New Countdowns Fall 2008!

Leaving for Paris (!!!) in 7 days 21 hours 58 minutes
Columbus Day Weekend in Austin - 22 days 11 hours 1 minute
Chicago to see Patrick!!!!!! - 49 days 23 hours 58 minutes
Ben and Leila's Wedding - 65 days 22 hours 57 minutes
Thanksgiving in Madison (and my first ever 5k race) - 69 days 22 hours 46 minutes
BARCELONA AND ROME FOR NEW YEARS!! - 100 days 22 hours 16 minutes
Unemployment - 124 days 4 hours 52 minutes

Network Blackout

The last email I received today was at 12:38pm. It is now 4:52pm. For someone who receives somewhere around 5 or so emails a minute during business hours... this is absolutely the worst thing ever.

Internet, yes. But it does us no good when we have no email. No access to schedules or contacts. No shared drives. We're absolutely incapacitated.

QB's Dad was one of the West Wing big shots for a former Administration that was in office before all of this email and blackberry business. I had lunch with him not too long ago and asked him - in all honesty - how did they function without email? How did ANYTHING get done in this town before email? He laughed and explained that desks were much more cluttered with memos and phones rang much more often. I like this explanation but my little email-dependent brain still cannot quite grasp how that system possibly worked.

The CIO just confirmed the best case scenario - back online by tomorrow morning at the earliest. You have got to be joking me. Ask me offline what directive my boss gave to the CIO. I heard it and was like... well hopefully THAT will get them moving!

Hope you are having a more technologically functional day!

Silent Amen

Last night a new kid in town asked me what happens around this city on 9/11. Detached, I listed off the options - St. Johns or National Cathedral services, possible monument memorial events, moments of silence in the morning, Pentagon Memorial Dedication with the President and Cabinet Members, Pentagon floodlights once it's dark enough to see them. And it occurred to me that for the first time this year - for the first time in seven years - the city hasn't felt different for these days leading up to September 11th. I haven't felt different. I haven't thought about it with my usual looming nausea.

I've had trouble waking up lately and have been hitting the snooze button a few times a morning before peeling myself out of bed. This morning, though, I woke up before my alarm and peaked out my window at the morning-gold striped clouds... searching, grasping, for a mourning that was just not there. And when I realized it wasn't, and knew how important it is to me that today remains meaningful and alive, I prayed for the privilege of carrying my portion of our nation's grief for one more year.

Tears came following a silent Amen.

I'm not a masochist. It's just that on September 11, 2001, I remember knowing in my very core that I would not - could not - ever be part of the masses that would let it go. I could not be part of the camp that thinks we should not pause on this day every year; that perhaps America's resolve is best displayed by moving on. I see this argument. I see why people think this. But I will not be one of them. Ever. I want my grandbabies to be able to see the same tears well in my eyes 50 years from now that did 7 years ago and do today.

So pardon me if my red striped shirt and lapel pin flag are over the top. Excuse me if "America the Beautiful" from my car stereo on the commute to work is irritatingly loud. Please forgive my inability to pull away from the 24 hour news network images from that morning.

And if I'm quiet, please leave me to remembering Mom waking me up in a panic that morning and pulling me into the study to see what none of us could understand. Allow me to remember what it felt like on September 11, 2002 to walk around the White House when a helicopter passed overhead and stopped every person on the street in their tracks to look up and reassure themselves it was allowed to be there. Let me reflect on Speaker Hastert's speech on the Southeast Steps on 9/11/06 when I really grasped that the Capitol dome overhead and my colleagues who worked inside were still there thanks to the "Let's Roll" attitude of Flight 93. And for today, let it be okay for me to desperately want to remember what I was worried about forgetting.

All the Way My Savior Leads Me

Some things in life take months and years to digest... to come to terms with. Disappointments in life are inevitable. So resiliency is a critical part of character development. I try to live with my toes pointed forward.

But sometimes the present shines its floodlights on the past and for that moment, that which you have kept hidden in secret depths is illuminated. Tonight I am exposed. And sleepless.

But encouraged by this old hymn by Fanny Crosby called "All the Way My Savior Leads Me." You can hear it on Chris Tomlin's new album called Hello Love that was just released this week. An excerpt from his version...

