A Sobering Trip

The flight back was one of the few.
(to add to your boredom; a recap)

Thursday, 9/7/06
Bachelor Party
Quote of the Day: (from an Irishman, referring to a specific beer just tried) "It tastes like someone just crapped in my mouth. Not that I know what that tastes like, but this would be it."

No details to be made public other than, dinner was excellent, I had a lot to drink, and I managed to pull off my classic disappearing while drunk act during the course of the night.

Friday, 9/8/06
Groom's Dinner
Quote of the Day: "Look what I found!" (in reference to an acoholic beverage left behind which someone else picked up and was drinking....who know's where that beverage had been...)

Rough start to the day. Tuxes were picked up. Much wine drinking at an Irish pub. Learn something aboot Celtic Knots. Foosball.

Saturday, 9/9/06
Weeding
Quote of the Day: "That was the best ushered wedding I've ever been to"

Lots of pictures. Some Strongbow. A weeding. More pictures and drinks on a trolley. Trolley highlight: the 2 ushers and a groomsman during one of the photo stops, hop up on some rocks in the middle of a huge water fountain.....no one fell in....amazing seeing that at this point I think the coolers were running dangerously low on alcohol. Oh wait, the cooler races were pretty good too. A dinner. A groomsman trying to convince the Maid of Honour to eat cake which he had just soaked in butter. Bunch of dancing. Trying to polish off the kegs. Talking to the Irish. To sum up the night....the photos from the picture booth at the reception tell the best story.

Monday, 9/10/06
Boat Trip
Quote of the Day: (asked of a grizzled old man who rents boats from a Marina). "Are there any Wi-Fi hotspots nearby?"

We rented a 48-ft houseboat and took a short tour to park the thing. Grasshopper drinks. Yummy roast. Stoagies on the roof of the boat overlooking the river. About 5-10 degrees warmer and clearer skies, probably woulda had a bonfire. Invader Zim sometime after midnight.

Tuesday, 9/11/06
Boat Trip/Weeding Gift Opening
(unfortunate) Quote of the Day: "I think something just hit the side of the boat. That big box on the bow went overboard."

Took a cruise on the St. Croix River to Afton(?). There are some very big and nice houses on that river. That night, a little playstation intermixed with a weeding gift opening (I never knew this was an actual event which people are supposed to witness). I did note that most gifts seem to revolve around some sort of dish used for ??? and towelly sheet things, but not many (if any) tools and other things which could be used around the house. Good byes to the Irish (after the weeding I wanted to say Aigh a lot).

Wednesday, 9/12/06
Road Trip from Mahtomedi, MN to Madison, WI
Quote of the Day: (said excitedly as the Menomonie sign was spotted): "Mahna Mahna....do doo da do do..." That song is still stuck in my head as I type this.

4 hour drive. Wonder if Hanna-Barbera from that area as many signs and stops referred to Jellystone. Stop at the Indian Casino. $10 contribution to the "company" fund. Hotel on Capitol square. Pub crawl from hotel down State Street. Last stop KK Club (supposedly KK stands for Kollege Klub....unfortunately as the night wore on it was referred to as the KK-Klub). Pizza and Popcorn soooo good after not getting order of Quesadilla....

Thursday, 9/13/06
Madison, Cheesehead with return trip to 10,000 lakes.
Quote of the Day: (from a tour guide in response to a friend who says they lived there one year) "That doesn't count."

Added State Capitol to my collection. Learned that Frank Lloyd Wright was from that area and the Convention Center there is one of the last things he signed off on (only to be built something like 30 years later). Fireworks stand stop (learn that in Wisconsin, they can sell fireworks which people in Wisonsin can not buy....but people from other states can purchase them there....something is not logical there). Cheese stop too.....I still don't think Wisconsin cheese tops Tillamook cheese. Fireworks show and big bonfire in the backyard.

Friday, 9/14/06
The Mall
Quote of the Day: "My flight wasn't on the web as going from MSP to Atlanta. ATA and Air Trans Air are not the same."

Trip to the Mall. Big Snoopy is no longer there (its been 6-8 years since I've been to that mall). Lego(R) and Underwater Adventures(R) aquarium is still there. A couple years ago one of the sharks ate another shark at the aquarium (that woulda been interesting to see). The 2 year old didn't seem to enjoy it as much as we thought she might. One of the old-timers from the gang flies out; chill night with a movie (no drinking).

Saturday, 9/15/06
PDX Return

No good quotes. Just chores and sifting through a mound of mail. Should go to bed soon, my body thinks its a couple hours later than it actually is. I weighed myself; is it possible to gain 5+ pounds in a week?

Mahna Mahna......