“Hold on tight to your dream / when you see your ship go sailing / when you feel your heart is breaking / hold on tight to your dream”
—Electric Light Orchestra(??)
“running down a dream / that never would come to me / working on a mystery / going wherever it leads / running down a dream”
—Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
BOOM.
Welcome back to my happy life.
I know better than to trust how long it will last, but for now, I am living in the moment! SO HAPPY today and optimistic and full of hope. AND it doesn’t hurt that it is October, probably my second favorite month (after July). Welcome, October!
Things feel back on track. I am sleeping OK, I am feeling less woozy in general, and there are many wonderful things happening for many wonderful people in my life. AND, to top it off, simply it is that I HAVE many wonderful people in my life. As Thursday-today illustrated brightly! Thank YOU.
This weekend was smashingly splendid, and it led into a very happy Monday, too. So let’s start there:
EOTW
Friday. Friday. I had taken the day off. Lucky me. Jeff got up and went to work 🙁 bye Jeff! BUT we had had a lovely evening the night prior so that made it OK. I did some yoga/meditating and watched some shows. SCANDAL. So totally obsessed with that show. It is not very good but I can’t stop. I want the whole first season…kind of. Not really. Ha. Admired the hilarious/weird drawing Anna made me of me as an “Aunt Alien,” clearly we are related…hmmmmm. I’m actually a little afraid of that drawing, haha. Got a sneaky bike ride in around Lake Harriet then darted off to meet Susan for lunch.
We dined at Foxy Falafel at her suggestion and it was HEAVENLY. I was thrilled to receive the #3 for my order AND to find grapefruit/blood orange San Pelligrino. WHAT UP. We each tried a different one (grapefruit for me) and Susan had a pita while I had the falafel platter. DIVINE. The service was spectacular and the setting superb. The sun was shining and I had a very long, very lovely chat with Susan. She is Really Important at her place of work and that is Really Cool. We talked a lot about that and also about pig butchering. (I may go watch with them/help out next spring, we’ll see.) It was WONDERFUL to catch up and made me so, so happy. I was going to take a tour of her workplace then, but we had to postpone, as I was slotted to meet…
A-K at Gigi’s for a coffee treat (hibiscus tea!) and a gorgeous walk around Lake Calhoun. Oh my. Being by water = the best. It was seriously so calming and glorious to walk and talk around such a lovely lake. A-K had so much awesomeness to fill me in on and I soaked up every last bit of enthusiasm and joy. SO GREAT!!! She has so many good things coming in to her life and she deserves every single one of them, and I am so happy for her. She was just GLOWING. Filled with joy!
Off to the grocer’s, annoying BUT it went fast, then the liquor store. Then home. Eventually Jeff came home too. Dark out. I made us shrimp fried rice (new ELR fave, actually it’s her veggie fried rice just w/ shrimp) and started falling asleep shortly after dinner. So. To bed!
What a beautiful day filled with sunshine and happy friends. So great.
Saturday. Woke up early. Watched Grey’s (yes I know, stupid…but I can’t quit now!). It was hilarious to see Cristina Yang in “Minnesota”/subjected to Minnesota-nice/Midwestern-awkwardness/Mayo-focus. I can’t remember what else I did. Eventually Jeff got up too. We went to the hardware store to pick up a gift for my Dad. What a cool store! He would love it. Then to Caribou to score some breakfast sandwiches/tea/smoothie. Scoreeee! Then to Target to stalk their Halloween selection (which was disappointing, mostly). There was a little boy hitting ‘play’ on all the music-skulls that played the Halloween theme. His dad: “Oh wow. OK.” Then a little girl: “Mom can you come under here?” as she crouched under a display. HA!
Home where we did some chores/laundry, then Jeff hopped on the elliptical to watch Gophers (BOOOO they lost even though I wore my lucky shirt) and I caught up on correspondence. Eventually went for a short bike ride. Did some gardening? Can’t recall. Jeff investigated the garbage disposal…no good! We will have to call in a pro. Eh well it happens. (“But then let’s do the countertops too…” “NO!”) We showered up and got ready and went out for a DATE/birthday celebration! Jeff gave me two choices, I chose Tavern on France followed by a movie. Tavern was pretty spectacular, we had a lovely server and incredible onion rings. Then over to the theater! Looper. I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt (no seriously) and time travel, AND dystopian futures, so this was a great recipe for success. It was pretty good, I won’t spoil it but it was definitely worth seeing, just not OUTSTANDING. Still. Good stuff! And so fun to attend with JEFF!
