I’m so fricken excited. I really, really, really need 5 days out of the city and away from the computer.

Yay!

The additional cheese making supplies have arrived and I’m excited to start the next one, feta. I’m slowly working my way up to the ones that have to age for a while. Partially because I’m pretty impatient and also kind of buying time while I figure out how to fashion a press.

A couple days ago the hubby and I were both suffering from a bad case of ‘We have to get the hell out of the house before we go on a homicidal rampage’ so we went out for a beer. We’ve had a few discussions lately about needing to make traveling more of a priority. Not just traveling to visit friends and family but taking at least one trip a year just us for a few days.

Fueled by a little liquid courage and frustration with winter we bought tickets to go back to Montreal in September for our anniversary. Yay! I love it there and am excited to go back and do some things we didn’t get a chance to last time. We’re staying in the Latin Quarter this time instead of downtown to change it up a bit. I can’t wait!

This time we’re only going for 4 days which will be a little better length of time. I think we were there for 7 or even 8 last time which was fun but we did start getting a little bored.

I’m excited for a little get away. It’s much overdue.

Monday we made a trip up to Milwaukee to meet up with my folks to sign some legal papers, estate, wills etc. Bunch of morbid complicated stuff that I don’t fully understand.

We’re at the attorney’s office going through the giant binders of papers and chit chatting. One of the women lived in Austin for 6 years and loved it. The other had made it out of Wisco for a bit and came back. She had the best quote from her mother, “People from Wisconsin have bungee cords attached to their umbilical cords, they can only go so far before they are snapped back home”.

It’s true. Wisconsin is a very unique place. It has it’s own language, distinct culture and don’t even get me started on the food. It’s a very hard place to leave. I’ve been out of the state for 10 years (not very far though) but I have to go back every couple months. I miss the accent, I miss cheese and cheap beer and bratwurst, and most of all I miss the people.

A couple months ago we went to Sunday dinner at my uncle’s house and we started talking about music. My aunt and uncle gushed about how much they love jazz, smooth jazz in particular. When I was growing up, on Sunday mornings my dad always played the radio. There was a channel that played a 3 or 4 hour long smooth jazz program.

When we were in the cab from the train station to the attorney’s office there was a commercial on the radio for the station we were listening to. “I just love your station and am so happy you decided to switch to playing smooth jazz.”

We almost died. What is it with Wisconsin people and smooth jazz.. It’s in my blood, and I am a little afraid of what the future my hold for me.

Now I just need to figure out a costume. I’ve never been a big ‘dress up on Halloween’ type of girl. But I’ll do it this year. So I really need some help coming up with a great costume that is also easily packed in a suitcase. Not too gory, or involving cat ears. I refuse to dress up like a sexy cat, or a fairy, or a devil or any other lame festive headband costume.

We had a bit of a hard time getting there because I (for the 4th time- yeah I’ve done this before) didn’t read the itinerary closely and we went to O’Hare instead of Midway. Not that big of a deal if it hadn’t taken us so long to get out there..

Oh and if it weren’t Friday morning rush hour. I realized the mistake as soon as my foot hit the ground stepping off the train. We got a cab and made it to Midway at 7:45 ( the flight was leaving at 8 ) but the airport was packed. We got on the standby list for a flight at 11 but there were people ahead of us. We got on standby again for a 1pm flight which we finally made. So it was fun morning drinking a couple beers, eating egg mc muffins, doing arts & crafts and trying not to get in a really big fight. After hour 4 in the airport we’d both accepted our fate and tried to make the best of it.

We finally got to DC and picked up our rental car. The good thing is we made it just in time for the rehearsal dinner.

The meal was great, the company was better.

Saturday was a bit better. We went out to lunch with a couple people, walked around the downtown mall and then went to the wedding.

Then to the reception. There were a lot of people there. We ate drank and danced, then to the C & O (Adam was a chef there when he lived in Charlottesville) for a nightcap.

Sunday- Coffee and bagels from Bodo’s. Seriously the best bagels I’ve had in years. I have yet to find a good bagel place in Chicago. They’re all like pretzels or just bready not bagely. After breakfast we got in the car and drove out to Sugar Hollow. We got a little lost but eventually found our way. On the way there we saw a winery.

We stopped and did a tasting, walked around and bought a couple bottles to bring back. Adam had a great idea to buy a couple glasses and a wine opener so we could maybe drink a glass by the river. And we did..

Later in the evening after the extremely relaxing afternoon we met up with the newlyweds and had dinner. Then to the C & O to meet up with a couple other people. I think we managed to go there every night.

Monday- Adam took me around showing me all the places he lived and then we headed back to DC to return the car and get to the airport. This time we had plenty of time.. 2 1/2 hours early. So we got some food and magazines. Just as our plane was going to board they say.. Sorry everyone we’ve been told we have to wait due to weather in Chicago. Another hour.. Then another hour.. Finally get on the plane home and back to our house. Seamus was all happy to see us. Saul had a lovely vacation in Wisconsin.

A really great week, even with all the delays and travel problems. It was totally worth it.

When we get back I’ll post some photos and video etc.

Back to work..

I was up before the sun this morning and have already put in an hour and a half of work.  It’s crazy how much more motivated I am these days. Work is way more interesting when you’re doing it for yourself.  These days I’m working around 50 hours a week and it feels like a vacation.  I highly highly recommend finding work that you love to do. If you can’t work for yourself find people you love working for.

Though I’ve had jobs in the past that I’ve liked work always bummed me out and frustrated me. I don’t have a problem with authority or anything it’s just hard working for other people. From a young age somewhere inside me I always knew I would be working for myself at some point. My dad influenced me a lot in this department. He had his own business and was good at it. He worked really hard but never complained about his job.  I don’t know where I’m going with this but I’ve been thinking the past few days.. I’m just really happy to have the opportunity to do this.

What is it about warmer weather that makes people crazy?  The bar across the street sounded like a really bad frat party last night. Music blaring, people sporadically ‘woooooo’-ing. Who goes to a bar and just woooo’s? If there’s a game on, sure. But in everyday, Monday night going out.. I guess I’m just not a part of the wooo-ing crowd.  Maybe I should try to wooo more at bars. It sounded like fun.

Anyway.. well today is a day to catch up on some domestic duties after the really busy week last week.  Clean the house, do some laundry all that really fun stuff. But I have all the windows open which makes it a bit better. At least I don’t have to walk down snow covered stairs with my laundry basket.  Yea spring!

Sunday– The puppies bit at each other endlessly..

Adam and I went to the lake which was frozen and beautiful.

Then Monday came home..

I was busy working this week finishing up a new project

Exciting!

And finishing up the layout of a book. I can’t wait to see it finished.

Tonight- dinner with Ben and Sarah at this little Italian place, Mart Anthony’s.

All for now..

Only 27 days to clean myself up a little. I thought it was a cliché, the whole when you get married you let yourself go.. Believe me kiddies it’s true. It happened to me. Not that I was always a fashion plate or anything.. But there was one day a couple weeks ago while walking with the dog, I took a look at myself and realized I had to do something. So I am on a mission to make over my wardrobe just a little and stop leaving the house looking like a homeless person (unless it’s 7am and the puppy is whining to go outside)

I think it was a gradual slide. Slowly I started wearing more casual clothes and over time I arrived at leaving the house in the afternoon in my pajamas and big ugly slipper boots and coat that looks like a robe shuffling down the sidewalk. Bad. Granted I work from home and don’t have to get out of pajamas if I don’t want to but I need to set some boundaries and standards for myself. 27 days and counting.