Home Sweet Home For The Holidays

Friday afternoon after work I drove down to Mike’s for holiday break! Friday night we went out to dinner, then to a friend’s birthday party. Saturday night was his work Holiday party. Sunday we cooked dinner for his parents. I cannot express how wonderful it was to be able to spend time with him! This morning I drove down to home home where I was greeted by a cooked xmas tree (above). Sydney (dog) is guarding the tree and the house standing guard, awww, what a cute puppy!

Home sweet home…

Weekend Full of Winterness

Friday night Amy, Mariah, Danni, and myself had a girls night out! Dinner and dancing until the wee hours of the night at the UP Front. A night of fun indeed... :)

Saturday we had a fresh dusting of 5ish inches of snow! Can you think of anything better to do than wander around town with camera in hand? I couldn’t! I needed a recovery, low-key day following last night. I was up way past my bedtime!

Sunday Amy and I walked and got breakfast at Third Street Bagel (SO DELISH!) and then walked around downtown Marquette. I can’t get over how cute this town is. The fresh snow daily covers up the dirty plow snow and gives everything a very clean, pure look. It is wonderful! Sunday night we went to the Doghouse where Amy made me wear a Steelers shirt because she s a fan and we were going to watch their game. Good shirts, good times!

Reason’s Marquette’s Winter Is Absolutely Amazing (part 1 of many!)
~Never have to scrape a car windshield! Whenever it snows, it is too cold for ice so a quick squeegee and the 2,3, 8 inches of light, powder snow just flys away!
~The fresh snow almost daily gives every morning a clean, new, sparkle. Can you think of a better way of being greeted daily than from sparkles of snow?
~The sound of the crunch of the snow under your feet everywhere you walk. This is my second favorite sound of all (first being walking on dry fall leaves and third being thunderstorms).
~There is always something to do…always.

Pictures of this weekend can be found here : http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/MarquetteWinter?feat=directlink

Getting Into The Holiday Spirit

What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to go to a craft fair and see the Nutcracker?! After attending the art fair at the dome this afternoon after work, Amy and I decided to go see the local production of the Nutcracker. Little did we know that one our Greco-Roman Wrestlers had one of the leads (picture above)! Another surprise was seeing the president of Northern Michigan University dressed up in a gold dress and makeup as Mother Ginger!

A wonderful, low-key night was a perfect way to end a busy busy week at work!

Thanksgiving

Today I drove back up to Marquette with my Thanksgiving dinner in the trunk. I was able to spend time with Mike, and then go down and spend some time with my family prior to Thanksgiving. My pop cooked a turkey, made stuffing, gravy, and mashed potatoes for me on Tuesday since I would miss the feast on Thursday. That was absolutely wonderful!!!

Note to self: driving on the actual holiday is awesome because there is absolutely ZERO traffic. I put the leftovers from Tuesday’s dinner in the trunk because, well, why waste ice and a cooler when it is cold enough outside!

Prior to leaving we had some great family time including celebrating my little bro’s birthday. Picture above was my gift to him…hehe. It is, by far, the best shirt ever.

Winter has Arrived!

Winter is officially here, and here to stay. I woke up this morning and the picture above is what I was greeted with! Note to self: set alarm 10 minutes earlier to bundle up to walk to work in this knee-high snow from now on!

Still loving life up here, and am extremely excited to see Mike and the family for Thanksgiving!

Another week of work behind me and another one in front of me. Still lovin’ work and lovin’ life up here in Marquette. Marquette is, by far, Michigan’s unknown gem!

5K with Amy

Day after Halloween, Amy and I ran a 5K!!! It was Amy's first run and thus, we ran it together. We ran it faster than we anticipated (then again, this was the first time we ran together without talking the entire way)! We are very proud of ourselves and plan on running a 10K next!

The night prior the run, we (Amy, Mariah, Colby, Myself) made a last minute decision to go on an Adult Halloween Bike Ride...in costume. Bikes with touch lights taped to the front, all in costume (Amy and I were in scrubs, Mariah was an injured coach, and Colby was a business man), off we went around town with a group of about 30ish in full costumes. The end location was under a bridge where a fully-stocked bar was waiting (one dollar donations was our key in) and a fire "hobo style" in a grill was going. It was so much fun! On the way back, long story short, Amy and I got separated from Colby and Mariah, my derailleur on my bike snapped off in the middle of the woods, and Amy and I had to walk home. Because this walk was well over an hour, we decided to stop at the corner store, pick up some chips and queso for the walk home. We rigged a helmet onto my handle bars to hold the chips and took turns holding the queso so we could munch. Overall, the night was so much fun and would totally do it again!

If you would like to see pictures from this night, please let me know and I'll hook you up... :)

Sunday was a true day of rest. The most exciting event of today is that it is Daylight Savings Fall back!!! YAY for extra hour of sleep tonight!!! :) :) :)

Mariah's Birthday and Pumpkin Carving

This weekend started out with a Mexican dinner at Los Tres Amigos with my amigos! It was Mariah's birthday (in the middle ablove) weekend. Saturday we went on we went on a hike through Tourist Park because it was going to be one of the last weekends without snow up here. Sunday we went to the Casino so Mariah could get her free $5 on her birthday (and I won $15 on the penny slots!!) and we picked up pumpkins which were carved that night and ate cake! Oh what a full weekend!

Fall Colors of the U.P

Today was a beautiful sunny day and thus, a hike was in order! Colby, Mariah, Blake, and I headed over to Sugarloaf for a nice afternoon hike. The colors, like last weekend, were amazing! I cannot express how brilliant the colors were. A 360 degree view of pureness, and Lake Superior was crystal clear, sparkling in the light! This view will be nothing but white with some green pine trees poking through the blanket of snow in a month? Perhaps 2 if we are lucky!

Pictures of this hike can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/SugarloafInOctober#

Mom and Dad visit!

YAY! Visitors!!! My mom and dad picked the perfect weekend in October to come up and visit! This past weekend was beautiful weather: sunny, cool, clear! The colors of the fall were in their prime. Saturday we drove around Marquette, toured Presque Isle (awesome view of the fall colors), lunch at Cocos, and went for a hike up Sugarloaf!

After the hike we headed back to my place for a coffee break for my dad, mom and I took Blake (black lab I was puppy sitting) for a long walk in the woods where we saw 4 deer (poor Blake wanted to go play, but the leash got in the way :) ). Dinner was at the UP Front with Amy (where we got our Frequent Diner cards stamped!!!), and then mom whisked me off to Target to decorate my living room with window dressings. This task couldn’t wait, it had to be done that night!

