Hawaii Trip - Day Five (10/25/09): Boogie Board or Bust!

Sunday morning we had a quick breakfast up at the main house, and then we headed to the Kona Farmers' Market. We got some great stuff! Tomkin bought a beautiful handmade wooden cutting board, and we talked for a while to the guy who makes them. I bought a ring, and Tomkin got himself a leather wrist cuff and got each of us a beaded bracelet. Tomkin also got a slice of quiche and some sugar-free chocolate. I bought a couple handmade magnets, and we got some locally made soaps. John-Paul (boyfriend of our B&B owner) was there playing live music, and we also ran into the other couple staying at our B&B. Everyone was really friendly, and we enjoyed checking out what all the different vendors had for sale. We left a little after 10:00 and headed for the Magic Sands Beach. (Sometimes the surf drags away all the sand on the beach; it is also known as the Disappearing Sands Beach.) Part of it was sandy, and part of it was covered with lava rocks. I got comfy under a palm tree while Tomkin went and rented a couple boogie boards. At first we just splashed around in the water and watched other people. Then we grabbed our boards and gave it a try. My first couple attempts were big wipeouts--I would catch the wave at the wrong time, get pulled under, twist around, whack my head on the bottom, and come up a little dazed. Thank goodness the boards have a "leash" to connect to your wrist, or mine would have been long gone! We got some good advice from other people--the best, for me, being to always keep the front of the board UP. After a couple more tries, I was surprised that I was actually pretty good at it! It was really satisfying to catch a wave and ride it all the way in! Tomkin caught some of the highlights on video:

Of course Tomkin was really good, too. He's so fearless! We took a break to go wash off (the saltwater was really tough on me--I could hardly open my eyes) and eat some lunch. It was fun to watch the other people on the beach and in the water. Some of them were really good boogie boarders! And the kids "skim" the shallow water or try to surf. Tomkin and I eventually decided to go back in. There was a big sea turtle swimming around--I accidentally kicked it! Tomkin saw him come up for air. Then I think he got smart and swam off (the turtle, not Tomkin). I caught a couple good waves, but then I had a really bad wipeout. The board hit my leg so hard it cramped up and it also hit me in the ribs. I kept trying to go again, but my side was really hurting. Plus I could hardly see because of the saltwater and bright sun. So we decided to call it a day. Unfortunately, I think I pushed it a little too much. No matter how much I rinsed off, I couldn't get the salt out of my eyes. It didn't hurt, exactly, but I was in extreme discomfort. I poured some cold water onto one of Tomkin's T-shirts and rested it on my eyes while he drove us home. He pulled into a gas station and came out with more water, Aleve, kleenex, and peanut M-n-Ms. Such good medicine! (And such an amazing husband!!) As soon as we got home, we each took a shower (I couldn't believe how much sand was in my swimsuit!), and then we laid on the bed with cold compresses over our eyes and rested for a while. I hated to spend precious daylight hours indoors, but I really didn't feel like doing anything else. Eventually I brought the computer up to the main house and checked my e-mail and Facebook. Tomkin spent much of the evening putting together the boogie-boarding video. We noshed on some food in the room, I read and relaxed, and we went to bed early. (My ribs were pretty sore, and it was kind of hard for me to breathe.) It's funny because when we originally thought "tropical vacation" we had pictured a lot of lazing in the sun. Turns out that's not really what either of us wants to do! We'd rather get out and DO stuff. So this vacation involved a lot of adventures--but don't get me wrong, we did plenty of relaxing, too!

Hawaii Trip - Day Four (10/24/09): Riding on the Open Range

I was sleeping so hard on Saturday morning that I didn't hear the alarm go off. Thankfully the wild roosters woke us up with their crowing at 6:15! We enjoyed another wonderful breakfast up at the main house--I have never drunk so much coffee or eaten so much fruit in my life. Delicious! Tomkin and I packed up a cooler and headed north toward Waimea. We stopped at a shopping center and picked up a couple souvenirs. Then we decided to get an early lunch at a roadside place called Huli Sue's. (Thank goodness for our excellent guidebooks and Tomkin's pre-travel research!) I got a BBQ pork sandwich that came with fries, coleslaw, and one huge onion ring. WOW, was it good. Tomkin got a stuffed baked potato and coleslaw. Really cute place, and we loved the food. We left about noon and headed toward Dahana Ranch (we had reservations to go horseback riding). It seemed to be in the middle of nowhere! Thank goodness we had our GPS. We were greeted by a bunch of happy dogs, a couple of whom joined us for the ride. Our guide was PK, who had grown up working on the ranch, escaped to Texas for five years, then returned to the family business just two months before because, he said, working in an office didn't turn out to be as fun as he thought it would be. In addition to me and Tomkin, the other riders were a mom and daughter from Oregon and two parents and their two young sons from San Diego. (The boys' horses were attached to PK's horse throughout the ride.) PK got us all saddled up; my horse's name was Kailua, and Tomkin's was Skip. We set out on the range, and we were instructed to not stay in a line. Dahana Ranch is a working cattle ranch with thousands of acres, and the horses are working horses (not trail horses). The ranchers want the horses to stay active and engaged and always be thinking. That took some work on our parts! The horses definitely wanted to follow each other or walk along a cattle path, if one was available. So we had to instruct them to spread out, go up and down hills, veer around cattle, and occasionally speed up or slow down. I've never been on a ride like that before--it was amazing. PK told us about the ranch and the land (his grandfather planted all the grass, which was from New Zealand, back in 1951) and gave us lots of tips and advice about riding horses. For a while we all rode in silence and enjoyed enjoyed the quiet majesty of the rolling hills. I was impressed that one of the terriers stayed with us through the whole two-hour ride! (He seemed pretty tired by the end.) We eventually brought in the horses, gave them some water, and said our good-byes. Tomkin gave PK a tip and asked him for suggestions about what to do on the island. Really nice (and interesting) guy. We headed back toward Waimea, and Tomkin suggested that we picnic. We found a spot (near the police station with a mountain in view) and enjoyed some sandwiches and fruit. I don't know how many times each day we just marveled at the beautiful scenery, the delicious food, the amazing adventures--and were so, so thankful that we got to experience it all. On our drive back, we stopped to take some photos--we even caught a glimpse of some wild goats and peacocks by the side of the road! We decided to stop for happy hour at Don the Beachcomber and ended up at the same seaside table we'd had two days before. I got a mai tai and some "tiki chips." Tomkin had the fish tacos and sweet potato fries. We got to see the incredible sunset (at least until the sun disappeared behind some low clouds). So beautiful! We got back to the B&B about 6:30. Tomkin took the computer up to the main house and did some research on boogie boarding. I went up and joined him, and we spent some time chatting with John (the father of Johnsie; they own the B&B). Such a sweet guy. Back in the Coffee Barn, we relaxed in "the fort" as we called it (our bed with the mosquito netting down). I started reading The Jane Austen Book Club and wondered what all the noises were on our tin roof (could have been either Oreo the cat or a mongoose; not sure--but we heard those noises a lot!). Hawaii is a strange and mysterious place...in all the best ways!

Hawaii Trip - Day Three (10/23/09): Two Step & the Place of Refuge

Each morning that we stayed at the Lucky Farm B&B, we headed up to the main house about 7:30am for a home-cooked breakfast. On the left is the main house (in blue). Behind Tomkin, down the hill about 100 feet, was the Coffee Barn, where we stayed.

We also got to drink freshly brewed Kona coffee made from beans grown right on the premises (since the B&B is located on a working coffee farm) and POG juice (made from passion fruit, oranges, and guavas), my new favorite drink! And we got toast with homemade jam--my favorite was the jaboticaba jam. So tasty! The extra-special treat every day was the amazing plate of tropical fruit laid out for us--much of it pulled right from the trees in the yard. The first morning we got oranges, passion fruit, bananas, papayas, starfruit, and dragon fruit. We loved the dragon fruit--and after we discovered that it sells for $6 a pound, we were glad we got to eat some for free at the B&B! In addition to Johnsie (above, on the right) and her dad, John, who own the B&B, there were a couple other regulars in the Lucky Farm cast of characters. John-Paul, Johnsie's boyfriend, is a beekeeper who taught us a lot about fruit, bees, and pollination. Albert, originally from Connecticut, is sort of a Hawaii Renaissance man--he used to be the artist-in-residence at the Hilton, and he studies petroglyphs and languages and was always offering to be a tour-guide-for-hire. For the first couple nights of our stay, there was a young couple from Alaska at the B&B as well, and we enjoyed chatting with them. Miss Kitty was one of the three cats that hung around outside the B&B. Oreo (who spent a lot of time on our roof) and Callie (the calico) were really skittish. Miss Kitty stayed near the house, but she didn't really like to be petted. After breakfast that Friday, we packed up our beach gear, borrowed some snorkel gear (we brought our own prescription goggles but used fins, snorkels, and towels from the B&B). And Tomkin made some sandwiches. (Beneath the main house was a common cooking area, with a fridge we all used, plus coolers and other stuff.)Then we headed to the beach! Most beaches on the Big Island weren't "beachy" in the "sandy" sense--they were mostly made of lava rock. The first place we went was called "Two Step" because it's only two steps into the water. We carried our stuff out to a spot on the rocks and geared up to go snorkeling. I'd never been snorkeling before, and apparently this was not the best place to start. First of all, the rocks were slippery, sharp, and hard to hold onto. And second, the waves were really strong. So it was a little scary getting into and out of the water (at least for me). I also made the mistake of bringing my camera along the first time, rather than letting myself get acclimated first. So I was swimming around in a rocky, wavy area, not really knowing what I was doing, getting saltwater in my goggles and snorkel, and trying to take pictures. There were lots of cool fish, so I did get a few good shots, and I also passed the camera over to Tomkin for a while. (I had brought an old point-and-shoot camera, which we put in an underwater-camera bag.) After snorkeling and swimming around for a while (probably about 15-20 minutes), we went back on shore to rest, eat some lunch, and get our bearings. We saw an older man and his dog go snorkeling (they're walking by in the picture below)--all that dog wanted to do was stay with his master! It was sweet to watch them.When he got tired of swimming, the dog walked up on some land, but he kept an eagle eye on his person until they were safely back together. (You can see the dog in the photo below.)Tomkin ended up talking with the man for a while about dogs. Eventually we tried going snorkeling again, and this time I left my camera on land. It was nice to float around and look at all the cool fishes and coral. Still, though, a little snorkeling went a long way for me. We dried off, packed up, checked out some critters in a wading pool (pointed out to us by what appeared to be a curious kid not getting enough attention from his folks), and then drove next door to the beautiful Place of Refuge. There was a time when this spot was a sanctuary for those who had been sentenced to death or needed a place to escape during wartime. It is still considered sacred by the Hawaiian people, and we thought it was a lovely, serene area. You're not allowed to snorkel (or picnic or sunbathe) here, but we could see nearby Two Step, where we had just gone snorkeling. We took the self-guided tour around the National Park and learned about the significance of different places and things. The 500-year-old rock wall (built without mortar!) separated the Place of Refuge from the area where only royals could go. And there's a small bay where protected sea turtles swim--we saw a few! None came up on shore, but we watched them move through the water and come up for air. So cool!Tomkin and I sat together under a noni tree and enjoyed the amazing view and sense of serenity. We left about 2:00 and headed to The Coffee Shack, a restaurant near our B&B with an incredible view. We snagged the best seat on the lanai, ordered some pizza (and a beer for me), relaxed, and took it all in. Then we headed to Ace Hardware, where we picked up some flypaper and Raid (which helped significantly with the gnat problem in our room) and had a long chat with one of the old Hawaiian men who worked there (who turned out to be a Jehovah's Witness). And we couldn't help but notice the Christmas decorations, which seemed rather out-of-character in Hawaii! We went next door to the Choice Mart and picked up a few more groceries (no, we didn't actually buy any Spam), then headed back to our B&B. Tomkin took the computer up to the main house (the WiFi didn't reach all the way down to the Coffee Barn), and I used our lovely outdoor shower and then went up and used the computer myself to check Facebook and e-mails. The rest of the evening we just hung out, relaxed, and read, and then we went to bed early. There's not a lot of nightlife on the Big Island--certainly not where we were staying, anyway. But that was fine with us. Most people get up early and go to bed early--and we got into that habit right away.

