small things...

Get your streak on

Have you seen this video?

 

 

I love every second of it.  Sometimes I’m in the middle of loving it so much it makes me tear up a little. 

If you’ve looked at my 2015 Life list you’ll see that 5 of the tasks to complete are various “streaks”

23. Exercise streak

24. Meditation streak

25. Writing streak

26. Running streak

27. Some kind of ‘no Facebook’ streak

The goal here, peas and carrots, is to go for as many days in a row as possible in each.  If I stop for a day I restart the count the next time I begin.   The idea is not to set a number or a specific goal ahead of time, but to see how it all turns out in the end.  Maybe I’ll never get above 5 days in a row of exercise or writing – but maybe I’ll try again every week.  Maybe the fact that I’ve meditated every day for the last 14 days will encourage me to make sure I meditate today because I want to keep the streak alive!

I am developing the habit of streak.

The “Girls” and the girls!

#36 – Bra fitting – take care of the girls  COMPLETE!

I was beginning to think that this year was getting off to a slow start, but then Saturday I had a two-fer and I started to feel like I’M-ALREADY-KILLING-IT!   So it’s all good.

It began with a trip north-ish (Highland Park) to get my “girls” evaluated by the nice ladies at Schwartz

I knew I was part of the 64% of women who were wearing the wrong bra size.   And mostly it didn’t really bother me, but you know age and gravity and weight gain were all things to consider so this year I decided to find out just how ‘off-sized’ I was.

The first thing your bra-specialist will do is ask you to take your top off (leaving the bra on).  You’ll first be measured for your band size.  A tape measure is wrapped around your chest just below your breasts.  Depending on the measurement you’ll round up if between inches and again round up if it’s an odd size.   Next to measure for cup size the tape measure is wrapped around the fullest part of your breast.  Now the lady measuring me did not explain to me how she came up with the cup size – and I didn’t ask.  I was so stupefied by the letter(s) I was rendered speechless (let’s just say I was wearing at least 2 cup sizes smaller).  She had me try on a number of bras and after I got over the volume I realize that I could really tell the difference.  The cup did seem a little loose on me, but I was used to a bit of spill over in the bras I’d been wearing – so it seemed like it could be relatively normal.  They let me wear home my new lacy number and I marveled all day at the height of my breasts. 

As the day wore on, however, discomfort set in.  I told myself that maybe I just wasn’t used to wearing the correct size.  By the end of the night I could barely concentrate I was so uncomfortable.  It could have been that dang lace or the wire.  Or… it wasn’t actually the right size…I’ve done a bunch of research on determining bra sizing since and measured myself several times based on what I’ve found…and every time my figure comes out differently from what I was told….So while I went for a bra fitting I get to cross the task off my list, but my quest for a good bra remains on-going.

  #42 – Help someone else fulfill a goal    COMPLETE!

I have a few friends who have made their own life lists for 2015 (yay!) and Saturday night I got to get together with a couple of them to go to another one of those booze and paint nights because it fulfilled a goal for each.  We drank Prosecco and Italian Soda and got our art on.

(that’s our booze in the foreground!  and my water bottle because I’m a hydrating fool)

The “Before” shot

And the “After”.  (Corgi photobomb!)

Everybody paints a replica of the same painting yet we sign it ourselves…which now that I think about it is a little plagiarize-y.  What if I had an art show where I only showed paintings I’d made through these classes? Would the original artists bust me or have they signed away the right by letting their artwork be copied by groups of boozy ladies?  I mean I have 3 of these already…how many do I need for a show?

