the grind

Arizona

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 08:23:15 -0600

Here's a quick entry on our recent trip to Arizona...

On Thursday, October 22, Cory and I flew out of MSP on a Southwest Airlines flight, bound for Phoenix. When we booked the flight, we didn't realize there'd be a stop in Denver on the way (we knew we had a layover there on the way home...), but we didn't have to get off the plane. Southwest has "open seating" so the seats are first-come, first-pick. We did OK on the first leg, but the plane all but emptied out in Denver and then we got to move to the exit aisle. :-) We arrived in Phoenix a little early and got our rental car, a very nice Camry. We headed north right away for Sedona.

We stayed at a Days Inn in Sedona, and spent time there doing some gift shopping, enjoying local restaurants, and hiking. We went for a hike one morning on the Fay Canyon trail, and it was very beautiful. I was just in awe of the huge rock formations, and how long they've been there and how they were worn away by the elements over millions of years. We hadn't really planned to go on a hike, but it seemed like a good idea and I'm so glad that we did.

On Friday afternoon, we went to Flagstaff via the Oak Creek Canyon highway. It was a spectacular drive through the canyon! When we arrived in Flagstaff, we drove to the mountains and drove up to a local ski area. The views were great, but we were too late to get a ride on the lift to the peak. Nonetheless, it was beautiful and Cory got some good photos. After that excursion, we visited the Lowell Observatory (where Pluto was discovered!) and enjoyed a presentation by volunteers, the exhibits, and got to see Jupiter and the Moon through their telescopes. The people there were very friendly and informative. I'm glad we went there.

On Saturday we made our way back to Phoenix and spent a leisurely afternoon/evening at the hotel by the pool. We were kind of tired and some relaxation was in order (we were on vacation, after all!). On Sunday, we drove down to Chandler to visit my grandparents. Grandma put together a very nice breakfast and lunch for us, we enjoyed the sun on their back patio, and took in the Vikings game (which they lost...).

Monday's journey home started early. We dropped off the car, caught the shuttle to the airport, and did the typical wait-at-the-gate routine. The plane was pretty full, and we were near the end of the boarding line. We managed to get a row to ourselves in the very back of the plane, which was nice. By the time we got to Denver, Cory was not feeling well at all. We also got back row seats on our second flight, and got to Minneapolis on time. Cory continued to feel worse and worse that afternoon and evening, and it was a very long day for him. He feels better now, but he missed a day of work, poor guy.

It was a very nice trip, it was great to see Grandma and Ted, and I enjoyed the beautiful Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon/Flagstaff scenery. There are a couple more pics in my "Places" photo album.

October? Already...?

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:22:59 -0500

Well, I haven't blogged since early August, so I will do my best to catch up a bit here...

Cory and I went camping at Rice Lake State Park, and experienced some pretty robust thunderstorms and hot, humid weather. We cooled off in the pool at Cory's brother's place one afternoon, and otherwise stayed pretty low-key. This year's camping was OK, but we've definitely had better years.

In mid-August, we paid a visit to friend Anne in Albertville. The visit was great (we went to her dad's birthday party), but the highlight for me was seeing her plot in the community garden. She had a beautiful garden that included corn, carrots, and a TON of tomatoes. I'm inspired for us to have our own vegetable garden in 2010.

Also in August, we had a great time at a party at the Eggler's place, went to the Steele County fair, and had a nice visit to the Wilson farm while my parents were there.

September brought the completion of a HUGE project for me at work, so I took a little more time off than normal. Cory and I went on a road trip to Northfield and Red Wing one day, and we also went to the North Shore with good friend, Bill. While up north, we paid homage at the Anchor, watched a ship enter Duluth harbor, and spent plenty of time relaxing at Jeff and Bonnie's place (thanks, guys!). We visited Grand Marais, Split Rock Lighthouse, and Gooseberry Falls, of course.

Also in September, we visited Oxbow Park with the Wilsons, and had one final camping adventure for the year at Frontenac State Park. Frontenac's camping was probably the best of the year, and I got some pretty cool photos one foggy morning. Brett and Kent paid us a visit in September, also, and we had a great dinner at Twigs restaurant.

Now, October is here, and I can hardly believe how quickly the time seems to be passing. Cory and I have had a busy few months, and he's now up to his ears with schoolwork and his many work commitments. I'm pleased to report that my work schedule is a little more calm than it was this summer, and I have actually made progress on some of my key responsibilities in the last 6 weeks.

Last night we had pot roast and veggies for dinner (so good!) and watched The Kite Runner. Cory has read the book and said that the movie did a good job of telling the story. I thought it was a very good movie, and I recommend it!

It's cold this morning (24 degrees when we got up at 7:30 am), and forecasts predict accumulating snow tomorrow! I know it wont' last, but it does seem kind of early.

