Wedding/Travel Update

Things are still moving along with our wedding plans. I've got my dress and jewelry, we both have our rings, the invitations are addressed, and the vendors are all booked. We have some other odds and ends done as well. It's amazing that we've only been engaged three weeks as of tomorrow! I guess it helps to keep things small and simple. Tomkin put a photo of us on his Web site. We're leaving tomorrow for a trip to Grand Forks. I'm so excited! My mom will be there, too, and Tomkin will get to meet my grandma, my friend Brenda (my maid of honor), and my uncle Mike and his family. I'm looking forward to showing Tomkin around town--he always refers to Grand Forks as "the country," so I think he'll be surprised at how big it really is. Tomkin's friend Ben is going to stay at our place and watch the dogs while we're gone. Have I mentioned that Ben is awesome? We'll be back on Tuesday, in time to caucus for Obama. I'm hoping it really will be a Super Tuesday!

Amy on the Blog!

On Tuesday, my friend Amy (we've been friends since our freshman year at Carleton--20 years ago!) came to town for a conference. She stayed with me and Tomkin until this morning. It was so fun to see her! This is a big year for her, too--she's pregnant with her first baby, due in June. It was cool to see her little belly. Tuesday night we braved the cold (no more tropical weather for us!) and met up with Becca at Tum Rup Thai in Uptown. That was really fun. Amy was away for much of Wednesday, but we did get a chance to sit and visit some more last night. She headed back to Baltimore this morning. Hopefully we'll get to see her again soon!

Do You Drink Beer? Do You Like to Wear Shirts?

If you answered "yes" to both of those questions, then you should check out the T-shirts at ScapeGoat Ink. Nick, a former coworker at PIL, has started this business with his brother. Perhaps you'd be even more interested after downing a couple cans of Surly....

Is This Minnesota...or Florida?

It got to about 40 degrees here on Monday, and you would have thought we were in the tropics! Tomkin and I went back downtown to go to the St. Paul Library. It happens to be right next to the ice sculptures, which were starting to melt. Tomkin took off his coat for a photo, then even took off his shirt. He quickly realized it was WAY too cold to do that. (It made for good pictures, though!) The library was beautiful--I hadn't been there before. I checked out some wedding books, and Tomkin got some books on CD for our upcoming road trip. Man, do I love St. Paul!

St. Paul Winter Carnival

After the brunch on Sunday, Tomkin and I went home and got the dogs, then met up with Mark and Sissy at the St. Paul Winter Carnival, which is held in downtown St. Paul. I mainly wanted to see the ice sculptures, which were really cool. It was pretty busy, though, and we spent much of our time answering questions about the dogs. ("Rhodesian Ridgebacks....He's 8, and she's 7....No, that's not a scar, it's her ridge of fur....") The temperature was in the 30s, which is a veritable heat wave here these days. There were people walking around in sweatshirts (or T-shirts!) with no gloves or hats. My blood is getting thicker, but I'm definitely not at that point yet.

Engagement Brunch

Sunday morning we went to Tomkin's friend Sophia's house. She threw a brunch party to celebrate our engagement. It was really fun! JimDog, Pete, Mark & Sissy, and Ellen (all friends of Tomkin's, but becoming friends of mine, too) were there, and we had a great time. The food was amazing--two kinds of quiches, banana/chocolate chip muffins, bacon, sausage, fruit, mimosas, and coffee. It was wonderful. We sat and visited for about three hours, talking politics and wedding stuff and laughing a lot. Who knew getting engaged would have so many fun perks?

Dog-Friendly St. Paul

It was finally nice enough on Saturday that Tomkin and I could take Scout and Chloe for a good, long walk. We went down to the CVS on Grand Avenue, and the dogs got to come inside with us. Later, we went to our awesome neighborhood video store and brought the dogs there, too. We rented "Raging Bull," which I had seen eons ago and Tomkin had never seen. WOW, is that a good movie. The dogs enjoyed the movie, too, mostly because of the popcorn we made--and shared with them.

Blog Tip

In case you didn't already know this.... If you want to see an enlarged version of a photo, just click on it with your mouse. Then hit the back button to get back to the blog. Voila!

Girls Rock!