 

xo

erin

The 2015 Life list

It’s hard to believe this will be my third year with one of these lists!  I returned to the original format of a long, long list of fun, fun things.  I followed the same rules as I did before:

1. The thing cannot require an act of God to be accomplished.  (For example, I would like to see the Aurora Borealis, but maybe the Aurora Borealis isn’t feeling it that night. I still hope this happens, but it doesn’t go on this list.)
2. The thing cannot require the participation of another person.  (maybe I’d like to fall in love or get married or ride a tandem bike.  These item would go unchecked unless I can convince someone else that they want this same thing too)  However, I’m fully hoping people will participate in many of these 42 things.
3. I have to really want to do this thing.  Nothing goes on the list that is a ‘throw away’

This year, like last year, I got together with a group of friends to share our lists and hopes and plans for the year.  Good food and morning booze makes for an excellent start to any year.   And like last year I narrowed down on a few themes for the year to focus on:

2015

· Pushing boundaries (physical, mental, emotional)

· Getting healthy (improving fitness, ritual self-care – massage, meditation)

· Getting off-line and In-life

· Making home more and more mine

 

And then I made a list:

2015 Life list

1. Travel somewhere I’ve never been

2. Read 42 books (new book list)

3. Go to a hippy music festival

4. Really try paddleboarding

5. 12 new restaurants in 12 different towns

6. Repurpose tv room closet

7. Attend plays – specifically Book of Mormon

8. Take a trip with friends

9. Go to a spa weekend retreat

10. Take a boxing class

11. Get a massage bi-monthly

12. Take a multi-session art class

13. Try to get a community garden again. If so, grow veggies

14. Shoot a roll of film with uncle bob’s old camera

15. Go to and get in a hot spring

16. Photos in a photobooth

17. Take a train trip with a window seat and something to see

18. Gather friends to blow bubbles on the beach at the summer solstice

19. Visit a national park

20. See a water fall

21. See an art exhibit once a month

22. Do a 52 week photo project

23. Gym streak

24. Meditation streak

25. Writing streak

26. Running streak

27. Some kind of ‘no facebook’ streak

28. Hike 5 different Illinois trails

29. Attend a minor league baseball game – the Boomers!

30. Go visit some of the places I’ve found on ancestory.com where family have lived

31. Stargaze in a place where you can see all the stars and know what I’m looking at/for

32. Go to a drive-in or see a movie outside somehow

33. Submit a story to phone=in The Moth

34. Have an over-the-top garden box

35. Do part of the 127 Corridor – worlds largest yard sale!

36. Bra fitting – take care of the girls!

37. Have a ‘Mortified’ themed party

38. Have 4 parties altogether

39. Change out rug in tv room

40. Train for Apple Cider ride – at least 25 mile distance

41.  Go for the million steps in 100 days again

42. Help someone else fulfill a goal

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I’ve got a couple other goals this year that I think I don’t want to quantify b/c I think my being open to how each plays out is key.  The first has to do with weight/fitness/health – the real goal here is about how I want to feel and what my body can do – what it weighs matters the least of all, but it’s easy for me to get caught up there.  The second has to do with love – a love life specifically, but love in general.  I want more of it so I’m holding my attention on increasing love in all it’s forms.  I don’t know if I’ll write any more about these two goals at all, but in an act of sending it out into the universe or the ether,  I chose to write a small bit here.

Wish me luck this year – with all of this!  If there is anything listed above you can help out with or want to  join in on – let me know, that’s the best part. 

xoxo

erin

Calling it

I’m calling a wrap to this year’s list.  If you’ve noticed that I haven’t been writing much on here this year – I’ve noticed it too.  In 2013 when I started my first “Life list” the blog really transitioned into a way to catalog the experiences I was having as I crossed each task off the list.  It was fun and to look back on all of those adventures and experiences is really valuable to me.  My list this year was decidedly less inspired and as a result, less fun and ultimately not much to write about. 

Breaking my foot back in May impacted my ability to accomplish some of the goals (the monthly races, the plank challenge and the 1 million steps), but it also took up a lot of my focus and attention and I just lost my list-mojo.  When I learned back in October that my foot was definitely still broken (it really feels 99% better, but the crack in the bone remains) I stopped the million step march and refocused on taking care of my foot.  I also just threw in the towel on the remaining items on the list b/c I just wasn’t that excited about any of it anymore. 

But I love a list.  A good list.  2013 was transformative for me because of that list.  So I’m going back to that kind of a list.  lots and lots of tasks.  Fun and weird things to do and try.  Push some boundaries. Have some adventures. Be with friends and family who might want to help me cross off a few items.  And I’d like to document it better this year.  Dust off the camera and the keyboard. 

