This weekend, we're heading up to Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge.  I'm so excited - this will be my first time staying there as a paying guest.  I love this place, I had so much fun working there during college.  Without Ruttger's, I may not have:

1.  Met lots of women who have turned out to be lifelong friends - Sevda, Megan, Molly, Jessy, Danielle, Becca.  And, without Sevda, I probably wouldn't have worked at Varitronics where I met Marty.
2.  Kept Gallo in business by purchased countless bottles of their fine blush chablis in the gallon jug, which must be cooled in an empty Honey Bun Schmear 5-gallon pail.
3.  Entered my militant feminist phase.
4.  Been able to say that I was in the first batch of women to live in The Shack (temporarily renamed The Sugar Shack).
5.  Golfed two or three holes then quit out of boredom without feeling guilty about wasting green fees.
6.  Learned how to do the Highland Fling in four steps.
7.  Worked all summer (for four summers in a row) and leave without a dime to my name.
8.  Been able to avoid staying on campus any weekend for my entire freshman year (but I did get to know Duluth and Brookings quite well).
9.  Sang "The Tide is High" dozens of times at karaoke at The Woodtick.
10.  Learned (and relearn) what kind of men to avoid.

What an adventure, I'm so glad I went.  I hoped that it would be like Dirty Dancing and I wasn't disappointed.  Except that Patrick Swayze wasn't there and the only person who called me Baby was Roger.

This weekend will be different, of course.  The cabin won't be propped up on cement blocks held in place by woodchips, the only way I'll be up in the middle of the night is if I'm feeding Sophie, and I won't have to interrupt my activities by working a shift.  I'll still be watching kids, but this time they'll be my own.  I'll still eat the same food, but now it will be in the dining room.  And, I'll be lucky enough to spend some time with good friends.  I just hope that someone is there to shout "the party girl is here" when I walk in the door.