She did it!

Mom got her tattoo yesterday. She decided on a cherry blossom branch with the Chinese symbol for human life. Below is a little slide show I captured during the inking.

I also found out my uncle (and godfather) is the State attorney in a murder case this summer. Testimony in the case just started today.

This will be my last full day in North Dakota. Tomorrow morning I head out early - 4:40am - for the trip back home. Not sure what our plans are for today, but tonight we are probably going to dinner with my grandfather and his wife since they cancelled on us last night...

Vacation Update

Wednesday, June 25: We took a trip to the state's capitol, Bismark. We did not get going as early as planned (mom takes longer to get ready than I think she realizes), so once we had made the 2.5 hour drive it was time to have lunch. We had tickets for the Lewis & Clark Riverboat cruise of the Missouri River (once again obtained by mom from the Wheeler Dealer radio show), so we decided to eat close to the dock at a restaurant called Captain Meriweather's.

So, we walk into Meriweather's and of course there is a sign asking that people 'Please Wait to Be Seated.' So we waited, and waited, and waited. No one was at the hostess stand and there was no bell to summon anyone from the back where apparently all employees were congregated (not a good idea at noon...) Finally, without apology, a lady comes out and seats us in the dining room. Now, the dining room was pretty much vacant - most people had chosen to sit on the patio, but we decided against it because of the heat and wind - and where do we get seated? At a table that was almost level with our knees. It was the shortest table in the entire dining room! I suppose we could have moved, but we made do. I suppose there are worse things that can happen than sitting at a low table; for instance what happened next.

We gave our waiter our drink orders, he brings them out. I took a sip of my soda and sucked up a small hard piece of something. I spit it out in my palm and discovered a tiny chunk of clear glass. Luckily, I did not bite down on it or swish it around in my mouth! We waited to see if the waiter would come back so we could tell him about the glass, but after waiting a few minutes, dad took the glass and my drink and went searching for someone to tell. He came back with a new drink for me. Apparently, they did not even really apologize, just said 'We don't know how that would have happened.'

Okay, glass-in-the-drink injury averted. We then ordered. We all tried out the chicken wraps. They were okay, but the lunch I had the previous day at the Pita Pit was more enjoyable. The Pita Pit was also about three times less expensive. Meriweather's will not get any kind of recommendation from me!

We then went outside to wait for boarding on the Lewis & Clark to begin. Mom and dad trekked back to the Explorer to slather on sunscreen. I decided against the greasy mess and later paid for it with lobster arms. (I can feel the heat radiating from my arms as I type this.) We then took a relaxing cruise up and down the Missouri River.

After the cruise we did some very light shopping. Mom had to return some clothing she'd purchased at Kohl's in Grand Forks (no Kohl's in Minot) and dad had to get some kind of screws for the basement footings in the house he is building for my brother.

After shopping it was a visit to my mom's parents. My mother's parents have always lived in the Bismarck area while my dad's parents lived right down the hill from us, so in that scenario where there are the 'A' grandparents and the 'B' grandparents, my mom's parents got the role of 'B.' Not because I like them any less, I just never got the opportunity to know them as well as my other grandparents.

We then made the drive home. One of the less exciting days, but I had to blog about it anyway!

Thursday, June 26: I got up this morning and took a 2 hour drive around various spots I used to haunt while growing up to see how things have changed. I drove through Burlington, the town where I attended elementary school and then up to the sleepy town of Des Lacs where I attended middle and high school. I shot some photos yesterday and today and have put them all into a slide show for you to enjoy.

Mom has her tattoo appointment this afternoon and then we have dinner with my dad's dad and his wife. More to come as my trip winds down to it's last days.

The Vacation Run Down

First, an apology to my readers who checked for a post last night. My parents have one computer and my dad had to use it last night. By the time he was done I was too tired to write a post and was off to bed.

Now, for those of you who are interested in what I've been doing in North Dakota on my vacation, here's what's happened so far. I've not taken very many pictures yet, but do plan to post some photos eventually. I won't give a time estimate since I'll probably not live up to the deadline, but they will be forthcoming.

