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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Minnesota, Hats off to thee


Once upon a time, I worked in Minnesota. I lived in Illinois, but about once a month, I flew to Minneapolis to meet with the AARP volunteers in the tiny field office at the Mall of America.

And thus began my deep and long-held affection for Minnesotans.

We used to stay at the Sheraton over by the Mall where they had an indoor pool.  In an act of daring that I have not displayed since, unless you count those crazy business trips with the property managers, I actually donned a swimsuit and frolicked in the pool with the people for whom I worked.  At first I declined their entreaties to join them.  But have you ever tried to wiggle out of something with a bunch of Lutheran, Nordic and Germanic-based women over the age of 65?  They didn't care about my vanity.  They were in a pool in the middle of winter in Minnesota, six inches of snow on the ground, happily warm from a little wine with dinner.  Who cared about cellulite?

"Look at us," the ring leader cried, tucking a gray curl into her swimcap.  "Now please go change and have some fun!"

Fast forward to 2007 or so when I started hanging out online and what do you know?  I tend to have an affinity for Minnesota bloggers. And they are just as warm and wonderful as those people who first introduced me to the special thing about the Land of A Thousand Lakes.  The people.

Mommy Lisa, Mnmom, and Whiskeymarie got together and baked cookies last weekend.  I'd mentioned to one of them in comments that I wished I could join them.

Well, they brought the party to me.  They sent our family a box stuffed with the most delicious cookies and a set of cheery kitchen towels and recipes.  It was a great surprise to get that box on Friday.

Thank you, my friends.  The only thing sweeter than these cookies is you.

xoxox,

Lisa

22 comments:

  1. Love your post, Lisa. And, you. xo

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  2. how thoughtful of them, those cookies sure look yummy. have a good sunday~

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  3. See, I keep telling people that online friends can be really wonderful friends. The cookies look yummy.

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  4. How incredible was that?!?! What wonderful people to do that for you. Now that's the kind of Christmas spirit I like to see.

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  5. That is so sweet! I love Minnesota bloggers too. And if I had to deal with the possibility of snow 9 months out of the year, I'd be perennially cranky, so their niceness is all the more admirable.

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  6. That's so cool! The goodies look DELICIOUS.

    I <3 them a little, too. After all, I HAVE to love someone named "WhiskeyMarie". I'm pretty sure it's a law.

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  7. i want some of them minnesota blogger friends!!! (is there anything better than surprise cookies???)

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  8. That's very, very nice indeed. Hurray for your friends in Minnesota!

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  9. This is a wonderful affirmation of the truth - that people are good and kind. Except for the ones who aren't, and they don't count, at least at this time of year.

    Enjoy your Care Package, then get on that bicycle and leave it in the dust.

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  10. Aww, that warms my heart. There really are such lovely people in the world. :) (Especially us Midwesterners. *smiles*)

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  11. Very cool. Almost like being there.

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  12. Ah, take your hat off in Minnesota and your head will freeze - solid. Really.

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  13. Ain't that sweet?

    Yes, yes it is. Way to go Minnesotan ladies of the snow. I hear the weather there is "clear"....

    Clear up to their arses!

    I suspect everyone's going to be hanging out @ WhiskeyMaries place!

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  14. Surprise cookies? Excuse me, I've got to check the mail ...

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  15. I agree--Minnesotans are fabulous. When I was in Portland, I worked with a man from Minnesota and when I was moving across the country he offered his parents house as a place to stay *rolls eyes* very trusting folks...

    They're sure buried in it now though! Record blizzard i hear.

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  16. Cookies in the mail - that takes the biscuit!

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  17. I'm open-minded- some of my best friends are Minnesotan.

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  18. I thought this was going to be a post about Al Franken!;-)
    Very sweet post!xoxo

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  19. OMG!! That was SOOOOOOO awesome. And those cookies look CRAZY delicious!

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  20. Re: the wikileaks stories -- haven't time to find the article -- ("anything specific" is not an unreasonable request! -- maybe enthusiasm / inspiration carried me away in the moment, sorry...)
    Just thought it was interesting, I guess -- this group called "Anonymous" (they think it's guys between 19 and 23 years old) are -- not just messing with these companies, they are protesting specific -- what they see as encroaching control, by governments and big business, of free speech on internet.
    (One was quoted in Times: "This is Lexington." -- they're trying to -- express / protest something. seemed to me like it might be time for that...I don't know...

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  21. What a great looking package of goodies.

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