After seeing our friend Heidi's garden and landdscaping, my DH and I were reinspired to reimagine our backyard "garden fairyland." After the first excitement of emerging tulips (quickly eaten and enjoyed by the deer) and daffodils, hosta (quickly eaten and enjoyed by the deer) the showy peonies and weigelas, we got complacent about weeding and feeding and tending to the actual upkeep of the garden. (But I know I'm not the only one!) 

Is it Thursday already? Just wanted to check in and report that my neighborhood's National Night Out was a lot of fun. We see each other all the time, coming and going, but never have time to chat. So we gathered at the Jensens, in their driveway, sat on lawn chairs and had our potluck, and caught up on everybody's doings.

Hey, who else will be out with the neighbors tonight? It's National Night Out but the first time my neighborhood in Tonka Bay will participate. Oh, we've gotten together sporadically over the years with the graduation parties, weddings, and anniversaries. But this is the first time we've officially gotten together for this annual event. I'm bringing Cowboy Caviar to pass around with scoop chips.

Take some photos of your neighborhood Night Out and email them to me by Thursday a.m.,  at uzuege@swpub.com and we'll do a cool slideshow!

Hi, it's me, your Victoria Town Square Web master in training. I don't know about you but I might have to rent a couple teens who are tech savvy so I can be a semi-competent driver on the wild freeway known as the Internet.

I've been trying to master this online Web newspaper called Victoria Town Square for several months. I tried to ignore it last year, but darn it, it didn't go away, so I've given in. When you think about it, an online newspaper should be the easiest and simplest way ever to communicate with everyone in the community.

I didn't intend to, but I did watch part of the Super Bowl last night. I'm not a football fan, but will say I'm a Packer fan just because I am from Wisconsin.

I was so happy to come to work today. My husband has been sick with that bad cold/flu and he was flat on his back all weekend. I kept him going with orange juice, Cold and Sinus Tylenol and fresh batteries in the TV remote. That was the fun part. The worst was having to take on cooking duties.

Had dinner at a friend's house last night, and then watched "Hair Spray" starring John Travolta on the 46 inch HD TV. Caught the last quarter of the Packers/NY Giants game. I'm a Cheesehead but am not really into sports. But I love the whole crazy Packer thing. To me, it's so earnest and pure. The one time I went to Lambeau Field, I burst into tears, it was that moving. Honestly.

I am always a day late and a dollar short. I owe this to being born at 10 a.m. While my mother was huffing and puffing and trying to pop me out, I imagine I was yawning, rolling over and saying, yeah, yeah, yeah, give me another 10 minutes and then I'll come out.

So it's just like me to finally come up with my New Year's resolutions and revolutions. I'm not telling you all of them. That's for me to know and you to find out.

Embedded in the Suburbs Week 624

I have finally gained the trust of my captors who have deemed me trustworthy enough to leave the suburbs to venture into the very liberal and subversive South Minneapolis. Tomorrow monring I will be attending a World Premiere of a movie filmed right here in Carver County.