Hawaii Trip - Day Two (10/22/09): Flying High

Every day of our Hawaii trip, we got up between 6:00 and 6:30. That's when the sun comes up, and we wanted to enjoy as much daylight as possible. On our first morning in Hawaii (Thursday, October 22nd), I opened the windows of our hotel room and gasped. I had no idea that we had an entire gorgeous bay right outside! It was stunning. We wore our leis to breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Such delicious food! I had a cheese & bacon muffin and fruit--papaya, pineapple, banana, and orange. Everything was bursting with flavor! Tomkin had a ham & cheese omelette and hash browns, and we both had Hawaiian coffee. Even the view from the restaurant was amazing! We checked out of our room and left our luggage at the hotel, then walked around the beautiful grounds. We saw some amazing banyan trees, the shoreline made of volcanic rock, and a little island just outside the hotel. Then we headed back to the airport, where we had reservations for a helicopter tour. There were six passengers on our flight, plus our pilot, Jim, who's been flying helicopters for 40 years. One couple was from San Diego, California, and two guys were from Cologne, Germany. We each had to weigh in (boo!), and then we were given some safety instructions and each assigned a number. Keith, who checked us in, lined us up outside near the helicopter. (The yellow bags on our waists were our inflatable life vests.)Since we couldn't hear much at that point, Keith showed us fingers so we knew the number of the person he wanted to seat. (We were placed according to our weight.) I was seated in the front middle seat, between the pilot on my left and Tomkin on my right, who was next to the window. It was a little rainy when we first took off (the Hilo side of the island gets about 200 inches of rain a year), but then it cleared up. We flew over towns and gorgeous green farmland until we reached Volcanoes National Park and saw an active volcano! Mostly we just saw smoke, but we did catch a glimpse of some red molten lava. So cool! Kilauea has been active since 1983 and is considered the most active volcano in the world. As we flew above the island, we could see where lava from various eruptions had flowed--sometimes over entire villages. There is still one red-roofed house in an area surrounded by lava flows. It's actually a B&B, and you can stay there! (No, thank you....) My favorite part of the tour was when we flew over the ocean and could see where the lava was falling into the sea. It's literally making the island bigger! And creating quite a scene in the process. Wow!!! It was so beautiful, it almost didn't seem real. We also flew over some amazing waterfalls. Tomkin's favorite part of the flight was probably when we landed. He had forgotten to take anti-nausea medicine before we started the tour, so he ended up throwing up quite a bit. Poor guy! I think he used every barf bag on the helicopter. Other than that, though, it was an amazing way to start our vacation! We finished about 11:30, chatted with the other passengers, and then headed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage. We stopped at a little farmers' market in Hilo and picked up some fruit. But we were both hungry for lunch, so we decided to pop into the Kuhio Grille, which was in a nearby strip mall. It was nothing fancy, but the place was hopping. Tomkin and I both ordered a bowl of the miso saiman with Spam (like a ramen noodle soup with egg and other ingredients). It was really good! And, wow, do they love their Spam over there. We also had two cream biscuits (similar to corn bread) and loved it when the waitress said, "Do you want me to butter and fry those for you?" "Uh, yes, please!" We had THE nicest waitress and busboy. So warm and friendly. And those biscuits were to die for! We popped into the nearby Safeway and picked up some groceries, which were a little on the pricey side (but we had been warned). The guys who checked us out and bagged our groceries were really friendly and chatty. I think they would have hung out and talked all day (especially about surfing). We had brought our GPS along for the trip, which was really helpful. Much easier for me, the navigator who's bad with directions! We started toward the town of Captain Cook, near Kailua-Kona on the western side of the island. We could see volcanoes in the distance, and we debated whether or not we should stop at Volcanoes National Park on our way or just drive straight through. Turns out we were in completely different part of the island than we thought we were! The GPS took us on a different route than we had expected, so we ended up cutting through the middle of the island (on the narrow and winding Saddle Road) rather than going along the southern coast. It was kind of disconcerting, but we made it across the island okay (thanks to excellent driving by Tomkin!). Along the way, we saw wild turkeys, a quail, and some cows. It's amazing how much the scenery changes within just a few minutes--from rolling hills to farmland to barren lava fields. We saw the "graffiti" made of white coral--what the kids there do instead of spray-painting. We arrived in the Kona area about 4:00, just as rush hour was starting. (Since they only have two-lane highways, rush hour can cause quite a back-up.) We decided to avoid the traffic by taking a detour to Don the Beachcomber (a waterfront bar) in the Royal Kona Resort. We had a seaside seat, where I enjoyed a couple of their happy hour mai tais (supposedly the drinks originated there). We both got some delicious food: first some coconut prawns, and then Tomkin had fish tacos, I got pork quesedillas, and we both had yummy sweet potato fries. Mmm, mmm, mmm! Both of us were very satisfied and happy. And what a gorgeous view! We drove south to our Pomaika'i "Lucky" Farm B&B and arrived about 5:30, just as the sun was starting to set. Johnsie, who moved to Hawaii from North Carolina two years ago and owns the B&B with her dad, John, showed us around the common areas and the Coffee Barn, where we stayed. It's a beautiful, rustic space with only screens for windows and a shower outdoors. Beautiful mosquito netting surrounds the bed. Turns out we needed that netting because the place was swarming with gnats! We spent an hour or so swatting hundreds of them dead before taking refuge behind the netting. Also, it was cool to look out through the screens and see moonlight streaming in over the banana trees. However, not having any windows meant that we could hear every noise outside, and the place is rampant with coqui frogs and wild chickens--both of which are loud! We went to bed about 9:00--turns out that a lot of people in Hawaii get up early and go to sleep early, which makes sense. Tomkin theorizes that one reason people there are so laid back and mellow is because they actually get enough sleep! We were sure happy to go to sleep that night--it was quite a full day!

Hawaii Trip - Day One (10/21/09): MSP - LAX - HNL - ITO

Aloha! Tomkin and I have returned from what was probably the trip of our lifetimes. What an amazing belated honeymoon in Hawaii! I'm going to blog about each day separately because it seemed like each and every day was packed full. We started with a long travel day on Wednesday, October 21st. Fletch drove us to the airport about 9:30am (he and Liz stayed at our house with Chloe while we were away). It was sad to say good-bye to Chloe! We both missed her a lot while we were traveling. Our first flight took us to Los Angeles, where we barely had time to scarf down a pizza before catching our second flight to Honolulu. We had originally booked a nonstop flight, but Delta changed it so that we had to stop both ways. (Don't even get me started on my current loathing for Delta! Aloha spirit...aloha spirit...aloha spirit....)Tomkin kept himself busy on the flights watching "24" and "Deadwood" on his iPod and reading books by Christopher Moore. I did crossword puzzles, played electronic Yahtzee and Bejeweled Blitz, and read magazines. When we arrived in Honolulu, a woman was waiting for us with beautiful purple leis! Tomkin had arranged that for us, and it was a surprise to me. What a sweet touch! She walked us through the confusing airport and helped us figure out where we were supposed to go. The weather was gorgeous--we could tell because parts of the airport didn't have walls! We finally caught our third flight, which took us to Hilo on the Big Island, where we arrived about 8:00pm Hawaii time (1:00am Minnesota time). We picked up our rental car and drove to the Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, where both of us crashed out pretty quickly. We were exhausted! But very happy to be in Hawaii.

Snowy Days Are Here Again...But Not for Long!

Last Monday (October 12th) we got more snow! I suppose it's not completely out of the ordinary to get snow here so early, but it still seems a little odd. I mean, I like the cozy feel of holiday season as much as the next gal, but I'd like to enjoy autumn for a little while first!We both took Chloe for a walk--she loves the snow! We tossed snowballs into the air for her--some she caught, and some landed on her head. That evening Tomkin met with a couple while I led a premarital counseling session. Then I watched some dance TV--"So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars"--while Tomkin read. (It would be nice if these dance shows were spread out a little more...but I love them!)
Tuesday we both ran errands (trying to get as much done as possible in preparation for Hawaii). Tomkin went to the office, and I worked on a grant at home. We took Chloe for a walk, and then I brought Chloe to her last therapy dog class! There were a couple new people (and dogs), which was fun. It was weird to be the "old-timers"! And, even though it's been a little tough giving up every Tuesday night for the last ten weeks, I was kind of sad to be done with our training. It's been great fun, and we've learned a lot! Chloe didn't care, though. She went home with some pretty pink poop bags and a dispenser, which was a lovely parting gift!
On Wednesday, we went to Tom and Nancy's house for lunch. They keep so busy--it's very inspiring. It sounds like they're both going to audition for "Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at their church. They both love to perform! Chloe was a very good girl and stayed on the couch while we ate lunch.Tomkin and I both worked at home in the afternoon. He took a nap and talked to our friend Scotty, who just got engaged! We're so happy for him. We're flying out to Boston next month to see him and meet his fiancee, Brenda. I wrote thank-yous for my birthday gifts and also wrote out invitations to Lisa's bridal shower. That evening Tomkin biked to a coffee shop while I led a premarital counseling session. I also talked to my mom and watched SYTYCD.
Thursday morning we exercised to a couple episodes of "The Office." Tomkin ran some errands and headed to the office. I did some shopping, too, cleaned the house, and worked on a grant. We took Chloe for a walk and got the house ready for Third Thursdays. This month's featured drink was mai tais, in honor of our trip to Hawaii. Chloe even got in the spirit by wearing a lei! Since it was my birthday month, I got a bunch of my favorite foods to serve as munchies. Liz (who was originally going to house/dog-sit for us) was the first guest to come by, along with her French date, before they headed off for dinner. Soon more guests showed up, and we eventually had quite a house-full! We had a few first-timers, which was fun, in addition to many of our "regulars." One of my favorite things is when people make a connection--or realize they already have one! It was a really fun night with a lot of cool people. And I'm looking forward to having more of those delicious mai tais in Hawaii!
Friday morning after doing a little party clean-up we went back to bed until 11:30. We both did some work at home and then took Chloe for a walk. Tomkin had a wedding, and I got some stuff done around the house. Then we exercised to "The Office" and "Modern Family," watched a couple shows about Hawaii, and made it an early night. We were pooped.
On Saturday (October 17th) we drove up to Guadalajara's in Monticello to meet my dad and Sandy for lunch. It was their 28th wedding anniversary that day! Sandy's birthday was on October 13th, so we had a combo b-day celebration, which included opening lots of gifts! They gave me a fabulous black tote bag, an iTunes gift card, a pocket organizer, and the game Pit, which I haven't played in years but remember loving as a kid! They also gave us a gift card to Caribou Coffee (yum!). Phillip gave me a book about canine body language (which Tomkin has been reading all week--it's fascinating!), and Alex gave me a much-needed set of mixing bowls. (Both of the boys were at weddings, so they weren't able to join us.) We had a great time catching up, and the food was delicious. Next time we see them all will be for Thanksgiving! After we got home, Tomkin took a nap, and I did some cleaning and travel prep. We took Chloe for a walk, and then Tomkin read while I wrote some cards and e-mails. That night we went to the Northrop Auditorium to see the world premiere of "Moulin Rouge - The Ballet" performed by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. I had been REALLY excited about it, but both of us found it to be pretty uneven. The dancing itself was top-notch. Unfortunately, the choreography and staging (and even some of the sets and costumes) left a lot to be desired. Much of it was way too literal, and the whole side story with Toulouse-Lautrec was distracting and seemed unnecessary. It was an interesting show to see, and fun to be part of such a big event (the place was PACKED), but the ballet itself could use some reworking. Here is the review from the Minneapolis StarTribune.Yesterday (Sunday) Tomkin did a little more research for our Hawaii trip. He's really put together quite an itinerary for us! We've planned it so that every other day we have something scheduled (including a helicopter ride, horseback riding, a sailboat ride, a submarine ride, and two luaus). And then every other day we can go snorkeling, hiking, boogie boarding, or shopping. I am SO excited, but it's hard to know exactly what I'm excited about since I don't have any experiences to compare this to--I've never taken a tropical vacation before! Tomkin and I are constantly amazed and thankful that we get to take this two-week vacation. What an incredible blessing! It was a gorgeous day out, so we took Chloe for a long walk in "the wardrobe," along the railroad tracks. She loves getting to run free, sniff stuff, and occasionally roll around in something stinky. And we love having such a lovely place in which to walk, talk, and enjoy nature. We spent some time out on the front porch since it was actually warm enough to do so! I downloaded some songs to my iPod and did some blogging. Tomkin entered addresses into the GPS, so we should be set for directions in Hawaii. Then Tracy and Wilbur stopped by, which made Chloe very happy! We had a frustrating experience with Delta airlines, trying to get seat assignments for our Christmas trip to Texas (that whole situation has been driving me crazy--they've switched our nonstop flights to ones with connections--through Atlanta!--and the times and seat assignments have gotten all screwed up). I was so irritated and worked up by the time we got off the phone, I needed a good distraction. So we watched "30 Rock" and had some of Tomkin's delicious homemade popcorn. Ahhhhh.....
Today (Monday the 19th) was another beautiful day. Tomkin biked to the office, and I went shopping, did laundry, cleaned, and started packing. We only have one more day before we leave! We took Chloe for a long walk down Summit and Grand and stopped for some iced coffee at Caribou. Tomkin gave Chloe a bath when we got home (so she'll be nice and clean for our house/dog-sitters). I talked to my mom and edited an engineering report. Tomkin made a few last plans for Hawaii and did some reading. Tomorrow we'll be packing and getting the house prepared for Liz and Fletch. Right now all our travel stuff is still in piles. Our flight is scheduled to leave at 11:10 on Wednesday morning. We stop in L.A. and then again in Honolulu and should arrive in Hilo (on the Big Island) about 8:00pm (midnight Minnesota time). So it'll be a long day, but I think it'll be a fun adventure. We're hoping to post some updates to Facebook during the week, and then I'll try to blog about the trip once we're back. (I realize I never blogged about our trip to Spain in February!) Take care, have a safe and happy Halloween, and thanks for reading my blog! Aloha!

More Celebrations and (of course) More Food!