I’ll be finalizing my new list over this next week and will share it next week.  Again I invite you to make your own and share it with me. 

Happy New Year everyone!

xo

Erin

#12–Read 41 books

On last year’s list I set the goal to read as many books as the years I’ve been alive.  So I did that again this year.  And I’m finished early.  I listened to and read so, so many good books this year.  I kind of hate driving in my car these days if I’m not being told a story…so if I give you a ride, please be prepared to tell me a good one. 

My top picks:

Memoir: Not That Kind of Girl – Lena Dunham.  She is a funny, sweet, anxious and irreverent writer.  I loved her book.

Young Adult/fantast:  The Coldest Girl in Coldtown – Holly Black.  Another teenage vampire love story. And a good one.

Short stories: One More Thing: Stories and Other stories – BJ Novak. Strange and inventive stories.  Like none I’ve read.

Mystery: Dark Places – Gillian Flynn. Flynn is the author of Gone Girl.  I liked this mystery a bit better, kept me guessing

Fiction: This is Where I leave you – Jonathan Topper. Topper does an amazing job of showing all the complicated layers of a family by having them stuck in a house sitting shiva.  It’s funny and sad and real.

Non-Fiction: Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood & The Prison of Belief – Lawrence Wright. Scientology is fascinating! seriously. 

 

Here is the list in it’s entirety:

Books I read:

1. Allegiant - Veronica Roth (January)
2. The Interestings - Meg Wolitzer (January)
3. The True Secret of Writing - Natalie Goldberg (January)
4. Finding Ultra - Rich Roll (April)
5. The Raising - Laura Kasishke (April)
6. Agorafabulous - Sara Benincasa (April)
7. Diet Cults - Michael Fitzgerald (June)
8. One More thing: Stories and Other Stories - BJ Novak (June)
9. Fault in Our Stars  - John Green (June)
10. Still Missing - Chevy Stevens (July)
11. Mind Over Medicine - Lissa Rankin (July)
12. Bark - Lorrie Moore (July)
13. The Widows Guide to Sex and Dating - Carole Radziwill (August)
14. This is Where I Leave You - Jonathan Tropper (August)
15. Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood & The Prison of Belief- Lawrence Wright (September)
16. Swamplandia! - Karen Russell (September)
17. Department of Speculation - Jenny Offill (October)
18. Not That Kind of Girl - Lena Dunham (October)
19. We Were Liars - E. Lockhart (October)
20. Remember Me Like This - Bret Anthony Johnston (November)
21. The Magician's Land - Lev Grossman (November)
22. Yes Please - Amy Poehler (November)

Books I listened to:

1. Blackout - Lisa Unger (January)
2. Nine Inches - Tom Perrota (January)
3. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black (February)
4. Dark Places - Gillian Flynn (March)
5. The Silver Star - Jeannette Walls (March)
6. Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn (April)
7. In the Blood - Lisa Unger (April)
8. Both Ways is the Only Way I want it - Maile Melloy (May)
9. Ruby - Cynthia Bond (July)
10. Kill You Twice - Chelsea Cain (July)
11. Midnight in Austenland - Shannon Hale (August)
12. The Vacationers - Emma Staub (August)
13. The Longings of Wayward Girls - Karen Brown (September)
14. California - Edan Lepucki (September)
15. Tenth of December - George Saunders (October)
16. Lucky Us - Amy Bloom (October)
17. Heartbroken - Lisa Unger (November)
18. Where She Went - Gayle Forman (November)
19. Room - Emma Donoghue (November)

100 days

Tomorrow (9.23.14) begins the last 100 days of the year.  I still have a number of items on my list to complete yet I feel pretty good about a completed list this year (fingers crossed).  One of the items on my list has to begin tomorrow:

10. Walk 1 million steps in 100 days (10,000 x 100 = 1 million)

Breaking my foot back in May has seriously delayed the start  and completion of this goal.  I found out last week that my bone still has not healed, but I’m walking without pain and the better I wrap the foot the longer I can walk.  So I’m committed.  And, I don’t know, there is something magical or sacred about doing this walk on the actual last 100 days of the year.

