The Myth & The Majesty

On Sunday, after the craziness of flood prep and Emma Jean's wedding, I decided to go for a walk and enjoy the fall colors. So I took some pictures like this one. And this one.  And this one. And then I got a shot of the river. Looks peaceful, doesn't it? Nice, sunshiny blue day. Usually the river runs pretty slowly through this part of town and it's all but covered in guys fishing from motorboats, kayaks, and whole families on pontoon boats. At this stage, however, it was still off-limits. Too high and moving too quickly for boats. Still making the park look like this. This fall has been a particularly tricky season so far.

I'm taking advantage of the fact that, for the first time in my entire life, it's Saturday and I don't have a wedding to go to. - Hugh Grant in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" This past weekend held the last wedding I'll be attending (I think) of 2010. This puts me at 30-something weddings attended in the last six years. While I know several people who have been to a lot more than that, it's still a respectable record and it provides a wealth of empirical data. With this in mind, I started compiling a few statistics. - Contrary to the "27 Dresses" cliche, none were theme weddings. - Six were dry weddings. ("Dry" as in there was no official alcohol consumption by the wedding party at any point. At least one had a dry reception followed by drinks at a bar; that one isn't included in this count.) - The largest wedding party I've seen had seven on each side. Two had no attendants. The average is about four. - I've see

Well. You're going to get a blow-by-blow because there's just no other way to describe the last few days. It started on Wednesday. The second day of rain with more projected, we got an email warning us that flood procedures were being reviewed and may be put into effect. You see, my workplace happens to lie in a floodplain. It's protected by berms between us and the river (and between us and some of the higher ground on other sides) but given where the river was expected to crest, it could very well turn said berms into a bowl instead and flood our buildings. Anyway, this warning came on Wednesday. On Thursday, E-Train and the Admiral happened to appear for a couple days of weddings. That afternoon, we were informed that we should turn up for work on Friday ready to move chemicals uphill and fill sandbags. When I left work, that was where things stood. I had just settled in to have dinner with the boys and Neubs when my phone buzzed at me with a message. It was fr

Well, it's still coming down. Pretty steadily since about 7:15 last night. We're on a "flood watch" for the office. It's entirely possible that there are people filling sandbags somewhere on site. I just wish I knew where my umbrella went ...

I walked into a department store today... Not a craft store, not a specialty store, but a run-of-the-mill department store. I walked into this store ... and already the Christmas displays were out. Trees. Ornaments. Garlands. Lights. Not tucked behind the Halloween stuff in a corner, waiting their turn, but out in the open. I love Christmas, almost everything about it. But it's September 22nd. TOO EARLY.

Bah humbug.

Elementary, cactus head! - "Blazing Saddles" My house smells of pumpkin spice candles and baking bread. I've run my errands for the week, finished almost everything on my list for Emma Jean's wedding next week (including delivering approximately 80 linear feet of tulle "curtains"), and knitted half a scarf. The temperature in here has dropped just low enough that I'm almost considering turning on the heat. Almost. If I can put it off for a few more days I'll be happy. For now I'll bundle up a bit more. And yes ... I'm watching "Blazing Saddles." Because if everything about my day qualified as classy, I wouldn't really be me anymore. Oh -- and the Packers won. My fall has been pretty great so far. How's yours?

It's cold and rainy outside, I'm annoyed with a couple of coworkers, and the afternoon is stretching in front of me as though it may never end. Today, I choose a bad mood. I think it's about time.

Let me tell you about this picture. Why? Well, there's more there than meets the eye. It all goes back to my childhood. (Stop groaning, you knew I couldn't keep this short.) I have distinctly awesome memories of helping my mom cook, with everything from normal evening meals to Thanksgiving. It was the baking that really got me -- cookies, cake, and in particular bread. From the time I could reach the counter, she let/made me help. Usually the annoying jobs (mixing in particular), but it developed into a fascination with the process ... and the end result. It was mystifying to me that sugar, flour, water, and this random fungus could make something so indescribably tasty and comforting, but it happened every time. As the years went on, I got to be a better baker myself. I didn't always need supervision and those end results got to be more and more reliable. When I got to college, I found my baking abilities to be a surefire way to make, keep, and occasionally appease

It's only a matter of time -- and not a lot of time -- before I have to scrape my windows in the morning. Every place I've lived has its distinct advantages. Sunsets in eastern SoDak can't be beat; western SoDak has the most gorgeous night skies and clearest air. (Plus, well, there are the Hills.) Wisconsin, however, has fall. This is my fourth fall in Wisconsin and for about the next three weeks I won't really want to be anywhere else. It's cooling off and the foliage is starting to reflect it. Only a couple of weeks and we'll be surrounded by neon trees from here to Canada. Yay. Wisconsin fall has other perks. A few late warm days to wrap up summer things but without the angry schizophrenia of Rapid City's weather. A few chilly days of warning before the snow falls. The euphoria of a new season with the Packers. (In a couple months I'll be tired of hearing about the Packers ... But the start of the season is fun.) Then comes snow and the

Okay. I'm going to hate myself for doing this, but I got a forward today that cracked me up and I'd rather post that than try to dash off a quick one about this past weekend. The weekend was awesome and at least deserves some pictures or something, and I'd love to give you something more interesting than a blow-by-blow. So here's the forward instead. *** 1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die. 2. Nothing sucks more than the moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. 3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger. 4. There is great need for a sarcasm font. 5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? 6. Was learning cursive really necessary? 7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood. 8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they tol

A year ago I was on my way to Vegas. Actually, I can't remember a Labor Day in the last, oh, nine or ten years where I wasn't headed somewhere for the weekend. It's just the way the weekend goes -- concerts, family get-togethers, a handful of weddings ... It's the weekend for activity. This year is no exception. Just a couple of hours and I'm off to the Hills for Missy's wedding. And boy, am I looking forward to it. Vacation, here I come!