The day after my birthday (October 8th), we got back to business. Tomkin, Chloe, and I walked down Grand Ave. to run some errands, then Tomkin headed to the office and I did some work at home. We took Chloe for a walk and ran a couple more errands. Then Tomkin and I went to an art opening at Now Boarding. For my birthday, Tomkin commissioned Jessie Marianiello from Stray Dog Arts to paint portraits of Scout and Chloe. Unfortunately, they're not done yet--but that's okay. I know they'll be worth the wait! Jessie has been busy painting other pet portraits for this opening, and it was such a treat to see her and more of her work. We also got a tour of the facility and enjoyed some appetizers and drinks. Then we headed over to Salsa a la Salsa to meet Becca and Omar for dinner. (Becca is such a trooper--she worked at the emergency room until 7:00 and then met us for dinner at 8:00!) As always, it was a blast to see them both. They are so funny! The food there is delicious, and we had a great time eating, talking, and drinking margaritas.
We slept in on Friday, and then Tomkin worked at home before heading to a wedding rehearsal. I ran a bunch of errands (liquor store, bank, Border's, spray tan place) and cleaned the house. Then we both took Chloe for a walk. We walked along the railroad tracks in the area we call "the wardrobe." It was a beautiful autumn day! That night we went to "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Guthrie. I loved it! What a great show--excellent cast and (thanks to Oscar Wilde) a hilarious script. It was lots of fun.
Saturday morning (October 10th), we woke up to the first snowfall of the season! It was so shocking that I actually gasped when I raised the blinds. Fortunately, it melted pretty quickly. Tomkin and I went to Heidi and Chris's new house and got to meet their four-week-old son, Joshua! He's battling a cold, so we didn't get to hold him, but it was still fun to see him in person. He's adorable! We enjoyed getting a tour of their beautiful new home and spending some time sitting and visiting with them. We headed home and cleaned up the house (in preparation for that evening's dinner party), and Tomkin picked up my birthday cake from Woullet's.I did some work while Tomkin researched our Hawaii itinerary and then headed to a wedding. I got everything set up for the party, and Tomkin picked up a bunch of food from India House on his way home. We had a really fun group of people over: Pete, Liz & Fletch, Syd & Dave, Slam & Mandy, and Cassidy & Angie (with baby Harry). We chowed down on the delicious food and then sat around and talked. Such smart, funny people--they shared lots of good stories, and we all laughed a lot and had a great time. Mandy led everyone in a chorus of "She's a Jolly Good Fellow" when we cracked open the champagne. Then Tomkin lit the candles on my cake, and everyone sang "Happy Birthday." We had cake with two kinds of ice cream (one was sugar-free so Tomkin could enjoy it, too!). Eventually, the crowd thinned out, but we got to spend an extra hour or so chatting with Liz and Fletch. They recently moved here from California, and they are going to house/dog-sit while we're in Hawaii! It's a win for us, a win for them, and a win for Chloe. The whole evening was absolutely wonderful. I'm incredibly thankful to have so many fun and amazing people in my life.
Sunday was pretty mellow. I got up and had some cake for breakfast, and then we went back to bed until 12:30. We took Chloe to the dog park--we hadn't been there in ages! Some of the leaves are starting to change, but it's still more "crisp" than "bitterly cold" out, so it was a pleasure to walk through the forest, along the beach, and up Scout's Ridge. Chloe enjoyed it, too! Not the water, though--that was a little too chilly for her liking. I've been making her wear a neck/ear-warmer on the colder days now. She's not crazy about it, but I think she looks so cute! When we got home, I broke my "no computer on the Sabbath" rule so I could e-mail the invite for my birthday party in Chicago. (I'm flying there in December to co-host a bridal shower for my friend Lisa and figured that instead of trying to coordinate separate lunches, coffees, dinners, etc., with various friends, I'd just throw one big party and have everyone get together at the same time.) Then I watched some TV ("So You Think You Can Dance" and "Amazing Race") while Tomkin read. It was a really fun weekend (good times, great friends, and wonderful celebrations!), but nice and relaxing, too.

The Big 4-0!

The morning of my birthday (Wednesday, October 7th), I had cake for breakfast. The day before, Tomkin had burst into the house midday, run into the kitchen, put a bag in the fridge, then ran back out again. Turns out he had stopped at Cafe Latte to pick up a slice of tres leches cake for me. It was delicious! What a good way to start the day. Next I opened some cards and gifts. Tomkin gave me a beautiful pair of earrings. (The dog paintings we commissioned aren't done yet.) My cousin Danelle sent a book about Dewey, the small-town library cat. I can't wait to read it! Tomkin's parents gave me a very cool original painting by Thomas Coleman, the book "The Red Convertible" by Louise Erdrich, and some notecards with illustrations by Louise Erdrich. Such sweet gifts!My mom put together quite a treasure trove of goodies. She gave me a fun book about turning 40, another book about 1969 ("The Year the World Changed"), and a "Remember When" booklet about 1969, in which she wrote some memories about me being born. She also found an original copy of the book "The Teeny-Tiny Tale," which I LOVED when I was a kid. In fact, I made my Grandma Greene read it to me so often that she finally hid it and said that she lost it! (Reading it now, I don't blame her....) Mom also gave me a DVD of "Brady Bunch" episodes (I was obsessed with that show when I was a kid!), some ballerina stickers, and three of my favorite treats: peanut M-n-Ms, Charleston Chews, and Junior Mints. Plus she put 40 crisp, unused singles inside my birthday card. It was really a fun and thoughtful gift. I called to thank her for the gifts (and for being such a wonderful mom all these 40 years!). Then Tomkin headed to his folks' house for lunch, and Helena picked me up--to get pizza, of course! We went to Punch Pizza (her treat!) and had delicious food and a lovely conversation. She had brought me a pink foam tiara (for the "birthday princess"), but I opted not to wear it to the restaurant. Back at home, I finished watching the previous night's "Dancing with the Stars," and then Tomkin and I took Chloe for a walk. It was a beautiful day, so we went to a park to run Chloe around (and take a few pictures). And we stopped for some iced coffee on Grand Ave. Then we gussied ourselves up and headed to dinner at the 112 Eatery--the first time either of us had been there. It was fantastic! Beautiful space, good service, and delicious food. I had a glass of champagne, and we started with some fabulous breaded prawns. I ordered the fried bread with prosciutto, which was mind-blowingly (and artery-clogging) fantastic! I saved just enough room for some chocolate pot de creme, which was like eating a bowl of rich, creamy fudge. Wow!!! Amazing. We had a little time to wander around downtown and let our food settle (which was nice) before we headed to the Target Center for the "So You Think You Can Dance" live tour. What a great show! We both really enjoyed it. In the interest of time, I won't give a complete rundown; if you're interested in a set list for the tour, you can find it here. I will say that I loved Brandon even more in person than on the show; he is incredible! Janette, too. Wow! They and Kayla are still my favorites. Oh, and Melissa the ballet dancer! I love her, too.

Janette and the rest of the dancers after the opening number

Brandon lifting Janette during their fast-and-furious disco dance
Kayla & Jason performing a Broadway routineBrandon & Jeanine's fiery paso doble

Melissa during her solo (every dancer performed one)
Many of the duets and small groups were good. Of course they did all the "biggest" numbers of the season, including Randi & Evan's "butt dance," Melissa & Ade's breast cancer dance (which received a standing ovation), and Kayla & Kupono's addiction dance (my personal favorite).Pajama-clad Randi & Evan performing Mia Michaels' "butt dance"
Jason & Caitlin's fabulous Bollywood routineMelissa & Ade performing Tyce D'Orio's poignant and inspiring "breast cancer dance"Melissa & Evan performing a Broadway routineKayla & Kupono performing Mia Michaels' gut-wrenching "addiction dance"
I especially enjoyed the group numbers, like Mia Michaels' "One"; "I Know You Want Me," a Latin dance with some people performing on wet tables; and the finale ("Brand New Day").
"One" from "A Chorus Line" like you've never seen it before
Calle Ocho group number The finale: "Brand New Day"

They also had a pretty funny running gag about the much-maligned Russian folk dance. The only part that was kind of lame was the scripted banter between numbers. Those people are much better dancers than they are actors! And, to be honest, a bunch of those people could use a spray tan or two. Don't they watch "Dancing with the Stars"? The show ended about 10:00, and we joined the group outside to wait for the dancers to come out for autographs and pictures. But when one of the moms said that it would probably be about an hour-and-a-half until they appeared, I remembered my experience with Marcus after the American Idols concert and decided that we would just head for home. It had been quite a full day! It really was a fun and celebratory birthday. Turning 40 is fabulous!

The Final Countdown...

In two days I will be turning 40. Still a little hard to comprehend. I'm really okay with it, since I feel so happy and blessed: I have an amazing husband who's exceeded every expectation I ever had about marriage, family and friends who love me and enrich my life, a fabulous and funny dog who I absolutely adore, good health, a beautiful home, gainful employment (a bit spotty at times, to be sure, but it's enjoyable, evolving, and not in an office!), and many fun things to look forward to (like Hawaii!!!). Right now I'm actually feeling a bit stressed because I have a lot on my plate--even the fun stuff takes time and energy, and it can be a little challenging to prioritize it all. But I certainly can't complain.... So here's what's been happening in the week leading up to my birthday. Last Monday (September 28th) Tomkin gave stinky Chloe a bath and then took her for a run in the park before he biked to work. I spent the first part of the day shopping at Target, and then Chloe and I drove out to the Golden Valley Humane Society so she could take her Delta evaluation to become a registered therapy dog. There are about 20 different things you have to do during the evaluation, and both the dog and the handler are graded. We hit a couple bumps during the loose-leash walking, and I made a few mistakes (like giving multiple commands or not providing enough direction during role play), but for the most part Chloe did really well. And as soon as the last part of the test was over, the evaluator stuck out her hand and said, "Congratulations!" We passed!!! I was really proud of Chloe and glad to have that hurdle out of the way. We still have a few more things to take care of (vet approval, paperwork, etc.), but hopefully we'll be able to start volunteering together in a few weeks.That evening Tomkin met with a couple, and I watched "Dancing with the Stars." Then we both went to late-night happy hour at Senor Wong's with Helena, Nick, and Marcus to celebrate Helena's birthday (a week early). We ordered lots of food and drinks, and Helena opened some presents. We had a great time and a fun celebration! (Hooray for Libras!)

Tuesday morning I had my second-ever mammogram, this time at St. John's in Maplewood. It's a nice facility, and everything went as well as could be expected, considering the machinery involved. Good to have that out of the way for another year or two! Tomkin had been working at home, and then he biked over to the library. I felt a little run-down, like I might be coming down with a cold, so I laid down to take a nap--and slept for two hours! We took Chloe for a walk and noticed a definite change in the weather. Fall is starting to set in.... I did some work and then took Chloe to therapy dog class. (We still have a couple more classes to go--and plenty to learn!) Then I went home and watched "Dancing with the Stars." (It's a nice way to wind down at the end of the day.)
On Wednesday, Tomkin and I both went to his parents' house for lunch. Then he dropped me off at Methodist Hospital so I could shadow a therapy dog team. I spent about an hour visiting patients with them. It was really interesting and gave me a lot to think about. I'm not sure a hospital setting is right for me; I think I might prefer a place with more routine, where I would see the same people again and again, like in a nursing home. It'll be interesting to try some different places and see where both Chloe and I feel most comfortable. Tomkin picked me up, and we headed home. He took a nap, I did some work, and then we both walked Chloe. Tomkin had his weekly poker game that night. I led a premarital counseling session and then talked to my mom.
Thursday morning (October 1st!) we kicked off the day by exercising to "Mad Men." We're both really enjoying the show. Tomkin biked to the office. I did some work-related reading and then went to Estetica for a haircut. I'm so pleased that I've finally found a stylist I really like! That evening Tomkin and I headed over to northeast Minneapolis for the Metro 100 party. We had gone last year and it was really fun. The original plan this year was to have the party outside. Unfortunately it rained all day (and it was chilly out), so they had to move the festivities indoors. We still had a good time, but things seemed a bit unorganized and confusing, due in part, I would assume, to the last-minute change of plans. After checking in at the 331 Club, we went to the Rogue Buddha Gallery, where we looked at some art and I had a glass of wine. Then we walked down the street and got some crabcakes at the beautiful Peacock Lounge. Next we went to the Ritz Theater to see a mini-performance by a couple local dance groups. I won't even name them--I will just say that both of them were horrible. We went to the Modern Cafe to get some complimentary sausage (which was good, but we had to wait a long time). Then we made our way back to the 331. They had a tent set up out back, where they were serving free drinks. We hung out there with a couple other folks and then we stopped inside for a bit to listen to the evening's headliner, local band Solid Gold, before heading home. We had a good time, though the event was a little disappointing compared to last year's. Not sure if we'll go next year or not.
Friday morning I had to get up bright and early (6:00!) to go to a Couples Communication conference in Eagan. (Who thought combining the Metro 100 party with an early morning conference the next day was a good idea?!?!) I was there until 5:00 learning about the program, which includes talking skills, listening skills, and a unique way of developing them both (it includes using labeled mats, which were actually pretty amazing!). Tomkin spent the day getting stuff done at home, and then he took Chloe to the office with him before heading to a wedding rehearsal. By the time I got home I was exhausted. We got dinner at Pizza Luce and then spent the rest of the evening hanging out and relaxing at home.
Saturday morning I was up early again for the second day of the conference. We worked on implementing all the skills we'd learned the day before and then talked about the specifics of the program. I'm considering using it for premarital counseling, but it would take a lot of shifting in terms of scheduling, resources, and possibly even space. I do think it's a great program, though, and I like the communication skills it teaches. Tomkin had a rehearsal Saturday morning, then spent some time at home before heading off to perform a wedding. That evening he worked on the Hawaii itinerary (putting together all the contact information and hours of operation for the places we're planning to visit), while I spent a few hours editing. By the end of the day, my brain was fried!
I was happy to have a Sabbath day yesterday, although Tomkin had to start by performing a morning wedding. We walked Chloe to Patina (I love that they let her come inside!) and did a little shopping. Then we walked back home along the railroad tracks. It was a beautiful day and nice to get outside. Chloe still seemed a little antsy when we got back, so Tomkin took her to nearby Dunning Field to run around. But apparently she didn't want to go. As soon as he released her at the park, she took off running toward home--across two streets (one car had to slam on its brakes) and straight back to our house, all the while with Tomkin in hot pursuit. When he walked in the door, he said, "Well that didn't go well at all...." I was just glad they were both okay! I watched a couple episodes of "Glee" and read my People magazine; Tomkin took a nap. We both exercised to "Mad Men," and then Tomkin picked up a pizza from Pizza Fratelli on Selby (really good!). We watched a couple travel shows about Hawaii, and then I actually got on the computer for a bit (usually a Sabbath no-no!), while Tomkin curled up with Chloe and read. I've just got so much to do right now, it's hard to spend an entire day being unproductive.
This morning (Monday, October 5th), Tomkin biked to the office. I did a marathon shopping trip at Target (about 2-1/2 hours!), and then I had a meeting (at the College Muscle Movers office) to discuss the new biodiesel grant I'm going to work on (with the same team as before). Back at home I did some editing and then talked to my mom. She recounted how 40 years ago tomorrow she and my dad went out for ice cream sundaes and then she finally went into labor (almost four weeks past her due date!). He propped her feet up on a chair while he cooked dinner, and then they both watched "Laugh-In." Things started moving along, but they still had to pull me out with forceps the next morning. Apparently I was pretty cozy in there! We've got some fun birthday celebrations planned both on my birthday itself and next weekend. As Tomkin says, "It's better to turn 40 than to not turn 40!" And we figure, with medical advances, we've got another 80 good years of life ahead. So here's to starting the second third of my life!

