1. Enjoying a bite at “The Taste” takes a bite out of my wallet.

 We spent the patriotic holiday in St. Paul at The Taste of Minnesota. Both Ben and I had never been to the festival and were excited it was going to be free to get in. We were shocked when we had to fork over expensive tickets to get that “taste.” A bottle of pop was about $4. If we wanted a beer we would have had to buy a $3 wristband on top of forking over $5 for a bottle of 3.2 beer – not happening. Cheese curds were about $5, too. It was a nice day, we liked to be outside and by the river; call me cheap, but that was outrageous. We left before our wallets were completely empty and watched fireworks from De La Salle High School in Minneapolis – they didn’t disappoint.

2. I’m so not ready for a dog

 A girl in our building has the cutest dog and I was convinced I’d get one just like that very soon. It’s a little puggle that’s the cutest thing I’ve seen in the city, I don’t hear him bark and he has short hair so I don’t think he sheds and he’s not too big, so he won’t take up much room in the apartment. Then I watched my dad’s dog for a few weekends. One weekend I brought the spaniel to our place and didn’t like having to wake up before I was ready and take him for his walk. I also wanted to lay on the couch and not have him jump all over me. I’m still a little too selfish for a dog.

3. Pool parties are not just for children 

 To celebrate my friends’ year of marriage, they had a pool party. It was a beautiful day and after grilling out for ourselves (the last time I went to a pool party it was the “grownups” who did the cooking/grilling) we made our way to the water. Rockers

While we didn’t have diving toys or big beach balls to throw back and forth, we did manage to take over the deep end of the pool. Our naïve antics continued when we moved the party inside and played the video game “Rock Band” for a few hours. We brought the house down. 

4. Video games aren’t just for gen-xers.

 With new consoles and games every few months, keeping up with gaming systems can be a challenge for everyone. Kids, however, seem to do their research when it comes to the games and know all about the cool features of each system. Senior citizens in Burnsville are taking a swing at it, too. Teams have formed for the Nintendo Wii bowling league. They each take turns setting the system up each week and recording their bowling scores. For some it’s therapeutic and for others the thrill of gathering with other people lures them to the senior center.

5. Keep your guard up

 After a run-in with a neighbor, I’ve learned I need to be aware, careful and never fall into a routine where I’m not paying attention to everything. I also learned my desire to know everything can be a good attribute when it comes to defending myself. Feeling safe in my own home and neighborhood is something I took for granted and can’t let that happen again.