Well, well, well. Look who’s found her way back to blogland. Pardon my mysterious absence. I won’t bore you with details of the hole digging, dump truck driving, and hay slinging that has been keeping me so busy. Instead, I’ll just tell you about the 3 DAYS I HAD OFF – IN A ROW!!!!! YEEEEE HAAAA!!!! After a lovely but too short visit from the Pinolera, some soccer action, a brief reunion with the Caveman and his sweet lady friend (who, by the by, both just moved back to Mpls – yesssssssss), and a bout with some strange stomach demon that briefly possessed Nate, we decided to make for the north shore.
We managed to book a pet-friendly room at the last minute at Caribou Highlands in Lutsen, and we were off. Our mission: to decide where and how to do this whole wedding thing. No small task, to be sure. Particularly for, how do you say, "non-traditional" folks such as ourselves. On our previous visit, we went up and back in a day, which allowed us just enough time to check out one place that we were hoping would be the complete package. Alas, it was not. Though we loved so much about it, it was just too small for the hundreds and thousands of people we wanted to invite.
This time, we had done some more research on the internets, and had several places we wanted to check out. One option was to still do the ceremony at the place we had already looked at and to stay there, but to find another place for the reception. And that led us to Papa Charlie’s. 
This would be expensive, but ohhhhhh could we ever throw one hell of a party here! Tempting, very tempting. But they won’t let us bring outside food OR alcohol. Since Nate can’t quite figure out how to make the Kegenator a groomsman, we were hoping to at least have a keg or two of homebrew at the reception to represent, you know?
Then we checked out this other pretty sweet idea, getting hitched on top of a mountain (cue the laughter from the Colorado dwellers) overlooking the largest body of freshwater by surface area on the face of the planet. And with views like above, and this:
it was hard to resist. But the place itself had issues and really wasn’t that cool. Everyone would have to ride a gondola to get up the mountain, which we thought would add an extra adventure to the whole deal. But while Nate and Bruiser were having a 
great time riding the thing, I was trying hard not to vomit, and this led us to think of what it would be like riding that thing down the mountain after having a few drinks at the reception. Blech.
Then an idea was posed to us by a guy at the original place of interest to do a tent thing for the reception, as a couple had just that weekend. But I’ve so been at that wedding like 3 times.
In the end, Bruno and I sat down and talked the whole thing over, and he had some very insightful things to say. He’s so wise for his one and a half years. His advice was to have a much smaller and more private affair on the
north shore, and then to throw a bigger, more casual party here at like Town Hall or something, where we could invite the hundreds and thousands of people we want to celebrate with. That way, we don’t inconvenience all the people who don’t know us as well by making them drive 4 hours up north, we just inconvenience those who are closest to us. Perfect. And that way, the original place of interest could work. Well, that dog gave us some good things to think about, and we actually think we’ve got a rough plan worked out. Now to work out the details, make the reservations, drop some cash, etc. etc. And until that’s done, I leave you on the edge of your seat.
You will need: 1. Leftover board from… some project… 2. Hole saw and drill bit for guide. 3. Test bottle of water. 4. Beer (full).
You will end up with: 1. A riddling rack with too many holes. 2. A bent drill bit. 3. Test bottle of water. 4. Beer (almost empty).
It’s as easy as that, my friends. All that’s left is to get the mead in place, put a dab o’ paint on the 12 o’clock position so I know where I’m rotating that day, and start "riddling." (thanks for the links, Rick!) In a few months I’ll tackle disgorging, which will certainly be an adventure…
Two bonus pics: happy puppy playdate in CO, and this incredible spider web in our house. That little guy’s like an eighth of an inch across, 
and we watched him build this amazing tiny web so we decided he could stay for now…
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