Positively Tuesday-Adventures Big and Small

Graduations, weddings, new jobs and vacations are all part of life's big adventures. May seems to be an epic time when each of these starts moving to the forefront of peoples minds, at least some years. I don't think we have any weddings, but our calendar is filling faster than our checkbook with grad party invites. DS is always on the job hunt and DD1 keeps her eyes open for opportunities that might relocate her back to the Twin Cities. Even DD2 is two weeks into her new job. For DH and I, we are both not looking to change jobs, most likely before retirement, unless within the same company. Our big adventures are through our children's eyes, and of course, our trip later this summer. Do adventures need to be big monumental events or changes? I think not. We have a whole lot of summer prior to leaving for vacation. For this Positively Tuesday, here's some things on my summer list that I'm framing as adventures.

• Two business trips, one to Chicago and one to San Diego. I used to travel about eight times a year for work and now perhaps one to two times. I'm back to the mindset where being able to connect in my field nationally is exciting again. I leave tomorrow morning for Chicago for a quick 36 hour travel, meetings, business dinner, meetings, business happy hour, travel whirlwind. 
• The hunt for the missing wardrobe pieces. I found the gray pants ($4.99) and last night I found the elusive black jacket. I also found a blue one, and together they were $14, but huge wardrobe extenders. Since I wanted all to be under $24, I've got a budget left of $5.00. While I haven't found the white oversize shirt and a new spring/summer dress, the game is on. 
• Putting the raspberry bushes to rights. I spent a good part of Sunday night tackling this and will do more on Saturday. The new growth is coming through. I'm a horrible gardener, but I've managed to keep this lot going if unmanaged, since we moved in. Making jam from these is very satisfying.
• In that sort of vein, on my adventure list is to add at least one more variety to my jam making. I'll make strawberry, strawberry rhubarb, raspberry, and then a batch with the odds and ends from all. Last year I never made straight raspberry because they came in fits and starts. If I can source some other berries inexpensively, I might even add a fifth variety. I'll use the canned jam for our own eating of course, but to supplement gifts throughout the year. Add to my list, the hunt for inexpensive jelly jars. 
• Friday night river walks. Since DH works both Friday and Saturday's, he'll most likely use Wednesday nights to Friday morning for cabin time, and then back on Saturday night. This leaves Friday nights for our time to hang our on the weekend. Our favorite recent activity has been to take a long walk along the river. Occasionally we may go out for dinner first, or stop for a beer after, but mostly, it's just the time to take in a perfect night.
• Make a few farm to table pizzas. I'd love to go to one of the pizza farms, but our schedule never seems to conicde with the hours. Instead, I'll plan to visit a few farmers markets where not only is the produce available to top the pizzza, perhaps I can find fresh made moazzarella. If not, the creamery will be my next options. I broke my pizza stone quite a while ago. I might splurge on a new one, but also, add that to my hunt via thrift stores or yard sales. 
• See my world through my camera. Last summer I took a couple wanders near the cabin and in a regional park. Inspired by Jane at Life Begins at Retirement, a fantastic photographer of the beauty that surrounds her, I want to get out to at least four new to me places.

Mostly, knowing how short summer really is, I don't want ot waste it counting down days until vacation. Big or small, I intend to take advantage of these fleeting few months, and look at what could just be mundane to others as an adventure to me. 

Mom's and Dad's Let Off Steam

We'll be on the road in about 45 minutes after two whirlwinds days of driving nearly 10 hours, a day of watching the final show choir competition of the year. Now, we're up and will do the drive in reverse. DD2's group won Gran Champion, their only one this year after multiple, over a decade, of winning just about every competition they were in. They have a new director this year, less experience and I think their show just didn't have as much wow factor as other years. What it might not have had in wow factor, it sure had though with the vocals on these kids. All the kids at every school work their fannies off, starting in September and going right into spring.

Still, the effort takes a physical and mental toll on parents as well. The 4:00 a.m drop offs and then the 2:00 a.m. pick ups. If you chaperone, as I do about 40% of the events, you have the hauling of dresses and suits, and organizing behind the scenes. If you chaperone the  overnights, those brave souls, you get little sleep as yo u monitor the rooms and make sure no shenanigans are happening. If you have  a girl, there's the hair rolling the night before and last minute runs for more hair pins, various makeup products, and anything else to be prepared. There was a mini crisis yesterday morning when one of the girls hair hadn't dried the night before in the curlers and came out flat and damp. Mom's to the rescue with multiple curling irons and diffuser blow dryers at he same time.

