Say hello to my lil' frien.

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Oh hey! I wrote a blog post and it disappeared.

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So, what's new with you?

To the point.  I have a list on my right menu of blogs that I follow.  Most of them are people I know, one of them is ridiculously awesome, and it happens to be the one on the very bottom that last updated TWO YEARS AGO.  I am Lemish.... well, SHE is Lemish, and she is my favorite!

Lemish is a bff that I met a few years ago in a really dorky way.  Let's skip that.  She is one of my favorite people on Earth, and I demand you read her hilarious insanity and encourage her to return to the internetz.  I shouldn't even say that as if she's left because she's RIGHT THERE.  Every day.  Hi Lemish.  Wave to the nice people.  I know you're watching. 

Lemish posted this to me a few weeks back regarding my own blogging:

"So eventually there will be dinosaurs on your dinosaur tour, right? Replace the first dinosaur with blog posts, and the second dinosaur with blog. Oh, and get rid of tour. Also, dinosaurs."

Here's where you should start: this post about funny stuff.  Or this post about Jesus and dinosaurs and other stuff. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lemish

The Taste of Summer.

As many of you have experienced and shared, I love me some delightful summer cocktails whilst enjoying delightful summer sunshine. There's nothing better than that cool, refreshing beverage in hand while you (and friends) partake in patio time, sit on a deck or -best of all- lounge by a pool.

An aside: I no longer live at my apartment complex and it KILLS me that I won't be able to host pool time this summer. For the first time since.... 2004 :-(

Have you ever indulged in a Blojito? A delicious summer cocktail option invented by my brother. A trait that seems to run in the family, as my dad loves to make up his own drinks as well. Being a gal who loves to create her own tasty beverages, I often will make up random concoctions; every so often, a classic is born.

I give you the Blue Lemon.

Stoli Blueberry, like other Stoli flavors, is a really good interpretation of the intended flavor. It seems very natural and light (unlike our friends at UV). San Pellegrino's Limonata has a similar feeling - an airy, crisp lemon taste, just enough carbonation, and those adorable little cans! Paired together, you get a delicious, light cocktail with just enough flavor for summer - nothing heavy or syrupy here.

While you're not likely to find bars that can serve this treat, I do have an alternative: order yourself a Stoli blue with lemonade AND soda, and you'll have a remix that's close enough for government work.

Cheers!

(If you're curious - the Blojito recipe: vodka, Simply Limeade blender-ed with fresh mint leaves, and Archer Farms Blood Orange Italian Soda)

Brinner.

I just realized that I have a post label titled "pancakes." And now I'm hungry for... you guessed it... pancakes.

Time to call Erin & Angie and have some brinner.

New Neighbor!

I had a date Saturday at 11am with a good friend of mine over at the Original Pancake House. YUM. I'd been craving it since the last (and only other) time I had been there with my lovely cousin. I'll say that despite the very long wait, the Pumpkin Pancakes were TOTALLY WORTH IT. I got a half order with the pecans on top, then added a little butter, little syrup and the very tiny side of whip cream it comes with and was practically drooling WHILE I ate them.

But alas, this is not the intent of my post. Although I seriously wish I could have some of those pancakes RIGHT NOW.

I left my house at about 10:40 that morning (ok, it was more like 10:45 which made me a bit late to Plymouth despite driving 72mph in the carpool lane) and mere moments before I walked out the door, my landlord had come and gone unbeknownst to me. When I stepped out the door and saw the "FOR RENT" sign in the lawn, I was totally bewildered! Huh? I'm being kicked out? Oh, maybe it's the people downstairs... yeah, that's it. I wonder what the new neighbors will be like.....

So off I went to OPH to indulge in delicious hot pumpkin pancakes with said pancake friend (she went bananas...banana pancakes, that is). During our 45-50 minute wait and outpouring of conversation (we like to talk), she mentioned the fact that she's looking for apartments. HEY! I have one of those! I mean.... one that I know is open! And..... it happens to be next door! (If it's below you, is it still considered "next door?")

We discussed things like her fear of change (she's a suburban girl, you know), proximity to her job, traffic, blahblahblah, and it started to sound like she was willing to consider it! YAY!

So, after breakfast, she followed me home to take a good look around my place and LOVED it! I told her I had no idea what the downstairs would look like, but I kind of gave her my forecast. She was so excited at the prospect, she immediately emailed our landlord and ended up scheduling a showing for Sunday (yesterday!) at 12:30.....

