Three kids and an SUV across the midwest...

[jay]

We're in Topeka... home of lots of my relatives as well as Fred Phelps and co. Tired, after driving down 520 miles today from Minneapolis. But the three boys have visited with their 96-year-old grandmother (D & K for the first time :). And it was lovely driving weather, sunny and clear and not too hot, with multcolored clover along the roadsides (and tigerlilies, after we crossed into Kansas). And we started out by getting to visit today with mnfiddledragon and her partners and household... I envy their lakeview and greenery and 2000+ square feet ;).

Yesterday, Dave and Nancy had rented a pontoon boat, basically a two-hulled motorized raft, on Medicine Lake... the kids all got to try fishing, drive the boat a little bit, and swim from the boat. Then more wading and swimming afterward at a nearby public beach. And last night, the grownups went into Minneapolis to see "Puppetry of the Penis" at a local theatre, which was funny while appearing... painful, at times. patgreene tried to get me volunteered as the audience participant, but I ducked...

We ended up with a Buick SUV after Alamo couldn't give us a regular car with the satellite radio we'd reserved... so I took an upgrade at the same price, given lots of luggage. It cruises fine, although my minivan at home has more power and better mileage.

Anyway, tomorrow will be spent seeing relatives here. Tuesday am is open, then we're off to Chicago.



James said "I've found my sport! I can completely slack while appearing to be doing something!"



The kids loved swimming around the boat...


Although Nancy's birthday isn't until next Friday, a friend brought over a cake and we celebrated five days early:


My grandmother was surprised by my beard (I hadn't seen her in 12 years) and how large the kids had grown...

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Mmm, I love Medicine Lake, and it's so dang geological. :)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Oh, Medicine Lake, Kansas? Whoops. Well, ours is geological. :) How's Kansas's?

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Actually... this Medicine Lake is in Plymouth, MN :)

http://www2.ci.plymouth.mn.us/servlet/page?_pageid=141&_dad=cop&_schema=PORTAL30&_type=site&_fsiteid=119&_fid=11332&_fnavbarid=11338&_fnavbarsiteid=119&_fedit=0&_fmode=2&_fdisplaymode=1&_fcalledfrom=1&_fdisplayurl=

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

http://www.volcaniclegacybyway.org/volcan.html -- Medicine Lake caldera

[mnfiddledragon.livejournal.com]

It was wonderful seeing you all :)

'Sea's comment was "They were cool, now why can't they live here in Minnesota?"

*chuckle*

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And you are all more-than-welcome to stop by when you're passing through San Jose next month (grin).

[mnfiddledragon.livejournal.com]

That would be very cool - we're going to have to sit down and put some plans to paper within the next week or so. I would very much like to arrange to meet some people while out there :)

[p3aches.livejournal.com]

Check out the art musem in the windy city. C tells me its very worth seeing. Lots of hugs. glad to hear the trip is going well so far.

[mnfiddledragon.livejournal.com]

HAH - you know what I just realized? Medicine Lake is the lake just around the corner from my office. bwahahaha.

[simplykimberly.livejournal.com]

Those are great pics! Thanks for sharing!