Date 21/52
Dumb Movie Date
2012, where all the budget was placed in the hands of the special effects people and not the writers.
Ugh, at one point I think the star, John Cusack, actually walked off the set. I didn't want to rewind to double check because this was sucking way too much life out of me already, but I know that's what happened.
Unbelievably dumb, so it was a comedy? So many, "I love you man" moments, I got a bit nauseated.
Sam was having a sleepover so we were stranded at home, both tired, and I was still numb and sad about my friend Angi dying. Not a great date, but at least it could pass for one.
*Date night is when you make a New Year's Resolution to date your spouse 52 times in one year. Once a week shouldn't be that hard, right? And no, honey, we're not quitting. This fat lady ain't sung yet.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sad News
Dual post. This is on my personal blog as well, but I wanted to share it here too.
I'm trying really hard to get back into life, but I'm just unbelievably sad. My dear, dear friend Angi passed away suddenly last Monday. We had just returned from a camping getaway to Canada when we heard the news. Angi was 43 years old.
I honestly have been speechless only twice in my life. This is one of those times.
I want to write about all she meant to me. I want to write about the anger I have that a cardiac critical care nurse can die of a heart attack. I want to write about the ineptitude of doctors and my frustration with White Coat Superiority Complex. I want to write about why women still die of heart disease and how their symptoms are disregarded or diagnosed as hysteria despite how far we've come in other areas of medicine. I want to write about the clinical images I can't get out of my head of my friend, coding on a gurney before emergency angioplasty and lying in a morgue. I want to write about her husband, her teenage daughter, and all her family members and friends whose lives are empty now.
But, I can't. I can't minimize this life with mere words.
I can hear Angi in my head saying, "snap out of it Beavis", my college nickname from her that somehow remained far longer than her matching Butthead. I suppose not many people remember that show.
I can hear her laughter. I can still collapse in laughter because of just one word from her. Puddin' Long story.
There is a certain order of things and this just doesn't fit it. I will miss her more each day.
Military families make fast friends. Angi told this new Army wife that, "Army wives don't have time for BS." So, we made quick and very deep friendships not because we had to, but because we didn't have time for all the frivolous stuff. The Army moved Angi and Rick on, and we remained behind. I then found out how military families sacrifice way more than the obvious. These fast and deep friendships find you scattered all over the country as people are deployed, discharged, or move on. When others never leave their safe and secure hometowns or stay close in proximity to their college friends, our military families don't. If you can get anything out of this, other than to pay close attention to your heart health, I hope that you can have a deeper understanding of the sacrifices that military families make. I would never have guessed it, if I hadn't lived it. It's not just deployment or the danger of the job, it affects every aspect of your life, for the rest of your life.
I'm trying really hard to get back into life, but I'm just unbelievably sad. My dear, dear friend Angi passed away suddenly last Monday. We had just returned from a camping getaway to Canada when we heard the news. Angi was 43 years old.
I honestly have been speechless only twice in my life. This is one of those times.
I want to write about all she meant to me. I want to write about the anger I have that a cardiac critical care nurse can die of a heart attack. I want to write about the ineptitude of doctors and my frustration with White Coat Superiority Complex. I want to write about why women still die of heart disease and how their symptoms are disregarded or diagnosed as hysteria despite how far we've come in other areas of medicine. I want to write about the clinical images I can't get out of my head of my friend, coding on a gurney before emergency angioplasty and lying in a morgue. I want to write about her husband, her teenage daughter, and all her family members and friends whose lives are empty now.
But, I can't. I can't minimize this life with mere words.
I can hear Angi in my head saying, "snap out of it Beavis", my college nickname from her that somehow remained far longer than her matching Butthead. I suppose not many people remember that show.
I can hear her laughter. I can still collapse in laughter because of just one word from her. Puddin' Long story.
There is a certain order of things and this just doesn't fit it. I will miss her more each day.
Military families make fast friends. Angi told this new Army wife that, "Army wives don't have time for BS." So, we made quick and very deep friendships not because we had to, but because we didn't have time for all the frivolous stuff. The Army moved Angi and Rick on, and we remained behind. I then found out how military families sacrifice way more than the obvious. These fast and deep friendships find you scattered all over the country as people are deployed, discharged, or move on. When others never leave their safe and secure hometowns or stay close in proximity to their college friends, our military families don't. If you can get anything out of this, other than to pay close attention to your heart health, I hope that you can have a deeper understanding of the sacrifices that military families make. I would never have guessed it, if I hadn't lived it. It's not just deployment or the danger of the job, it affects every aspect of your life, for the rest of your life.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
A Weekend Getaway to Fort Ridgely
The museum.
