Hey all! I have FINALLY moved in and spent my first "real" full day. I say "real" because yesterday was a waste. You see, it took longer than expected to get out of the Hoosier state...here is a recap:
I was working on some pretty important grant application on my last few days at work. They kept me busy through my going away party...that's right, I was still finishing as the party wound down. Either way, that meant that my desk wasn't cleaned out, and my computer was still an organizational disaster (and had a picture of my dog as the wallpaper...had to change that). Ashley came to spend Friday night with me (YAY) and ended up going out with Bryan, Angie, Ian, and I for some dinner and a drink at MacNivens. That meant we didn't get back home until we were tired (well, at least I was tired), so we went to bed.
On Saturday morning we hit up Starbucks (thank you Donita for the gift card) and McDonalds (if you haven't had the McSkillet Burrito, you are missing out), and went to the office. Ashley patiently entertained the dog while I cleaned up my desk and computer before heading back home to pack the car. I could not have gotten it packed as efficiently as I did without my sister. Ashley - I owe you BIG TIME! It was a mess, but we got all of the essentials in the car...at about 3:30 pm. This meant I headed north to Auburn a lot later than I had planned, but what can you do? The stop in Auburn meant I got to see my dad and pick up my new licence plate. Dad and I chatted for a while before I started toward the Minnie.
The drive went very well. I did make a stop north of Madison to get a 20-minute cat nap, but otherwise was smooth. I finally arrived home at 4:30 Indy time (3:30 Minnie time) and woke poor Nate up to have him help pull all this crap up the three flights of stairs :-) It only took about a half hour, but we crashed immediately afterward (clearly).
I wish I could report that we slept in and had a much needed day of relaxation together...but that would be too good to be true. Instead, Baylee wanted to potty early in the morning (this required going outside, brrr), and Nate and I needed to wake up anyway because he had to be at the airport for an 11:50 flight to New York. That's right, his training took him to NY for two weeks. Although it is not ideal, it gives me time to unpack, figure out where to shop, and job search. Speaking of job search, I got a letter from the City of Minneapolis. I am in the candidate pool for their Planner position. Some of the pros of this position include regular hours, great benefits, decent pay, and access to the developer network. Could be great, so hopefully I get a call for an interview soon!
Anyway, Sunday was a lazy, wasted day. I did, however, make it to Target. Minneapolis is home to Target's corporate headquarters and they have a downtown store that is pretty awesome. They have solved the parking problem by offering free parking in their garage with your receipt for a $20 purchase (I dare anyone to spend less than $20 at Target). It is a two-level store complete with cart escalators and very conveniently located to our apartment.
That brings me to today: my first "real" day in Minneapolis. Today's adventure included locating the downtown Lund's grocery store. I wish I would have taken a "before" picture of the refrigerator and pantry. The refrigerator contained a jar of applesauce, a gallon of milk, and a half package of hotdogs. Now it is full of real food, as is the pantry. I feel better already.
More on the grocery store for the Indianapolis planning nerds: it is everything that O'Malia's tried to be but isn't. It is in an area with enough traffic to require multiple exits with registers. One services walk-in traffic, while another bank of cash registers services those who have parked in the garage...that's right, the parking garage. It is on the first level of a condo building and also includes a dry cleaner, Caribou Coffee (the local brew choice), and a bank (I think). It isn't a huge sprawling store, but packs a great product punch. They fit a lot of products on the shelves by having just a few of everything. I'm sure it is a restocking nightmare, but I was able to find everything I usually bought in the suburbs. PLUS they have a huge gourmet selection that includes an olive bar, a cheese selection that makes my mouth water, an entire wall of just-baked REAL bread, and a great produce section that was really fresh (O'Malia's never quite figured that out). I think I will spend a lot of time at the grocery store :-)
The apartment is still looking pretty rough. I have decided to take it "one room at a time" and today was all about the kitchen. It has been cleaned up and almost everything has a home. I promise to post pictures as I get things completed.
It is time for me to make some dinner. I hope everyone is doing well!
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I'm so glad that you made it to Minnesota and are getting acclimated. It wasn't that long ago that I made a similar trek to Denver. I packed my car and drove out there to get a job. It was scary, but OH so exciting. I found a lot more than a job during that adventure. It was one of the best things I ever did for myself and I cherish the experience. I hope you have as ideal an experience as I did.
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