ONE DAY!

Sorry I was M.I.A. this week. I've been fighting a wicked cold since Sunday. What perfect timing to get sick. All week we've been moving, packing, some working, and I've been feeling super crappy. I'm on the upward slope now. Felling much better. And thank goodness, considering we will be on the road in ONE DAY!! I can't believe it came so quick. I'm so excited, but I have to admit, getting a little nervous too. I just hope we do as good a job , if not better, than Mark and Mary expect. Dog sledding is serious business for them, and for us too now that we're signed up. Rob and I do make a pretty dynamic working duo:) As long as he does what I say. HA HA HA! I'm so glad he doesn't read the blog.
We just got the very last of our gear in the mail today. It was like Christmas! We have tried everything on once or five times. Tried different layer techniques. We are ready! We'll head up on Saturday morning. Hopefully by Saturday night we'll all be settled in. Tubbs, Keenan, Rob, and I. It might take me a couple of days to get my computer and Internet situated. So be patient with me. I'll post as many pictures as I can too. Can't wait to tell you all more! Wish me luck!!!

"Why is all your stuff so...EXTREME!"

Today Rob and I started to actually move stuff into the storage unit. It drove me CRAZY! He always teases me about how long it takes me to pack and move. How he can move in a night if he needed too. Someone get him an award. I take a long time because everything has a place. Therefore making the actual physical move, much easier. Yes, I know, I sound like my mother. I thought so myself.

As we are dropping off a load at the storage unit, I start stacking my perfectly packed rubbermaid containers. I look over and Rob is laying these things all over the 10 ft by 20ft space: (and I'm not exaderating) 3 different skate boards, all with varrying lengths and wheel sizes, a 10inch ice auger, an off road wheel barrow, a snowmobile helmut, two garbage cans full of homemade compost, a broom, a vaccum, 2 life vests, 3 seperate tool boxes, a few things I can't really pin point what they are, 2 kayak paddles, and 4 canoe paddles.

We still have two queen sized beds, two couches, and random other furniture. And if we're lucky, two kayaks, and a canoe. It's at this moment I say (not in an angry voice, more freaked out and sketchy) "Why does all you stuff have to be so....EXTREME?!?".

He says (without taking any offense or even thinking anything of it really) "cuz I'm extreme. Ha ha.". Good thing we still have a week. We're hoping for good weather this whole week. That way we wont be moving in the rain (like today), or snow.

I looked for businesses for sale in Colorado today. Just wieghing out my options for after the dog sled adventures. So if anybody gets any leads, or good ideas, keep me in the loop!

8 days

So only 8 days until I'm on the move. Boxes are stacked up all over my house. I packed most of my cookbooks today. I realized some of them have been with me from the start. The start being the first time I ever moved out. I get so easily distracted when I try and pack them up. I'll start to thumb through one. Or notice a note sticking out of another. It's fun to get the notes that are years old. My GIANT cookbook from Culinary School is the best. There is all kinds of scribbles and notes to myself in the margins. I was trying to keep mental notes of the recipes I want to try "up north". It's kind of a challege with the no running water situation. So I'm trying to think outside the box. I keep coming back to crock pot meals. Hmmmm. Anyhow... that was fun today.
The weather is great. Still fall weather. Got a little colder then the last couple of weeks. Rob actually turned the heat on two nights ago. Sissy :) We live in an old house with radiators in every room. It always creeps me out when the heat gets turned on. There are so many random knocks, and hisses. Ha ha. Now who's the sissy. We got our apartment rented this week too. Thank Goodness! Now we wont have scheduled strangers wandering through our house.
Only two more days of work left! I can't wait. There are only 11 people on our entire resort tonight. To give you an idea how little that is, during the summer, we can hold close to 500. My restaurant is still open until midnight though. Oh well, I guess, easy money. I guess that's all for now.

My one wish..... Colosota!

I just got back from Colorado this morning. It was the best trip. One of my favorite visits ever, really. The weather was unbelievable. At least 70 degrees for all the days I was there. I got to see all the people I love.
I flew in early on Thursday. Really early. I had to leave my house by three o'clock Thursday morning in order to get to the airport on time. I had breakfast with my parents, lunch with my brother, and dinner with my oldest and best friend, Megan, her husband and totally kick ass little girl Maisey. Last time I saw Maisey was August. It was crazy how much she'd grown, and learned :). Then I had drinks with a couple more friends, one of them is a boy that will remain nameless for now :). I adore this nameless guys, and get little butterflies every time I see him. It was a great start to my trip. But also a huge reminder of all the amazing people I've moved away from.
Friday I bummed around and shopped with my mom and another great friend, Christina. It was perfect. We had lunch at an awesome Tuscan place. I'm planning on using their bruschetta idea. It was that good. And the risotto! Butternut squash risotto! It was delicious. Not too sticky, but not loose either. Then Friday night I met my brother and one of of his new best friends to play beer pong, and do some general getting to know each other, which was beyond a good time (for me anyhow:)).
Saturday my parents and I helped Meg unpack a little. She, Chris, and Maisey just moved into a new house. It's only a mile away from my mom and dads house. I stayed in my p.j.s all day. I did a little kitchen organizing, but mostly just played with Maisey. Then mom and I went shopping for our old school bbq party we were having that night. Everyone I wanted to see came to the party. People I haven't seen for a while. Some of my oldest friends. We gambled a little, drank a lot. Megans sister even came. I haven't seen her in about a year! It was such a hilarious time. I swear I know the funniest people on earth! Then we headed out to meet more friends. Thanks mom and dad for cleaning up after all of us that are WAY to old to be cleaned up after:)
Sunday morning mom, dad, and I had breakfast at Pegasus, one of the BEST restaurants in town, and one of my fav places. Afterwords, more hanging out with Megan and Maisey. That could be one of the highlights of my trip. We went grocery shopping, and it reminded me of when Meg and I lived together. Sunday night I went to the nameless guys for a cup of tea and ended up staying for dinner. I picked up chocolate shakes for mom and dad on the way home. Finally dad and I watched a stupid movie until I fell asleep on the couch.
So when I had to leave this morning, it was a total bummer. I can imagine every weekend like this one. And it makes me so happy. I'm also SO excited to come home to Rob, Tubbs, Keenan, and all my friends here. I get so overwhelmed by one place or the other. Where shall I be?? Where am I supposed to go?? I can't keep moving every six months. Which place will be the best?? I guess after my sled dog adventure, I'll be able to reevaluate my priorities a bit. Like, how can I possibly miss more of Maisey growing and learning. Who will veg out, and go grocery shopping with Meg on Sundays? Or how can I help my brother deal with unexpected crap in his life, from states away? Don't even get me started on my what if list with the nameless guy. If there is even room for what ifs. I just know, a lot of time out in the middle of no where, will give me plenty of time to reflect, and contemplate. Bring on the solitude!!! Only 11 days left to Sled Dog Extravaganza!!!

