Cleaning - Completed

I feel so accomplished. I finished my huge list of cleaning and also managed to finish a scarf I was knitting. It is green and longerish. I know, really descriptive, but it looks nice and I like it. Also, it's just in time because I think next week is the final hurrah for the warm weather. It is supposed to be almost 80 here on Monday, and then they are predicting the major storms. As long as it doesn't tornado my house down, I'm Ok.

My parents are going to be here for the weekend. They just called to tell me they made it to their hotel ok, and tell me their room number. I have a swimming suit and towel contraption all packed ready to soak in the hot tub tonight! I am going to need it too. I worked out hard this week. Lots of squats and lunges and running - on a treadmill instead of the elliptical. I feel pretty ok right now, some sore back and legs, but Wednesday I was so sore. I would look at the flight of stairs I have to climb to get to my desk at work, and they would do the dreamscape become a mile long thing in my mind. I had to pysch myself up to go up (and down) them. I really planned my trips for a two days. That was from Tuesday's workout. Thursday I worked out as well, and that whole theory on the 'hair of the dog that bit you' really does work.

Tomorrow is Karate, so any lingering soreness may go away then. Sunday is supposed to be so nice, I'll probably play softball in the park and go to the batting cages once my parent's leave. It will be a fun weekend having them here! Hm, speaking of... I should really go pick up Trevor from the airport and then go pick up food and meet my parents at the hotel for the aforementioned hot tub.

Crazy Cleaning Frenzy

I told myself that today was a cleaning day. I could sleep in, but not past noon, and then I had to begin the cleaning on my list. It has been six hours, and I haven't accomplished as much as I wished I had, but I have attacked a lot. I have dusted the house and cleaned the bathroom. I have organized the garbage and recycling to go out tonight. I have organized the pantry, kitchen, and linen closet. Left on my list, you ask?

• put away summer clothes and take out winter ones
• make bags of clothes not worn this summer to take to goodwill
• repack the closet (part of the above two, but also some minor maintenence of boxes contained within
• organize bookshelves (have decided I require a third bookshelf. May head out to purchase tonight, but more likely will go on list of things to do tomorrow

The big thing that goes on that list is to organize the back porch and basement storage areas, including the storage I have under my bed. I plan on buying a house sometime next year, probably before August, and I don't want to take shit with me that I dont' need. I think I can start the process of culling now. Then, if I don't use it between then and now, it goes when I move. Harsh, but true. I'm a bit sentimental when it comes to my material things. "Oh, this is the ticket to the concert that I went to with so and so..." I could keep it, but unless I get good at scrap booking sometime soon, why? No one gets to see it, it's packed in a box creating a space and fire hazard. I must get through these things while I am still in the apathetic, throw things away, stage. If I hit the boxes in a sentimental mood, we're doomed. I'm trying to decide how much energy I have left tonight. I'd like to get the clothes switched yet tonight. I think I'll leave the boxes and storage and organizing for the nights I have this week.

The problem with the 'leave it' theory? Tuesday I think I may go golfing. Wednesday perhaps to the Twins game. Thursday is happy hour, and Friday my parent's are coming to visit. That leaves the rest of today and perhaps tomorrow night. I think I'm going to go find a small snack and then attack my room.

Birthday Fun

Last night, a bunch of people went out to help me celebrate my birthday. We went to the Wild Onion, which if you have not been there for birthdays, you are missing out! If it is the day of your birthday, they give you a free t-shirt, a pound of chicken wings, free alcohol in a huge mug (until 9PM), and balloons. I forgot the balloons at the restaurant, but they would have been a pain to drive home with anyway. (No, I was not driving. That would have been silly considering the size of the mug and the fact I drank 3 of them.) After the Wild Onion, most people came to my place to eat ice cream cake and chill for a bit. I was quite squiffy by the end of the night, but had a great time.

Jenni is in town for the long weekend, and tonight we are going to go climbing, and tomorrow I may go climbing, I think others are going to the Ren Fest. Saturday night we might go dancing, and the Sunday is sleep and football. In that order :P

A pictoral history of Labor Day



First stop, the packer game. Even though my Packers were trounced, it was still a great time. Plus, our beer man rocked! He made a special trip to get me and mine some Mike's Hard Lemonade, even though they usually make you go get it yourself. Beer man, you rock.

Second stop, Door County. First Karin, Trevor, and I made a really large pile of wood w/ my dad. Dad and Mom had started the pile the week before. Then, we burned it. This is after the fire had been going for a while. The pile was quite a big, so big infact we started our reserve pile (on the left, the chiken looking fire) on fire too. Oops.

No, I didn't really start Dad's tractor on fire, but it did take a fun picture.

Sunday Trevor and I went to the corn maze. We didn't get lost, and managed to find all 18 little stamps. We decided it would be great fun to go back in w/ the map in our pocket, get ourselves lost for 30 minutes and then try to get back out (without map of course).

From the bridge of the corn maze (the picture above is the map on that bridge) one can see a cow excreting an ice cream cone. That's how fresh the ice cream was at this place. No doubt.

We also went to some wineries, and cave point, and mini putting. Lots of fun packed into one weekend! Whee.