always goes

This week was a hard week for me.

But we had already invited all our friends and I just didn't feel like canceling.

We were celebrating Jakes return to Minnesota!

The night was really fun - it was great having the space to have a party!

Even though we bought a new sofa, have two bedrooms and a sunroom - most of the night everyone was in the dining room - surrounding the food.

Isn't that how it always goes?


After it was all said and done I sat down and had some hot cider. It was a great party.

Adeline

On Monday morning my Grandma Adeline passed away.

Today was the funeral and I wrote this and read it aloud during the service - tears streaming down my face.



I loved asking her questions.

I especially loved hearing about when she grew up - what life was like for her as a girl, as a teenager and when she was raising my Dad.

We would pull out the old photo albums from the box at the top of her closet and sit on her couch.

She would know EVERY SINGLE person in those old black and white photos.

She would point out the family hardware store and tell me the stories of working there. She would point out her parents and her grandparents. Then the ones of my grandfather and her on their wedding day – she would tell me that she had been so young.

But my favorite photos have to be the countless arm in arm photos of the four Setran Sisters! She would turn to me and say they always posed like that.

She had stories for each photo and they would come pouring out - she had the most amazing memory.

I just kept asking questions and loved to listen to her answers.


Her house at 3009 holds many memories for me – her piano, the record player, her bedroom, the pool table, the clapping monkey, the wallpaper in the front porch. There are moments and images I will never forget about that house and the feeling it ensued when entering its doors...but there is ONE in particular that I just can’t seem to get out of my head...

It’s just me and Grandma on the balcony upstairs. She asks me if I REALLY want her to do it?

I say yes as my eyes widen with anticipation and my heart races...and then I screamed!

She had taken out her front teeth and my eyes had never seen anything scarier! I had asked and she had warned me!!!

She was the organizer, the planner, the program director and the choreographer. She took risks and laughed at her mistakes. She held her own in a room full of family and friends and usually was the one to make everyone laugh.

I will miss stopping in for visits, out of the blue phone calls, hearing how much she won at the casino, her postcards from Arizona and her lefsa. But most all I will miss her laugh.

She was a generous and incredibly thoughtful woman that I had the honor to call my Grandma.


This is what today looked like in Minnesota.

blog about

Well, there is a lot to blog about.

Jake moved in!

We bought a sofa!

Jake moved in for not just the weekend!

We are having a party on Wednesday.

Jake moved in!

Photos are coming soon.

last night in town

cross everyday

There is this crazy busy intersection place in St. Paul that I have to cross everyday in my car.

On most days people hold signs in protest at this place.
Other people honk at these people holding signs.

Anyway, I always hope that when I am coming up to cross this crazy busy intersection place in St. Paul I either have a green light - and I just pass on by - or I have to stop behind many cars - why is this so?

Because if I have a red light and I am the first car, then I am staring straight onto this crazy busy intersection place in St. Paul and it makes my head hurt.

The other day I got caught up in the front of the line and I could hardly open my eyes - I was getting motion sick - car sick if you will.
I tried to cover my eyes but the car behind me started honking.
I guess red had turned to green and it was time to go.

driver side

Someone broke into my car.
I left the driver side door open last night.

The funny thing is I remember thinking that I hadn't locked it...but I thought it would be safe.

They had to crawl over the driver seat to get into the glove compartment.
At first I thought - maybe all my stuff had just fallen out...?
But that is pretty much impossible.

My old sunglasses are still there, my owners manual is still there, my car insurance information is still there, my supply of tampons are still there, my mixed tapes are still there, my broken compass is still there - just all on the floor now.

They didn't take anything or leave anything.
I don't know what I was expecting - maybe a note of explanation? A message of who they are and why they did what they did?

I guess they did leave something for me - a sense of violation.
Which is like a pit in your stomach that doesn't go away.

those moments

Two months ago...

We stopped for just a bit but she appreciated it so much, as she always did.

She offered chicken fingers and gravy from her freezer (her favorite DQ treat that she keeps on hand). How could we refuse?

I had brought my camera so we started to snap a few candid shots, showing them seconds after; it is always a marvel.

As we were saying good bye she grabbed Jake's face rubbed her cheek against his beard smiling and laughing.

It was just one of those moments....


She went into the hospital a week later. At ninety-two her body just doesn't quite know what to do even seven weeks later. We are all hoping that she will get better because it is just so damn hard to see someone you love so sick, so weak, so fragile.

straight up

On my drive to work this morning...