Fast Forward, yikes!!

So..... I'm packing. And cleaning. And packing some more. It sucks. By this time, I'm a professional mover, and packer. It just doesn't seem to matter, it still sucks. I swear that once we decided to take the sled dog job, time has moved in fast forward. We will be on the road in three weeks!! That's just crazy. To make things a little crazier, we are helping our landlord out by showing our apartment to potential tenants. So we are cleaning, packing, working, and showing. Stressful!! But the stress is beaten out by our excitement.
I'm going to be heading back to Colorado in 6 days. I'm pretty pumped about that too. Yet, I've managed to pack everyday, FULL of activities and plans. Which I hate doing, because I will inevitably end up missing someone, or over scheduling. It's lame. As long as I have time for coffee with my pa, some errand time with my ma, and catch up time with my bro. Everything else will be a bonus. I hope I'm able to make it back for Christmas. That would be awesome. But we'll see. Hard to plan that far in advance.
A few days ago they poured new sidewalks at our house. The neighborhood is super old and the sidewalks were looking pretty crappy. So, they had fresh cement poured right outside our front door. It was all taped off, and screaming to be written in. I asked Rob if we should sneak Tubbs paw print in, or maybe our initials. He was down, but the worker guys were just hanging around. So there wasn't really an opportunity. So I went to work and didn't think much of it. A couple of nights after that, Rob and I took Tubbs for a midnight walk (that's the usual time because my schedule is all wacked out). As we stepped on the sidewalk, Rob said "Oh my gosh, look at that! That's crazy!". There on the corner of the new cement he had scratched in "Rob & Mel". Rob pretty much rules :)

Fall in Minnesota

It's fall in Minnesota, finally. It's my favorite time of year. I know everyone in Colorado will argue, but, I have to say, fall in Minnesota is the best!! Rob, Tubbs, and Keenan and I have been to the park everyday this week. All the leaves are changing. Some are all done, and others just beginning. There are so many maples, and they look florescent red. The sidewalk is covered with pine needles, so it feels like carpet. It's so nice out that we were in jeans and t shirts. Living so close to the park is awesome. To any of my Colorado firends, the park I live by is like a mini Wash Park. It's great. I'm hoping that if we move back here next spring, we'll be in the same neighborhood. They flood part of the park in the winter for an ice rink. It's such a neat place. I can imagine what our neighbors think when our whole crew walks to the park. Rob carrying Keenan (our cat), while riding a skate board, and Tubbs and I running down the side walk to keep up. Yes, we are THOSE people that take our cat on walks with us. It keeps her more dog like. Or at least that's what I tell myself. I think Tubbs is getting nervous lately, because of all the boxes. I'm sure he's thinking "Really?? Moving again? Geezus". Keenan doesn't care what's going on, as long as she's with Tubbs. It's a strange, strange love connection.
Rob and I went on a gear quest on Tuesday. He thought it was kind of a bust. I was pleasantly surprised! I found great stuff, and..... ALL MATCHING!! Things are looking up. The highlight of our excursion was our early evening sushi dinner. It was amazing! We took about an hour and a half to eat sushi, american style. By that I mean more than we needed, and made Rob uncomfortably full. The miso soup, seaweed salad! All our favorite rolls! We are regulars at the sushi place, and the little japanese woman always makes us feel like we're on our couch at home. Which can be dangerous because she beefs up our rolls and usually kicks us a little extra. It also doesn't help that we are usually laughing like crazy too. Just imagine all that sushi in a rumbling, laughing belly. Not good. It may have been our last visit before we head north. The time crunch is upon us!
I'm busy starting to pack, again. I hate packing so much, but seem to do it every six months or so. Wierd! But I'm getting so excited to move, and start my new job. I'm so anxious to see what it will be like. I'll be going home to Colorado for a super quick trip in a couple of weeks. Hopefully I'll be back for Christmas too, but this will be my "just in case" visit. It's gonna be a busy month! Only 31 days left!!! Holy crap!
Oh, if you want to check out the sled dog team, go to www.blackmagickennels.com . It's pretty cool, and you can get a better idea of what I'll be doing. Talk to you soon!! Maybe even see some of you soon!