The Real Deal

It's been 7 months - seven amazing, wonderful, exhilirating months - since Jarad & I first met. This is the real deal, people...bask with me...c'mon, you know you want to!

A Killer in My Midst

Jarad & I were hanging out at my place the other day, having just finished breakfast and coffee. As we were planning our next steps for the day, in from the great outdoors walks Pudder...with something in her mouth! And this wasn't a little thing, like a grasshopper. Nope, it was BIG and gray and had a tail!

Pudder sauntered right past us and sat down over by the kitchen, where she proceeded to drop said item and hunker down as if to (gulp) gnaw on it. I, being the untutored cat owner that I am, leaped to my feet to get her away from it. She had it clamped back in her mouth by now; I scooped her up by her belly and had to admonish her into dropping it again.

There it lay, gray unmoving mouse on my living room floor. Meanwhile, I'm cuddling Pudder to keep her away from it, and I'm trying not to cry. I think this is where I should have praised her and been impressed with her hunting skills, because she obviously caught it and brought it into the house for me. But I was too distraught to have this reaction...maybe next time.

Jarad, gallant hero of mine, got rid of the mouse (it was dead, thank God...half-alive would have been even more awful) and I was able to put Pudder back down. She prowled around the house for a while, as if trying to find her newly captured prey. Eventually, she gave up and went back to hanging out on the stoop. No big deal, apparently - she was able to resume her normal activities, no problem.

I, however, may never be the same. My gentle, sweet, loving Pudder...a killer. Why did she have to go and remind me she's actually a cat? Why, Pudder, why?

Good Times in Wisconsin

Yes, you read the title right - we had a good time. In Wisconsin!!



Jarad's band, North of Nowhere, played a grand opening this weekend at The Windsor Supper Club, owned by Rick's sister. (Rick is the singer in North of Nowhere.) The guys put on a great show, played 50 or so songs, and had a really good time!



I managed to snap some pictures (shocker) and consume some beer (double shocker) throughout the day. Yes, I know - I never do either one of those things! We did deviate a bit from the norm, though, when we decided to do a shot up at the bar...yikes. I'm too old for that crap, seriously. But it wasn't so bad, I just washed it down with more beer and went back to the party!

Jarad rocked out his new-but-used "band shirt" and looked awesome. The guys had some lights set up on the stage and looked especially cool after sunset - it was a fun day overall!

Keep on rockin' in the free world, honey. You sounded great!!

Our Trip to Colorado

So for the holiday weekend (July 1st - 5th), Jarad & I flew out to Colorado. He has family out there, and they were all gathering for his grandma's 85th birthday. We flew into Denver, and then drove out to a small town outside of Colorado Springs for our stay.

While on the trip, Jarad's immediate family and I went atop Pikes Peak, and then visited the rock formations at Garden of the Gods. Colorado is unlike anything I've seen in the Midwest. It's beautiful, rugged, and just plain amazing!

Garden of the Gods had gorgeous red rock formations and these great old trees that grew in between the rocks. They were this awesome shade of burnt orange, and some of the formations looked like specific things - ships, camels, etc. What a neat place to explore! We scrambled around on the rocks like kids at a playground - very cool.

From the top of Pikes Peak, the view was surreal. We were literally in the clouds, but could also see quite a way across the mountains and down into the valleys. Pikes Peak is over 14,000 feet high, so it was quite a bit chillier at the top than at the bottom. Even so, it was breathtaking to see the view from there, and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

And of course, once were back down the mountain, there was ample opportunity for me to traipse around with my camera, shooting at will. One of my favorites is of the natural wildflowers found in the area:
And last, but certainly not least, Colorado has 7-Eleven!! I was so excited to see this as we drove into the town of Monument... Jarad's family likely thought I was nuts, but I miss 7-Eleven and their delicious Slurpees!! It was a family favorite when we were kids, and I still get one anyc hance I get. I managed to wrangle a ride from Jarad's sister Kimi with the express purpose of obtaining a Slurpee...mission accomplished! (See how sassy and happy I look?!)

Overall, it was an excellent trip. I met a lot of Jarad's extended family, who were really nice. We celebrated Grandma Betty's birthday as planned, and rang in the 4th of July, Colorado-style. I'll definitely go back to that area - I see why people are so enthused about it when they travel there. My experience was certainly a good one...no, scratch that. It was GREAT!!

How I Became a Cat Person

I never thought it would happen to me...

Despite an allergy to felines, I have become a cat person to some degree. Don't get me wrong - I am still very fond of dogs, love puppies, and of course, want a slew of guinea pigs some day. But over the course of a few years, I've really come to appreciate cats, too.

I think it started in earnest when I moved in to Charlie's, up in Forest Lake. In residence was Pokey, the enormous, testy tabby. Pokey and I were very slow to warm up to one another, but after Charlie went to New Zealand for two months and left Pokey's care to me, Pokey & I were best buds. He still remembers me when I visit Charlie's house - how cute is that!?

In the course of falling in love with Pokey, and seeing how much he meant to Charlie, I encouraged Charlie to get another cat. Enter Pudder. She came from a foster home, where she had been for awhile after being in the shelter. But it wasn't meant to be - Pudder did not want anything to do with Pokey, and spent the whole first month of her residence with us in hiding -- in my room.

So, when it came time for me to move to my condo in St. Louis Park, Charlie decided to give me a housewarming present -- Pudder. She's been my little baby ever since then. She has made coming home a delight, and I look forward to her snuggling and purring and various cat antics. She makes me laugh, drives me nuts, and just generally rounds out my life.

So I get it. I get what Natalie and others have long tried to explain or express to me about cats. I'm one of "those people" now, and darn proud of it. So is Pudder...

Such A Big Girl

My adorable little niece, Livia, turned 4 this weekend - sooooooo big!!! She is beautiful, articulate, and just plain amazing (not that I'm biased or anything). We had a great time together over the weekend!

And boy, can she work the camera...check out the modeling action here!

We had a lot of fun celebrating; she got a BumbleBee Transformer of her very own from her Daddy. Here she is playing with BumbleBee and StarShooter - chip off the ol' block, I'd say!

Her birthday also fell on Father's Day this year, so she spent some time with Daddy and all her Grandpa's. Good times, playing on the jungle gym and fishing, both with Daddy:

Can it get any more frickin' cute? I think not.

So Proud of My Sis!

Amy graduated from Two Harbors High School on May 30, 2009. She looked great up there getting her "diploma" (it's just an empty case - they mail the real thing later) and turning her tassel - I was extremely proud.

Let it be said, for the record, that I managed not to:
a) cry like a baby
b) shout like a banshee
c) reminisce like an old lady

I did, of course, insist on many, many pictures, some of which I will subject you to here:

Amy, peeking over her shoulder while the processional wraps up.

George, the proud papa (he totally cried, by the way...but not me!).

Amy & Katie, after the ceremony concluded. No family resemblance there. Nope.

The siblings - Diane, Nathan, & Brian (back row); Amy, Katie & Leah (front row).

And our niece, Livia, who is (obviously) too cool for school.