Home and bed. Jeff stayed up to play his game again. Lovely day together, just what I always dream of.
Sunday. Got up, the usual, stretching/meditating/food, etc. Off to meet Andrea at Wilde Roast for brunch! We had zero wait for a table and then lovely tea and breakfast. It was so great to see her and catch up! Somehow she knows just what to say, I think when people are like this it catches me off guard because I’m so sure that most people will Fail (and I don’t blame them), so, that is pretty badass. We discussed jobs/working world, children, puppies, families, and holidays, more I am sure. FAILED to discuss my traffic woes, ha! Next time. We plotted to reunite at the Hockey City Classic in Chicago in February (and we shall! Jeff snagged 6 tickets this AM, aw yeah!!!!). Sad that it will be that long but happy to have her back in my life (and apparently as my mom’s Facebook friend, cute).
Back home, we could not get ahold of anyone…not cool! Decided to just drive out to the Grove/Hastings anyway. Saw our first VOTE YES billboards, very sad 🙁 while I am nearly certain Obama will win, I am also nearly certain those amendments will pass. NO! NO no no. Ugh. Anyway. Suburbs. But. It was a beautiful day out, so lovely to drive in and take in all the gorgeous fall colors. “Country drive!” We blew past the Grove and headed toward Hastings. Stopped at Walgreen’s for a gift then off to see Jeff’s Grandma. She was in great spirits, even if she didn’t remember who I was, though I don’t blame her, haha! We chatted with her for a good hour or so and she insisted we try a chocolate. Oh Grandmas. She remarked upon how handsome Jeff is and I said that yes, I worry some woman will snatch him up. Her response was “you bring them here and I’ll straighten them out” and shaking her fist. LOL!!! She is a great lady. Her birthday was two days before mine (hence the visit). We vowed to visit more, though she did not demand that, simply asked that we don’t tell her how to live her life. Um, no problem! It was a really fun visit and it put me in even better spirits (than I already was, which = already great).
Back to CG where we encountered Sue and Greg sitting out on the deck. They gave me a very lovely present (this cool UMN shirt that I plan to wear tonight to coach) and we got our jewelry cleaned. Score! Chatted and hung out with Barney then Erik joined us, and eventually we were on our way to McDougall’s Apple Junction. (WHO ARE THE MCDOUGALLS?) We were starving, so after securing our Honeycrisps I had some apple doughnuts while the boys had a hot dog/a brat and chips. Fueled, we went off to explore. The apple orchard was looking very sad. Short thin trees and a corn maze suited for people who are 2′ tall. Alas. We checked out the goats then went on a walk. We encountered some bleachers so Erik and I put on a show for Jeff – he sang and I talked about apples/apple facts/things you can eat with apples. Jeff was not impressed (or was he?) ;). We walked through the FORBIDDEN N. KOREA ZONE of SweeTangos but no one stopped us. Jeff wanted to pick some and Erik wanted to sell them on the black market. NO NO!
On our way out who should we encounter other than MR. MCDOUGALL HIMSELF. OMG! Erik complimented him on his orchard and we were thrilled to have made his acquaintance, if briefly. Wow! Perfect end to the excursion. We took Erik home and then we went home, where I got cookin’ and tried a NEW recipe. Margaret’s sweet potato chili. And oh my it was divine. So fun to try a new recipe and to have so much success! YES! It was almost too spicy for me but it was really fun to make, and so flavorful. NICE! Then I tried to stay up to read but instead fell asleep quickly and easily and happily.
Sunday may have been my favorite day even! So much fun.
Today is Monday, and October, and I am very very happy today!! Not sure why, but I am. I’ll take it! My favorite coworker bought me tea AND I had free tea at the dermatologist’s office, who, FTR, is an amazing doctor. (I honestly don’t think I need to see him anymore but he is so nice that I can’t help myself, ha.) I drove to work through campus and marveled at the students. Oh students! Oh UMN.
ON THE DOCKET:
-tonight I am coaching Caroline’s team practice…we’ll see what happens
-tomorrow I am hanging out with Jeff!
-Weds the usual, parks gymnastics and D
-Thurs, hanging out with Jeff!
-Friday, eye doctor and visit the cheesemonger.
THEN vacation. So that is that! I hope you all are doing well and as happy as you can be, too.