A Little Vegas Sick

Not homesick, because Bemidji is most definitely home now.

But now, 9 weeks later, there are definitely a few things I'm missing.

I miss Thai food. There is none here.

I miss being able to walk places from our house. Granted, I couldn't walk to many places, but I could walk to the vet's office, to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, to Rachel's Kitchen, a few other restaurants, to Starbucks and Golden Spoon.

Here, I can work to Newby's, which is a little convenience store, and to the Liquor store. Fun. But not same, same. I can't walk to anything else. Now, I know we chose that, choosing to live out in the country, and on a lake, and I wouldn't change that if I could. I love our house and lake. But sometimes, it would be fun to be able to walk a little ways for dinner.

And although Craig and I really didn't eat out often, I miss knowing if I wanted to, I could satisfy absolutely any craving in Las Vegas. French, Italian, Thai, Sushi, Mexican (oh, I miss GOOD Mexican! We have two Mexican restaurants here and both are fair, at best.) Here, I can't do that.

The other day, I found myself at Target. The Target here has the only Starbuck's in town in it, and I got myself a coffee and walked around the Target and pretended, for just a moment, I was in Las Vegas.

And now, that Alex is back in Las Vegas, at school, I miss him.

I can't wait for school to start on Monday.

"You have a baby! In a bar!"

In Las. Vegas, kids are not allowed in bars. A few years ago, when it was decided that bars that sold food had to be non-smoking (oh, how I loved that!) a few bars added dining areas where kids could go and eat. We liked to go to one neighborhood bar, The Outside Inn, for fish (they served walleye!) and chips and the boys would come along and get chicken fingers or burgers. We all enjoyed it. But then the bars allowed smoking again, the dining areas went away, kids weren't allowed anymore, and because I'm so sensitive to cigarette smoke, I didn't go anymore, either.

Our first weekend here in Bemidji, Craig and I went to Bemidji Brewery. We walked in, and at the front table, there was a family. The parents were having a beer, the kids had root beers, and they were all playing Uno. The Brewery is a bar, plain and simple. They serve beer they brew and root beer and cream soda they brew. That's it. And there were kids, in the bar.

I thought it was cool.

We left there and went to Brigid's Pub, and there were kids on the patio, eating with their parents there. We interrupted one of the parties and asked about it, and they said kids under 18 were allowed until 11 with their parents. We went in and there was a really fun cover band playing, and there was a mom dancing with her teen daughter. They were laughing and dancing and having a great time, and dad was there, smiling at his girls, and snapping a few pictures. It was fun.

I think America's puritanical views and treatment of alcohol contributes to kids binge drinking in college, and over all irresponsible behavior when it comes to alcohol.

Now, if it were a nightclub, with drunken, nearly naked women and pulsating music and random hookups on a crowded dance floor, I would not think that was appropriate for kids. But a brewery? People having a few beers, chatting with friends, playing a card, dice or board game? Nothing wrong with that. A live band? Dancing with mom, hanging out with parents, catching some live music? Nothing wrong with that.

So, last Saturday night, Craig and I took Alex and went to the Bemidji Brewery. Craig had a pint of their Saisson, and Alex and I had root beers. We played Uno together, listened to the music, watched the people go by, and had a really nice time. The Brewery has last call at 9:50 (other bars have last call later, I don't know when. Craig and I really went out one night, and by 12:30, we were both tired and ready to go home. We were so proud of ourselves for staying out until 12:30! Who hoo! Party animals!) and we ordered our last round. At 10:15, we left and went home. It was fun.

Alex loved it. He loved it so much that last night, when talking about the weekend, he asked if we could go to the Bemidji Brewery again. Craig and I smiled at one another and said sure.

One Month In

One month ago today, after staying with Craig's parents for a few days while waiting on our stuff to arrive (which I'm currently having nightmares about - the waiting on our stuff part)' we moved into our house.

Granted, we didn't have much to move. Two air mattresses, some bedding, some towels, some borrowed housewares and a folding card table and chairs was the extent of it. I hope to never forget the first few nights here. Pizza on paper plates and coke from red Solo cups, blankets on the living room floor, in front of our huge picture window that looks out on the lake. I remember Friday night, Alex and Craig and I on the floor, listening to the radio, and counting lightening bugs through the window. That was my first time ever seeing them.

The transition here has had a few surprises, but we are all adjusting well.

