It is Friday, which makes me happy. I get to leave work 1/2 an hour early today because I stayed late for my boss on Wednesday. That makes me even happier. And Ryan’s parents are coming up and we are going to the Bayfield Apple Festival this weekend. And that makes me happiest of all. Mmm…apples. Caramel apples, apple cider, apple brats, apple pie, and apple wine (not for me, but maybe we’ll get a bottle to keep until after the baby comes). And Honeycrisp apples by the bushel-full. If you haven’t tried Honeycrisp apples you are totally missing out. Even in Duluth, where we are close to an area that grows a LOT of them, they are still only available for a limited amount of time, and they are more expensive than other apples. But they are the crunchiest, sweetest apples ever. They are fabulous for eating by themselves, and I hear they make great pies and stuff too (although they never make it that long in our house).

The weather is trying to beat us down (the highs for the entire next week are in the 40s and it’s supposed to rain almost every day), but it’s ok. I like fall. I like drinking hot chocolate and hot apple cider, and curling up under a blanket to watch tv. And I love driving down the hill to work in the morning and seeing Lake Superior all riled up. The waves are really crashing this week (could have something to do with the crazy off-the-lake winds we are getting). It’s gorgeous. And makes me realize why it was that they moved the harbor inside the point. It used to be outside – just on the shores of Duluth. And many ships sank there when the winds picked up and beat them against the rocks. Now the ships are all protected by the worlds longest above-ground sandbar. Just a bit of Duluth history for you.

Anyway, this week is finishing up well. Especially as I just got the OK to take a vacation day on Monday. Ryan and I both have the day off, and it’s the ultrasound (in case I haven’t mentioned it 15,000,000 times). We plan on relaxing, going out to lunch to celebrate, and maybe going shopping. Eek! Baby stuff! It will be fun.