All the way my Savior leads me
Who have I to ask beside?
How could I doubt His tender mercy?
Who through life has been my guide?
All the way my Savior leads me
He cheers each winding path I tread
He gives me grace for every trial
Feeds me with the living breath

Reads and Tunes

One of my favorite feelings in life is being finished with something. Scratching a to-do item off the list. Throwing away an empty Body Shop coconut milk shower gel bottle. Scraping the end of the strawberry preserves from the bottom of the jar and tossing it into the recycling bin. Turning the last page of a book and being able to move it from my night stand to the downstairs bookcase. I just love the untangled relief and delicious accomplishment that comes with being done.


I finished a great book while I was on vacation called The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Junot Diaz is an author I read in my creative writing classes in college who I absolutely fell in love with. His first book is a collection of short stories called Drown. Short stories are my favorite writing medium (I say medium because instead of a genre, it feels to me like more of a tool an author artist can use). Short stories require an author to be particularly succinct. You have to say what you're going to say very quickly. And my favorite thing -- your characters have to be enormously complicated and often very bizarre and quirky. The short stories in Drown have recurring characters in the different episodes. The setting bounces back and forth between New York and the Dominican Republic and serves as a teaching tool for the readers who have no previous exposure to DR history and culture. It's beautiful. One thing that is so uniquely Diaz is his use of Spanish in all of his stories. Foreign language is a tricky add-on because there is an inclination to qualify the word with the English translation, which usually winds up slapping your readers in the face. So then you try to make the word make sense contextually, but insulting your readers intelligence is not a good idea either. Diaz unapologetically adds Spanish words and phrases into his writing and makes no attempt at explaining them. You either get it or you don't. It makes me think about all the times he must have heard peer reviewers and editors tell him he should explain the meanings... and how he has had to stick to his guns and refuse to do so. Such confidence.



The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao has similar themes and style as Drown. It's an immigrant family's story. It crosses generations and countries and characters. The full story and family history pieces together as each chapter tells the story from a different character's perspective. The footnotes are laugh out loud funny. It's nice to invest in a story that has been carefully parented by its author.



So now I'm on to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. I have admittedly been a little nervous to start it and get stuck in it. Garcia Marquez novels cannot be messed around with! I read Love in the Time of Cholera last August - and LOVED it, don't get me wrong - but it was very dense and requires captive reading! I'm about 1/2 way through One Hundred Years of Solitude and am not quite as captivated with it as I was with Love in the Time of Cholera. But I do like it. And I love how Garcia Marquez's style comes through so strongly. There is always kind of a fantastical element to his writing. One of the characters can't stop eating earth and chips of paint off the garden wall. The man who appeared to be the central character at the beginning of the book ends up being tied by a rope to a chestnut tree in the backyard and lives the remainder of his days there and everyone acts like it's normal and acceptable. What? Garcia Marquez plays with time a lot.. and premonitions. Characters know what is going to happen before it does. Patrick and I had a laugh when I was trying to get the book started - he was like yeah I couldn't get past the family tree on page one. No joke, I had literally picked up the book and tried to start it but got totally stopped on the family tree and put it down for another 24 hours before attempting it again. Each character's name shows up in like 3-5 other characters in the book! UGH! It's so confusing!

I'm trying to listen to new music lately. Thank god for Pandora. I typed in Martin Sexton and came up with a bunch of new songs I love from Colin Hay and Joshua Radin. Waiting for My Real Life to Begin by Colin Hay is one of my favorites - download it if you can. Also I re-discovered Bonnie Raitt's version of Angel from Montgomery. Ugh. It's great. I'd like to see her in concert!



The song I have on repeat the most right now is Find You Waiting by Decemberadio. I've never heard of these guys before, but I really like the lead singer's voice. Reminds me a little of Ronnie Van Zant. I found a neat tribute to our troops with the song in the background. Click here for the video.