Carrie from Chicago, Part Deux

Last weekend I had the pleasure of hosting my friend Carrie, who came for a visit from Chicago not the same Carrie from Chicago who came to visit in July). On Friday the 25th I picked her up at the airport about 4:00 and brought her back home so she could settle in and relax. Tomkin fixed some guacamole, and we all sat around the table, eating and chatting. Tomkin had to leave for a rehearsal; Carrie and I headed for Grand Avenue. Our first stop was Stella Blu (one of my favorite stores, though they have a terrible website). Carrie was surprised and delighted to learn that Minnesota doesn't charge a sales tax on clothes! We gradually made our way down the street, ending up at the bar in Salut. (Funny how that always seems to happen!) We each got a drink, and then Tomkin joined us. We decided to head over to W.A. Frost for their fabulous happy hour. Unfortunately, it was chilly and drizzly so we couldn't sit outside. But the indoor bar area is beautiful, too. We got all kinds of food (including dessert!) and a couple snazzy drinks and just hung out and talked, which was wonderful.Saturday morning, we all (including Chloe) had brunch outside at Happy Gnome. Delish! And I love their patio area. We were going to drive around St. Paul to give Carrie a little tour, but when we passed a house on Summit Avenue having a group yard sale, Tomkin slammed on the brakes. He had noticed an old Schwinn for sale and had to take a look. He's wanted to get one of these old bikes for ages, and this one was really affordable and in good condition, so he got it. The guy who was selling it told us that his parents had given the bike to him (new) for his 12th birthday in 1962. He told us some stories of the bike and clearly had a great affection for it! He was nice enough to drive the bike to our house in the back of his van. I really think he was kind of sorry to see it go! Carrie and I ended up sitting on the back patio, chatting, drinking, and enjoying the sun. Tomkin took his new bike for a spin and then got ready for a wedding. Eventually, I said we had to go DO something, so Carrie and I headed to the Walker Sculpture Garden. We meandered around and checked out the art and the flowers (would have gotten dessert at 20.21, but it's closed between 2:00 and 5:00 - hmph!). Then we drove over to Uptown and wandered around, checking out various stores. Then we ended up at Chino Latino's happy hour. Between the two of us, we got six drinks and six appetizers - for $40! Love that place. We talked and talked and talked and then eventually headed home. I had all kinds of ideas in mind for places we could go and things we could do, but Carrie said she just wanted to hang out at home. So I cracked open a bottle of champagne and we all just sat in the living room and talked for hours!
Sunday morning Tomkin made us breakfast at home. It was a gorgeous day out, so we took Chloe and headed to Lake Como. When I asked Tomkin the one thing he thought an out-of-towner should do in the Twin Cities, he said, "Walk around one of the lakes." It is pretty amazing how many gorgeous areas there are around here. It was fun to get out and walk around in nature, especially since it was such a nice day (and who knows how many more of those we'll have this year...). And then, all too soon, it was time for Carrie to go back to the airport and return to the Windy City. It was so much fun to have her here! Great to hang out and catch up. Tomkin and I headed home, and he worked on his new bike, took a nap, read, and did some work. I did some prep work for Chloe's therapy dog test, read, and watched TV. What a great weekend!

Bike Rides & Blessings

It's been a fairly low-key week, but I thought I'd go ahead and get caught up on the blog today since my friend Carrie is arriving this afternoon for a weekend visit from Chicago. (Yay!) Last Sunday, September 20th, Tomkin and I slept late (10:00!), but then we switched out of sloth mode and went for an 11-mile bike ride. We headed down Summit Avenue, then took the River Road to Ford Parkway, rode the bridge across the Mississippi, and biked back on the other side. We stopped to rest and check out the scenery a few times along the way. Both of us are amazed and thankful that we get to live in such a beautiful place! We were starving, so we picked up some sandwiches at Kowalski's on the way home, then ate a delicious lunch outside. After that we spent some time relaxing--reading on the front porch (both of us), napping (Tomkin & Chloe), and watching TV (me). We walked over to Jim & Roxanne's to pick something up, and Chloe got to run around with Watson in their backyard. Then Tomkin spent the evening editing video footage of Chloe's birthday party while I watched the Emmys. I alerted Tomkin when our friend Peter's category came up (he writes for The Colbert Report), but unlike last year the Colbert team went home empty-handed. Ah, well. I still thought it was a great show overall!
Monday morning Tomkin headed to the office. I met up with Becca for lunch at Yum! We ate and talked and ate some more (their desserts are to die for!). It was so fun to catch up with her and hear about the antics going on in her kids' lives. Becca is one crazy-busy woman, so it's always a treat when I get to spend time with her! I headed home and did some work while sitting on the front porch (Chloe kept me company), and then Tomkin and I took Chloe for a walk. That evening, Tomkin and Chloe hung out in the basement while I led a premarital counseling session. Then I watched the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" while Tomkin did some work.
Tuesday morning I biked halfway to work with Tomkin, then he continued on to the office and I headed home. I did some work and went grocery shopping at Target. We took Chloe for a short walk, and that night Tomkin met with a couple while I took Chloe to therapy dog class. She got kind of freaked out while we were working on distractions. There were all kinds of items spread out on the floor, and the instructor sent a skateboard whizzing by and started up a toy firetruck that made a beeping noise. All that was fine, but once she started blowing on the party horn, Chloe got really freaked out. She was shaking all over and started pulling me toward the door. The instructor felt so bad--she said this is all supposed to be fun for the dogs. Thankfully, after a few minutes, Chloe was fine again. We have three more classes to go, but we're going to take the Delta evaluation (to become a certified therapy dog team) this Monday! I think Chloe will pass, but you never know what might happen the day of the test. Fingers crossed!
On Wednesday, Tomkin had lunch with his parents then went to the office. I stayed home to work. It looks like I'm going to be working on another biodiesel grant soon! I'm also doing some editing work--busy, busy, busy, which is great! We took Chloe for a walk, and that night Tomkin went to see "The Informant!" (he thought it was okay--didn't love it) while I led a premarital counseling session, then talked to my mom and watched more "DWTS." (Three nights in a row is quite a lot to ask of your viewers....)

At Palm Beach Tan, in a room with the Mystic Tan booth.

Yesterday (Thursday), I biked down Summit with Tomkin, who then headed to the office. I got a spray tan and did a bit of shopping before settling in to work on the front porch. We took Chloe for a walk, and in honor of National Punctuation Day we looked for errors in signs along Grand Avenue. And we found a lot! Last night we went to Helena's for a house-blessing party. We had so much fun! We knew some of the other guests--it was great to catch up with Marcus, Nick, Cassidy, and Liz--and we really enjoyed talking to some people we'd never met before. Some were teachers or students from the Center for Happiness, others went to Carleton (which is how we know Helena) or had another connection with her. At 7:30, we all gathered around, and Helena led us in a blessing exercise to get rid of things from the past, both in regard to her house and in our own lives. Then at 9:00 we did a second blessing, which involved laughing in the corners of the house! There was lots of delicious (and naughty) food, which I heartily enjoyed. But mostly it was fun to just hang out and talk with so many fun and interesting people. And to bless Helena's beautiful new home!
Today (Friday) I've been cleaning our house in preparation for Carrie's arrival this afternoon. Her flight is scheduled to land about 3:30. I'm so excited to hang out with her for the next couple days! Whatever you're up to, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. And thanks, as always, for reading my blog!

The Adventures of Chloe (and Some Other Stuff, Too)

After our fabulous bike ride on Sunday, September 13th, we relaxed on the front porch, napped, took Chloe for a walk, and ate dinner outside. That evening we watched a DVD about calming signals in dogs (related to Chloe's therapy dog class). It was fascinating! We learned about calming signals such as licking, turning the head away, yawning, "doing something else," and other things that dogs do to either calm themselves or another dog. We also discovered that you can try these same techniques to try to get your dog to relax (for instance, yawning repeatedly). The expert on this is a Norwegian woman named Turid Rugaas. For anyone who owns a dog, I highly recommend doing some reading/research on this. You'll be amazed at how much better you understand your dog! Tomkin and I also watched the movie "2 Days in Paris," which was written and directed by Julie Delpy (who also stars in it). Very funny! We both liked it a lot. We also did a crossword puzzle together. Such a nice Sabbathy thing to do!
Monday morning we took Chloe to the vet. She had been licking her, um, "backside" a lot lately, and we thought we should get it checked out. Turned out she needed to have her anal glands expressed. The vet brought in a second person to help keep Chloe standing (she kept wanting to sit or lie down). Expressing the glands was NOT a pleasant job, but as soon as it was done Chloe started wagging her tail. She seemed to feel immediate relief! And she's been fine ever since. Phew! We then headed down to the liquor store and picked up the ingredients for grasshoppers. (Chloe got to carry them home.) Then Tomkin headed to the office, and I went grocery shopping at Target and did some grant research. I've been looking at the poverty level in American school districts--there's one in Arizona at 85%! Wow. Tomkin met with a couple that night, and I had a premarital counseling session. One of the things I love about being self-employed is that our time is flexible--in fact, we often end up working in the evenings. I think if it were up to me, we would sleep in every morning, run errands and walk the dog in the afternoon, then work at night. Chloe, of course, prefers to sleep at all times of the day.
Tuesday morning Tomkin biked into work, and I went with him down Summit Ave. then turned around and headed home. What a wonderful way to start the day! Chloe hung out with me on the front porch while I did some grant research. That afternoon Liz, the woman who's going to house/dog-sit for us while we're in Hawaii, came over so we could show her where things are at and give her some info about Chloe. She's really nice (a friend of Helena's and fellow yoga instructor), and we feel confident that we'll be leaving Chloe in good hands. Tomkin and I walked over to the nearby polling place to vote in the primaries. Then we took Chloe for a walk. That evening I had a nice chat with my friend Carrie before taking Chloe to her therapy dog class. This week we ran through the entire evaluation process to see what we still need to work on. Chloe did pretty well overall, but I could tell she was getting a little overwhelmed when she couldn't even get the "sit" command right. Really, though, I am very proud of her! She's doing a great job.
On Wednesday I had a premarital counseling session during the day, so Tomkin took Chloe along to have lunch with his folks and then brought her to the office with him. At first the office cat, Muscles, was none too pleased to have a dog around, but eventually they both hung out on Tomkin's couch. We took Chloe for a walk and let her run in a nearby park. That night Tomkin went to see "Inglourious Basterds," and I talked to my mom and did some blogging.
Thursday morning I biked halfway to work with Tomkin (we're both so happy to be bicycling again!), and then I did some grant research and started getting ready for Third Thursday. Tomkin had a wedding rehearsal that afternoon. Then we finished getting the house in order and preparing the food and drinks. This month's featured cocktail was the grasshopper. To match the drink, all the food was green, too, and we even listened to the music of Green Day. And of course Chloe wore a minty green bandanna. I honestly wasn't sure if anyone was going to show up--all the RSVPs we'd gotten were from people who were busy or going out-of-town. But we ended up having ten guests, and we all had a really nice time. Tracy came by with a sugar-free chocolate cake he had baked and topped with raspberries from his garden. We spent a long time catching up on news and gossip about the neighborhood. Fletch told some great stories, and he and Jim talked movie festivals. We all just had fun hanging out, eating and drinking, and chatting about whatever. Tomkin kicked everyone out right at 10:00 because he had a 9:00 rehearsal the next morning. Otherwise I'm sure we would have kept right on talking!While Tomkin was off performing a wedding rehearsal and then working at the office Friday morning, I slept in until 10:00. I'd only had a couple grasshoppers, but I hadn't slept well the previous couple nights, so it was nice to catch up on a little snoozing. I did some work and blogging, and then we both took Chloe for a long walk down Grand and Summit. We are really getting some beautiful weather now--it sure doesn't feel like the middle of September! We came home and took a nap, and then Tomkin left to perform a wedding. I did some blogging, and then we all hung out on the front porch and relaxed. It's really nice to have a low-key weekend with almost no plans. I realized I don't have another one of these until after we get back from Hawaii in November!
Today (Saturday, September 19th) Tomkin had a noon wedding. I did some blogging, and then I drove out to Hopkins to "shadow" some therapy dog teams at the public library. They volunteer with the READ (Reading Assistance Education Dogs) program--I probably won't end up doing that, but I thought it would be get to check it out, observe, and ask some questions. I spent about an hour watching two of the teams and chatting with the handlers. They had some good advice and suggestions. I was really impressed with their dogs! Both were incredibly mellow and well-behaved. I'm not sure Chloe would sit still that long.... I got home about 3:00, and then Tomkin, Chloe, and I drove down to River Road and walked along the Mississippi. It's so beautiful! We veered off into a residential neighborhood and marveled at the gorgeous (and huge!) houses. There were squirrels all over the place, so we let Chloe chase a few. She was so happy! We came home and hung out on the front porch--I've been blogging (I'm finally caught up!!!), and Tomkin has been reading. I'm looking forward to a computer-free Sabbath day tomorrow. And coming up in the next few weeks: a visit from my friend Carrie Mc., a couples counseling conference, my 40th birthday, and our trip to Hawaii! So many fun things to look forward to. Thanks, as always, for reading my blog!

