Gator Bait

Saturday the 4th Collin's Granny Carol came up for the first football game of the year.
It was over 90 degrees out with some serious humidity.

But we still won! I'm not going to comment on how they've been playing this year because people have had lots of opinions and know much more about football than I do. Check them out elsewhere. All I can say though is that when you win, by a lot, for almost every game of the last 3+ years... it's kind of hard to live up to the hype right from the start.


I'm happy I skipped the game the next weekend because oh man it was even hotter. No clouds and far too many people being treated for heat exhaustion if you ask me. I'm happy to host some of Collin's college buddies for a night or a family member or two and for now stay in the comfort of my air conditioning. This weekend's game against Kentucky should be nice because it starts at 7pm, but I really am looking forward to the first 'Fall' game. That one where I need a sweater and won't get a farmer's tan from my t-shirt.

I don't know how my favorite football team will do this season. But I can tell you that I'll have lots of fun while they're at it.
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It's My Birthday

source

Gmail Chat August 11, 2010

Collin: i love you

  what a lovely life we have.

2:40 PM me: so wonderful!

  i really do wake up happy every day

 Collin: it's true

  i do too

  especially knowing that my life outside of home is improving as well

  with a new career and whatnot

  but i wouldn't change anything about you and me or where we are in life or in Gainesville or anything

2:42 PM me: me neither

  everything is just right

i'm pretty sure i have everything i wantCollin: well that makes it hard for getting your birthday gifts

2:43 PM me: that's why it's so hard to figure out something for my bday

  hahaha

  jinx 

Collin got the job.
He starts the 20th.
This is the best birthday present I could have ever hoped for but nothing I could have put on a wish list. The great intangible gift I've wanted for the both of us. I knew it would come, but the universe saved it for our 25th. Thanks.


We spent Saturday of Collin's birthday weekend accomplishing goals marathon-style in Orlando. Our day started at 8:30 when we dropped Early off at the vet for some checkup things, drove to Ikea to purchase our sleeper sofa, put that in the car, went back in Ikea to get the rest of what we came for, ate an amazing home-cooked lunch with chef Edgar and Christy at their new place, hopped over to the Mall at Millenia to buy Collin new clothes for his new job, then stopped by to visit my brother Asa and Kat (and friends) at their house before heading back up the turnpike northbound to scoop up Early Girl from her play date with Foster at Gabe and Jenn's and somehow fit a sleeper sofa, two people and a dog in my Ford Focus.
It was an exhausting day, but fun. And we were then able to do almost completely nothing on Collin's birthday except hang out, bbq burgers and go buy a (black) Wii.

Today I'm working on my own birthday, Collin is at the house finishing up a few things I've asked him to do for unpacking and probably working on these 'surprises' he says he has. I think this is the first birthday he has something up his sleeve that I didn't ask for. He knows I'm not that that hard to please and will usually just take me shopping so I can get whatever I want. He also knows I always have more fun planning surprises for other people (him) more.
Today I slept in 30 minutes later than usual, will eat Mexico Lindo enchiladas for lunch, hopefully be able to leave before 4 and then head home to relax with my love before he takes me out to The Warehouse for a birthday dinner date. I cook him whatever he wants for his birthday because he'd rather eat my food and he takes me out on mine because I always do the cooking. Then it's back home to do more of nothing and watch the finale of So You Think You Can Dance.

Turning 25 is going to rule. Life is moving right along and the view is getting better by the minute.
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Southern Summer 2010: RVA

Collin and I are back from our summer vacation and time off celebrating the 4th of July. I wish sleeping in could last forever.
I really do, even if I am a morning person.

Richmond was beautiful despite the 103 degree heat and we had an awesome time with our tour guides Meggan and Ben. We had a rocky start (getting sick on an airplane is really embarrassing as an adult) and a rocky departure (mixed up flight days and severe cramps) but the in between was sweet.

Our first night in town we went to see friends from Gainesville play a show at Emilio's. Hot Graves and Battlemaster. Metal is the way to start a Richmond vacation. At one point I looked around and was the only girl wearing color. Until Meggan came back in from the bathroom that is.