Ruins of the old fort. I read a book called Uprising that was fascinating after the first time we visited this park. Being able to picture the setting was fantastic. I highly recommend.
While Sam read he plaque, I sang the national anthem. Liberals can be patriotic too. Sam tried not to die of embarrassment while remaining cool and calm on the inside and hissing at me on the outside. I told him it was against the law to stop singing the national anthem and then warned him that I'd start goosestepping while yelling the Pledge of Allegiance if he didn't let me have this moment. Really, that's not at all what happened, but it's what I thought about as we stood here in the heat. My mind tends to wander to altered scenarios when bored and hot.
So, we went inside where a very nervous young girl tried to loop us into a diorama tour which we narrowly escaped. Neither of us were feeling that nice, so we hid behind a replica of a tent that soldiers would have lived in. Sam told me he was willing to fake a coronary if she found us, so I pretty much couldn't pay much attention to the museum after that. It is worth a visit, but I was laughing to hard and trying to avoid a predatory tour guide, so we moved on quickly.
Pippin came along too. He guarded the site most of the weekend, when Charlie would let him! We think he's getting doggy dementia, but he's the Old Man and we love him and we decided that he needed to camp too. I couldn't get a decent picture of him and as you can see, the white blur was pissing him off.
Fort Ridgley Creek from our campsite.
While Sam read he plaque, I sang the national anthem. Liberals can be patriotic too. Sam tried not to die of embarrassment while remaining cool and calm on the inside and hissing at me on the outside. I told him it was against the law to stop singing the national anthem and then warned him that I'd start goosestepping while yelling the Pledge of Allegiance if he didn't let me have this moment. Really, that's not at all what happened, but it's what I thought about as we stood here in the heat. My mind tends to wander to altered scenarios when bored and hot.
We love these kinds of plaques and rarely miss one, but I had already read this one Memorial Day weekend AND I had read Uprising, so I felt totally brushed up on the history of what happened here.
So, we went inside where a very nervous young girl tried to loop us into a diorama tour which we narrowly escaped. Neither of us were feeling that nice, so we hid behind a replica of a tent that soldiers would have lived in. Sam told me he was willing to fake a coronary if she found us, so I pretty much couldn't pay much attention to the museum after that. It is worth a visit, but I was laughing to hard and trying to avoid a predatory tour guide, so we moved on quickly.
Pippin came along too. He guarded the site most of the weekend, when Charlie would let him! We think he's getting doggy dementia, but he's the Old Man and we love him and we decided that he needed to camp too. I couldn't get a decent picture of him and as you can see, the white blur was pissing him off.
Fort Ridgley Creek from our campsite.
Charlie at sunset. It's all about the lighting, ya know. Our floppy-eared boy now has radar ears.
Fishing for lunkers must be done as far away from your present location as possible. This is why people cross a lake to get to them. Meanwhile, the people on the other side are crossing to your side to get THEIR lunkers. It's a Minnesota thing. At Fort Ridgely Creek, they had to go upstream or down stream. Never right-there stream. I don't get it, but heck, it got me some alone time, so who am I to argue?
Our huge campsite, complete with Stinky Pete (our shower tent). There's only one shower within walking distance of the creek side campground. I didn't want to drive to the chalet to shower. I fell in love with Stinky Pete up on the Gunflint Trail where there were no showers. Battery powered shower and a two room shower tent is bliss to this girl who loves her boys, but doesn't want to smell like them.
I couldn't get enough of this view. I've fallen out of love with lakes and deeply into love with trout streams. They're quieter with less people and no motors! Fort Ridgely Creek is crystal clear, sandy bottomed, and spring fed. And the DNR stocks it, but it isn't a designated trout stream.
If you're a Minnesotan, I urge you to visit what they call a Discovery Park like Fort Ridgely. These state parks are not the headliners of the North, but they're beautiful, interesting, cheaper to camp in, and less crowded. We had a blast and are hoping to return again this fall to catch some of those Rainbows and Browns we left behind. As the days have gone by, their size has increased from a foot long to arm sized. I believe a truth challenge is in order.