Spinning Our Wheels

On Sunday, September 13th, Tomkin and I got up early so we could take part in the St. Paul Classic Bike Tour. Tomkin had done the 30-mile route with Roxanne a couple years ago, and originally we had planned to do that this year, too. But after Tomkin's injury put our training on hold, we opted to just go 15 miles instead. We left home about 8:00am and biked the 2-1/2 miles down Summit Ave. to the starting point. We made our way to the registration table, which was located in the middle of various vendor stations with info and giveaways. There was also a place to get some carbs (muffins, bagels, etc.) and fruit. We wandered around a bit, got the tags for our bikes, put some air in Tomkin's tires, and then started off on the ride! It was a beautiful day out--we couldn't have asked for better weather. We started by heading down Summit Ave. to River Road. One of the best parts about this bike ride is that the roads are blocked off to car traffic. So nice! We stopped to enjoy a scenic view. Then after the first five miles of the ride there was a rest stop with porta-potties, musicians, food, and beverages. We got some snacks and stopped to do a little people-watching. Some people really went all-out! We biked another five miles or so, heading toward downtown St. Paul, and then turned toward Ramsey Hill. This is an incredibly steep hill (last winter on a particularly snowy day, my car barely made it up!), and pretty much everyone ended up walking their bikes to the top. Tomkin rode for quite a while, though! At the top, they handed out "I Topped Ramsey Hill!" buttons, and there was another rest area set up. We got some food and then watched other people make it up the hill. There was a real sense of community about the whole event, which was really cool. Eventually we started the last leg, which was a straight shot down Summit Ave. We headed back to the starting point so I could pick up my T-shirt. After checking out more of the vendor booths, we hopped on our bikes and made our way back home. All together, including the ride to and from the starting point, we biked 19.8 miles. Not a bad way to start the day! We were home a little after 11:00--about the time we usually get going most days! Both of us really enjoyed the bike ride, and we're already planning on doing the 30-mile route next year.

Back on the Bikes & Out on the Town

We were back to the grind on Tuesday, September 8th. Tomkin gave stinky Chloe a much-needed bath. He took my bike in to have the gears fixed, and then he went to the office. I finished up my judging duties for this year's MMPA Excellence Awards and went grocery shopping at Target. We took Chloe for a walk, and that night Tomkin met with a couple while I took Chloe to therapy dog class. We spent a little time in the elevator and the bathroom since she's not completely comfortable in either location, but she'll probably need to be once we start volunteering. She is a very brave girl!
On Wednesday the 9th, Tomkin had lunch with his folks then went to the office. I did some work-related reading and a little editing, and I spent some time working with Chloe on her therapy dog training. We took Chloe for a walk that afternoon. Then in the evening, Tomkin went to perform a blessing for a man who was getting shipped off to Afghanistan that Friday. Tomkin had performed this couple's wedding a couple years ago, right before the first time the groom was sent to Afghanistan. Now they have a couple kids, and he'll be gone for a year (and he's in the National Guard!). It made me really grateful for the sacrifice of all the people in the Armed Forces. I led a premarital counseling session, then talked to my mom. Then I talked to Brenda, who was mulling over whether or not to move to a home in the country. (She has since decided to go for it and will be moving the end of October!)
Thursday morning, Tomkin and I went on our first bike ride since he had his accident back in June. The cortisone shot seems to have done the trick--his arm is feeling fine now. Phew! It felt so good to go biking again! We went down Summit and back, enjoying the beautiful scenery and light summer breeze. What a treat! That afternoon I ran some errands and worked on grant stuff (am preparing to work on a couple new projects). Tomkin had been invited to take a tour of the Walker Art Center so he could do a write-up about them for his wedding website. As a thank-you, they offered us a complimentary dinner at Wolfgang Puck's 20.21 restaurant in the Walker. We happily accepted the offer and made reservations for Saturday night. We took Chloe for a walk and cleaned up the house a little. About 6:00, my cousin Danelle and her husband, Edward, came over. They live in San Antonio, and this was my first time meeting Edward. It was really fun to hang out and chat with them! An hour or so later, my aunt Carol (Danelle's mom/my dad's sister) and uncle Steve arrived, and then we all walked around the corner to get dinner at Pizza Luce. We had a wonderful time together and a delicious meal. Even when we walked back to the house, we stood outside and talked for a while. It was so great to see them all!
On Friday afternoon, Tomkin and I went over to Cassidy and Angie's house to meet their three-week-old son, Harry. (Angie ended up having to work, so she couldn't be there.) He is such a cutie! We brought along some gifts for the baby and the dogs, and we had a nice time visiting with Cassidy. Tomkin and I went home and took a nap, then walked Chloe. That evening we went to the first of three dance performances in our season-ticket package at the Northrop. The show was "Entity" by Wayne McGregor/Random Dance. We sat in the very front row, which was amazing in that we could really see and hear the dancers (though we couldn't always see their feet). What a show! It was a solid hour of high-energy, intense, amazing dancing. We both loved it! Afterward we decided to hit W.A. Frost's late-night happy hour. We sat in the outdoor bar area and enjoyed some yummy appetizers (and I had a tasty and pretty drink).
Tomkin did some work on Saturday, and I researched things to do when my friend Carrie Mc. comes to town next weekend. We exercised while watching Chris Rock's 1996 stand-up comedy special "Bring the Pain" and found it very ironic that he did a whole bit about how a black man could never become president of the U.S. At the exact same time, President Barack Obama was at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis leading a health-care rally. Pretty amazing! (I will refrain from getting into the whole issue of health-care reform and the bizarre and vitriolic rantings of American conservatives, except to say that it's been a great source of irritation and stress!) We spent some time on the front porch--Tomkin reading and me blogging. Then we got dressed up for our dinner at 20.21. We had early reservations (6:00) since we had to get up early the next morning. When we arrived, we decided to sit outside since it was so nice out. And what an amazing view! I ordered a drink, and we started with the calamari salad as an appetizer. So delicious! They also gave us a little order of some seasoned green beans. Surprisingly flavorful! Seemingly out of nowhere, it started to rain. At first we just took cover under an umbrella, but eventually it really started to pour. So we (and the other people seated outdoors) ran back inside. That was actually kind of cool--we ended up getting to sit both outside and inside the restaurant! And as beautiful as the view is outside, it's also a pretty amazing space inside. I ordered the roasted duck as my entree, which came with some delicious noodles. I also got a side of potatoes au gratin, but I probably wouldn't have needed them. (But they were so rich and wonderful, I was glad I'd gotten them!) And a second drink.Tomkin ordered the seafood curry and a side of seasoned vegetables. All of the food was incredible. And we ate just about everything! Our waiter must have thought we'd been starving ourselves for days before this meal. Even though I was full, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try their signature dessert, the Spoon, Cube & Cherry (in homage to the Spoonbridge & Cherry sculpture in the Walker Sculpture Garden). So cool!!! It's a box of chocolate, with a wafer-thin spoon-shaped cookie on top and a tiny candy cherry. Inside the box is a mass of creamy chocolate mousse. To die for! The restaurant is pretty pricey, but I would recommend going there just to get this dessert--and sit outside, if you can. We were thrilled and delighted with our 20.21 dining experience. What a wonderful, decadent treat! (It was especially nice that we only had to pay the tip....) Eating so much made us tired, which was good since we needed to get to bed early anyway in preparation for the St. Paul Classic Bike Tour early the next morning.

Of Friends and Food

On Wednesday, September 2nd, Tomkin and I had lunch over at his folks' house. We ate lunch inside, then went outside for tea since it was such a beautiful day. Tomkin and I went to Schuler Shoes and found some great fall and winter footwear in their clearance section. The shoes there aren't cheap, but they sure are comfortable and well-made! And getting them on sale was nice. We took Chloe for a walk, and that night Tomkin went to his weekly poker game while I led a premarital counseling session and then talked to my mom.
Thursday morning we exercised while watching the documentary "Tyson" about boxer Mike Tyson. Much of the movie is Tyson telling his own story--it was interesting to me to learn that much of his motivation came not from anger but from fear. It was a good reminder for me not to make snap judgments about people. (Not that I'm defending Mike Tyson, but watching the movie about him did make me think.) Tomkin went to the office, and I worked on judging magazines for the MMPA Excellence Awards. This is the second year that I've served as a judge, and I really enjoy it. We took Chloe for a walk, ate dinner outside, and then Tomkin had a wedding rehearsal. I led a premarital counseling session, and then we hung out and enjoyed some chocolate-and-cherry smoothies. I also bought a ticket to go to Chicago the first weekend in December. I'm co-hosting a bridal shower for my friend Lisa, who's getting married in Iowa in February, and I'm also going to throw myself a little 40th birthday party while I'm in town.
On Friday the 4th, Tomkin headed to the office, and I met up with Helena at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. We were both art history majors at Carleton (and went on the off-campus studies program to Amsterdam together), so it was fun to check out an art exhibit with her. (The first of many in the Twin Cities, I hope!) We saw "Sin & Salvation" about the Pre-Raphaelites, whom I love. Their paintings are so rich and detailed and elegant. After perusing the artworks, we sat in the cafe to eat, drink, and chat. It's always a delight to spend time with Helena. Back at home, I did some work, took a nap, and then Tomkin and I walked Chloe. I did some blogging while Tomkin performed a wedding. Then we went to Christo's to have dinner with Peter and Mandy. Of course we had to get my favorite--saganaki (the flaming cheese!). It felt like ages since we'd seen Peter & Mandy, so it was great to hang out and talk. As usual, we closed the restaurant down--time always flies when we're with them!
Saturday morning Tomkin and I exercised, and then we hung out on the front porch. Tomkin read while I blogged. (Will I ever catch up?!?!) It was kind of a lazy, low-key day. Tomkin had a rehearsal, and that evening we met up with Liz and Fletch (who are moving here from California!) at First Avenue. I had never been there before! It's a really cool space. It's probably most famous as the featured club in Prince's 1984 movie "Purple Rain." The evening we went, the main event was a CD-release party for local singer/musician Mark Mallman. The opening acts, especially Black Blondie, were really good. And Mark Mallman was interesting. Mostly, though, we enjoyed hanging out and talking with Liz and Fletch and meeting their friends Kirsten and Anton, who happen to live in our neighborhood (and Kirsten went to Carleton!). It was a very fun evening, and I look forward to going back to First Ave.
Sunday, the 6th, Tomkin performed a baptism for the daughter of two of my high school classmates! I thought that was pretty cool. (Since it was basically a workday for him, and Monday was a holiday, we took our Sabbath day on Monday.) I got some chores done and spray-painted three of my six wooden cubes. I've had these things since I was a kid (I think my parents made them for me) and have carted them around to many different locations. They're solid (and heavy) and have been painted a variety of colors over the years. For now, I'm going to paint them blue and use them in the basement. We took Chloe for a walk, and we bought our tickets to Texas for Christmas. (Seems far off, but it'll be here before we know it!) Tomkin had to go perform a wedding, and I stayed home and did some blogging. Then we felt like getting out, so we drove to Minneapolis and headed to Joe's Garage. We had hoped to sit on the rooftop, but the wait was really long, so we snagged a seat out on the sidewalk. It was my first time there--the food was really good (though the portions were rather small). I got the macaroni & cheese, which was delicious. It was a beautiful night, and I certainly couldn't have asked for better company.
Monday the 7th was Labor Day. We read on the front porch, exercised while watching "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," napped, and read some more. What a nice lazy day! That evening we (including Chloe) walked over to Syd & Dave's house for dinner. It was hard to get out of their huge, comfy new "chair of love." We took the dogs out back to let them work off some energy.Then we were treated to an incredible meal. (They had invited a couple other friends over, too.) Dave prepared homemade lobster bisque, filet mignon, and bread and butter (both also homemade). All of it was incredible. We also had pomegranate martinis and three kinds of wine. Wow! I love having foodie friends. Especially ones who are as fun to hang out with as Syd & Dave! Tomkin and I really try not to take our friends for granted--we feel very blessed to have so many smart, funny, talented, kind, interesting people in our lives. Each friend has their own unique gifts and talents, and we cherish every one!

Adam Lambert (and Some Other American Idols) Live!