Yes, we parents needed to blow off some steam. We first spent a couple hours post competition in someones room having happy hour. We met parents I didn;t know, and a few alumni parents that now empty nesters came for the weekend as well. We headed to a place that had tastings of moon shine, whilc was darn tasty. (We bringing three mason jars home of it!) Fortunately, they served food as well, so after some wraps, burgers, and fries, we headed to another watering hole for another drink and some live music. We capped off the night with a final toast in the happy hour room, before we all crashed about 12:30. DH isn't much of drinker so was a driver, which worked well so he is upright and feeling well. I paced myself well and feel OK. I think there might be a few not quite doing so well.

We're proud of our kids. We've invested a lot of time and money into them though, so only right we get a little fun as well. I'm good for a while though.  Yet, there's still next year.

Life and Traffic

This was my commute yesterday.

It felt like this.

On good days, this is the traffic flow. There is nothing more exciting to a road warrior commuter than the color green.

It is Friday and summer in Minnesota. The morning commute will be-should be fairly good because of all the three day weekenders that are part of the Minnesota mix each Friday. The commute home on the other hand, will probably still be a mess as these same people, or the ones that didn't take the day off, head North, South, East, and West towards cabins and resorts, and boat launches. Road construction is particularly awful this year, with many major highways and freeways with one or more lanes shut down. I won't be part of that today. I am working remotely from home. I'll blissfully put in my 8 working hours from the comfort of my home, and fit in a few loads of laundry, dinner prep, and perhaps a little baking. I'll wrap up sometime after 5:00, close the computer, and my commute will be done.

We avoid most of the cabin traffic as well.  We live close to our family lake place, just about an hour, and as it gets to be a long weekend for me, we usually just go up either Saturday night after DH is home, or early Sunday for the day. Occasionally we have a sticky traffic spot on Sunday night, but can by pass the interstate with a slightly longer, but more scenic route going through small towns.  When it is our week at the extra cabin, we'll spend more time, but then it is just my family and DH's mom.  I enjoy her company when it is not so overwhelming with the extended family.  

This weekend is our towns annual summer celebration days. I only partake in small doses, so will perhaps go listen to the live music and eat some treats while DD#2 and friends wander the carnival tonight.  There will be a huge craft show, which I like to attend for ideas and browsing, and more treats, but no buying as we are trying to declutter-not add more kitsch. I'll do that tomorrow morning.  There is an Amish family that sets up a huge over a fire kettle to make truly delicious kettle corn each year at the craft fair. It is a once a year treat for me. I only like their kettle corn. We may or may not do the fireworks Saturday night, though there is a good walking path over the Mississippi bridge and I think I would enjoy an evening walk with fireworks overhead.  Pup would need to stay behind-the 4th of July was too much for his ears. Traffic though will be a stop in at our small town and getting from point A to B will be a challenge.  I like that I don't have to go anywhere if I don't want to, but the options are there should we choose.  Traffic, an inevitable part of my life.  What's up this weekend in your part of the world?

Weeknight's are Just as Splendid

On the last day of April in anticipation for lovely spring and summer nights I posted  ideas on how to make the most of weeknights, and why wait for weekends for fun. Here I shared my brainstorm of ideas to not just let weekdays be bearable, but actually look forward to them. I've been trying to take my own advise and embrace my evenings.

We've been eating outside.  We've had a spell of rainy Tuesday and Thursday's, but when we can slip outside, we dine there. Suppers have been simple fairs, but I've been happy with our trusty big gas grill.

I've attended six soccer games already this spring, just as exciting as if we were sitting in Winnipeg watching a World Cup game. Grabbing an ice cream cone after the games has been an added treat, or after two games, hot chocolate because it was cold and rainy. Still, the fan's persevered under umbrellas.

We've taken in three concerts, hearing a twist on rock and roll classics, and Broadway theater, hearing Hair, complete with a retro 70's wardrobe change. I'd love to post to give you a taste of middle school talent, but since other kids are involved, and DD#2 would be mortified, you'll just have to hear it in your head.  I did like Thriller and Crocodile Rock done on strings.

