all that's past is prologue...

  I’m sitting on the screened porch at the family cabin, built in 1902 on the shores of Lake Osakis by my grandmother’s family (and now, in current building codes, could not be this close to the lake). It’s a place, and a view, that has been a seminal part of my life — as has the cabin itself. The design of the cottage is a single, log cabin room, originally surrounded on 3 sides by screen porch (now a kitchen, front porch, side bedroom). It’s neither a fancy lodge nor a rustic woodland retreat, but a basic, unpretentious retreat. Perhaps its most distinguishing factor is that exterior is clad in pink cement board, which my grandmother chose years ago so you could “see it from the lake.” In many ways, this cabin is a metaphor for my family. On my mother’s side, my grandmother’s parents both came here in the late 1800s as Norwegian immigrants (though scandalously, her first marriage was to a Swede!). My grandfather’s family comes from so far south in Illinois it barely counts as ove...

 Some seminal moments of the last week: -  Seeing my friend Kate for drinks on a patio. More than anyone else, Kate has been an inspiring force for me to do/keep doing/challenge/overcome and succeed in/ what I do. Our interaction over the pandemic has been limited to outside, porch-based, short conversations. Spending 2 hours having drinks with her this week was an unbelievable luxury that quite possibly changed my life. -  Seeing IN THE HEIGHTS, in a movie theater, with other people. The movie made me cry, but even more so, sitting in a communal space, with others, did so. -  Coffee with my friend Carolyn at the new coffeeshop at 550 Vandalia. The coffee shop is great, but Carolyn is more fantastic. We picked up right where we left off (we were schedule to have coffee last on March 16, 2020.) -  Our Friday night pool party. Enough said. The people who need to be there are always the ones who come. They are perhaps more important now than they ever were before. ...

In my mind, June 12 should be a holiday. It's #Loving Day  — the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Loving v. State of Virginia, which struck down anti-miscegenation laws in the US.  Yes, in my lifetime, in many states, my family would have been illegal and Patrick's and my marriage a felony. It happens just a few days before our anniversary, and always puts me in a very pensive and thankful mood. In another important reminder, it's also the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. We were in Paris at the time, celebrating our 10th anniversary. Normally reserved Parisians stopped us on the street, telling us how sorry and shocked they were. June 12 reminds me that we can, and we have to, do better.

With it being so hot yesterday, no one seemed to really want to go out. So when we walked in to Saint Paul Brewing , there were several staff members just hanging out behind the bar, ready to adore Brutus. Several cell phone cameras whipped out for pictures, and he was happy to belly up to the bar for a drink. There are a few places we go to time and time again, and Saint Paul Brewing is one of them. The beer is always good (I am fond of Haze of Infatuation, and they currently stock the Things We Cannot Say IPA that several breweries are collaborating on to raise money for/awareness of mental health). The staff is friendly. I like both their funky patio area and the comfortable indoor seating — as does Brutus. My idea of a perfect date night would be going there and 11 Wells in the same night (though unsure if Brutus is allowed inside 11 Wells.) --- Other places seems to also find Brutus photogenic; he recently showed up in Urban Growler's feed . --- Without Brutus today (perhaps t...

(Or, with a nod toward my opera roots but an acknowledgement of the body shaming "It's not over until the fat lady sings.") It's a (hot) weekend of graduation parties, the kick-off to our pool parties, and and other looked-forward-to events. But we're hanging here, binge-watching Shadow and Bone , because Beatrix is in quarantine. A girl in her class was diagnosed with covid from a rapid test, and so another five girls who were near her at lunch were sent home just as soon as they got in to school on Wednesday, and told they had to finish out the year remotely (that goodness the school has a way to do that).  And even after a year and a half of this, it's all pretty confusing. What exactly was "close contact" (confused by being at lunch and maybe outside and such)? How long exactly to they need to quarantine before they can test, and when can they go beck to regular activities? Does the 2nd test have to be a PCR test? Can they still get their 2nd sho...

Well those are words you have not heard in awhile! Beatrix has 3 circus classes in a row on Tuesdays, and I had texted Patrick the two words "Cocktail Tuesday" earlier today. So he told me, in no uncertain terms, when I got home that we needed to spend some time out together not worrying about work. So we headed to Pajarito , where we had a gift card. That, plus Happy Hour pricing (remember happy hours?) allowed us to eat a ton and have delicious drinks and still have 18¢ left on the gift card. Then we checked out the White Squirrel Bar , which just opened today. We're fans — would meet you there any time!