Milk cartons were spilling from trucks and squirrel tails stuck straight up from the road.

Seriously.

or maybe

Last week I had lunch with a ninety year old Sister (aka a nun).

I have never been around a real nun before. She makes me feel a little nervous at times but I really really like her.

She has a very matter a fact way about her. Whenever I ask her a question she answers so obviously.

She is very smart.

I think the funniest thing that happened that afternoon occurred literally in the last 10 seconds of our visit....

As I am dropping her off she turns to me and says, "I think I am allergic to something in your car.

Or maybe you."

double clicks

She called and said she could only open one page. She wants to print all the pages.

I asked her to forward me the message, maybe I could open it at work and print them for her...then I asked if she knew how to do that?

She said, "Are you kidding?"

I'll be there after work Grandma.
Oh, that would be great she says with a sigh of relief.

They have been sitting there since Sunday. I kept trying to open them but it didn't work. I am nervous they are gone forever.

I take a seat and dial up the Internet.

But with a few double clicks all eleven e-mails including attached documents and photos are printed and ready to read.

The night also included a short lesson on how to open attachments and (more importantly) how to get to my blog!

Hi Grandma!

starts to unroll

So I push this 7 foot red circle rug from IKEA around the store and it is so heavy it has trapped my purse in the cart I have to get a stranger to help me lift the rug so I can free my purse.

So I smash this 7 foot red circle rug from IKEA into my tiny Toyota car while the guy next to me loads his truck, he doesn't offer to help me, I go back and forth both sides of my car opening the door pushing the passenger seat down finally it fits and I close the door shut.

So I carry this 7 foot red circle rug from IKEA up two flights of stairs to my apartment it is really heavy but with only one resting stop I make it into my apartment, as I unwrap, cut and pull the plastic off it starts to unroll...

There is a black stain the size of a quarter on it.

You might not think that is very big and you might even think - get over yourself Anne - it is only a small stain - nothing can be perfect.

Well, I beg to differ. I want my rug to be perfect.

As I start to unroll this 7 foot red circle rug from IKEA all I can think is - I guess I have to wrap it up, carry it down, smash it in my car, and push it to IKEA returns - at least I know what it takes.

oh did we

Last night we almost needed an agenda to help us stay on track - there was just so much to say!

A few glasses of wine, delicious food, and good conversation with an old friend - what a wonderful way to spend an evening!

We laughed - oh did we laugh!

anne

My name is Anne and I am a TVaholic. I thought putting my TV away for three months this past summer would have helped. Well, it didn't.

My name is Anne and I have a hangingupclothesphobia. I thought buying wooden hangers would have helped. Well, it didn't.

still crossed

Right now, late Tuesday night, I am anxiously awaiting the results from today.

I should be sleeping.

We did lose some but we won more....and my fingers are still crossed for some!

Minnesota is back!

ta da

get to

On Friday's we get to wear jeans.

To be completely honest it feels amazing.

I don't really know why it is so exciting...is it the comfort? The freedom?

What can you all wear on Friday's?

half screwed

I am pretty much a regular at Ace Hardware these days.

The guys there even know my name.

That is because these days I caulk, drill, hang blinds, strip paint, hang towel racks and replace toilet seats.

Caulking is hard but drilling is super fun.

My only real embarrassment was tonight when I had to bend a half screwed in screw 90 degrees because I could not (and I mean Could Not) screw this screw in anymore...so, I pulled out the hammer and pounded that sucker to the side.

Just call me Ms. Fix-It, that is what the guys at Ace do.

hooked up

I have been without Internet for too long.
I still don't have it at my new apartment...but hopefully on Saturday at 11 o'clock I will get hooked up.

It is the end of a work day at my new job and I have facebook up, gmail, and blogger. You would think I was desperate.

So how is everyone?

I don't know where to start...

Well, for starters I turned 27 on Monday!

I also moved into my new apartment!

And I started my new job!

Life has been a bit crazy these past few weeks and I think my body could not take it any more...because on Monday (my birthday) I got sick...and I didn't get out of bed for two days. I am feeling much better today.

Once I get wifi I am going to post some photos of my new place, because it is possibliy the most beautiful place I have ever lived to date and want to share it with the world (or rather the few readers/family members/good friends) that still read my blog.

few days

I am relaxing.

But just for a few days.

