Rainy day amusements
The forecast called for an 80-90% chance of rain all morning. We pretty much planned on no fishing. But when we woke up, it was overcast, and the chances of rain had dropped to 20-30%. Still, we didn’t have Mom’s caregiver lined up, so we waited awhile for Mom to wake up. By the time she was up and at ‘em, it was drizzling outside. So we debated some more.
“Let’s go for it. I think it’s going to go around us.”
“Check the radar. Looks like it’s coming our way.”
“It stopped raining. I think we should go.”
Tom got the gear together. I stepped outside. It was raining. I made the final executive decision.
“We’re not going.” It was time to go back to plan A. Or was it B? Anyway, it was time for a little shopping, a movie, and date night for Tom and Linda. (Note: We did invite Mom and Dad to join us, but they opted to stay home at the cabin and out of the rain.)
We left for Bemidji after lunch. The first store we checked out was McKenzie Place, a huge gift shop a friend had told us about. It had every kind of gift and “up north” souvenir, food item, kitchen gadget, home decor and clothing we could imagine. Although the displays were a bit overwhelming and not very appealing, we spent quite a bit of time looking, just because there was so much to see!
From there we drove downtown, where Tom dropped me off while he sat in the car and read. I found a couple great shops to browse in. 218 Home + Gift is a cute little shop filled with unique Minnesota, Up North, and Bemidji gifts and clothing. The second, Yellow Umbrella, is a nice boutique with upscale, but not outrageously-priced clothing and accessories.
This mug is perfect for me, and a certain daughter of mine. ;)
We then made a quick stop at Hobby Lobby to get puzzle preserver glue for Dad, before moving on to the movie theater. We were pleased to discover the Bemidji Theater had $5 Tickets all day Tuesday, so our tickets for Toy Story 4 were a bargain!
Probably my favorite Pixar film series, the 4th installment did not disappoint. It was hilarious, heartwarming, and had me so choked up by the end I was afraid I might sob out loud. With a huge lump in my throat, I quietly let the tears flow. There’s just something about Woody and Buzz Lightyear that get me right in the soft spot. I’m guessing it has something to do with my two boys growing up with them, and the “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” song. Whatever the reason, I blubbered like a baby every time I saw Toy Story 3, and it looks like #4 has the same effect.
After the credits rolled (if you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you stay and watch the credits!), we made our way out to the parking lot. Tradition has it that when we see a movie in Bemidji we are often running through a pouring rainstorm, since there’s not much to do at the lake on these days. It wasn’t pouring when we arrived or when we left, but the storm clouds continued to threaten nearby.
Our date night was capped off with dinner out at the Turtle River Chophouse, a great place we discovered last year. We shared a Big Bang Sushi Roll, and ordered burgers and drinks. Everything was delicious and very filling. Before leaving we discovered that the same brothers own Bar 209, which we had enjoyed (very much) for lunch on Saturday.
On our 1/2-hour drive back to the cabin, we counted 15 deer along the side of the road, reminding us once again of the natural wildness and wonder that surrounds us in this vacationland we love.