spryng | Saturday, September 22, 2012 DITL (Reply)

Not pictured: Midnight. Following unknown roads in the dark and the wind and the rain in an unfamiliar city at an unfamiliar time because an eastbound exit simply doesn't exist for our hotel. Stumbling drunk with exhaustion into the hotel room. Peeling off my dress and my jacket and another jacket. Staring at the "1" followed by the "2" uncomprehending. Barely making it to the bed before unconsciousness.

Not setting an alarm.

There's light creeping in through the thick hotel room curtains, so I ascertain (correctly) that it is well past time to drag myself out of bed. It is difficult and I have a pretty nasty headache, but I take a moment to whisper "good morning, wife" to my very un-awake Lady.

I tame my hair and wash up as best as I can, getting enough soap in my eyes to make me look like a proper druggie, and put on clothing.

Nothing I try is getting her up, so I threaten to leave to forage for coffee without her.

Ah! That works... err... sort of.

While she's getting dressed, I write out directions to a friend's, whom we're meeting in just under an hour for pre-brunch breakfast. She can't make it to the brunch itself and I haven't seen her in eons, so we aim to hit her up beforehand.

But first, we leave the hotel for coffee.

Very nice pastry display! Not for us, though. Just the coffee, please.

Thank you.

Leaving the hotel room for a second time doesn't see us much more awake.

Have to drop by Target first for a few things.

I spot these and make the terrible decision to buy them and try them. See, I love candy corn. But these?

These are an abomination.

On our way to visit friend, we spot a 5k and get a bit jealous - it's a beautiful day for a 5k!

Yeah, friend! Made it in time! She is sampling a tea called "Minnesota Nice."

Pictured: the most delicious french toast EVER. Not pictured: Third cup of coffee.

Aside from knowing each other since forever, my friend and I also share matching wedding rings. Not entirely on purpose, except for the part where I totally copied her ring idea because I fell for it when I first saw it and then could never find anything I liked equally, let alone better. This is the first time the two rings had been in the same room together, though, so we had to get a commemorative picture.

As we're leaving to head off to brunch, there's this amazing tree in the neighbor's yard and well, see...

Directions to the brunch place, which also happens to be a pizza place.

Even though we're ten minutes early, most of friends and family are already there. It's so nice to see most of the people who were at the wedding again this morning, when we're both not as running around, although instead we're both a bit dead.

The flowers were salvaged from the wedding.

Friends being friends. :P

Not pictured: the fourth, fifth, & sixth cups of coffee.

The most delicious breakfast ever (well, second to the french toast earlier). Huevos rancheros with quinoa on a bed of spinach.

Lady and Ana canoodling in the background for the benefit of the camera, even though I was really photo-ing the flowers. ;)

We wrap up and people part ways and we head straight back to the hotel to pass out because six cups of coffee have done nothing.

...hello?

But first! I must look on FB for photos - they've been trickling in since the evening before and I am hungry for PHOTOS. Nothing yet, so I finally take a shower.

It is the best shower ever.

Both feeling more like humans - and maybe that coffee is finally working after all - we decide to put off nap for a few more minutes to open presents and cards.

It took entirely too long for us to figure this one out. ;)

And cards!

Okay, now nap. And this time I remember the alarm.

Wake. Remember that sometimes when coffee fails, tea prevails.

But this headache I've had all day won't leave me alone. :<

Eat the rest of brunch.

Eat a cupcake, too. These survived the wedding only because we forgot them in the hotel microwave. Whoops. :]

Check internet again and PHOTOS YEAH!

I also get directions to the improv place we're meeting a few friends later that evening. And decide to do something about my hair.

Contemplate leaving it like that.

Lady surprises me while I'm still messing with my hair.

Then she writes out a card before we head out.

IT'S SO GORGEOUS HERE. The trees are changing and the air is crisp and the moon is bright and happy. Almost makes me want to move to Minnesota.
...If it weren't for the winter.

We stop by a lake to enjoy the fall plumage. Obligatory shadow photo is obligatory.

Lady discovers I-have-no-idea-what. Some sort of art exhibit / outdoor exercise machines. There's even an elliptical. I don't even.

After the park, we head towards downtown.

Ana is thoroughly terrified by the idea of candy corn oreos, which we have pulled free from the dark depths of the car.

But she tries one anyway. (And doesn't perish! [...immediately!])

Our friends said to meet them at the "huge theater." Didn't realize that was actually the name!

What's showing tonight - and what we watch. Didn't think we'd make it until the late show, but everything was just so funny that it was all over before we knew it.