Another Week Flew By

And so another week has flown by here in northern Minnesota.  Is that we’re of an age where time does indeed seem to move faster, is it our work schedule with Thursday being our “Monday” and Monday our “Friday,” or is it that Life is flowing along at a fairly smooth and pleasant pace?

Perhaps a combination, or all, of the above!

With Thursday being the start of our work week, everyone else’s weekend is almost upon us.  Sunday is my housecleaning day, with the start of that after Dave goes to work.  By evening, I’m “done and dusted,” literally, and settle down at my desk for a few hours’ work.  When everyone else in the working world is bemoaning the fact that it’s Monday, we’re doing our happy dance that it’s our “Friday” and our weekend is about to commence.  Yay us!

Whatever it is, I’ll take it. 

Remember the celebration of the new Cancer Center in my previous post?  There was a giveaway drawing one could enter, which I did.  Didn’t give it a second thought.  Heck, I never win anything.  Of course, I typically don’t enter contests and don’t play the lottery.  Yesterday morning I received a phone call telling me I had won!  Well, alrighty!  Swung by the Sanford Health offices while out running errands and came away with this puppy:

Rolling cooler with retractable handle

Pretty spiffy, eh?  We currently don’t have a small cooler, so this is great when we decide to pack a lunch for a day outing.  It may also come in handy for grocery shopping if I need to make several stops.  Cheers to Sanford Health!

Here’s some synchronicity for you.  The building I thought I should go to for the prize pickup was the “wrong” one.  I ended up in the Center for Optimum Health, School of Integrative Medicine; again, this is at the end of the street where I walk, across from the hospital.  Turns out the proprietress, Jeanne is – among other things – a Reiki person!  We had a lovely visit and agreed my ending up there was certainly no “accident.” All sorts of groovy happenings take place there … Tai Chi, yoga, Reiki, massage of various kinds, and Reflexology are among the offerings.

With rain in the forecast and having done grocery shopping yesterday morning, this is a stay-at-home day for yours truly.  Accomplished this just a while ago …

Drums are finally up and into the Light again!

First time my drums have been hung since 2010, as it just wasn’t practical to do so while living in the RV.  During that time, they were snug and protected in their respective bags and cases.  They have been with me since 2002/2003, have taken part in countless drum circles over the years, and have served as teaching aides in my Reiki classes.  It does my heart and soul good to see them on a daily basis once again.  Makes our cottage feel even more like home.  Yep, there’s my Bear, the artwork created after I explained what I would like to see on the drum, and my relationship with Bear.  Dear Bear.  Guardian, Protector, Giver of Strength, and Provider of Comfort and Peace.

I hear you saying, “Bear? Really?”  Yeah, Bear.  Turns out I didn’t consciously realize Bear’s role/presence in my life until about 2002.  He’d always been there, I just had not realized it … or Bear hadn’t chosen to reveal his constant presence until then.

Standing 2”, this fella has been with me throughout my life since the day my Dad got him for me on a trip to Yellowstone.  That’s 50+ years at this point.

Once again, as with many things spiritual, this is an influence of my Dad.  More of how Bear has been a presence in my life over the years, but the wee Bear above has been with me since that day in Yellowstone when I was a kid.  He went to college with me and has survived all the moves to different homes and my life in general since that day long ago.  Okay, he’s missing his right ear now, but still stands strong.  Posed for the photo above, his normal habitat is on the shelf of my desk.

Dave is back from his bike ride around Lake Bemidji and other parts, and the laundry is just about done, so before long it will be time for dinner and whatever else we get into this evening.

Ciao for now!

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

5 Days and 5 Years

“Peace to all within these walls.” 

I’ve mentioned before that the hospital is right down the street from us.  More buildings related to healthcare are scattered about this area; the home health/hospice offices are right next door.  Well, not right next door; there’s a good-sized grassy area and ditch (both nicely manicured) separating our properties.  Anyway, the hospital is within walking distance and is on my walking route, so I pass by it all the time.