After saying good-bye to the job and the people I worked with for a year and to my apartment that I grew to love...I packed up my car and drove up north.

The drive through Iowa was and is, I think, beautiful. The endless golden corn fields with scattered family farms...just seem to make me happy.


Of course I am still processing the change, the transition, and the move but I am excited for the change.

The suprise good-bye party last week was definitely amazing and I feel my last few days of the job were really special.

Wednesday at 8 am I start the next chapter of my life and I am ready!

they got me

My heart skipped a beat, my lungs exploded in screams, my smile was never wider.

They tricked me, they got me, they totally got me good.

In Jake's little apartment they waited for us to arrive and as he threw open the door I couldn't believe it - they were all there! Dawone and Sali and Matt and Chris and Andy and Jo and Michael and Katie and Mindy and Mary and Ashlee and Stacey and Scott and Nick and Adam and Andy - all of them were right there and I could hardly believe my eyes.

I don't know if I can really describe in words how much they mean to me...I haven't written about them because my life with them needed to be separate from what I was saying here...but now, after a year and a few more days I finally can - I want them all to know that they were more than just the people I worked with, they are my friends and,


I love them!

opposing views

As I am watching The View this morning with the usual hosts Rosie, Elizabeth, and Joy plus special guest host.

The topic turns from Foley to politics to Bill Clinton to the war in Iraq and the War on Terror.

There were opposing views and the discussion got a heated.

It was great!

Four strong women discussing politics, the war, the troops, and patriotism.

As it is happening I know that this scene/discussion is going to be a hot topic for the media.

The headlines will read Cat Fight on The View or The Women of The View Hate Each Other.

It just doesn't have to be like that.

Women (including myself) get so wrapped up in making everyone happy, making sure we don't offend others, making sure everyone likes us...doesn't it get exhausting?

I want to see more of these women, more of these discussions, more heated conversations about real issues...

two week

I have turned in my two week notice.

My last day is next Thursday, Oct. 12th.

I think it is going to go fast!

I am so excited for my new job, new city, and new adventures!

- check

Drive up to St. Paul Thursday night - check.
Stop in Northfield to see Jana, Amanda and Matt on the way up - check.
Enjoy bonfire in St. Paul with Allisa, Paige (Verla) and Edmund that night - check.

Have breakfast with Allisa, Thelma and Jake Friday morning - check.
Have my second interview Friday morning - check.
Feel confident and great after interview - check.

Find out they will get back to me in a week or two weeks.
Head to Aunt and Uncles so Jake can shower - ha!
Get a phone call 30 minutes later with 651 area code....answer the call.

Got the job - check.
Extremely excited but tell them I need an hour and will call them back.
Call Dad. Think about it for 5 mintues and call back.

Accept the position - check.

Celebrate at Punch Pizza with Jake.
Call Dad, Peter, Ben, Katie, Amanda, Paige, Allisa and Grandma to tell them the good news.
Have appointment with realtor to look at lofts in downtown Mpls and St. Paul.
Four hours later realize Jake and I want to buy a house instead.
Visit Peter at his new bank in Mpls.
Head to Grandma's to visit her before we head to Mankato.

Friday night, hang out with Ben - check.
Saturday morning catch up with Mom and Dad - check.
Head to 7 Mile in St. Peter to picnic and hike with Ben, Mary and Jake - check.
Eat dinner with Mom, Dad, and Peter Saturday night - check.
Get a pecan cluster blizzard from DQ West later that night - check.

Have lunch with Mom and Dad early Sunday afternoon - check.
Head back to Iowa so I can work at 4 pm - check.
Get home from work at 9:30 and rewind tape of Amazing Race - check.
Tape stops after 20 minutes because 60 minutes went long.

Send two week notice e-mail to my boss at 10:30 pm - check.

New job in St. Paul - check.
Know Jake and I want to buy a house together - check.

Starting to figure out what we want and where we want to be - check.

switching from

As the cashier scans my purchase she turns and asks, "What do you need all these hangers for?"

I say, "My clothes. I am switching from plastic to wooden."

She says, "Why?"

I say, "I think they keep the clothes better."

She says, "Does it matter?"

I say, "Well, when I get my clothes dry cleaned...I just think they keep the clothes better."

She says, "I guess if you're going to spend all that money to clean your clothes then wooden hangers make sense."

5-7 business

Last night flipping through the channels I started watching an infomercial that seemed to be the miracle message I have been waiting my entire life to hear.

