Sunday, October 14, 2012

Missoula Bound This Week

These days I rarely get the opportunity to go into Missoula.  Usually when I do its a quick day trip to pick up groceries, run a bunch of errands, and never spend any down or fun time there.  Well this week I plan to change that.  While I am going in there on Wednesday for a specific purpose (MANDT training for work all day Thursday and Friday), I am going to take the evenings while I'm there to really enjoy the town I called home for 5 years while attending the University of Montana. 

Here is my plan.... try and get out of work on Wednesday afternoon as soon as I can so 3:45 at the latest.  That way I can come home real quick, change cloths because really who wants to drive 3 hours in dress pants and heels, throw my pre-packed bag in the car and hit the road so I can get into Missoula before its completely dark.  I must of course also make sure to have a cup of coffee in hand and my mp3 player so I have tunes rolling as I'm driving.

I'm going to check into the hotel first thing and then drive across town to hit Bed Bath and Beyond first so that they can replace my broken Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer.  It has been complete torture not having it up and running and they said they would take it back no questions asked.  From how its sounding though I think the gears are toast (which shouldn't happen within 2 years of owning the sucker).  Anywho... then its on to the mall to do some Christmas shopping for Mace and my family.  Now you might be thinking its awfully early to be Christmas shopping (mind you I've been plotting and planning what I want to get for at least a month now) but really when you live so far from "civilization" it pays to be ahead of the game.  And I never ever ever get a chance to do this alone.  Usually Mace and I run into either Missoula or Spokane the first week of November to do our shopping for one another but it never works out well because we are trying to be secretive and keep surprises for presents but then usually we end up seeing a few things we're giving one another. Not this year!!!

Next I'm going to the Dollar Store to get various things for Halloween.  I love that I can find all sorts of stuff to decorate the house and make things spooky and fun for so cheap.  Plus I have a few crafty art projects that I want to accomplish before the holidays roll around and that store always has things I can use to make them nice without breaking the bank.  I have noooooo problem being cheap or at least thrifty.  Why spend $5 on the same thing you can get for $1???  I've never understood why people do that.  Hopefully while I'm on that side of town I'll find a spot to eat.  I have so many restaurants that my friends and I went to while we were in college but its not the same when you are going there alone.  I need to call Will and Heather and see if they want to catch up while I'm in town.  I need to finally meet their little girl Emm while I'm at it!  Maybe I can convince them to come to the Rhino on Thursday for Pint Night ... need to get a few old school traditions in while I'm there.

Thursday and Friday I have my training from 8am to 3 pm but in the afternoons and evenings I'm going to go see some of my old haunts.  I have to of course take a walk around the UM campus and check out the Forestry Building, Tanner Hall, the UC, etc where I spent so many years.  Planning on hitting up Rockn Rudy's, Big Dipper, Pattee Canyon (to get a hike in), Sean Kelly's, The Rhino, Kim Williams trail (to get a run in before Training), etc.... and anything else I can think of or have time for while I'm in town.  So to those of you that still in the Missoula area, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email so we can get together and relive some fun times!!!