pass up. And a damn cheap plane ticket, too. I am flying to Greensboro, NC on Saturday to see my friends Jada and Tim. Another friend Vonda will be visiting them that weekend, too. Chalk this up as something great about being single.
Flight from MLI to GSO...$227
3 days of dog boarding...$60
One meeting moved...done
Not having to OK a last minute trip with someone...priceless. :)

Who knows, maybe I'll get really lucky and it will be the Astros and White Sox in the World Series again this year and I won't have to ask anyone if it's OK to spend $600 on a ticket and parking spot to the opening game. A girl can dream, can't she?

Plus, I now have a "fare watcher" thing looking for cheap flights to Philadelphia to see Holly and Chris and Ruby when she gets here!

In general, feeling much better than I have in a while. And doing a much better job at focusing on the good stuff and not the sad stuff.

Feeling much better

So, I am 2 days completely free of hives, and feeling a whole lot better. I went out for dinner and then to a winery with some girlfriends tonight. I haven't laughed that much since coming back from Houston.

Miner was a good boy and we ran around the backyard until it was too cold to breathe. How sick is it that I am getting excited that it should be up to about 22 degrees tomorrow. I mean, that's a 49 degree swing in temp...so it's a big deal!

I love my friends

Just when I am thinking I'm going to have a crappy stretch of time between leaving Houston and going back to work on Monday, my friends do some amazing things.

Shawna and Payton picked me up from the airport. I love it when someone meets me in baggage claim! That hardly ever happens anymore.

Today, it was a triple great day.
1) My mail hold ended and I got 3 more Christmas cards from friends in WA, TX, and MO. The one from Larry and Missy was my favorite. Anthony is so cute!
2) My friend Jada (a native Texan and founder of the Displaced Texans) was in town. She came over and we hung out, chatted, caught up and had Whitey's ice cream for dinner!
3) Best of all: This morning, a FedEx truck pulled up and I am thinking to myself, I didn't order anything...I got a super special package from Quinn. My very own baggie full of the little tiny wreath cookies that Mama Quinn makes that I love so very much!


Yes, I have pink counter tops...so what?!