I’m not sure why our server had photos of the BHS Science Department… but hello, Ed Rissler! What a small world.
She took our photo…
…and we watched it develop.
photos Brandy took for the blog featured in this brochure!
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
gettin’ down to serious business.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
I was so worried about my birthday curse that for my recent 40th birthday, I considered doing nothing at all. Because turning 40 is bad enough without everything going wrong.
I have a history of bad birthdays. Not every birthday has been a disaster, mind you—there are two or three I don’t remember at all (like my first, second, and third birthdays), so I guess those don’t count. But some stick out as awkward or just plain bad.
For my 18th birthday, my parents got me luggage. Hint hint. But they also got me a plane ride over my hometown, co-piloted by my dad. That was pretty cool. Of course, my birthday always coincides with Father’s Day, so I think the gift served two purposes. Whatever.
One birthday in the mid-1990s (they all run together now), my friends at work planned to take me out to lunch at Indian American Cafe. But they forgot to actually tell me about it, and I was in Nags Head. Here’s a summary of the answering machine messages:
“Hi, Katie. It’s Anne. We’re all down at Indian American Cafe. Since you’re not answering the phone, I’ll assume you’re on your way! Can’t wait to see you!!” <beep>
“Hi, Katie. It’s Anne again. I hope you’re okay. I thought you’d be here by now. We’ll wait a little longer.” <beep>
“Hi. Um, we’re kinda hungry, so we’re gonna go ahead and order, okay? Hope you get here soon!” <beep>
“I’m not really sure what happened, but we’re eating your cake.” <beep> When I got home from the beach, I got all the messages at once. Anne was kinda embarrassed about the whole thing. Apparently the cake was really good.
On another birthday, someone tried to plan a surprise camping trip for me. Only, I’m not the best camper—I’m bony and pretty much allergic to everything outside. Also, no one was on time. So when I got there, it was just one girl standing in the woods with a balloon. “Surpriiiise…..”
This one takes the cake (ha!). I actually invited a few people over for dinner on my birthday, which I cooked… and one of the guests arrived completely trashed and literally passed out in his salmon filet. Oh ghee.
So I’m sure you understand why I get a little nervous at birthday time. Despite all those wacky experiences, I still love to be surprised. And this year, Brandy and Danielle ended my birthday curse once and for all. At The Blue Nile. They didn’t tell me much about what they’d planned… they just told me to meet them at The Blue Nile at 11ish for brunch and to wear sunscreen. I did as instructed.
Only, they weren’t ready at 11, and Brandy kept texting me, “Not yet, not yet…” So I drove around Harrisonburg til nearly twelve (man, I was hungry!!) when I got the text: “Okay, now would be good.” And when I got there…. look!!
Forty presents. FORTY! FOOORRRTTTY!!! And a Happy Birthday sign Danielle made. Of course, I instantly started crying because I knew the curse was broken, and then I realized what a task I had ahead of me and I pulled it together. Danielle crowned me with a hand-made tiara and we got down to business. First, ordering food. It was Sunday brunch at the Blue Nile, and their menu features several delicious entrees plus an ample buffet. AND, one-dollar bloody mary’s and mimosas. ONE DOLLAR. And let me tell you, their bloody mary’s are the best I’ve ever had. I ordered the eggie grinder while Brandy and Danielle hit the buffet. My meal was excellent—scrambled eggs with rosemary, guacamole, and collard greens served on a honey wheat bun and a side of sweet potato fries. Brandy and Danielle made a couple trips to the buffet. We were all quite satisfied, or as Brandy put it, “full up to my collarbone.”
Then, the presents. OH my goodness, what a treat. I thought it was really cute that some of Danielle’s gifts were wrapped in brown lunch bags with the top folded over three times and stapled. Unbeknownst to her at the time, I was reminded of an old Phil Hartman SNL skit called The Anal Retentive Chef. “And how do we dispose of odiferous waste?” Ha ha! All of the gifts were wrapped in some fashion and accompanied by a note—really, really a tremendous effort by my two friends.
Here are some of the gifts, in addition to brunch and morning cocktails I received:
a bouquet of flowers
a drawing of the three of us by Danielle
two pairs of earrings from Ten Thousand Villages
pumpkin bread from Shank’s Bakery
a pint of blueberries from the Farmer’s Market
a gift card from Pulp
three fortune cookies! One says, “You are going to have some new clothes.” Another: “You will have many friends.” And, “Life is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think.” (I personally think that last one is backwards, but I’m getting of track.)
coffee, tea, beer, and wine
a book from Downtown Books called The Disruptive Student and the Teacher
a copy of Virginia Living Magazine and a brochure, both featuring photos from this blog!
beer koozies
who cries over beer koozies? I do, when they’re hand-decorated by friends!
and several coupons: one for babysitting, one for “bitch-free yard work/slavery,” and one for an hour-long photo shoot courtesy of Brandy Somers Photography, “non-blog”
…and several other things… have you been counting??