With the idea of a magical and sacred 100 days I’ve decide to add two more goals to commit to for 100 days:

15. Develop a daily writing practice

16. Meditate daily (when I first wrote that I wrote “medicate” haha)

These are three things that bring me a lot of peace and joy.  And yet, somehow, I find them easy to skip altogether.  To not do them at all for weeks or months on end.  But now here I am, and there are 100 days left in the year and it feels like just the right time.

I would love some company on these last 100 days! Virtual or otherwise. 

Maybe you have something you’d like to commit to doing daily for the next 100 days?  Let me know what it is and let’s cheer each other on!

#4–Try 12 New-to-me local restaurants

COMPLETE!  That was a fun one.  With three months left to the year this list will only grow – can I double it!  We’ll see…

I left off at restaurant #6…Here are all the places that fed my belly since:

#7 – Boltwood

My friend Sara was in town from Tulsa for much of July and we’d been talking for weeks about heading out to a new restaurant once she got here so we could: 1)  spend some time together and  2) work towards crossing another item off my list!  Boltwood makes #7 on my way to 12 new restaurants this year.  Opened by some local guys including former high school classmates, Boltwood is a modern take on fresh American dishes.  They took over the space formerly occupied by another Evanston favorite Lulu’s (word is Lulu’s will be reopening!) and revamped it into a beautiful modern rustic space with seasonally-focused, fresh and delicious food.

 (source)

If you get the chance to go out to dinner with Sara – do it!  She’ll do smart things like buy a growler from your local brewer (and yet another high school classmate) at Temperance and give it to the kitchen staff at the restaurant you’re dining in.  I mean – that’s the way to treat your chef and his crew.  Much like the style of the menu at Publican (Chef Brian Huston’s last stomping grounds) the dishes are meant to be shared.  We went with the Lake Perch, the short ribs, the BLT salad and the crispy potatoes with garlic schmaltz (!).  I drank their Homemade Highball with raspberry soda.  It was all so, so good.  My favorites were the short ribs and the crispy potatoes.  That schmaltz!!! It’s something I’d like to eat daily like a meditation.  It was a really fun night.  The food was great and the company even better.

#8 – The Winchester

If you’re in the Ukranian Village hungry for breakfast – bring your belly to the Winchester.  My friend Peggy and I met there for an early brunch one Sunday morning.  This is our criteria when meeting up for breakfast: 1) since she lives on the south side and I live north of the north side we try to meet somewhere in the middle of the city 2) they gotta open early.  no 11 am brunches for us.  The Winchester fit the bill.  A clean modern space and a small simple menu focused on local/seasonal ingredients.  They don’t brew decaf so I went for the full caf – watch out world.  I had the breakfast sandwich with kale and peppers and crispy potatoes.  Peggy had the house quiche.  The sandwich was appropriately messy and delish.  I love a breakfast meet-up with my pal.

#9 – Puebla

My friend Kass and I stopped at Puebla in downtown St. Charles in August on our way to the Kane County Flea Market.  St. Charles is just far enough away and just different of a setting to feel like you’ve gone on vacation.  I’d spied Puebla on previous trips through St. Charles but had never had a reason to stop and eat.  Mexican food is my and Kassidy’s “thing” so a self-described Modern Mexican restaurant was right up our alley.  The interior is beautiful -  modern, rustic and Mexican. The menu isn’t large, but has it’s own separate category for guacamoles and now all other Mexican restaurants are doing it wrong.  We chose the Elote guacamole which had grilled corn, epazote, serrano and queso fresca added to the mix

Kass ordered the Corn Masa Quesadillas which tasted exactly like the quesadillas they used to make in Cuernavaca for lunch at the school I attended when I was 15 (did I ever tell you that story?) I had a total flashback.  I ordered the flautas – which didn’t remind me of anything, but were really fresh and delicious and lovely to behold

Our waiter moved from Portland, Oregon to St. Charles for a girl and while I think he still loves the girl he didn’t seem to love St. Charles too much.  But I do!

