Time Away

We took our vacation.  It was fantastic.  It was relaxing.  It was just the right amount of time.  Maybe another day would have been good, but three days of not being home was very nice.  The only downside was that my wife had a cold while we were up there.  Weird right?  Summer colds are just...odd.

The weather was outstanding.  I was a bit worried about the weather because most of what we wanted to do was outside.  And what do you do when it rains outside?  You find stuff to do inside.  Usually you look to going to malls and stores, which is not as cool when you live in a metro area and have access to the stores.  We did not do any shopping.  We did spend quite a bit of time outside.  Practically all day on the 5th was spent outdoors, minus drive time.  We went up to a couple of state parks that were half an hour or so north of Duluth.  The drive reminded me so much of driving in the U.P.  We were able to step foot in Lake Superior.  It's cold on the western end just it is on the eastern end.  Proof of being in the lake:

I went up to my ankles.  That was enough.  Like I said, it was cold.  We had a picnic and enjoyed the scenery.  There weren't any black flies or mosquitoes driving us crazy.  Just a few flies here and there.  It was busy because it was a weekend and a holiday weekend at that.   

We spent some time with friends from high school/college.  For all the complaining I do about social media, the only way we were able to see them was because we are all Facebook friends.  It was great to see them, and they were great resources for things to do.  They told us which restaurant to stop at and get pie (The Rustic Inn) on our way up the shore.  And....AND...they hooked us up with a great view for the fireworks.  On top of a building!  Away from the people and congestion. 

I only took a handful of pictures of the fireworks because I wanted to actually watch them with my eyes and not through the screen of my phone. 
I'm sure that if we had spent one more day up there, we would have been able to find some more stuff to do.  But then again, Duluth isn't huge, so two days without having concrete plans was just enough.  We did agree though that if we were to do another trip like this, it would be on a weekend that was not a holiday weekend.  Just dealing with extra traffic on the roads was all we needed to know that we didn't want to do it again.  And we thought about that after we started making plans, but we stuck with it.  And I'm happy we did.  Like I said, it was nice and relaxing and it was a new adventure. 

44/120

Different Paths

If all roads lead back home, why continually take the same ones?  If you go some place and are in no hurry, why not find an alternate road to get back home?  Is it exciting and adventurous?  Not really.  It's just something to do. 

Earlier this week, I cashed in on the thirtieth birthday present my wife got.  We both did something of a grand gesture for each other because we reached that milestone in our lives.  I took her away for the weekend into Minneapolis and we went and saw a play and just relaxed.  The weather wasn't the best, but then again it was in January so you always take your chances.  And she surprised me with a once in a lifetime opportunity for my birthday.  I got to drive a tank!  That is not the point of this post though, the point is that it was just an hour and a half away and there were several routes that I could take to get there and back.  So why take the same highway there and back? 

I had to make sure I was there on time, so I took the most direct route there.  Just two highways.  It wasn't all that fun.  There was nothing special about the drive.  Just bad drivers, gas stations, and fast food.  On the way back, I took a different route which took me through the two lane highways that twist and turn through a little bit of countryside with small towns of five or six hundred people.  Corn fields, trees along the road, and cattle pastures.  Part of the drive for me that makes it fun is the surroundings.  Going through these small towns that won't ever change.  I can always envision myself living in one of these towns in a different life.  But I also realize how much you can miss living in these small towns along the highway as opposed to living in a larger city or metropolitan area, so I will just stick with the big city living. 

While driving through these towns, I have an urge to stop at the local diner that sits along main street.  It's a picture in my head of Americana.  But part of the reason I don't ever do it is because I would hate to ruin that image.  I would hate to walk into one little diner and see how depressed it is because no one other than the locals eat there.  I would hate to see the person who has worked there for the last twenty years because they never 'got out'. 





That's the danger of an ideal image, it can be ruined in an instant. 

Rules of the Road

While driving back from vacation last weekend, I started to think of the rules by which to travel by.  How to survive a ten hour car ride by yourself and keep sane.  It has been about seven years since I have taken a long road trip by myself.  And by long road trip, I'm talking four plus hours in the car by yourself.  It's a lot easier when you have someone in the car with you.  Someone to talk with, someone to share the drive with, someone to keep you focused.  By yourself, you find your mind wandering every once in a while.  At least I do.  I want to watch the scenery go by.  I want to look into the fields and watch the countryside.  With someone else in the car, you can stay focused on driving and not hitting a car or being hit because you start to swerve. 