Last Friday night I did something I'd never done before--indoor rock climbing. Lucas (one of our neighbors) has put together a group (The GO Girls) who goes out and does a fun activity every month. It's really cool. (She is so motivated!) We went to a place called Vertical Endeavors. I wasn't nervous at all beforehand. I'm not afraid of heights, and I figured we'd be strapped in, and you just climb up a wall and whatever. No problem! Our group went through the very short orientation, where they gave us basic safety instructions and that was about it. We put on our harnesses and very tight shoes and then just started climbing up. I realized pretty quickly that it was going to be more challenging than I had anticipated. In fact, the first time I went up, I got to the top of the wall, looked down, and completely froze. It suddenly occurred to me that I didn't want to let go, nor did I want to climb back down. Unfortunately, those were the only two options. So eventually I just let go. Tip: When rock climbing, don't just let go when you get to the top. Stick out your feet and use them to bounce against the wall. That works much better than bouncing against your back, butt, elbows, etc., which is what I did. So that kind of sucked. To be honest, I really didn't want to go up again. But then I realized my fear would be winning, and I didn't want that to happen. So I went up again and then one more time. And that was enough for me. It was really interesting to see how some of the women in our group really blossomed as they overcame their fears. One woman climbed down the first time because she was too afraid to let go; after another eight or so times of climbing, she was practically glowing! Another woman was literally shaking and could hardly move after her first trip back down the wall. But, again, the more she did it, the more confident she was. It was fun to watch the other people in our group and also some of the people who obviously do this a LOT! I don't think rock climbing is really my sport, but I'm glad I tried it.

Working Girl

Sorry that, once again, it's been so long between posts! It's been a pretty crazy last week or so--mostly in a good way. Last Tuesday I got a call from a local photographer who found me through my Web site. He's publishing a book of his photos and needed someone to edit the accompanying text. We met up on Wednesday, and I've gotten most of the editing done. Then on Thursday I signed on as a contract editor for a local educational publishing company. I didn't realize how quickly I'd be diving into that job--I worked on my first assignment over the weekend and on Monday and got it in 15 minutes before the Tuesday noon deadline. Phew! I've placed ads in a few places and am constantly reaching out to get more work. Also, Tomkin and I are collaborating on some magazine articles, which is fun. If you know anyone who needs a freelance editor, let me know!

Zen Dog

I think the dogs have been feeling a little down lately, especially since we haven't been walking them as much in this ultra-cold weather. I'm not sure if Chloe was meditating or what this morning, but she sure looked peaceful.

Weddings, Work & Working Out

So the wedding preparations are moving right along! We have ordered invitations, booked a caterer, a photographer, and a videographer, and last night I ordered my dress! Brenda has agreed to be my maid of honor, and Tomkin and I have been talking about what we want to include in our ceremony. We've decided to write our own vows, which I think will be a little challenging--but totally worth it. I'm finding that it's easy to get caught up in wedding planning, so it's nice to have other things to think about, too. For one thing, Tomkin and I have started exercising together almost every day. He bought a used treadmill and exercise bike, and we've them set up in the library. We've been recording lots of fun shows on the downstairs TiVo, so we watch an hour's worth of TV while we walk or bike, and the exercise time flies by! It's been great. I've been such a slacker about exercising these last few months, it's nice to finally push myself again. We've also been brainstorming about new ideas for freelance work. Today we went to The Loft in Minneapolis, and we discussed some ideas about how I can get my name out and try to get more work. We also have some ideas for working together. It was really fun--and good to feel more motivated and excited about it again.

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Yesterday morning Tomkin and I went to Macy's in downtown Minneapolis for their Ever After bridal event. Even though we're having a small ceremony and not doing a lot of the traditional wedding things, Tomkin has encouraged me to really enjoy this bride-to-be time and everything that comes with it. We got free samples of cake, food, and champagne, and they had info and presentations about things you could register for. Unfortunately, because of the cold weather, a water main broke. Those poor event planners! Water was literally streaming down the walls and pouring into the area where all the brides-to-be were ogling registry goods. They eventually had to shut down the whole area. Fortunately, another section of the store (three floors up) was also set up for the event. Tomkin and I went up there and watched a bridal gown fashion show. Then we did a little ring shopping for him. It was all fun, but kind of exhausting.
After we left Macy's, we went to Tomkin's friend Ben's parents' house in Apple Valley. Ben does mixed martial arts/ultimate fighting, and he had invited us (and other friends) over to watch a big pay-per-view UFC event. So we hung out for a couple hours and watched some ultimate fighting. I'm a big boxing fan, so I thought I would enjoy it, but it was pretty tough to watch. Way too much blood! Still, we had a good time. We're looking forward to seeing Ben the next time he gets into the ring (or the cage, as the case may be)!

Our Just Desserts

Thursday night Jill and I met up at the dessert and wine bar Zeno Cafe in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. It was a really cool place, and the desserts were amazing! We also both had some champagne. Jill got married last summer, so it was fun to get her insights and suggestions into wedding stuff. We were both so busy in Chicago that we didn't get to hang out that much. But she's so cool, I'm glad we're becoming better friends now and are able to spend more time together. Plus, it was fun having so much girl time in one day!