Sunday was very cloudy so I gave them a tour of where I work, took some funny pictures, hung out, and then they headed back down state; drove half way tonight and will finish the drive home tomorrow.

The weekend was wonderful, relaxing, and beautiful! The fall colors up here, are, by far, the boldest colors I have ever seen…and are lasting the longest as well!

Pictures from this weekend can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aXnhR6l1YALnzrK4E854xQ

Madison, Wisconsin!!!

Mama Berger, Me, Katie, Papa Berger

Madison, Wisconsin. Need I say more?

This weekend I drove to Madison to surprise Katie (one of the 3 roommates from last year).

In May, Katie graduated from UW with her Bachelor’s Degree and I with my Master’s degree, both from the College of Education. Katie accepted a job in Hawaii and moved there in July. I accepted a job with the USOC and moved to Marquette, Michigan. She moved south…way south. And I moved north…way north! She has been planning on flying home for the UW vs OSU football game since she moved to Hawaii and I had initially intended to go back to Madison for the Penn State game. But, seeing how I don’t know when my next chance to see her would be, I tweaked my plans and let everyone (including her parents) know, but her that I would be in for the OSU game.

I arrived in Madison earlier than planned on Friday night (combination of getting out of work early and being a queen at driving…) and was locked out of what once was my house. Dinner with my pillow-talk buddy, Anna, and her boyfriend Shane (he’s not included in the pillow-talking), and then with Scott (past –roommate Allison’s boyfriend). Then the girls returned home and let me in! Right to bed I went because I had a busy day ahead!

Saturday
Up at 7am to go visit the swim team during practice. It was great seeing two of the two coaches who I spent 2 years working with. I then walked to the best farmer’s market in the world on Capital Square. Spicy Cheese Bread and cheese curds, and back to the Kohl Center I went to hang out with Henry for a bit.

No time for a nap because socializing and frosty beverage time! Katie arrived, surprise was amazing (she was shaking! It was wonderful). Relazing afternoon with the best company ever. Among those in attendance were Katie, Me, Katie's Parents, Allison, Allison's sister and her sister's boyfriend, Scott, his parents, his grandparents, Allison (another one), Anna, Anna (another one), and more!!! We ate food, and before we knew it, it was time to go to the game! The result of the football game need not be repeated.

Everyone gathered at the house after the game, ripped off one of the 2 layers of under armor and off to State Street we went. State Street Brats where about 15ish of us hung out, bonded, and had a great time! Walked home at bartime and was in bed around 3.30am.

Sunday
Breakfast with Anna at Micky’s. Packed up my car, waited for Sue to come home to see her for a moment (truly a moment) and then off for a 6hr drive back to the UP. Stopped at a gas station right before the Michigan boarder and won 27 dollars on a one dollar instant lotto ticket! Back in Marquette around 10pm. Exhausted, I fell into bed…back to work in the morning!

Although it was an extremely busy busy weekend, I am so glad I made the trip. Being able to see those whom I consider family again in a town that will always feel like home. I cannot wait to go back and visit again. When is again? I am aiming for a basketball game!

If you want to see the pictures from this weekend, just let me know...

Grilling at Presque Isle and an Evening Hike!

Amy had a wonderful idea earlier this week to grill out this weekend…and that is exactly what we did. We (Amy, Colby, Mariah, Brian, Justin, and myself) gathered at Presque Isle, fired up the grill with beer-brats, burgers, and veggies, beverages of choice, sides, and caramel apples! Talk about a perfect fall feast! After hanging out around the grill and eating, it was time to break out the Bocce Ball set…GAME ON! The weather was suppose to be 10% cloudy, not 100% cloudy, but it was still warm out. The water has some solid waves hitting the break wall behind our picnic site that was located under the changing leaves of the trees! It was a wonderful afternoon.

After the cook-out, Amy headed back to hit the books and Colby, Brian, Mariah and I swung by Colby and Mariah’s house to pick up Blake, their black lab, and headed out to a hike! I think it was Wetmore Landing…but I am not sure…it doesn’t matter, because it was by far, the best hike I’ve taken since I’ve been in Marquette. I will mark my calendar and take this hike again in perhaps 2 weeks when the leaves are at their peak!

Today was an amazing fall day (minus the lacking of sunshine) :)

Pictures from today's adventures can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/GrillingAtPresqueIsleAndHike#

Owosso, Michigan for Monica's Wedding

This weekend, Friday was my “Labor Day” and I drove down to Owosso/East Lansing for the weekend. On the road by 6am (with Justin sleeping in the passenger’s seat), 6ish hours later we were in East Lansing! I survived my very first trip over the Mackinaw Bridge!!! It was beautiful, but I didn’t really look around too much considering I was driving. Lunch Friday with Eric (who I hadn’t seen since April) and Jeremy (who I hadn’t seen since I graduated from MSU in 2006). It was great being able to catch up with them! Quick stop into the MSU athletic training facilities to say hi to the staff, popped into the Meridian Mall, and then off to Mikes!!! By the time I stopped at the mall, I decided I rather go take a nap before Mike got out of work than to shop! YAY for naptime!!!

Friday night Mike and I drove to meet my parents for dinner (and for the all-important handoff of the microwave!!)! I finally have a microwave in my apartment!!!

After going to my favorite breakfast place in the world, 401, we got ready and went to Monica’s wedding (main motivation for this trip). I was asked to help hand out bubbles as the guest entered with Jess and thus, we were the official bubble-hander-outters. 20 minute ceremony (nice and short!!!), and then reception. Overall, it was a fun day!!!

Sunday was breakfast back at 401 before picking Justin up in East Lansing and heading back to Marquette. On our way back, we stopped at St. John’s Cider Mill for apples, doughnuts, and cider!!! Caramel apples on their way!!! Part of my car decided to fall off and drag during the crossing of the Bridge. Nothing a little duct tape couldn’t take contain for the remaining 170 miles to home. It was absolutely amazing to spend the weekend with Mike, although it wasn’t enough time with him…but it never is…

Pictures from this weekend can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/MonicaSWedding?authkey=u6idDOBR1BM#

The Appleton, WI Day Adventure

Yesterday Mariah and I went to Appleton, WI for the day.