Music is key for a trip.  With the right music, your road trip goes by quicker.  It doesn't even have to be music.  When I left the Soo, I listened to Colin Cowherd's show, The Herd until the station went out.  I've enjoyed his show for the past couple of years and find myself agreeing with him on many levels.  The times I don't agree with him, well that's okay because that's part of talk shows.  I found myself talking back to him on the points I agreed with and the points I didn't.  Once I got going with my music, the car went from quiet to quite loud.  Loud music keeps me focused and singing doesn't hurt.  Who doesn't sing in the car?  I was Jack White, Iggy Pop, Johnny Cash, and the Beastie Boys all in the span of two hours. 

Another element that helps with the road trip is the weather.  I've driven in pouring down rain in Kansas as well as straight line winds.  Heavy snow was an oft occurrence going back and forth in Michigan during college.  There was one trip after Thanksgiving that there was a pile up on the highway and our three hour trip turned into six hours.  It was horrible.  I was tense the entire time and in a bad mood because of it.  When we left Minnesota, we drove through two hours of rain.  It makes me tense up because the road conditions are affected, but some drivers don't take that into consideration.  Either that or drivers take too much precaution when driving on wet roads.  Once we got ahead of the rain, it was smooth sailing.  Coming back, there was no rain, no wind, and just enough cloud cover to keep from squinting for ten hours.  Without the sun beating down on the car, there wasn't any need for the A/C, which is nice because it cools you down, then you get too cold, turn it off, and then it warm again.  It's a mess. 

The best way to keep fresh when driving by yourself is stopping.  Can I power straight through for six hours without stopping?  Yes.  How do I feel at the end of those six hours?  Horrible.  I tried to break  up the trip into three to four hour blocks.  It worked out just about perfectly.  Every town I got to, I kept looking at the one past it to see how many miles it was and thought about skipping it for the next one.  There's a decent size town in Wisconsin about every fifty miles along the route I take.  I found myself breaking down the trip into these small gaps as opposed to saying I was going to be on the road for ten hours.  It worked.  Going from point A to point B is only fifty miles, for example.  After point B is point C and that is sixty miles.  I'll stop there.  All of a sudden, you have over one hundred miles under your belt.  It sounds a lot better than 'I only have nine more hours in the car.'  Stopping when you are tired is the best gauge for anyone.  Either that or when your back really starts to hurt.  

The biggest mistake I started to make half way through the trip was watching the time.  It's best to not pay any attention to it.  Judge your trip by the mileage and count down.  Seeing the clock go from three in the afternoon to five o'clock goes by slower if you keep checking the clock every ten to twenty minutes. 

Road Trip Essentials

Time has come for another trip home.  I tell you what, living this much closer is nice.  Since moving up to Minnesota last August, we have made the trip home three times including this one.  While living in Wichita, we made it home about twice a year.  The obvious benefit is not having to fly to get home.  You can go at your own pace, not based on what the airline says.  You don't have to show up an hour early to get patted down by someone who hates their job.  You can bring drinks with you in the car!  You can bring home more than a three ounce bottle of shampoo. 

All that is great, but what is essential for the trip home?  Or for road trips in general?  Outside of having an atlas (old school, I know) to go along with your GPS, the essentials you need are two things:  music and food.  Fuel for the body and the mind.  When you drive by yourself, these two things can be whatever you want them to be.  You don't have to fight over the music or fight for the last Twizzler in the package.  But when you travel with others, compromises have to be made.

When I was younger and went on road trips, one of the keys to the drive was Mt. Dew.  This was the days before I started drinking coffee.  Now, before leaving I make a pot of coffee and bring a thermos and a travel mug with me.  It's cheaper than stopping at a gas station and buying pop or coffee.  I do buy pop every once in a while on road trips, but for the majority of the time, it's coffee.  Stocking up on food from stores is cheaper than buying at the gas stations too.  Candy, chips, crackers, etc.  All that can be found without paying the higher prices of the gas stations.  If we bring a cooler with us, we throw in some lunch meat and cheese and have something close to lunch too. 