I'm not a preacher and I'm not a hero
My life has never been that kind
But there is one thing that I hold on to
I am yours... and Lord, you are mine

Recap

When I got back, Ben asked me if I wished I was still in Tahoe. I said I ALWAYS wish I was in Tahoe! We had a great week - a lot of days lounging by the pool and a lot of nights eating on the patio. All the kids are at such fun ages which makes it especially fun. They're always scrounging for treats! Jacob and I did a doughnut run one morning and of course s'mores over the fire. I went on a hike up to a lookout of the whole lake and spent a good hour sitting up there looking at it. I couldn't make myself leave and was trying to decide if there is anything more beautiful in the world than those mountains and that lake. I've seen beautiful places... I would put Capri, Manuel Antonio, Stellenbosch, Lucerne, Hayman Island and Zanzibar on the top of my list of most beautiful places I've been. I really don't think any of those are as majestic as Tahoe.

Psalm 97 says that mountains will melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth. Can you imagine?

I got back last weekend to a broken air conditioner. Yuck. Last weekend I spent most of my time with the boys - I'm trying to get as much Patrick time in as possible before he leaves for Chicago! Boooooo.

Monday-Wednesday I was in El Paso, TX and Las Cruces, NM for work. Unfortunately the trip ended up getting cancelled for my boss so Erin and I came home early. Kind of a bummer but it was fun while it lasted - we ate a LOT of Mexican food and took advantage of the "Texas Twister" water slide at our hotel. Apparently it's the longest water slide at any hotel in Texas. How 'bout THAT!?

This weekend is another in towner. I went to QB's housewarming last night which was fun - he found an awesome house on the Hill. I had to laugh though because I totally showed up in jeans and a tank top and all the other girls were in cute little sun dresses and the dudes were wearing their pink pants and powder blue oxfords. I was like WHOOPS I totally forgot this is a southern folk party! They're all soooo nice though - I really like QB's friends. A little part of me was meant to be southern I think :)

One more week of August left! I can't believe it.

Off to Texas and New Mexico!

Back from a great vacation in Tahoe... now off to Texas and New Mexico for work! Be back with updates then. Have a good week!

Off to Tahoe!

Going to Tahoe for some R&R at the cabin with the fam... be back in a week!

August in DC looks like this...

Ha. August in DC. Very conflicted about August in DC actually. It comes and the entire city breathes out this huge sigh of relief. Bosses gone! Normal people hours! Legitimate lunch breaks! Then by mid-August it's like... bah. It's hot. I'm bored. I want things to happen again.

Right now I am in YAY IT'S AUGUST mode for sure. Flip flops at work ALL day (instead of just when the boss is gone). I had a sit down lunch today at Elephant and Castle! And it's 4:15pm which means only 45 minutes left of work. Loving life.

take these broken wings and learn to fly

Screen on the Green

Every Monday in mid-late summer, HBO sponsors "Screen on the Green" on the Mall at sunset. Everyone comes out after work, brings blankets and pillows and picnics, and hangs out until it gets dark enough for the projection on the screen to show up. They start with a Looney Tunes Cartoon followed by an old movie.


Last Monday, Shane, Sweeting, Bobby, and I saw Arsenic and Old Lace with Cary Grant. What a funny little movie! I remember watching it when I was little at one point -- or maybe I saw the play version. Anyway, it was an absolutely gorgeous night (and I should note it has been a remarkably great summer so far weather-wise) and it's just really a fun summer public event. Yay DC for having cool (and free!) stuff like this.

Drums of Africa

My dear old friend (and semi-sister :) ) Beri Shaffer is beating me to Uganda this Fall! I just added her blog to my blog roll -- check it out here. She will be volunteering with an orphanage called Amani Baby Cottage (is that right, Ber?). Given my charge to go to Uganda it's pretty neat to see how God is commissioning others as well. Something must be happening there... so excited for Beri that she will be a part of it!

Remembering Tony Snow

Tony Snow's funeral was yesterday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in DC. It was open to the public - which seems enormously appropriate given what kind of guy Tony was. The President gave remarks - here are my favorite excerpts:

In a life that was far too brief, he amassed a rare record of accomplishment. He applied his gifted mind to many fields: as a columnist, newspaper editor, TV anchor, radio host, and musician. He had the sometimes challenging distinction of working for two Presidents named Bush. As a speechwriter in my Dad's administration, Tony tried to translate the President's policies into English. As a spokesman in my administration, Tony tried to translate my English into English.

