really must get to bed

It's very very late, or very very early if you want to look at it that way. I should be tucked into bed next to my sweet, soundly asleep, husband, but instead I am up watching What About Bob on mute and catching up on my blogging and emailing. Since insomnia (did I accidentally have coffee today?) seems to have taken a hold of me pretty firmly, at least for now, I've decided that there is no time like the present to get caught up with you all (hence this fourth blog post in one evening, after weeks of nothing).

Kevin and I celebrated Halloween with a trip up North to Grand Marais, MN with two other couples (Matt and Emily, and Mike and Clare). The six of us decided we could think of nothing more fun than to rent a minivan (just prepping for our inevitable futures), don funny costumes, and spend six hours talking, listening to Mike's brilliant musical mixes, and dodging suicidal/murderous deer on the six-hour drive to the lovely cabin we rented - and we were right!

The cabin sits about 12 miles away from Grand Marais, right on Pike Lake, and it turned out to be a great spot for our quick weekend away: plenty of stunning views, a mini-trek on the edge of Lake Superior, lots of wine imbibed, various rousing card games, dinner at Chez Jude, smoked fish, talking, laughing, one truly incredible sunset, and all the requisite jumping shots.

One funny thing from the weekend - we found a breakfast place called "South of the Border Cafe" and a few of us were expecting Mexican food, only to remember that in Northern MN you are south of the good old Canadian border. A bit of a geographical mind-shift and then we (well, not me, I had french toast and eggs) enjoyed some smoked herring a la Scandinavian for breakfast.

Six hours each way is a bit long for just a weekend, so next time I would like to have a couple more days to explore and perhaps make a day-trip out to the Boundary Waters. Minnesota boasts a breathtaking, ruggedly beautiful, landscape and Kevin and I are revved up to start exploring more of it.
Some (okay, lots of) pictures for you to enjoy and to, perhaps, entice you to come visit us and experience our Midwest splendor.

 

*All pictures taken by Matt and me.

P.S. - Kevin, I know you are probably peeing your pants with excitement over the fact that I not only recently watched Groundhog Day with you, and enjoyed it, but that I am also watching What About Bob (although not paying enough attention to decide whether or not I like it) - so I just want to let you know that this does not mean that you will be able to convince me to watch Fletch any time soon. You've filled your "get Tammy to watch my favorite bad movies" quota for this year...try again in 2009!