Naturally Optimistic

Busy weekend full of family stuff....and putzing around (as usual). Crappy weather (actually "normal" weather for this time of year but I'm spoiled now) so it feels good to do some inside things...although we did manage to squeeze a quick hike in on The Superior Hiking Trail just north of Two Harbors yesterday. Just got back from the Omnimax where we saw GALAPAGOS...very interesting and odd place. I enjoyed it. We went with Steve's Dad and his SO. We were going to go to GREECE but it just didn't work out timing-wise...so we'll have to hit that one next time. Dinner tonight at Steve's Mom's house and then hopefully some time painting in the kitchen. I have been derelict in my painting duties since Friday. Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

I got some wine....my sweet fiance stopped and bought me some...*sigh* I have XTC Radio on my iTunes (seriously - have you checked out iTunes radio? Because it is awesome...and free, two of my favorite things...) I have a dance party going on in the living room. 2 humans, 2 cats. Okay - the cats don't really dance ....but still....you should try it! TGIF!!!!!!

A cat puked on the table set up in the den/computer room all over an insufficient funds letter* from the bank. Ha! Take that Wells Fargo! The cats and we apparently feel the same way about that letter. I'm making Southwestern Bean Chicken Hoo-ha Soup (or whatever its called) from Harry & David. It's starting to smell delish. We got it in a huge gift basket at our engagement party last fall and I'm FINALLY getting around to cooking it up. It's 40 degrees here and gray so I figured a good night for soup. Painting the 2nd coat on the upper cabinets presently. So sick of painting. Why didn't someone tell me how much painting cabinets sucks? I am enjoying the results however. And yes, I'm very slow because I have a short attention span and little help. (Steve's been extremely busy as of late w/his Dad & work). I'm wishing I had a cold bottle of white wine in the fridge. Or a bottle of white wine period. Hmmm.... I don't know how to delete spam com...

View west towards the St. Louis River. The trail continues on the ride in the middle of the picture. We walked about 3/4 of the way there...the rest is for next time!

View of the Harbor (east)

Me taking a break.

Just a beautiful day here in the Northland. In fact, I could say this was a perfect summer evening. It sometimes is not this nice in the summer (often, actually). After another soul-sucking, mind-melting day of boredom at work. Steve & I decided to hit the trail. We were on a quest to find the new section of the Superior Hiking Trail which is one of the coolest trails, in the country, really. Anyway - the trail currently runs from Two Harbors, MN to the Canadian Border. The new trail will run all the way from the west west west end of Duluth to Two Harbors, thus increasing the trail distance by another....25-40 miles (I don't really know where it 'starts' in Two Harbors). They opened one new section last summer which was awesome and now they're working on the section that is relatively close to our house. We found the trail (it's near one of our favorite x-country ski spots) and hiked for a good hour and 45 mins or so. It's a pretty healthy up & down, ...

Well, the weekend's come and gone and that sucks. Hmph. Friday night I was solo so I rented Pride & Prejudice (the new one) and had a few beers while knitting...what weird combo. Saturday I putzed around - painting a ton of the kitchen (okay, painting cabinets SUCKS people - they take for frickin' ever). I also picked up 3 different pulls to see which I liked the most. I have decided and it was the cheapest one - yes! I cleaned too. Lots of painting & cleaning. I wanted it to be lovely & soothing when Steve got home. Oh and I loved Pride & Prejudice . Loved it. It made me feel all romantic and happy. *sigh* Saturday late afternoon Steve got home and we went for a nice hike at Chester Park. It was great - things are starting to pop up and green up and it was so nice to be outside with my honey! We got home late, ate late but that was okay. We drank wine & listened to some music that night. Very mellow and relaxing. Sunday - putzing, errands, 1-year-old's...

Steve's Dad was at Mayo Clinic in Rochester today for surgery. The day has been a long one. Steve took him there at 6:30 this morning and didn't talk to the doctor again until 7:30 TONIGHT! Ugh. He's there with his siblings & his Dad's GF so that's good. It's weird because they're in the SAME waiting room that I lived in for a week when my Dad was in the hospital. What a strange coincidence. Both of our fathers having brain injuries. And they're both young! (mine 57 at the time of his, His 65). Crazy. A good reason to keep on that healthy living track. (or try to at least). The surgery went well and hopefully the recovery will go well too. It is planned that he will be discharged on Saturday. Yay! Then they'll be coming home. Yay yay! Some hooligans woke me up last night with their loud & obnoxious behavior. Usually I don't wake up for such things because HELLO I'm sleeping! And Steve usually is hear to check things out and make sure...

here is a picture of the prayer shawl, sans my Grandma.

It was a GOOD FRIDAY! We got out of work early - 2pm which was very nice. I was on the road by 3:30pm only 30 minutes past my desired time of departure. Steve didn't acompany me to Austin because he wanted to stay with his Dad so I was flying solo. Got to my folks house around 7:00 or so. We sat on the deck and had a glass of wine followed by a lovely bbq dinner (burgers). That night I made birds nests (so cute! I should've taken a picture) for table decorations/treats and worked on my Grandma's prayer shawl. Saturday morning my Mom, sister & I went to a few shops and ate a light lunch at a new cute little cafe in town. That afternoon I took a walk with my mom and furiously knitted some more. I finished the shawl about 30 minutes before my Grandma arrived! Whew!! We had our Easter dinner on Saturday evening. My folks, my sister & bro-in-law, my grandparents and my cousin. It was yummy (of course) - ham, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole and some kind of salad I...

Happy Birthday Grandma! This is my Grandma wrapped in the cozy prayer shawl I had literally moments before just finished tying the fringe on. :-) I like this project and plan to make more.

One of my favorite things about Easter.... is the ham bone I have currently cooking up w/some split peas & veggies and turning into a lovely homemade (low fat!) soup. Delish. ....

The levels of stress at the R&B household are off the charts. Familial stress, not good, not mine but mine by proxy. I can actually FEEL blood in my veins boiling. Not a good way to end the day..... :- (

Some Easter baskets I put together which are ready for delivery! These will go to my folks, Steve's Mom & my sister.

I missed my 2 year blogoversary.... April 7! doh! Happy 2 years to me.

The PIPER is back!!! (we have a bag-piper who lives SOMEWHERE in the vicinity and likes to practice on nice days. It's a bit weird....)

by the lake. You might as well call that summer and call it a night. It's so beautiful out it hurts. The lake, the horizon, all the people in shorts! hee hee - we here in the northland celebrate every ounce of day that has warmth from the glowing yellow orb in the sky. I walked on the Lakewalk for about an hour after work. Hoping that Steve & his Dad would be able to join me, but sadly they could not. I listened to Radiohead's Amnesiac instead which really isn't the most uplifting, sunny-day kind of cd. Ah well. But all in all, I'm in a crappy mood....I feel fat. There I said it...I've been working out now for months and feel like my hips & butt are just trying to win some kind of growth competition. I'm sick of it. :-( I'm trying to eat better, eat less, exercise more and all that jazz and nothing seems to be working. PFffffffffffffffft. Tonight we're grilling, I'll be painting & knitting like I do every night....

I am thrilled with the new "georgia sand" wall color - and it matches the Van Gogh perfectly!!

A sneak peek! The "white" areas have only been primed, not painted yet...