 The biggest argument my wife and I have in car rides is music.  We agree on most of it, but songs I love and want to crank, she wants to skip.  And vice versa.  So, with her staying behind for a week to help some family out, I made up a playlist for the trip back.  Music that I will want to play loud enough to blow the speakers.  Songs that I love to hear and some people will just shake their heads at.  I present to you, my playlist for the trip back home.

• In The Hall of the Mountain King
• Jolene (cover by the White Stripes)
• Throw the Brick (Less Than Jake)
• Rebel Rebel (David Bowie)
• Cocaine Blues (Johnny Cash)
• Rocket Queen (Guns n Roses)
• Indy Kidz (Cage the Elephant)
• It's the End of the World As We Know It (R.E.M)
• Seek and Destroy (Iggy and the Stooges)
• Raw Power (Iggy and the Stooges)
• Vietnow (Rage Against the Machine)
• Lose Yourself (Eminem)
• Good Times, Bad Times (Led Zeppelin)
• Highway to Hell (cover by Marilyn Manson)
• B.O.B (Outkast)
• Du hast (Rammstein...yeah.  Rammstein)
• Howlin' For You (Black Keys)
• Paul Revere (Beastie Boys)
• We Are Going to be Friends (the White Stripes.)

Below is a picture I took while driving home from a camping trip in Kansas a few years ago.  I like it just because it is very basic.  Road, sun, and trees.  That's it and that encompasses our travels for the most part once we get into Michigan. 

Now, bring me that horizon. 

Baseball Pilgrimage

I know that if you were to ask any baseball fan what their dream would be, everyone would say that they would want to see their team win the World Series.  And most would say that they would want to visit each stadium and take in a game live at each of those venues.  While it would be cool to do that, to see different cities across the country, to see the different aspects of each park, I think that every little thing that these cities and parks have would be lost in the overall goal of seeing them.  Why not aim for a smaller goal? 

For me, I would like to see the Tigers play in each of the American League Central parks.  More than that, I would love to see them win in all five of the parks.  So far, I've seen this happen in three of the five parks.  In Detroit, Kansas City, and Minneapolis.  Been to those three, saw the Tigers win in all three.  The only parks that are left are in Chicago and Cleveland. 

Chicago wouldn't be that difficult to get off this list.  A road trip would be seven hours from the Twin Cities to the Windy City.  Not only would I be able to see the Tigers take on the White Sox, I would take the time to go to Wrigley Field.  That is a place that every baseball fan needs to see before they tear it down.  Wrigley Field and Fenway Park:  the last bastions of greatness in baseball lore.  The hard part of this new found baseball pilgrimage is getting to Cleveland.  I suppose it isn't difficult getting to Cleveland, the difficult part is wanting to go.  Who wants to go to Ohio? 

I suppose on a side bar I would enjoy going to see the Tigers play the Brewers because of the history they have from the old AL East.  Plus, they are close to where we are now, and it's Milwaukee.  Known for their beer, brats, and overall good German food.  A place where your good health and your liver go to die.

Skipped out of town

We just got back from a weekend in Springfield, MO.   We went for a couple of reasons.  One, to see our friends who moved out there last year and two, just to get out of Wichita for a weekend.  It was just a four hour (or so) ride out there and we left Friday after I finished with work and we got there in time for some beer and a few left over pieces of pizza.  A great way to start a lazy weekend. 

Saturday was spent around the town.  We walked the downtown area a little bit and grabbed some food.  The afternoon was spent checking out a brewery that just opened up.  It is not a brewery that has a restaurant, it's an actual brewery that just bottles and sends out the booze.  It never rained, but it was overcast and windy all day.  Not one hundred percent fantastic, but tolerable. 

Sunday we drove down to Branson.  Not to see any shows that the city is known for, but to check out some of the shops in the area.  They have a nice open air mall with typical shops, but once again it was nice to just get out and see something different.  

The weather was not the greatest, but it was nice enough to get outside and walk around both days.  Would it have been more enjoyable has it been in the low seventies and sunny all weekend?  Absolutely.  It was in the low fifties and cloudy all days that we were there except for Monday, when we had to leave.  Figures.  It was nice to drive back home when it was sunny as opposed driving in the rain.