Saturday, June 21: I spent most of the day in planes and airports. You wouldn't think it would take all day to fly approximately 1,277 miles, but with the layovers I need to take, it does. So I started my day at 5:00am and arrived in Minot, North Dakota about 4:20pm. Since my parents live outside of town in a rural community, they make the most out of trips into town. (M. and I do the same thing now that we have moved outside the city.) Because they were already in town to get me from the airport, we went and had some dinner at a Mexican restaurant and then did some shopping. Finally, we headed home where I was greeted by a very excited dog. Elle - my mom's newest baby was a rescue dog from Hurricane Katrina. She was one of the animals transported from the New Orleans area to various shelters around the US. There was a list of people who wanted to adopt Elle, but my parents' rural home with a huge yard won out and Elle is now a spoiled pooch living in my parents' house.

Sunday, June 22: We all awake early to spend about 4 hours in the car so we can drive to Grand Forks and visit my sister. My sister is an overachiever and very, very busy so it was either drive to see her, or not see her at all. Even though I had spent the entire previous day traveling, I was willing to do this to see her. (Plus, my parents really did the activity planning for this trip and I didn't have much choice in the matter! But what can you say when they shelled out almost $700 for a plane ticket?)

The purpose of the trip was twofold - give me a chance to visit with my sister and give dad and my brother the opportunity to fix sister's dryer which was overheating and install some shelving in the garage of her townhouse. We arrived about lunchtime. My brother and one of his friends were at my sister's already - they had drove down the day before to attend a concert. So we met up with sister, brother, and brother's friend to discuss the game plan for the day. It was decided we would all go to lunch, but first had to wait for sister's friend who would come over to help install the garage shelving. Sister felt since he was volunteering to help out, it would be nice to invite him to lunch too. I was on this trip to visit with my family, so I was not exactly thrilled about going to lunch with brother's friend and sister's friend, but again, what can you do when you're not the activity director and the entire trip is being financed by your parents?

Sister's friend pulls up on a scooter and we all pile into two vehicles to go have some lunch at Boston's. Not my favorite place to eat, but sister is very picky about where she eats and she chose. (I know it sounds like all I am doing up to this point is complaining, but really it has been a good trip so far! I just like to give commentary on my interior thoughts...)

After lunch it is decided mom and I will go shopping since there are stores in Grand Forks that are not available in Minot. Sister, brother, and dad are all going to stay at the townhouse to do home repairs. Sister's friend motors off on his scooter right after lunch saying he has something he has to do and is never seen again. Good thing my parents bought him lunch in exchange for help with those shelves... Mom and I putter around department stores for two and a half hours (my shopping limit is probably half an hour to an hour...) and then we return to sister's townhouse where we find brother and sister playing Bubble Bobble (ah, flashback!) and dad and brother's friend watching them. Brother has spent the entire time we were gone in sister's attic finding a dryer clog and dad installed the garage shelving san sister's friend. So we hang out at sister's townhouse for awhile visiting and playing with her cats then make the approximately 4 hour drive home, have some pizza, and head to bed.

Monday, June 23: I went to the same hair stylist all through high school. My mom still goes to this stylist, so she made me a surprise appointment for a haircut. But I didn't know and had my hair cut last Wednesday before traveling. Because my hair was already shorter than I really wanted it, I couldn't take the haircut and instead got caramel-colored highlights. We then headed back home for some lunch and relaxed around the house.

Late Monday afternoon one of my parents' neighbors knocked on the door. She said she was coming home from work and saw thick black smoke rising in the air near my grandfather's home (my parents live in a community on top a hill - grandpa lives below the hill). The neighbor said she couldn't see what exactly was on fire and traffic was stopped and backed up. She told mom and dad she'd feel a lot better if they went and checked it out (there is a private back road down the hill to grandpa's place). So mom, dad, the dog, and I hopped in the Explorer and took the back way down.

