catching up

Age 4. (Click for larger views.)

Age 1.

Boy, I'm way behind in blogging! It's been an amazing, fun, busy, crazy month. I'm so grateful I'm healthy enough to enjoy it all.

First, I went to Laura's surprise 40th birthday weekend in New Jersey. She had absolutely no idea I was coming. After a well-orchestrated plan by her husband, which included him picking me up at Newark while he was supposedly out "buying fertilizer", me being left on a street corner and then picked up by her mom, gathering her friends together, and then walking into her house unannounced - she was so shocked and happy! After drinks and appetizers in the kitchen, we took her to a Mexican restaurant, leaving two of the husbands home with the kids. It was a lot of fun.

I got to spend time with her amazing daughters: the Annabel, who is always my little buddy the whole time I visit, and Kendall, who I had never met and loved immediately. My favorite moments with Annabel were her dancing for me in the living room, falling asleep on my lap, and begging her mother to let her live with me in Michigan. My favorite moments with Kendall were snuggling with her in my guest bed while she smiled up at me, taking her photo outside, and her saying "BUH-bye" every time we left a room.

Two weeks after that trip, I was off to Vermont for Sarah's bachelorette weekend. More on that tomorrow!

harsen's island

Some of my favorite photos from the weekend (click for larger views):

Tamara:

Jim:

Marian:

The nooks & crannies of the Bruton's cottage:

oh l'amour

Erasure!!!!!! (click for larger views):








Last night I got to see my all-time favorite group, Erasure, at the Detroit Musical Hall. I was beside myself with glee - five rows back, right in the center. Most of the audience consisted of people in their 30's and 40's, normal-looking fans who grew up in the 80's and had to work in the morning. As always, Erasure was AWESOME, and the audience's energy and happiness was infectious. The two hours they spent on stage flew by, and if they would have kept going, I would have stayed there all night. I've been on a high all week, first anticipating their concert, then thinking about all the fun I had and how much I love them.

I've been a longtime, huge fan of Erasure, and first got to see them in 1997 at Radio City when I lived in New York City. Then I saw them in March 2003 in Pontiac, Michigan at Clutch Cargo's. As I was watching the show, I realized that the last time I saw them I was dating someone, hadn't caught Lyme disease yet, and still worked in my old department here. Things have completely changed in those four years. I wonder what my life will be like the next time I see them.

I'm just so happy that I spent my teenage years in the 80's!