Getting out of the city is always nice especially when you have no real plans.  And, as always, it was great to see some friends.   

Anniversary trip

I proposed to A that on our five year anniversary (which is next year) that we take a vacation somewhere.  Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, New York, Chicago, wherever.  I thought that if we started to think of it now, we can start saving now and not have to worry about having to pay for stuff if we do go through with this idea.  Vacations are expensive. 

We haven't really had a vacation since we got married.  We went down to St. Thomas with our families and it was glorious.  When we do leave the state of Kansas, it is always to visit family.  These vacations are always great just because we live so far away from everyone and we only see them about two or three times a year.  However, we haven't taken a trip for ourselves to go to a new city to explore.  I always love going home and seeing our families, but I haven't ever been to Boston or New York.  I want to visit Independence Hall in Philadelphia.  I want to find old Yankee Stadium and take a piss on it (no, not really [or do I?]) or at least flip it off.  I want to get an authentic Chicago deep dish pizza and visit the Friendly Confines, I want to see a politician in a strip club in D.C. taking in the lunch buffet. 

We don't have kids right now (nor do we plan to have any in the near future) and right now is the best time to take these kinds of trips.  All we have to worry about is the cat, and she self sustains.  We have over a year to think about this, and a lot can change in that year.  Moving, jobs, etc.  This will be in the back of my mind for the next year or so until it comes to fulfillment.  

Being home

Currently I sit in a chair in the state of Michigan. We came home for my brother's wedding reception. The nice thing, I have discovered, about living so far from home is that when you get married far away not everyone can make it to the actual wedding. That sounds mean, I know, but wait for the follow up sentence. When you have a family like mine, they love to party so much which means because they miss out on the first reception, a second reception is damn near mandatory. And who is the one that benefits the most? The bride. My wife and sister-in-law both got to wear their wedding dress twice! If you are going to drop that much money on a dress, why not find a reason to wear it more than once? Am I right? Of course I am.

And who can turn down getting together to celebrate a wedding? I got to see some relatives I hadn't seen for a handful of years, by which I mean since college. With a second reception, there is almost no stress for the married couple. The most stress is decorating the room which includes figuring out which vase of flowers goes on which table.

So being home has been nice. We got to see our nieces and nephew dress up for Halloween and watch them run around my mom's house hopped up on sugar only to presumably crash by the time the drive home had ended. The weather has been fall-like. We were out last night and it got down to thirty three degrees. Now that is fall weather. One could make an argument for winter weather, but there isn't any snow nor is it December. There is something different about the air up here. Going outside, there is just something. A smell to it. It smells, natural. I don't know if it is the trees, the grass, or the just the moisture in the air. It makes it feel like fall. It puts a smile on my face and a hop in my step. In Kansas, we just hope it doesn't get into the eighties or that the wind isn't blowing too hard. It feels more like summertime weather then it does fall weather. And when winter comes around and it gets down into the forties all day long, it beings to feel like fall.




Too bad that when it hits the forties it is almost time for Spring.

Playing tourist

We spent all day yesterday wandering around Seattle's downtown and market area, of course, culminating in a few hours of Pike Place Market. It was fun to get out and people watch, and to see what kind of craft is out there. Most of the big spaces that are used in Pike's Place are actual businesses, but the further down you go you can find some people that are selling their art and trying to make a few more bucks outside of their jobs (assuming they have one). I really wanted to bring our nice camera for this trip, but it was not in the working state of being when we were leaving, so it was left at home. We do have a digital camera, and it takes some decent pictures, but it would have been nice to have some of these pictures on film.

Outside of the wedding, we wanted to just get a vacation in. All of our trips that we have when we leave the state are to travel home. As nice as it is to see our families a few times a year, it would be fun to do this in different cities. Traveling to places like Baltimore, Chicago, D.C., Boston, etc. just to see them have always sounded like a blast, but then you run into the issue of cost.
Anyway, here's a few pictures from our trip yesterday.

Flight karma

All of our flights left on time and landed early! How awesome is that? It is from our previous flights where we have been delayed and missed connecting flights, or in A's case, had a flight completely canceled only to have to leave the next day.