# 10 - Smylie Brothers

I’ve been there 3 times now. The unexpected bar-hop with my pal Sarah landed us here for the beer sampler and the pork belly poutine. WHAT? thanks, Canada.

A visit with an old friend, Molly, to talk about healthy lifestyles. Thusly, there no beer nor poutine this time.  The bbq sandwich was just so-so.

The 3rd time with my foodie friend Leah. Poutine reigns supreme.  But the rest of the food is still only- so-so.  They have pizza too.  I’ll go again and again just for the poutine.  Someone tried to tell me that it was inauthentic if you went with the fried egg on top and all I can say to that is - for shame. Why would you ever skip the egg?

#11 – Paninos

My friend Lissy travelled around the sun another year!  And she let a group of us celebrate the feat at this little Italian pizzeria in town.  I was trying to avoid eating meat that night (an unexpected viewing of animal cruelty in a documentary is the culprit) and this restaurant is a little meat-centric, but a caprese pizza came to the rescue.  As did the Patty Red – a sweet little red cocktail dreamt up by none other than our waitress Patty. 

#12 – Broadway Cellars

Last Sunday I met up with and old friend, Jessie, for Sunday breakfast.  They opened at 10am and we were there at 9:59.  The coffee was still brewing, but we were happy to take a seat out in the sun in the meantime.  It’s almost officially fall and the weather has been lovely.  The sun is still warm though the air is cool and it’s just perfect for a big cozy sweater  breakfast.  I’m still struggling with flashbacks from that movie!  So I couldn’t get myself to order any bacon .  Usually bacon is the deciding factor in my breakfast choice.  As in “Does it have bacon? Then yes, please.” sigh.  Am I becoming a reluctant vegetarian?  Not quite – I ate eggs.  I had a standard eggs, potatoes and toast brekkie.  Hit the spot.

Restaurants 1-6:

1. Zapatista
2. Big Jones
3. Parsons Chicken and Fish
4. Flying Saucer
5. Hofbrauhaus
6. Haymarket Pub & Brewery

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What I learned from this challenge

It turned out that the trying-of-new-places wasn’t much of a challenge!  I’m drawn to the process of researching new or new-to-me restaurants and that turns out to be half of the enjoyment I get out of the experience.  Finding willing compatriots was easy – because I have friends who like to meet up and eat.

What I might do differently next year (of course there will be another list next year)

Try to eat at a restaurant in as many different towns or Chicago neighborhoods as possible.  Discover more than just a new place to eat, find a whole new heartbeat.

What I’ll do for the rest of the year

Keep finding new spots!  Maybe revisit a couple of the places I’ve been to and learn their menu a bit better. 

Any recommendations??

I’m a book lovah

More than halfway through the year and just reached the halfway point of the book goal.  I needs to get my nose in a book.  Here is the quick-and-dirty round up, plus mini-review of what I’ve read so far:

Books I read:

1. Allegiant - Veronica Roth (January)

 

Sort of confusing and surprising ending to post-apocolyptic series.

    2. The Interestings - Meg Wolitzer (January)

 

The title promised things the story did not deliver

     3. The True Secret of Writing - Natalie Goldberg (January)

 

The secret is if you want to write you should be writing

   4. Finding Ultra - Rich Roll (April)

middle-aged man becomes ultramarathoning vegan

    5. The Raising - Laura Kasishke (April)

A girl dies or does she?  Sororities are sinister is also what you need to know.

    6. Agorafabulous - Sara Benincasa (April)

Funny memoir about severe anxiety.  Yes, funny-ha-ha

    7. Diet Cults - Michael Fitzgerald (June)

Do you adhere a specific way of eating? You’re in a cult!

    8. One More thing: Stories and Other Stories - BJ Novak (June)

Novak’s stories are strange and unlike most anything you’ve ever probably read

    9. Fault in Our Stars  - John Green (June)

  All the sad feelings you might expect in a story about teens with cancer.

