Spring Has Sprung

Well, spring is officially here, although I'm not sure you'd know it from the last couple days. Ah, well.... Last Thursday (March 19th) I started out the day by getting a spray tan and running errands. Then I went to Estetica and got a haircut. And I think I've finally found a stylist I like! That has not been an easy task. Tomkin and I walked Chloe and got ready for our Third Thursdays party. This month we served Irish whiskey drinks in honor of St. Patrick's Day. (We also had Irish cream as a back-up.) We had a great turnout, including many of the neighbors and newlyweds Heidi and Chris. By the end, it was me, Tomkin, Helena, Charles, and Luke sitting around laughing and talking. It was a really fun night.
Friday we cleaned up from the party, and then Tomkin met with a couple and went into the office. I got stuff done at home. It was raining, so we didn't go for a walk. That evening we exercised to "Project Runway" and finally watched the finale of "Superstars of Dance." (It was a little anticlimactic, I have to say.)
Saturday was the first day of spring! And it was really a beautiful day. Tomkin and I finally made it to Helena's kundalina yoga class at the Center for Happiness. It was 90 minutes long, but it flew by! This was unlike any yoga I've taken before. I used to take "power yoga" at my gym in Chicago, but this was more spiritual and less physical. (Though I was surprisingly sore the next day!) Tomkin and I both felt relaxed and refreshed when the class was over, like we had awakened from a nice long nap. I felt both centered and energized. It was wonderful! Helena encouraged everyone in the class to write down three things they would like to see happen in their lives over the next six months and then put that paper away somewhere. It's like you're sending those desires out into the universe, and you don't have to think about them any more. So Tomkin and I both did that. I met up with Heidi at Nina's Coffee Cafe, and we talked about plans for our upcoming mini high school reunion. It's just a couple months away now! We found out that our friend Sarah is definitely coming, which is really cool. I probably haven't seen her in 20 years! I'm hoping I can talk my friend Kristen into coming, too. I know for sure that Lana is coming, which is awesome. We've invited about 20 people all together. Tomkin spent the afternoon scraping and then repainting the trim of our front door. I hadn't realized how chipped it was. It looks much nicer now. We took Chloe for a walk--it was gorgeous out! And that night Helena came over, and we all walked over to Pizza Luce. It has been so wonderful to reconnect with her. We all sat and talked for hours and had a great time.
On Sunday we tried an experiment--letting Chloe up on the bed! It's something I've wanted to do for ages (and used to do in Chicago), but Tomkin has been hesitant. So far, so good, although Chloe actually seemed a little confused by the whole thing. But I think she just likes being with the pack, and if that means sleeping on the bed, then that makes her happy! The first night she was a little too twitchy to stay up there the whole time, but she's gotten better throughout the week.Tomkin and I took Chloe to the dog park, although she was having one of her "shy" days and stuck pretty close. She was happy to run into the water, though, and up the hill that we refer to as "Scout's Ridge." Everything looks so brown right now. It'll be nice when things start blooming again!When we got home, I read with Chloe on the bed, and Tomkin scraped and then repainted our front steps. They look so much better now! He also bought a new sign for our front door. I had put up a "No Solicitors" sign, but he replaced it with one that says, "Before Your Wedding Day Premarital Counseling" and then (in small letters) "No Solicitors." It looks much more friendly and welcoming. Except to solicitors, I hope. That evening we exercised to the finale of "Project Runway." (We're all done with the series now--next we'll finish watching the "Rescue Me" DVDs.) Then I watched "Amazing Race," and Tomkin read. It was a nice, relaxing Sabbath.


