I was a girlfriend too...

Last week I sent Bluejay this postcard from Palm Springs, Ca. I like to plan fun little things to cope with the long two week absence. I kept asking Bluejay if he had checked the mail for something fun from me, and day after day passed without it's arrival. I returned home early EARLY yesterday morning after a red-eye flight from Los Angeles. That afternoon, Bluejay got the mail. There was a plain white envelope with a return address that read "personal message". Written on the front were the swirly, curly letters that are easily identified as what I like to call "Grandmother cursive". My Grandma has the most beautiful penmanship. I look forward to Christmas and Birthday cards from her so I can read the swoop and swirl of each carefully penned word. This card, however, was not in my Grandma's writing. As Bluejay opened the envelope addressed to him, the postcard I had written fell into his hands along with a handwritten note in "Grandmother cursive" on a lilac floral piece of paper. The note read:

Brian,

I found this card in my mail of yesterday on today. Obviously an accident of our pony express post office! So I'm sending it to you so she doesn't get in trouble with you. I hope you don't mind my reading it - I was a girlfriend too - I'm 84. My house is far from you.

Take care, Irene

I don't know who Irene is, but she made our day. What was once a simple post card to my love from Palm Springs, is now an adorable memory from a sweet old lady. Both the post card and Irene's note are now on our fridge behind a red "you are loved" magnet to remind me that even after a couple years of marriage, in my heart I am still, and will always be Bluejay's girlfriend! 

Palm Springs, Ca

Permission & Forgiveness

It is beyond pretty here! From every window of my parents home, I see rolling green hills, snowy mountains, row after row of palm trees. It will definitely be difficult to board a plane home next week knowing the destination will be brown and sloshy from melting snow. So I've decided to make every moment here in the sunshine count! 

Views like these are just so lovely! This is down the street from my parents. I couldn't quite find the right location to catch a good view. Then I saw a picturesque spot between two houses. After taking the above photos, a man walked out to the cul du sac and in a concerned voice, inquired of what I was taking photos. I told him I was from out of town and we don't have snowy mountains in Mn. He was not satisfied with that answer. He proceeded to tell me he was a Federal Agent and that there were probably people in this world who wanted him dead! An intense awkward feeling flooded over me as he asked to see the photos I has taken. Once convinced I was just  a silly little photographer from the Midwest, he told me about a couple neat locations to take photos of the mountains, and walked away. I took the little walk of shame down the street with my cheeks flaming red from embarrassment. When I called Bluejay he told me that he always knew my philosophy of "it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission" would get me in trouble. I feel like I'm now on some Nation-wide list of people to "watch"!