    10. Still Missing - Chevy Stevens (July)

A woman is abducted and escapes and tells her story in first person to a therapist and it’s like the worst story I’ve ever read all the way through, but I wanted to know the ending BUT that doesn’t mean it was any good. stunk.

    11. Mind over Medicine – Lissa Rankin (July)

A doctor does the research to show that we can heal ourselves. Helped with the miraculous healing of an epic bruise.  not so much the broken bone

    12. Bark - Lorrie Moore (July)

Lorrie Moore is a masterful teller of short stories.

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Next time: books I’ve listened to while driving to and fro

Halfway-point list Recap

Wow. It’s July. 

I’m still chipping away at this year’s list.  It’s had a different feel this time.  I didn’t put as many tasks on the list this year and frankly – I miss having really specific goals to achieve.  Maybe I’ll add a few, or swap a few…

In any case – I’m still crossing items off the list.   Here is the update:

(You can read the last recap here)

#4 Try 12 new-to-me local restaurants.  I’ve tried 6 new restaurants so I’m right on track.  I’ve been to 4 since March

• Parsons Chicken and Fish. My bestie Leah and I headed to Logan Square for what I think was a belated birthday (mine) dinner.  We’d tried to eat here once before when it first opened, but weren’t interested in the 2 hour wait.  This time we got right in.  I had the 2 piece fried amish chicken and we shared hush puppies and baked beans and a negroni slushie (not shared.  I mean, come on).  You sit family style so you’re a little smushed in with your neighbors.  Hush puppies were the best part.  The chicken was a little dry.  Fish next time
• Flying Saucer. Met my friends Kristy and Sarah here for breakfast back in April.  I’d read the yelp reviews that mentioned some kind of surly-hipster atmosphere – and all I can say is..yeah, kind of.  it’s a tiny place and it was empty when Sarah and I got there, but they wouldn’t sit us until our “whole party” arrived.  I can see how sometimes that could be an issue cuz it’s small and all.  But….it was empty. and nobody came while we were waiting at the bar.  They were seriously disinterested in a perpetual I’m-over-everything-kind of way.  The food was good, though.  I think I got the huevos volando and it was delish.  Seriously, I need to write these up closer to when I ate there.  Because maybe I just want the huevos volando now.  I don’t remember what I ate.
• Hofbrauhaus.  Moments before meeting my friends (Simona, Kristy and Peggy) at Hofbrauhaus I broke my foot.  That is what I remember most about eating at Hofbrauhaus.  Did I eat anything?  who  knows. They did have some fine German music and ladies dressed in those busty German dresses.  I should prolly go back.  Maybe I had some schnitzel?  I did have a broken foot that’s for sure.  Found that out on my trip to the ER an hour later.
• Haymarket Pub & Brewery.  Okay, now we’ve reached a restaurant I remember eating at!  My friends Brenda and Shannon and I grabbed a bite and a beer before attending The Moth event that night.  I had the Grilled Salmon BLT (YUM) and an Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils.  This particular neighborhood is filled with amazing restaurants and I’m not sure Haymarket is even among it’s best, but it was dang good.
• okay – a promise for the next set of restaurants:  I’ll take some notes, maybe some photos. 

#5 … attend a The Moth-like storytelling event – wrote about it here.  Now to work on a story to submit…

#6 Take a trip (even just for the day) at least 4 separate times:  added a trip to Maine!  You can read about that here and here.  Two trips to go!

#9 – Make 41 beautiful things: I’m only up to 9!  Which means I’m about 12 beautiful things behind! But here they are:

              

(the beauty of my medicine cabinet is questionable.  eye of the beholder?)

#12. Read 41 books.  I’ve read 17 books so far.  Which means I’m about 4 books behind.  I blame Orange is the New Black.  And also American Ninja Warrior.  And then there is the napping. 

#14. Grow a big luscious garden.  I’ve stuck with my back stairwell this year to grow this garden, but I’m loving it.  I wrote a little about it here.  I’ll update it later this summer

#15. Meditate Daily for 60 days.  Wrote out about it here.  I’m a little out of step right now.  These last few weeks have been a doozy and the meditation would have been so helpful.  Starting up the next streak now!

