7.29.2008
This is the driving map for the first wedding weekend that we're invited to in August. I'm bringing Anthony up to a political event in Senate District 6 on Wednesday. And then, he's in a wedding in South Dakota on Saturday. It's a little scary.
Wednesday - Up to Lake Vermillion, 3.5 hours.I need to start brainstorming a way to make this more bearable. Mix CDs? Hiway games? And I need to plan to make sure we avoid Friday rush hour traffic. Thank goodness it's mostly 4-lane hiways. Oh, Dear.
Thursday - Enjoy nature, etcetera.
Friday - Down to Sioux Falls, SD from Vermillion, 7.5 hours.
Sunday - Back home, 4 hours.
7.28.2008
I received this email this afternoon:
Cliff and I are engaged!!
No date yet, probably October of 2009. Sorry for the mass email...I'm at home (with no cell phone reception) and wanted to let people know before word got around.
Pencil in a road trip to KS!!
Hope all is well,
Julie G.
Melissa J. and I made the trek up to Bemidji for our good college friend, Kate's Bachelorette Party, this weekend.
It started out innocently enough. Just some cute girls in pink tank tops and beads, drinking beer (Me, Katie, Melissa).
The first of many bar stops. This one in Shevlin, I really liked their Premium Sign. Everyone had a jagbomb to start the night.
Legal open containers in the limo between bars.
April and Me on our way to Slims.
The lovely Maid-Of-Honor at our fifth bar of the night, 209. This is where I ordered us the vodka-crans - I mean poison, that started the downward spiral. Vodka is bad.
Now we are really having fun! Melissa and Me on our way to bar number 6, Bada Bing. Tequila shots. What were we thinking?
Finally, dancing at Keg.
Then it all starts to get a little blurry.
It started out innocently enough. Just some cute girls in pink tank tops and beads, drinking beer (Me, Katie, Melissa).
The first of many bar stops. This one in Shevlin, I really liked their Premium Sign. Everyone had a jagbomb to start the night.
Legal open containers in the limo between bars.
April and Me on our way to Slims.
The lovely Maid-Of-Honor at our fifth bar of the night, 209. This is where I ordered us the vodka-crans - I mean poison, that started the downward spiral. Vodka is bad.
Now we are really having fun! Melissa and Me on our way to bar number 6, Bada Bing. Tequila shots. What were we thinking?
Finally, dancing at Keg.
Then it all starts to get a little blurry.
7.17.2008
Furlough (go to this link and listen to Blue Glass) had a last minute show on Tuesday night so, we headed up to Trocaderos (really like this venue) in downtown Minneapolis for the $5 show. Except, we got in free because we thought it was at 8:00 and got there early. But it really wasn't until 9:00. More time to drink Blue Moon.
They put on a great show and we sang along loud and proud.
On the way home we did our favorite thing, sing along in the car (to Furlough, then Lori McKenna - go listen to Unglamorous and Witness to Your Life).
7.15.2008
According to their myspace blog, they had their own issues getting out.
Oh jeez why did we end up in the parking ramp and not under the overpass. Dang it.
As we were finishing our set, we could see some nasty-looking clouds rolling in. We packed up our stuff as quickly as we could as the festival officials told everyone to take cover under the interstate overpasses that were right beside the stage. So, we mingled with some folks under the bridge until the bottom dropped out. I'm talking serious rain. Luckily a van came to take us to our hotel. We all piled in the van, except for Bo. He had gone to the other stage to watch a show and ended up getting stuck under a different bridge along with a few thousand other people.
So we made out way over to Bo, and as we approached this crowd of people started to part, as if to let us drive through. I immediately thought to myself, "Bad idea." And it was. The driver decided to take them up on the offer and drove into the parting crowd. I never experienced Beatlemania firsthand, but after this I can imagine it was absolutely ridiculous. We got towards the middle of the crowd, surrounded by a couple thousand people, and then the crowd decided to stop parting. It quickly turned from cool Beatlemania experience to scary riot experience. People were getting so mad at us for trying to drive through this crowd that they started yelling at us and hitting the sides of the van.