Fishing for lunkers must be done as far away from your present location as possible. This is why people cross a lake to get to them. Meanwhile, the people on the other side are crossing to your side to get THEIR lunkers. It's a Minnesota thing. At Fort Ridgely Creek, they had to go upstream or down stream. Never right-there stream. I don't get it, but heck, it got me some alone time, so who am I to argue?
Our huge campsite, complete with Stinky Pete (our shower tent). There's only one shower within walking distance of the creek side campground. I didn't want to drive to the chalet to shower. I fell in love with Stinky Pete up on the Gunflint Trail where there were no showers. Battery powered shower and a two room shower tent is bliss to this girl who loves her boys, but doesn't want to smell like them.
I couldn't get enough of this view. I've fallen out of love with lakes and deeply into love with trout streams. They're quieter with less people and no motors! Fort Ridgely Creek is crystal clear, sandy bottomed, and spring fed. And the DNR stocks it, but it isn't a designated trout stream.
__________________________________________________________________________
Enough of pictures and captions, here's the skinny.
Last weekend was spent at Fort Ridgley State Park. We discovered this park over Labor Day Weekend and vowed to come back again. The creek side campground had one of the loveliest state park campsite we've ever seen and we were lucky enough to nab it for the weekend.
Sam fished for (and caught) trout, threw rocks in the water, chased minnows, and we recharged our batteries. We left a few lunkers there for future trips.
Sam and I visited Harkin Store and the Fort Ridgely Museum. He and I are totally into these little museums. And don't get me started about roadside attractions. The World's Largest Ball of Twine is a temptingly close day trip and if we can squeeze it in, there will be a pilgrimage before the snow flies. (And please, don't tell me about other balls of twine. I'm highly loyal to Minnesota oddities, however, I did veer way off the highway to see the World's Largest Frying Pan. This was a fascinating, yet sad experience because they no longer use it. I'm still recovering from that one, so need to keep my roadside oddity visiting more local. Why the flip wouldn't you take it down once a year and scramble up something? Seriously.)
I forgot my camera, so no pictures of either museums, but we made memories and that's great. We also detoured on our way home to hit the little town of Fairfax, which appeared to be closed for the day. Things roll up early on the prairie, I guess. So convenience store browsing for Big Red soda (don't ask, he's 12) and a Special K bar was all the trouble we could get into. Fairfax has a nice little hotel there for Grandmas who want to camp and don't want to sleep in a tent (hint hint). And there's a mom and pop restaurant called The Corner Cafe that appeared to have attracted all the senior citizens in a 500 mile radius for their early bird special. A definite winner of a restaurant in my book (a. not a chain b. they didn't spell corner with a K which I find a distinct turn off and not in any way cute c. old people don't have time for crappy food) We will return there someday, even if it is just for pie, cause you know a place like that has just got to have pie.
Outside of Fort Ridgely there's a stable that offers trail rides. I really want to do that sometime. We were lucky enough to watch horses on the trail across the creek from our campsite and about a block from our site, they crossed the stream. There was one old nag (and her horse, ahhahhhhhaaa) that made a great show when she crossed the stream. Sam loved it. But, not enough to want to get into a saddle THIS particular weekend.
If you're a Minnesotan, I urge you to visit what they call a Discovery Park like Fort Ridgely. These state parks are not the headliners of the North, but they're beautiful, interesting, cheaper to camp in, and less crowded. We had a blast and are hoping to return again this fall to catch some of those Rainbows and Browns we left behind. As the days have gone by, their size has increased from a foot long to arm sized. I believe a truth challenge is in order.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Date Night Update*
Date 19/52 Ice Cream and Sunset by the Lake. Nice until Darren realized he sat in something disgusting and we had to go home. The laughter this induced was worth missing the whole sunset.
Date 20/52 (Hey, we're in the next decade!) Our favorite taco joint, Casa Lupita, for enchiladas with tomatillo sauce (joy) and a drive through the sweet town and lakeside of White Bear Lake.
*Date night is when two parents challenge themselves to fit in 52 dates in a year as a New Year's Resolution and then realize they might be dating daily from December 1 on if they don't get their butts in gear.
Date 20/52 (Hey, we're in the next decade!) Our favorite taco joint, Casa Lupita, for enchiladas with tomatillo sauce (joy) and a drive through the sweet town and lakeside of White Bear Lake.
*Date night is when two parents challenge themselves to fit in 52 dates in a year as a New Year's Resolution and then realize they might be dating daily from December 1 on if they don't get their butts in gear.
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