Archive | July, 2010

va-cay.

14 Jul

I had a week of vacation and it was good. Kind of like what these guys think of the grass – good.
The main event was a few days in Colorado with my mother, visiting my older brother who recently moved to Fort Collins. This mini-break was sandwiched between nights in the Cities with college friends and Stillwater friends. Wonderful.
My mom and I met up at MSP (She flew in from Madison.) and then enjoyed the wonders of the airport with our three hour waiting game/delay. Board the plane, get off the plane. Here’s a meal voucher, just kidding, time to get on the plane. We stayed in Fort Collins with my brother at his apartment and gave it a feminine touch; we rearranged furniture, cleaned, and shopped for necessary household goods. We spent time in Old Towne, a great touristy, mill-about part of town with restaurants and shops. My brother booked us a tour at the New Belgium Brewery which was, if I do say so, a highlight of the trip. I don’t normally drink beer but the tour was a ton of fun, complete with a slide and costumes! We took a day and drove to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. I’d never before been to the mountains so the drive into 12,000 feet above sea level was quite the sight (and cold). Good trip.

I spent time with Amanda (my college roommate) and drank coffee with Joe (her husband). Along with college friends Kara and Julia, I went to the sculpture gardens in Minneapolis, played Bananagrams, and sat by the pool. Stillwater Sara and I laughed our butts off to The Big Bang Theory on dvd, sampled olive oil, and went to drive-in church. I saw and hugged many former coworkers in Stillwater and learned that a second of the Gieseke clan might be joining me on campus at Luther in the fall. (Between Karen and Adam being possible classmates and most certainly lunch dates, I think God is showing me that moving back to St.Paul won’t be so bad.)
It was a needed and splendid week away from Dawson but I was happy to return. I had a ton of fun but was ready to not live out of a laundry basket or airplane carry-on anymore. I was ready to sleep in a bed and not on a couch. I was ready to … go back to work? There. I said it.

va-cay preview.

8 Jul

We visited Rocky Mountain National Park today, we being my mom, brother, myself, and this little guy. We’ve been enjoying Colorado, the cool temperatures, and the mountains. My mom, brother, and brother’s roommate are currently watching a movie – a movie I consider scary on my wimpy scale – so I’m on the computer. (I don’t do scary, esp. when sleeping somewhere other than the security of my own bed.) My mom and I fly home tomorrow evening and then I’m off to St.Paul/Stillwater for a weekend with friends. More blog to come!

four-ph of July

5 Jul
“He makes me melt like a popsicle on the four-ph of July,” Darla from Little Rascals
I did not melt on the fourth of July and can’t say I really ran across anyone who wanted to make me melt. (Though I did meet my friend, Kate, in Watertown because she wanted company when she saw Eclipse. I suppose it was a close call – shirtless Jacob would have made me melt if their theater hadn’t been so dastardly cold!)
I also thought about how I missed being in Edgerton for the fourth. Jenni’s annual fourth of July party. Allen’s birthday. Fireworks at Racetrack. Campfires. Those were the best nights, before we all moved away and grew up. Shucks.
I did have a good weekend though. I went to the explosive Fabric Warehouse sale in Willmar and came home with a few new projects to make. (Some of which I have already attempted and, yup, they have failed. Some epically, some not so badly.) I had dinner with a pair of congregation couples. Saturday was a good day.
Sunday I flew solo with worship, presiding at communion for the first time in regular Sunday worship. Now, technically, only ordained pastors are to preside at communion. There are a few outs to this and typically one only needs permission from the bishop of the synod and then all is well and good. We forgot to ask. Oops. Kendall was sure to give some advice regarding presiding at communion illegally, including (but not limited to) standing on top of the altar to avoid the congregation even realizing that I am not ordained (because they would instead be thinking something else) or standing beside the altar so as to avoid the lightning bolts God would send to smite me. I stood behind the altar (as one should) and survived. The entire service actually went off without a hitch. phew. I can do this.
I think I’ve been a bit burned out of late and last night was proof of it – I went to bed at 8pm and woke up at 10am this morning. (There was a brief period of time at 4:30am where I was wide awake … but then dead asleep again shortly.) Further prescription for my burned-out nature – I’m on vacation this week! I’m heading into the Cities today, hopping on a plane with my mother tomorrow morning and flying to Colorado to visit the older brother. Blog posts to resume next week!

Dear Father Time,

1 Jul
SLOW DOWN. I am refusing to acknowledge that today is July 1st. It cannot be possible. Unfeasible. Maddening. Why?
I worked at a campground for many summers of my life. The perfect summer job (except for cleaning the bathrooms – could have done without that). July 4th weekend was our second of three holiday weekends in the summer. It marked the halfway point of the summer for all practical reasons. If today is July 1st (I refuse to admit the truth in the statement.), July 4th is but days away. Summer is nearly half over. Not cool, Father Time, not cool.
July and August. That’s all that remains of my year-long stay in Dawson. Two months. I probably wouldn’t have said so last November, but this year has flown. As I was grinding my coffee beans this morning, so engrossed in the morning routine and familiarity of my life in Dawson, I realized that I hate the thought of uprooting again. The packing. The adjusting. Ick.
The goodbyes. The final evaluations. The leaving.
So, Father Time, if I may, just put in this request? Maybe to feel as if there are a few extra hours in the day. The ability to enjoy my days to the fullest. Extra laughs, learning experiences, and new adventures. A slow, lingering, extended two months. Please?
Sincerely,
Sweet Pea
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