In the meantime, Bo is having to push his way through this crowd to get to us. He finally got to the van and got in, and after about ten more minutes of security guards clearing our way through a torrent of verbal abuse we got out. We got to our hotel just in time to get a few hours of sleep before catching our 6am flight back to Boston.
Oh jeez why did we end up in the parking ramp and not under the overpass. Dang it.
Saturday morning we woke up early to drive up to Crosby to meet Anthony's friends for a weekend of camping, swimming and canoing.
There were about twenty of use who canoed and kayaked out to this point a few lakes (old mine pits) in. It was majorly windy and a difficult paddle. But we made it through.
Robin and Christina
I think I have poison ivy now.
There were about twenty of use who canoed and kayaked out to this point a few lakes (old mine pits) in. It was majorly windy and a difficult paddle. But we made it through.
Robin and Christina
I think I have poison ivy now.
Erica and I waiting for the show to start. We enjoyed lots of free samples, cheese curds and MGD Light, Mmm.
Anthony picked up every free thing that anyone was giving out. And he put them to good use. Here he has hands-free beer and sunglasses with his Needtobreathe t-shirt.
I loved seeing a show on the Bascilica grounds. Anthony in his farmer hat with "serious face" and Nicole.
Needtobreathe. Heart.
They jammed A LOT. We were dead center And I swear the lead singer looked at me for the whole first verse of the first song.
Dance-y guitarist. The girls LOVED him. He loved them back:)
Crazy weather clouds. Hot, humid and a storm blowing in.
We were way in the back for Augustana. But I loved the skyline backdrop.
Storm rolling in and sunset.
They shut the concert down when the storm hit. They made us all go in the parking ramp, but not before we spent our last food tickets on ice cream.
Screaming drunk people everywhere in the parking ramp. Thank goodness for ice cream, jeez.
7.10.2008
7.08.2008
Polaroid Instant Film. My parents were going to put their old Polaroid OneStep in the rummage sale, so I happily brought it back with me to St. Paul. Now, I need to find film that they are taking out of production. It's going for $1 per picture or more on eBay and Amazon. But, I'm just in love with the pictures other people take and post with their polaroids.
Anthony thinks he can make a macro to edit digital pictures in photoshop for the same effect. So, one way or another I'll get the aesthetic I'm looking for.
About half way into the body of the message
**Note**It is imperative that those who choose to read this entire message, please spread this piece of information...As if no one reads their emails. Wow, we are that careless.
7.07.2008
The Kenny's Amoco is now a Clark. What?
On Saturday Anthony and I sat and watched the Water Ski Show at the Waterfront. It was kind of lame but this little kid was walking through the crowd selling "One water for one dollar!"
I got to do lots of holding Angi's baby, Thomas George (six weeks old).
Anthony wore my jean jacket home from the beer tent simply cause it fit.
This kid was sitting next to us at the Bemidji parade. He kept scarring me cause he'd go after every piece of candy. Especially the ones closest to the big trucks in the parade.
Jade and Noah were in the parade for Bemidji Community Theater.
Miss (Senior) America comes straight from Bemidji!
Anthony's favorite float in the parade.
We had a good time. Even when we were waiting in traffic (in Bemidji!) on our way home.
One of my favorite parts of the Fourth of July holiday celebration is driving up two hours North of Bemidji to my Mom's home town of Big Falls. They have a real small town celebration with kiddie races, beer in the street, lumberjack contests and a cute parade that goes one way down the street and then turns around and comes back down the other way.
My Mom and my Aunties. My uncle, grandpa and cousin were in town too.
Cross-cut saw contest
Kids digging in the sawdust for quarters
Anthony taking in the festivities
Hardware store.
Loader stacking contest
Three-legged race.
My old high school auditorium is just a shell. This is a place where I spent many days, nights, weekends, summers and winters. I fell in love in this building, I made beautiful music and I twirled flying batons in here. Lots of memories and now it is weird to see it knocked down and thrown away.