Labor Day!

Saturday morning I spent at May Day, my favorite coffee shop just 4 blocks from my house.  I wrote a few cards and letters and worked on my dental school applications for a while. This is also a wonderful place to people watch, and I am starting to recognize some of the same people on Saturday's. I have always wanted to be a coffee shop 'regular'...I'm feeling like this could be my place.  In the afternoon, I met up with my friend Lauren Kurtz from camp. We wandered around uptown, caught up on our summers and had a great dinner. For the last 4 or 5 times I have eaten out, I have ordered a caprese salad or sandwich...for some reason I cannot get enough of the tomato-basil-mozerella combination that I love! So naturally, I ordered one for dinner with Lauren.  Later that evening, I met up with Morgan, another camp friend of mine and her boyfriend Danny. We enjoyed some Minnesota beer and played 3 person cribbage--so much fun!  It has been so great being near a group of camp people that I haven't seen since Montana...I'm loving it.

 

Sunday morning, I went on a 2 hour bike ride around Lake Nakomis, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and lake views. I often get lost navigating my way back home, but have seen more of the South Minneapolis neighborhoods because of it! I enjoyed a lazy afternoon with my roommates reading and talking, and had a great 3 hour skype date with Annika! We reminisced about Europe a bit and caught up on the rest of our crazy summers. Skype is up and finally working! 

 

 

Labor Day was such a treat! I feel like things have been so busy lately, so I enjoyed a whole morning by myself--something I really needed.  I biked down the Midtown Greenway bike path that connects with the Mississippi River bike path.  I joined hundreds of other bikers that day and hope that I fit in with the regulars! I biked along the river to historic downtown Minneapolis, where there are ruins from an old mill and a stone bridge that crosses the river. Lots of street musicians were lined up around this path and bridge, so I enjoyed some guitar and flute music on my ride.  

I ended up in St. Paul and found the University of Minnesota campus (with Dad's help in WA from google maps..this is how people without an iphone find their way!) I had lunch at a place called the Purple Onion bakery and watched as big crowds of freshman toured around--orientation day!  I feel like I should be going back to school this weekend...I can't believe those years are already done!  It seems like just yesterday I too was wearing a lanyard with my school name on it, and carrying in loads of new dorm things in with my family.  I'm glad I got to be on a college campus for move in weekend at least...I got my fix.  I biked over to the Dental School building and explored the whole medical complex.  Who knows--maybe I'll get in here?!  I found my way back to the Mississippi River bike trail, this time on the St. Paul side and biked back home. It turned out to be about 15 miles, and a 3 hour exploration--a very fun morning!  

 

In the afternoon, my housemates and I drove up to see our LVC friends at the Imani House in north Minneapolis for dinner. They all dressed up as pregnant ladies to celebrate 'Labor' Day--I enjoyed the pun very much.  We ate outside and enjoyed vegetarian chili, lots of fresh garden vegetables and some leftover cookies that I inherited from Open Arms. (There are some great perks to working at a meal delivery service...my housemates get to enjoy all the leftover food at the end of the week!) We played several rounds of Telephone pictionary--my very favorite game, which never seems to get old!  My evening finished with the news that Mom is coming to Minneapolis this coming weekend!! Life is so good.