Weekend Update...

My brother Scott was here all weekend from Eugene and it was bliss. On Friday night we had him over for dinner (some fantastic grilled sirloins and MJ's famous wasabi potatoes for the epi-curious) before going to see Bright Eyes downtown. I always enjoy listening to MJ and Scott talk about music since they both know so much about it and all I know is whether I like it or not. In the end we all agreed that it was a great show. Afterward we grabbed the dogs and hiked into the foothills to look at the stars and throw sticks for BB to fetch.
Saturday morning Scott, Mom, Dad and I participated in the KAT walk. The walk was benefiting education for the prevention of kidney disease. My mother manages a home dialysis program in Idaho and Eastern Oregon so this is a cause that is near to her very big heart. Our entire family is so proud of her and the work that she does, and it was nice to be there to support her and the staff and patients of the Boise office for the first annual event.
After the KAT walk the four of us rode our bicycles on the greenbelt downtown to the Saturday Market. The Market runs all summer long featuring fresh produce from local farmers and a great selection of art and craft booths including things like metal sculpture, photography and pottery. While there we picked up freshly homemade (and by far the best I've ever had) chicken pot pie and veggie lasagna for dinner that night and took it up to Grandma & Granddad's so Scott could see Aunt Jan, here visiting from Norway. We alternated between chatting on the deck and hovering around the TV watching the BSU homecoming game, and had a really nice dinner and visit. Later that evening Scott and I headed downtown to meet up with MJ at World Cycle. Scott just bought a used mountain bike so Michael looked it over and made a few adjustments. My brother had to leave the next morning, which always makes me sad, but we are hoping to visit him in the beautiful state of Oregon soon. Hopefully before it is too cold and wet to ride some trails.
Sunday morning I dragged Michael with me to our local nurseries looking for fall deals on perennials. I am focusing on the front yard now because it is so hard to find things that the dogs won't eat or run right on over in the back yard. Next year I guess I'll have to start addressing that with more containers in the borders or some sort of fencing. Anyway, we found a beautiful Japanese Maple and a lot of other shade plants - Astilbe, Joe's Pry Weed, Northern Sea Oats and a couple of other new ones I haven't grown before. I can't wait to get home from work tonight and get my hands dirty! Planting is one of my most favorite things to do. Sunday night Michael's boss and his wife had us out for dinner and to give us a wedding present. They are such generous, wonderful, fun people and their kids are a riot. We had a great time and stayed a little too late... I'm a bit sleepy today.
I hope everyone out there had a great weekend as well... now I am going to take a nap...
Love to all, -M