My grandfather is retired from working at the local airport. He now runs his own business selling products of his own design - windsocks with lights that can swivel 360 degrees, roadway markers, a device that thaws sewer vents in the winter. Grandpa has a large shop and that is where the back road leads to, so we parked near the shop and grandpa came out and was irate. Apparently, grandpa's wife (not my grandmother who passed away when I was five) was on her way into town. She got to the end of the driveway and was about to turn onto the highway when the van she was driving made a popping, whooshing noise and then went up in flames. Grandpa's wife got out and was not injured, but it took the fire department half an hour to make it out to the blaze and by the time it the fire was out (and we were all down there staring at it), the van was a complete loss. The interior was completing burnt, the front end was practically unrecognizable and melted into the pavement. The only salvageable part of the vehicle was the rear tires. Not only was grandpa irate about losing a vehicle he had just recently cancelled insurance on, but he had also donated $200 to the fire department of Burlington and they didn't even come out. It was Minot Rural that responded. I am sure the Burlington Fire Department will be hearing from my grandfather with a request for his $200 back...

After the fire incident, we had a hurried dinner and then went into town to see a movie. My mom listens to a radio show called Wheeler Dealer and gets discount certificates from the program. Several of our activities, including Monday night's movie, were based around what she had certificates for. We saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall at the discount theater. (Not a movie I had any ambition to see, but our options were limited since it was a discount theater and only had three shows playing - two of which I had already viewed.) Now the movie was not terrible, but if I had known we were going to see Jason Segel in full frontal nudity several times (not just a few times, but several times) I might not have seen this movie with my mom and dad. Not that movie nudity bothers me, even if viewed with the parents, but this was not just quick flashes of the male anatomy, and there really wasn't any reason for us to see Mr. Segel's little soldier flopping around... In any case, the movie was not what we expected. We got home late and headed off to bed.

Tuesday, June 24: Tuesday was a day out and about with my mom. We did some light shopping (much better than the marathon shopping expedition in Grand Forks), had lunch at a place call The Pita Pit (yummy!), mom tried to donate blood, and then we got hydro massages (my first professional massage ever).

The shops we checked out were little locally owned businesses selling gift items. I bought some ice tea mix and some cornnut-like things for M. I also bought a little cat figurine to add to my small collection of cat-related items at home. We also visited a used bookstore. I love browsing through old books, even if I don't purchase anything. Mom bought me a couple books, which is good since I am almost done with the two books I brought with me! I've added them to my Book Bag on the right side of the blog...

After lunch we tried to check out a tattoo place. Mom has a coupon for a tattoo. I found out she has always wanted one. I never knew that about my mom and it's a little shocking. Mom just doesn't seem like the tattoo kind of person. I briefly thought about getting a tattoo when I heard she was getting one, but I don't have a life-long desire for a tattoo, plus M. absolutely abhors tattoos, so I decided not to do something that I did not have a strong desire to do. (But, just so M. knows, if I did really, really want a tattoo, I would get one despite his objections.) Mom had decided on a cherry blossom design for her ankle and we were going to go by the place to talk to the artist about the design and find out how long it would take, but the place was locked up tight. No posted hours. Mom called the number and left a message with her phone number and we went off to the blood bank.

Mom was going to give blood because once she is tattooed, she can't give blood for a year. I dug into my book while waiting for them to test her blood levels. (I can't give blood, it makes me woozy - I can watch vomiting, gut-tearing, etc., but suck blood out of my arm and I am likely going to faint.) During my wait my cell phone rang. The blood bank is not a noisy place and I did not realize the ringer on my cell phone was turned all the way up - so embarrassment ensued while I dug furiously through my purse to get the phone and get it out of it's case while everyone in the waiting room looked at me like, "Are you going to answer that noisy thing?!"

I eventually did get the phone popped open and up to my ear. It was a gal from work letting me know my friend received her referral from Russia! I had hoped it would happen while I was home so I could be in the office when she came in, but I am so excited for her! S., if you are reading this, I saw a picture and I could not be happier for you!! Please don't feel you can't call me because I'm on vacation. I would love to hear from you!

During this exciting call Mom came out and indicated she couldn't give blood - iron levels were too low. So we did some quick shopping and then got our massages. I've never had a professional massage of any kind, so that was a nice treat. I will have to look for somewhere back home where I can get a hydro massage.