Our To Do List:~Green Bay for a sushi lunch (they were closed when we first arrived because we failed to calculate in the time change so we hit up the mall and went to OLD NAVY!!! IT WAS WONDERFUL). YAY for Old Navy!
~Appleton's mall to have her rings inspected (main reason for trip), Victoria's Secret, Gap, Body Shop, Trade Secret, Macy's were other wonderful attractions we stopped in
~Galarowicz's house to say hello since we were in town and was able to try on Bucky's head that was hanging out there!!!
~Back on the road to make it back to Marquette, MI where we had tickets to go to 2nd City at 9.30pm.
~CRAPPY weather on both drives, worse coming home though. Fog, pouring rain, almost hit a deer (with a yard of our hood). We were a half hour late to 2nd City due to the weather but we arrived safely which is the most important thing.
~After climbing over 20 people to find our seats in the DEAD CENTER of the theater for 2nd City, we met up with Colby and Amy and enjoyed the rest of the show. That is a production I would see again! And to think, the tickets were only 2 dollars! I heart Marquette!

When we first stepped into the mall in Appleton, it took me a few moments to become adjusted to the environment. It has been 3 months since I’ve been in a crowded place. 3 months since I’ve been elbowed. 3 months since I’ve been cut off. I was over stimulated; too many things going on! I quickly adjusted and dove right in. I felt like it was Christmas! So many stores I wanted to go in, so little time. We will definitely go back, perhaps spend the weekend in Appleton.

Marquette's mall = Kohls.

Appleton's Mall = a smidge smaller than 12 Oaks (Novi, MI), or a slighly bigger Meridian (East Lansing, MI), but pretty equal to West Town (Madison, WI).

It was wonderful seeing Allison, Mrs. Galarowicz, and sister Galarowicz…and to put on the Bucky Head!!!

4 day work-week comin’ up before driving back down state to see Mike!!!

Sugarloaf

Whoah! What a busy week! Wednesday night pulled off a surprise party/dinner for Colby. Holly was in town (and ended up crashing at my place) through Sunday and work was busy busy (which is a good thing). Sunday afternoon before Holly left she insisted we hike Sugarloaf. It was a beautiful hike with a wonderful view of Marquette. Rumor has you can see Canada from the top on a clear day. Above is a picture of me at the top of Sugarloaf…is there enough blue in the picture for you? Hehe. I am wearing my favorite t-shirt (if you want one, let me know and I’ll point you in the right direction)!

Swimming in Lake Superior!

My dry blond hair headed under the icy water.

Swimming back to the warm sand with my wet hair (proof I went under)!

Yes, I did it. I swam in Lake Superior (evidence above)! And yes, it is, by far, the coldest swim I have ever had. But once you're in for a moment, you can't really feel anything anymore and thus, it no longer feels cold! Amy and I went to the beach today after work. After a few hours laying in the sun, Amy headed back to work for a few hours, and I headed home to duck out of sun for a bit.

After taking a quick break from the sun, Amy and I headed out to Black Rocks to plunge into the ice-cold water! The warm days are coming to an end and thus, I have to get all the warm-weather activities crossed off my list! Pictures of Black Rocks will come as soon as I figure out how to get them off of the hard drive of my camera...hm...

What a wonderful half day/holiday!

Marquette Dog Show

What a week! Classes started at Northern and thus, the school year has officially begun. All teams are in now set into full practice schedules, and we had Elite Athlete Health Profiles (aka physicals) on Wednesday and Thursday. Those days were 12+ hour days at work, but I enjoyed every moment of it (I must be crazy!).

Yesterday I had a mini-panic-attack when I realized the Wisconsin football game was on the Big Ten Network and I didn’t get the Big Ten Network. The first bar I called didn’t have the Big Ten Network and the guy I talked to honestly didn’t think anyone in town did have it! I blamed him for potentially running my Saturday (really, I did) and called another bar. YAY! The Dog House (just down the road from me) had the Big Ten Network and so I was off. Jeans, UofW t-shirt, and UofW sweat jacket, and away I went to secure a TV and a seat for the game. I felt like a lone tailgater on my way as the streets I walked were BARE. Never before have I had a gameday with ZERO people tailgating in the street. I was greeted by the bartender who immediately read my clothing and started to search for the game! Soda, and then a beer and lunch once Amy joined when she got out of work and it was a wonderful start to Football Saturday. Home after the game to watch UofM while cleaning the house (trying to be producing) and then curled up on the couch to watch MSU! It was a wonderful day :)

Today I had to be productive since nothing truly got done yesterday. On my way to Target (surprise surprise), I stopped by the Marquette Dog Show. Yes, the dog show. It was held at the local YMCA and had free admission. After sitting in the metal bleachers for an hour and a half, I decided to continue on my way. I am still trying to figure out why I stayed for over an hour at an event that I still don’t understand. There were people there who brought their own lawn chairs and staked out a spot close to the rink. There was cheer, I mean hole-in-one cheering, touchdown to win the game at the buzzer, 3-point fade-away at the buzzer to win the NCAA tournament cheering. Yes, there were cute dogs there, but all of them were more pampered than me. More time on their hair, nails, and posture. Then again, I’m ok with having “normal” posture if it means someone is not putting their hand up my butt and pulling on my legs to make me stand straight, I’m ok with it.

After seeing all those dogs as pampered as their were, I figured the least I could do for myself was to self-pamper and give myself a pedicure :) I was in need anyways. Bedtime with pretty toes! Working tomorrow = extra vacation day :) SCHWING!!!

Picture: The 4 rings set up for the Dog Show.

It’s official: Month 2 is in the books!

Seafood Festival

On Wednesday evening, Mike and company rolled into town around 6pm. The request was made for me to make Chicken Cupcakes for dinner, and I am not one to disappoint. I finished making dinner as they put their feet up and relaxed after along day of riding as they near the end of their Lake Superior Tour. Dinner was a hit (as this dish always is) and we headed down to Vierlings to try some U.P. local brews. Delish, as always. Sam and Mike crashed at my place and Sean and Mr. Harwood rented a hotel room in town because everyone wanted a bed to sleep in.

Friday night Amy (the GA at the USOEC) and I headed out to the Seafood Festival at Lower Harbor. DELICIOUS FOOD! We walked around a bit, ate some crab legs and corn on the cob, and then ran into Colby and Mariah. The four of us hung out for most of the night until the bands stopped playing and then we called it a night.

Amy and I went back to the Seafood Festival earlier this evening and ate more, met some interesting people, and then made a mad dash to the theater to catch House Bunny. We were the only two laughing in the theater the entire time. It was, by far, the funniest movies I have ever seen.

A few pictures I took at the Seafood Festival can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/SeafoodFestival . Check out the huge crowd! Yes, they all (probably) live in Marquette!