I don't know if that is one hundred percent how it works, but that is what we are going with. For the longest time, we had great flight karma and never had anything delayed more than twenty minutes or so. Then last February, we missed our connecting flight out of Chicago because our plane needed to be de-iced and we had to wait in line for the crew to do such. When it finally came our turn, they had some issues with the hoses they were using. In the end, we caught a flight into Kansas City and drove down to Wichita.

Hopefully, when we go to leave in about nine days, our flight karma will still be good enough to get us home on time.

Float trippin'

We took a trip to Missouri this past weekend for a float trip with some friends. We have found the perfect weekend to do so. It's this past weekend. Why? Because the frat boys and sorority girls are all back in school! The camp ground was fairly empty, but there were still quite a bit of people there. We aren't ones to be loud and rambunctious like the majority of the people that go there, so this time it was great.

The weather on the other hand, kind of sucks. It wasn't the fact that it was hot and sunny, it was because of the heat the weeks before. It led to lower water. Instead of float for eight miles, we on;y went four and a half. It wasn't all bad though. Only having to travel half the distance means there is more time to stop and hang out with friends. The heat was a bit of a problem. It led to uncomfortable sleeping. Who wants to sleep in a hot tent with no breeze? No one, unless they are insane. So that is the only low point of the trip. The hot weather during the evening.

All in all, a nice trip that helped to determine the next time we go there, it'll be when college is in session.

*sixth post in the one hundred degree posts*

Behind already

In an attempt to continue to write, I am making myself write each day the temperature reaches one hundred degrees or above. It happened yesterday, but I didn't write anything. It's because I'm lazy. I think I've touched on this before, but there are times that I struggle to find something to write about. This is what happens when you get into a little bit of a rut and don't have anything happening right now.

It is a calm before the storm though. This weekend I have to work and if I can get through that, I'll be set because the following weekend, we are taking a float trip (our first for the year) to Missouri with some friends. Then comes the vacation. Seattle for eleven days. I cannot wait. It has been six months since our last vacation (home) and I am really looking forward to some more time away from Kansas.

*Post two of the one hundred degree posts (follow these posts by clicking the tag 'heat')

Oh this heat

The past month has been unbearably hot. I know there has been at least one day that a temperature set a new record. Last week it got up to 107, that was the record. And that was just the temperature, that didn't include humidity or the heat index. Two days after that, it hit 109. 109! I hate it. Now that the pool has been fixed, it is too hot to go enjoy it. Part of going to the pool is to enjoy lying around and socializing. Yeah, you can sit in the pool the entire time, but you gotta get some sun and dry out.

I can't say it's too bad, this weekend it is suppose to cool down. Down to the high nineties. Thankfully. When it gets as hot as it has been, you don't ever want to do anything. The summer really has passed us by because all we did was sit around and tried to keep cool. After coming into the air conditioned apartment, who the hell would want to go back out to the heat?

We did plan out a float trip for the third week of August. The culmination of the summer. One last try to enjoy the outdoors and water. Even if it rains the entire weekend, I will enjoy it. At least I will try to.

Back home

I made it home from my camping trip very relaxed. I was starting to get a little irritated yesterday just because it was so freaking hot out and the flies were doing nothing but buzzing and landing. Buzzing and landing. I didn't want to go out there with tons of things to do, I just wanted to relax, drink some beer, and hike. All of which I succeed at doing.

Last night was cut a little short by some rain, but I just sat in the tent and read. It wasn't too bad of a situation, but it made it a pain when I packed up this morning because everything was just nasty from the rain and mud combination. The tent is on the porch drying out right now.

All in all, a great trip and I would do it again. It is nice to get out and do this kind of stuff on your own, but it's also a lot of fun to do this with friends and family.

Up early

Every time my body finds in necessary to wake up three or so hours before I need to, I find myself compelled to write something.  Even if I have nothing to write about. 