I ordered the product. It's coming in 5-7 business days.
I just googled my product and the reviews are mixed....I am sorta freaking out about the purchase.

This morning in my kitchen with one of my shoes, I killed the biggest spider I have ever seen.
It was seriously an inch off the ground and the size of a half dollar. It was very big.

Then my Grandma called me to tell me that the Thailand government is in a severe state of emergency. I went to Thailand in June and she was glad I wasn't there right now.

Thanks for the chat and photo Casey.

hooked it

In a panic we pulled it out, hooked it up and set the tape.

I just couldn't miss it, after all these years, every single season and episode...

late last night Jake and I watched the season premeire of Survivor.

I felt guilty but not that guilty to actually not watch it :)

Hopefully three months in storage has helped settle my addiction and made me realize that life without TV isn't so bad.

Wish me luck!

cowboys

I went to my first rodeo last weekend and it was truly an experience.

Cattle roping, bull riding, barrel racing and cowboys - oh my!



What is it about cowboys that make them so damn sexy?

conventional

I just went to the grocery store hungry.

I realized it wasn't a good idea once I had already opened the Milano cookies and started eating them in the baking aisle.

Shopping at a conventional grocery store is crazy.

Just walking up and down the aisles overwhelms me.
There are so many boxed up - wrapped up little meals and snacks.

Sure it is convenient and cheap....but is it worth it?

Why is it that in Iowa we import food from thousands of miles away but if we just step into our backyard we are growing the same thing?

Why do we choose to feed ourselves and our families food that has been processed with pesticides and poisons?

I choose to support local farmers. I choose to buy organic. I made this choice not because it is trendy but because I believe in it and what it means. Supporting local or organic farmers means more money into our community, less petroleum used in transport, and it makes a difference in my body and on the environment. It just makes sense to me.

I hate the argument that organic food is more expensive.
I think that is a bunch of bullshit.

We are already paying a higher price for these conventional choices.


Amanda had some thoughts on this topic as well.

last thursday

I took vacation last Thursday and drove up to Minnesota.

I had a hair appointment at 3 pm in Minneapolis.

I met the girls in St. Paul for knitting club before I had to go to my appointment.

I didn't bring my yarn.

Do I ever?

Thelma was there, she is a baby. She is soft and sweet and smiles a lot. I like her.


I had my interview on Friday.

It went really well (my new hair cut definitley helped).

Just waiting to hear back from them. I wonder what they will say?

I am sorta freaking about all the changes in my life.

(You might already know that from my last post).

Just trying to stay calm and find a balance.

be who

Is this what your twenties are suppose to feel like?

Is figuring out who I am and what I want suppose to be so hard?

Basically all I want to do and be is happy.

Not confused.
Not overwelmed.
Not worried.

I am afraid that I will never be who I want to be...what if I just can't get it together?

Then what?


Duh. Life.

Does anyone ever get-it-together?

Just be who you are, try your best, and everything will work itself out.

Reach for what you want and be who you want.

really really

I just love him, I really really do.

pdf files

Jake and I worked on my resume and new killer cover letter late Sunday night.

I e-mailed my pdf files early Monday morning.

I got a call Tuesday to set up a time to interview next week.

Sometimes things move quickly!

made together

It has been in the works for quite some time but last week I made the announcement to my co-workers that Jake and I are moving to Minnesota in December. I was the most nervous to tell the students that I work so closely with, I thought I wouldn't cry but I did. They really have been like my family...they had some questions but mostly they asked, What are you going to do without us Anne? Which I love them for saying that.

We have also decided to buy a loft in downtown St. Paul!!!

Currently I am new job obsessed and loft obsessed...I spend hours looking and searching for both.

I sometimes get a little freaked out a little stressed out but most of all I am extremely excited!

I am ready for the change and the adventure but most importantly this next step is the first really big decision Jake and I made together.
WE are ready for the change!

move to turn

You know when you haven't been to the gym in awhile and you just want to look like you fit in?

Jake and I both get onto an eliptical machine and start pushing every button.

How does this thing work? How do you turn this thing on?

Being the proactive, take initiative guy that he is Jake asks the personal trainer/help desk girl.

She tells us that you have to MOVE to turn the machine on.

OH.

save on sim

As I turn to the Global Connection kiosk girl and ask, What is the diagnosis? I already know the answer.

It was dead.

I felt naked, out of touch, and lost.

I looked down at my hand and just held it for awhile.

