Grandparents and Dinosaurs

My grandparents are hilarious.  Over the weekend all four of them were at our house, being super grandparent-y.  If you don't know what that means, it includes talking loudly, repeating seemingly hilarious stories we've heard before, asking us if we've had enough to eat, and generally being slightly clueless.  Adorably clueless.  

Grandpa Jerry (Dad's dad) and Grandpa Austin (Mom's dad) were sitting on the deck, probably discussing manly things like various construction projects and health problems.  And politics.  Both Austin and Jerry love to talk politics, even if they have no idea what's going on.

They also never manage to smile for a picture at the right time.  Both of them only smiled after I had put the camera away.  They're awesome.

Since all four grandparents were present, we had to take a picture with them.  I hate being in pictures.  Spencer doesn't mind, but we rarely get a good picture of him anyway.  

So Jerry, Betty Lou, Dee Dee, me, Austin, and Spencer all lined up amidst the jungle of ferns outside and waited for my mother to take our picture.  The dogs were running around in there, too.  They kinda knocked Dee Dee over once.  Whoops.

Today, Spencer and I find out Austin and Dee Dee went shopping.  For cell phones, a laptop, and something for "The World Wide Web".  Of course, we had to go over to their house and help them figure out the new technology they had no idea how to even plug in to its own charger.  They're precious.  Dee Dee has had the same phone since Motorola came out with its very first Razr.  Yeah.  That long ago and it still works.  Austin has never been allowed to have a cell phone because he misplaces everything.  Keys, glasses, combs, change, the cordless phone, his garage door opener, EVERYTHING.  We were just a little surprised Dee Dee allowed this phone until we looked at it.  It's fool proof.  I'm not too worried for him.  They'll figure it out, and now they can email us from the cabin.

On a completely unrelated note, I have started putting toy dinosaurs in the ferns around our house.  I decided the golf ball "dinosaur eggs" needed a guardian, so there is a little brontosaurus lurking in the plants. 

I'm still trying to decide where to put the velociraptor pack once I glue the head back on one of them.

Waiting for Dee Dee to figure out Twitter,

-Erika

Memorial Day 2011

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!  Every year during Memorial Day weekend my mom, brother and I head up to Fort Snelling National Cemetery to visit my dad's gravesite.  He was a captain in the US Army Reserve when he died four years ago.  

We don't do flowers or anything outrageous, because Dad would probably smack us in the back of the head if we did.  We usually have a picnic and enjoy the weather while we're up there, but it was chilly yesterday.  And we were still full from brunch that morning.  

Grandma Betty Lou and Grandpa Jerry, my dad's parents, were up visiting from Phoenix, so we invited them along as well.  They hadn't been up to the cemetery since Dad's funeral, so it was nice for them to see his gravesite.  

We had a nice time, as we normally do, wandering around and seeing all the other service members buried at Fort Snelling.  

It's always so pretty up there, even in the winter.  The white headstones are so stark against the green, it's hard to remember it's a cemetery sometimes.

There is always a Memorial Day service where the Governor speaks along with a Senator or two.  We went one year, but we decided it was too crowded to enjoy being there that we usually avoid going on Memorial Day anymore.  It's still wonderfully majestic whenever we make the trip, though.  

Happy Memorial Day!  Thanks to everyone who has served.  Now go hug the closest service member.  They'll appreciate it.

-Erika 

I'm back!

I'm back.  My grandparents are here this weekend, so this post will be short.  All four of them are currently in the kitchen, talking about health problems and grandkids.  And more home-improvement projects around mom's house.  The weekend has been shaping up to be a great one so far.  We're going to brunch and a picnic at Fort Snelling National Cemetery tomorrow.  Memorial Day Weekend always culminates with a picnic for us.

This morning at breakfast the grandparents who are staying with us pulled out their day-of-the-week pill containers, complete with six different pills each.  

Betty Lou told me what they all were, but I forgot.  I'm surprised she can remember what they all are.  

Last night Betty Lou brought out the little Coke tin with both hers and Jerry's night pills in it.  I'm gonna have to have her write a list of them all so I can remember.  Also, the fruit rooster made an appearance after dinner, too.  He's weird.  

I still remember Betty Lou making up little sandwich bags of all the pills she and Jerry take daily.  She made them up in advance for their long hauls before they retired from truck driving.  At least they've upgraded to day-of-the-week pill containers.   

Up next, Prom 2011!!!

-Erika

Back to Winter

It's snowing today.  This is not good.  The weekend was beautiful.  It was sunny, somewhat warm, and it didn't rain.  My mom and I terrorized our dogs, too.  They did not enjoy it at all.  

Sniper didn't know what was going on or how to walk while wearing a shirt.  She needs some shoulders if she ever wants to wear a polo again.

Penny was somewhat distraught.  She kept trying to bite me as I was putting the shirt on her.  It's kind of adorable that she fits into an extra-large men's polo.  She looks good in blue.

After we dressed up the dogs, we went to the new house to move stuff around and make dinner.  

This little robin was not afraid of the dogs.  At all.  I was amazed there were even birds in the yard once the dogs jumped out of the car.

Or the birds aren't afraid of the dogs because this is all they do.  They'll chew on a stick if it is already close to their mouths.  I'm not sure they're real dogs.

That was over the weekend, though, and weather in Minnesota changes without warning.  It's thirty degrees and snowing today.  Wonderful snow.

Seriously?  I moved furniture in this crap.

At least it's somewhat pretty until it melts.  If only it weren't April 19th.  This is unacceptable.

