A Long week makes for a great weekend

This picture kind of deals with this past weekend, but more-so with Erin's
post from last week. This is what I made at our date from last week.
Lovely coffee cup, yes?

Erin always tells me, "Work hard, play hard."

That phrase couldn't be more appropriate this past week. Like I'm sure it is everywhere, there is a bout of illness going around the office, which I've fortunately been able to avoid. My coworker and other full time employee wasn't so lucky. After returning from Florida, she came down with strep throat and was out the rest of the week.

That resulted in work overload — which looking back on, was good for me. I was pretty proud of everything I put out last week:

• Bay County Commission candidates discuss Beson's return to District 2 race
• Pinconning school officials looking at at potential of select cut logging on closed Mt. Forest Elementary property
• Bay City Public Schools officials expecting a decline of 400 students from last year
• Video: American Idol's Matt Giraud plays in Bay City coffee shop two weeks before concert
• Bangor Township Schools and Bay County Public School Academy experience student increases, as rest of county's student population drops
• Food assistance in Bay County up 20 percent, Salvation Army gives away 13,500 pounds of food
• Video: Bay City All Saints principal featured on Good Morning America segment about social networking with students
• Controversial comic strip that ran in Delta College student newspaper wins top award
• Video: Matt Giraud on new Idol judges, performing in Bay City and where is career is going
• Bay City Public Schools to offer Great Start Readiness preschool program
• Bay City Commission considers placing ban on feeding birds in city parks

It's probably the largest amount of copy I've written in one week and it feels good!

But enough of the boring stuff — I was quite lucky to enjoy another great weekend with Erin (who ran an amazing race at Notre Dame on Friday) We met for lunch in Ann Arbor, Saturday, for lunch at the Arbor Brewing Company, and had a great fall meal. Apple cider crusted chicken = delicious. I think it's OK to mention that I love fall. It's definitely my favorite season.

I then kidnapped Erin and took her back to Bay City to enjoy a some downtime in my apartment and an adult evening at Old City Hall (the bar across the street from my apartment). We enjoyed some martinis, listened to our waitresses view on local politics and shared MANY laughs.

On Sunday, we enjoyed the Sunday morning political shows with hot coffee before meeting my (very generous) mom in Saginaw at Sam's Club. She sent us on our way with more than enough essentials and non-essentials. I have a great mom who is enjoying her 29th year of marriage to my dad today!

Erin's and my weekend ended with an impromptu trip to Ikea. She's never been there, which could be good or bad, because you have to go into Ikea with a plan. If you don't, it is quite overwhelming. But we decided to go in, just to have Erin experience its massiveness. If you're looking for a fun date idea — Ikea is definitely a great idea. And like any good date, dinner should be included.

So we enjoyed Swedish meatballs from the Ikea cafeteria! Can't go wrong with that. I think our dinner was about 23-cents total. Ikea is very, VERY cheap. I love it.

I left with a plant for my coffee table, two new lamp shades for our lamps in our living room and a laptop tray (which I'm using right now). It serves not only as a great device to hold my laptop on and type, but also for food, phone, papers, etc. It's impossible to leave Ikea empty-handed.

Of course, any good weekend always has to come to an end. It's always a long ride home, whether it's an hour and a half or 20 minutes, but looking back on the past 168 hours, "Work hard, play hard," is a great motto to live by. I cannot wait for this weekend. A fall color tour is in order!