Well, the lease is all but signed!!! I'm going to have an awesome, fun, wonderful, great, super, lovely, cool new neighbor!!!!! And I'm PUMPED!

Ask, and ye shall receive.

Dammmmn, I'm on a roll! Three in 24 hours? Awesome. And just watch, I'll stop then for like two weeks. Hehhh.

Did you know that I'm off to CHICAGO tomorrow? Yep! TOMORROW!!!!! I haven't even started packing. Whoops. But I'm going to visit old friends, and while they're very cool and stylish, I'm sure they won't mind if I look like normal old me ;-)

I'll be visiting Kelly and Dana, college friends from yesteryear. Kelly lives in Lincoln Park, with her fluffy kitty Zek and her pup Drake (clever, yes?) - I'm looking forward to simple moments of sitting on the couch laughing and chatting, and of course looking forward to exploring Chi-town, USA.

Any of you have favorite places in Chicago? I'm thinking I might need to see their M.A.C store!

Kelly is also super fashion gal. I'm going to feel like a total slob standing next to her, but that's okay! I figure I'll just do awesome makeup to compensate. And speaking of fashion, how great are these adorable booties???

All in all, I'm really excited for the trip and surprisingly not anxious or nervous like I normally would be. I know these girls will make me feel right at home :-)

Now.... off to the ATM for some spending money!! Teeheehee...

Ouf.

Pool time was rough on Sunday. Weather was beautifully perfect. Company was wonderful (Ana, Andrea, Alishia and Katie Z. (and hubby)). Hangover was unbelievably awful.

Yay :-/

(Let's just say that there was some vomiting involved. Kids, don't drink and hottub at the same time. It's bad for you.)

POOL TIME!

This weekend marks the start of POOL TIME for me!!! I'm soooo excited.

Check your phone for a text from me and let me know if/when you're coming. I'm assuming there will be plennnnty of people out there, since it's opening weekend, but I'll get down there early to grab a good spot (our corner).

Yay sunshine!

Summer Lovin'

For years, Erin and I have discussed making a list of "to dos" for the summer months. This year, we've decided to actually buckle down and do it. Here are some ten thoughts I just came up with:

1. Get a sweet tan, and some super sexy tan lines to match

2. Bar hop - high on the list are those with great patios: Stella's, Cowboy Slims, Brit's, Psycho Suzi's, Solera, Billy's..... Drink Uptown if I'm desperate ;-)

3. Attend a BBQ

4. Go to a beach in town - feel sand between my toes.

5. Bike

6. Walk

7. Grill food

8. A trip to the cabin with my fantabulous cousins

9. Have a sleepover with girlfriends

10. Go hiking with my hubby. I love being outdoors but have a hard time getting myself out the door..... I hope to change that this year!

The sun'll come ooooout tooooomorrow.... and the day after, and the day after.

I am so freaking happy about the weather lately. This is absolute perfection. Glorious sunshine, temperate 60's, and Minnesotans curing their cabin fever, outside in droves.... seriously, there are SO. MANY. PEOPLE. outside!!!

A few years ago, a relative from Texas was up here visiting in the spring / summer / fall (clearly I've forgotten). She could not get over how many people there were outdoors.... everywhere. Walking the paths, biking, running, playgrounds full of kids, softball diamonds, soccer fields, picnic tables, mini malls, people everywhere. Happy people. I was surprised by this. Wait just a darn sec, you live in Austin, TX where people can and SHOULD be out all the time. Why is this shocking?

I think that here up Nort' we have a particular appreciation for sunshine and tolerable temps (this varies)... it's as if life outside beckons us out of our homes, especially come April. Our cabin fever drives us to near incapacitating levels of crazy, so we burst out the doors like we've been imprisoned for decades.... and sometimes it sure feels like it!

This weather has prompted me to make my own sort of commitment to the great outdoors (and it truly is great) -- I want to see more of it, enjoy more of it and soak in every possible drop of beautiful earth, water and sky I possibly can. What does that mean exactly? It means happy hours on patios, cleaning off that bike on the balcony and using it, cleaning off the BALCONY so we can actually sit out there, softball two nights a week, POOL time as often as possible with whomever may care to join me, walking around Como, Saints games, more than one trip up to the lake, playing outside with my freakishly adorable nephew, BBQs (but not at our place sorry!), petitioning for an invite to Andrea's family boat (K. Syrah), hell even sitting out on a blanket with a friend and a bottle of wine (or Boone's Farm as we did in college, watching the boys play football... sighhhh).