Marquee last night, all ready for today’s event.

Tonight is the celebration for the new Cancer Center being built; we can see the construction from here.  There’s a picnic, program and beam signing, the latter being the reason I wanted to attend.  So, I strolled down the street a bit ago, chatted with a few people and then signed the beam with the phrase at the top of this post.

We all want a cure for every cancer.  We don’t want anyone to hear the words, “I’m sorry, but you have cancer.”  We don’t want anyone to have to endure the path of being diagnosed with cancer at any point in their life.  We want everyone with such a diagnosis to come out the other side hearing the words, “No evidence of disease.” Every. Year. Thereafter.

Sometimes, though, all one can hope to attain is peace.  Peace when struggling to come to terms with one’s diagnosis.  Peace when undergoing treatment.  Peace when resuming life after treatment.  Peace at end of life.

Hence, the phrase I chose.

Today is the fifth “cancerversary” of hearing my second cancer diagnosis.  The synchronicity could not be ignored.  I felt a need need to sign the beam, my inscription being instilled with energy of hope, strength and … peace.

This Cancer Center is going to be great!  All services – oncologists, chemo center, radiation therapy and so forth - will be under one roof instead of being spread about the neighborhood.  A boutique for cancer patients will also be part of the new Center.  Kudos to Sanford Health!

Five Days

We are in the late afternoon of Day 5 of our vacation-at-home holiday.  It sure is/has been a great one, and we’re not done yet!  For the sixth day in a row, Dave was out on the bike this morning after watching a bit of the Tour de France.  I did a few things around here while he was gone, and then we treated ourselves to a late lunch at Mi Rancho, the amazing Mexican restaurant here in town.

A bit after our return, I went down to the Cancer Center celebration, as above.  My sole purpose in going, really, was to sign the beam.  Mission accomplished, I returned home shortly after that.  I’m about to wrap up this blog post, and I suspect there will be a chess session on the porch in a wee while.

We have really, really enjoyed our holiday.  We haven’t spent a bunch of money, there was no travel to a destination, we did a few things but weren’t rushing around with a schedule, and it was all done in the comfort of sleeping in our own home every night.  Such a deal!

There were a few home improvement things done – a few “nesting” activities – and we’re just about set for Winter when it appears in what will seem like a short few weeks.  Yes, I know it’s July, but this is Minnesota!  Ha!  We’ll need to add some winter outerwear geared for this climate, but house-wise, we’re settled in, looking and feeling cozy.

I totally like our cottage/townhome – not just the floorplan and location, but the way it’s shaping up, the way we’re making it “our own.”

Life is, indeed, guid!

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

Vacation Days 3 and 4

After Dave’s bike ride yesterday morning, we headed into downtown to explore.  Our first stop was Gallery North, which showcases local authors and artisans.  We checked out a few other shops in our meanderings, including Bemidji Woolen Mills.  If I played and hit the lottery, I’d go shopping there.  In the meantime, I’ll probably just admire the quality items in their retail store.  It reminded me of the woolen shops in Edinburgh, so it was a pleasant bit of “window shopping.”  Being the warmest and most humid day of the year so far, we didn’t spend much more time walking around, but headed on over to Keg ‘N Cork for our meal of the day.  They boast as being the first Irish pub on the Mississippi.  Dave had a couple of Killian Reds on tap; after all, we’re on holiday!  We figured the last time he had a beer in a pub was in New Jersey.  Tells you how much we go out and party.  We both had burgers with a few fries, which were good, but absolutely too much food for us.  The food combined with the heat and humidity resulted in prolonged napping after we got home.

We were just zonked!

The front porch was the scene of two heated chess matches yesterday evening, with Dave winning the first and the second resulting in a draw.

Ominous skies as we were winding up chess last evening.