The tattoo expedition was a lost cause yesterday since the place was apparently closed and the artist never returned mom's call. Oh, and I don't think I mentioned that dad has not a clue that mom is getting a tattoo or that she even wants one, so that's going to be some surprise for him when she comes home with an inked ankle. I hope she will be able to get it done while I am here.

Last night was a quiet night at home with my parents. One of my aunts (dad has five sisters and no brothers!) also stopped by to visit. Aunt B. is my favorite of my dad's sisters and is also my godmother, so it was nice to see her again. The rest of the aunts, I don't really care to see. My mom is the oldest of ten children, but most of them live about 2 hours south of here in the Bismark area. We didn't see them a lot growing up, so I don't really know them.

And that brings me up to this morning. Mom and dad are out walking Elle and I have spent a good portion of my day so far on the internet checking email and writing this post. This afternoon we will be trekking down to Bismark to take a riverboat cruise and see my mom's parents. I can't promise another post today, maybe not even tomorrow, but I will be back at some point to give everyone an update.

North Dakota - A vacation spot?

It is when you grew up here! I arrived Saturday afternoon and will be visiting until this coming Saturday. So far it's been an interesting trip. I plan to do a more 'fully featured' post this evening, so stay tuned.

What's Been Up?

I've been enslaved by a copier, that's what has been up! We found out that for one of our accreditations we need to send all our reports (burned to CD) from all of history to the accrediting entity. Well, we had reports saved electronically from 2004-present, so I've got those CDs all wrapped up and they have already been sent where they need to go. Anything before 2004 was not saved electronically, so I have been working with our summer helper to get the paper files pulled from the hot, steamy attic and then drug downstairs where our copies are.

Once the files are downstairs, someone needs to plow through them to pull out the applicable reports (sometimes up to 4 reports per file), scan them in and then save them so they can be burnt to CD. Of course, during the entire year we worked on this accreditation it was never mentioned we would need to do this - only after we've received our accreditation does this come up, and of course, it is now URGENT that we get this done. This could not have been done over the course of the year, especially not in the winter when it would have been cooler in the attic...

And, of course this is URGENT so it falls me to me to plow through these files by myself because our summer helper is at camp this week. I will be so glad when she is back! Apparently, it was also policy here in the office back in the day to use a staple per every 2 pages. So, for each report I have to pull out about a dozen staples before I can run the thing through the copier. So, please, fellow workers, please be careful not to trip over my chain and shackles while working near the back copier... I will likely be there all week!!

So because I don't and likely won't have a lot to snark about during this all encompassing project at work, I thought I'd let you all know what I have been up to outside of work. I know you all want to know desperately!

Movies: M. and I went to see The Strangers over the weekend. I was excited about this movie because scary movies and thrillers are my favorite movie genre. Unfortunately, this is one of those movies that did not live up to the previews for me (or for M. who also wanted to see it). I did not have that 'movie high' when leaving the theater. Do you get that 'movie high?' You know, that feeling when you leave a theater that the movie was just great, or that it might have changed the way you look at something or think about things? Well, that wasn't this movie. This movie was just okay for me. M. pointed out about 5 minutes in that the camera work was very shaky, even more so than Cloverfield, which we watched about a week ago. As with many little eccentricities, I really didn't notice this until M. pointed it out, but then it was annoying. Also, as M. says, you really don't get to know the main characters, James and Kristen, so it is hard to feel anything for them when the three strangers start attacking them simply because they 'were home.' I think with some more story background and a steadier camera this might have been a good movie and not just okay.

We also tried out Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2. M. had seen something about these movies and that they had received good viewer ratings, in fact, were consider cult classics. I am always up for horror flicks, even the old ones, so I sat down with M. to watch these films. We watched all of the first one although I don't know why. It was entirely hokey. I know, you need to expect a degree of that in many of the older flicks, but this was just too much hokey for me. Zombie dead people who sit in doorways and just giggle are not my thing. I watched about 15 minutes of the second one and it was even worse, so I decided making our bed would be entirely more interesting. M. watched a bit more than me and while I was tucking in bedding I heard "Give me back my hand," come from the living room. Later M. would tell me that the main character's hand was possessed and was trying to kill him. Oh, please! Also, that damn giggly zombie was back in the second film...

