This past weekend I spent a lot of time in the car, and a whole bunch of time exploring odd nooks and crannies and reconnecting with friends.

It was absolutely as awesome as it sounds!

It was the first time I was back in the cities in years. I’ve done some flying whereupon I landed in them for a few hours at a time, but I never really count airports as “visiting.” Though, if that’s the case, I get to put a whole bunch more pins in my travel map….

The initial reason I was going to the cities was to attend a writing conference. Which, three days before I was scheduled to leave, I discovered was actually located in Washington DC. (Fun fact, there is a Washington St. in BOTH Minneapolis and DC) This led to some momentary existential crisis and a fair amount of ridicule from my wife.

So, after hashing that whole thing out, we decided to go anyway and agreed I would just think really writerly thoughts on Saturday when I remembered.

It was a rip-roaring success.

The wife actually spent a fair amount of time living in MN and it was her first time back SINCE SHE WAS 10!! I mean, how does that even work? It’s literally next door. Anyway, we go and get it done. We stayed with her amazing family, laughed a whole lot and ate tons of food. The next morning we got breakfast at this amazing place called the Buttered Tin and had a fair amount of conversation that revolved around this (a discovery of the weekend)

 

 

We were that group that laughs so hard and loud that it irritates the other patrons. Also, one of my friends fell in love with our waitress and wrote her a note on the back of the receipt. (It started with “yo”) We eventually left, but our faces hurt from laughing. From there, we ran on over the Mall of America, where we had to face some hard truths.

 

After an appropriate grieving period and wandering aimlessly, wondering how many American Eagles we would find, it was time to head over to St. Olaf and see a concert with their rather phenomenal band (her uncle is the conductor). If that’s what you call it? Orchestra? Either way, I didn’t take any pictures because my brain was too busy melting out of my ears with the sheer auditory awesome that I struggling to comprehend.  So, just picture something really witty and musical in the space below.

 

 

 

Good job.

Finally, we met up with another good friend I hadn’t seen in a long while. We got to catch up, sample some rather spectacular ciders and beers, and discover there was a grilled cheese food truck (The wife’s new favorite thing. Ever.)

There was also this.

 

Spectacular.

 

 

In all, it was a fabulous weekend. It was also the first weekend we’ve gotten to spend together without any other jobs or demands on our time. It was the first time we got to be a husband and wife and explore something new, and something a little familiar, together. Let me tell you it, was a truly wonderful experience and it put some pep back in my step.

We both have everything happening on the horizon, work, travel, possible moving, and more chaos that is entirely reasonable. But, it’s all going to go spectacularly, and it’ll be more than a little fun!