Walking From Minnesota to Wisconsin by Way of Venice

     

      As for trying to control chaos and clutter, I did more of the same this weekend. I  continue to do little bits, even if not as much as I'd like to get accomplished, day by day. DD2 brought home a mountain of laundry-she just was so busy she didn't have a chance, plus, they have to juggle access to the washer and dryer anyway. One of her roommates had a selfish neighbor take her clothes out of the washer  before the cycle had even stopped a few weeks into the semester! What was brought home in her two large Ikea bags appeared to be her laundry for weeks. She's always clean and neat, but will wear things multiple times before washing. As she has plenty of clothes hauling home the dirty ones will likely get her through to Thanksgiving break, with only needing to wash her undergarments (Though a load of that came home too.) I don't mind. If sending her back with restocked clothes helps her avoid a bit of stress, I'm happy to contribute. 

     Late Saturday morning we decided  it was too perfect a day, even if a bit chilly, to waste a day and headed to Stillwater. The city sits on the St Croix river and is one of the gateways between Minnesota to Wisconsin. The downtown is very quaint and loaded for weekend wanderers to pop into stores selling lots of Minnesota and town merchandise, ice cream and bakery goods. There's an indie book store and an old fashion candy store both selling candy of the past and  store made batches of turtles, fudge, and peanut brittle as well as other chocolates. We poked around the shops and had a delicious lunch as mentioned yesterday. About four years ago, a new bridge that connected a major highway between the states took the place of an old lift bridge. The lift bridge is now a walking/bike only bridge I think 1/4 of Minnesota and 1/4 of Wisconsin was on that bridge on Saturday. I was pleased I made the hike, even if my knee was throbbing and I needed a pretty good dose of Voltaren rubbed n later. DD2 went a bit further, to the first Wisconsin town over the bridge, but I stopped at the Welcome to Wisconsin sign.  

     After walking back, we just sat and chatted on a park bench overlooking the water. We saw a wedding party taking pictures,  people eating popcorn or ice cream, and a group with a picnic basket, but it looked like it contained painting supplies. A saxophone player, very good, busking right before the bridge. Something new to me, was the gondola rides! Two  boats steered by pole by young men wearing the classic Venetian stiped shirt, moved passengers along the shore under the bridge, a loop, and back again. It was a funny thing! Here's a smattering of pictures. I really like getting out and about, even if not too far from home.

Side streets closed for extra sitting, but most
people were walking on the sidewalks in and out of stores. 

Proof I walked to Wisconsin!

View from the Wisconsin side and a church 
steeple can just be made out, but the bridge is
around the bend  and low so out of view.

No, you are not in Venice!

The old lift bridge now ready for walkers and bikers.

Monday Morning Weekend Recap

 

     Did you do all things fall over the weekend? What about my friends on the southern part of the globe? Has spring arrived where you are? Did those of you in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving yesterday instead of today, letting yourself  relax on a rare Monday holiday? My weekend was a mixed bag of stuff. As I mentioned, DH was off work Saturday, so he got all sorts of things done on Saturday that normally would have been left to Sunday. I liked it-though how well we will get on once he is around 100% of the time is to be determined. 

     Despite having my Saturday morning become wide open, I was not nearly as productive as I would have liked. I was happy that I remembered where I had a few other fall items-this wall hanging we received from my mother-in-law about five years ago for our anniversary and four little scare crows. Two are here on the front porch, and the other are poked into a hanging basket that is still holding onto a few spring/summer flowers. I tackled the entry closet-it has become a closet of doom. With moving one thing, several balls-basketball and soccer variety, mostly massively underinflated, rolled off the shelf and onto my head. Luckily though, I found two air pumps in a box in the same closet, one even had a needle. I added "mesh ball bag" to the list of things we need for the next trip to a store with such things. My daughter will be glad. Back in August, she was looking for a basketball that wasn't deflated and for the life of me, couldn't figure out where the air pumps were. 

     The Blogger Zoom meet-up was a success-I hope the others feel the same. Say what you want about how technology has taken over our lives, but  who would have thought even a few decades ago that regular women from  two different parts of the US, France and Australia would be chatting for an hour on a Saturday afternoon, solving world problems, and getting to know each other beyond words on a computer screen? Joining me were The Hawaii Plan, Just Baggage Enough, and Random Thoughts, though Treader at Random Thoughts has her blog temporarily on private. Trolls and witches you know! We left with happy intentions of setting one up again in a month or so-maybe before the race of the US Holiday season kicks off at the end of November. Jan at Just Baggage Enough wins the prize for most committed virtual world traveler as she joined us at 5:00 a.m. her time in Australia. When we get ready to pick a new date, you're welcome to join in. 