On Monday, Tomkin went into the office, and I went shopping at Target, then did some work at home. We both walked Chloe--it was gray and drizzly out. That evening I had a premarital counseling session, and Tomkin met with a couple. Then we and Chloe curled up on the couch and watched the first episode of "Texas Ranch House." (I can tell it's going to be good!)
It was too rainy for a walk on Tuesday. Tomkin worked at the office. I went shopping at Cub and Borders, then got stuff done at home. That evening we went to Kris and Dave's house for dinner. Dave's daughter Emily was there, too. (And we brought Chloe along to play with George.) We had an amazing meal (Gambian stew and homemade bread), some fabulous martinis, and a wonderful, relaxing evening with good friends.
Tomkin had lunch with his folks on Wednesday, but I was so swamped that I didn't go along. As a birthday gift, Tomkin's mom put together a book with 40 photos of Tomkin wearing 40 different hats. It's so cool! I love seeing Tomkin at all ages--from babyhood to his teen years to the present day--wearing so many different hats. Apparently he's been a hat guy all his life. And now we've got the photos to prove it! That was such a fun, sweet gift. I'm working on a grant-writing project now, so I spent my afternoon doing that. Tomkin got my newest website up, for my burgeoning wedding photography business. Multiple income streams! We took Chloe for a short walk (it was pretty chilly out), and then Tomkin headed to his weekly poker game, and I had a premarital counseling session, then talked to my mom. Her birthday is on Saturday--same day as Tomkin's!
Today (Thursday), Tomkin went into the office, and I stayed home and baked cookies. Wow, that sounds very 1950s, doesn't it?! As an early birthday treat, I made some sugar-free cookies that both Tomkin and Chloe really like. We took Chloe for a walk this afternoon (through the lightly falling snow), and now we're in for the evening. Happy early birthday to my mom and Tomkin and also to my grandma (her birthday's on Monday)! And best wishes to all my friends and family in the Red River Valley, who are preparing for a potential flood. We're sending good thoughts your way!

Good-Bye to One of the Good Guys

I was truly shocked this week to hear that one of my high school classmates, Mike Nisbet, had died. I didn't know Mike real well, but he used to work with my friend Brenda, and we had recently reconnected on Facebook. He was a genuinely kind, loving, thoughtful person. He worked hard at his job, took pride in his white truck, went to the gym, hung out with his friends, shoveled the walk for his neighbors, went to hockey games, and loved spending time with his parents and sister. He was someone who just radiated positivity.

Recently, Mike had been mentioning on Facebook that he was having trouble breathing. He even went to the hospital to get it checked out. Then on Thursday he collapsed at work and died at the hospital. It's still unclear exactly what was wrong. Word about his death spread quickly, and those of us who knew him were all deeply saddened and very shocked. My heart goes out to his family and friends, who must be struggling to comprehend Mike's sudden departure from their lives.

Mike, we thank you for the kindness and joy you brought to this world. As your friend Joe put it, you were one of the good guys.

Mike's obituary appears in today's Grand Forks Herald.

Short and Sweet

This past Sunday was another enjoyable Sabbath day--though I'll admit, it was hard not to be productive. I relaxed on the couch and read "Real Simple" and Steve Martin's autobiography, Born Standing Up. Tomkin and I took Chloe for a walk. It was an absolutely gorgeous day--in the 60s. Sure, it's been back into the 30s again this week, but at least now we know the worst is behind us. Hallelujah!

We even sat out on the front porch and read for a while. That evening we exercised to "Project Runway" and then watched the last three episodes of "Manor House." If you haven't seen that series, I highly recommend it!

Monday morning I had a premarital counseling session and then did my weekly shopping trip to Target. Why anyone ever gets in line behind me there, I don't understand. My cart gets so full and so heavy, I can barely push it. Obviously, I'm going to be a while.... Anyway, Tomkin and I took Chloe for a walk--it was another gorgeous day. I was supposed to meet with a couple that evening, but they had to reschedule. So Tomkin and I just enjoyed some downtime at home. Later that evening we went to Loto to meet Helena and Marcus for late-night happy hour. We closed the place down, then spent more time lingering outside! I just can't get enough of those two. Helena told us about her recent trip to India, where she participated in an intense meditation, then went to a spa in the Himalayas. Marcus recently traveled to New York City, where he got to talk with a contemporary artist whose work he's really interested in. And Tomkin and I had adventures from Spain to relay! It was a really fun evening with great friends.
Yesterday (Tuesday) morning we walked Chloe to the Grand Avenue Veterinary Center for her annual check-up. (This was our first time going to this vet, and we were very impressed.) Chloe weighed in at 114 pounds, which is 8 pounds higher than last year. So big girl's going on a diet! She was very good at the vet, except for occasionally wanting to sit when she was supposed to stand. Thank goodness she's food motivated! We got her blood work results today, and she got a clean bill of health. We ran a few other errands on Grand Avenue, then Tomkin headed into the office, and I got some stuff done at home. Last night I chatted with my mom (her birthday is coming up on March 28th--same day as Tomkin's!). She said my grandma is doing really well and enjoying her new home. I watched "Dancing with the Stars" and spent a little time on the computer. Those Facebook games really suck me in!