In other news, my grandmother is adorable.  My mom and I were talking about my cousin's upcoming confirmation, complaining about the 8am service, when grandma chimes in with, "Is that the one where they go in the pool?"  Nope, that's a baptism, grandma, but thanks for your insight.

My grandma, the theologian.

Refusing to shovel,

-Erika

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!  This time last year I was in Cork in Ireland, waiting for my roommate to get back from the parade.  I don’t do parades.  They have balloons and small children and lots of people.  Yuck.  

This is what we did the night of St. Patrick’s Day: went to a pub, drank too much, walked home with some other extra-curricular activities (see below), and finished our homework.  Class the next day was awesome.

This year, Grandma and I drove up to REI this morning for new shoes, because Rochester has nothing going for it. 

I forgot how much I love this store.  It has a climbing wall in it.

Grandma got some sandals, and I got Merrell’s new Pace Glove.  I don’t run, but hiking with barefoot shoes has always interested me.  They’re cute, even if my feet are huge.  I’m going to keep these away from my mother.  I’m not sharing this time. 

We ate lunch at the House of Coates.  Everyone else in the restaurant ordered the corned beef and cabbage dinner, except for Grandma and I.  We don’t like corned beef, so we got a BLT and a burger.  An apparently world-famous burger. 

The food was delicious, and by the time we were finished there was a line out the door. 

This fog popped up unexpectedly on our way home.  

Like zero-visibility fog, which was apparently disconcerting for grandma.  I’m just confused about why it was there.  It was pretty awesome.  I think it was due to rain and the ground still being frozen and the sun coming out eventually.  Minnesota in March is just wonderful (read with heavy sarcasm.  March in Minnesota sucks.)

This is Minnesota in March.  Snow and a pond in the same cornfield.  Everything is going to flood again this year!  Yay!  (I really need a sarcasm font.  Someone invent one for me, please.)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Go drink a Guinness (yum, when properly poured) or a Harp (yum all the time) or a Smithwick’s (pronounced Smittick’s, and yuck) for me.  Actually, don’t drink a Smithwick’s for me.  Ever.

-Erika

Oscar Weekend, and I couldn't care less.

Well, it’s Oscar Weekend, and I don’t care.  I’ll be writing and reading instead of watching the award show.  I just finished watching Inception, and I’m a little confused.  It was a good movie, though.  I won’t get into a recap, but I would definitely watch it again.  The plot does need a second viewing just to get everything to make sense, but it is worth a third or fourth. 

            I was planning on doing outside things this weekend like walking the dogs through the woods, but the snow put the kibosh on those plans.  I like snow, and it was gorgeous outside, but it was cold as hell.  I’m ready for winter to be over, but we apparently have another 2 weeks or so of the cold and white.  At least the groundhog didn’t see his shadow this year, or winter would last until April.  I’m sure it will anyway, since, hey, it’s Minnesota we’re talking about here. 

            The weekend with no roommates has been wonderful, even if my mom has been anxious to get me to do something with her.  I’ve been busy enjoying my solitude and the ability to sit down without someone asking me if I’ve had enough to eat or if I would like some roast beef.  I love my grandma, but she is a little overbearing sometimes.  I couldn’t ask for a better grandmother or roommate.  Grandpa has even taken to asking me if I’ve eaten yet.  Apparently lunch needs to be precisely at 12:30, which is when I usually wander upstairs after finally showering for the day.  Gotta love ‘em, though.  I don’t know what I’d do without them.  

Obviously this is an older picture of them, but it captures their relationship perfectly.  Grandpa is a goofball and grandma just shakes her head and occasionally adds an “Oh, Austin” for good measure.  I’m kinda missing them already.  Just don’t let them know.

Until next time,

Erika

The end of winter. I hope.

            I’m home alone for two weeks, and it’s late winter in Minnesota.  The grandparents (roommates) are in Texas on vacation until the snow melts, so I’m supposed to be responsible for myself for the duration.  I can do this.  I was alone all summer, and I even did my own grocery shopping.  I’m still at a loss as to who I’m going to talk to during breakfast.  I did decide this morning, as I was sleepily driving them to the shuttle pickup spot, that waking up early has its merits.  Actually having time to do everything before I go to work is nice.  It’s not even 9:00 and I have already eaten once, checked and replied to necessary emails, talked to my mom, and started this blog.  I should do this more often. 

            In other news, I ordered a Nikon D3100 yesterday.  It should arrive on Monday, and I’m planning a make-out-with-new-camera session for next week.  I’m kind of excited to teach myself how to take real pictures with the D-SLR instead of the college-girl pictures of me and my friends at the bar, at a party, in our house, wherever.  They got rather repetitive and increasingly difficult to take without only taking a picture of foreheads and the walls behind us.  I just hope the snow is still here next weekend.  Pictures of mud and winter trees are rather depressing this late in the season.  Luckily, I can usually count on one snowfall in March.  I’ll post pictures as soon as I start taking them.

 We adopted this dog one year ago.  She’s only about 5 months old in this picture, but she still looks about the same now.  Just bigger.  She recently learned how to get out of her locked dog house thing, which she does whenever we leave the house.  She has taken to chewing anything at nose height or lower, including couches, Legos, puzzles, pillows, and screwdrivers.  So adorable and annoying in one bundle of brindle.  She looks so unassuming, but there’s a hidden menace in there.  I don’t care, though.  We cuddle a lot.  I’ll keep you posted on the early rising thing.