appletini's and love

A cold front finally came through which makes sitting on the front porch of this swampy Florida home much more enjoyable, and less buggy. Speaking of bugs I found this ginourmous cockroach looking thing on the living room floor mixed in with Sam's toys, that the cat had dutifully pawed to death in the night...thank god. I put it in a left over plastic easter egg, snapped is securely shut, got the chills, and put it in the garbage.

Hangin' with the nephew is very tiring. Waking up at 7, well, sucks. Having Wiggles songs stuck in my head all day is kind of entertaining though. My brother's wife Abby, had her baby girl Hannah yesterday. How very exciting. They are exhausted and will come home from the hospital tomorrow. Sam pretty much doesn't like his new baby sister...i think he's a bit jealous. He wore a shirt to the hospital that once said, "I'm a Big Bro", however the first B came off at some point in the day and for the majority of the day it said, "I'm a ig Bro."

I have been running the past two mornings and I must say it is quite enjoyable. Early in the morning the temps are perfect and being at sea level is quite an advantage. I must burn off all of the sweet tea and grouper...also noting that everything down here is deep fried.

My big sissy is moving to a very special place called Pine Lake with her husband and her little baby Leah. I am excited to visit them next week. All of this baby stuff is getting overwhelming, but I am tuning into my motherly instincts, whereas before I thought that they might not exist at all. This is all a learning experience.

Oh how I miss writing about climbing.

I am sitting...actually standing in the 80% humidity of Florida on my brother's front porch pirating the internet from some unknown neighbor as an overgrown Florida bug crawls across my computer screen.

After taking dendrology in the fall, all of the native Florida trees are really annoying me because I don't know what they are. In my brother's front yard there is a Saucer Magnolia, and in his backyard a Mockernut Hickory and Crapemyrtle in the back. On the way to the park I saw a Southern Magnolia with a few of its huge white flowers in bloom. At the park today there was about 20 huge Slash Pines that are very native to the Florida area. I also saw my first Baldcypress today at the zoo. My how I love trees.


I played with my nephew Sam all day today. He is so cute and energetic. We went down the slide a lot and played in the sand. Someday he will be a rock climber. He is learning pretty much all of the important things in life right now like purple, and blue, as well as A, B, and C. Also car, airplane, ugh-oh, and flower are among his favorites. Sometimes his words are inaudible but he gets his point across by growling. I think the highlight of his day was not seeing the tigers at the zoo, but burying me in the sand. I can see how that would be fun.

Tim and Abby are just a day away from another baby in their family. Mom and I on the other hand are enjoying drinking beer and being in the sun. Mom enjoys being a Grandma and I enjoy not having children for a long, long time.

The official Acceptance Letter from Colorado State University

I will be there soon schmoo nar!

antsy pants

Chris brushed...Andy chalked up

I can't wait to be on the road again taking photos and meeting new people. Unfortunately I have to take a month long hiatus from climbing and I don't know if I am mentally prepared to do this. To non-climbers this doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you become so deeply passionate about climbing just stopping for a month leaves you lost. I am going to be so weak when I get to Colorado. Perhaps my knuckle that has been swollen for the last year will go back to normal.

I am back in Wisconsin for today and then tomorrow I am off to Florida. Damn there being no rocks in Florida. Now I am listening to Jon Krakaur's, "Into Thin Air" on ipod. That should keep me entertained for the drive...at least a few hours of it. I have talked my mom into spending a day at Jackson Falls in Southern Illinois on the way back from Florida. Hopefully there won't be a monsoon the day I want to climb.

I suppose I should just accept that right now in my life I just can't climb. How has Brian gone for the past 5 years and never taken more than two days off?

Ok I am over it. I will stop complaining and just accept it. I am very lucky to be traveling.

I have so much time i find myself overthinking things like Brian over thinking the Bird Flu this winter when he had too much time on his hands. I will enjoy it while I can.

ready to move on

I am surely enjoying all of this alone time, however, I am growing tired of myself. You can only be entertained by your own thoughts for so long. I am super psyched to road trip to Florida with my mom. She is hilarious in times of boredom.

Yesterday I went slacklining with Andy, Dan, and Chris. I love watching people try it for the first time...all shakey and nervous for the pain in the area between their legs that they would experience if they step wrong just a little. The falling is hilarious too. You never know which way the line will throw you and you are at its mercy. We also had beer involved which anyone would know is completely counter active to balance and concentration.

I have been having really off climbing days. Hopefully today as I tackle the cave traverse for my last time it will go well or at least be enjoyable. Last time we were up there we put up a line on the retaining wall titled by Andy Kolar as the Devolution of Man. It was nice if you needed a hold you could just pull out the maroon filler cement and create a jug for yourself...you just had to make sure you didn't knock chunks of cement down on your spotters. Oh it was glorious fun and tall too. To top out you had to bear hug around the edge and watch for cars.

I am off to say my goodbye's to dear friends and begin the packing.

Sorry Kris I will call you tonight, and Brian I MISS YOU!!!

easter

This is the first easter of my 22 years of living that I haven't been to church. I do not have a church here in the cities due to either the heinous parking situations on sundays or the fact that I don't enjoy being slain in the spirit every sunday. Surprisingly due to the absence of the traditional church service I find myself reflecting and pondering this easter thing even more than I normally would.

Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus. That morning, according to the Gospel of Luke, Mary Magdalene and some companions visited the cave where He was buried, but they found the tomb empty. An Angel of the Lord appeared and told them that Jesus had risen. In the following days, Jesus appeared to His disciples and explained the meaning of His death (for the sins of mankind) and His victory over death, which offered the promise of rebirth for those who believe in Him. The word Easter may come from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of Spring and fertility, whose festival was celebrated at the vernal equinox.

