First Day of School and more

So, I'm at the gym at 5:15 am on the stationary bike just like every other morning when all of the sudden, the power goes out. We'll since my bike is powered by my peddling, I can keep riding 'cause I'm sure that the power will come back on any second. 10 minutes later as I'm still sitting in the dark and it dawns on me...The power is out and the back up battery on my sump pump is dead, and it's raining like crazy out side! So I jump in the car and drive home. Just as I'm getting ready to push the garage door opener I remember, Duh! the powers out. Crap. Then I check my key ring and realize I don't have a house key, double Crap. Oh, and I don't have my cell phone and all the doors and windows are locked...the Trifecta, Crap Crap CRAP! So I have to walk around to the back of the house in the rain and bang on Nik's bedroom window while trying really hard not to scare the crap out of him...and based on the look on this face when he opens his curtain my effort = FAIL!

Nik finally opens the front door for me, I find my trusty flashlight and start to light candles. A few minutes later, Catie is up . "Hey Dad, the power is out and how am I supposed to flat iron my hair?" Well maybe if you get everything ready but your hair, the power will come back on in time to do it. Mmmm, now that Catie's ready except for her hair NOW What?! "Hey I know, let's go to Caribou and you can use the outlet in the bathroom." So we hop in the car and drive over to Caribou in Channassen, I buy and coffee and am just settling into the comfy chair to wait when out comes Catie announcing that there is no power in either the ladies or the men's room. Shoot! Didn't see that one coming.

Off to the Holiday gas station when she gets the brilliant idea that her friend Nessa, that one I'm supposed to pick up in 10 minutes anyway, has power and her Mom just left so we can go over there and flat iron her hair. SUCCESS! I get the girls off to school, drive back to the house, get ready for work and off I go to start the day. I'm an hour late, but I'm there. OK, now all I have to do is get my laptop all plugged in and I'm ready to....OH FRICK, I left my power cord at the house! Dang-It! Oh well, I have a full battery which should give me enough juice to make it to lunch when I'll run home to grab it.

Fast forward to 11:30, I leave the office to drive back to my house and retrieve my power cord. I'm about half way there when I get a tire pressure light on my dash, and watch to my horror that I'm rapidly loosing tire pressure. But hey, I'm in luck, the Goodyear dealer is just up ahead on the right. So I limp into the tire store just as the last of the air exit's my left rear tire....I guess it's a WIN?! A full 90 minutes of comedic drama ensues and after many false starts, my tire is fixed, the big honkin' nail removed and the hole patched. Yay! I finally pull into the driveway, noticing Chris is now home from work. I walk up to the garage door, turn the handle and ....LOCKED OUT AGAIN!!! Are you freakin' kidding me?! I call Chris' phone and she is inside so she lets me in. I have lunch and almost leave WITHOUT the power cord to my laptop! Oh for cryin' out loud, just get me back to the office!!! I get back without any drama, and the rest of my day goes fine. What a day!

Happy Anniversary

On September 4, Chris and I celebrated our 28th Wedding Anniversary. Through some last minute happenstance we ended up in Milwaukee for labor day weekend. Once Dad and Bonnie found out we were going to be in town on our anniversary they immediately began planning a get together at their apartment. We had a really nice turn out with nearly all of my siblings and their families able to attend along with long time friends of the family Gene and Carol Bojar. One of the highlights of the day was going through old family photos. It was so much fun to be able to relive fond memories and all the stories and laughter that come along with that.

Later that evening Dave/Tracy, Julie/Dean, Duane/Ann and Chris and I got together for cocktails and dinner at Bonefish Grill. The food was so yummy and the company and conversation was a hoot! What a wonderful reminder on the importance of family. Friends my come and friends may go, but family is truly forever!

Sept 4, 1982

Sept 4, 2010