Chloe watching squirrels on the bird feeder from inside the front porch.

Today (Wednesday) I was scheduled to go to an editorial luncheon, but it got canceled. That was actually kind of nice because it gave me a good chunk of time to get stuff done around the house. I worked on a couple projects, did laundry, cleaned the bathroom, and watched last night's "American Idol." Tomkin and I walked Chloe to the library. She's such a trooper, carrying all our books! Now Tomkin is at poker. I had a premarital counseling session, then had to do a little editing work. Now I'm going to go find out who made into the "American Idol" top ten....

Brussels Sprouts and Jellyfish

I'm a little behind in my blogging for the week. Sometimes the days just fly by! And sometimes--I'll be honest--I choose to watch a reality show instead of blogging. (Now I've got both "Dancing with the Stars" AND "American Idol" to keep up with!)
Way back on Thursday the 5th, Tomkin and I took Chloe to Grand Groomers. She was getting pretty stinky, it's still too cold to wash her outside, and she's afraid of the bathtub. So the groomers, it is! During our walk home, we stopped to play, and Chloe enjoy catching some snowballs.

That evening, I met with a couple for premarital counseling, and Tomkin went to the library. On Friday the 6th, the new rug for our basement library arrived (the old one made its way to Tomkin's office).
Tomkin and I went to Target and picked out new window sheers and a couch cover. He went into the office to work, while I worked at home, researching federal grants for an upcoming project. Eventually that lulled me into a nice little nap.... We took Chloe for a walk (it was in the 40s!), and that evening we drove out to Woodbury to have dinner with our friends Bill and Karen. They made a delicious gumbo, and we drank some fabulous wine and enjoyed a fun, relaxed evening at their beautiful home.
On Saturday the 7th (Mondrian's birthday), we walked Chloe, played on our computers, and took a nap. We also put up the new sheers and replaced the couch cover, and we moved some of the art around. I think the living room and dining room have a much lighter feel to them now. In person, they almost have a "seaside" feel.

The living room before...

...and after.

The dining room before......and after.

Tomkin also installed a new "stop-a-squirrel" birdfeeder (we leave out separate food for the squirrels) and a birdhouse that my mom gave him for Christmas. Already the birds have started to flock to the feeder! And so far the squirrels haven't figured it out.
Saturday evening we went over to Peter's house for a Game Night with him, Mandy, and their friends Dan and Laura. We sat and chatted for a long time, then played Apples to Apples and Trivial Pursuit. It was a lot of fun!

On Sunday the 8th we enjoyed a day of Sabbath. We slept in, and I spent three hours curled up on the couch reading "Vogue." We took Chloe to the Minnehaha dog park, but the snow that had melted earlier in the week had turned into sheer ice. As we were sliding down the entrance hill, we saw two guys walking out. One was holding onto his bleeding face, and the other told us his friend had just slipped and busted open his jaw. We decided it probably wasn't worth the risk. As we were heading out, we ran into Tomkin's friends Mike and Polly and their bulldog, Cosmo.
We decided to check out the dog park near the airport--we'd never been there before. It was cool--basically just a big open field with planes flying low overhead. But it was a great alternative on an icy day, and Chloe enjoyed running around.