SO..... care to join me??

Back on the Blog Horse, I'm Lame, Kate's Wedding

OK, so it's been awhile.... specifically 2.5 weeks. Have you missed me?? And by "you" I mean the 6 of you readers that cared to comment on my Roll Call post below. So, Erin, Ali, Melinda, Brian, Missy and Tom - THANK YOU. This is for you, friends!

Life as of late has been.... interesting. And by interesting I mean dull. Oh, and I was in a wedding. I am a homebody that loves to stay put. I somehow manage to keep friends despite the fact that I'd surprisingly rather be in my pajamas on my couch. Did you know that I'm a bit of an introvert? Yeah.... everyone thinks I'm really extroverted, but I'm just really chatty out of nervousness.

Back to what's new.... Kate's wedding was a really grand time. I don't know if you have seen pictures or what not, but she was an unbelievably gorgeous bride. Katie has timeless good looks -- beautiful bright eyes, great bone structure, long lashes and big lips... can't go wrong, right? Seriously though, she looked stunning.

I myself looked awesomely tan. Hooray!!! A victory in and of itself. I've found the cocktail of electric beaching plus self-tanning two days before = the perfect bronze goddess look.

Here are a few other notes from the big day:

1. Kate & Tyge are a cute couple -- they also have very good looking friends.

2. Christos Union Depot is beautiful!!

3. WHY can't the bridal party sit down at some of these weddings? My feet were numb. I had eventually stopped listening to the goings on because I was so focused on rediscovering my toes. I even considered if anyone would notice me sliding my foot out of my shoe and standing barefoot on the altar. It was bad.

4. I love being a bridesmaid.

5. I am annoyed easily. But we'll leave that one cryptically disguised.

6. I never cried on my own wedding day... is that bad?

7. I may not be the most gorgeous bridesmaid, but I am satisfied hearing that people think I'm "so hilarious" and clearly awesome at taking pictures....

All in all, it was a great wedding. I'm entirely jealous and want to plan my OWN again, because that's how I roll, but I'm so happy that K & T had the wedding of their dreams.

Unfortunate discovery. And a HAPPY THOUGHT!

My stories aren't very good! I'm pretty okay with talking about thoughts, opinions, philosphies, experiences, etc... but when it comes to stories, none can compare to the crazy, deranged tales of Miss Melinda (my evil twin). I suppose I'm okay with that, though. I mean, some of us entertain via reality, while others require excessive embellishment and far-out exaggerations (like a soap opera or telemundo).

It is a bit pathetic that my most entertaining story details my feelings and actions against a violator of simple parking law..... but the interest in this tale has been surprising! Apparently people enjoy boring tales of vigil ante justice :-)

Meanwhile, I've been dreaming of pool time. With the warm weather approaching and thoughts of tanning (for Kate's wedding next week), I've been very jazzed about spending some good, quality time by the pool this summer with some of my favorite people:

- Erin will be done with her L2 year of law school (and will probably appear at my doorstep drunk after her last final in a swimsuit) and needing some SUNSHINE. Ali will be with her.
- Kate will be an old married lady with FINALLY some more time on her hands to spend with ME
- Angie's finally a MN resident again
- Micaela and I will be hanging out three days a week with softball Tues & Thurs
- Melinda will come despite the vegitation in her drink last year (it's just MINT, sheesh)
- Andrea will take a break from her hip, fun life living in uptown and being a comedianne
- Ana will find a break from earning all that Pharmacist $$$ between weird shift rotations at the hospital and casual work in Winona
- Bridgett will hopefully come (with or without baby Harper)
- And maybe, JUST MAYBE, Tom & Kathryn will bring Luke over for some fun in the sun.... or drop him with grandma Lois and go nuts ;-)
- Oh, don't forget about "gay or European?" and his 'girlfriend' "Tits on a Stick"

GOODNESS, this is going to be a busy summer! Thank God I have such fabulous people in my life to share it with. Mark your calendars, clean out your coolers and go buy yourself some new flip flops!

Now.... I'm gonna start work on an iPod poolside mix ;-) I'm thinking some oldies, some pop tunes, some fun country.... AHHHHH, it'll be great!