Things I Forgot

Well, I did it.....I made the trip back to Minnesota, back home. I hadn't been back there in 3.5 years and I was anxious (both good and bad) to do it....but I am so glad I did.

Here's something I forgot about Minneapolis:

Metered entrances to freeways (the good, the bad and the ugly):


How much I loved Cub Foods! It smells different than Kroger and the memories came pouring back when I walked in!

In my old neighborhood - Bill's Superette! It was a staple in my childhood - MANY a bike ride to Bill's to get candy!

Well here's something that I DIDN'T forget - the reason for my visit! Here's Renee, the beautiful bride!!

And then there's that lull in between the ceremony and the reception.......here's Karen and I partaking of Chili's margaritas! 2-for-1, baby! (PS - I love that the T/C neon light is between our heads - Twin Cities!)

Another thing that I revisited on my trip to Minnesota was Angeno's Pizza in Maple Grove - a staple of my junior high/high school days. My Mom and I would go there sometimes on our way home from my piano lessons. And we ALWAYS got the same thing. Some things never change. :)


It has even won awards!

Oh, Angeno's, how I have missed you!

It was exactly how I remembered it!

And here's my date for the evening: my oldest friend (in tenure) - Carie! It was so fantastic to see her and spend time with her while I was in town. It was just like old times. I forgot how important it is to have friends that remember the 'good ol' days' and knew your relatives that have since gone to Heaven.

And here's what I always get/got: large, thin crust, 1/2 sausage, 1/2 pepperoni. YUM!

I think the most emotional part of the whole trip was a 'quick stop by the old apartment.' Or at least that is what I thought it was going to be. After hanging out with Carie in the north metro, I headed south to Allison's in Apple Valley. On my way, I thought I would drop by my old apartment - the last place I lived before moving to Ohio with Paul in early 2004.

Here it is: (my bedroom window was the window above the orange garage light)

I thought it was just going to be nostalgic and then I would jump on 35W again - down to Allison's. However, I was struck by a ton of emotions - both good and bad when I actually saw the place where so much happened.

In that apartment: I lived with Lindsay and we became great friends, I got engaged, I got the news that my Dad had died suddenly, I grieved my Dad's death, and I got married. WOW - those are a BUNCH of life-changing things that happened in these humble walls. I just sat it the parking lot in my car, staring up at my old bedroom window for about a half hour - frozen. All of the memories came flooding back and I was overwhelmed with them........Such a happy time, and such a devastating time - all rolled up into 2 years inside that one apartment. Crazy.

This is the clubhouse - I had my bridal shower in there (2003).

And of course, I also had to stop by my old house that I grew up in! Here it is!

Good 'ol 9100 - so many great memories in that house. I spent my entire 18 years of childhood in this house, until I left for college.

Very bizarre to be there.........

And this tree in back of the mailbox - my Mom told me that my Dad and my sister planted that tree while my Mom was 9 months pregnant with me. She watched from the kitchen window as they planted it (Kristi was 2 years old when I was born). So neat!

Some things look different, but most things are still the same. I know it's irrational, but I don't like that other people live in OUR house!