Tony Snow, the professional, is a hard act to follow. Tony Snow, the man, is simply irreplaceable. Everyone who worked with him quickly grew to love him. We will always remember his wry sense of humor and abundant goodness. We'll also remember he was just a lot of fun. After all, he played six different musical instruments and was a proud member of a band called Beats Working. He may be one of the few people in history to have jammed on the South Lawn of the White House and with Jethro Tull.

The day Tony was born was also the day that many of his fellow Catholics pay tribute to Saint Justin. Justin was also a gifted thinker and writer, and a powerful witness for the Christian faith. Because of his beliefs, he suffered many times of trial, and in the year 165 A.D. he was arrested. Before he received a sentence of death, he was asked: "If you are killed, do you suppose you will go to heaven?" Justin replied: "I do not suppose it, but I know and am fully persuaded of it." Tony Snow knew that, as well. That brought him great peace. When talking about the struggle he waged so admirably, he said that no matter how bad times may sometimes seem, "God doesn't promise tomorrow, he does promise eternity." And so today we send this man of faith and character and joy on his final journey. Tony Snow has left the City of Washington for the City of God. May he find eternal rest in the arms of his Savior. And may the Author of all creation watch over his family and all those who loved him, admired him, and will always cherish his memory.

At the time Tony Snow started his second stint at the White House in May 2006, I was finishing up my internship with Mrs. Cheney. I remember how excited people were to have him; how fresh he looked on the podium. I always thought he was so handsome and dapper (a Jon Shaffer or Tim Ganey if you will :) ). About a week into his arrival, I was standing in the doorway of EEOB 200 on my way to do an errand and as I bounced out into the hallway I nearly walked straight into him. I recognized him immediately as he looked up and we exchanged apologies for our near-collision. I took advantage of the opportunity to welcome him to the White House to which he replied with a chuckle and a "Thank you, damn good to be here." (That's one of four "almost ran into" stories that I'll never forget from that internship).

At the politicals rally in February 2007, Tony warmed up the crowed at DAR before Mrs. Bush and the President came out. His enthusiasm and energy matched his reputation. I was definitely NOT prepared, though, for him making the Cabinet Members START THE WAVE in Constitution Hall. He was like - let's go guys! David and I were like OH my gosh our bosses are starting the wave. It was seriously priceless.

I remember seeing him on TV or at an event after the cancer had aged his hair and stolen some of the color from his face. Still, I didn't know he was so close to the end, so waking up to a text from David last Saturday with the news was pretty shocking. However peripherally, I'll remember him well... shuffling down the white and black checkered drafty EEOB hallway in his pink button down with rolled up sleeves and glasses on the tip of his nose pouring over a memo. Youthfully bright eyed, smiling.

Elvira

Animal Vegetable Miracle

I just finished the final pages of "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle : A Year of Food Life" by Barbara Kingsolver. Kingsolver is a novelist probably most known for "The Poisonwood Bible" but AVM reads more like a memoir. The premise is this - Kingsolver's family moved from their home in Arizona to a farm in southern Appalachia where they resolve to eat only what they can grow themselves or buy locally for a year.

The book touches on many topics and ideas ranging from what to do with a billion zucchinis in July to Turkey sex to making your own cheese to challenges faced by small farms. The big picture idea is we as a culture have gotten so far away from where our food is coming from - we don't know who is growing it or how and where it's grown. So much so that the idea of something being "in season" is irrelevant since we can just import the off-season strawberries from Chile or California. Kingsolver makes the point that aside from the health benefits of eating sustainably grown local food, by buying local we effectively use our consumer power to cut out our share of the gas being used to fly in bananas in from Central America or oranges from Florida.



