Cabin Bliss

Kathleen-
It was quite a weekend. We all managed to be off work at noon on Friday so off we went. About an hour North of the cities, there was this terrible clunk and then a repeated clunking noise from teh right side of the car engine. To his credit, Mike managed to get across two lanes of traffic and pull off. We thought it was the front passenger tire. We get out. The tire is fine. We expected it to be shredded. New theory: something from the road kicked up into the engine. We're like 1/2 ile from the next exit, so we decide to try and get there. The other car in our caravan was about 3 minutes behind us, and saw us pulled off. They called and exited when they saw us pulled off, and led us to the Napa Auto Parts store. We open the hood. Nothing obvious. We look some more.

One of our group (we'll call him JP) sees a shredded piece of the main serpentine belt. We wander into Napa. They sell us a serpentine belt and let us borrow tools. JP, a former truck driver until he injured his shoulder, knows something about engines. JP also had surgery a week and a half ago, and his right arm is in an immobilizing sling. What follows is honestly one of the most amazing things ever. JP managed to change the main serpentine drive belt of Mike's engine with one hand. His left hand. He's right handed. There was help from the rest of the group, and some well timed muscle from one of the Napa guys. But honestly.

So an hour later, we get back on the road with a beautifully running car. I spent the wait inside Napa making friends with the clerks-- I decided that the 90 + heat would make me sick if I was outside, and we really didn't need to take me to the hospital.

We run through Duluth to pick up more people, and finally get to the cabin around 5:30. While unloading, I discover we have brought a lot of beer. We're talking 60 bottles of bar, 2 bottles of mead, and two 64oz bottles of beer from a local brewery in Duluth. We laugh.

Then we grill. I should mention that there were 7 of us on this cabin trip. Six guys and me. We grilled an enormous amount of meat the first night, a few of us swam, it was beastly hot even up North. We went to bed at 1:30am. A huge storm broke at 3am, and with it went the heat. It poured. There was an impressive amount of lightning. Half the boys slept through it. I was awake. At 5am, I was awake and there was no more sleep. We got up in a straggly fashion (anywhere from 7-9:30 am). You'll be proud to know I was one of the first up.

Then we decide to play frisbee golf. Apparently Giants Ridge has the largest frisbee gold course in the world. Almost 3 hours of frisbee golf involved climbing the mountain completely while chasing frisbees, the getting halfway down, climbing back to the top, and finally coming down. Once again, constantly chasing the discs. We lost three of the discs to the woods, and had what I would call a nice strenuous hike in the process. I also acquired a sunburn despite the clouds. I hate that.

There was more swimming, there was a lot of drinking, and Sunday afternoon we headed home. Packing up, I discovered that we had drank 59 bottles of beer, 2 bottles of mead, the two 64 oz jugs of beer, and untold coke (and one Mike's for me). All of that alcohol was the 6 guys except for some of the mead and the one Mike's. It was...scary. So I survived my weekend with all the guys....mostly ok, with a few truly terrible jokes to tell you the next time we talk.

So knitting progress. I finished the first broadripple sock, and started the second, which I am currently turning the heel on. That's it. We drove south...into a humid hell. It had been about 73 at noon at the cabin. It was 99 in St Paul at 6pm.

Today? 101. The highest temperature in 11 years, with crazy humidity. I got covered in sweat walking DOWN one flight of stairs.

Long post over. I want to see pictures of the cute kitten! Also I want a ball winder...

Oh..I messed with the blog template...let me know what you think.