This weekend coming up is the annual Concealed Revealed art auction in Topeka.  We went up last year with K & M and it was great.  The only problem is that I have to work, so I miss out on it this year.  *sad face*  It is a great excuse to get out of Wichita for the weekend, get a little dressed up, and it benefits a great cause.  If you live up in the Topeka area and have nothing to do this Friday at 7:00 post meridian, shell out a few dollars at the door and enjoy the evening.  Even if you don't buy anything at the auction, you can feel better about yourself for helping out the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment.  We got one little piece of art last year for not that much and it hangs on our wall in the living room and we feel good about ourselves.  Every little bit helps.  

This past weekend, we took a trip out to Colorado Springs to visit my brother-in-law.  It was nice to get away for a three day weekend.  Spent a lot of time visiting and just hanging out.  We took a day trip up to Denver and walked around an open air mall.  The weather was great for it, got a decent amount of pictures I have yet to get off the camera.  Half way through our drive back, we decided that the next time we take a trip out there, it would be better to fly.  Not better monetarily, but better time wise.  The drive is eight and a half to nine hours long, and in western Kansas, that takes FOREVER!  Once you get into Colorado and see something other than flat lands or rolling hills, the drive goes quickly. 

Got home....eventually.

We set off from the Soo on the morning of the twenty seventh heading to Detroit to fly back to Wichita. We arranged our flight back to leave in the evening so we could spend as much time with our families as possible. The flight didn't leave until six at night so all we had to do was get up a little early and drive for six hours. Not bad, it goes by quickly. We even had time to stop by the grandparents house one last time for a quick coffee. The drive down was great, the weather cooperated and we caught just a little bit of snow.

We got to the airport about two and a half hours early. We had little to no traffic that interfered with the trip. Instead of going off somewhere and possibly losing track of time, we just had my parents drop us off. Sitting in a larger airport like Detroit isn't bad. There is stuff to see and do and walking around provides for great people watching. So there we sat, right by the gate. Reading, listening to music, talking, eating. All the while, it got foggier and foggier. It snowed for ten minutes and I started to think 'what if we get grounded here?' Our plane was twenty minutes late getting in, no big deal. We had an hour layover in Chicago. Maybe they are having some weather issues (come on, its Chicago!). The plane was unloaded, and then loaded. No sweat, just thirty minutes late now. Still time to run like hell to the next gate. And then....

'Uh folks, this is the captain. We are getting ready to head out we are just gonna make a stop to get some de-icer for the plane. It'll take about ten minutes' Shit. We sat behind several planes that had pilots that had the same idea.

I know it is important and I get it. Safety first, thankfully, not let's get in the air as soon as possible. We sat in that little plane for an hour before taking off. An hour! We were behind this group of college going to alternative spring break. They were off to save the world and were annoying as hell. The only bright spot was getting free alcohol from the airline for being patient with the delay. Andrea hooked me up with her free booze too. That was the best free whiskey I have ever tasted. Finally in the air I looked at my watch. The only thing that would save us would be a delay leaving Chicago.....

But no luck. We got off the plane only to find out we missed our connection by twenty minutes. Andrea collected her plane side checked bag and we talked to some flight person to find out about our options. By now we had been up for close to twelve hours. The next flight to Wichita wasn't until the next morning. We decided to get a flight to Kansas City and drive back home from there. What the hell. What's another three hours of driving. One problem. The luggage...

How was it going to get back to Wichita? We were told it would be put on the flight the next morning and we could pick it up when the flight got in. So off we went to board the plane to KCI. A little bit of a break in this now bleak day of travel. The flight went smoothly. No problems, no hitches, no plane de-icer. After landing in KC, we rented an over priced car and we drove. And by we, I mean me. Which is okay, I enjoy driving. We rolled into Wichita at two in the morning. I fell right to sleep. Dead tired. Only to have to wake up six hours later in order to return the rental and pick up the baggage, which did arrive. In one piece.

All in all, we were up and traveling for nineteen hours.

prep for vacation

We booked some flights home for the middle of February a couple of weeks ago and the time is flying by. It's funny how that seems to happen. You plan and plan and plan and the time before that goes by so slowly, but once tickets are purchased every twenty four hour day seems to last half the time. It is going to be a bit of a longer trip, eleven days. Plans have been made for the most part, hockey games, birthday parties, drinking, ice fishing. The ice fishing is pending, hopefully there is enough ice on the lakes to do so.

