What's Afoot At The Circle K

This weekend, I headed north and enjoyed a weekend away from the Cities. Highlights of the trip included:

• Eating pizza-flavored Combos. I got two bags, and when the man at the gas station said, "So...you like Combos?" I told him it was one bag for the way there, and one for the way back. Which at the time was a lie (much like the burrito technique--finishing school lessons applied in real-life scenarios!) but ended up being true. Moral of the story, Combos are the perfect road trip food.
• Today I had coffee with Bailey's, Combos, a granola bar, pie and a glass of milk, and some pasta to eat. Balanced!
• Starting each day with coffee and Bailey's while hanging out on a balcony with a view of the lake.
• Finally trying the pie at Betty's Pies. Oh, goodness. I had a slice of pecan pie, and can I just say: oh goodness. There was so much sugar and butter in that pie that a lacquer actually formed across the top. And then molded around my teeth like an Invisalign made of brickle. I walked out feeling incredibly satisfied but also like I needed a vegetable. Any vegetable.
  
• A bluegrass festival! We hung around in a lodge's main room and drank beer while bluegrass musicians had a jam session by the fireplace all night. There was an adorable old lady with an amazing, June Carter-ish voice and a never-ending glass of red wine, a scrawny teenage boy learning to play the tub bass for the first time, a violin player who "faked" the Cajun fiddle, and lots of old men with guitars/banjos. So fun. And I felt so credible when I knew a song.
• The weather was rainy and drizzly and pretty mild, which was perfect for duck boots and hot cocoa. Win!
• Since I was wearing duck boots, I may have splashed around in puddles like a duck. And imitated a raptor...on the shore. But only a tiny bit. Stomp stomp stomp.
  
• Finally saw the Split Rock lighthouse.
• Two words: Walleye Reuben.
  
• Ended Saturday by eating fudge, drinking wine from plastic cups and watching Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. It was a most triumphant time. Beeth-oven. Heh. It never gets old.

And now I'm home, wearing fleece pants and watching Tough Love with Roommate. And they say vacation never ends...