At any rate, if you are looking to surprise a friend with a lovely birthday, head to the Blue Nile. For me, it was one for the record books and completely disaster-free. The Blue Nile is located at 181 North Main Street, across from Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Congrats to Riley! She was recently adopted.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
This little sweetie got adopted! The cat, I mean. Not the kids.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
look what a beautiful facility!
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
congratulations to Gabana on her recent adoption!
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
This past Friday Brandy and I decided to take the kids to Fridays on the Square. The Judy Chops (post forthcoming!!) were scheduled to play at seven, and as a spur of the moment addition to the evening, we stopped by Cat’s Cradle before the show. It seems like every time I walk by that place with my kids, we have to stop and admire the cuties in the front windows. I mean, what kid doesn’t like cute animals?? So on this evening we finally went inside. The kids were sooooo excited.
It happened to be a good time to visit. We met Suzanne Auckerman and Matt Chan who, with the help of several volunteers, run the place, and they told us how warm weather brings more cats to the shelter and fewer folks to adopt them. In addition, they happen to be in a special situation right now… if they can raise $40,000 by the end of July, they’ll receive a significant bonus from one of their donors: $20,000. In hopes of increasing donations in time to get this bonus, they’ve created a promotion through the end of July, which I’ll describe in a bit. Regardless of whether you’re in the market for a new pet, please consider making a donation to Cat’s Cradle as soon as you can. You can donate through Facebook, their website, by mail, or in person. Brandy and I felt we needed to get this post up as fast as we could, not only to spread the word about the need for immediate donations, but also to show off their gorgeous inventory. :)
With that said, I’d like you to meet your potential life-long and loyal companions. Ahem:
First up: Checkers, a three-year-old female. Sporting a perfect pink nose and exquisite markings, she enjoys smooth surfaces and napping with tiny pillows. Her relaxed demeanor will make you feel less lazy when you’re having one of those “I-just-can’t-get-moving” days.
This is Checkers.
* * * * *
Next, warm up with some Coal, a two-year-old male with luxurious gray fur. He’s so regal I half-expected him to start speaking, like Aslan from Narnia. If he could speak, he would say, “Take me home. Love me. I will keep your feet warm at night and purr melodically until you drift off to sleep.”
Coal’s the name.
* * * * *
Meet Cricket–a white-chested “teblico.” At two years of age, she’s settled into her unassuming cuteness. She promises to be neat and tidy… she does, after all, wear her bib everyday. And she’ll try not to hypnotize you with her stunning green eyes, unless of course you’re into that sorta thing. If you’re nice, she’ll let you count her stripes and freckles.
hi, Cricket!
* * * * *
HELLO, his name is MOHAWK. This fluffy fellow is not as fierce as he looks. In fact, underneath that unruly mane, he’s quite calm and contemplative, the philosopher of the place… the old Zen Master. At peace with himself and his surroundings, he enjoys the company of his feline roommates while transcending the drama of the cat house. Oh, and he likes to be brushed by candlelight.
I am MOHAWK. That is all.
* * * * *
Next is Precious, and that she certainly is. At eleven years young, this spunky golden girl looks forward to spending her best years yet with a family to love. Her immaculate white fur is silky soft. She enjoys rubbing against your leg while your pour your first cup of coffee each morning and sleeping in a little sliver of sunlight shining through a winter window.
She’s Precious!
* * * * *
Meet Tuzi–a curious two-year-old female. This mackerel tabby boasts gorgeous markings and velvety fur. She’s social and playful and happy to explore new surroundings. She enjoys chasing whatever you dangle in front of her, and she might have been a tight-rope walker in a previous life.
She is something’ Tuzi! (ha!)
* * * * *
Lastly, this is Reesee. This little calico charmer is ready to shower your lucky family with unending love and cuteness. Her sweet face and glowing eyes can only be matched by her satin fur and those white paws (!). At nine years, she’s content to flop down with you and gaze at you with her sparkling emerald eyes.
sweet Reesee.