Lunching with Becca

On Thursday Becca came by, and we walked over to Pizza Luce for lunch. Man, was it cold out! Tomkin and I have a digital thermometer outside our kitchen window; turns out if the temperature dips below 14 degrees, the thermometer just says "Lo." So to us full-time freelancers working from home it's never colder than 14 degrees outside (or so we like to think...). But I have to say, even just walking a block, I could tell that it was WAY below 14 degrees. (Needless to say, we've been a little lax about walking the dogs recently.) Anyway, it was great to have some one-on-one time with Becca. This is the first time since I've moved here that we've hung out alone. And we actually didn't just talk about wedding stuff! We had a long conversation about the upcoming MN caucus and 2008 general election, along with other topics. It's so fun getting to see Becca more often now. Living in Minnesota rocks! (Except, perhaps for those winter temps....)

Surly at the Happy Gnome

Wednesday night, Tomkin and I met up with Syd and Dave at the Happy Gnome to partake in Surly Brewing's introduction of a seasonable mild ale. Delicious! (But why, oh, why does it have to be seasonable?!) Omar and Becca were there (along with lots of Surly fans!), so it was fun getting to chat with them, show them the ring, and get congratulatory hugs. Syd and Dave are getting married in May (with Tomkin officiating), so of course we all talked wedding stuff. It was a really fun night!

Brunching & Beaming

Last Sunday, Tomkin and I met my dad and Sandy for a delicious brunch at Cafe Latte before they went to the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra concert. It was our first time seeing them since we got engaged, and they were simply beaming. It was fun to show them the ring and talk about wedding plans. Sandy will be starting chemo soon, so please keep her in your prayers. She's doing really well, which we're all very thankful for. It was wonderful to see them again--it's such a great bonus of living in the Twin Cities!

Bowlin', Bowlin', Bowlin'

Engaged life is going well so far. :-) After a couple weeks of being sick and being holed up in the house, it's been fun to get out and socialize again. Last Saturday (the 12th), Tomkin and I went bowling with Lucas & Shawn and Heidi from the neighborhood. I hadn't been bowling in ages! It took me a little while to warm up, but I ended up scoring over 100 both games, which I thought was pretty good. Once we finished bowling, Tomkin and I headed to the Dubliner pub to hear his friends Michael and Hanna play Irish music. They were great! Tomkin was even inspired to get up and dance.

We're Engaged!

So it turns out that promise ring didn't have to hold me nearly as long as I'd expected. Last Friday night, January 11th, Tomkin proposed, and I said yes! I'll admit, I knew it was coming. With both of us being sick, we had a lot of time at home alone together to sit and talk, and inevitably the subject of marriage came up. I figure it's a good sign that after a week of being cooped up and miserable, we came out of it getting engaged! Tomkin took me to a gorgeous restaurant called W. A. Frost, located in a historic building in St. Paul. He had told them his plans, so they gave us a lovely corner seat right by the fireplace. It was very cozy and romantic. We had an amazing dinner--really delicious food! Once we were done eating, Tomkin said some wonderful, heartfelt things, and then he got down on one knee, opened the ring box, and asked if I would marry him. I cried and hugged him and said yes. The ring is amazing--it's an orange garnet in a platinum band. I can't stop looking at it. I love it! I've never seen anything like it. (Tomkin ordered it from a designer in California.) We've decided to keep the engagement short and the wedding small. We'll be getting married here at home in April. I'm learning, though, that even with a relatively small and simple ceremony, there are still lots of details to attend to. And we're really having fun with it! Truly, I could not be happier.

Happy New Year!

Tomkin and I threw our first party together on New Year's Eve. It was fun, although it would have been more fun if I hadn't been sick with a terrible cold. (I did manage to rally, although I paid for it later, especially because I lost my voice.) Still, friends and neighbors came over to celebrate and ring in the new year with us, which was wonderful. We had way too much food, and people hardly drank anything (beer, champagne, and sparkling water were the big hits). But there was joy and merriment and laughter and kissing--really, what more could we have asked for?

Quick Update

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted! I came down with a terrible cold right at the end of the year--just as Tomkin and I were preparing to host our first big party together for New Year's Eve. I had fun at the party but totally wore myself out, and I lost my voice, so I couldn't talk for three days. Then Tomkin got sick, so we were both feeling pretty miserable. To top it off, I started having computer problems--apparently my hard drive got sick, too, and it finally conked out on me. Tomkin's friend Ben came over tonight to replace the hard drive (yay, Ben!), so Tomkin is reinstalling programs onto my computer as I type this from his. I'll try to get more photos and updates on the blog soon. I hope everyone had a fun new year and is having a good 2008 so far! I've started off the new year with a whole new appreciation for my health.