Better Late than Never?!

Okay, so that is the name of my friend's blog (see right) but I guess it applies in this case since it's been since March (March, really?) since I've blogged.  My apologies.  We've been busy (blah, blah, who isn't). 
So, here's what we've been up to.
The snow is a distant memory.  It's hot in the great north and we've been enjoying our summer.  We spent July 4th week in Door County and Nolan stayed for a few extra days with Grandma & Grandpa Madsen.  Karl and I enjoyed the quiet, but it was weird.  It's been nearly six years since the both of us have been at home without Nolan for more than a 24-hour period.  I was happy to have him home.

I spent much of April - June traveling back and forth to San Francisco.  A city I'd never been to prior to January and now I feel like I know very well (just don't ask me directions, but that's true for Minnesota :).  Karl joined me for one weekend and we visited Half Moon Bay, driving down the Pacific Coast Highway to get there.  Spectacular. 

Other than that, not much new.  I've been trying my hand at gardening.  I'm fighting the good fight against Crown Vetch, Buckthorn, deer, rabbits and random vandals.  The hill in our backyard looks anemic but it's getting there.  My hope is that over the next few years it's transformed into a hill all the neighbors envy. 

 

Finally, Karl & I went to the Kenny Chesney concert on Friday.  He loves Zac Brown, and I have a very odd fondness for Kenny Chesney.  I don't listen to a ton of country, but he's right up there for me.  We had a great time.  The only down-side was the massive amount of drinking that occurred.  By the end of the evening we were surrounded by seriously (SERIOUSLY) drunk people (and no, we weren't one of them).  Karl actually had to intervene between this drunk guy and some girls sitting next to us.  My hero.

I can't forget a picture of Nolan. Here's one of him feeding the giraffe today.  I hear they eat box elder trees, if I'd only known this sooner. 

Oh, and one more thing...(no offense to Steve Jobs).  I'm writing another book.  Due out next summer:  "Data Driven Healthcare:  How BI and Analytics are changing the industry" it promises to be a page-turner full of mystery and intrigue.