(no subject)
Considering I said I wanted to be better at updating my LJ, I'm certainly doing a piss poor job of it, aren't I?
In general, not much has happened to me as of late. I'm still trying to find a job, but a mix of no call backs and unfortunate laziness (probably combined with more crippling self doubt than I'd rather pretend didn't exist) means that it's already after July 4th and as of yet, no job.
On the happier side, I was able to go up to our family's cabin over the holiday weekend and had an absolute ball. I went up with my parents on Friday, getting a rare opportunity to see what it's like without my sister there. A little weird, but otherwise well. The following morning Jamie arrived with her friends Jackie, Nick (married), and Yukari. I know all of them via a few jaunts up to Jamie's, so nothing awkward to deal with. We relaxed for a bit before driving over to Hillman's for few supplies (it's the north woods version of a gas station; it really only has the absolute essentials) before returning to play a few rounds of Egyptian Rat Screw. I'd learned it years ago but couldn't remember how to play; thankfully it only took a few rounds of observation to get back in the swing of things. In the early evening Jamie and I got a fire in the fire pit going and had it ready at just the right time: the brats were finished being cooked in beer!
For dinner we had a few guests, Mr. & Mrs. Schneider and their son Kevin and his wife Leah. The Schneiders have been going up to their cabin (they call theirs a "cottage) almost as long as our family has (35 years this summer) and we grew up with their children, Heather (33), Beth (31), and Kevin (30) during the summer time. I haven't seen Kevin in years and years, so it was great to catch up. Plus, his wife turned out to be awesome, so yay! This is especially essential because unless they get a summer place of their own (possible, considering that their cabin is smaller than ours and there are three children) we'll be summer neighbors for years to come. After the brats and the beans and the salad we had another summer essential: s'mores (oh yeah, AND strawberry shortcake)! The evening found us star gazing on the dock (two shooting stars, hurray!) and it was beautiful!
On Saturday we headed over to the UP of Michigan, to Black River Harbor Beach. They sky was absolutely clear, the Lake Superior absurdly calm...so much so that it was rather difficult to tell the horizon from the sky. It was absolutely breathtaking! We spent a few hours combing the beach for rocks, lounging around (more people there than I've ever seen before, but considering the holiday weekend, I'm not surprised), reading, etc. We finally left at around 3:30 and heading over to the lift and sky fly jump at Copper Peak, where Jamie, Jackie, and Nick actually had the balls to climb all the way to the top (Yukari and I stuck it out where the elevator let us off). The view was magnificent! Before heading back down we goofed around trying to take different sorts of jumping pictures...definitely not acting our age.
Back at the cabin we all pitched in to help with supper (spaghetti) then headed down to Louie's Landing for the fireworks.
WHICH WERE FANTASTIC!
We were all quite stunned at how good they were. We figured we'd be there for ten, maybe fifteen minutes, and it'd be a sad little sputter that we would have a good chuckle over. In fact, they were quite well done, as well as anything I've seen here in town, but also almost stupidly close. Close enough to add a little bit of apprehension at the bigger explosions. It did go on for a little longer than was really necessary and for whatever reason kind of sputtered to a close, but as an overall performance it was quite something! Upon returning to the cabin we let off our own fireworks (mostly fountains) and then did a bit more star gazing before going to bed. Sadly, Jackie & Nick headed back the following day, and mom, dad, Jamie, Yukari, and I headed into town, where we hit the flea market. Yukari ended up picking up some things for her apartment and I managed to nab an old brass key, but other than a quick spin downtown (to grab lunch and stop by Trembley's), we didn't actually do much. We had a relaxing last night and then it was OUR (me, Yukari, and Jamie) turn to be up early and on our way home. We left just after 6:00 and made it to Jamie's just before 2:00. Jon was great and came up to retrieve me so that I didn't have to pay the bus fare home and thanks to a stop at Mitsuwa, I had my own person nabe for dinner! :D
So, yeah. There's that. And other stuff that has happened. And other stuff that hasn't happened. Life is like that.