Brainerd Weekend at Jon and Mollie's

 We had a fun neighbor weekend at Jon and Mollie's lake house on Gull Lake in Brainerd. I might have had a little too much fun since I hurt my knee. Though I could step off a dock onto a green slimy cement pad and make it down. My sandal slipped from under me and I hyper extended my right leg and messed up my knee. It feels a lot better today. Just had Advil to keep the swelling down along with the pain. It doesn't hurt as much today and I should be fine working. I'm just going to be a little protective of that leg to make sure I don't suddenly do something to mess it up and make it start hurting. 

North Shore Vacation

 We took a mini vacation with Logan and his 2 friends to Lake Clara/Grand Marais/North Shore over the Long weekend Thursday- Sunday. It was quick  as always but nice to get back into the woods to do some camping, biking, Kayaking, sitting by the lake, rock painting and camping in the woods. It might have been the last trip with his friends as they all are going different directions after graduation and might all have jobs and can't just get away when we go to the North Shore. We ate good meals, camp style and had good weather most of the time. Just a little rain on Saturday during our picnic lunch and trying to Kayak up the Gunflint trail. 

Looking forward to the week ahead!

 We are headed to the North Shore this weekend. Leaving Thursday. Wish it was a longer trip, but I'll take it! The weather should be perfect too! We plan to do this on the cheap, staying for free and cooking most meals. I'd like to get one fish meal and buy some donuts too. Activities are free too just the cost of gas getting there. We hope to go again in August but will see how the weather turns out and what we want to do. 

The weather cooled off again after having high humidity for a few days. I didn't mind th

Weekend photos

e heat, but it feels good having the windows and back door open again. Plus, no rain for 10 days, maybe? I do like the grass green without having to water anything. 

I did mow yesterday, but kept the front yard higher in length just because we don't need it burning up now. 

I have a busy work day 4 houses!! I'm starting early so I finish early! Plus, I'm trying to accommodate 2 peoples schedules. It all works out and they are easy jobs, so that helps! 

After work, I need to get some supplies for the weekend. Might wait till tomorrow to get that stuff. I still need to sort through the camping stuff and get that organized, and finish washing the sleeping bags. 

I'll pack the car tomorrow night and use Logan's for work Thursday. This way, we can leave right away when I'm done working. We are taking 2 kayaks and 4 bikes. There aren't enough bikes or kayaks for everyone, but we can take turns or do other things.  

I should do some advertising today, but I'll just prep more flyers so I'm ready for next week. Plus, I want to get the camping stuff ready and have a long day of work to get through! Which I should be getting ready for now! 

Fair foods and plans a year out.

 The State Fair foods came out yesterday. None are really standouts that I must try. I did find 2 that might be a possibility of trying if I am hungry at the time of being in the place they are at. 

I know that other places right now have these Korean corn dogs, but I will wait till the fair to try them out. Probably the one item I'm excited to try. 

It rained again yesterday. We have all the tents up at the lake. I sure hope they are okay and not wet inside! Not sure how much rain they had, but we had a good amount all at once in the cities. 

We finally turned on the AC last night. Although the house still feels hot. It's going to be close to 90 this weekend, so we will leave it on while gone. Good thing we will be at the lake. Also more chance of rain/storms up there too. I hate it when it storms or rains while camping as everything gets wet, then has to dry out. We will be bringing all home too, which is a lot to pack up. We did bring a lot home, so that's a plus! 

Another busy work day, which is great. I picked up an old client last week, so that works for me! I did lose one client due to finances, but I knew months ago as yesterday was her last day. So that's a bummer but what can you do?? I'll do more advertising next week. I should do a little today, and still might do some this afternoon. I don't have anything else planned, so it might be a good idea to just do one hour. 

I was going to color my hair yesterday, but didn't really feel like it. I have to do it before this weekend! Which means tonight! 

I checked on the grass seeds I planted and it's about an inch. Of course there are still bald spots since the seeds seem to move and clump up when it rains. lost a lot of dirt where I filled in around some roots. I'll need to add more in that area and plant more grass. It's nice not having to water with all the rain. At least that's a plus for grass growing. It might not survive the heat this weekend and we aren't expecting rain here at all. I might have to water? Probably won't and will be bummed when the grass doesn't make it. Seems to grow just fine in area's I don't want it. 

I still have to tar our driveway and add rocks under the deck, plus mulch the rock wall etc out in the back yard. I won't have time or the funds to do that this week. I just hope to get it all done before summer is over at this point. 

We have plans in 2 weeks to go to a friend's cabin for the weekend. Plus, we want to go to Grand Marais for the weekend. I'd like to go next week. Thursday afternoon - Sunday. Guess we will see? 

Steve might get a big bathroom job from one of my clients. They want to do a whole re-do. Fingers crossed that all works out and is asap!! 

That's about all we are doing for the month of July. August there is the state fair, Logan goes back to college not sure if we are also making a trip out to Milwaukee. Probably since he needs all his clothes etc. It's over my birthday and Labor Day, so hard to find a camp spot, which is a bummer! Wish it was the week after, so that would not be an issue. It's his last year and only 10 more apartment payments!!! July- April. I'm sure the time will go fast and then he will graduate. 

We also will be that much closer to paying off our mortgage. Done in 2026 and I cannot wait!! Just seems to take forever, but time does pass so fast. Just keeps speeding up. 

I am turning 56 this year. Steve will be 60 next year. Wow! We are the old people now, but on the young side of that at least for a few years. 

Not sure what our plans are this fall. Probably more camping somewhere. I haven't done a whole lot of biking lately. Probably should do more of that. It's just been raining so much! About all I have planned for Sept is a colonoscopy. /Summer/fall camping - back to school 

Oct /fall camping

Nov- Logan is home from college, T-day, plus b-days, Election/Winter

Dec xmas and Logan is back for winter break, plus bdays

Jan - hopefully Biden press, 2025 new year

Feb - Celina's b-day 25

March - Logan's spring break

April - last college apartment payment/Spring

May- Logan graduates, move out of Milwaukee, camp Sauk, Steve 60/summer!!

June - Camp

July- 4th

Aug - my bday 57

Sept- 

4th weekend...

 Lots of Photo's to post. In all we had some rain, heavy rain at times, but we didn't have a full washout day. The 4th was probably the worst of the rain days since we only had dry weather in the morning and a few hours in the late afternoon/evening of drying out. In all it worked out fine. 

Not everyone was there all at once as we had some come and go different days. It worked out best this way since the boat can only take 8 people with 3 extra on the tube, which we filled or some stayed behind.