In a perfect world, I would plan out what I would bring on vacation to wear but anyone who really knows me just knows I am going to pack the day before. It's kinda my thing, procrastination. I enjoy it. I am not one for planning that far in advanced. On the other hand, how difficult is to pack for a trip you have taken before? Jeans, sweatshirts, tee shirts, socks, underwear, a couple pair of shoes. Not exactly a complex list. Normally I'll write down the number of days and nights that we will be gone which helps. Then I'll start grabbing clothes and putting them into stacks and counting and double counting to make sure I have the right number. That is my system, and I love it. It will probably never change.

happy dream

I had a dream last night about ice fishing. I'm pretty sure I have written about how much I love and hate ice fishing. It is fun to get in the ice shanty and be isolated from the world for a few hours with nothing but your thoughts, some beer, and a line in the water. The frustrating part is being able to see the goddamn fish swimming around just looking at the bait and not biting. Even if you are unsuccessful in your trip onto the ice, you can take a lot away from it. I always felt rejuvenated at the end of the day. Is it a pain to wake up early and bundle up? Yes. Is it a pain in the ass to get the ice auger out and hope that fish are under the ice? Yes. Is it cold as balls? Yes. Is it worth all the hassle, the loss of feeling in your fingers, and the time it takes to fish? Most defiantly. And I wouldn't trade any day on the ice for nothing.

This dream I had made me happy all day. When I woke up this morning I wanted nothing more than to go home and spend some time on the ice. We are trying to get home in February before all the snow and ice melt. The only problem right now is the prices are through the roof.

Busy weekends

There has been much traveling on my weekends off. It has been nice to do stuff, but it also takes away the lazy part of not having to work for two days. This weekend we drove up to Topeka to par(rrrrrrr)take in the second annual Pirate Party. A good time was had by everyone there and it is fun to do something different like that. The previous weekend off was the float trip. Once again, it was a lot of fun, but there was plenty of driving to get there. Two weeks before that was my trip to Wilson's Creek.

So the weekends I am not working have been filled with plenty of travel and plenty of friends, but I find that come Monday morning, I am dragging ass. So, come hell or high water, I am planning to do nothing two weekends from now. I want to sit around and watch a bunch of football, maybe drink some beer, and be sloth-like. There may also be some movie watching in the line up as well.

One weekend of this would be enough. I'm sure that come Sunday evening, I will complain about not doing anything all weekend. I will have to come back to this post and remind myself that this is the plan.

Review of a great week

The important thing about vacations is being able to look back at them remember all the great things about them. No one looks back at the travel time with longing eyes, who the hell wants to remember sitting on a plane or in an airport?

When we landed in Detroit, my brother and his girlfriend picked us up. It was a wonderful start to the trip because we got to see them for the first time since we went out to Seattle last fall. We got to catch up with them and it made the five hour car ride go by quickly. We made it to the cabin in time for dinner that night. The family was there and even though we saw them in June, it felt like it was much longer than that.

We had a bonfire that night, and my sister and brother-in-law came down with their three kids (who seemed to have grown in the course of the month and a half). Extended family members came down for the evening as well. Once again, it was just nice to see everyone.

The next day, we ventured up to the Soo for several days with my wife's family. More visiting ensued, which included a trip to the Antlers. The Antlers restaurant can best be described as PETA's worst nightmare. There are stuffed animals EVERYWHERE! It is great, and the food isn't half bad. We also took a trip out to the woods to go blueberry picking. My memories of picking blueberries are not the best. It always seemed to be sunny, with no clouds, in the middle of July and very very hot. Very uncomfortable. We drove not far from the Soo and just went back in the woods. The results? Buleberry pancakes, muffins, and dumplings. Yes!

The last part of the week we went back to the cabin with my family. It included a day trip on the boat. We took it out and just shut it off and relaxed. It didn't get hot enough to jump in, but the option was there. We had several more campfires, drank several more beers, and made s'mores. It was fun to watch my nephew and niece eat them. They would take a bite, get distracted, and then take another bite about five minutes later. It took them a long time to finish just one. The bonfires went to the wee hours of the morning.

The best part of the vacation? I didn't wear a watch the entire week. Lame, I know, but it is essential for trips not to care about what time it is or needing to be somewhere.