We're married...

...and we have the pictures to prove it! Thanks Scott and Laura - they are wonderful!

F+J= :)

Saturday we drove out to Rapid City to meet my folks. Rapid's about halfway between Missoula and Minneapolis, and is an ideal spot for a dog hand-off. My parents watched the two little troublemakers for us while we took our trip to Belize. It was really hard not to have them around the house, very quiet and depressing. It was awful to be without them, but my mom sent daily e-mails with pictures of their adventures. One advantage of being a lab in Montana: lots and lots of off-leash time. Another advantage: two black lab friends to play and fight with. I'm amazed at how much Josie has grown up just in the month she was away. I took her for a walk on Lake Nokomis today and we both got all snowy. I am so so very glad to have my puppies back because life is so much happier and interesting with them around :)

...?

Since the last time I posted here I dropped my dogs off with my parents in South Dakota and spend two weeks in Belize on my honeymoon. Well, we're back, and smack in the middle of January, or the beginning of January, anyhow. It's kind of an in-between-time for me right now. I'm waiting to drive to Montana to get the dogs back this weekend (it's way too quiet around here without them). I'm waiting to start student teaching in a few weeks (kinda freaking out about this one, but I'm sure it will be fine). I'm waiting to get in gear and get my name changed officially (so far the only thing I've changed is my e-mail). It feels strange and floaty to be me right now.

The last six months have been so busy. Last semester involved a crazy amount of work (take in mind that I'm practically a professional student, so I don't say this lightly). Before the wedding, right during the semester everything was crazy. I was skipping more meals than I was eating just because I was that busy. Then after the wedding it was hectic finishing the semester and getting prepared for early Christmas and then a big trip. Now we're back and I actually have some time on my hands (no wedding to plan, no classes to go to, no trip coming up, no major holidays), and it feels nice but very strange. I really can't seem to get my act together to get some things done. The office and spare bedroom of my house are disaster areas, but every time I think I'm going to clean them I get so overwhelmed. I know I just need to dig in, but I really lack the drive. I'm sure it's probably the result of all those months of running around putting out fires. Maybe one of these days I'll get my get-up-and-go back. Until then, thanks Pete for washing dishes and being friends with me even when I'm crazy :)

Fredo wants snow!

He got a little in South Dakota, but he thinks it's time for some more. Also, he wants the lake to freeze over.

Jo

Telephonic Nostalgia

I got my first cell phone when I was in high school. It was a bag phone that stayed in my car, and I had it because of work. I've progressed through various makes and models of phones since then, and I've always liked the convenience they offered.

My opinion is starting to change. Cell phones have become ubiquitous, and I am so sick and tired of them. At work today I had four separate people come into the store and place orders while having a phone conversation with someone. Excuse me for bothering you to get your order. Can't you even hang up when you need to interact with someone else? Is it too much to ask that someone not be text messaging the entire time you spend time with them?

It seems like cell phones are just another excuse to be incredibly rude. I don't consider myself to be behind the times, but I kind of miss the days when everyone didn't have a cell phone. I'm getting to the point where if I have to listen to one more person talking loudly on their phone in line at the grocery store, I just might pry it out of his/her fingers and beat him/her with it. I'm that tired of cell phones.

Maybe I'm just getting old :)

My Summer List

Summer goes by so fast! It's easy to miss out on some of the important things without realizing it. So I'm making a list of things that a person should try to do every summer. (I definitely have not gotten to all of them this summer, but maybe next summer I'll do better).

have a root beer float
eat corn on the cob
go to a baseball game
go swimming in a river or lake
walk barefoot
see fireflies
grill
camping
drink ice tea AND lemonade
take a trip
eat strawberries and ice cream
go for walks
go to a farmer's market
eat watermelon
eat cherries
spray your dog with the garden hose

So now I'm tired and I have a headache. So I'm going to bed. I may edit this list more later if inspiration strikes. Or not :)