Coffee Shop Hopping

    More plans have been made for my visit to Minnesota in the Spring/Summer. I got off of Tango with my older sister Beth a little bit ago, and mad plans have been set percolating. One idea we discussed: Having wine nights with my Grandma. However, because my Grandma’s ticker is not all that great and she is not supposed to have wine, we are going to buy Welches grape juice for her, so that she can sit out with my sister and me and “drink” with us.

   The main idea that we discussed though was Coffee Shop hopping. Two of my favorite things in the world: Coffee and places off the beaten path; where you can meet any number of characters. Along with this theme, we are going to start up a summer reading list, consisting of mostly of the classic, with a weird quirky book thrown in for good measure.

   I feel like there has to be guidelines to this thing. Like: This is a whole day ordeal and we are going to visit many coffee shops. Two crazy blonde chicks hyped up on coffee, set loose in the Twin Cities! Yikes! Another rule: We have to wear a funny hat while reading. Why? Just because. If you had to ask it defeats the purpose.

   The Renaissance Festival in August! This is a tradition in my family, they go every year. We get up early in the morning and drive up to Shakopee, where we have a big breakfast, like pancakes, bacon, eggs, and of course coffee flows freely. Then we head on over to the festival. The last year that I went (which was 6 years ago) there was a big group of us.

  My sister and I had bought wooden swords. We ran around thinking we were badass, pretending fighting, and general horsing around. At one point we even had a small crown around us watching, cheering us on. Well I got too big for my britches. A large burly blacksmith passed by us and I called out asking him if he wanted to fight, trying to be funny. I didn’t expect him to take up the challenge but he did. He turned around and said “Sure,” showing me a large metal axe. My sister and I slunk off after that. It was all in good fun though.


 It is memories like those, and all the fun things we have planned that make me excited to return to Minnesota for the summer. If you can’t tell I am greatly looking forward to it!Maybe I will buy a pair of buckrum cloaks to go along with the occasion?

An Epic Summer

   This next Spring/Summer is going to be epic. For a while now I have felt lost, like I am losing touch with myself. Floating without anything to anchor me down. When you start to forget who you are, where you come from, you need that time to center yourself and reconnect. So that is why this Spring/Summer is going to epic. I’m going back to my roots, back where it all started 24 years ago: Minnesota.

   Where my Grandparents live is way out in the country. It is the perfect place to get away from the rest of the world. The people that live here are the honest, won’t bullshit you type of people. Down to earth, friendly “Kick off your shoes and come on in,” kind of people. A simple way of life, which in this day and time; with all of the new gadgets that make your life “easier”, the double java mocha espressos everyone is shooting, the everyday hustle and bustle to get to work; simple is something that gets put on the backburner and forgotten about. Pretty soon simple will just be another myth, along with morals and chivalry, however I digress.

  I’m looking forward to weeding my Grandparents ½ acre garden. Wow! I really can’t believe I just said that! Growing up, that was the biggest chore we tried to avoid. However I will say this: I’ll take volunteers if we have any takers. Just helping to take care of the general upkeep of the place. My Grandparents are getting older, and it is a lot of them to keep up with. It will feel good to help them, and learn and relearn a few things in the process.

 

  When night falls in good ol’ Belvidere Mills, the sky is the clearest. It will be great to just lay a blanket down, a bottle of wine, and just stargaze, with nothing except the cows in the next field over, mooing a serenade. I miss how green and wooded it is there in the summer, sheltered and safe, a world if its own. Of course one of the biggest highlights of the trip, is that towards the end of the summer I will be an Aunty. Words fail to express my excitement.

  At 18, when I left home, I thought: “Ha! Hell will freeze over before I go back to that place! I’ll make my own way in this world dammit.” Which is true, and I have done so. However with age comes the knowledge that I know less than I thought I did at 18, and maybe, just maybe Grandma and Grandpa knew what they were talking about and were onto something. Of course because I am stubborn, I can’t give them full credit…..of course!

  There is lots of catching up to do. People I have not had the chance to visit with for 6 yrs. Places I have not laid eyes on in just as long. I would like to visit my Great-Grandmas old farm and see what modern improvements have been made. Honestly I really just look forward to running barefoot, being a complete and utter wild child again. Well, at least for the summer.