I met up with a friend less than I would have liked for a walk, but the Thursday is my only night I am not taxiing around for part of the evening and those rain outs cancelled a few plans. Still, both times L and I walked, it was amazing how many miles we could cover chatting away. Both times, her DH had lemony ice water waiting for us-now that's service.

I'm waiting for a Tuesday concert series starting up in July and I have a few author readings on my calendar and some after work happy hours with both old and new colleagues. We also have to hit the last Drive In movie theater in our area at least once.  Weeknights are better viewing because the crowd is cut in half, but have to figure out when I can have a delayed work start for that plan as if we stayed for all three movies, we'd arrive home at 4:30 a.m.. I'm not rushing summer-technically it isn't even here yet and a lot more to do. How are you filling your nights?

One of the last drive in movie theaters, Vali Hi-picture from the theater web site.

Ignoring Your Inner Couch Potato

Remember thee days when coming in after dark meant the clocks were well past 9:00?  Late run to the grocery store or an extra walk in the neighborhood was just regular parts of the evening  Now I find myself diving to and leaving work in the dark, and once home, I kind of would like to put my feet up, and make peace with the couch.  Really though, the earlier darkness should provide more incentive to ignore the inner couch potato within me.  Here some strategies and activities I came up with.

• Schedule moonlight walks with walking buddies.  I have the lunar calendar to work into my own schedule and the brightness of the moon creates terrific ambiance to grab that gal pal that unfortunately I see less of once fall comes to an end, and get at lest a couple uninterrupted chats going
• Seek out author readings.  The Twin Cities had some good ones recently, held in a couple coffee houses in partnership with a next door independent book store.  Besides some good Q&A, the java jolt should keep me energized for the drive home and to read a few chapters. I have enjoyed these in the past and don't know why I let regular readings escape my planner.
• Try a community education course.  I am very fortunate to live in a community that has low cost  education programs, taught by local experts on every thing from computers, to personal finance, to cooking and home organizing. I'll give the catalog a look this weekend and see what peaks my interest.
• Don't waste the weekend days doing housework.  If I knock off a few things from the chore list during the work week, once I am home and settled in the house for the night, that should save prime daylight hours on weekends
• This one is bold for me.  Invite people over for dinner or drinks and h'ordeuvres, on a week night.  This would motivate me to do the previous item, cleaning during the week, and since it will be dark anyway, I'll be less self aware of lurking things in corners.
• Window shop and browse at malls and downtown.  This could be dangerous though if I move beyond window shopping.

How do you squash that wanting to just cocoon every evening?  What ideas would you share to  keep a winter calendar full?

Missed a Birthday-What's the Belated Window

Last week I wrote about refueling our individual tanks, and that my brain drain day is Tuesday's.  Yesterday proved to not be such a downer-yeah.  However, woke up with a streaming cold, that I had signs of for days but was trying to push through, my muscles ache, and I haven't even played volleyball yet today, and worse, I forgot my dear colleagues birthday!  I am so sad  about that.  I had in my head that is is two days after my wedding anniversary, which is Friday, and it is actually 2 days before, October 8th.  I had big plans after what she did last year for mine.  We women should be allowed our celebrity crushes.  Mine is George Clooney, and yes, I know he just got married.  Considering Friday is my 27th wedding anniversary, I think I'll get over his marriage.  Anyway, here is the lovely cake  my friend got me for my birthday last November. Isn't he handsome! 

Her crush is Tim McGraw.  Mr. McGraw has been happily married to Faith Hill for I think a couple decades, and DF has been married for over 30 years herself, so I think both marriages are safe. My  ideas was to have her walk into her office eon Monday morning, with Tim McGraw sitting at her desk, by putting a Tim McGraw face on one of our CPR dummies.  When she shut her door, she was going to be greeted by pictures of Tim all over the back of the door.  I could postpone, and still have her walk in on Monday morning-really birthday celebrations can last the whole month, can't they?  Have any of you  missed out on this?  Will a delayed birthday celebration seem  old?  I could come up with an alternate-I could celebrate Tim McGraw's birthday instead.  My friend does give me a birthday card every year on George Clooney's big day.  Ahh, such is youth.