Personality Test

Hi all - I know I've been a bit silent lately, but I was in China for two weeks of work.  I wasn't able to post for several reasons - the first being that I was busy and tired by bed time.  The second being that google and facebook are blocked by the government unless you have a VPN connection.  There will be more details on China in future post(s).

I haven't had time to compile everything, so in the meantime here is an interesting Japanese personality test.  I don't want to put any preconceived notions in your head, so I'll give a few more details in the comments.  But take the test before you look at the comments!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTKqvpHfwgQ

Hopefully your 4th of July plans are taking shape and looking good.  I know mine are!

Domestication

My mom probably thought it would never happen, but I think I've become at least 15% domesticated.  Here is an example.  This is what my guest bedroom used to look like for several years:

Functional. You've gotta love the desk lamp I got for a high school graduation present.

This is actually an upgrade from what it was originally.  Until about five years ago there wasn't a nice sunset painting, and I added the rugs maybe two years ago.  I call my decoration scheme "spartan".

In the past month, I have purchased an end table, a lamp, and had a couple more paintings framed and hung so it now looks like this:

Ahhhh.....kind of relaxing, huh?

OK, OK.  I admit it.  The awesome desk lamp is still in the room.  TJ Maxx only had one end table that size and when I checked again on Sunday the smaller table that matched it was gone.

Tropical meets college dorm spartan.

It's almost inviting I think.  As long as you don't look at the other wall.

I've thought about putting up a curtain or maybe some bi-fold doors on the closet, but I just can't decide and kind of like the "open" look.  If you have any super great ideas on what to do about the closet, let me know.  Well, any great ideas other than moving the tools to the basement or the garage.  ;-)

It is a guest room, so feel free to come and visit and utilize it!

Normal Weekend

This past weekend was exciting mostly because I stayed home and did "regular" stuff like going to yoga class, replacing my rusted out mailbox, and transplanting some plants that accidentally got left underneath the deck and were growing through the deck boards.

Pre-transplant.

On Sunday I went to a couple graduation lunches for two robotics kids.  The evening involved my first paddle of the season.  Woo-hoo!

That is all.  Except for these pictures I took while kayaking.

The first paddle requires an obligatory selfie.

Large goose family.  Probably Catholic.

Look, a tree branch crossing the river.....with the help of a muskrat!  There were several muskrat sightings in fact.

Speaking of muskrats, that reminds me of a song....

Momma duck with two babies.

Have a lovely week!

Preparing Dagmar

The long memorial day weekend was memorable.  I flew to the western part of ND and drove to the eastern side of MT to hang out with Ananias at preps for a few days.  It was quite enjoyable.  I did a little bit of work, and we had some fun goofing around during our "free" time.  Some of these bullets may be a lot of inside jokes, but that's what happens when you go to see your sister.

1. Here at Dagmar........we're serious about our oral hygiene.
2. Preps is a great lesson in succession planning
3. Ananias was fully equiped with a yoga mat and a travel foam roller.  It's almost like we have the same problems.  Cousin Gary says you don't just lick it off the rocks.
4. When someone else is hogging the foam roller, using your metal thermos is an acceptable alternative.
5. Because I care.....that's why I'm making you feel terrible about yourself.
6. Suicidal pheasants - there were lots of these on the road!  I was super excited to see them, but I suppose if I lived there it would be like seeing a raccoon or opossum dead on the roadside here.
7. The competition was quite fierce during ping pong
8. I almost got to play stickball, but it was cancelled due to wind.  Maybe next time.
9. Ten o'clock bathroom yoga.  True story.
10. Uncle Menser says:  "Chee, I wear any size shoe doh"
11. Smoothies.

Ananias reminded me about this post and how clever I was back then.  Big sister from Big Sky country wear big glasses.  For some reason that really struck my funny bone when I heard it again.  I feel like this blog has lost some of its wittiness when I go back and read some of my older material.

Speaking of older material, my cousin posted on facebook some pictures of my grandpa's grave and gave a nice tribute to him.  She went there to place flowers for Memorial Day.  It reminded me of my first REAL blog post ever.  I thought I had said some nice things about him, but when I went back and looked it turns out I didn't.  But if I had written something, it would be to say that he was an amazing guy.  He was always very cheerful and upbeat even though life wasn't always rosy for him and included burying 2 wives, 2 children who didn't make it to adulthood, and seeing one of his adult children die before he did.

Some other more serious and memorable things:

1. Morning bible studies - they just do something to soften the heart.
2. Seeing some "old" friends (BDubs, Mo, CandJ Vig).
3. Getting to know Button, ML, AL, and the rest of the crew better.
4. Hearing stories from others of how they came to know God and how their faith is being strengthened in their lives now.
5. Being reminded again that we all have struggles whether we're young or old.  They aren't the same struggles, but we all still need mercy and love and encouragement in fighting our battles.

And finally!  We get to the pictures.  Like usual, I forgot to take many people pictures - and forgot to take one with Flat MelBMarvis.  She did make a brief appearance, but not when we were outside in the beautiful scenery.

Because they care there at Dagmar.

Stickball got rained and winded out, but this rainbow didn't.

Eastern MT has some beautiful scenery, especially in the spring when everything is green.

Somebody has good taste.

This wasn't the most beautiful scenery we saw, but it's what I managed to snap a picture of.  I never had my camera at the right time to get a good picture of a suicidal pheasant.

Ananias pumping some iron.  Here at Dagmar we're serious about staying in shape.

If only I had remember to get Flat MelBMarvis in the picture, it would have been perfect!

If you think this is where you claim your ski year, you would be partially right.  This is actually where you claim ALL luggage at the Williston airport.

"THE" gate.  It has two doors - one for United and one for Delta.  But the trail leads to the same place on the tarmack I think.  You get to use the stairs instead of a jetway.  I think this is the smallest airport I've flown into including all the ones I've been to in third world countries.

Thankfully some other people donated some people pictures:

Button - a new friend!

Straining the mixer motor by mixing natural peanut butter.

BDubs!  Hanging out with Sheldon.  He's not insane.  His mother had him tested.