Summer Vacation

Dear Faithful Readers,

Please excuse my infrequent blogging over the next week and a half. I am at home in Minneapolis for my summer trip. On the agenda:

• Little Cousin's high school graduation party


• Catching up with my girls


• Bridesmaid's dress shopping for dancingo4's wedding


• Seeing family including step sis who just turned 10 and is officially a "tween"


• Showing off my new bling


• CUBS vs. TWINS!!!


• good food good wine

I will check in when I can. In the meantime, go read Lucy and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Both fantasic reads recommended to you by

Yours truly,

and with warmest wishes,

mb

Saturday Shopping Spree

I'm going home to Minneapolis tomorrow. So far this month I have been away from my family for father's day, my stepmom's birthday, my step sister's birthday, and my stepdad's birthday. I am going to Minneapolis primarily to attend my cousin's high school graduation. Thus, I had some SERIOUS shopping to on Saturday. I did indeed find wonderful, appropriate gifts for the aformentioned persons and had much fun doing so. I also had much fun finding a couple of gifts for myself. I got a new pair of khakis, and two new t-shirts both on clearance. I also got THESE:




They're Kenneth Cole and they weren't even on sale! I love them and the best part is they're comfy. They are luxious leather but the soles are rubber so I won't slip all over the place and I can finally throw away a couple pairs of pinchy heels. Sometimes, it's fun being a girl.

Congratulations, Apple Valley Eagles!

On Saturday Apple Valley High School won the state baseball tournament. Apple Valley is Dean's hometown, and he is a graduate (almost ten years ago, yikes!) of Apple Valley High. To win the title, they beat Cretin-Derham Hall, Joe Mauer's and Paul Molitor's alma mater.

But what is most exciting about AV's win is that Kent, Dean's younger brother, plays for the team! He pitched two relief innings and picked up a win in Thursday's game. He pitched without giving up any hits or runs and struck out three batters (read about it here).

Good job, Kent!

Minneapolis Star Tribune Game Summary

Dreams

I have been dreaming about Randy a lot lately. It may be because my life seems to be changing recently and I can't help but divide events into pre- and post- Randy's passing. As much as I couldn't bear the thought of the world going on without Randy in it, I recognize that it must and all I can do is imagine what his reactions to things might be like.

Back to the dreams. They aren't disturbing (like a couple I had immediately after losing him) but more trivial situations that are rendered extraordinary because he is present. In one we were at a ballgame with runner girl. In another he was helping another grad student and me with a research problem. In yet another he, James and I were playing with some of the equipment in the lab (as we often do when we're bored). Last night in my dream he was along while a bunch of us were out to dinner. In these situations, it feels like old times but I know I must enjoy having him with us because he'll have to leave soon. In the first dream all I wanted to do was hug him. I didn't though because I could sense that the other people didn't know that Randy shouldn't have been there. I didn't want to draw attention to my happiness at seeing him, thus putting the dream on a much different course.

Lately though I have been hugging him in my dreams, taking in his familiar scent and letting my head fall to the place on his chest where it used to, about three quarters of the way up. When I finally allow myself to let him go in the embrace, he looks at me rather puzzled and the other people seem startled at my (out of character) display of affection. Then the situation resumes without further disturbance. I've learned to thoroughly enjoy these dreams and wake up feeling refreshed and ever so slightly healed.

I love my boys!!!

Brainhell: Don't bother reading this!

Last night I had book group, where we discussed Lucy, which I still highly recommend even after finishing it (in the nick of time!)

I got home during the bottom of the 4th inning of the Twin's vs. Red Sox game. Who knew that in only four innings, Santana would strike out 9 batters?! And that I'd miss his 1000th career strikeout? By the seventh inning he had only thrown 75 pitches. Unfortunately one of them was a homerun hit by Jason Veritek.

Schilling had a phenomenal night as well, despite the fact it was his first ever appearance at the Metrodome (that hell on Earth for visitng teams). I guessed this fact after coming home. Little did I knew the announcers had made a big deal of it in the first inning. Dean was thoroughly impressed by my speculation. Schilling made one mistake as well, giving up a homer to Michael Cuddyer in the seventh.

By the start of the ninth, both starters were taken out, neither given the win as the game was still tied at 1-1. A classic pitchers duel.

In the 12th, Jesse Crain gave up a run from a couple hits strung together by the Sox. It was 11:30 my time, I was exhausted and devoid of hope that we could come back and win it. But we decided to finish it out. Unless we scored exactly one run, the game would be decided in the bottom of the 12th.

To add to the despair, L'il Joe struck out to lead off the bottom of the 12th, and for once had some choice words for the ump. Cuddyer got beaned and Morneau smacked the ball into the gap between center and right field. Unfortunately it bounced over the fence so Cuddyer could only advance to third. Runners on 2nd and 3rd, one out. Torii was intentionally walked to fill up first and set up the double play. Kubel would have been a good bet to hit into a double play. He didn't though. He sent a long fly so Cuddyer could tag up and tie the came. Only it wasn't a fly. That little ball at the last minute sailed over the fence into the stands for a walk-off grand slam, and Kubel who has bounced up and down between the majors and trile-A was the hero. I love my boys!