#17. Go see two out of the following three: mountain. ocean, desert.   I’ve been to all 3 this year already!  The mountains and desert on my trip to New Mexico.  And the ocean on my trip to Maine.  That is something to celebrate.  Maybe I should add waterfall to the list to just keep it going….?  Or like a frozen tundra?  maybe a meadow would do.  Suggestions?

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What’s up next?

• Trip #3!

A wedding in Maine Continued

The Day Before the wedding

I woke in Portsmouth to the news that my grandfather had passed away overnight.  (I wrote about that here).  I still needed to get myself to Maine that morning and I wanted to get there by noon so I could make the bridal lunch I had helped plan!  Obviously no longer able to help host the thing I still wanted to be there.  My head and heart were flooded with adrenaline, grief, excitement and a general feeling of “where-the-hell-am-I-and-what-am-doing??”  But I made it to the continental breakfast and had one of those make-it-yourself-pancakes that are equal parts disgusting and comforting.  When the front desk lady went in back and found a banana for me I nearly cried.  why? cuz I just wanted a banana, okay?

I hit the road by about 8am with 4 hours to go.  As soon as I pulled on the highway I saw a bunch of confused tiny baby ducklings running between lanes with no mama in sight.  It was too much.  Unable to decide if I should pull over and help them I broke out into sobs.  Heaving, fat teared, moaning sobs.  I kept at it for a good 5 minutes, finally laughing at how crazy I probably looked sobbing in my rental car and speeding along the highway.  Keep your eyes on the road folks – you never saw a girl lose her shit before?

Look a moose!

and then I felt better.

Four hours later I pulled up to the site where all the wedding festivities were to take place – The Lookout Inn

(source)  Yep – I just completed #17 - Go see two out of the following three: mountain, ocean, desert.  I’ve actually seen all three this year!

The lunch was well underway but my sister and the women in her life welcomed me with hugs, laughter and good food and then ushered my crazy-ass-tired self up to my room for a nap. 

The Lookout is a really beautiful spot.  Many of the guests were staying in either the inn or one of the cabins on the property.  It felt like camp! (I think…I’ve never been to camp)

 

As evening approached we each slowly wandered down by the water for a Lobster Boil!  Yay, Maine! The air was cool and the flies were pestering us, but the food and company were great.  I had my wits about me now and was starting to get into this whole wedding in Maine beeswax!

Just before dinner was served I learned my bag had arrived at Bangor International Airport! woo hoo!  I would have to go get it b/c they couldn’t guarantee me that it would arrive before the wedding, but I didn’t care – I could change my clothes finally!

A few of us headed up to the bar at the Inn where the fun and quirky staff made us any drinks we requested.  I think we would have been happy to settle down for the evening hanging out here, but soon texts reading “bonfire on the beach!” and “get down here!” were coming in – so with drinks-to-go we headed down to the beach.

 

The Wedding Day

I made the quick 2 hour round trip to grab my bag with one of my *DP’s – Dan (of “happy place” Michigan fame).  After returning I showered! and put on clean clothes! Then went down to my sister’s cabin to hang out with the bride for a bit while she and her hubby-to-be took care of last minute details for the wedding.  Our hanging out mostly consisted of her making me a sandwich (so nice of the bride!) and then running down the hill to deal with some immediate wedding need.  I tried to help out by doing the dishes before I headed up to start getting ready myself.  Okay, I realize now that doing the dishes – not the most important task on the day of the wedding -  but it was something!

By 3 o’ clock the family gathered together for photos.  4 o’clock cocktails were drunk and by 5:30/6pm the ceremony began.

I’ve opted against a moment-by-moment recap of this wedding in favor of the photos.  They will tell the story.  What I will say is that this was maybe the happiest wedding I’ve ever been to.  The bride and groom were happy, the families were happy, the friends were happy.  It was a great, great day.

Enjoy.

 

  

 

Let’s do it again every year!

xoxo, Erin

 

 

 

 

*DP = Designated Parent