The final movie I want to mention is P2. We also watched this movie over the weekend (yes, we watch a lot of movies). While also not a great movie, it was better than the others mentioned above. We definitely felt more for Angela who was imprisoned in a parking garage by a demented parking attendee who had a crush on her than for James and Kristen out in the woods tormented by three strangers. Too bad we didn't go see Iron Man instead of The Strangers in the theater...

Games: We've had a Nintendo Wii for some time now and both M. and I enjoy it. I picked up a Wii Fit last week and it only took me one evening of calling around and a dash to our local Toys R Us to get it - unlike our console which we had to stalk stores for 2 weeks to get. Actually, I picked up 2 Wii Fits last week. One was for M.'s mom who had been wanting one before I even knew what they were. Unfortunately, M.'s parents have had console problems and apparently the 2nd console Nintendo sent them does not like the Wii Fit, so they have to contact Nintendo and have a third console sent out. Until then, M.'s mom doesn't get to use her Wii Fit game or balance board.

I've used my Wii Fit almost every day since we got it. For those who don't know about the Wii Fit (I only recently got the concept), you get a balance board and compatible game for the purchase price of $89.99. With your Wii Fit you can do a body test which will measure your weight, BMI, balance, and give you an estimated age based on those measurements. It also has yoga, strength training, balance, and aerobic activities to help keep your measurements in check. What I really like about it is that you need to bank time doing these activities to unlock new activities, so you have an incentive to work out. I just unlocked rhythm boxing last night and love it! My plan was to do yoga each day and alternate aerobic and strength training. Tonight was to be strength training, but I may slip some rhythm boxing in too!

Last night M. went on an impulse buy trip to town to pick up Rock Band for our PS3 (yes, we have a lot of game systems). The game is a bit pricey and I wasn't sure about getting it, but M. seemed pretty excited, so I gave him the go ahead to get it while I worked on my aerobics with my Wii Fit. I banked 45 minutes on the Wii Fit, unloaded the dishwasher, setup the cats' drinking fountain (after it went through the dishwasher), gathered household trash from our little cans around the house, and scooped the litter box while M. was on his shopping trip. He had to go to three stores, but eventually found the game. (Why do the things we want always have to be so hard to find?)

I left M. in the living room to unpack the box (and it was a big box) while I showered off my Wii sweat. When I came out he had the guitar and microphone unpacked and was beginning to work on the drum set. If you've not heard of Rock Band, this game is kind of like the Guitar Hero games in that you can play a guitar along with popular songs, but in addition to the guitar, you can also have someone on the drums and someone singing, hence making up your rock band!

I wasn't exactly excited about this game, but I am glad M. went out and got it. We rocked the night away - M. on the drums and me on vocals. I am not a good singer, but on 'easy' level I did pretty good. We got to create characters for ourselves and name our band. We ended up being The Beavers - a throw back to M.'s past (don't ask, I don't have the finger strength to finish this post and tell you about that story). M. is the outrageous drummer Storm and I am the Gothic rocker Lil'Seed. What is especially nice about this game is it's song list. Lots of songs M. and I have heard and like (unlike some of those other singing games). You can also purchase additional songs from the music store.

M. and I rocked so much last night we were able to unlock several new venues, gained about 2,000 fans, and even got a crappy van to tour in so we can make it from venue to venue! M. was ready to get to his drums again this morning, but of course, we have to work...

Books: I finally finished Sophie's Choice. Like The Strangers, this was just okay for me. I picked up this book because I had heard vague murmurings about it, and of course, knew it was a movie. I've never seen the movie and I really didn't know what the book was about before actually reading it. The first problem I had was that the paperback copy I got at the library had very small, cramped text. My eyes are okay and I do a lot of reading, but that was hard to get through. Secondly, you don't even learn what Sophie's choice is until the last quarter of the book and by that time there has been so much other drama in Sophie's life (past and present) that it is hard to get caught up in her choice. I don't think the author gave enough text to the actual choice and how it impacted Sophie. Maybe the movie focuses more on the choice?