We got maybe 2-3 big drops of rain from those foreboding skies, but that was it.  Until … Around 2:45 AM this morning, I got a Special Weather Statement on my phone and immediately heard wind and hail pinging on the windows.  Yikes!  Went to the front door, opened the main door to look out the storm door window.  Marble-sized hail.  Lovely.  I really couldn’t get back to sleep thinking about our Wee Beastie sitting out in the open.  I sent it good protective vibes and, on checking our nifty car this morning, found that it did just fine.  Sure will be glad when we get a garage!

It’s the evening of Day 4, and it’s been another lovely day!  Originally intending to make a scenic drive and get lunch in Blackduck, we opted to just stay at home.  It was warm again today and looked like a rather dull day, and we’d rather make the drive when the weather’s a bit cooler and nicer.  So!  Dave had his usual ride this morning, and I did a bit of laundry and the marketing; that way I have tomorrow to kick back before we return to work Thursday.

The last of the shelving is in place, but still needs to be organized. Hope to get my drums on the wall tomorrow.

We’ve been doing a bit more “nesting” with Dave getting the last of the shelving units in place today.  I still need to organize the shelves, but at least it’s there!  Makes the living area cozier, looks less bare and takes up some of that reaaalllly long wall.

Dinner was at home today, followed by another chess match on the porch.  It’s such a nice change to be able to enjoy sitting outside in the evenings.  

Time now to wind down the day.  Errands are done in prep for our return to work, and that leaves one more day to chill out and play!  A trip to the Mexican restaurant may be on the agenda tomorrow.  We’ll see.

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

Vacation Days 1 and 2

Dave tagged on 3 vacation days to our usual Tues/Weds, so we’ve officially been on holiday starting yesterday.  Yay for us!  Although we were off almost 3 weeks when we moved here from Texas in April, that was a relocation, and it was work.  Now that we’ve been in our usual routines for a bit, a relaxing real holiday was in order.

Dave had a nice bike ride yesterday morning and I hit Hobby Lobby, which was having a 50% sale on just about all decorative items.  Plus, I had a 40% coupon.  I’ve been keeping an eye out for a couple of things for blank walls, one in the bathroom and one over the kitchen sink.

A bit of Gecko whimsy and good vibes for the bathroom

And some Celtic good vibes for meals in the kitchen, which is often the heart of one’s home.

One of Dave’s projects is putting place 3 new bookcases, the first of which is on the right. We’ll end up with 4 units on the really long living room wall, and the grouping will be staggered a bit in height.  The shelves are a mess in the photo, in transition.  Hope to have the other 3 complete by the end of our holiday.

Although we said “No cooking, we’re on vacation,” we had pasta here at home last night, followed by chess on the front porch.  Well, it’s our only porch.  It was remarkably chilly in the evening, especially considering we’re used to sweltering Texas evenings in mid July.

This morning saw Dave out on the bike again, while I took my time doing a few things around here (houseplant therapy, hanging the item over the kitchen sink, changing bed linens).  Once he was home, showered and changed, we headed out to Lake Bemidji State Park, which is about 7 miles from our home.

Dave cycles through here all the time on the Paul Bunyan State Trail, but had never explored the park proper. 

Dave, the intrepid explorer

There are walking trails all around the lake.

Access to the lake from one of the several boat launch areas.

This is where the boats come from that use the access above.

Part of the Paul Bunyan State Trail, a section of the Rails to Trails network.

Don’t have your own bike? No problem! You can rent one at the park.

Another view from our walk.

(The above photos were taken with my “good” camera, a Canon Rebel DSL which I haven’t used in … well, probably since New Jersey days.  Was fun putting it back into service.)

We did have a nice walk about the park, not all of it, but a decent bit.  Went through some of the campground sections with tents and trailers; even saw a Montana 5th wheel.  It’s pretty tight confines, and I really would not want to put a big rig in one of the back-in sites.

Earlier in the week, I made a list of things we wanted to do while off and places to consider for meals.  Noticed C.K. Dudley’s was right on our way to the state park, so we stopped there on our way back, choosing to dine on the deck outside. 