4th Street Construction

For 3 weeks now, I have had no driveway. For the past 2 weeks and for at least 3 more weeks in my future, I have been woken not by my alarm, but by the not-so-quiet machines shown in the picture above. The city is re-doing the sewage system and streets, among other things. They start work at 7am and stop between 8 and 8:30pm, Monday thru Saturday. My informant, the old man across the street who talk to everyone and just sits on his front porch, watching everything, says they are in a hurry to get it done by mid-September, to ensure being done before the snow. MID-SEPTEMBER?! SNOW?! Aww man! Come on…I think it’s a joke…

The picture is a view from my kitchen. This will be the view from my front window in about 3 days or so. I haven’t had my windows open due to the loud sound and the smell of sewage, but that means I’m roasting in my apartment with no air circulation! It’s a lose lose situation for me right now. Oh well, what are you gonna do?

If all goes according to plan, Mike, Sean, Sam, and Mr. Sam and Sean are going to stop in Marquette tomorrow night on their way home. They are riding their Harley’s around Lake Superior. YAY! So excited to see Mike again (and it will be good to see Sam and Sean, and what the heck, Mr. Harwood too!)!

Jenna, the Marquette Tour Guide

My grandparents stopped in Marquette during their “Tour of Michigan” today. They rolled into town around noon and had reservations at the hotel that is located downtown. I met them at the hotel and then I took them on a walking tour of Marquette. We left the hotel and walked downtown to Lower Harbor, back up to Third Street and then straight to the Superior Dome. I took them in and showed them around the dome before we headed back down Fourth Street where we took a mini break at my apartment. Then off to their hotel where they freshened up a bit and we watched some Olympics before taking a drive up Lakeshore Drive, around Presque Isle, and then back to Lower Harbor where we sat in the shade before going to L’Attitude for dinner. It was delicious. L’Attitude is definitely a place where I can see myself returning to!

It was a wonderful afternoon and evening full of Marquette-ness! We saw 2 iron ore boats get loaded at the Ore Dock which was quite exciting. I’ve seen the boats in numerous times but could never figure out how the whole process worked. We figured it out! There’s another wrinkle for the brain!

Pictures from the afternoon with my grandparents can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/TourGuideForGrandmaAndGrandpa

U.P. State Fair :) Craig Morgan Concert

Tonight I drove to Escanaba, Michigan which is just over an hour away from Marquette to attend the U.P. State Fair. Yes, we, the Yoopers, have our own State Fair! A week ago I saw Craig Morgan was going to be there and I looked up tickets. There was a 6th row seat open for 10 dollars. SOLD.

After limping my way around to find will-call to get my ticket, I wandered through the Midway in search for dinner (buffalo burger…YUM). At the Marquette County fair, I was 1 for 3 of my fair goals. I decided to pursue this list and see if I can complete it.

The Fair List:
~milk something (cow, goat, sheep, etc)
~eat an elephant ear (checked off at the Marquette County Fair)
~win a goldfish in a bag!

I found the goldfish stand! 2 dollars bought me 12 ping-pong balls I had to shoot into mini fish bowls. Each ping pong ball that entered a mini fish bowl equals one fishy. I could have walked away with 12 fishies! I scored on my 3rd throw (thank you, MSU for beer pong!). I was so excited!!! His name is Goldy, the goldfish and he is the first goldfish to sit…er…swim through a Craig Morgan concert (situated nicely in my Northface hiking backpack). He is adorable. I put him in a vase that will be my mini-fishbowl and once he figured out the flakes I put in his bowl tonight was food, he went nuts. If he survives for over a week, I may upgrade his living arrangements to the biggest vase I have!

The concert was AMAZING (minus the fact I had to share my seat with the extremely large lady next to me who helped herself to over half of my seat…). He rode onto stage on his dirt bike and even stopped mid-song to pose with a group of little kids who were trying to get him in the background of their picture. It was so cute!!! He was a great performer and sang many of his popular songs, one that has never been released, and a few off of his new album to be release in October. I am so glad I went and would go see him again.

Pictures from the concert can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/UPStateFair

Shoutout to the older bro who took became one year closer to the big 30 today!

Jenna & Mountain Bike vs. Tree...

Picture: Powerflex compression wrap with an oven mitt to mock a horseshoe pad on side with most swelling. And it matches my toenail polish! (I couldn’t find an ace wrap and after I sat down I didn’t want to get up again to get foam padding). It did the trick!

Yesterday I ran 5 miles and it felt great! Today I planned to be an easy day; perhaps a no-hill, 20-minute run or so. But, when asked to go mountain biking after work with Colby and Mariah, I thought “Sure! Why not?” Sounds like fun and to be honest, I have never been true “mountain biking”. So off we went to Marquette Mountain where we went up, down, around, and up some more, (with numerous stops to refuel with fresh raspberries that were growing on the side of the trail). This trail was single track and for someone who cannot walk in a straight line, let alone ride a bike in a straight line, I found this to be a challenge of its own. Then they (those who created the trail) decided to throw some sand, rocks, roots, and whatever else they could find to put in our way. It was challenging, but I had a great time. The following ended up being a common conversation between Colby and I throughout the ride. Me: (one of the following phrases) “Oh shit” “Almost had that one” or “Awww Man”, followed by Colby “You alright?” and my response was ALWAYS “Yeah, I’m good!”.

We came to a “fork” in the road towards the end of our ride, we could either A.) go to the car or B.) go down this more technical little loop Colby felt Mariah and I were ready for. Sure! Why not?! So away we go, single trail, steepest grade yet (going down), more roots, more trees, and trees closer to the trail. So I’m going, fast, hanging on for dear life, and loving it! I dodged one tree that was in my way but he sent me towards another. I yelled “OH SHIT, TREE”, but it didn’t move (things usually move out of your way when you yell at them). I then tried to move it with my body. That didn’t work either. I smacked DIRECTLY into the tree with my entire left side. This time, when Colby asked if I was alright, my answer was not “Yeah, I’m good”. And that’s not good.

My ankle took the majority of the hit and I was honestly scared that I had really messed up my foot. I don’t think I knocked myself out, but I was disorientated there for a moment. After a few minutes of sitting down and collecting my thoughts, I was able to move the ankle a bit and using my bike, walked back to the car. Shoulder is also very sore, but nothing compared to the ankle I can barely walk on. 2 ice baths, a home-made compression wrap (picture), and off to bed I go with it propped up on 4 large floor pillows at the foot of my bed. Needless to say I’m determined to get this thing back to normal in hopes it won’t keep me out of running for too long.

On the bright side, if you are going to run into a tree while mountain biking, what better company to be in but 3 athletic trainers?!

Will I go out again?! HELL YES! That tree has not seen the last of me. But hopefully the next time, I go whizzing by it!

