25 January 2007
Rob and I went to Stillwater yesterday. Stillwater is right on the western eastern edge of Minnesota, known for its antique and book shops. It's entirely lovely in the summer, except for the hordes of tourists; we decided to brave the cold yesterday and were treated to nearly empty shops and streets. I had thought it might be a fun little trip (it's about thirty miles from my house), but it was even more enjoyable that I had planned. We had tasty omelettes and coffee at the Main Cafe and then hit the shops, where I found the following:
A vintage birthday card -- the pansies are flocked! A pretty little hankie, which I wish I had yardage of. All the fabric designers just seem to find old patterns and create knock offs, so who's to say I can't? I call dibs on this pattern! And lastly, a little Jadeite-looking dish. The grand total was $7, and you can't argue with that. I'm looking forward to taking a solo trip out there some day, so I can spend as long as I can stand pawing through pristinely ironed handkerchiefs and old glassware. (In the foreground of that photo is my new Maiden Hair fern -- I love it!)
And now, since Gemma tagged me, the six weird things meme:
1. I like to have only one sweet treat in the house at a time (one packet of biscuits, one tub of ice cream, etc). If there's a choice to be made, I become paralyzed by the options and can't decide. I've had to throw out a lot of the open house leftovers, because it's just not worth it (and they were going stale more quickly than Rob could eat them).
2. I tend to count steps, sometimes without noticing. There are 14 stairs up from my basement. Each block in my neighbourhood is roughly 105 steps long.
3. I have very vivid memories linked with my various senses. If I'm listening to something (music or a movie, etc), I can often remember exactly what I was doing the next time I hear it -- other way around, too. If I'm hand stitching a project while I listen to the TV, I'll remember what the characters were saying the next time I work on the project. Scent and taste also take me right back. Smelling hyacinths doesn't just remind me of my freshman year of college; it makes me feel like I'm there again.
4. I've always been good at memorizing things, and I sort of rely on it. I like to 'store' the complete route in my mind before setting out in the car. I'm not very good at sight reading music for piano; I have to more or less memorize the music before I can play a piece all the way through.
5. I have a bad habit of trying to over think things before I say them. If I want to make a point, I try to think of everything the other person could say in response and then preempt those responses. The result can be a very fractured (but rambling) statement. It annoys me, and I'm sure it must be annoying to others, but it's just how my brain works.
6. I am in the 4% (I think that's the figure) of Americans who don't go to McDonald's even once a year. I haven't stepped foot in a McDonald's in at least three or four years. In fact, I think the only time I've been in a fast food restaurant in recent memory was to get ice cream a few months ago.
That was difficult! And I consider myself to be fairly weird -- maybe that's the problem: I kept thinking of things and then deciding, 'Nah, that's not so weird.' Maybe my idea of normal is so bizarre that I can't fairly judge!
Stillwater sounds just like my type of place. How lucky you are to have it close by.
Your house looks lovely, such a transformation in such a little time.
And speaking of choice, how did you manage with all those beautiful cakes, I would have needed to 'test' each one in turn.
well done you.
Lesley
posted by Lesley at January 25, 2007 04:25 PM
Great finds! btw, the only time I've been in McDonald's in the last year was to use their rest room!
posted by heidi at January 25, 2007 05:26 PM
Thanks for finding the time Anna. I'm not sure I would if I had places like that to visit!
I do the step counting thing too!
posted by Gemma at January 25, 2007 06:20 PM
# 5 sounds just like your grandfather Mische!!
posted by grama at January 25, 2007 07:23 PM
It all sounds pretty healthy to me!
posted by Karen at January 25, 2007 09:23 PM
I love Stillwater, and Hudson, across the St. Croix. That would be a dream day to me. I'd like to go to that little quilt shop in Hudson then come over to that big antiques place in Stillwater, the Mill or something like that. Perfect Day.
posted by pam at January 25, 2007 10:35 PM
I'm not American, otherwise I'd be in the 4% too - I haven't been into or had anything from McDonalds for the last 10 years or so (all of my high school + uni years!)
posted by Emma at January 26, 2007 09:36 AM
I wish I was in the 4% that haven't been in McDonalds in the last year. We have two kids and McD is right near our house, so anytime I'm ill - that's where they go - maybe 3x a year? I wish we had a choice of just anything else. Luckily the kids are growing up now and last time they were offered the option they preferred to get something else. There's hope!
posted by Ash at January 26, 2007 11:58 AM
I'm with you on the McDonalds thing! Isn't Stillwater on the eastern edge of MN?
posted by Jodi at January 26, 2007 01:53 PM
Jodi -- Yes, of course it's on the eastern edge. I always say east when I mean west and left when I mean right. I *know* which direction I mean; the names just don't stick for some reason. I should have listed that as one of my weird things.
posted by Anna at January 26, 2007 07:30 PM
Great finds, I love that bowl the most, such a colour.
I love that you don't go to McD's either. The only time I go is if I've had painful dental work done when I want their cheapo fries cause you just squash them with your tongue and swallow. It doesn't matter that your mouth is numb. Only done it twice in 5 years.
posted by cally at January 28, 2007 08:33 PM