On Tuesday, September 1st, my dear friend Marcus and I got to see the American Idols Live on tour! (Tomkin took Chloe to her therapy dog class that night so we wouldn't fall behind.) Marcus picked me up, and we posed for a couple pre-concert shots. (As a reminder--if you want to see any of these photos enlarged to full-screen size just click on the photo. Then hit the back button to return to the blog.) We went to Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine for dinner. It was gorgeous out, so we sat outside. I hadn't eaten there before--it was wonderful! After dinner we drove to downtown Minneapolis, parked the car, and headed for the Target Center. We had seats in the 16th row on the floor! We got there just a few minutes before the show started, and the place was bursting with energy. On a screen upfront, whenever an image of Adam came up, the crowd went wild! Finally the lights dimmed, and the show officially started....
First on stage was Idol #10, Michael Sarver, who sang "I'm in Love with a Girl" by Gavin DeGraw and "Closer" by Ne-Yo. He got everyone up on their feet and seemed impressed with the crowd's reaction.
Next was #9, Megan Joy. Ugh. She looked really weird in a hot pink dress with her hair all done up, and she didn't sound that good, either. I think she'd be better singing quirky songs at small venues. She sang "Put Your Records On" by Corrinne Bailey Rae and "Tears Dry on Their Own" by Amy Winehouse.
Scott MacIntyre, Idol #8, was up next. He sang "Bend and Break" by Keane and "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton.
The first surprise of the night for me was #7, Lil Rounds. Wow, did she put on a good show! She always had potential on "American Idol" but never quite seemed to hit her stride. But on tour she seemed really comfortable and got the crowd fired up. First she sang "Be Without You" and "Just Fine" by Mary J. Blige and "No One" by Alicia Keys. But the best was when she sang Beyonce's "Single Ladies"--the crowd went wild!
Bringing things down a notch was #6, Anoop Desai. I like Anoop and think he's got a beautiful voice, but he is BOOOOO-RING! I don't think he has the stage presence for an arena of that size. He sang "Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson, "Mad" by Ne-Yo, and "My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown. And he did a fine job...it was just a little yawn-inducing.
The next pleasant surprise of the night for me was #5, Matt Giraud. He really came across as a great showman, and I enjoyed his set a lot. He sang "Too Hard to Handle" by Otis Redding, "Georgia On My Mind" by Hoagy Carmichael, and "You Found Me" by The Fray. I wished he would have sung more!
Megan and Lil came back out and sang "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Frankie Valli. Megan apparently forgot the words midway through and started laughing.
Scott and Matt performed "Tell Her About It" by Billy Joel on dueling pianos. That was a really fun performance.
Michael came back to sing Elvis's "Suspicious Minds," and then Michael, Megan, Scott, Lil, Anoop, and Matt sang "Beggin'" by the Four Seasons.
With the first act done, it was time for a 20-minute intermission. I braved the loooong line for the bathroom (and spotted local Idol contestant Casey Carlson). Marcus hung out and watched the music videos by other American Idols (like Daughtry and Carrie Underwood) and some Ford music videos. Then it was time for Act II....
Anyone who knows me knows that I love Adam Lambert, and I think he is amazing and talented and wonderful. So I hope it won't sound blasphemous for me to say that the evening's best performance was given by Idol #4, Allison Iraheta. WOW! She came on like a rock-star powerhouse singing "So What" by Pink. Suddenly the rather subdued energy of Act I was replaced by a whole new rockin' ethos. She was AMAZING. And she's only 17! It's safe to say that Allison has quite a career ahead of her. She also sang "Cry Baby" by Janis Joplin and Heart's "Barracuda." A flawless high-energy set.
The crowd went wild for Danny Gokey, Idol #3, but I'm not a huge fan. Yeah, he's got a nice voice, but the whole time he was on stage, all I was thinking was "Adam is next! Adam is next! When is Danny done? Adam is next!". He started with "PYT" by Michael Jackson, then sang "Maria Maria" by Santana. He talked about following your dreams and not giving up and then sang "What Hurts the Most" and "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts.
And then, finally, it was Adam Time. When the lights dimmed and people knew Adam was next, they started to yell and scream. It was definitely the loudest and longest reaction of the night. Adam burst onstage wearing a fabulous coat, singing "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin. I actually got a little weak in the knees, it was so amazing to be seeing and hearing him in person. What a voice and what a stage presence! He was sexy and raunchy, and the crowd loved it. For some reason, his next song was "Starlight" by Muse, which I actually found to be a little dull. (The song itself--not the performance.)"Mad World" by Tears for Fears was an obvious choice, and he sings it beautifully, but it definitely brought the crowd's energy level down. Allison came out to sing a "Slow Ride" (by Foghat) duet, which was awesome. (In concert, especially, the rockin' songs are the best!) Then Adam finished up with a David Bowie medley: "Life on Mars," "Fame," and "Let's Dance." He is such an amazing singer and performer! I think my problem with the set (though I hate to complain, because I still loved it) was that Adam tried to show every facet of himself, and it ended up feeling a little schizophrenic--he was rockin', then sensitive and theatrical, then glam. And, yes, I embrace and celebrate each style of his amazing talent, but I think it would work better over a two-hour solo concert rather than a 20-minute set. All that said, it was still an incredible experience to see/hear him live, and I can't wait until he goes on tour again! (Perhaps with Allison as his opening act....)
Oh, yeah, and there was one more guy--the actual "American Idol," Kris Allen. As you might imagine, his set was a little anticlimactic. Yes, he's a talented guy and the crowd gave him a warm reception, but his vibe is just a lot more subdued than Adam's. He started with "Heartless" by Kanye West, then did "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers (a replacement for the horrible "No Boundaries" song he was originally forced to sing). Next he sang "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, followed by Matchbox Twenty's "Bright Lights." He finished his set with the Beatles' "Hey Jude," and I'll admit that it was pretty cool. There were 10,500 people in the Target Center, and a great many of them were swaying, singing along, and holding up their cell phones (the modern equivalent of lighters).
All the Idols came back on stage for the grand finale, a performance of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" with a little bit of Steam's "Na Na Na Na Goodbye" mixed in. It was quite a spectacle, with lights and disco balls and thousands of bubbles raining down onto the crowd. And, then, after three hours of entertainment, the concert was done!
I asked Marcus if he would be willing to hang out outside with me and wait for the Idols to come out (along with hundreds of other people). We very patiently waited for over an hour before any of the Idols finally started to file out! (Marcus was such a trooper!) We got moved around by security and managed to get pretty good spots a couple rows from the barricade. A guy came around selling merchandise; lots of people had pictures, magazines, or other things for the Idols to sign. I started to get restless, but I hated to leave after we'd already invested so much time! And I knew that Adam didn't always come out to see the fans, but I was really, really hoping he would. (And so were lots of Adam fans around us!) Finally, after a long wait, Scott MacIntyre appeared. The crowd went wild to finally see an Idol! Each performer who came out walked down to the end (near where we were) and then made their way all the way back.After a little while longer, Lil and Megan made the rounds. Allison was the next one out. (They all signed a bunch of autographs but stopped for few or no photos.) Then came Kris, which made the crowd very happy. Out next was Danny. Then it was Matt. (Just talking about him made the teenage girl standing next to us start crying--let alone actually getting to see him and get his autograph!) Next Michael Sarver came out. All we had left were Anoop...and ADAM. But then the security guy came around and said that was it; the Idols were done. Of course the crowd wasn't happy about this, and everyone started chanting "Adam! Adam! Adam!" but to no avail. By this point it was almost midnight, and I'd been standing in heels for nearly five hours--my legs and butt were burning, they hurt so bad! I snapped a couple photos of the tour buses, and then we headed for home. Sure, it would have been fun to see Adam up close, but the whole night was still a blast. The show was awesome, and the whole event was an amazing experience! (BTW, Adam's CD will be released on November 24th. Woo hoo! I hope he promotes it with a tour....)

State Fair on a Stick

On Sunday, August 30th, Tomkin and I went to the Great Minnesota Get-Together, also known as the State Fair. We went last year, too, and we did/ate a few of the same things this time around, but we also tried a few new things.We arrived at the fair about 3:00. We had tickets to the 7:00 Kelly Clarkson concert in the grandstand, so we wanted to give ourselves enough time, but not so much that we'd be exhausted. Our very first stop was at Axel's Bonfire for their amazing cheesey tator tots on a stick. I also noticed that they had macaroni & cheese on a stick, so I had to try that, too. Both were DE-LISHous. Wanting something sweet as a follow-up, I snagged a s'more. Mmmm.... We walked to the area of the Eco Experience building, and Tomkin got a caprese salad on a stick. (Cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil leaves.) We also tried a cup of Swedish egg coffee. Really good! Less bitter than regular coffee. We headed inside the Eco Experience, and Tomkin tested how well we reduce our carbon footprint. (We were surprisingly balanced!) We learned about trash, recycling, and other cool stuff. Mmmmm, algae.... They should deep-fry this and serve it on a stick! Hey, it's Farmer Tomkin! And Farmer Jules! You never know what you might see at the State Fair. Like someone walking their goat, perhaps. Or maybe a sheep. Or an ad like this one (for "Theology on a Stick") in a bathroom stall. After we left the Eco Experience, Tomkin got a huge beefy and cheesey sandwich called a Gizmo. Messy, but good! Then we took a little break and rode the Sky Glider. Ahhhh.... It was nice to rest our feet for a few minutes and get to see the fair from a different perspective. We did a pretty good job pacing ourselves with the food. It would be really easy to get overstuffed and sick on Fair food. We stopped to get some tasty (and hot) roasted corn. Then we went into another building, where we learned about properly washing our hands. They had you rub a "fake germ" lotion on your hands and then go into a tent with special lighting so you could see all the "germs." Then you washed your hands and went back in. It was shocking to see how unclean they still were! (We learned that the key is friction, and you should keep a brush by each sink so you can clean under your nails.) One of the highlights of the day was seeing the crop art. People do portraits and other designs using nothing but seeds. Amazing! (And, in some cases, kind of weird.) This was one of my favorites, of course.Mom and Candy, this one's for you. We made a quick stop in the Miracle of Birth building to see some cute baby animals, and then we found a bench where we could just sit and rest a bit. We decided to head over to the grandstand and were VERY disappointed when we saw that Kelly Clarkson had canceled her concert due to illness. Apparently she had done a sound-check earlier that day, but her throat was bothering her, so a doctor suggested she cancel. We got our money back for the tickets, but it was still a bummer. Thankfully, our spirits were lifted in the Dairy Barn, where we got to see the local pageant winners' heads carved into blocks of butter. And I got a tasty ice cream cone to cap off the day's grazing. It was another fun day at the fair! I'm already looking forward to going again in 2010.

Doggone Good Times!

Back on Monday, August 24th, Tomkin had a doctor's appointment and went to the office. I spent my day working on the grant, and then we both took Chloe for a walk. That evening we met up at Salsa a la Salsa for dinner with Becca. Omar was originally going to join us, but he ended up having a work commitment. But the three of us had a blast! We ate, drank, and talked for three hours. So much fun!
Tuesday was another work day--Tomkin to the office, me working on the grant and going grocery shopping at Target. We took Chloe for a walk and tried to get her tired out before therapy dog class that night. The weeks are flying by!
Tomkin had lunch with his folks on Wednesday, then went to the office. I stayed home to work on the grant but took a break to walk Chloe. Every time we walk now, we try to include some training. Tomkin left about 4:30 to go to a big poker game in the 'burbs at his friend Bill's house. I spent my evening talking to Mom, baking dog cookies, and working on the doggy bags for Chloe's birthday party.Thursday the 27th was Chloe's 9th birthday! She got moist food for breakfast and a beef bone in celebration. Tomkin went to the office, and I worked on the grant and on putting doggy bags together. We took Chloe for a walk and let her run around in a nearby park. Someone had left a frisbee, so we threw it back and forth a few times, which was fun. (Didn't want to overdo it, though, since Tomkin's arm was starting to hurt.) We ended up running into some neighbors on our way home. Chloe got to play with her doggy friends Wilbur and Augie, which she loved. It was a beautiful day, so we ate dinner outside. Then we exercised to season 1 of "American Idol" in preparation for seeing Kelly Clarkson in concert.
Tomkin went to the office on Friday, and I turned in the grant application!!! Wow, what a relief that was. It was definitely a good learning experience and hopefully the next one will be easier. I ran some errands and baked cupcakes for the party. We took Chloe for a walk, and then I did more party preparation while Tomkin read. We decided that we should go out to celebrate the completion of my first federal grant, so we headed to the outdoor bar at W.A. Frost--just in time for late-night happy hour! We split a few appetizers, and I had a yummy drink. It was a lovely celebration.
Saturday's big event was Chloe's birthday party! Her cake arrived in the early afternoon (a bone-shaped ground beef cake with potato frosting). We packed everything up and headed over to Jim and Roxanne's--they (and their chocolate lab, Watson) graciously agreed to host the party in their big fenced-in backyard. We got all the food, doggy bags, and decorations set up, and Tomkin hung the dog-treat-filled pinata from a tree. Jim was happy to take on video duties after he built a nice fire. (It was unseasonably chilly!) Guests started arriving right at 3:00, and everyone stayed until 5:00. We ended up having eight dogs total (including Chloe), and everyone got along very well. First everyone just ran around and played.

Bucky, Piper, Guybrush, Otto, and WatsonOtto and Guybrush in play mode.
Chloe and Wilbur enjoying a quiet moment alone.

It was a great yard for throwing balls or other toys, and the dogs were happy to retrieve them (or chase after other running dogs). The human guests seemed to have a good time, too.
Ben & Kelly, Raj & Sheri, Tracy, Jim, Bella, and Julie
Ben getting down with the dogs.
Wilbur checks out Raj as Tracy looks on.Ben and Kelly with their new puppy, Pearl.
Tomkin and the birthday girl.

We all gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday" to Chloe, and then each dog got a slice of birthday cake. After a little more playtime, we headed for the pinata. Tomkin gave it a go first, and then Jim and I tried. Tomkin swings at the pinata while Watson and the humans watch.

We couldn't break it open, but we did manage to lower it a little. Finally, Watson jumped in and took over! He wanted to get the job done, and he did. It was awesome! Go, Watson, go!

Dog treats scattered everywhere, which kept all the pooches busy for a while. Guybrush and Piper asking Mom for more treats.

Some of the dogs enjoyed swimming in the backyard pond. It's not really meant for swimming, but the pooches didn't seem to care!Bucky emerging from the swimming hole.

Guybrush getting a rubdown after enjoying a swim.

Chloe got some wonderful gifts, including lots of yummy treats and a stuffed lion from Bella that's her new favorite toy (and pillow). As everyone left, we sent them home with doggy bags that included three kinds of homemade dog treats (with recipes), a tennis ball, and a few other goodies. I thought the party went really well and was a lot of fun! Not that Chloe really understood it, but it still felt nice to have a special celebration in her honor. We got everything cleaned up and headed home. We were all pretty beat, so we just rested for a while, and then Tomkin and I exercised. We all curled up on the couch and watched "I Love You, Man," which was hilarious. I highly recommend it!

