June is quite jubilus...

Where on earth shall I begin? Okay, I guess chronologically. Back up to late May: NEW JOB. Woot! The bummer is that I'll lose my summers off as a teacher, but the new job hasn't started just yet so summer fun is still in full swing for me. How have I been spending my time? Well, back in March I was in a rut. I couldn't think of a better time to book a flight back to the great Midwest (clearly this is a pattern as I've gone EVERY summer with the exception of graduate school two summers ago). Despite making time for "home", I took it upon myself to make a little detour in an effort to visit new grounds. What a fabulous thing to do. On the itinerary was Milwaukee, a fantastic city (maybe I'd use a different adjective if it was January and not June). Anyway, the purpose of this destination was to visit my dear friend Heather. It was a great little getaway. I'd say highlights were this lobster sushi roll I had that I am now craving again, a rooftop lunch, sightseeing, having a gym buddy, enjoying "America's pastime", and just being with her. Let's not forget my new buddy, Bruiser. 

(I'd argue he is equally as cute as Alfie, and even a bit better behaved.) 

In a nutshell, the visit was fantastic. After she dropped me off at the train station (I happen to love taking the train - reminds me of my days overseas), I headed to Chicago for some fun with Aimee. Highlights - a shoeless Turkish dinner, a fantastic (and free!) haircut, gummi bears (insider), a Hawks win, and stumbling upon a Boston Terrier sitting in a window in the middle of Lincoln Park....this was amazing. His mannerisms were similarly to Alfie's. It made me miss him.

While I was visiting Chicago Aimee, Arizona Auntie Aimee took great care of him while I was gone. She sent me pictures of him entertaining himself. Here he is staring at himself in the mirror.

He certainly knows he is a handsome boy. If I looked that good, I'd probably stare at myself in the mirror, too.

Then of course, he sent me kisses from afar...

It's a bummer that he's too big for the airplane. I have considered using the Pet Airways service, but I haven't actually tried it, yet. Sometimes I wish AZ wasn't so far away from the Midwest/East Coast regions. Maybe a move is in our future (NOT Indiana, though)...although, it was nice being home for a day.