Well Spent

This past weekend I celebrated my 37th birthday.  And by 'celebrated' I mean chilled and kept it low key.  I'm not all about big celebration or grand gestures.  I wanted to just enjoy the day.  I took three days off of work which is what I normally like to do for my birthday just because.  I don't want to be at work on my birthday.  It's a day for me. 

The first day of my three day weekend was spent watching the original 'Star Wars' trilogy.  I have been doing this for several years now.  I grew up loving these movies and I still do.  Yes it's nerdy.  Yes I could do something else with the six and a half hours.  No I don't want to do anything else with that time during my birthday.  We see those social media posts that are like 'take care of yourself' and 'self care is important'.  Self care has many facets and I think that some include losing yourself in a favorite movie or book or tv show. 

Saturday and Sunday were spent just chilling at home and doing a little running around.  My wife and I checked out a brewery in Hastings and ate dinner at a restaurant we liked.  I say we checked out a brewery, but let's be honest, I checked it out.  My wife doesn't drink so she tolerates me enjoying a beer or two while we sit and talk.  It's what we're all about. 

Everyone spends their birthdays in different ways.  Some go all out with parties while some lay low.  It's all about what you want to do isn't it?  Embrace being selfish on your birthday.  If you want to sit around in your pjs all day and drink coffee while reading a book, DO IT!  If you want to go shopping and buy some new clothes just because, DO IT!  If you want to invite a bunch of people over for an all night rager, DO IT!  Spend the day feeling great about yourself, but also think about doing that more than just once a year.  Celebrate a half year birthday, or just celebrate you every couple of months. 

Ned was Right

After having a lack of snow during the months of November, December and January, Minnesota finally remembered that it is, in fact, Minnesota.  But not before delving out a handful of rather bizarre days of weather.  From negative thirty degree temperatures to mid thirties just two days later at the end of January.  We also saw some freezing rain right before another plummet in temperature.  Then finally.  It happened.  Winter showed up.  We finally got snow. 

In the months of November and December we had to shovel snow maybe three times.  It has been snowing in the Twin Cities for the past twenty four hours.  It started snowing last night around six thirty.  It is now seven twenty two and the snow hasn't stopped.  We have easily gotten a foot and a half in that time.  It's just wonderful. 

We have a very small driveway because our garage is on an alley.  Because of that we do not have a snow blower.  We have no need for it...yet.  We do have to keep our front sidewalk and porch clear though.  That takes some time.  There are a few people in our neighborhood that will run up and down the sidewalks on the block and clear a path.  You still have to go through and full clear the width of the walkway, but at least a good majority of the walkway is done. 

I have been of the mindset that if you get out and clear the snow a few times it is less stressful on your body.  I'd rather get out and shovel two or three times during a snow storm to keep the accumulation down.  It helps that I enjoy the cold and the snow.  If I was not a fan of it, I'm sure I would just want to be outside once and be done with it.  I would also probably just do it once if I had a snow blower.  Going old school and having a shovel almost forces your hand to go out a few times.  I just put in my earbuds and listen to music as I go.  It makes it go by quicker.  I've seen both in our neighborhood and I've been wondering which method is best.  It helped that I did not have to work today so I could pick and choose times to go out.