"Please step out of the vehicle, ma'am."

That's right! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me from the Blue Earth County Police department!
So ... last night Jim and I were out. I dropped him off at a bonfire with the 'Northies' in lower North. I went to a friends house in Upper North. Another friend of ours was home for the weekend and it's been over a year since I've seen her. We had some pizza, conversation and a couple of glasses of wine. At 8:30 (the time of day kind of matters here) I went back down to lower North to join Jim at the bonfire. Where I had a couple of corn chips, more stimulating conversation and two beers. The time turned to 12:00. Time for us to go. As I am driving on 169 towards 14, Jim and I were talking. Jim was pickin' on me. Teasingly, kiddingly ... but also annoyingly. Causing me to swerve a little bit. As we are entering the on-ramp to 14, Jim turns to look in the back of the truck window and ... the car behind us turns on the cherries. Great! My heart kicks up it's pace and the adrenaline is just moving through me! Here is the conversation that took place:
Me: Shit
Jim: Just relax. The license plate is off the truck. It's right here.
He hands it to me. I continue to hold it in my lap until he, at some point, takes it from me.
Two officers walk up to the truck, one on each side.
Me: Sorry, I didn't know exactly where I should safely pull over here.
Officer (female, spiky blond hair, slightly 'beefy' frame): That's okay. Do you know why I pulled you over?
Me: No.
Officer: You were swerving between the center and fog line. License and proof of insurance please.
I found my license right away but we couldn't find an insurance card. Crap! Officer leaves for a minute, my heart is pounding in my ears. Jim is saying something to me but I can't really hear him. Officer returns.
Officer: Please step out of the vehicle, ma'am.
At this point the whole thing seems really funny to me. I know I am fine. But I am still nervous to see how this is going to play out. Male officer with a flashlight follows me around.
Officer: Have you been drinking tonight?
Me: yes
Officer: What have you been drinking
Me: I have had two beers since 8:00.
Officer: Is that all?
Me: yes
Officer: I could tell, I could smell it in your vehicle. I am going to have you take a test. Walk on this tire mark, heal to toe, nine paces, pivot and walk back nine paces.
As I am doing this, my legs were shaking so bad I wasn't sure how I was going to manage this. As I was walking back I did loose my balance and misstepped.
Officer: Oh! (In a voice that I took for her thinking, 'yeah ... I'm certain you have had more than two beers!')
Me: Oops ... I'm just really nervous.
Officer: Well, let's do another one. Raise your front foot six inches from the ground ...
I raise my foot.
Officer: Not yet. (sternly)
Me: sorry
Officer: Raise your front foot six inches from the ground and count like this. One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand, until I tell you to stop. (pause) You can begin now.
Me: One one thousand, two one thousand ...... (this is easy! No problems. I am steady and start to giggle a little. I see Jim in the truck. Tapping his fingers impatiently on the back of the truck seat. He can't see what I'm doing thought because of the lights. Cars are zooming by us. I'm sure they are trying to see if they know me. Because that's what I do.) I get to 21 one thousand and she tells me to stop.
Officer: I'm going to have you take a breath test.
Me: Okay (smiling)
Goes to retrieve Breathalyzer. I see she still has my drivers license in her hand.
Me: Did you see it's my birthday today?
Officer: No, I didn't look at that. Happy Birthday. (In the same monotone voice she has been using this whole time) Have you taken this before?
Me: Nope (still smiling. I can't help it!)
Officer: Blow into the straw here until I tell you to stop.
Me: Okay
I blow ... she says stop. I did. We wait for it to register on the machine.
Officer: Just two beers since 8:00.
Me: Yup!
Officer: Yea ... that's right. You can go now. Just pay attention to your driving.
Me: Okay. Thank you.
I returned to the truck. Jim is quizzing me: What happened? What did you have to do? I'm telling him: Just wait! I need to just get us out of here! We did and I filled him in. It was just so comical! I'm sure I let her down. She seemed pretty determined to catch me!

Haley

January 24, 1995 -
September 20, 2008
Independent, Sassy, Smart, Happy, Haley. You are missed! But we know that you will forever be hunting the chipmunks at the lake! Thank you everyone for your kind words. After almost 14 years of life with her ... it will take some time to get used to life without her.
"Dogs are not our whole life,
but they make our lives whole."

BWCA

Hello! We made it back to civilization from being in the BWCA for most of this last week. We had a great time! The weather was pretty good. Cool, but not cold. It rained only during the night except for a little during the afternoon one day. I still managed to get some sun though. We set up a base camp on Lake Agnes and then took a day trip farther north one day and ventured over towards Oyster Lake another day. We didn't see any bears. I was FINE with that! We didn't see any moose though either. We did see: deer, eagles, otter (they are too cute!) And almost every night I heard a pack of wolves howling. Pretty cool! I can't wait to do it again next year! Here are a few of my favorite pictures. Enjoy! ~Julie

19 Months since LID

Greetings from BWCA! We are probably on Lake Agnes right now. Or maybe we ventured over to another lake on a day trip. Enjoying nature. Enjoying the quiet. Will chat when we get back. I'm sure I'll have a lot to share! Hugs, Julie