Happy 80th Grams

No my grams does not read this blog. I wasn't able to make it down for her party today so I needed some way to express my celebration of her. I've talked about my grams before. I think I'm more like her than anyone I'm related to. We love so many of the same things: tea, coffee, Van Gogh (probably our biggest "in common" love), books, music, people...I just really feel like we are soulmates in a way. I get her. When I sit down with her and listen to the way she thinks and speaks, I am so right there with her.

She shares a birthday with Mickey Mouse. She has 9 children. She is Jewish. She was divorced. She lives in the smallest apartment I've ever been in. She was a tutor (and still might be) for prisoners on parole. She works at an elementary school as a teacher's aid for the children with learning disabilities.

And she sends me a birthday card every year on my birthday.

In other {D} news:

My friend Katie Kolb left me for her husband and Pittsburgh last week. I'm going to miss her so much.

I bought a pair of pants at the goodwill today. I should probably be over this phase of my life. Speaking of good buys at goodwill; I bought six nickel finish Pottery Barn hooks for the entryway that were still in the package, never been used. I think they look great. I'll have to take a pic to show them off.

Pics: An HDR of Cloud Gate, or as it's more commonly known as "The Bean" in Chicago. It's on my flickr page as well as a couple more from the same trip. The next two photos are me revealing a little more of my domestic side (I can't do it all at once, come on, you know me better than that...) I like to cook/bake. But let me clarify and say that I only like to do it when I'm not rushed, or when I feel like it. Otherwise, it's just a chore. One photo is a blueberry cobbler that I made with wild Michigan blueberries our friends picked from a bog near here and gave to us. Martin really liked the cobbler. And the other is cappuccino crinkle cookies I baked that I liked and Martin didn't.

The Blanket is Done

I told you I would finish it this month. And I'm pleased with how it turned out. There is one square that is missing a row of color and it totally upset me when I figured it out after I had already sewn it into the blanket. I have no idea how I didn't catch it before then. But I didn't. And so now it's sealed into the blanket forever as a reminder that I'm never quite as good as I want to be at things. *sigh*

Martin's parents came up for a fall visit. As always, it was great to spend time with them. And as always, they treat us to way too much. But I'm not going to lie, we love it.

We took a day trip to the upper peninsula. We went out on a boat tour of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. BEAUTIFUL. Really, I had no idea. There are pictures on my flickr site (and there will be several more to follow in the next week or so--I kinda overdid it on the photos). I enjoy the feeling I get when I'm on the great lakes. You feel so incredibly small. Like you're completely insignificant out there on the water. I don't know why I like that feeling in certain situations. I think it's because we all want to be reminded that there is a whole world out there bigger than us. It somehow gives me a reminder that I should keep my problems in check. Not to let them seem bigger than they are. There's a lot more here on this feeling but I'm not going to explain right now.

This weekend, Martin is going to a MSU football game with several friends. Apparantly, they have amazing tickets and get to stay somewhere free and get to go to a tailgate party empty-handed. Needless to say, he's pretty excited about it. To add to the excitement, MSU is having a great season this year.

I'll be going down to visit my fam. and best friend. Tex will be going with me and he'll be oh-so-thrilled to be able to run around 20 acres with Duke and Daley. Alright, not sure how much running Duke can do these days but I'm sure he'll be watching with jealousy as the other two romp.

Company

Martin’s mom has been here this past week visiting us in our new place. I shocked myself and managed to put together a decent looking guest room. It even had flowers in it. I had to pat myself on the back for that because rarely do I pull things together so well without much planning. And we had just gotten our furniture the Wednesday before, so it actually resembled a place of residence here. Resembled. Next project will be getting something on the walls. Isn’t this all so fascinating?

It was very nice to see my MIL. She really is the best MIL in the world. I’m sorry for every other wife who can’t have her. She endured me taking her on hikes that included thick clouds of blood-thirsty mosquitoes, thorns, paths no wider than us, and several other things I’m sure you’re not supposed to subject your mother-in-law to. And, she liked it; how cool is she? And we always have really great conversations.

We went to the farm market in Petoskey one morning and bought everything we needed for a very tasty dinner. I really could get used to walking to the market for my days worth of food. I wish it were more practical.




We also went for a walk along the shore of Lake Michigan at Wilderness State Park. We were looking for as many different colored rocks as we could find. Never really found a blue one, but it was nice just to be outside. I really am feeling pressure as the summer gets later to be outside as much as possible.






So I guess her vacation became a mini, local vacation for me. That was nice.

Yet Another Blog Begining

So, to my surprise, my sister and her family began a blog. Well, I'm going to start this one to try to keep communication between family. Who knows, maybe my other family members will join us.

Update on Dominique and Martin: We are currently still living in Petoskey, MI. With the very real possibility that we'll move this summer. I can't believe that we'll make it through a brutal winter and then move when it gets beautiful. But those things are seldom in my control.

So of course the sensible thing to do right now is to look for a house to buy. And that's what we're doing. It's got the possibility of being a great fix 'n flip. And if we can't flip it, I don't think we'd be too disappointed in having a vacation home here. Plus, there's still the small chance we won't be moving and we'll have a great location here in P-town.

We've joined a small group at church where we are meeting some great couples our age. Funny enough, none of them have children yet so, we don't feel so weird around them. That has been a lot of fun. And we never get the questions from them that we get from those with families already growing. It's nice to have a group of Christians who are in the same place as us.