After Sophie's Choice I read The Virgin of Small Plains. Loved this book! I will have to pick up some more books by Nancy Pickard next time I'm at the library. This is a mystery set in 1987 and 2004 Kansas. The book does jump from the past to 'present' 2004, so if you don't like that in a book, this may not be for you, but it didn't bother me. In 1987 a girl is found naked and dead on a ranch and the mystery is who is she and why did she end up dead (and frozen to boot) on a cattle ranch.

Currently, I am reading Bastard Out Of Carolina. Not very far yet, but I'm enjoying it so far. I have seen the movie version of this book staring Jennifer Jason Leigh. I liked the movie, so am anticipating liking the book. I may have to pick up some other books by Dorothy Allison after this.

Each time I go to the library I update the 'Book Bag' section of this blog on the right side. I know you need to know what I am reading, so keep up to date over there.

This ends our first edition of 'What's Up.' I hope you have enjoyed reading about what fun and oh so exciting things I have been doing. I must now depart for my beloved copier. Tune in again some other time... Adieu.

Oh, Embarrassment!

I got some new clothes yesterday. I rarely get new clothes and wear the same outfits to work week after week, so I was excited to wear a new skirt and top today. There was no wind when I walked into work early this morning. Unfortunately for me, the wind picked up sometime between my arrival and the time I left for lunch.

I walked out the office door on my way to my car and Bossman walks out right behind me. He says something about how nice it is today. I say it's a little too hot for me as I near my car. Just then a gust of wind comes across the parking lot. I didn't realize how flouncy this new skirt is compared to my others - but it is and the flounce makes it susceptible to ballooning in wind gusts - which it did - in the office parking lot - with Bossman out there with me!

I am not sure how much was in view before I wrangled the skirt back around my thighs and knees. But, oh the embarrassment! One thing I know, if he did see anything, Bossman won't mention it. And I guess it's not quite as embarrassing as Bossman walking around one of our annual client picnics with his fly open...

I will have to pay more attention to the weather reports when deciding to wear this particular skirt!

To Someone at This Morning's Meeting

Hey Someone,

Did you know we all know you're sitting up there? It is not necessary to speak over everyone else. It is especially annoying when you begin to talk over someone and you don't know what you're talking about. Let a person have their say - you might learn something about that of which you do not know and you may also not have to comment. But then again, we all know you, and you not commenting would be impossible. I guess I will just have to plea for you to not speak over everyone else, but then again, I know that won't happen either.

Someone, you make me feel like this in meetings:

DUCK!

For the past couple weeks we've had a visitor to our back door at the office - a duck. He comes to the door and either stares in or lays down right next to the door and falls asleep with his head under his wing. Other than making a bit of a mess on the concrete pad outside the door, he's really not hurting anything and he provides some office amusement each day.

Bossman has been out of the office for the past two weeks which means he had not seen our back door visitor - and that is lucky for the duck. Bossman has been known to chase geese around our parking lot with his vehicle and also hired a guy with a dog to keep away the geese.

Unfortunately for the duck, Bossman happened to pass by the door this afternoon while duck was lounging out there. Bossman exclaims, "Damn, we have a duck trying to lay an egg out there!" Then Bossman goes up to the door and bangs on it to scare away the duck.

I've got news for you Bossman. You see those green feathers on our duck's head? That means ducky is a boy, and last time I checked, the boys don't lay eggs. But if this one does, you ought to contact the news because we could probably get some publicity from a boy duck laying an egg...

Ducky came back shortly after Bossman departed the office. We will have to wait and see if he gets to stick around or if Bossman hires a duck dog...

And, a note to those road ragers who feel it is necessary to get right up on my ass when I'm driving 60 mph on the interstate: I flip you a virtual bird. I don't need my rear view mirror full of your grill - learn to be more fuel efficient!