all that's past is prologue...

As well as doing more work, finishing some house projects, and spending more quality time with Patrick, I have wanted to create more. So, when we were up at the cabin and visited Vintage Village, I spent literally a few cents to buy some gourds from Jerry. The other day I washed them, sanded them down, and varnished them. (this is the project in process, never mind the mess in back) I mean, as projects go it was pretty basic, though I did also varnish to protect my rattan mushroom for my "Catmint and Confetti" garden at Summit. I'm not thrilled with the plate they are displayed on, and think I might find another bowl.  Still, I'm proud of the project and happy I did it, and think they look pretty good. I'm excited for more creativity to come. If I'm going to have to empty nest, I might as well get something out of it.

Patrick has been working hard all day putting things away up in the garage attic. So, since he was using the especially janky stairs a lot anyway, we decided to finally take on a project we had wanted to do for ages, and hang our plethora of old yard signs up there. (This was a project I was going to do on my own, but I'm glad Patrick stayed up to help. I get twitchy with staple guns). Front view: Clearly the place of honor: I'm really happy with this relatively simple project!

I first knew Bain from the Children's Theater in the 1980s. We all know that "CTC in the 1980s" is its own deep statement, and I'm not going to go into it here. I was CTC-adjacent, but never attended the school, so my story is different. But that all is to say that I knew Bain as a performer and instructor when I was a teenager — and that looking back now all of those relationships were so very much more complicated than they seemed at the time. He opened the Jungle in a small storefront on Lake Street when I was at Jeune Lune, and I saw many adventurous productions in that little space that was akin to watching a production whilst crammed onto a 21A bus. I remember him cutting through the ceiling of the space (into his apartment above) to create an exit from the stage, many mesmerizing productions including a Waiting for Godot that I believe starred Michael Sommers and Kevin Kling and spoils me for any other production ever, and a generally robust mix of classic and...

 Rain (send some to Minnesota): Dinner at Randy and Diane's, with great company to boot: Chicken Salad Chicks: Beer and fish fry in Madison: Day drinking with friends once back:

It was my sophomore year of high school when I realized that my mother and I had very different plans for post-high-school plans. I went to St. Paul Academy, so was thinking of small private colleges. My mom had basically just assumed I would go to the U of M, because that's what you do.  It wasn't until several arguments ("Why am I even GOING to a prep school then?!"), and my mom attending a conference hosted at Princeton, that we came to agreement. I have to say that after that my mother worked really hard to make sure I could go to the college I wanted to, and when my big fat package (complete with financial aid) arrived for Tufts, she made sure I could go. She also made me understand, though, that I had to have a work study job, and earn tuition over the summer, and apply for scholarships. I don't know if she missed me as badly as I already miss Beatrix, and clearly I can't ask. I do know that, maybe because of that history, it was important to me that Bea...

Yesterday, after a few meetings and such, we embarked on an end-of-Minnesota double-header — the Fair and a Saints game! Beatrix was with us for the Fair but ended up bagging out on the Saints to pack, which was likely wise. I've never seen it so crowded on opening day, which is usually kind of chill! But we did get there when there was still free lip stuff left, and saw the stunt dog show. Beatrix likes showing off pull-ups to military recruiters like it's NBD: And she won a prize for a research paper she submitted: She and Patrick did a Pronto Pup vs. Corn Dog taste-off (winner = corn dog): After something like 18,200 steps, we ended the day with some Sweet Martha's: Then off to a Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation event at the Saints: The seats were great: The perfect place to catch the moon before the eclipse: We left early because the saints were losing badly to the Mudhens (final score 9-3) and there's a lot to do  to pack for college. But it was a great summer...