Friday daytime had us walking through downtown browsing the shops and people watching. Meggan and I hit up cute thrift/vintage clothing stores while Ben and Collin had a beer and watched some World Cup. We met up to visit Plan 9 and pick through their stacks and stacks of records. The downstairs was dedicated fully to $1 records. Collin found some Avail, we grabbed a Steve Martin stand-up recording and I threw in an original cast recording of My Fair Lady along with the score to Disney's Fantasia.
By then we fully felt the 100+ degree heat and went to have lunch. Then we went home to just hang out.


The next morning we were off to the James River to swim. Belle Isle actually. To get there, you walk a suspension bridge hung from below US 301. How fitting - the highway that runs through Sarasota and Gainesville both.

We swam, tubed down the small rapids, tried not to trip and sunbathed on great big rocks. Eventually we found a little nook for ourselves where we could break out our PBR's out of sight.

Check it out - somehow I'm also allergic to Virginia freshwater too. Looks like I won't have to debate whether or not to get a kayak for the next time we go down the springs here in Gainesville. Too bad, but at least it's not that terrible. Just a little uncomfortable and a little ugly.

We finally took off after the boys hit 301 and went home for lunch and a sad watching of the US-Ghana game that we had recorded earlier in the day while we were out. I also have a photo of Collin on the floor after the game-winning goal, but I won't do that to him.

I took most of our photos that day. During the rest of our trip we also went to have a picnic at the botanical gardens that would have been gorgeous if not for the scorching sun. We spend some time at Ben's family home while his sister and her family were also in town, playing croquet with the little one Ava. We ate late night pizza at Bottom's Up, under the trains and highways. I hate a slice of the 'Chesapeake' that had blue crab and old bay and parmesan and omg. Washed down with Magic Hat Wacko on tap and served to us by a cute waitress who happened to be at the show Thursday night and didn't mind chatting with us made it even better. We took an afternoon to see the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. I could have spent all day there and I only wish we'd gone earlier in the morning. There was a special exhibit of Tiffany glass and entire wings dedicated to Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Fabrige Eggs and British fine silver serving sets. Guhhhhh I don't know how I didn't have my camera that day,
Oh wait, yes I do. I gave it to Collin to take some pictures at Ben's uncle's workshop where he hand crafts guitars. Then he didn't take any photos and left it on the coffee table when we left for the museum. Boo. We also just spent time driving around. We might have walked to see the sights had it not been so blazingly hot outside. The confederate memorial and museum, The Fan downtown, immaculate examples of Southern architecture and Hollywood cemetery housing among others, James Madison's tomb.

I loved Richmond, but I do wish we had been able to make time to visit in March or so when the trees and flowers are putting on their full show.
And when it doesn't get hotter traveling farther north in The South.
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Update: 101 in 1001

While Megan was in town from south Florida over Memorial Day weekend we packed a lot of fun into just three days.
So much that I was even able to cross a couple more things off the list.

#87 Visit the Natural History Museum (not butterfly part)
#88 Visit the Harn Museum of Fine Art

Both of these were accomplished, as well as the last part of #92, trying 6 new restaurants around town (thanks Shooting Star for great sushi and ridiculous happy hour drink deals).


Since I last updated the list at the beginning of May I can also cross off the following (or in my case, turn them pink):
#45 Go 2 weeks in a row without buying groceries
#47 Make a compost bin for outside and small container for daily use inside
and
I crossed off month 5 of #60 Quit smoking cigarettes for 6 full months. Now that one I will be most proud to finally finish at the end of this month.


Next to tackle will be fixing up that damn bike (aka #62). We sold another mountain bike from the garage last week but Collin decided he wants to keep the two Schwinn road bikes and my vintage sears 10-speed. That makes 5 bikes for two people. Only one of whom rides them at all so far. I would sell them in a heartbeat but he's the bike dude and it's true when he says that it would be nice to have bikes for friends when they are in town. We'll also be able to cross off #38, getting renters insurance, soon when we move. Can I also say it's been way too long since I've started this project not to have completed #68 -dancing downtown? Maybe I can cross that off the list when I finish #62. Double Whammy.
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