A Rediscovered Gem

Last night I headed downtown.  My plan was to walk on the trail by the river in an area that is well lit since it is now dark at 5:00.  (Ugh!)  I found a place to park about three blocks from the trail, put on my gloves, zipped up my coat and off I went.

The first thing to catch my eye was Bosses Book Store.  Bosses has been there since horse and buggy days and even though I've lived here for 30 years I have never set foot in it.  So in I went.  What a cool store!  Newspapers, magazines, books, maps, cigars, even candy!  I found a section of books by local writers, like Warren Gerds  (a newspaper reporter) and a couple books about unsolved murders and mysteries from this area among other titles.

Next stop, a clothing store that has expensive, lovely things to wear to Christmas parties and weddings.  Maybe I'll go back and try a few things on.  Something stunning to wear when Harry takes me dancing.

As I passed the museum I chatted with the dinosaur and checked their hours for a future visit as I waited for a train to rumble by.

I wandered over the bridge "all the the way to the west side of town" where I window shopped down this enchanting street.  A hat store, sushi bar, D.I.Y. crafts and gifts, one of a kind jewelry items, coffee, burgers, web design, a hookah and pipe shop.  What a variety!  This street really rocks during the Farmer's Market in the summer (which is a ton of fun), but it's amazing in the winter too.

I felt like I rediscovered a gem tonight.       

1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 Dance Lesson

Harry and I enjoy dancing.  We just get out there grab on (or don't grab on) and move to the music.  Isn't that what dancing is all about?

Awhile back we commented that if we were in the same town long enough it would be fun to take a dance class, so when the Living Social deal popped up, Harry scooped it up without a second thought.  Last night was our private lesson at J. Powell Dance Studio.

Jim (J. as in J. Powell?) was our instructor and he was very good at what he does.  He explained the format and in no time at all we were out there waltzing, doing the rumba, two-step and swing dancing.

Well we were trying anyway.  This guy makes it look easy in the way that Jessica LeMere and Jim Aniol make running look easy and Aaron Rogers makes throwing a football look easy.

Jim explained that as Harry led I needed to learn how to read where he was taking me.  He would be making split second decisions and I must be ready to go that direction with him.

Dance is about communicating with each other.  I like that.      

Relaxed or Bored?

The other day I was unsettled.  I found myself perched on the fine line between relaxed and bored.  I am not bored often and the thought of being bored was almost frightening!  Relaxed I'm okay with.... being bored grates against every fiber in my being.

Thus I am on a quest to see things from fresh eyes.