Another busy week! I started off last weekend at my parents’ house for dinner (Friday pizza, as usual 🙂 ), which also meant a few hours of puppy playtime with Scout… this is from a rare moment of staring out the window.
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I fell for this dog the moment we met in March (when my parents adopted her), and spend at least a few hours each weekend playing with her after church. As it turns out, this means that she associates me exclusively with playtime. Her favorite indoor game is “I’m going to bring you a toy and hit you with it until you grab on, and then I’ll try to get it back” (played on repeat), and sticks continue to be the outdoor toy of choice. Last weekend, she ran up to me with a stick, wagging her tail 🙂 I love having a new friend!
I brought Melissa back to my apartment with me, where we indulged in a John Hughes classic (Sixteen Candles), Sprite Zero (I never buy soda!) and microwave popcorn. We haven’t hung out in awhile, since she was off at school for so long, and I’ve been busy too.
On Saturday morning, we woke up early and drove over to Vincent Van Doughnut in Clayton. I normally don’t eat doughnuts, but I have heard so many great things about this place (and have seen a plethora of photos from our AP German teacher), that I decided it was time for my annual exception. We brought them back to my apartment, and I finally brewed some of my Brazilian coffee (from the Starbucks Roastery) to accompany a delicious chocolate salted caramel doughnut, raspberries, and blueberries.
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It was only 8:30, so we sat around and watched Frasier for awhile before kicking off our day. The Pulitzer Arts Foundation recently reopened their museum (I think), and when I saw that Alexander Calder was one of the featured exhibits, I knew I had to go. Though photography was forbidden inside, I caught this beautiful view on the patio:
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We managed to get an amazing (and free!) parking spot in the Pulitzer’s tiny lot, so we walked down the street to the Contemporary Art Museum. This was up Melissa’s alley. I was lost and a little confused by artwork (apparently modern art is about process, not final results), but thoroughly enjoyed the live band and cardboard city (part of the family block party day at the Pulitzer, CAM, and the Sheldon).
It was only 11 am by this point, so we decided to continue art museum hopping, and headed over to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Kevin and I actually just visited at the end of May (the day before I flew to Seattle), but I never get tired of staring at Monet’s water lilies or the Mondrian that inspired my purchase of the copy in my apartment. I also purchased a Mondrian dry erase board in the gift shop, which I have been eyeing and dreaming of for weeks. I can’t wait to hang it up in my cubicle at work!
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We enjoyed lunch at Nora’s before heading back to my parents’. Big surprise – Scout wanted to play. For hours. A little later, while searching for Rascal Flatts CDs (they’re opening for the Stones next weekend!!!), I found my molecule set from college, and made all sorts of things – benzene rings, ethanol, chloroform, water… it’s funny how a molecule set is tons of fun, now that I am not in organic chemistry anymore. I also grabbed my 1000+-page copy of Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook, to drag to work next week – surely, there is something useful for my job in aerospace, right?
I headed home after dinner, and made delicious blondies. Baking is so much fun 🙂
On Sunday, I went to church as usual, followed by a perfect Father’s Day lunch at my parents’ (chicken salad sandwiches on flatbread, strawberries, tortilla chips, and brownies) and a nice afternoon at my grandpa’s house in Illinois.
This week at work, I have been taking a class on some software, and have learned way more about designing airplane parts than I ever wanted to before. It is incredibly frustrating and has confirmed that chemical engineering was the right degree program for me, and that I am happy in my world of finishes & corrosion prevention. 🙂
I’ve been going to Pure Barre a lot this week (M-Th), since I’m on my second week of the new client special. It really is getting easier to follow what is going on, and I’m so happy after each class!
Kevin finally comes home from Seattle tonight, and I can’t wait. I’m off to the airport in a bit to pick him up – it has been a long few weeks apart, and it has been a long ~4 weeks since our last full weekend together. What better way to start the rest of our summer, than with a few Cards/Cubs games? 😛 In spite of the fact that I’ll be listening to Cardinals rants tomorrow evening, I am beyond excited to kick off an amazing summer with my best friend 🙂
And GO CARDS!
Kate