She asked, Did you save on SIM?

I closed my eyes and said, No.


They were all gone...every telephone number of every hometown friend, every co-worker friend, every college friend and every other person I knew.

I didn't save those numbers on my SIM card, I saved them on my phone. And now my phone is dead.

Why? Why didn't I save on SIM?

Now I have to back track and comb through my files for phone numbers I never even memorized because all I had to do is hit: Amanda or Paige or Katie or Meghan or Home.



Dear friends and family: Please send me your numbers!
I miss you already.

the weekend

These photos from my weekend are in an order all their own.

My friends visit this past weekend meant the world to me.

I didn't want them to go and was secretly fighting back the tears while saying good-bye.

To sum it up we indulged in hours of lounging by my pool, meals at my favorite cafe in Ames, and hours of Sex and the City!

Just another typical weekend in Ames Iowa!

great state

My dear dear friends are braving I35 and heading south, south of the border. Fields of opportunities await them in the great state of Iowa.

main street

That is me, buying a cookie at Wheatsfield Grocery on Main Street in downtown Ames.

Paige and Amanda who are both visiting me this weekend will most likely visit this grocery store.

Just wanted to share that with everyone.

just another

Just another Master's graduation...except it was Jake this time!

summer day

Just hanging out at my Grandma's in Mpls on a hot summer day wearing my favorite red panda skirt and killer blue swimsuit and a hat to keep the sun off my face. Peter's bleach blond hair, little stripped tee and flipped up white hat.

We look cute.


Do you see the butterfly bandaid on his forehead?

On the record player was a song with the line, "there goes my pour meatball" Peter is running around the dining room smacks his head on the corner of the table there was blood my Grandma freaked out but no worries we put the butterfly bandaid on and took this photo.

didn't walk

Over two years ago I graduated and officially became a Master! But I didn't walk in my ceremony.

One could say that I lacked some closure for the whole graudate school, teaching assisantship, wrote more papers in two years than I probably will for the rest of my life experience...

I cannot say that I lack closure anymore because two weeks ago Jake surprised me with a ceremony all to myself!

As I rounded the corner all I could see was my family and friends! I was shocked!


We all gathered in the backyard! There was ceremony with music and a speech and a list of the graduates...just me, of course!


I was officially hooded!


I even had a graduation cake!


The official graduation photos were taken, it was like I hadn't even skipped my ceremony.





I have to say that it was so worth skipping my ceremony to have such an absolutely wonderful surprise two years later!

12,800

I had over 12,800 items in my trash.

No wonder my computer was freaking out!

I hope to be back to normal blogging soon.

katie

To my beautiful friend Kaite, happy happy birthday.

a movie star

His name is Rich and he is a movie star.


Saw the Devil Wears Prada last night, it was fabulous.

on my fridge

I have this little school photo on my fridge.

It makes me smile.











Because it is my Dad!

without a tv

Yup, I don't watch TV anymore.

Because I put it in storage.

I cannot deny that at times I feel the addiction. I crave it...and I especially miss Oprah. The other day I watched one of the DVD's from her 20th year anniversary. On my lap top, not my TV.

Life without a TV just means you have to watch a DVD.

Pink sari.




Black purse.




Leg wrapping.
Hand gripping.
Chin resting.


Eyes wide open.

toast, burnt

I just thought I would mention again that my brother Peter is engaged to Cassie! Here is a photo of us toasting them about three weeks ago!



On a completely random note: I plugged in my cell phone charger and phone in Thailand and my phone didn't charge...didn't think anything of it...then I came home and tried to charge it and it still didn't charge. I realized I must have burnt out the charger, wrong voltage I guess!

snapshots

Here are a few snapshots from my travels and adventures.

Thailands country side and rice fields.


A monk walking at a train station on our way to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.


On a hike through the Thai jungle we ran into this woman, who sold us some bananas.


Yup, that's me on the head of an elephant!


Sunday market in Chiang Mai.


Two Thai girls walking to school in the morning rain.


My friend Amanda at a Thai food market.


I loved this Thai pharmacy because this woman was so helpful!


Jana, Amanda and me at our all day (10 different dishes) Thai cooking class!


The island of Phi Phi in southern Thailand, isn't it gorgeous?!


Sun-bathing, the closest I've ever been to the equator!


Long-tail boats very typical to Thailand.


Phi Phi Island sunset.


Saying good-bye to Thailand.