Traveling

So with the weather warming up to the sixties on a good day I've been getting out a bit more.  On May tenth I got up bright and early and drove to Madison to meet up with my parents and Rachel.  We all piled into one car and made our way to Northern Iowa.  Over the last few years my dad has been working on finishing his bachelor's degree at one of Upper Iowa University's satellite schools.  His graduation ceremony was held on the original campus, hence our commute.  It was a lovely school and the ceremony was nice.  There was an emphasis on encouraging students to be global citizens, I thought it was an appropriate topic.  It's been nice to live close enough to take part in special experiences with my family.  Here's a collage my mom put together of the day. 

 

 

Jason worked Memorial Day so I headed out to Madison again and went kayaking with my mom and sister Emily.  We didn't take cameras due to the whole water thing, but it was a blast.  We saw frogs, turtles and lots of fish while out on the lakes.  We worked our way through a chain of lakes and had a good time.  The wind in the middle of the lakes reminded Emily and I of our Boundary waters experience.  It reinforced my affinity for kayaks though, they really are fun to be in. 

 

On Saturday of Memorial weekend Jason actually had the day off so we hiked and picnicked at a beach along Lake Michigan and then went on a tour of the Sprecher brewery.  They are a microbrewery in Glendale that makes fantastic root beer soda and several other sodas.

 

Jason and I just got back from an overnight trip to the Twin Cities to look for apartments.  We kind of covered everything from old and dumpy college apartments to "luxury" living, that wasn't really luxury.  In the end we found a modest apartment we both like that will be quiet, warm and a 5-10 minute walk to Jason's work and the grocery store.  I'll be busing or driving to school, but it's not impossibly far and fortunately the bridge collapse will not impact the exit I need to take to get to school.

 

In other news, my painting class is over.  I really enjoyed it and feel like I learned much more than I expected to.  In the realm of arts I also made a music connection with one of my patients.  He has two pianos and invited me over for four-handed, two piano duets.  (I got to play on their baby grand Steinway - yes I was loving it!)  We got together at the end of May and had a great time playing various duets including some great Brahms waltzes I was not familiar with.  He and his wife are really great people I have enjoyed getting to know.  Playing duets on two pianos was a new experience for me, it really changes the type of music that can be played.  We're hoping to get together at least once more before I move.