So, here’s the promotion: The PURRsuit of Happiness. Between now and July 31, all adoption fees are waived in lieu of a donation. Why is this an advantage for you? Because your donation is tax deductible; adoption fees are not. This means that you can feel good about donating more than the adoption fee of $100. Another reason you might consider donating more is because Cat’s Cradle shells out an average of $300 just to make the cat available to you. For example, all their cats are spayed or neutered ($50); they have all their shots and tests and have been de-wormed ($70); they’re all outfitted with microchip technology ($15); and the shelter must, on top of all that, pay qualified people to perform these services. So the fee Cat’s Cradle charges you to adopt the cat is nowhere near the cost they incurred. Plus we really want them to get that $20,000 bonus, so please spread the word about this unique opportunity.
Now we were just in there on Friday (June 22), and already Gabana, Riley, and Piccalo (pictured below) have been adopted!
Congratulations, Piccalo!
Awesome news! And it’ll be equally awesome when some of you visit Cat’s Cradle this week and take home the rest of these darlings. We all need a little more love in our lives, right?
Cat’s Cradle is located in downtown Harrisonburg at 124 South Main St. They open at 11am each day.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Sometimes you just want WINGS.
And the last time that happened to me, I found myself sitting on a wooden stool at Billy Jack’s Wing and Draft Shack. I’m not really sure how I got there, but who cares? I’m glad I did.
Here’s the thing about eating wings. Once you start, you really can’t stop for any reason. You have to continue on til they’re gone. Why?
1. They’re just that delicious. I had the Classic Buffalo, and Brandy had the Sticky Sweet Chili sauce. (By the way, they use only fresh, never frozen, locally sourced chicken. So there.)
2. It’s dangerous. If you take your attention away from the task for even a second, you could get wing sauce in your eye, and then you’ve just ruined the whole experience, haven’t you?
3. Manners. Let’s face it–eating wings is kinda gross. Best to plow through that messy, sauce-on-face, skin-stuck-in-teeth ordeal quickly and do one big finger-licking session at the end.
One thing I’ve learned from this blog gig is patience. Because Brandy is always taking my beer away to photograph it. Maybe I should order a “dummy beer” for her to photograph so I can hold on to mine. (Mine!!) Not to mention the delayed food gratification I must also endure. The mouth-watering aroma of buffalo wings wafts upwards from the steaming plate…only to be snatched away by Brandy before I can make a mess of it. On this day she had to build a little barricade of stools, tidy up the surrounding area, search out the perfect light, and climb up on another stool (by this time I was ready to chew my own arm off) arrange the plates just so, and snap the picture.
Sheesh! Sometimes you just want WINGS. just kidding :)
While I’m partial to Classic Buffalo, Billy Jack’s has many sauces to choose from, like Habanera “Shocker” and Thai Peanut, plus other indulgences like Fried Chicken and Waffles, Loaded Fries, Doughnuts, and a Fried PB&J. I think they’ve officially proved that you can fry anything. In fact, now that I think about it, the whole place is based on cravings.
In addition to the food (and the beer, of course), it’s an interesting little joint. Where do Aaron and Patrice get all these awesome knick-knacks?? I love the firefly-in-a-jar chandelier. And the colander lamps. And all those doors.
You can drop by Billy Jack’s on S. Main downtown, right across from Dave’s Taverna. They’re open Sunday through Wednesday 11 am til 12 midnight, and Thursday through Saturday 11 am til 2 am. That’s plenty of time to eat your weight in wings. But get in there soon before the June specials are gone!
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Physician of Hair Dye?
pHAIRaphernalia.
beauty and the beast.
“I’m right hair.”
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
the doctor is in.
remedies for your issues.
tHAIRapists.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
There are many reasons I–and other women–like to go to the salon. You go in feeling kinda droopy and frumpy, and come out looking all trimmed and polished (literally). Fingers and toes massaged and glossy, locks and tresses smoothed and shorn, “unruly areas” waxed and plucked, tension relieved, gossip released, ego boosted and mood restored. It’s therapy. It’s miraculous, really. For a few minutes you let yourself imagine you’re outfitted in a gorgeous gown and gigantic diamonds and a tiara… or maybe a sash, yes… and you step outside and see your pumpkin carriage waiting as you click click click your glass slippers toward it… Of course that fantasy shatters when you get in the car and realize you’d been sitting on a melted crayon all day. And the car smells like cheese or feet or something. And then you remember that you meant to go to the bank first and checks are bouncing all over the place… and then you look in the back seat and think, “What the heck is that?? Oh, yeah, my kids.” And then you go get a round of Slurpees. And you’re the best-looking mom in the whole 7-Eleven.
What I haven’t told you, though, is that as great as my salon is (and I’ll get to that in a minute), I hate getting my hair cut. This has nothing to do with the salon or the staff or some scarring event from my childhood. It has to do with how ugly I feel with wet hair. Yes, it’s ridiculous.