Humongous Fungus Festival

10:30am: depart for Fungus Festival with planned stop at Target for Drain-O (for my shower) and ATM. UW Credit Union is still my bank and if I pay for something with debit, I can get cash back with no fee! It is wonderful!!!

11:00am: on road to Crystal Falls, home of the Humongous Fungus Festival (1.5ish hours from Marquette)

12:02pm: Humongous bug smacks my window and gets jammed in my door, hitching a ride (he didn't survive).

12:30pm: I arrive at the Fungus Festival…but no one was there! ZERO people. WTF. I picked up my phone to call Susan (so she can check online for me even though I had the newspaper clipping my mom sent me with me...), but myphone said 11.30am. I then picked up my work phone and it said 12:30pm. Officially confused, the call to Susan was even more urgent. Thank you, voicemail. I then drove around this cute little town and found a bank!!! It was 63 degrees at 11:34am. I changed time zones?! I drove more south than west, but I changed time zones?! Ok…sure…whatever…hm…

So now I had an hour to kill before embarking upon this Fungus Festival. I found the Paint River Boardwalk. It was beautiful. Then this fisher guy walked out and was catching small mouth bass left and right. It turned out to be an easy hour to kill.

12:30CST/1:30EST: Back to the festival, and this time there were people! I had to ask for a flyer that had ZERO information about this world record fungus. I did eat a “fungus infested brat” that was infused with mushrooms, but that is as fungusie as it got. There were 3 tournaments going on: horseshoes, volleyball, and bags. Yes, bags. I was at a large tailgate (beer tent…er…van included). Needless to say, this was not what I expected, not by a long shot. But, I’ll take it in stride and enjoy it.

2:30pmCST/3:30pmEST: After getting my fill of watching Bags and horseshoes, I decided to wander back to the real time zone, Eastern! You know, the one where football starts at Noon, not in the morning at 11am? Hehe :)

This was, by far, the best adventure to date and will always hold a special place in my heart as “The day I drove for fungus and went back into time unknowingly”.

Pictures from today's adventures: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/FungusFest

Marquette County Fair

Today I wandered down to the Marquette County Fair with hopes of winning a goldfish in a bag, eating an elephant ear, and milking a cow (or goat). I was 1 for 3 on the day.

I first wandered about to get a feel for what they had to offer before settling in to watch some of the horses get judged. Then, looking for the biggest crowd, I gathered around to see what all the hype was about: Dunk Tank. Yes, the dude was funny, and then he got dunked. After view some livestock, I saw the play “Pirates Island” which ended up being a kids show…seriously. One main guy was the narrator and he took 15 kids out of the audience, dressed them up, and they bounced around stage clueless of what was going on. See how the Pirate’s Festival is going on ALL MONTH LONG in Marquette, I assumed it was going to be an actual prepared production. Oh well, it was good for a laugh.

Next on my docket was the Timber Show. This was better than little play. Axe throwing, chainsaws, two-man saw, and log rolling-in-water competition. During the log competition one of the guys fell and straddled the log and his face turned BEAT red…that was not planned! It was during this show that I sat back and ate my elephant ear!

No county fair is complete without the fair rides and cheep games. After I completed my search through all of the livestock barns to milk something, I had to settle for feeding Alpaca (lama-looking things) and then moved onto the games/ride section. I did not ride any rides because, well, just looking at them sends a shiver down my spine.

My goldfish-in-a-bag search was on! 2 stands in, guy #1 called out to me and puts his hand on my shoulder as if it would make me want to play his little booth. If you want my money, this is not the way to do it. 5 booths in, guy #2 called out to me and reels me in for candy roulette for a dime. I lost. Then guy #3 called out to me and explains that if I hit a star once, I get a small stuffed animal, hit 2 stars and I can either choose a gigantic animal or a bill off the board ($1, $5, $10, $20, $50). I told him I was just making my first round (he is distracting me from my goldfish!) and that I’d be back. He then said if I came back he would give me 5 throws for $5, when the real price is 3 throws for $5. I admit, after seeing that $50 sitting there, I went back. Throws 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5…all five of my throws went directly into that $50 and the star. He then goes to get the darts and says “oh this one is in the white (background), this one is in the blue (outline of star, but still star in my book), and 3 others were in the blue as well. He said no win because it wasn’t in the red. I gave him a hard time and was like “I just hit that bill 5 times in a row and what?” He gave me 5 more shots and said I had to hit the center of the stars…where is Mike when I need him!? I didn’t hit the center so I didn’t get the dollar bill, but I got double for my money and a cute puppy stuffed animal. And when I left, that guy running that booth was getting creepy so I turned and ran home… Ok, I walked to my car and drove home, goldfish-in-a-bag-less :(

After getting up early to work, tonight I am surprisingly tired and hope to get into bed early so I can get a long run in tomorrow after going to the Humungous Fungus Fest!

Picture: My favorite sign! This was located in one of the barns with booths in it.

Pictures from today can be found at: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/MarquetteCountyFair

The Bambi Twins and OLYMPICS!

Wednesday: I went for a run on Presque Isle trails because I have a mini-goal of knowing the trail system inside and out before it snows. I have yet to find a map that has all the inlets and side paths and whatnot. While running the trails that I know pretty well, I tend took at the scenery, not at the ground for roots and unevenness. But once I turn onto new terrain, I pay attention to the footing. Whiling running up a steep incline that curved up to the right, I looked ahead to the footing, saw it was stable, and then took a peek at my surroundings. This is when I noticed Bambi. And then I saw her twin! They were on my left, about 10 feet from me! Then I froze!!! Where is mom?! I looked to my right and POOF! There’s mom. About 10 feet to my right. SHIT! If there is one thing I do know, is you don’t come between mom and child in the wild. I clap, wave my hands (trying to look big), and shout to try to scare them away from my trail so I can continue on my run. This didn’t work. Mom had her eye on me. Then mom started to walk toward me. This is when I decided to turn and run away. My easy run turned into a tempo/hill workout! The bambie’s were adorable, but Mom scared me.

I have not had another run-in with this Mother or her babies since (whew!).

Today: Half day at work so I was able to get a lot of errands run prior to the start of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. Dinner tonight was so pretty and so delicious (picture). Rigatoni with Grilled Peppers and Onions form RealSimple. I love this magazine!!! Speaking of magazines, my mom gave me a subscription to RealSimple and I subscribed to Runners World :) I’m still waiting for Runner’s World to come. It will be exciting to look forward to getting mail that isn’t bills!