We're going to Arizona in a couple weeks to do a little touring and visit my grandparents. That will be it for vacations for a little while, I think. I would love to have a long weekend at the Cardinal Cabin this winter with a few of our friends, and I hope we can make that work. Cory is DONE with his program at school this semester. I'm very proud of him as he's maintained a 4.0 GPA and has received many accolades from his instructors.

Before you know it, Christmas will be here and gone, and I'll be writing about planting those veggies! Hope this finds you all well, keep in touch.

Holy Cats, this is AMAZING!

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 20:57:43 -0500

So, I've never met the guys writing this blog, but they're from my hometown area, and they're taking what is essentially a souped up pontoon/raft from MN to the Gulf of Mexico on the Mississippi. I just read their blog entry from Monday, and I can hardly believe all the cool stuff they're experiencing and the kind and generous people they've encountered. I just wanted to share it with you all. I highly recommend reading from the beginning. Enjoy!

Raft the Mississippi

Summer Fun

Sun, 2 Aug 2009 09:48:05 -0500

We've done a few things since the last time I posted. Summer is flying by, and I am THRILLED with the cooler weather. (I acknowledge that I may be in the minority there, but if I could have weather like this every summer, I'd be elated.)

We got together with some friends who were in town for Rochester's PrideFest, and I don't think I've laughed so hard for a very long time. We went to dinner with C. Scott, Michael and Bill, then went to Bill's place for a delightful evening of snacks and cocktails.

We've been to a couple of "Down by the Riverside" concerts. Survivor kicked off the season on July 12, and we went to hear Monte Montgomery (I've never heard of him either) last weekend. We might go see the Rochester Civic Orchestra tonight, as they're doing a show of John Williams' movie themes. Fun! The concerts themselves are a delightful mix of comfortable summer evenings, wine, snacks, music and people-watching. The last time we were there, we were a little too close to some very distracting people. We will need to scope out our location a little better next time. I enjoy going because we're able to just ride our bikes down the trail to Mayo Park and then just plop a blanket on the ground a settle in. No driving, parking, hauling chairs, etc. Keep it simple! :-)

We went camping at Oxbow Park a few weekends ago and had a nice time there, too. Saturday night's low was 47 degrees or something crazy like that, so it did get a little chilly. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our little escape and again, watching people. I'm sure people are somehow entertained by watching us, but I usually find that others are far more entertaining than I am. We had visits from friend Ginger and her kids, and from coworker Donna and her puppy Amos. The new tent/castle worked wonderfully, and we hope to use it this coming weekend. We'll see if that plan works out!

Last weekend, we visited the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. We were joined by the Wilsons, and had a quick bite to eat at a local pub, then got to learn all about eagles. Hunter had a good time, I think, but the very interesting informational session was a little long for him. Even so, we got to see some eagles and hang out in the beautiful facility they have there. Very cool. (Thanks to Jeff for driving!)

This weekend, we went to Owatonna to visit Cory's family. I swam in the pool with Payton, and we had Chinese food for dinner. Last night was definitely a "hang out and watch TV" kind of evening.

I've been enjoying the cool summer mornings lately, sipping my coffee on the deck (under our amazing new awning), looking at the flowers and the bright blue sky. We have some gold finches that have been hanging out at the neighbor's sunflowers, and I managed to get a picture last weekend. In other wildlife news, we trapped a woodchuck last weekend. He'd be living under our shed. We discovered this after he walked up the driveway while we were sitting on the deck one Sunday evening. I think he was almost as surprised to see us as we were to see him. Mr. Chuck seemed a little upset about his eviction and relocation to a country estate, but we had no choice. Our shed is NOT an equal opportunity housing development.

Right now, I'm sipping my coffee and the banana bread I made for breakfast is cooling, and then we'll have a semi-productive day before heading back to work tomorrow. Things are busy for me at work, as we're finalizing our Baldrige application for the Minnesota Council for Quality. Cory's busy finishing his internship for school, and his job always seems to have him busy, too. Even so, our life is pretty calm, and we're having a very pleasant summer. As always, Life is Good.

Another of my infrequent updates...

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:03:27 -0500

I was reminded this weekend that I'd been allowing this site to languish, so I now feel compelled to at least write something... Here ya go!

We went to Seattle in June and had a very nice time visiting Kjersti and enjoying the city. We rode the city bus a lot, took a ferry to Bainbridge Island (and back), and experienced beautiful, sunny weather. Thanks, Kjersti for being a great host and guide!

I got a new computer (a recent-model MacBook Pro), and sold my previous computer to my sister. :-) Mom bought Emily's iBook, so we have another Mac user in the family, woohoo! My new machine has a couple nifty new features and is very fast. It also has 3 times the storage space, so I can load up on more iTunes and keep taking photos!

I had my 20-year class reunion in June, also. There was a good turnout, and I got to reconnect with some folks that I haven't seen for a very long time. I really enjoyed it.

Cory and I continue on our home improvement journey. We finally finished the den by putting the wall/divider between the furnace and the room, and it's made a HUGE difference in aesthetics and noise. I'm so glad we got it done, and we are very grateful to friend Eric E. for the ingenious solution to our design dilemma! We've also put an awning over our deck, which makes mid-day deck enjoyment possible. Whee!