I have a love/hate relationship with my hair. First of all, it’s red. And if you are or ever were a redhead, you know that it garners a certain attention from people…and not the same kind of attention as, say, blonde hair gets. So growing up as a tall, geeky, scrawny redhead was not the easiest.
What’s more, when my hair’s wet, it sticks up, it sticks out, it curls, I have a horrible cowlick that becomes pronounced, and it causes me to have an “ugly girl” moment. This is why I cringe at the thought of having wet hair in public. You’ll never see me standing under a tropical waterfall allowing water to cascade down my head and back. No. If I’m ever doing something that involves water–canoeing, the beach, a pool–I’ll have a hat on my head nearly the entire time. You can see my hair after I get home, take a shower, and get it back under control. And so I looked at this mortifying experience (not only of having a friend witness the hair cut, but TAKING PHOTOS OF IT–oh, the horror…) as a way to face my fear.
UGH. Okay, so I’m kinda glad my crow’s feet are there to divert attention from my dorky head.
And I’d rather face my fear at The Studio than anywhere else. I’ve been going to the The Studio since 2008 and I can honestly say that since then, compliments about my hair have skyrocketed. Last Wednesday I had my monthly appointment for a hair cut. Instead of dishing about my personal life in the chair, as I usually do, Brandy and I tried to initiate a more blog-appropriate conversation. My stylist that day, Ashley K., had actually not cut my hair before because my usual stylist was recovering from a pesky hand injury. Ashley K. wasn’t at all intimidated and welcomed the “challenge of a fresh head.” It’s kinda like solving a mystery: she followed the clues Elizabeth had left a month before. That got us on the topic of the creepy practice heads.
Ashley used to leave her practice head in various positions in her car just to freak people out. Someone else left her practice head in her living room window when she went on vacation so people would think someone was home. Or they’d think there was a severed head in there and not want to break in.
Then Brandy asked Ashley if there are questions she’s frequently asked. One is, “Do you cut your own hair?” The answer is no. I imagine it would be hard to reach all the way around, even if you’ve practiced on hundreds of creepy plastic heads.
But haircuts are not all they do. They have a long list of services ranging from waxing and facials and even makeup lessons to body polishing and hot stone therapy and massages, from manicures and pedicures to hair cuts, coloring, and conditioning.
They offer bridal services for the bride and groom, and guys–you can even get a beard trim. Now, gentlemen, don’t freak out! I see lots of guys there. If you haven’t tried it, you should. At the very least, you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous women. Just promise me you won’t look when my hair’s wet.
The Studio is located on 33 East, on the same side of the road as Burger King, in a large beautiful old house with gorgeous flowers out front. One last remark: if you know someone in dire need of therapy, get them a gift certificate. It works. I know firsthand.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Water is the ultimate miracle drug. Since our very conception, we’ve been comforted by it. We spend nine peaceful months cradled in water, then emerge with a lifelong desire to return to it. We soak in hot water after a stressful day, letting it relax our weary bodies and minds. We seek cool water on a hot day; it invigorates and cleanses us.
We take trips to the beach to get in the water and feel the weightlessness it provides with each passing wave. In water, pain seems to dissolve; it envelops us in softness and freedom. Our hearts beat more easily with less weight. Our joints feel better, our muscles relax, tension floats away. And when the kids are bickering and whining and have gotten on the last millimeter of my last nerve, it’s TIME TO GO TO THE POOL. Westover, as a matter of fact.
Once there, we sprayed everyone down with sunscreen, put floaties on Cal, and dug all the torpedoes and diving toys out of last summer’s still-sandy beach bag, and shooed the kids off to the pool. I settled down into a chair in the sunshine, letting my entire being sink into the solid frame and feeling my thigh flesh seep into the seat cracks, and letting a barely audible “thank God” escape my mouth. Ahhhhh.
welcome to the pharmacy.
classic beauty!
Our friend Danielle accompanied us, pretty in pink and a straw hat. For a few minutes no one said anything–it just felt good to be in the sun and near water. But then “Sexy and I Know It” came on the radio and that got us to talking. Cal had started singing it in the car earlier (by the way, he pronounces it “suxy”) and Bree had answered (in sing-song fashion), “Cal’s inappropriate and he doesn’t know it.” We also heard “Party In the Whatever Rockin’ House Tonight” and some Katy Gaga. We continued talking about the usual–boys, do-I-look-okay-in-this-swimsuit, kitchen counter tops, and Brandy’s awesome ultimate rainbow fantasy towel, courtesy of Nanny.