I will say I am very impressed with the Olympic Opening Ceremonies! Although, I do have one suggestion regarding the March of the Nations (IOC, listen up!): We have got to come up with a faster way to bring in the 204 nations. YAWN! It is fun to see what everyone is wearing, but after awhile, it seems to drag on. For the next 17 days, I will allow for my life to revolve around the Olympics. I mean, I have to stay up late and get up early to watch it because, well, hello, WORK! Hehe (insert angel face here).

This weekend: work Saturday morning, then I need to hit up the County Fair and the Humongous Fungus Fest, and how could I forget the month-long Pirate Festival in Downtown Marquette?! Busy busy weekend ahead!

Construction

Picture: View of what is directly in front of my house looking down to what is going to come.

I received a notice in my mailbox informing me that construction on my street will begin on June 9th, 2008 and “should be completed by September 18, 2008”. It goes on to say that driveways will be torn up and sidewalks will be open most of the time bla bla bla. The date of the issued letter is August 5, 2008. Riiggghhtt.

Seeing how this doesn’t add up, I called the number on the letterhead to inquire on the true start date for the construction. I explained to the individual who answered the phone my confusion and she questioned if the letter was from her company. After describing the letterhead, she agreed, it had come from her company. Our conversation:

Her: Oh, that was a typo, I think it should say August 9, not July 9.
Me: Saturday? They are going to start this project on a Saturday?!
Her: Oh, that doesn’t sound right. Let me as the project director and I will call you back
Me: That would be wonderful. Thank you.

3 minutes pass…

RING RING (that’s my phone ringing). I answer.

Her: Miss? Its “insert her name here” calling you back regarding the construction in front of your house?
Me: Yes?
Her: Yes, the project will start this Saturday, August 9.
Me: Thank you.

1 minute passes…

RING RING

Her: Miss? Its me again, sorry, but “insert name of head of company here” just walked in and said they are going to start there tomorrow.
Me: Ma’m, thank you for calling me back, but which one is it? I need to know in order to ensure having my car out of my driveway so it isn’t blocked in for the next 2 months.
Her: I understand your confusion. The project will start tomorrow so I would move your car tonight. Thank you for letting us know about the typo and we will reprint and hand out new letters today.
Me: Thank you.

…the new letter was never issued…


Since then I have woken up to my bed shaking from the trucks rolling by my house. I have placed my lamps on the floor for fear they will shake off while I’m at work. It is unreal. And to think, they haven’t even started to actually work in front of my house yet…they are one block away?! SHEESH!

People's Festival

Picture: The People’s Festival in Lower Harbor.

Needless to say the People’s Festival in Lower Harbor was not quite what I was expecting. Comparing to the other events I have attended here in the U.P., this gives “small” a whole new meaning. 7 tents…let me rephrase that: 7 camping tents, a few other tents that fit a picnic table under and that’s it. I was one of 11 guest/visitors there when I went at 2pm. Whoah. Do I even need to say that they didn’t have the pie plate I was looking for?

Oh well. It was a beautifully afternoon to wander through downtown Marquette and around the Lower Harbor.

Suppose to be a very clear week, weather-wise so hopefully I can get some good runs in this week :)

Renaissance Festival, Ishpeming

Last weekend at Art on the Rocks, there were numerous booths with pottery that was oven safe. I was going back and forth with myself on whether or not I wanted to purchase one. I decided not to right then, but later wish I had. Later in the week, I saw a flyer for the Ishpeming Art Faire and Renaissance Festival. The flyer stated there would be 75 art booths set up and thus, I was planning on purchasing a pie stone thing (I don’t remember the true, technical term for it). This festival was held at the Lake Bancroft Park in Ishpeming, MI; about 15 miles west of Marquette.

When I arrived, my first thought was “Aww, this is so cute!”. Perhaps that had something to do with the children’s costume parade that was going through the center of the park when I walked in. There were some food tents from local restaurants, some medieval displays, Samurai demonstrations (they were brought in from Iowa…), and art booths! There was this cute old man dressed up like…well, I’m not quite sure what he was suppose to be, who tried to sell me a bag to microwave potatoes, yams, etc. Too bad I don’t have a microwave! Honest! And the guy didn’t believe me!!! Oh well, I don’t have one. After politely turning him down, I wandered through the rest of the art booths and saw no pottery. I was disappointed for two reasons: no pottery booths and there were 7 art booths, not 75! Awww mann!

Oh well, it was fun nonetheless. I controlled-got-lost on my run out on Presque Isle tonight as well. Every corner I turned was another hill…going up. The first 15 minutes of the run was up hill…tomorrow may need to be a day off…

Tomorrow I plan on exploring the “People’s Festival” held at Lower Harbor…perhaps they’ll have what I’m looking for there.

Picture: Entrance to the Festival today.

OMG, I really live here. I'm really a Yooper!?!

Picture: Sun hiding behind some clouds today.

Warning, Random thoughts below:

I've been in Marquette for 1 month exactly now and it is starting to sink in; I live here. I don't know if I just needed some time here or if was Mike coming and going, but I no longer feel like I'm on vacation. I need to find stuff to put on these walls. The walls in my apartment are too bare.

After an amazing weekend, it was back to reality and back to work this week. Still slow, still trying to find things to do to stay busy; this afternoon I cleaned...everything in sight.

Runs are starting to feel good and become fun again, although I didn't go out tonight because I had to bake. Tomorrow is Emily's last day and I baked her mini cheesecake-filled chocolate cupcake thingies. Her favorite desert is cheesecake (every time we go out to eat together, she gets one for desert or to take home). Seeing how she is moving this weekend, I figured the cupcakes would be easy to eat with minimal mess or need of plates, etc. She was offered and accepted a job today...she started looking 6 months ago. To be honest, it does scare me for what I have ahead of me next year...perhaps I should start looking and sending out resume's now...

I should also probably start getting information on earning my CSCS or perhaps add EMT...how cool (and useful) would it be able to IV athletes?! I'll be draining hematoma auris or perichondrial hematoma (aka cauliflower ear) here in a few weeks once Greco starts. That’s going to be an awesome experience!!!

Also, we just found out Boxing will be back on campus (http://www.usaboxing.org/ for the official announcement). I have been told I will also be in charge of boxing...SWEET! Sounds like I'm going to have my hands quite full this year.

I'm on call this week and next, therefore I have to put the hikes on hold :( Oh well, I'm sure there is more exploring I can do near town.

College football kicks off in a month!
Thursday, September 25th, Grey's is back! Don't forget to mark your calendar!!!