Sewn into the main text of the book are "focus on issue" boxes from Kingsolver's partner Steven Hopp and essays/recipes from her oldest daughter Camille. They give kind of a how-to or commissioning to readers to get involved in some of the topics they discuss. One that I really grabbed onto is CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). I have friends in DC who have done this kind of co-op with the local farmers before, but I didn't really understand how they did it or who it was through. Local Harvest is a web page that you can use to plug in your zip code and a bunch of farms in your area who participate in CSAs pop up for your perusal. I found Orchard Country Farms through that and contacted them about possibly signing up for what's left of summer. Typically CSAs run from about May through October, so given it's July I am behind the curve :). Nonetheless, I got a quick response from Gregg and Louise Keckler (owners of Orchard Country) saying they have room and I can still sign up for the two remaining 8-week sessions they have available this season.

The way it works is this -- you can sign up for one, some, or all of the sessions throughout the season as a shareholder. You can either sign up for a large share (for about 3-4 people) or small share (1-2 people) and the cost for a small share ends up being $170for the 8-weeks, so just over $20 a week. The farm is in Gardners, PA but there are a few pick-up spots around DC you can pick your bounty up each week. For me, I chose the Department of Transportation Farmer's Market on Tuesday. I met Gregg and his son Oliver when I picked up this week -- I didn't have much time to chat so I'm hoping I can get a better sense of their heartbeat next time. So they give you a cooler of your fruits and veggies for the week that you bring back the next week and voila! Community supported agriculture. This week I got: apricots, cling peaches, black raspberries, blueberries, swiss chard, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, sweet onion, and eggs. For $20 bucks? And supporting local small businesses? And getting the best of the best? I mean... that's a deal no matter how you shake it.

I know, I know... so hippy dippy of me right? I don't think so actually. What's more empowering than knowing exactly where my money is going? Or supporting hard work by good people? And getting an excellent product? What is the downside of making consumer decisions that work for me and don't compromise the environment? As I started thinking about organic or local foods and supporting the vendors who sell them (including our great organic market on Pennsylvania Ave SE), it's not so much that I feel different physically, but there is really something to be said about it just being good for the soul. I know the guys at the organic market - they're nice. They make me feel appreciated and helped (unlike the guy at Safeway on 14th SE who literally made me count the products in my basket to make sure I was under the "limit" last week - are you kidding me?). I started talking more to the vendors at Eastern Market. I look forward to getting to know Gregg and Louise. By buying local food, I appreciate tenfold its colors, shapes, flavors. By investing in my community, I feel more a part of it. More to come.

Dr. Granville Moore's

Last week I went to Dr. Granville Moore's Belgian Beer and Gastropub with Shane and Sweeting. What a neighborhood diamond in the rough is that place! I was about to say neighborhood secret but it's definitely NOT a secret since the buzz about it started going around DC and then the Food Network show "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" definitely fueled that fire. Shane, Sweeting and I went on a Wednesday night around 8:30pm - not dinner primetime, right? Wrong. We had to put our names in and went down the street for a drink to wait for the guy to call us when our table was ready. There wasn't much room to stand and wait in the restaurant and it was rainy/hot outside so it's nice they are willing to call. Anyway here's the story... the restaurant is located in the former doctor's offices of Dr. Granville Moore who apparently did a lot of pro-bono work and was widely respected in the H St. community. They gutted the place and kept the name and the really cool part is they didn't go back and refinish anything. The decor is exposed brick and half painted walls... pipes in the ceiling. It has a LOT of character to say the least!


Our very attractive flirtatious waiter was knowledgeable and pointed us in the right direction around the huge imported belgian beer list. The main fixture of the food menu is the Moules (mussles) which you can order in about 6-8 different ways. The frites and dips are popular too. I highly highly recommend this place - I'm telling you, the Atlas district is taking off thanks to awesome finds like this one. I'm a little concerned that they are not quite equipped to handle their increasing popularity, but those kinks will be ironed out in time. I for one will definitely be back!

