Happy Birthday Laura!!

This week, yesterday to be exact, was Laura’s birthday. My blog muse turned 27.

To honor her I am putting up a picture of Twinkles with antlers. Because I loved that cow. Although I could get attached to Houdiner.

Of course, this is one of my favorites

But here’s  the all time best picture of Laura eva--

Can’t be topped

Although while looking for that one I found this one.

God that girl cracks me up.

Plans for dinner and Ireland planning this weekend. I’m bringing more Pizza and Cake. Laura suggested some salad for a healthy balance but I quickly pointed out that’s what cake is for. She gets it.

In other news—we travelled to Grand Forks this week end via Oklee MN.

 

On the road again—outrunning the storms with a dirty windshield.

 

 

Chloe rode shotgun

And shedded like mad. I told Laura the inside of our car was like those wind rooms where the money flies around and you have to catch it--

Like this only with more hair and less fun.

We got to Oklee, pop 425, two of those people are my friend Kari and her daughter Evelyn--

(Please ignore my bad hair….)

She is a homecare/hospice nurse and a damn good one. She was the best girl in my wedding—back in the day. I thought I had a scanned picture of us but I can’t find it and have lost the energy to scan another. I’ll keep looking….

It was great to see her and catch up a little. But Chloe kept us moving so we didn’t stay long.

We drove through some great MN sunsets

 

So when we got to GF I sort of lost the picture mojo. Chloe played all weekend with the big dogs, we grilled out, and went for a walk, but not one picture did I get of any of that.

We also went and watched Blane play softball—that was fun and I got a picture of Blane

There he is at bat. He had a nice RBI.

That’s all, and I was doing so well……

We hit some traffic going home and so for old times sake I got a picture of I-94 trying it’s hardest to live up to I-5

No can do. It was only about 15 minutes and we were moving most of the time.

School starts Monday. It’s been a fab vacay. Finishing up my homework for Vogue Knitting in November. I was supposed to teach a mystery quilt this weekend but it got cancelled so instead it’s a work party, Laura party, beer down with Cathy, and starting classes. Wow. Dave has his fantasy draft so he’ll be all up in the NFL biz. And that’s that. Another day, another dollar, another trip, another birthday.

Make it great!

July-it was here, now it’s gone. Thankfully.

Jeepers. What happened to July? I’ve got nothing done. One blog post. I have written a couple of papers. School takes much of my time, it really does. And then work takes up the other part of my time. I’m done this week though—can I hear an AMEN?  I’m not sure what I learned, if anything, it seemed to just go by fast. It was a breeze compared to research which was the class before this one. My next class will actually be in the program I’m studying so it might be interesting. If only I had it to do all over again……

I didn’t win the lottery. Just to let you know. I was really banking on that 400 million drawing too.

Chloe is growing up and up

Laura came by for dinner and got some puppy time

Really, that’s Laura tormenting the dog, or maybe the other way around. The only other picture of her didn’t turn out due to bright and brilliant sun.

Laura and I also went out to dinner and a play-The 39 Steps. I had the best time and didn’t take one single picture. The play was super clever with only 4 people acting all the parts. The best part, though, were the comments Laura made about the play at the end. I LOL’d out loud—as Monk would say.

We continue to hate Happy, who is now taking his rage out on the concrete floor in the utility room. I thought, after painting (with Killz), replacing the baseboard, AND spraying about a gallon of cat odor remover the downstairs bathroom was smell free. However, this is still not the case.  It’s such a blessing that this is the guest bathroom so when I have people over they get the full experience of staying with us. Let’s not discuss the ruined carpet.

As you recall we baby sat Blane and Melanie’s dogs about a month ago. Yep. Did NOT sit well with Happy.

Happy’s handiwork

 

Solution? No, he just moved to the right, just under the door

Afraid NOT to pet him.

I will eat your breakfast—or else……

And lastly, two cats too big for their feeding station.

Enough of that. I’ve had enough, Puddy’s had enough.

We’ve stayed pretty close to home this past month, mainly because of the animals. We are sort of afraid to leave.

We did take a visit to the farm to see Laura’s the Mixes cattle farm.

There’s a new calf, Houdiner, named for her mad escape skillz. Reminds me of my favorite calf, Twinkles, RIP. Chloe thought it was the biggest dog she’s ever seen.

The hell????

The chickens were so much more fun to torment.

Someone posted this for Laura on FB-

which totally cracks me up AND makes me remind Laura that a picture of her sporting a bun with one of her chickens in a bun would be so blogworthy—I don’t even have words. She’s not as excited about the prospect as I am. Who knows why?

Anyway, next week we leave to go up to Grand Forks to visit Blane and Melanie and their thousands of pets. The week after that I teach a mystery quilt class, and the week after we leave for a weekend in Seattle. Yep. On Friday, the Friday of a long weekend, we get to fly to Seattle, get to a lunch in West Seattle, get back to the hotel at SeaTac, then BACK to Seattle to a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Which are sort of close but not really—the rehearsal being in the arboretum and the dinner in Ballard (there’s only one way in, and one way out of the densest population this side of Bejing). Anyone from Seattle reading this is already having anxiety and panic attacks just thinking of what I have to do. On a Friday. At 5ish. Before a long weekend. I want to rally and say “I-5 will NOT defeat me”, however, I’m afraid this could be the trip that finally breaks me. If I could rent a tank and a few well placed heat seeking missiles my problems would be solved (no FBI, CIA, and Homeland Security—I don’t have the connections or cash to make this happen….if only).

I feel like I should just go and sit in my car for about 4 hours in the middle of the street to start my training.

Speaking of which, my knee continues to vex me, but maybe getting better. Physical therapy is helping, but  running is still limited. Fingers crossed. Good news is the x-rays looked like knees of a teenager. OK, maybe not quite but no breakdown there. My large muscles however are that of an 80 year old. Gawd.

Either way, I’m going to try to document some of these trips just a little bit better. AND my outings with Laura. Jeesh. I’m thinking that this house might have to be burned to the ground to resolve of the smell—so I might actually be living out there with her at the annex. I’m trying to get the Mixes to buy another farm, one for me, but for some reason they are dragging their feet.

So, on to August—oh, and it can be less humid now too. Waiting for the next electric bill….thanks air conditioning. Then again, really, thanks air conditioning—central air this summer has been nothing but a blessing. Considering all that’s happened—Happy, dented car—did I mention?

(Trying to show the scrape but it’s more reflection…sigh…)

replacement hot water heater AND the broken new refrigerator

(Let’s put the loaner fridge here, by the door, and have our guests wait on us when they enter the threshold.)

I’m pretty much done with July. So, moving on.

This helps—but they frown on beer at work

So will look toward the future—see you on the five (a local Seattle/Tacoma/West Coast inside joke).

It’s out there, I know it.