     I'm turning into a lazy cook in the kitchen-wondering at times where it is in fact. We went out to eat Friday night, then DH just made a frozen pizza for lunch on Saturday. He had a text from a friend who knew somehow he was off work, to meet for early drinks and dinner so of course we couldn't say no. After our park clean-up on Sunday morning, my sister had us worker bee's over for  brunch. I stopped on route for fruit and coffee cake to go with her delicious cheese potatoes and egg bake. After the Vikings awful but winning game, we took a drive along the river and with the destination a BBQ restaurant we found by happenstance two years ago. We both got dry rubbed chicken and I have leftovers for today to either make into something, or eat for lunch. We need to give eating out a rest for the next two weeks as no doubt we'll go out when the college kid is home. 

     I have a busy work week, but fingers crossed, Friday will work for my flex day. I have two clean out projects I want done before the kid is home-then she can help me decide what can be donated and out of the house. I'll leave you  with a picture of the evening sky as we were driving home. Despite it being from the car, the colors were notable. 

Monday-And I Need Some Rest

      The party was a lot of fun. My brother was genuinely surprised. We didn't have great turn out by my nieces and nephews families, but the ones who came were a great help-my daughter was a champ again. Many of his friends and several cousins came. I know Saturdays are hard on young families, but it gets a bit old to have RSVP's of "maybe". What does that mean-I'll come if I don't have something better  or if something I'd rather come to falls through? It's hard planning food for maybe, especially when 2-3 maybe's can be a 10-15 difference in number of people. Just reply "no" and if you end up available a few days before, then call an aunt and we can make accommodations. I digress. We had the park pavilion until 8:00 and we used it the whole time. A wretched downpour threatened the late afternoon, but we saw the darkest of the clouds push past us and head farther south. We had sprinkles, but still managed a good fire. My nephew's little guy who just turned two was the proud  carrier of the marshmallows for s'mores.

     DH and I then were on the road by 6:45. We did a coffee stop-no one wants to see me without coffee. We took our daughter to a restaurant recemmend by her friends, and it was pretty good. They had a simplish menu-a variety of of "hippy" bows,  assorted combinations of mac and cheese, burgers, and a few sandwiches. We will go back again-services was terrific and it was not terribly priced. While she had to be back for both a rehearsal and a  full chorus run through, DH and I managed to find an open Tires Plus and got her  slow leak on her rivers side front tire repaired. DH also planted himself to watch the  dismal Vikings game. I took several walks. I rarely can just sit and watch sports-need something else to do. The concert itself was lovely. We then got a few pictures, visited with her friends parents a bit,  talked some more with our kid, and were on the road by 6:00. 

     DD1 took great care of pup, but our stupid front door lock wouldn't cooperate, and she couldn't get the door locked. She stuck around until we were home-above and beyond the call of duty. I could go on another DH rant about the door, but I won't. I'm just appreciative of her. 

     I worked in the office for the morning and got a lot purge and packed. Now I have two boxes of work related stuff, a shopping bag of personal stuff, and a bag of shoes! So now I know where my one black heels and black flats have been. I suppose I wore winter boots or tennis shoes, and then changed out and left them behind. I think I regret hauling home as many   folders and documents that I did-I'll give them six months. If I do not reference, I'll recycle. I met my new team member in person today, and another older staff met the staff  I hired last November for the first time in person. We met in person to make sure all were on the same page for closing out a project. I was also flu shot clinic day. I'm OK so far. I'll be working later tonight. I have a bunch of documents with a 6:00 p.m. deadline, and I'm hoping to see them all by then. If not, I'll get a reminder message ready to send. I hope your Monday was good-I need a rest!

Now, to put stuff away.

Feeling Good Monday

     Sleeping with windows open is a sure sign spring is here. The rumor of snow was only that, though now the weather man Guy mentioned it for later in the week. I could do without the 6:00 a.m. barking patrol and think I best refill my Clariton supply, but otherwise fresh air and nothing through the vents is good for sleeping. A couple weeks ago my daughter and I bought these tiny little pots of flowers. I went ahead and  followed the instructions yesterday morning finally, covering with plastic wrap as stated to create a little green house, and they are sitting in a window sill. I'll keep you updated on my progress. 