More Summer Celebrations

Still playing catch-up here on the blog.... Back on Tuesday, August 16th, I dove back into working on the biofuels grant. Tomkin even did the weekly shopping trip to Target so I could keep researching and writing. We did take a break to walk Chloe, which I needed. That night Tomkin came along to Chloe's therapy dog class to observe (and take pictures). Chloe did well, although she gets so excited that some of the things she's usually good at go right out the door when we're in class. I guess that's why she needs to be trained well enough to behave in any environment. And we're getting there!
Wednesday morning Tomkin saw a radiologist about his arm and got a cortisone shot. It does seem to be helping! Even now (at the beginning of September), his arm is still a little sore, but it's definitely better. He had lunch with his friend John and then headed in to the office. I worked on the grant and actually finished up a first draft! That felt like a good step--like all the pieces were finally coming together. I also worked on a little dog training with Chloe. Unfortunately, she was naughty when Tomkin took her along to poker that night (wouldn't listen, kept trying to get food off the table). I had a premarital counseling session and then did a little more work.
Thursday morning we exercised while watching the movie "Role Models" (not very good). Tomkin headed to the office, and I met up with Helena to get manicures. Usually I only get a pedicure, but this was part of my early birthday gift from Helena, and I have to admit that it was a nice treat to get a mani, too! And, of course, fun to see Helena. I got the house all ready for Third Thursdays, and we took Chloe for a walk. Our featured drink this month was vodka lemonades. Simple and refreshing. We had a relatively small group (12 guests), but that was kind of nice because we actually got to visit with everyone more. I pulled out my photo album from the semester that Helena and I spent in Amsterdam during college (back in 1990!), studying art history. Fun flashbacks! Since we had tickets to see Kelly Clarkson in concert and American Idols Live! I featured Kelly's music as well as the best of Adam Lambert (and dressed accordingly) at the party. It was a really fun night!
On Friday we went over to Tom and Nancy's house for lunch. Jenny and Allison had flown in for the weekend to help celebrate Tom's 80th birthday, so it was a treat to see them, too! After we ate, we went outside so Tomkin could help bring down a dead tree branch. He's very brave! Tomkin ran some errands and went to the office. I baked cupcakes (sugar-free!) for Tom's birthday and then did some work. It was a beautiful day out, so we were glad to take Chloe for a walk. That evening we met up with Jenny and Allison for dinner at Pizza Luce, and then they came back to our place and hung out for a while. It's always so fun spending time and talking with them.
Tomkin had a wedding early on Saturday. I ran errands and got the house ready for Tom's 80th birthday party. Tomkin fixed lunch (scallops, veggies, and sweet potato fries), and we served everyone as soon as they arrived at 1:00. I lit candles on the cupcakes, and we sang "Happy Birthday" to Tom, then enjoyed cupcakes and ice cream. We also raised our glasses in a toast to Tom! With our bellies full, we all moved into the living room, where Jenny presented her dad with a scroll on which was written "80 Legends About Tom Coleman." She had printed out a copy for each of us, so we took turns reading about Tom's heroic deeds, acts of kindness, and other memorable actions throughout his life. (And what a life it's been!) We asked Tom about some of the legends, and he explained the stories and told us that--in some cases--memory (of friends and family) had caused his deeds to be exaggerated. But since it was to his benefit, he really didn't mind. He got other presents to open, too. I think his favorite was the Sacred Heart belt buckle (on a black belt). He proudly put it on right away. It was really a wonderful celebration. I am so lucky to be a part of this incredible family! Tomkin and I took Chloe for a walk, cleaned up the house, and did a crossword puzzle. We bought tickets to Boston so we can see Scotty and Jake in November, and then we figured out a year-round travel budget. Turns out in 2008 we took 13 trips (many of them were very short, though). This year we've taken fewer trips, but two of them have been (or will be) big ones: Spain (which I can't believe I still haven't blogged about) and Hawaii. We've already got a few trips on the itinerary for next year, too. Always nice to have fun things to look forward to!
Sunday was a relaxing Sabbath day. We read on the porch and worked on our itinerary for Hawaii. Tomkin has been doing lots of research, so it was fun to plan out day-by-day exactly what we'd like to do (snorkeling, hiking, horseback riding, going to luaus, seeing volcanoes, taking a helicopter ride, etc.). It's just over six weeks now until we go! We took Chloe for a walk and let her run around in a park, went home and exercised, and read some therapy dog materials. It was a pretty mellow day--a nice ending to another great week!

Stick a (Grand) Fork in Me - I'm Done!

The last few weeks have been kind of insanely busy--which means I have a lot of blogging to catch up on! So let me get started.... Way back on Friday, August 14th, I drove up to Grand Forks. (I coordinated the trip with my mom, who flew up from Texas, and my aunt Candy, who flew up from Florida.) I left about 11:00 and got to Brenda's about 4:15. I listened to a cheesey chick-lit book on CD during the drive, which helped the time pass pretty quickly. I hung out with Brenda for a couple hours, and then my mom picked me up. For years now, Brenda, her mom Barb, my mom, and I have been getting together for a girls' night out, and we inevitably celebrate either my birthday or my mom's birthday. (For some reason, we especially enjoy celebrating my mom's birthday when it's nowhere near the date.) For my 30th birthday (10 years ago!), we all went to Florida, where my mom was living at the time, and spent my birthday swimming with the manatees. Anyway, Mom and I decided that this year we would celebrate Barb and Brenda's birthdays (which are in November and December). And since Candy was in town, too, and her 60th birthday was just a few days away, we added her to the celebration. Mom and I picked Happy Joe's for the party site. Not the most sophisticated place...but we got a whole room to ourselves, where we could decorate and be rowdy. We got the room all set up, and then Barb, Brenda, and Candy arrived. We had a great time talking, laughing, being silly, eating, opening presents, blowing bubbles, and making a lot of noise. It was a really fun celebration.We also had cake and ice cream.
We closed down the restaurant and then headed back to Barb's house, where we got to meet her adorable dog, Jade. Then Brenda and I stopped by the Muddy Waters Clay Center, which she helped to found. So cool!
On Saturday, Brenda and I hung out with her animals (three dogs and one cat, all of whom are rescues--she does a lot of work for Hull's Haven border collie rescue) at her house, and then we hit some of the Grand Forks highlights. We started with a trip to Widman's candy store so I could pick up some Chippers (chocolate-covered potato chips). Always a must-have when visiting Grand Forks!Then we swung by the farmer's market before getting lunch at LaCampana. I headed over to my uncle Mike & aunt Renee's house. Mom, Candy, Grandma, and my cousins Laura, Benjamin, and Alex were there, too.We enjoyed a barbecue (Renee even made orange Jell-o with mandarin oranges--my favorite!) and looked at pictures (Mom had gotten together with some high school friends that day, and one of them had put together a DVD of old photos, plus Michael had some great travel shots). And of course we played Rock Band! I loved at one point that Mom, Candy, and Renee were cracking up, and Mom could NOT stop laughing! Once it got dark, we went outside and sat around a fire. Renee had made some brandy slushies that were deLISHious. I only had one, since I had to drive back to Brenda's. (I think these would be perfect for Third Thursdays sometime....)
Sunday I hung out with Brenda for a while, and then Mom picked me up. We stopped by the store to get some drinks and snacks, and then we went to my Grandma's new home, a place called Tufte Manor. We all gathered in one of the meeting rooms. My great-uncle Ralph and his wife, Lou, came by to visit with everyone. Grandma showed me her room and gave me a little tour of the place. But mostly we all just sat and chatted and laughed. Mom and Candy took me, Michael, Renee, Laura, Benjamin, and Alex out for dinner at LaCampana. (Can you tell it's everyone's favorite Mexican restaurant?) Then Mom, Candy, and I drove around town looking at houses they had lived in growing up and a couple that I had lived in as a kid. We all went to Brenda's so Mom and Candy could check out her gorgeous yard and gardens. She doesn't just have a green thumb--she's got a whole green hand! (She's a woman of many talents.)Brenda and I hung out in her backyard with the dogs since it was such a beautiful day. Then we headed to the Blue Moose for drinks and desserts. Yay!
Monday I hit the road about 8:30 and got home at 2:00. As soon as I got back I was swamped with work. But I was pooped, so we took a nap and then walked Chloe. I unpacked, got some work done, and we exercised. It was so fun to see everyone up in Grand Forks! The time always flies by.

Another Week in the Life...

Tomorrow I'm heading up to Grand Forks for a few days--my mom and my aunt Candy are arriving there today. I know I'll have a lot to blog about after the weekend, so I thought I'd catch up before I go.
Last Saturday, August 8th, Tomkin and I braved the hot, muggy weather and finally made it to the farmers market (we've been meaning to go all summer!), where we got some wheat bread with walnuts, kohlrabi, big juicy tomatoes (one of which I dropped--splat!), chunks of pork, and a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. Back at home we took a nap, and then Tomkin headed out to officiate two weddings. I stayed home and worked on the grant. Later, we both took Chloe for a walk--it was lightly raining out, but it actually felt kind of nice. At the Caribou Coffee on Grand, we ran into Chris and Hannah, out for a walk. Hannah (Heidi's 16-year-old daughter) just left yesterday to spend a year in Japan on a Rotary program. We made our way home, and Tomkin read while I worked on the grant. (There is definitely a learning curve, and I still feel like I'm on the incline!)
I was really grateful for our Sabbath day on Sunday. We started by taking Chloe for a nice long walk down Snelling and Grand. We stopped in a vintage clothing shop, and Tomkin found a cool shirt and hat. Then Tomkin took Chloe to the hardware store while I did some shopping in Avalon. By this point we were pretty hungry, so we ordered a couple slices of pizza at the Italian Pie Shoppe and ate outside. Once we got home, Tomkin worked in the yard, and I read my People magazine on the front porch. (That has become one of my favorite Sabbath traditions!) Then Tomkin read while I wrapped presents to take along to Grand Forks. Tomorrow (Friday) night, my mom and I are hosting a combo birthday celebration for my aunt Candy (who turns 60 on the 19th!), my friend Brenda, and her mom, Barb. We exercised to part of the movie "Fame" (Tomkin had never seen it!) and watched the rest of it upstairs on the couch. We decided we're going to see the new version on opening night in September. Even if it's not very good, it'll still be fun to see it and how they've updated it for 2009.
Monday morning we were back to the grind. Tomkin had a dentist appointment and then worked at the office. I made my weekly shopping trek to Target. We both took Chloe for a walk, and we tried using her new "cool bandanna," but it didn't really seem to cool her off much. That night I finished wrapping presents while Tomkin read. Then I tried to work on the grant, but it was making me so miserable that Tomkin suggested we watch a movie instead. (Hooray for Netflix and the instant queue!) We ended up watching the documentary "Helvetica" about the font called Helvetica. It was fascinating, thought-provoking, and really well done.
Tuesday I actually did work on the grant, and I also did some shopping at Trader Joe's. Tomkin met with a couple and then worked at a restaurant. (Love the freedom of laptops!) We both took Chloe for a walk, and I kept her Gentle Leader headcollar on the whole time. (She wasn't thrilled about it, but she eventually got used to it.) That night Tomkin met with a couple, and I had my first therapy dog training session with Chloe at the Golden Valley Humane Society. I was so proud of her! She really did a great job. First of all, she was fearless going into the building and the training room. There were six or seven other dogs there, and she seemed very comfortable with everyone, both human and canine. We and one other team (handler and dog) were new to the class. We started out by just walking around the room and getting Chloe used to the wheelchair, crutches, and walker. We practiced the down-stay, meeting new people, moving out of tight spaces, "watch me," and "leave it," which was no problem for her until we got to the Kong. (It might have peanut butter in it!) They tried to stress out the dogs with a bouncing ball, a stroller, and a funny waddling duck toy, and we talked about calming signals dogs use (such as licking their lips, yawning, or looking away). Chloe was good and mellow the whole time, and she got lots of praise and treats, so I think it was a positive experience for her. We've got reading and homework assignments for next week--I'm already looking forward to the next class! If all goes well, we should complete the training in October, and she'll get evaluated and be ready to start volunteering by November.
Wednesday morning we brought my car in because the "Service Engine Soon" light has been on for the last week or so. Turns out the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced--for a total cost of about $400. Ouch. Tomkin had lunch with his folks and then worked at the office. I worked on grant stuff at home. We took Chloe for a walk and picked up the car. Tomkin got the results of his MRI--turns out that nothing is torn; his elbow is just inflamed. Basically, he should have started treating it right after his bike accident but since he didn't the injury was exacerbated. He's going in for a cortisone shot soon, and we're really hoping that will do the trick. Tomkin brought Chloe along to his weekly poker game, and I led a premarital counseling session, talked to my mom, and did more grant work. I am definitely feeling a little overwhelmed right now with all that needs to get done in the next couple weeks. I have a lot of fun things to look forward to (this trip to Grand Forks, Jenny & Allison coming to town, dog training, hosting some parties), but having the grant work on top of everything else is really stressing me out. Some of it's starting to come together now, but I'm just getting started on the Project Narrative, which is the real meat of the proposal. I know it'll all get done, and it helps to have such a wonderful and supportive husband, but I'll be really glad when the grant is finished....
This morning (Thursday) Tomkin and I exercised while watching the documentary "Wordplay," about the New York Times crossword puzzle and related tournament. It's a really fun movie. Tomkin headed to the office, and I ran some errands and started preparing for my weekend trip. We took Chloe for a short walk, and then Tomkin worked while I packed. I was supposed to have a grant meeting tonight, but it got canceled. Just as well--I had plenty of other things to keep me busy. We were able to get together with JimDog, which was fun. He came by the house, and then we all walked over to Pizza Luce. He took the bar exam a couple weeks ago, so we haven't gotten to see him much lately. It was good to catch up. And now I need to finish getting ready so I can hit the road to Grand Forks in the morning! Have a great weekend everyone!

