On the Road Again

Boy, all of these "road trips" are really starting to wear on me. Since the start of this semester, I have only been in Ames for two full weekends. And since my boy was here one of those weekends, it hardly even counted (homework-wise, anyway). Lets see...

Aug. 29/30: GONE. In Albert Lea, MN for a wedding reception.

Sept. 4/5/7: GONE. In Madison visiting my boy.

Sept. 12/13: Actually in Ames.

Sept. 16/17/18/19/20: GONE. In Toronto on field trip.

Sept. 26/27: GONE. In Madison to see the boy again.

Oct. 3/4: In Ames. Boy is here.

Oct. 10/11: GONE. Back home in Twin Cities for wedding planning.

And coming up I will be in Ames this coming weekend, and then gone again to visit the boy in Madison (and then it's HIS turn to come see me here again in November!).

This crazy road tripping all of the time actually started last semester, in the spring, with spring break. That was a 9 day long journey of non-stop travel to something like 6 cities in 4 states. Not to mention being gone in Sioux City all of the time last semester for my design build studio, plus being gone a couple of times for internship interviews. Then this summer it seemed like almost daily road trips what with my 90-minute commute every day. This whole year seems like it is going to be nothing but traveling, though, with the boy being in Madison, wedding planning to be doing back in Minnesota, and now Crystal getting engaged and married in May, which means more bridal showers and things to travel for and plan. (I am super super excited though! Bring it on :))

I have to admit, though, that I do like being "settled". I could never have one of those jobs that requires travel 4 or 5 days a week, that's for sure. Last week I was looking at the little case I carry my jewelry in when I am traveling. It's been sitting on my desk, full of the jewelry I wear most often, since the beginning of the school year. For a moment I just sat and stared at it, wondering why on earth I had not put it away yet. But then it dawned on me-I have needed it to be ready to go almost every weekend-it just doesn't make sense to put everything away only to pack it back up again! Likewise for my suitcase. Sure I COULD put it somewhere out of plain sight in my room...but when I need it every three or four days to pack again, it seems much more practical to leave it right where it is.

I do have to mention, though...one (or two) of the things I least enjoy doing in life are packing and unpacking. And the biggest part I dislike about unpacking is the massive pile of laundry it leaves on my return. Yee-uck. :P

Toronto + Tyson's Birthday

Got back yesterday from a 5-day trip to Toronto for an interior design field trip. The trip was ok, but since we had just finished a group project and had a critique last Monday, leaving on Wednesday was bad timing since A.) we were all already sick of being around each other 24/7 from working on our projects and B.) nobody had yet caught up on sleep from working on said project. Combine the above two things with the fact that there were 18 of us girls on the trip, and I will leave the drama that ensued up to your imagination. Toronto was not really all that different from America. Two good things are that they are die-hard hockey fans and say "a-boat" (for about), so it was kind of just like being back in Minnesota. Below: my favorite picture from the trip, from when we went to the Contemporary Canadian Art Museum and their feature exhibit was about hockey. :)

So that is the first part of my post. The second part is that it is my honey's 23rd birthday today. While I unfortunately can't be with him today (the second birthday I have missed in two years. Last year was my fault because I was on a field trip in Chicago, but I say that this year is his own darn fault since he felt the need to go to Wisconsin of all places), I will be heading out there this weekend to finally be able to see him again. I still miss him a lot-3 weeks is much much much too long in between seeing each other!-and every day presents a new situation where I just don't know what to do without him. (Today's: I could not finish my lunch and had no one to eat my leftovers. Sad day.) He is now my 23-year old bug killing, dish washing, food eating, good listening boy, and I can't wait to give him a big birthday hug and a kiss. Love you bear!