     In other flower news, the bag below was part of my Fab, Fit, Fun box and I love it. It is a good size to use as a weekender and will hold enough to go back and forth to the lake for a couple days. 

     I've been looking on-line for a couple dresses for the two upcoming weddings. I do not want to spend much, but my wardrobe is abysmal for special occasions. I'll try a couple thrift stores, but have  put a few in my virtual shopping cart as back up and will need to decide by first week of May so they have tie to arrive and test out. I'll also be done with shot two on April 24th, so May 8th is the date for the full two week protection, so could look in real stores as well.  As both are outside weddings, being able to wear a sweater is a must. 

     I have to do another shout out to Sheila at Ephemera and her post from the weekend. Check out her black and white poncho about mid post. I had to smile when she said this is her computer sweater. This is my black and white shawl/scarf, that I uses as my computer sweater, putting on my lap to keep the drafts at bay. At least my lap has some of Sheila’s style.

     The weekend was a bit of cleaning, a bit of sorting, a bit of baking, and a lot of lazing as a tired bug hit me hard yesterday late afternoon. What was going to be a short eye close ended up being a good hour plus nap. I guess the point of weekends are to get caught up not just on house stuff, but also sleep if that is needed.  Both girls had their first dose. I helped my younger daughter get her second dose scheduled in our area. They could not schedule at a different pharmacy location, but I called one local, and they were able to find a slot exactly four weeks (Moderna) from this past Saturday. Maybe I was getting pseudo tired from my kids vaccines! 

     We looked at the house with my daughter-a no go. There is just too many quirks that were not quaint, and a lot of work. The best part of the house was supposed to be the yard, but even that was muddled with a horrible view of the back of a warehouse type building, and an oddly shaped lot  line, with an eye sore shed on the neighbors property. She had though it was on the lot she would be buying  and it could be taken down, but nope, stuck with it. When it's right, she'll know. 

     Today is a long work day as I have my Monday night call. It's a gray weather, possibly rainy day today. I  hope to get a little exercise video in mid-day and a long walk later with pup. April is living up to the poem so I hope May does as well. I hope your week starts off well. 

Quick Feeling Good Monday

     I'm getting that pesky carry over work done this morning-daughter is zonked out still in her bed. She has a paper or two to write, so not sure what the day will be. Our Sunday changed quite a bit, but for a good reason, but I'll update when and if there is something to update. 

     As more plans  for moving back in tot eh office take shape, I feel a good use of time this week is to look carefully in my closet and  organize, pitch, and purge clothes that  just are  a no. My weight is where it was three months ago, but with better weather, I will get outside more. Here was my big purchases, on recommendation of a YouTuber/Instagram person who is a bit on the larger side like me, but has used these with several outfits and they changed/refreshed the look. I love Sheila's style at Ephemera, and am going to be more adventurous with mixing together items I already own, with a few accessories to give me a little more pizazz. Ignore the wrinkles-they've been shoved in my closet for more than a year, but thoughts on these two  summer basic dresses, getting  repurposed as sort of belted jumpers? Sheila???

     I'm feeling hopeful, but cautious with more vaccine roll out. We're looking at options for my daughter on how she can get accinate din April when on eof the vaccines requires two doses four weeks apart, the other prevalent one three, and where she physically will be. If she gets vaccine one at school, it would be worth it to make the drive to the same location, even if she is home, to get the second dose in early May if that is how the timing works. Today though, I'll just enjoy her company, even if it is us both doing our own  work. Tomorrow will be a road trip day.

Have a truly wonderful week. 

Feeling Good Monday-Who Care's Hair Care

      No denying I am a low maintenance kind of gal, and even more so, embarrassingly so, since working from home. I have a couple meetings this week where I will be prominently featured on screen and decided I need to invest a bit of time in cleaning up my  appearance. Starting with coloring my hair. I did this on Sunday since the Garnier Nutrisse instructs starting with unwashed hair and I was more than due a shampoo. Here's what I use. I'm slowly going back to my more natural light brown, but hopefully without the mousiness.

 

     The Garnier comes with a deep conditioner for after coloring. Between the color and the conditioning, I feel like I lost five years of age!  Next weekend I'll use this hair mask. In full transparency, not a sponsored post, but the Whole Blends mask was a free sample I requested last summer and never got around to using.   .

A little self TLC goes a long way. This morning I did my hair, put on a little make-up, and will be wearing a blouse with  jacket, looking like a real working gal. No one will see that from the waiste down I'll still be in leggings and slippers.