Didn’t notice until I downloaded the photo, but it looks like the “Exit Only” sign is a wee drink decoration in Dave’s glass!

We both chose the BBQ Brisket wrap, me with chips and Dave with fries.  Oh my!  It was very good and too much for us for one meal, so we each brought half home.  Service was very good and friendly, meal was yummy, and it was so nice to enjoy sitting outside.  We will definitely return.

Chilling out a bit back home now, with possibly more home improvement projects still for today (or not, after all, it’s vacation) and a chess session later.  There’s supposed to be a decent chance for auroras tonight, but not sure we’ll be up that late.

Tomorrow’s forecast looks a bit dodgy with a hefty chance of rain and thunderstorms.  That’s okay, because our itinerary (loose as it may be) is to drive into downtown, park, and explore on foot.  Downtown Bemidji is … well, pretty darn cool.  There is a sculpture walk, all sorts of wee shops and various cafes and pubs.  We have been downtown on errands with specific purpose, each time saying, “We should come back sometime and just explore.”  Well, I think tomorrow may be the day!  Even if it is raining a bit, we can duck in and out of shops.

Our holiday may not sound exciting and it surely is low-key and inexpensive, but it suits us just fine and we’re enjoying ourselves!

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

Life is Totally Different These Days …

… and I have to say I’m enjoying it!

First apple pie in quite some time

When we were in New Jersey, I did honest-to-goodness cooking.  Well, we left there 3 years ago and I don’t think I’ve made an apple pie since then.  So!  It was about time!  Dave enjoyed having this as dessert with his work dinners.

This is the first time we’ve both had July 4th off work since our Jersey days, too.  Dave had a nice bike ride and I did the marketing in the morning.  In the afternoon, we went to check out the Bemidji Water Carnival held on the shores of Lake Bemidji here in town.  Neither of us had been to a carnival in … well, as the Scottish saying goes … “donkey’s years.”  That’s a long time, folks.

 

Fun to watch from the ground

Another one fun to watch.  The center piece rotated, giving each of the  cages quite a ride.  The screams at the carnival were coming from this ride.

No, we didn’t go on any rides and didn’t give any money to the games hawkers.  We went just to stroll around and enjoy the sights and sounds.  Free event, free parking, a chance to get out and about and relive some childhood memories.  The weather was perfect – Summer has arrived in Minnesota, but it’s rather pleasant – parking was easy and there weren’t tons of people around.  The fireworks display on Lake Bemidji was the final event of the carnival last night, so I bet there were quite a few more folks around for that.  We certainly heard the fireworks quite well from our porch and could see the display reflected in the hospital windows.  Cool. 

Thing is, we’re actually able to get out and do fun things once again!  It’s so nice to have our days off truly be that … days off.  There’s no RV maintenance to deal with, amenities are so close and hassle-free that I can get errands run quickly and without stress, laundry can be done any time, etc.  Oh … and the weather is now a positive contributing factor versus a negative influence.  Yes, summertime is here, but it is not so hot that outdoor activities are unthinkable.  Our lives are no longer controlled by what has to be done within certain times.  We’ve reduced our stress level – physical, emotional and spiritual – enormously with our change of lifestyle and moving to a more tolerable climate.

I know, I know.  I can hear you saying, “Yeah, but what about Winter?”  Well, Winter is Winter.  We know what to expect.  Still, check with me in February.  At least we won’t have to shovel our sidewalk.

Long and short is that our quality of life is much better now. 

So that was Day 1 of our weekend this week.  Dave is off cycling, I’m venturing forth to my first hair appointment since we arrived (and you know that can be either a grand experience or a traumatic one with a new stylist) and then there may be a midafternoon meal at the Mexican restaurant.

Guess I’d best toddle off for now.  How was your Fourth of July?

Thanks for stopping by!  Ya’ll be safe out there, okay?