I Heart Surprises, and Those Who Surprise Me

This weekend was going to be just another weekend while in Marquette. Half day Friday, run, laundry, perhaps find a hike, and enjoy the outside while the weather allows. But that all changed when I received a phone call approximately five minutes after I got home from work on Thursday. Here was the dialogue:
Me: Hello
Mike: Hypothetically, if was standing in front of your house, which door is yours?
Me: Bull shit.
And he wasn’t kidding. Mike drove up to surprise me and spend the weekend in Marquette. Thursday evening we just chilled and ordered some pizza. I’m quite confident the only phrase I said all night was “I can’t believe you are here. You are amazing.”

Friday I worked in the morning and then we went to lunch at Vierlings. Lunch was followed by giving Mike a tour of Marquette before the rain hit. The rain forced us to hang out inside for the evening, cuddle while watching a movie after Mike made his famous Lasagna from scratch for dinner.

Saturday entailed breakfast, a ride on his motorcycle exploring East of Marquette along the shoreline and a U.P. Pasty (meat, potatoes, stuffed inside a pastry) for lunch. We attempted to go to the beach, but beach #1 had black flies that were attacking and beach #2 had a wind/sand blowing contest with itself that got really intense. We threw the towel in on the beach idea for the day. We chilled at home for a bit before heading out to dinner at the Pasta House (wonderful homemade pasta). After dinner we went out to Sunset Point to, well, watch a sunset. This plan was spoiled by the clouds that refused to let us watch the sun set. BOO to clouds.

Sunday morning we woke early so he could get on the road and start his 7ish hour ride back down to where the trolls live (troll = slang for someone who lives in the lower peninsula of Michigan). After he left, I had a list of a weekend of stuff I wanted to get done that I had to get thru by the end of the day. Thus, 2 art fairs, 6 mile bike ride, laundry, clean house (this is only part way done, perhaps I’ll complete it tomorrow…), return movies, make dinner, write emails, get some things done for work…SHEESH!

Overall, it was, by far, the best weekend in Marquette ever. I would not have traded it for anything in the world. Time for me to go finish up a few things on my list before diving into a new week…

Picture: Mike and I killing time to watch the sun set before the cloud cover.

Running

The first week getting back into running always, well, sucks. The breathing is off, the legs are off, and nothing clicks. But, the pain of all the non-clicking is eased by the view I have when running (picture). This picture is of the break wall I run at the start of my route when I run Presque Isle in the evening.

Work is slow...very slow…which I’m not used to. Its nice because it has given me a chance to get my feet wet in the administrative side of the USOC/USOEC before mixing in a full team load. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this week I have the afternoons off. This translates into 3 hour work days :) Although I do find myself with a lot of free time on my hands, it has allowed for me to get to know the town and participate in some outdoor activities before the winter settles in!

Hopefully I will have more adventures this weekend …

Hiking...Finally a Mini Success :)

After having my breakfast plans shattered by Babycakes being closed on Sundays, Justin and I walked to Third Street Bagel. It was pretty good, although I did have my heart set on Babycakes! Oh well, perhaps next weekend I'll go on Saturday, when they are open!

Hike attempt #1 while in Marquette, Little Garlic Falls. Failed. Hike attempt #2 while in Marquette, with Justin, Alger Falls. Failed. (Starting to doubt my waterfall book…). Hike attempt #3 (same day as attempt #2) Reany Falls, SUCCESS!!! On our way to Reany Falls, we stopped at Wetmore Landing, a local’s beach. Very tucked back, very peaceful, and very nice. Reany Falls was nice...a bit smaller than I anticipated. It was like numerous little waterfalls. They were located very close to the road so the occasional car interrupted the peaceful chatter of the water rolling over the rocks.

We then wandered up a steep hill and heard a wonderful sound: gargling water. A slip, a slide, and a hike down and we found roaring rapids. After taking the rapids in, we continued on and found the word “falls” with an arrow written with spray painting on a section of exposed aqueduct. After trolling through an unmarked campsite with 4 tents (note to self, perfect escape location), we found Dead River Falls. We honestly didn’t know it was those specific falls until we got back to the car; we were just following the sound of falling water. There are some wonderful rapids directly below the campsite. It would be a dream come true to camp there for a night. To sit by a fire and chill with the rapids in the background and then to crawl into a sleeping bag and fall asleep to the peaceful sound of rumbling rapids just a few feet away.

Here is the link to pictures from today’s adventures: http://picasaweb.google.com/Street.Jenna/MarquetteHikesPart1

Dinner tonight was homemade Grilled Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta…YUMMY! I heart the cookbook I was given before I was given before I moved to Marquette!!!

Mortified at Target

Today I had a half day at work (ie. worked from 9-noon and was done :) ). After work I went straight to Target to pick up some necessities before taking advantage of the half day off. One of the necessities I needed was a hand mixer. How is one supposed to bake without a hand mixer?! The one I wanted was not stocked so I approached a lady who was wearing a plain red t-shirt and khaki shorts who was organizing the magazines. I spoke first: “Excuse me miss, do you know if you have anymore hand mixers in back?” The lady stood and she said as she was turning around “I’m sorry, but I don’t work here”. By the time she finished her sentence, she was facing me fully and I could see the “YAY U.S.A” scripted in HUGE letters across the front of her chest. I immediately apologized saying I saw the plain red t-shirts, khaki shorts and I didn’t see a purse. She gave me a very unusually funny look and I walked away after telling her to have a good day. Puzzled by the unusually funny look she gave, I pause and then I realized why she looked at me so funny…

Pause for dramatic effect…

I was wearing a plain red colored polo, khaki shorts, and no purse (outfit pictured). No wonder she looked at me with such an odd look, I was wearing the freakin’ Target employee uniform! But hey, at least I had a hand basket hanging on my arm!

Mortified by the ironic-ness of this situation, I skipped the rest of the items on my list and checked out as fast as I could. I could not risk running into her again because my face already matched my red shirt from embarrassment; running into her might have made my head explode by an overload of blood rushing to it!

Seriously, I was so embarrassed. I got in my car, giggled my entire way home, and then took a nap!

You can bet I will never wear that outfit to Target again…even if it means I have to go home to change first!!!

Time to go finish my Milano Mint cookie and go to bed :)

Attempt to Hike in Marquette...#1

…first day of hiking in Marquette was…well, adventurous I suppose. It started out wonderful: breakfast at Babycakes. Best bakery in town, and I agree! At breakfast (after my random conversation with the old man at the table on the sidewalk across from me), I decided to go find Little Garlic Falls. Long story short, something made me really uneasy, I thought I had missed a turn and had passed the falls and turned back. I ran into an elderly couple who had done the hike before and said the falls were 4 miles in…my book said 2 to 2.5 miles. Oh well, to be attempted and completed in the near future. On the drive home I noticed these falls (picture...but it's a bit blury and I can't figure out why...) on the side of the road. A few attempts of fiddling with my camera’s timer and running on the rocks to get into position and managed to get this ok shot of me and the waterfalls (whose name I still need to find…).