I found this at dictionary.com. It is simple.

I am going to synagogue this wednesday with Donny just as a learning experience. I am excited.

Nic I am glad you are writing again.

I won't admit this to Jamie because I have to keep up my attitude, but I am actually excited to spend two weeks with Leah even if it is in Ireland and London. It will teach me a little something about my non-existent maternal intincts and patience I guess. I realized that I do have some maternal instincts when when I had to drop her off at day care and leave her in the arms of a stranger. It was so sad and her cute little face was saying don't leave me Auntie Kelly. Now I know how Jamie feels. I couldn't stand that. She is free of that place in just a few weeks though.

I am moving away from Minneapolis on Thursday of this week. Interesting.

I guess the cave traverse will not go down before I leave because I am leaving much sooner than expected. Darn it. I will have to come back and try it again someday.

HAPPY EASTER GRANDMA AND GRAMPA!!!!!!!!

iced mochas are delicious

I saw a huge fish!














The St. Croix River


I actually have to work today which is different from my normal schedule of events.

I want to start my own website. I think it could be more oraganized than this blogging thing.

I got a phone call from Layla last night. Oh how I miss her. She is in Bishop with Dave right now. She did a badass ascent of Cholos, V9.

I went to the gym this morning to try and train or something...but it is just no fun at all when you are all alone with the plastic. I sent the green and white taped route which means nothing to everyone but me. I just prefer the rock for my climbing desires. My eyes have been opened. I have been spoiled by the wonderful rock at Hueco.

no internet

The internet that I was theiving is no longer working which makes this blogging thing a little more difficult. Now instead of just getting coffee every morning I will have to bring my computer with me and use the internet. Good ole Dunn Bros.

I have been keeping myself busy in simple satisfying ways. I have been to the gym twice now and I will just say that I don't like the plastic very much. I have made it up to Taylors Falls twice now as well...working out the crux move of the cave traverse. I love this little addicting rock climb. It is right at my limit so I am totally psyched. Especially when Nic is there and he is more psyched for me than I am for myself. It's good. Good ole Nic. I will miss that boy. He pulled off Oxygen Cocktail, V9, yesterday. How very badass of him. Chris Craft is one move from the top and kept climbing into the dark until we were seriously wondering how he could see the holds. We then wandered over to Mike's Left, V7, and what a classic climb it is indeed. I would love to be able to do it. Chris can do it on command, and Nic displayed some rare rage that I usually only see in Brian. It was funny none the less.

My bike tires are staying true to me. My new goal is to take a different bike path every time I bike. Otherwise I become bored. The other day I biked from Brian's house in Saint Louis Park to downtown Minneapolis. I was exploring down around First Ave. when I realized that I didn't have my helmet on and I retreated back to the safety of the bike path. Downtown drivers are terrifying.

I have also been reading this really great book...well two actually. One is Angels and Demons that I listen to on tape every time I drive. I am hooked...it is getting really good. The other one is Trinity by Leon Uris and it is about Ireland. It is also getting really good. I suppose I should enjoy my time of reading for fun books before I am bogged down by full time school this fall.

My mom and I are headed for Florida a little earlier than expected because the baby is going to be forced to come out a little earlier than Tim and Abby expected. They are going to induce on the 26th of this month, which means we will be on our way down there on the 24th. Everything always works out for my mom in mysterious ways. She has a way of planning with faith. Lucky lady.

Well, I think I could type all day, but I am not sitting by an outlet and my computer is giving me the warning signs of its impending death of battery power.

I will be writing in my blog hopefully much more often now that I have realized this free internet morning coffee thing.

long time no write

Brian and I one year ago!













Dan Freschel


Tony and Pearl


Brian has officially moved to Colorado. He started work yesterday and he is not to psyched about it. I think he likes his job, but he doesn't like working...who does? However, the view of Long's Peak from our bedroom porch with the trees budding their first leaves of the season, and the 70 degree weather is enough to keep anyone in a lighthearted mood. I am jealous.

Yesterday I biked around Lake of the Isles twice. It sure is beautiful, but there is something about the overpriced large houses that surround the entire lake that makes you feel cheap inside. I have mixed feelings about the Minneapolis skyline in the background. The buildings are really big and cool to look at, but I am ready to move on and away from the hustle bustle of the big city. I can't wait to ride with mountains in the back ground and less car exhaust up my nose.

I went to Nic's parents house for meatloaf last night. It was nice to be with a family and not alone for dinner. Dan Freschel came with me because we are both significant other-less. He just moved into a new house and he is waiting for his fiance to come with all of the furniture in a month. I offered him a crash pad to sleep on, but I guess he likes the floor.

I have taken up sport climbing at the gym. I like being on the wall for a long time. It feels good to get really pumped and get your heart rate up. My goal is to climb the entire ceiling and then down climb the other side.

I have started reading a book called Trinity by Leon Uris. My mom says it is good to read some historical fiction on Ireland before I get there because it will give me a better sense of connection to it. It is really big, and I am not sure I will finish it before we go.

I have to give a shout out, in loving memory of Jessica's dog Tony. He was a black lab who passed away two nights ago. Tony was a working dog that didn't miss any movement made by Jessica in the past 12 years. Jessica is in a wheel chair due to muscular dystrophy. He was constantly by her side, loving her and helping her in any way he could. He opened doors, fetched the t.v. remote, took her socks off, retreived the phone for her, went to school with her, walked under her when someone was lifting her for the first time, barked when Jessica needed help, and the list is endless. He will be missed. He was loyal and loved Jessica unconditionally.