Fog people & sun people

Who are you today? A fog person or a sun person? Choose to be a sun person. (The high for today is 78 degrees, it shouldn't be too hard!)

Into the Wild [Round 2]

I'm back from my second round of camping, and the only reason I'm happy to be back is because I desperately needed a shower. The best parts of fall camping are definitely the view (vista) and weather. I was chilly the first night of sleep, but quickly learned that a few more layers and covering my entire face would do the trick. The second morning I woke up toasty and happy.

The weekend was amazing because it was filled with friends, family, exercise, trying new things, and finding optimism. 


Friends:

On Friday we met up with the boyf’s friends from Duluth at Fitger’s Brewhouse, one of my favorite establishments.

Family:

We also met up with the brother-in-law’s brother at the Brewhouse.

The other days we met up with the boyf’s brother, whom we don’t get to see very often.

Plus, the whole weekend was with sister and brother-in-law too.

Exercise:

On Saturday we went for a 7-mile hike that was easy in some parts and a little bit scary in others, with heart-pumping hill climbs. The scenes and sights were beautiful though.

On Sunday we went for a 2.5-mile kayak excursion in tandem kayaks. It was really fun and the view from the lake was much different than the view from the forest. It was nice to get to see both. (Kayaking is more work than it appears to be!)

Trying new things:

I’ve never kayaked before and although it has always sounded fun to me, it has also sounded a bit scary. Being that close to the water, in a very cold, big, deep lake, freaked me out a bit.

Finding optimism:

7 miles can be grueling after a few hours of hiking up and down on raised roots and rocks and steep hills. Having new hiking shoes also intensifies the foot pain associated with a long hike, so I had to think happy thoughts and remind myself that there are a lot of people who aren’t physically able to hike like this. So I was lucky.

{Fall Colors}

{So addicted to cribbage}

{I was searching for Candy Mountain, but this will do}

{Odd growths}

{A cute little fisher; unless you can better identify it}

{Flowers at Lutsen Resort}

Merry Monday (Elements Edition)

Last night I got home so late from being up North* that I didn't even have time to experience my usual 'Sunday Blues.' (Yay to that!) Instead I ate my really late dinner and watched the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy that I missed last week. Then I stayed up too late. Then I woke up too late. Then I didn't feel like being at work and attributed it to the fact that it's a Monday (and not to the fact that I stayed up late).

I stay cheerful by thinking of:

1. Earth. I mean this in the dirt/ground sort of way. Hiking through the woods allowed me to see various trees with roots that tangled through the ground. It was also splendid to see the moss and mushrooms and everything thriving in the forest. It felt a little bit like a Disney movie.
2. Water. Drinking it, kayaking in it, watching it flow, and being surrounded by it. Water is mysterious and magical and I’m not even kidding when I say that. (Lake Superior is SO COOL).
3. Fire. With it being so cold this weekend, the fire kept us warm and happy. It’s pretty astonishing how it fades and grows with slight adjustments, and how it allows us to cook food and boil water too.

I feel as though having a great weekend makes the most out of the time off of work, but it also makes the return to work that much harder. Oh well. Work hard, play hard. 

*Trip details to follow.

Things fall apart...

Everywhere I turn, it feels like a relationship is crumbling into pieces. I've recently heard of a marriage ending after 19 years, another one after five, another one before it begins. (Not to mention the various other relationships that are seemingly in shambles…)

It’s incredibly sad to me when things don’t go the way you plan them to, mostly because I’m a planner and “this is how it was supposed to be.” When couples part ways, it’s not just that they are breaking up from a single person, but everything they are attached to: families, mutual friends, and in some cases pets and homes and even businesses. It’s obviously not something taken lightly; they’ve tried and they’ve tried and exhausted all of their supplies and are ready to close that chapter and look to a brighter future.

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It’s pretty difficult to understand just what that reason is right away, but it comes. I know of a couple who are so good together and marriage is on their near-horizon. The woman in the relationship was once engaged, and looking back, she is glad that it was called off. If her engagement didn’t “crumble,” then she would probably not be in the great relationship she is part of now (and I would not have met her). More personally, I’ve been involved in more relationships than I care to admit, and I am almost thankful that each one of them ended. At the time, I thought the world was over and there was no reason to go on. Seriously...they marked some of my lower points in life. I was going to miss their families and everything we did together. And I did. I missed them a lot. Occasionally a thought of them comes to mind, but it is fleeting. In hindsight, these were just small pieces of my past that I needed to have in order to create the bigger picture.

Mason Jennings captures it perfectly: "The past is beautiful, like the darkness between the fireflies."

I hope each and every one of these people find their way to the fireflies. I know they will.

Although it seems like these heartbreaks are around each and every corner, they are in fact, few and far between. Many people I know are happily married. One of my best friends just got married and is currently still on her honeymoon. Another is having her engagement party this weekend.

Indeed, things do fall apart. So better things can fall together.

Merry Monday

Today is much different than last Monday! I love how things can turn around and be totally different from one day to another. (As long as it’s for the better). Since today is actually a merry Monday, it’s easy for me to take a minute to appreciate a few things.

Here they are:

1. Pho. My mom made homemade Pho, which is Vietnamese noodle soup for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying it. It’s particularly good to have when the weather is cold. It’s a little harder to eat when you’re in Vietnam in 90 degree weather with intense humidity, but still good. 

2. TV Shows. TV is back! Thank goodness for sitcoms and dramas and fewer reality TV shows. I love when all of my favorite shows come back for the fall. Situations have changed, characters and their hairstyles have morphed (eew Parenthood what were you thinking?), and it’s the beginning of a 20-something run of new episodes. I don’t mind being rather consumed by tv. (Oh and the Emmys were on last night to celebrate TV too).

3. The Fall. I can’t get over how much I love this season and everything about it. Yesterday I went with my mom and nephew to the Moon Festival at the Landmark Center which celebrates the autumn and Asian culture. It was rainy and cloudy out and to me, perfect!

What are you enjoying this Monday morning?