Dinner was out of my Rachel Ray cookbook (Tomato-Basal Pasta Nests) and it was AMAZING!!! I also made bruschetta, well the topping for it; letting the flavors blend tonight and will eat it tomorrow!

Perhaps more adventures tomorrow…

Week One at Work...In the Books...

Week one working at the USOETC is in the books and I’m beat!

Here in Marquette, the sun rises before 6am and sets around 10.30pm…this means it is light until 10.30pmish. Therefore my life was thrown for a loop this past week getting up, going to a full day of work, coming home, and when it began to get dark (perfect running time), it was freakin’ 10pm! Long story short: I went to bed last night at 8.30pm and slept thru the night until the alarm went off at 7.30am! It was wonderful!

This weekend I plan on exploring the unpaved trails here in Marquette on foot (since my bike isn’t quite working like a bike should…). There are no fast food restaurants here in Marquette (fast food is located on US 41 which is considered “commercial strip” to the locals are not located with Marquette City (where I live), but rather, Marquette County! There are NUMEROUS little shops, little eateries, little restaurants around, it is wonderful! The best part is they are all local and very fresh! YUMMY!

I cooked dinner for Justin on Wednesday night as a thank you for helping me move. It was fun to reminisce on times at MSU…yay for having a buddy to watch Big Ten sports with…and hike/explore with…and try all these little restaurants with!

Tonight: relax, recover from the week, and plan out the weekend!

Picture: shoreline of Lake Superior off of Lakeshore Drive...a short hop, skip, and jump from my apartment...work...or anywhere I go in Marquette!

First Day On Job

Today was my first day at the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) and it went well. 9 hours full of tours, meeting people, more tours, and oh yeah, in heals the entire time! Needless to say as much as I enjoy dressing up and hanging out in heals, I am actually looking forward to slipping into khakis, a polo, and tennis shoes (I never thought I’d say that line). The team I will be primarily responsible for will be the Men’s Greco Roman Wrestling team.

The weather has been teasing me up here. The forecast has been calling for rain/thunderstorms since yesterday and they have finally arrived! Its not a thunderstorm, just a pleasant rain. I’ll take it. Time to go to bed to the sweet sound of a summer rain.

Picture: That’s me…officially!

Last Day of Vacation...

What an eventful weekend. 3 days of lunch at the International Food Fest, 4th July Parade, Fireworks, and a run today interrupted by Clydesdale horses. Yes, while I was out for a run today, I heard “hey, look at the Clydesdales”, and no, she wasn’t joking. The Budweiser horses were out for an afternoon strole. I then turned around, ran home (all up hill, no joke), grabbed my camera, and ran back to catch them on their way back to where they started (picture). Perhaps I should just run with camera in hand because you never know what you are going to run into while in Marquette!

But, tonight summer vacation comes to an end. Tomorrow, I start my tenure as a Sports Medicine Fellow working for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) at Marquette, home of the one and only USOEC (United States Olympic Education Committee). Surprisingly, I’m not nervous...which is odd…yes, very odd. Usually, well, nerves tend to send me for a loop the night before big things (moving to East Lansing, waiting to be accepted into the MSU program, sitting for the NATABOC, moving to Wisconsin...)…and please, tell me what is bigger than working for the Olympics, let alone during the year of the Olympics! Oh well. Perhaps it is because I still feel like I'm on vacation...almost surreal. Yes, I should be in bed right now, but I’m not tired and House is on.

Marquette's Finest...?!

4th of July weekend is quite the weekend in Marquette; full of singing competitions, parades, food, and fireworks. The Annual Food Festival began yesterday and ends tomorrow night. I went to the Food Festival yesterday for lunch and ended up staying for the Colgate Country Showdown. The winner of this country talent show goes onto a larger competition and is in the running for $100,000. I have attached a video that is self explanatory. This was one of the contestants. No joke.

Today I went and had a good time at the corner of my street watching the parade that SHUT THE TOWN DOWN. No joke. Nothing in town was open...not even the gas station! The people watching was almost better than the parade. And where else but in Marquette would the 4th of July parade end with a mammoth snow plow. I’m not talking your average snow plow that is seen on the streets of Madison, Lansing, or Farmington Hills. This resembled more of a plow attached to an industrial size dump truck…think they are trying to tell me something!?

Tonight are fireworks off the old Iron Ore Dock :)

Unpacking...round 1

2 days in Marquette. 4 trips to Target, and have another list for Target well underway!

Some of the random mini-adventures from the past 24 hours:

~The peep hole in my front door is about one foot above my eyesight...(picture)

~Last night I realized I didn't have a microwave when I went to go set the timer and couldn't find one!

~It is really hard to eat a bowl of cereal (with milk) without silverware. Nothing a tongue depressor couldn't fix! To fill the silverware-void I have, I went to Burger King to borrow some before my mom sends me some...but then they keep it behind the counter so that was a wasted trip to BK.

~Charter Communications lied to me. I ordered the bundle (phone, tv, internet) because it was cheaper than just tv and internet, but when the guy came today, he told me I only had basic cable. That means no ESPN. No college football. No college basketball. Not acceptable. I called and spoke to a lady who was very nice. I told her I was told I would have the expanded basic cable with this package because I need it for work (hehe) and I just got the phone because it was cheaper. I even told her I didn't plan on plugging a phone in! She then took the phone off, added expanded basic cable, and MY BILL ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE!!!!! Awww yeah!!!

~Yawn...Stretch...tomorrow I will organize the room (dun dun dun...)

Moving

Madison, Wisconsin to Marquette, Michigan. 420 miles in under 8 hours. My mom and I rocked out to country in my car following my dad in the van pulling the U-Haul for the entire trip. My new house is CUTE!!! I will post a tour via pictures as soon as I’m unpacked. I cannot wait to unpack and organize and settle in and get the couch out of the middle of my hallway (story and pictures to follow this week). Yawn. Stretch. It has been a long day. I hope to have electricity turned on tomorrow and have the setup for cable and internet well on their way. Due to the lack of power, we are crashing in a Holiday Inn for the night. Tomorrow, oh what a busy day I have planned for myself : target run with mom before they leave and then unpacking!

Picture : My mom and I standing on the front porch of my new home for the next year. I have the entire second story of the house, plus the attic!

Time to turn in. Busy days of unpacking ahead! G'nite!