I love how much we are outside. Whether it's just walking around our 2.5 acres (we think we will eventually stop saying "can you believe this is ours?" but I don't honestly expect that to happen soon,) or canoeing or bike riding, we are outside. Weekends, especially. There is a lot of work to do every weekend, picking up fallen branches, ant patrol (our 2.5 acres is, essentially, on an ant mound,) and catching up on long neglected maintenance to the house.) And we go downtown, which is small, and we park and walk to the farmers' market, the meat shop, the bank, to lunch, and to whatever else we want to do. We ride around the lake, walk around the lake, and stop at Craig's folks' house to enjoy "happy hour" on the deck with them. I absolutely love it.

But I am certainly missing things about Las Vegas.

I miss our friends, first and foremost. We've been out here, and have begun to make some friends, and I'm sure as time passes, we'll make more and develop the bonds we are missing.

On a smaller scale. I miss my grocery stores. I miss Trader Joe's. I miss Las Vegas radio stations. I miss Mark & Mercedes in the Morning. The radio stations here are all . . . Weird. And the djs here are horrible. I've been listening to my old Vegas station on my phone, and I'm thankful for that. I miss dryness, somewhat. I miss dry sheets and towels. I miss good hair. I don't miss scaly legs. I love the way my skin feels. I miss accessibility to everything. I'm in the market for a new laptop. I can either go to Fargo or the cities, or order one online. That's a new experience for me!

But I love the people here. I love our neighbors, I love our slower pace of life (which will change when school starts for both Joey and I, I'm sure) I love the little town, and how it has (nearly) everything we need. I love living with my husband. I love Señor Patrons and Bemidji Brewing and spins around Lake Movil in our canoe.

I love it here.

But I do wish my towel would dry. And a few less mosquitoes would be nice.

Groceries

I left Las Vegas, home to nearly 2 million people in the valley. We had amazing grocery stores. Smith's, Albertson's, Von's, Glaziers, Food 4 Less, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and others, including grocery stores in China Town, Mexican markets, International Foods, numerous weekly farmers markets, etc. If I wanted something? I could get it.

Here in Bemidji, we have two Leuken's, City Place, Harmony Co-Op, Target and Walmart. If you want to drive out of town, to Cass Lake (or is it Red Lake? Anyway. I went) there is a Teal's. On Saturdays, we have a farmers market, I've went twice and been disappointed to find mostly jams, jellies, donuts and crafts. And some days, depending on the harvest, we have a random farm stand open.

The prices, except at Target, and possibly Walmart, but I don't know because I didn't shop there in Vegas and so far, I've managed to avoid it here, as well, are 30-50% higher than in Vegas. And the selection? Whoa. I miss my deli.

Friday found me at Target for basics, Stittsworth Meat for meat and cheese, Leukens for groceries, and yesterday, Craig and I hit the farm stand and scored fresh corn on the cob, blueberries, green beans, plums and strawberries. All for so much more than we would have spent in Vegas.

Adjustments, for sure.

Lawns

In Vegas, we had the minimally required amount of grass we could, as required by our homeowner's association, in our front yard.  It was an 8'x6' kidney shaped little patch, trimmed with concrete curbing, then rocks and various desert friendly plants and two trees. In the backyard, we had a patch of grass, for the dog, that was about 20'x15'. We mowed our lawns once a week, with a manual push mower. It took about 10 minutes, total. It took longer to pick up dog poo prior to mowing.

My, my. How things change.

Pardon my finger. 

That is the lower part of our 2.5 acres. That is about, mmm. 1/5 of our yard. 

It took Joey and I a total of 6 man hours on a riding mower with a 54" cutting deck to mow our entire lawn and for me to do some of the close work (under the low trees, close to the house, etc.) with our little old manual push mower.) 

That was 6 days ago, and it needs it again. Well, it must need it again because our neighbor, who has a lawn of similar size, has since mowed his twice. Guys. His lawn? It would put the greens at some of the world's best golf courses to shame. Shame, I tell ya. So you can only imagine how shameful my needing to be mowed lawn is. Gotta go mow!

Whoa.

The number of times I have said "I can't believe I live here!" in last 23 days is staggering. This is the kind of place I would have come on vacation. I mean, Bemidji is one of the top 10 lake towns, according to Budget Travel Magazine. Whether I'm sitting in my living room with a cup of coffee, standing lakeside swatting mosquitoes (people call them skeeters. That sounds cutesy and like a term of affection. Oh, hell no. These things are blood sucking monsters), going to the meat market to pick up steaks, or wandering around downtown with Craig, I am simply stunned that I live here. That this isn't vacation. That I am, in fact, home.

This blog will be a place for me to share stories, complain about mosquitoes, the weather (yes, I've heard it gets cold. Yes, I've been here in the winter. Yes, I'm sure it will be a huge adjustment. However, I expect I will still complain about the cold, the same way I complained about the heat. Which was killing me, in Vegas) and all the other adjustments and changes going on in my life.

I hope you stick around.