The kids were having fun swimming and splashing around and getting out of the pool now and then to warm up, chat, and play. From where we sat, we could keep an eye on everyone, plus the place is well staffed with rotating lifeguards (“pool police” I call ’em), Another nice feature of Westover Pool is its shady areas. You can get out of the sun when you feel you’ve had enough. There’s a grassy area, too.
Then Bree and Blake decided to go down the water slides. There are three, and the tallest one is a long, huge spiral. I knew that Cal, whose head is the only part of him that seems to grow, was much too little to ride, plus he could get his giant head stuck in there. Blake was tall enough last year. But I was nervous about Bree. Two years ago she was just a hair too short to ride, and though disappointed, she felt confident she’d be tall enough for the next summer.
So last summer when she was still too short, she was TICKED. HOT. IRATE. In a small, cute kinda way. Maybe they raised the height requirement–who knows, regulations change, but to her it felt like she’d never catch up to that blasted red line.
It reminded me of my brother and the whole drinking age debacle. It was 1983, back when the drinking age was 18. My brother was 17, and he was counting down the days to his first legit beer with Dad. But just two months before the big day, the threshold was raised to 19. Then the next year, 20. He was TICKED. HOT. IRATE. Anyway, if Bree was somehow, after a year of outgrowing every pair of pants she owned–twice, still too short… well, I just covered my eyes.
YAY!! Vindication!
Just a few minutes later I found Cal in line at the diving board among towering teenagers. I had to break it to him that he’s too small for that too. Meh. He took it in stride.
We stayed for a good three hours before a new case of the crankies set in. Next time this happens in your household, try Westover Park. You can easily make a day of it, what with the playground, picnic areas, frisbee golf, a skate park, activities center, and pool. The pool is open Monday through Saturday noon til 7pm, and Sunday 1pm to 7pm.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
‘Twas the First Friday in June and all through the city
the stores and establishments were decorated all pretty
with artwork created by talented locals.
So I grabbed my umbrella and put on my bifocals.
The clouds rolling in at us taunted and frowned,
but they didn’t keep people from walking around.
I parked in the deck and briskly headed for one
of my favorite stores, The Yellow Button.
A rumble here, a sprinkle there would never prevent
us from hosting our first I Love My Burg/Brandy Somers Photography event.
Seeing all the photos finally printed was such a delight,
and really, for me, the best part of the night.
Brandy’s photos were hung by the stockings and dresses,
each one a testament to her camera successes.
My attention meandered for a sec, I admit…
when I saw this green frock and said, “I’ve GOT to have it.”
Sweet truffles from Zest! sat on a tray
next to iced tea, pretzel chips, and guacamol-ay.
And just as we’d hoped, just a bit after five,
the first of our customers began to arrive.
First was Sarah Murphy, who swept into the shop
carrying three naked baguettes–a strange photo op
for three modest girls in poses of debauchery…
then I ripped the bread in pieces: my kids were hungry!
Distracted by what sounded like a serious scuffle,
I had to diffuse my kids’ fight over a dropped truffle.
While Sarah and Brandy were fencing with bread,
in strolled Amy from Many Nights Ahead
with her friend Bailey, who’s a photographer, too.
I was thankful the fight scenes were finally through.
People came, people ate, people drank and got stickers.
They dressed up in outfits that were truly ridickers.
And then Brandy quickly took all of their pictures.
We saw Ellie from Zest! and Brent Levy from RISE,
with his playful wife Natalie in a crazy disguise.
Valeri managed to traverse the treacherous three feet
between Ten Thousand Villages and Miranda’s retreat…
She just really, really wanted something sweet.
Oh, and Seth Crissman–the knight in soggy armor
who retrieved wife Theresa from the front of Explore More.
He gallantly showed that chivalry exists,
sheltering from the rain his wife and two guests
and still dressing up silly with very few protests.
At seven p.m., the rain had not at all abated,
so the kids sat out back and silently waited
for me to dart through the flooded downtown
and get to the car, and drive it around
which I did, so we could see Elliott Downs.
We were wet, we were cold, and we were dog tired,
but, by golly, we were also truly inspired
by the number of dripping wet fans that we saw
Still walking through town to gaze in quiet awe,
Not caring that their wet jeans felt like wool,
or that their hair looked really uncool…
Seeing them participate no matter what
reminded us what a cool town we’ve got.
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
What more could you want than food + laughs?
Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved · ilovemyburg.com. Photos by Brandy Somers. Written content by Katie Mitchell. This material may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting our intellectual property.
i love my burg. 