Tree Lovin'

I went for a walk yesterday!

Going for a walk is not a big event in my life; I’ve been walking every evening after work since the North Dakota weather has decided to be civil and one is able to be outside without earmuffs. But this was a different kind of walk, it was an after-dark walk.

One of my new friends (we’ll call her Pink) wanted to hang out, and between both of our ridiculously busy schedules (hers actually is; I just pretend) we came to the conclusion that the only time we had was about 10:00 in the evening. I’m usually getting ready to think about going to bed at that time, and besides sleep, about the only thing I want do is (no surprise here) go to the bar. And if that’s not an option, than hanging out on picnic tables with friends and laughing sounds like fun.

But no, Pink wanted to go for a walk. I had already been for a walk. I went after work. I walked for 45 minutes. It was just enough to burn off my soup and sandwich and cookie I had for lunch, if you believe the charts. Two walks in one day are too healthy, in my opinion. If I start walking twice a day today, tomorrow I may be eating more veggies, and in a week I’ll be hugging trees. No, much better to stick to one walk. Any more than that is just too risky.

However, Pink refused to go to a bar, even though I suggested sitting out side and offered to let her walk around the table while I drank, which was very kind of me. Imagine how annoying I would find someone in constant motion, especially while trying to enjoy a drink. Pink did not appreciate my compassion. I think she is conspiring with the organic farmers to bring up my veggie intake.

When I suggested a picnic table and ice tea, she pointed out that we have no picnic tables to hang out on. Again, I brought up my splendid idea of night of laughing around a table outside a bar, but she flatly refused. I think it has something to do with her being embarrassed to go out in public with me, on account of my laugh. But maybe she really does love it, and she just wants me to start hugging trees.

So we go for a walk. It was the perfect night for being outside AT A BAR. No wind, no bugs, slightly cool, lots of stars. We were not able to enjoy the stars, however, because we were walking and therefore had to look where we put our feet. If we were sitting down, we would be able to look up at the sky, which is much prettier than the sidewalk. I shared that thought with her and she just walked faster. Some people just do not know how to appreciate nature.

I am leaving work now and I plan on walking later today. But I will only go for one, because today I felt remorse when blowing my nose, drying my hands, printing out important documents and then coping them. In my line of work, these sentiments are very inconvenient.

I am now going to go home and eat a salad and some frest asparagus my mom dropped off for me. Yummm.

Un-typical Saturday

My door buzzer rings!!!

It is early Saturday afternoon and I can’t imagine who it could be. I’m not expecting anyone, and so far the only person to ever drop in on me unexpectedly tried to sell me magazines.

I contemplate pretending not to be home; to avoid the awkward get-rid-of magazine salesperson scenario which would ensue if I let them in the building and they came to my door to sell me a magazine. Also, if I appeared not to be home, and if the person was someone I knew, then they would think I was busy with important errands or meetings or on a tropical vacation. Thankfully, before I wait to long, I remember that my car is parked right outside the door and if it is someone I know, they would just think I was still sleeping. That would be humiliating.

I push the TALK button: “Hello???”

I push the LISTEN button. It’s a woman with a very far-away and scratchy voice: “Hello, is Linda there?”

Me (surprised): “!?!?!?!?!LINDA!?!?!?!”

Mystery Lady (annoyed): “Yes”

Me (slightly more composed): “Linda doesn’t live here”

Raspy Voice (exasperated): “She lives in the building!!!”

Me (unhelpfully): “Ummmm….. OK…..”

Silence… and still more science. I am just as awkward now as when I had to get rid of the magazine-selling lady. Raspy Voice is obviously was not talking, with the intent to make me so nervous that I just give up and open the door and buzz her in. I am a strong person, though. I am not letting a strange lady into my building to look for “Linda.”

Mystery Lady is still not talking. My finger is getting sore from holding down the LISTEN button. I have to do something! I can’t think of anything to say!!! The lady with the scratchy voice was just standing there breathing, waiting...

So I panicked. I did the only thing I could do at a stressful moment like this. I pushed DOOR!!!

I peer out the little peek-hole, trying to catch a glimpse of Raspy Voice. She does not walk by. I am relieved; her voice made her sound like Joan Rivers, and I do not want to see a woman like that.

She continues to not walk by. I am getting nervous again. Where did she go? After about seven minutes of Raspy Voice not walking by, I leave the door, after double checking that it’s locked especially tight. I continue on with my day, even though it was singularly non-relaxing due to the mental anguish and left-over nervous energy (see above).

I am week. I buckled under pressure. I hope no one was robed or murdered or abducted by Raspy Voice. Even though this happened four days ago, I keep my door locked especially tight, just incase she is hiding in the laundry room waiting to get me. She had a scary voice. I have not done any laundry since.

From Kayaks to Sandbags

My trip to St. Croix was LOVELY!!! I can not wait until my pictures are developed so I can post them for your viewing pleasure. Hopefully they will make your day better because of their beauty even though you will become insanely jealous of me for having spent a week and a half in a postcard. I kid you not, every beach we were at was perfect. They each had a personality of their own. It was hard coming back to the frozen tundra of ND!

Thankfully, the temperature was up from the pathetic 11 degrees it was when I left. I came home to pouring rain and a temperature of 55. My thankfulness for not having to readjust to below freezing temps quickly dissipated as I learned that the quickly rising temperatures of the last few days had caused the snow to melt unseasonably quickly, and, combined with the rain, had caused the Red River to rise and record fast speeds. Ugg.

And so, practically as soon as I returned, we had to deal with sandbags and dikes and leaking drains.

So much for the stress-free vacation :)