I am drafting this post while flying from LA to Minneapolis. There is a child screaming on the plane. I KNOW the parents are probably not pleased with this predicament but I am going BAT POO CRAZY right now.
And I am never prepared with headphones and music to drown out this issue.
So I guess that makes me an idiot.
Moving along.
*sigh*
Boyd and I took a quick trip to Los Angeles to visit Boyd’s sis, Kami. We gave Kami and James (boyfriend extraordinaire) approximately a 20 minutes heads up that WE WERE COMING TO TOWN!! Hooray!! :) They were gracious hosts and were our personal tour guides: Ramen in Little Toyko, best burgers ever at Father’s Office, Bayside sandwiches, a day at Topanga Beach, hair cuts at Kami’s posh Beverly Hills salon, a day at Manhattan Beach, fish tacos, a little shopping and brunch at a fabulous restaurant near their apartment, not to mention the great company and laughs.
Boyd even got to surf. He is easy to spot: The handsome lobster on a board flailing his arms about.
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| So great to see Kami! |
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| Always love the beach |
Pepper (bird) and Gill (fish) - - at my parents.
Kona - at Boyd’s parents.
Mel, Lou, Betsy and Lucy - checked in on by one of Boyd’s students.
I hope they are behaving - Gill can be quite the troublemaker.
Summer has been flying by. Sister1 and boys are already heading back to CO for the school year. It has been fun seeing them periodically.
Sister2 is having Baby Girl #2 in September. Ellie will hopefully be a gracious big sister.
Brother1 and Erin just had another baby girl as well . . . ON MY BIRTHDAY! :) Miss Campbell is beloved by all - especially Caters ad Coop.
Our nephew Jake from Oklahoma was able to spend some time in SD with us. He now knows more kids in the area than I do. I would like to give a shout out to the Hamlin kids and parents - thank you for making this a fun place for Jake. He seems to really enjoy hanging out in South Dakota - hooray!
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| Boyd and Jake at Family Reunion in Minnesota! |
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| Dave & Busters during one of his visits when we lived in MN. |
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| And now he is WAY taller and SOMETIMES funnier than me. |
Other than family happenings: Boyd finished the barn roof. Lucky Day had their summer sale and now in the process of planning the fall sale AND Matilda Jane’s spring season wrapped up with fall season only a short week away.
Other Misc Tidbits:
I turned 9 and got my ears pierced.
Boyd is not the best surfer.
Starbucks has a killer mango black tea lemonade
“Spy” with Melissa McCarthy will make you laugh
We planted 40+ trees. It will only take 15 years to appreciate this effort.
“Girl on a Train” is a fabulous read.
"Casual Vacancy" is a great book as well. I keep thinking about it.
Pepper loves Pepperoni (how fun is that?)
Alas, the country life is treating us well. I miss the city from time to time with its visual delights, restaurant choices and kind strangers but . . . we are content. I am thankful for this. 5 years ago, I would never have expected us settled into rural SD life.
School is just around the corner but until then, we will keep enjoying morning coffee on the porch, a little lake recreation time and dreaming of a finished barn.
*Notice I did not say a finished home . . . I am a realist, after all*
In the meantime: embrace the warmth while it lasts, breathe in the fresh air and give each other a high five. You deserve it.
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| Cooper loves baseball season |
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| Sweet Oli catching minnows with his BARE HANDS |
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| This Handsome Devil went camping. Without Me. |
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| Some major strategy happening. |
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| Boyd and his favorite girls. |
P.S. Before I was able to post this - our dog Mel had to be put down. He was a true friend during his 14.5 years on earth. Boyd said to me after we buried him: “He made God’s love tangible. No matter how stupid I could be, Mel always loved me. No matter what.”
Mel made friends quickly in our White Bear Lake neighborhood. I remember having a garage sale and a guy stopped by and said: "Is this Mel's house?"
Umm . . . yes. I guess this is Mel's house.
He went to work with Boyd every day in Minnesota. He would sit in the truck and wait ever so patiently for lunch break when he got to lick the yogurt cup. Later, when Lou (beagle) came along, Mel provided a warm soft bed for him to sleep on top of all day.
When we first brought him home as a puppy, he was so scared. Boyd had to leave for a business trip and I remember having to sleep on the couch so that my arm could reach him on the floor because he would cry unless he could feel my hand touching him.
But most importantly, he was a companion, friend and confidant and will be missed. Appreciate your pets. Take care of them. Let them show you what loyalty and love can look like.
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| Truly Man's Best Friend |
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| Family picture! :) Ignore Boyd's long hair. |
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| The kiddos were always so good to him. |
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| Mel's first home - White Bear Lake |
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| ALWAYS love a Bronco ride. |
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| Mel was happiest with kiddos around. |
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| Friends |
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| This is the view Mel's grave overlooks. |
