Labor Day Weekend

Things have been pretty hectic around here lately. Carrie started school this week, and is struggling to catch up on all the sleep she lost in anticipation. You know how the first day of school can cause you to lose sleep. That's not good when you wake up at 5. Last week was the last week of my month at work, so I was nervous about hitting my numbers (which I did).

But the weekend was awesome. It was our first Saturday since August 2nd that we got to stay at home. Of course, I went and ruined it by getting a ticket to go see the first game of the Rich Rod era at the University of Michigan. The game was weird - the offense was like nothing I have seen here. No huddle, no rushing game, a bunch of freshmen starting, low expectations. Very strange. As you know, we lost, but it wasn't as soul crushing as last year's first game. All in all, it was fun to actually be there from the start, but we really kind of sucked. It will get better.

I walked home after the game, which is about 3 miles. I felt pretty cool about it, but it cut into our night. We were still able to enjoy a cheese course with heirloom tomatoes and some spicy shrimp with our whites. Carrie did not get the first one right (she guessed that it was a California SB, when it was an Oregon PG - Willamette Valley Pinot Gris 2007 $15, check it out) but nailed the second one. I tried to fool her by getting the 2006 Conundrum, but she got it (I didn't let her guess the vintage). I believe she said, "This is a California Chardonnay. Or wait, it is a blend. Hey, did you get me the Conundrum?" Then we had steaks with cheddar polenta and then Carrie made this ridiculous leeks and bacon dish. Seriously - it was made with cream, and the cream tasted like bacon. Then leeks are awesome - who knew? Another green for the rotation (green beans, broccoli, asparagus). We are to a point now where we take 2 canvas bags to the farmers' market. We are WHITE.

Oh, and with the main course we had this bottle of 2005 Chinon red something that WS gave a 92, but that was off the rack so no game playing. Only $18 at Whole Foods. Good times. (OK - I looked it up - it was the Couly-Dutheil Chinon La Baronnie Madeleine 2005. See why I couldn't just remember it?)

On Sunday we went to something called Arts Beats and Eats, which was basically the Taste of Ann Arbor on steroids. It was in Pontiac, which is an hour away. The whole downtown was closed off, and it was this huge street festival. You had to buy tickets which were in turn used to buy food from restaurants that had booths. Good stuff. The Arts part had a couple of booths that had some nude photography, making it far superior to the Ann Arbor Art Fair, and no matter where you went there was always a band playing somewhere. We even went into a dueling piano bar to get out of the sun, and that was...fun? The high was 85 and there was not a cloud in the sky. Being outside was pretty unbearable, until I thought about what it is like in Memphis, and then it didn't seem so bad.

Labor Day itself was relaxing, as we went to the pool, then made burgers and watched BSG. (PS - Happy Birthday Hillary!) All in all, a fun weekend, except for the football loss, the heat, the hangover (only 3 bottles - we have become lightweights), being sore from the 45 minute walk home from the game, and Carrie losing sleep from being nervous. But it was fun other than that!