Minnesota    3 - 10 August 1997

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Su 3rd - Mpls/80°F and muggy Dad came over and gave us each a 1 oz silver "Anniversary" coin and $25 (video). We had a good time for the two hour visit. Told us about being in the taxi rank at airport - very long wait. Colored drivers play basketball and the Muslim drivers pray by aiming their butts to the west. He had lunch with them today: dates, watermelon and flat bread. He gets a lot of respect from them because of his age. Went to mom's, gave her the birthday gifts and screwy golfball to Bob (video). Had supper on the back deck while watching rabbits slowly eat her flowers. There was a postcard from Ne. Back to Chris' where I did a letter to Emery with Dixie's help.
	from Dad
August 3 Diary
Mon 4th - Mpls/80°F Chris was evicting two girls with sheriff's help. When I was trying to get Gutzke's phone number the operator couldn't understand me until I realized that I was saying "zed" instead of "zee". Went with Chris to Famous Dave's BBQ and Blues which looked like Chicago brick buildings under an el train complete with sound effects and steam. We left when the band got too loud.
August 4 Diary
Tues 5th - Minneapolis/79°F/rain Drove (trees/lawns) to Dad's stopping at Brookdale where I bought pants at Sears. New highways everywhere. Had lunch, visited and then went for a long walk along the creek. Back for a barbeque chicken supper (video). Lavonne put milk into the sugar bowl and sugar into the creamer. I used all of the milk in my coffee and she thought I had loaded up on sugar (video). Gail went with Lavonne to feed a bald cat. Dad gave me a pile of articles to read. Stopped at the nearby Standard station to fill up and told Jane I was the guy from New Zealand, so we chatted and when I told her dad would be 75 on Friday she was shocked, thinking he was about 65. Stopped at SportsMart and we each got a pair of hiking boots. Chris was out with a Betty when we got back to his place.
Aug 5 Diary
Wed 6th - Minneapolis/muggy 80°F Went to Mall of America which shakes due to the indoor roller coaster in Camp Snoopy. Spent five hours doing most of the 535 stores I found runnning shoes and Strange Brew video. Found a Goofy lapel pin and a car savings bank. We ate at Twin City Grill. I had an excellent halibut/shrimp. Back to Chris' for coffee and cribbage. Shopped at CUB which now has Weetbix, big kid's carts, Lemon Twizzlers, Oreo ice cream cones, Zantac without a prescription and Fuji apples from NZ which are very popular. Met Chris' office manager, Kate and said "hi" to Mary Ann.
Aug 6 Diary
Thurs 7th - Minneapolis/82°F Met Chris' boss, Scott. We did a tour of the places we once lived, checking out Gail's 50th&France to Lake Calhoun and Lake Street, then Richfield, ending up at Monkey Wards in Bloomington where I returned a shirt. Drove to Ridgedale Center where we ordered a tee shirt with "Twin Cities 2nd Oldest Cab Driver" to be made up. I bought a Goofy keychain and a porcelain Goofy with hose at The Disney Store. Target where we bought sleeping bags. Over to mom's for supper with Brady and his wife of two days, Heidi. Back at Chris' he paid $30 via telephone to watch a 2 minute boxing match. He went out on a date, this time with a Paula.
Aug 7 Diary
Fri 8th - Minneapolis/80°F Angi called and I listened to her for 90 minutes while searching Internet for B&Bs in Hawaii. We went to Dad's where Chris and I helped him replace a plank on his back wall (video). I went with dad to meet his barbers (he leaves his keys in the car in the iginition!) and talk about New Zealand (video) while he had his hair clipped ($20 and not much removed). Meanwhile Gail went to antique shops in Anoka with Lavonne and she found a china Goofy Box Car. Chris went off to get the shirt we had made up. Took him 90 minutes because of the slow traffic. Had a barbeque supper (video) with a Beringer '96 Zinfindel. Video - bubbles) Then the cake which Dad loved (video) and the shirt which was a big hit (video), except for he says he is the oldest, not 2nd oldest. But that was what Chris had told me.
Aug 8 Diary
Sat 9th - St Paul/79°F Schauers' to meet Mighty Dog and Monty and see the motor home that we will be using. Mike (retired) and Bev (second wife) Chapman, Ed (didn't really know him at TheStPaul) and Joan Dandenel (live across road from Schauer), John (still shy and quiet) and Kitty (very entertaining, funny and vivacious) Eliason joined us for snacks outdoors, then a meal followed by an anniversary cake. Eliasons gave us a CD by Kitty and a flutist. Enjoyed Ed and Joanne's stories of their out west adventures.
Lynna and Bob	Mike and Bev	Joanne and Ed - John and Kitty
from Schauers		from Eliasons
From there it was over to Schwitters, where we made it just in time to see Jenny before she left. Had a tour of Cottage Grove to see the changes and then we drove over to Wisconsin to St Croix Meadows to watch dachshund racing - those that didn't run at all were given a "Wacky Weiner" trophy (video). Had a meal at the Bungalow Inn. Pie and coffee at their place (video). Told us all about Ryan's struggles - we didn't see him, only getting a "hi" when he came in and went straight upstairs.
Rollie	Jenny	Jan
Aug 9 Diary
Sun 10th - Minneapolis/70°F Picked up mom and Bob and went to Perkins (no longer Pancake House) for brunch and I had a potatoe pancakes and a Heath bar pie for dessert. Took a long time driving all around 494/Lyndale/Nicolette until we found a Sportsmart where I returned the hiking boots I had bought. We bought a tent and a bag for the video camera. Chris made us shrimp creole and I had to go for a walk after so much of it.
		Reggie
Aug 10 Diary
All Albums	1997 Trip Albums	MalleyGram