Hunter is still amazing and funny, of course! I'm hoping we can find some time for Hunter (and his mom) to visit soon. We got together on Memorial Day weekend, but it rained so we were stuck inside (we still had fun, though!).

Cory's still busy with school, but the end is in sight, so that's exciting for him (and me!).

We're planning to go camping next month, and we're doing some other traveling, too. (North Shore and Arizona for sure...) In short, it's been busy and we'll probably continue to be busy. I guess that's just life!

What's Been Happening

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 09:06:35 -0600

I am proud to say that I’ve survived the last few months just fine. My job is always demanding (and I’m grateful to have work to do, and that I’m needed), but the last 3 months or so were a bit much. Fortunately, that little storm seems to have passed--at least for now. Also, the holidays are done, and a good time was had by all. I’ve got some photos from my family Christmas gatherings posted online. So, a few other items of interest are listed below... hope all’s well with you!

For New Year’s Eve, Cory and I met up with our friend Kjersti from Seattle at the Albertville home of our dear friend, Anne. We had SO MUCH fun, and the weekend absolutely flew by. I could’ve spent a whole week with them, just talking, relaxing, cooking (and eating!), and having fun. I’m so very grateful to have Anne and Kjersti amongst my group of friends--they’re AWESOME.

Cory had a birthday at the end of January (the 31st, to be precise). It was his 35th, and we celebrated with a small gathering of friends from the area. Cory wanted to keep it low-key, which we mostly managed to do. It was fun... Happy Birthday! :-)

We also had a possum locked in our garage overnight on Cory’s birthday, and when we finally released it from the garage, it ran into our window well. Cory and the possum struggled, but Cory finally prevailed in removing him from the window well and encouraging him to go out into the wild. It was quite an ordeal.

I also am the owner of a different car! I bought a 2003 Ford Taurus from one of my coworkers. It’s nothing fancy, but it has fairly low miles, runs nicely and has remote start! So, if anybody knows someone who’d like to buy a 1996 Oldsmobile LSS that still runs great and has good tires and lots of “extras,” please let me know.

I’m now part of the Facebook revolution. I’m really surprised that I use it as much as I do, and it’s probably part of the reason that I don’t post here as much as I would like, but it’s awfully nice to have a way to quickly share my day’s events and get updates from others. I’ve chanced upon quite a few people from high school and past jobs, etc., not to mention many of my family members. If you’re on Facebook, look me up!

The Hope Lodge concert is coming! The concert will be on Saturday, April 18, at 7:00 p.m. at Stewartville United Methodist Church. Click here to view my web-page about the event. We hope to see you there--this will be our final show to raise money for an awesome cause that makes a real difference in people’s lives!

I’ve also updated photo pages for Hunter, Friends, and Parties. Stop by and check them out.

Hope all’s well!

A Sense of Accomplishment

Sun, 7 Dec 2008 16:40:31 -0600

I feel pretty good about things today. I completed almost all of my Christmas shopping yesterday, I have a new haircut, and we have the tree up and ready to trim (Cory and I had to do an extensive search for our ornament hooks, but we found them--in the ornament box, of all places!). We’ve had a breakfast of the BEST pancakes I’ve ever made and some bacon (with a pot of coffee for me, of course).

I’m super excited about my progress on shopping. The season really can stress me out, because I have a pretty hectic schedule, it seems, and trying to figure out what to get folks is really hard for me. Fortunately, my sister is a Christmas shopping wizard and is willing to collaborate with me to make my list-making a lot easier. Also, I’m lucky that Cory is willing to go shopping with me, as he sort of “manages” my time, driving me around, taking care of my packages while I file my receipts and everything else. In other words, I’m highly dependent on others if I’m going to get anything done. Kinda sad, when you think about it.

It’s snowing now (again), and they say we’re going to get a couple more inches of fluffy snow today/tonight. At least it’s looking like we’ll have a white Christmas. For some reason, that’s important to me.

I trust you had a great Thanksgiving with your loved ones, and that you’re all set for a fun Christmas season. Well, one out of two? Good enough. I enjoyed Thanksgiving, but I really am not sure if I’m prepared for Christmas.

On the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, Cory and I met up with friend Anne in Minneapolis for dinner, conversation and Wicked. The entire evening was terrific. We love to see and catch up with Anne, and it was amazing to see such an awesome show, too.

Cory and I celebrated Thanksgiving with friends and family in Stewartville. Of course, Hunter held stole the show. (See video below.) We ate a lot of great food and had fun.

And now it’s time for Christmas. Decorating the house, shopping for gifts, sending Christmas cards, traveling, and still trying to keep up with the normal routine as well... it seems like a lot.

I’ll try to keep up on posting here throughout the month, stay tuned.

If I don’t check in, have a great couple of weeks as we count down to Christmas... just 18 days left!