Dog Days of Summer

Last Saturday, August 1st, we lounged in bed until noon. So decadent! Once we were finally up and moving, we walked with Chloe to Patina and Rebel Ink Baby to pick up some gifts and to Dairy Queen to get treats for ourselves. Then Tomkin had to go do a wedding, and I caught up on blogging. That evening we went to a party at Kris and Dave's. Their French friends Natalie and Jackie were in town, and it was a true delight to meet them. Also, it was fun to see Brad and Ron again--they're one of the couples we met at Solera a couple weeks ago. We spent a little time out in the garden area, but mostly we just stayed near the food and wine inside, chatting and having a great time. Near the end of the evening, Kris pulled out her ukulele and serenaded us all. Oui, oui!
On Sunday we lounged around the house for a while and then headed to Paws on Grand. Many of the stores on Grand Ave. are already good about allowing dogs. But on this special day, just about every store opens its doors to pets. Plus there are some special activities, and there are lots and lots of dog treats available (which is Chloe's favorite part). It's really fun to see all the different dog breeds, from chihuahuas to great pyrenees. Pretty amazing! The streets were packed with dogs and people. We made our way down one side of the street, took a short detour to get Chloe blessed at the UCC church on Summit, then made our way back down the other side of Grand. We ended at Grand Ave. Vet, where they had a short little pet parade and then a talent show. We entered at the last minute. Our "talent" was to see who was more obedient--Chloe or Tomkin. First I told them both to sit. Gotta say, Tomkin was much faster! Then I said to lie down. Again, Tomkin was first. Chloe was actually pretty distracted! But it was still fun. We were all tired, so we headed home and took a nap. I looked through a bunch of old photos (working on a little project) while Tomkin read. Then we both exercised to the new TV show "Dating in the Dark." Interesting concept, to have people meet and get to know each other in a totally dark room, then see if they want to keep dating once the lights go on.
On Monday, Tomkin headed to the office, and I went grocery shopping at Target. Then I worked on grant stuff, and Tomkin had a rehearsal (on a Monday! weird). We took Chloe for a walk down Summit Ave., and then I worked on the front porch while Tomkin read.
Tuesday, Tomkin met with a couple, and we both worked at home. With this grant proposal due August 28th, there's plenty to keep me busy. We took Chloe for a walk, and then we got dressed up for our evening out. We saw "Ella" at the Guthrie--it turned out to be one of my favorite shows we've seen there. It's set in Nice, France, with Ella about to perform after flying back from the U.S. for her half-sister's funeral. Throughout the first act, as Ella prepares to take the stage, she practices her "patter" with the audience, talking about her life thus far. Her banter is seamlessly interwoven with music, and we learn about her childhood traumas, how the Apollo Theater wouldn't let her sing there because she was too fat and ugly, how her career eventually took off, and about her struggles to be a wife and mother. The cast is small (six people, four of whom are musicians), and the actress who plays Ella (Tina Fabrique) is amazing. The second act is the show itself, and I really felt like we had been transported to the theater in France, with Ella Fitzgerald performing in front of us. It was a thoroughly enjoying evening of theater! After the show, Tomkin and I used a gift certificate to try out the new restaurant Sea Change, located in the Guthrie. It was fine, but neither of us was blown away. We ordered a few appetizers, and I had a beer. The service was pretty bad, and the food was mostly mediocre. Neither of us would probably go back, but it was fun to check it out.
Tomkin had lunch with his folks on Wednesday, then went into the office. I worked on grant stuff, and then I met up with Helena at Red Nails--she treated me to a pedicure as an early birthday gift. (Let the 40th birthday celebrations begin!) We chatted, chatted, chatted as our tootsies got all prettied up. It's always such a treat to see her. I headed over to the party store to pick up some goodies for next weekend (I'm going to Grand Forks, and we're doing a little combo birthday bash), Tomkin's dad's 80th birthday (also this month), and Chloe's upcoming party. Tomkin and I took Chloe for a walk down Summit, and then Chloe joined Tomkin at his weekly poker game. I headed to the Golden Valley Humane Society for the intro session to the therapy dog training that Chloe will be starting next week. It was almost two hours (long...), but I got some good information. I am SO excited to get started! I think Chloe will enjoy it, and I look forward to volunteering with her. When I got home, I called my mom so we could have our weekly phone chat. Then Tomkin got home from poker, and we got caught up on all the evening's events.
On Thursday, Tomkin went to the office, and I met him there in the afternoon (after working at home in the morning) so I could talk with Jerad about the grant. (I also got to see their beautiful office cat, Muscles.) We had a productive meeting, and I left with another long list of stuff to do! I made a couple stops, at Cub and the dollar store, and then got ready for my premarital counseling session...which ended up getting postponed. We started working with Chloe to get her used to wearing a Gentle Leader headcollar (recommended for therapy dog work). I had tried using one right after I got her (years ago...), and she HATED it. But this time we introduced it to her slowly, and we used lots of delicious treats (like roasted chicken and a beef bone) to help her associate the collar with good things. Tomkin had a wedding rehearsal, and when he got back we exercised to the previous night's "So You Think You Can Dance." I was so afraid that I'd end up finding out who won (plus we were dying to know!), so we watched the finale as well. That was a lot of TV! But it was fun. Neither of my favorites won...but it'll still be amazing to see them all dance live when they're touring here on my birthday!
Yesterday (Friday), Tomkin met with a couple, and I spent the afternoon running errands. I dropped off some magazines at Heidi's (her teenage daughter, Hannah, leaves for a year in Japan later this week), got a spray tan, popped into Bibelot, and went to the liquor store, bank, post office, and Kowalski's. Tomkin got an MRI, so hopefully next week we'll know why his arm is still hurting so much. I worked on grant stuff, and then--since it was Friday night and we both needed a pick-me-up--we decided to go out for dinner. We tried India House on Grand Ave., and it was such a find! We split the appetizer plate, and then Tomkin got palak paneer, and I got my favorite, chicken tikka masala. We were impressed with all the food, and the service was excellent. I had already decided that I wanted to serve Indian food for my birthday dinner, and now I know where I'll get it. Fabulous! When we got home, I did a little more work while Tomkin read. Then we all curled up on the couch and watched a documentary called "Dogs and More Dogs." We made it an early night since we were pretty pooped.
I hope you're having a good August so far! Enjoy these summer days, and thanks, as always, for reading my blog!

Dinners, Drinks, and Day-to-Day Happenings

Way back on Monday, July 20th, we had a fairly standard day. Tomkin went into the office, and I got stuff done at home. Chloe's certificate of being a Canine Good Citizen arrived from the AKC, so that was kind of exciting! Tomkin and I both took Chloe for a walk, and that night I led a premarital counseling session and Tomkin met with a couple. (The photo below is us in our work duds.) We took Chloe for a second walk, then relaxed at home.
On Tuesday, Tomkin met with a couple, then went to the office. I did some editing then went grocery shopping at Target. That evening I had a premarital counseling session, and Tomkin went to the library. Our friend Mark came over, and we all went for a walk down Summit and Grand before heading to Pizza Luce for some food and drinks. Mark is moving from New York to California to get an MBA in "green" business. We wish him all the best!
That Wednesday I ran some errands, and Tomkin researched stuff for us to do in Hawaii. We also ordered a few items we'll need (water shoes, a waterproof bag that will allow us to use our digital camera underwater, prescription goggles, etc.). Less than three months now until our trip! We brought Chloe along to have lunch at Tom and Nancy's. Their yard is so lush and beautiful!Then we went to the Dunn Bros coffee shop in St. Louis Park to see an exhibit of paintings by Jessie Marieniello of Stray Dog Arts--she's the art who's going to paint Scout and Chloe's portraits. I just love her stuff! We went home and exercised to the first season of "American Idol," and then we took Chloe for a walk and let her run off some steam. That evening, Tomkin had his weekly poker game (at Ben's new house in Eagan this time), and I led a premarital counseling session and then talked to my mom. We're both getting very excited for our trip to Grand Forks, which is just a couple weeks away now!
Thursday morning we exercised to "American Idol" again, and then Tomkin had lunch with his friend Fletch (who will be moving here soon with his wife, Liz!) before heading to the office. I ran errands and did some editing, and then we both took Chloe for a walk. That night Syd and Dave picked us up and brought us to dinner at Solera. Neither of us had been there before--it was quite a treat! We had planned this months ago as a belated celebration for Tomkin's 40th birthday. Once a month, Solera has a "Flavors of Spain" tasting menu, and this month the region was Galacia. We had three courses of amazing seafood, plus dessert (eight dishes all together)! It was all delicious, but my favorites were the octopus and the cheese course. We also had incredible wines to go with each course. We were seated at a table for eight with two gay couples, and we had a great time talking with them. One couple had been together 18 years, and the other couple had been together 21 years! By the end of the night, we had all exchanged e-mail addresses and we hugged good-bye like old friends. It was quite a fun and festive evening!
Friday morning we got tickets to see the live tour of "So You Think You Can Dance"! The show in Minneapolis is on my birthday, so that will be a fun way to celebrate. I spoke with Jessie Marieniello about the dog portraits she's going to paint. I had to decide which amazing photo of Chloe I wanted her to use. You can see all the possibilities from Jessie's photo shoot with Chloe here. I decided to go with the last image, #3129. To me, that really captures Chloe's personality. This is the photo of Scout Jessie's going to paint:It's from his birthday party, when he was just a couple years old. I love how he looks like he's smiling and ready for any adventure--that's exactly how he was. I am SO excited about these portraits. Jessie is hoping to get them done by my birthday in October. Tomkin worked on house projects and then went to the office. I went over to see Heidi, who's due with her third child next month. She's been put on bed rest for a few weeks. I picked up a slice of cake from Cafe Latte and also brought over a huge stack of magazines. It was fun to sit and chat with her for a while. Her daughter Hannah is leaving for a year-long Rotary trip to Japan in just a couple weeks, plus the family is moving to a new house soon, and of course the baby is coming, so she's got a lot going on! Tomkin and I went to Helena's yoga class at the Center for Happiness. That hour-and-a-half just FLIES by, and I always feel so good when the class is done. We headed home to change clothes, then went to Helena's house. We brought her a gift basket inspired by the scene in It's a Wonderful Life where they give the family bread, wine, and salt when they move into their new home. We changed it up a little--in addition to bread and salt, we brought sparkling water, grapes, a chocolate bar, and toy mice for Helena's cats. The three of us walked to Mirror of Korea for a delicious dinner. Then we got an outdoor table at the fabulous Gingko Coffeehouse. Marcus joined us, and we all sat and talked while we enjoyed yummy drinks. We went back to Helena's house, sprawled on the floor with her cats, Solomon and Norma, and just kept talking. It felt like being back in college! It was really a wonderful night.
On Saturday, Tomkin met with a couple, then performed a wedding. I worked on editing and grant-writing stuff, blogged, and got some stuff done around the house. We took Chloe for a walk and then just hung out and relaxed at home.
Sunday was a nice, quiet Sabbath day. We walked Chloe to the library, then at home we read and relaxed. We watched a documentary called "Dogs That Changed the World," and then we exercised to "So You Think You Can Dance."
On Monday, I officially accepted an offer to write my first federal grant proposal. It just so happens that one of the guys at Tomkin's office is applying for a USDA grant, and he was happy to get some help. I have to wrap everything up by Friday, August 28th, which means August is going to be incredibly busy (especially since we also start dog training, I've got a few counseling sessions booked, I'm going to Grand Forks, Jenny & Allison are coming to town...). Tomkin headed into the office, I went shopping at Target, and then we both walked Chloe. That night Tomkin and Chloe hung out in the basement while I led a premarital counseling session, and then I did some editing.
Tuesday morning I went in for a physical (turns out my vitamin D is low, which is fairly common in this part of the country; otherwise things look good). I worked on grant stuff, and Tomkin went to the office, then we both walked Chloe. That evening we saw "When We Are Married" at the Guthrie, which was quite entertaining. Then we went downstairs to the new restaurant Sea Change and had a drink at the bar. Tomkin is always such a fun date!
Wednesday morning Tomkin had a physical (his vitamin D is low, too, and his cholesterol's a little high). They took an X-ray of his arm to confirm that nothing's broken (it's not). Since he's still in so much pain, they might do an MRI. In the meantime, he's supposed to use his right arm as little as possible, which means I need to help out more with cooking and other stuff. Tomkin had lunch with his folks, and I sat on the front porch with Chloe and worked on grant stuff. That afternoon, I met with Jerad (the man who hired me) about the grant--it was very productive, if a bit overwhelming. We took Chloe for a walk, and then Tomkin went to his weekly poker game, and I talked to my mom. Then I did a little more work and wrote out the invitations to Chloe's birthday party, which will be on August 29th.
On Thursday, Tomkin went to the office and met with a couple. I mowed the lawn (first time using the push mower!) and worked on grant stuff. We walked Chloe to the Mississippi Market and picked up some vitamins and a few groceries. Lucky Chloe got to carry everything home! I did some editing work, and Tomkin talked to his friend Scotty. Then we both exericised to "SYTYCD." That really makes the time fly!
Friday (yesterday) was one of those days that felt like "the best of times, the worst of times." We got some good news from a friend but some bad news from a family member. It really feels like there's a lot going on right now.... Tomkin went to the office, and I ran errands, led a counseling session, then worked on the front porch. (It's been really fun to watch all the birds and squirrels outside. At one point there were five bluejays!) By about 7:30 I was feeling pretty drained, so Tomkin, Chloe, and I all headed over to W.A. Frost and got some dinner and drinks on their beautiful patio. That was just what I needed! Then we all went home, curled up on the couch, and watched "Dan in Real Life," which we both really liked.
And now, somehow, we're into August already! I hope that you're having a wonderful summer. Thanks, as always, for reading my blog!

Getting Carrie-ed Away in the Twin Cities

Last Thursday (July 16th), my friend Carrie flew in from Chicago. I spent the morning setting up the guest room (aka Tomkin's dressing room) and preparing for our Third Thursdays party that night. I picked up Carrie at the airport about 2:30, and we came home to drop off her stuff and let her settle in a bit. She brought some lovely hostess gifts--very sweet! Although it was a bit chilly out, we walked down to Grand Ave. and hit the happy hour at Salut. It was fun to relax, chat, and catch up on everything that's been happening in our lives. We headed home, and then Becca and Omar dropped off six types of Surly beer about 6:30, including some delicious (and highly sought-after) Darkness. They went to grab some dinner, and we got the beer all iced up and ready to go. Our party that night was really fun--our biggest Third Thursdays crowd yet. People eventually spilled out onto the patio and front steps, in addition to gathering in the usual living room, dining room, and kitchen areas. (Note Becca's and my matching "Surly Girl" T-shirts and Tomkin and Omar's matching Surly workshirts.)