Deep Thoughts at the Gas Station

8:18am this morning I pulled up to Sunoco and started pumping the $4.21/gallon gas in my car. I noticed the "up to 10% ethanol in this gas" sticker; very new and shiny against the chipping paint and pealing graphics on the pump. When I first got my car in January, it cost $40 to fill up my tank. Now I am hitting around $53. So I'm standing there pondering how the 10% ethanol is eroding the rubber tubing of my car motor but it's good for the environment and pursuit of independence from foreign oil so I'm ok with that trade off. I think about how $13 extra dollars a tank due to rising gas prices should in no way be referred to as a national crisis worthy of releasing the SPR. I'm thinking this as a dreadlocked beanie hatted dude filling up his delivery truck turns to me and says - "The people in this country need to stop complaining about these gas prices. Shut your mouths, fill up your tank of gas, and go to work. Go to the store with the money you make from work and get your cereal and milk. You think other people around the world have that luxury of going to the store for their cereal and milk? NO! They're standing in long lines for their one bowl a day of U.N.-provided oatmeal." I was like... whoa! Amen, brother! A voice of reason from an unexpected source. Deep thoughts at the gas station this morning.

Fourth of July

My favorite holiday EVER (and my niece's birthday... Happy 5th Bday Hannah!). I had gotten in from Wisconsin pretty late on Thursday night, but got up bright and early at about 5am on Friday to drive out to Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia to attend the annual 4th of July Naturalization Ceremony on the back lawn. President Bush was invited to give the keynote speech for the ceremony and since Erin was doing press advance for the event and snagged me and her family great VIP seats, I couldn't pass it up :). I got there just before 8:30am per what I THOUGHT were my instructions but as it turned out 8:30am was like the drop dead cutoff to get a shuttle up to the event. So all the Monticello people were like... nope, sorry, secret service cut it off. I was like just you wait Monticello people! Erin Brady pulls through and about five minutes later a lady comes down and says "get in the bus!" Sweet.

Erin in action...

The event was so awesome. We were third row VIP section right behind Secretary Don Evans and next to the group of 72 people who were becoming citizens that day. There were probably 1200 people on the lawn in total... flags, red white and blue, a really great patriotic band, and gorgeous weather. There are always chills before the President comes out for a speech and this was of course no different.


So to have him there welcoming the new citizens on our Nation's birthday.. to be looking at all of their different skin colors and clothes and ages... and thinking about how each of them have a story about getting here and going through everything they did to become Americans... it chokes me up. It really does.


Citizens taking the oath...

Despite a rain downpour and second guess or two while in line, a bunch of us got to go to the White House for fireworks that night! It was pretty neat, I'm not going to lie. I have lived in DC for six years now and this is my FIRST 4th of July in the city so it was definitely cool to be at the White House for it. We ate ice cream and trolled for souvenirs (the 4th of July at the WH cups were hot on the market) and showed Keylin and Marco the Oval Office and Rose Garden, etc. I thought Marco was going to faint when the President came out on the balcony and everyone sang Happy Birthday. Fun to be able to share something like that with our Venezuelan friends!

Side note -- David captured the perfect picture of what it looks like when Patrick and I are being what he calls "excluge" haha. We just get in these intense conversations and they are NOT for interlopers! What else can I say?!


I love July 4th. It's picnics and sun and flags and songs and BBQs and patriotic. It's a holiday completely independent of consumerism, materialism, or family angst (which I am lucky enough to say is always at a very minimum with my family but think it worth mentioning since so many holidays are dreaded because of it). Instead it's a reminder of who we are and where we came from, it's a celebration of that history and future, and it's just plain fun. I'm cheesily proud to be an American and am totally secure in that.

Behind!

I'm behind in blogging -- working on catching up! In the meantime... how cute is this picture!? I want the one on the far right.

Madison

Ah the long awaited Madison trip. Let me see if I can run through it and do it justice!

Bobby, Patrick, and I met up at National on Thursday evening after work, celebrated with a beer at that gross little Sam Adams Pub in Terminal A, had a short delay, and took off. We found out David was probably not going to make it to WI that night so we were concerned about rental car and coordination, etc. So as Patrick and I were frantically on our blackberry/iphone trying to figure out bus schedules and what-ifs, Bobby calmly continued reading his paper, glancing up only to say "it will work itself out." YEAH Boober... if people work it out FOR you!

We got to Milwaukee and drove to Madison without David since he got stuck in Cleveland for the night. We snuck up on Linda (Patrick's mom) and then surprised everyone else at Christy's, the bar next to Linda and Craig's house. We caught up pretty fast and sang and danced and talked until late... a very fun way to kick off the weekend!