The rest of the day we just relaxed at home. I showed Tomkin a couple of my high school scrapbooks, we curled up with Chloe on the couch and read, and I watched "Amazing Race."
On Monday, I met my Profitlancers group at the Coffee Bene (the Dunn Bros where we used to meet just closed), and we talked about resources that we use for our freelance work. That evening I had a photography class. The classes I've been taking came free from ProEx when we purchased our camera there. They're held in a coffeehouse next to the ProEx shop in a little mall on Grand Ave. I got a cup of coffee and then sat in the meeting room...waiting...waiting...waiting. By 7:05, no one else had shown up. Finally I decided to peek into the ProEx shop and find out what was up. Much to my surprise, the shop was closed--like, forever. No more classes there, I guess! With my unexpectedly free evening, Tomkin and I started watching "Manor House." It's so harsh, but so good!Tuesday it was snowy, and I had a productive day at home. The most notable thing that happened was that Tomkin fixed brussels sprouts with dinner, and I enjoyed them. Some of my family members are now wondering if I was adopted! Tomkin met with a couple, and I ended up with another free evening because my counseling session for the night was cancelled. I enjoyed the opportunity to watch a little TV and another episode of "Manor House" with Tomkin.

Wednesday it was really cold out. There were a lot of Facebook status updates griping about the weather. We just start to get a taste of spring...and then it's snatched away by winter's icy grip! I know that part of living in Minnesota involves long, cold winters, but that doesn't mean we don't get a little sick of the cold and snow after six months of it. Anyway, Tomkin and Chloe and I went over to Tom and Nancy's house for lunch, which was fun. I hadn't seen them since we got back from Spain. That evening, Tomkin had his weekly poker game, and I had a premarital counseling session. Then I talked with my mom and got an update on my grandma. She left the hospital and went into an assisted-living facility. It sounds like she's in much better spirits now. She likes the food and has been eating (which she wasn't doing much at her previous home), and she's already making the rounds and getting to know people. She'll be getting some physical and occupational therapy, which is great. I'm glad that she's feeling so much better now. When Tomkin got home, I actually got him to watch "American Idol" with me! I'm not sure how much he enjoyed it, but it was fun to watch (and critique) it together. Right now I'm rooting for Adam as my #1 choice and Danny as my #2.
On Thursday, I met up with Becca and Leo for lunch at Tum Rup Thai. Leo is getting so big! He's looking more like a little boy now and less like a baby. It was great, as always, to catch up with Becca. I really don't know how she does it.... That evening I did more premarital counseling, and we watched more "Manor House."

Tomkin wasn't feeling well on Friday, so he slept in. I brought my car in for an oil change, went to the bank, got a spray tan, popped by Kowalski's, had a hair consultation with a new stylist at Estetica, and went to the Paper Patisserie. Tomkin had lunch with his dad, and then we went over to Kris and Dave's to let their dog, George, out. Chloe came along, and the dogs had fun playing in the backyard.
Tomkin spent the evening relaxing at home with Chloe, and I went over to my friend Jill's house to chat and watch the "Sex and the City" movie. She had made a bunch of food, and I brought along some sparkling juice (no alcohol for her since she's pregnant). It was fun to see her and to have a girls' night in.
Today (Saturday) Tomkin and I went to the Semple Mansion Wedding Fair. We had gone last year, about a month before our wedding, and really enjoyed it. This year we went more for business purposes. Tomkin found a few great niche businesses to blog about, and we got to see some other people in the business who we know. Plus, I got to enjoy some free cake, cookies, appetizers, and espresso! (One of the vendors brings an espresso/smoothie bar to weddings. I love that!)

Tomkin with the guys from La Vita Espresso Catering

Tomkin with Robin of Gateaux Inc. in front of her Minnesota-themed cake

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, so as soon as we got home, we took Chloe for a walk. I still had a gift card to use at Patina, so we walked there, and I found a bunch of cool stuff.
When we got back, I talked with Carrie D. from Chicago. She had also done the Vaughan Town program in Spain, and we hadn't had a chance to compare notes yet, so it was fun to do that. (And, yes, I'm still planning to blog about the trip! Will try to do that soon....) Tonight Tomkin and I met up for dinner at Little Szechuan with Roxanne, Jim, Sheri, and Raj. We hadn't been there before, and it was amazing! (So good, in fact, that Bill and Karen were there, too!) We ordered I-don't-know-how-many dishes and passed them all around. I tried a couple new things, including jellyfish.

Okay, I will try the jellyfish....

I'm not quite sure what to make of this....

Sorry--it's not really the food for me!

Now we're winding down and are looking forward to a quiet, restful Sabbath day tomorrow. Have a great week, and thanks for reading!