Friday morning we got up and took a "putt-putt" out on the lake. Linda and Craig live on Lake Waubesa and it was SO beautiful and relaxing to wake up to such a great location. We picked up David from the airport and ended up spending most of the day at the Union at UW-Madison playing cards with Patrick's dad Bill. My favorite picture of a disgruntled David for losing like five times in a row...

Had dinner that night at Patrick's favorite Madison restaurant called The Old Fashioned. Cheese curds, Spotted Cow, and even a hamburger with egg on it. Weird! Awesome. We went out in Madison with Patrick's brother Cory and a bunch of his friends that night. Somehow in the course of the night David convinced all of us to leave our crowded, loud, FUN bar we were at to go to some bar called Woof where we were literally the only people in the place. Not sure how that happened but whatever... it was fun anyway!

Saturday we put on our Little Vito and the Torpedoes custom t-shirts (thanks to Cory!) and headed out to Rhythm and Booms. We had to wait out a thunderstorm for a little while in the cars, but then the sun came out and the rest of the day was awesome.


See if you can figure out the back of Patrick's shirt (don't feel bad if you can't... it took Aunt Flo like a thousand tries)


Rhythm and Booms is an annual July 4th event where they set up a big stage in a park and have bands come and play along with a fireworks show. We had the BEST time! Tons of ladder golf and sun bathing during the first few bands (one of which was a great Beatles cover band... totally my kind of thing!) and then VERY aggressive dancing and singing when Craig's band Little Vito and the Torpedoes played. They were so good! I knew they were going to be, but seriously they were great. Craig is amazing on the guitar and Joanna has a bad mammajamma voice. I half-joked that I found my wedding band!

Sunday we had brunch with Bill and then headed back to Linda and Craigs for the main event... the CORN TOSS TOURNAMENT! Linda set up a huge tent in the yard and made a bunch of food and a ton of friends and family came over to play. I was paired with Patrick and we of course crushed Team David and Flo, but ended up losing after that.

Team David and Flo...

None of that mattered though BECAUSE I had started the day by telling Patrick my "Wisconsin Fantasy" -- make all three bean bags in the hole in one turn. It was going to be epic. It was going to be monumental. It was going to be difficult and take a lot of focus. And I kid you not... my Wisconsin Fantasy came true. Total moment of crowning glory. I was so excited.

Game faces from the side lines!!! Patrick's oldest brother Josh and his wife (new bff) Stef are on the left...

Corn Toss tournament ended but the night went on and on... talks on the back porch, more informal corn toss games, dancing to "DC music," card playing. I should include that Bobby took this year's "Lake Waubesa's Next Top Model" title and was crowned appropriately. Too fun! Can't wait for next year.
The rest of the week was great... very relaxing. Enjoyed the lake and dominoes with the family and bike riding and playing the crazy bugs slots with Flo. The best and most unexpected part of the week though was getting to go to Milwaukee Summerfest with Flo and Linda before I left! It was CRAZY! Summerfest is like 14 days of nonstop music in downtown Milwaukee. There are about 6 big stages along with tons of booths and food and drinks right on Lake Michigan. It's only 10 bucks to get in for the day and you can just wander from stage to stage to see people play. We spent a long time watching this great cover band in one of the tents but the total highlight was going to Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Linda elbowed our way to about the third row and it was just SO great. They played absolutely everything... Proud Mary, Grapevine, Fortunate Son, Suzie Q, Green River, Bad Moon Rising, Lodi, Down on the Corner, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Travelin' Band, Lookin' Out My Back Door, Who'll Stop the Rain, Long As I Can See the Light... EVERYTHING!

The week was just perfect. I can't say enough for how much I loved meeting all of Patrick's family and friends and how welcoming and giving they all are. I owe Linda and Craig a huge thanks for opening their home and spending time feeding and cleaning up after us! Bill is always so generous with us and has arguably fed me more this year than my own parents have :). I learned a lot about Patrick and put so many names with faces. I don't know how, but the trip exceeded expectations. It's refreshing to be reminded that every family is so different from the next but love is a big enough thing to cover all the unique complexities. Pretty remarkable.