Today is August 27 - my mom's birthday and she would have turned 91 today but died at 83. It is also granddaughter Rooke's 10th birthday and I can't believe we have 2 grandkids now in the double digits!
OK - dropped baby Brother Brian and nephew Andrew at the airport yesterday headed back to California, changed beds, washed lots of towels and laundry and will be ready for the next house guests in a few days. We got it down pat!
Brian is a retired Navy veteran after serving 20 years and since he was born in 1960 has much different memories of the Vietnam war and the 1960s than I do. Nephew Andrew is always listening intently to our family conversations.
I had a $50 off restaurant coupon for our 45th anniversary so the 4 of us went out to dinner the first night here. Such a deal cannot be missed:)
1960 and Brian was born in January so he wasn't very old here and I was 13 years old and loved him to pieces even though when I found out my parents were going to have another baby I was so embarrassed I didn't want anyone in school to know. Duh? How would that work? Turns out my classmates loved him and always wanted to come to our farmhouse for sleepovers and to play with Brian!
Fleet Farm annual visit - buy worms to fish, many bags of things that aren't available in California and I swear each year they each get 3 caps and 5 shirts!
So when you shop with the guys at Fleet and Gander Mountain store closing they thought these were perfect Under Armour slides for me and I do love that brand of slides so now I have these. Nothing like an old ex-farmgirl wearing camouflage slides with a little pink on them.
Ross got the drone of his dreams and Brian thought it was quite hilarious to wear his Fleet Farm cap with the tags still on it. I'm sure our neighbors are giggling a little.
On the way to Jolly Fisherman annual family reunion Chris' first choice for lunch was to pick up subs and bring the food to the Copper Trail brewery tap room in Alexandria and since I don't like beer Cola worked fine. I keep sipping a little beer but I don't think I will ever like it unless it tastes like lemonade.
Brother Kent and Karen - they had just finished the lovely block patio the day before we arrived at their wonderful little cabin on Big Elbow Lake. Every year it gets better and I must say there is a good turnout. My nephews, brothers and my family all must believe that family comes first.
I am the eldest at age 70 (not counting Ross of course) and it goes down to 3 year old Ruby who is niece Molly's youngest of 4 little girls.
First night - guys fish and this continues on and on and on.
Niece Chelsea (Kent's daughter) and Lucy out in the kayak that brother Kent built and what a beautiful night and Lucy is good at kayak, paddleboard, soccer, hockey, biking and a whole bunch of things.
Sweet Lucy and Grammy - time is flying so fast but the little kids still count the days to "Jolly".
Nephew-in-law Adam and niece Chelsea, Lucy and I on Kent's pontoon aka "Party Barge"
Amy pointing at a loon on our evening pontoon ride on the beautiful peaceful lake. Everyone says it's the best place to take a deep breath and relax away from the daily grind.
First night firepit which of course includes s'mores even if we are full. This is at Kent's cabin which is at the other end of the lake from Jolly.
Nephew Corey was super duper popular for having a hoverboard and Lucy and Alex were pros at this new thing.
Fishing day 1 - Lucy sees the guys off from the dock as they head out for the day.
Alex pondering over who will get the biggest fish this year.
Wow - did we luck out. August 21, 2017 - 2nd day at Jolly Fisherman and also Solar Eclipse day. We thought it would be cloud covered and I did have 20 approved pairs of solar eclipse glasses that Ross found for $1 each before everyone sold out. I just happened to look up at the clouds, put a pair on and realize the sky was clearing so we had 90 minutes of beautiful views and clouds passing over now and then which made it even more beautiful in my eyes.
Middle of the day - amazing!
The annual family picture and of course we are all not here but more arrived later.
Sister-in-law Karen and Lucy using the free kayaks provided by the lodge.
Karen and Lucy on the "free to use" stand up paddleboards.
The first day big catch and we had super good fresh fish for dinner. Enough was caught so Kent and Karen could freeze a lot to use later.
We did edit this photo to take Kent out and make the fish look as big as a whale but it took a few tries.
Kent cleans the fish, Alex put the new pieces in the bags depending on which species of fish.
Sunset the first night - Awesome!
Niece Molly worked hard to get all four of the girls to spend the day and it was delightful. She wanted a picture of the "kids" and I just happened to be sitting there playing with them so I got to be a kid - nothing new for me!
I'm sure I was giving a very interesting demonstration of something related to nature.
After a dip in the lake time to raid the ice cream freezer in the lodge which we did at least once a day. Very easy when you can just say "Put it on our cabin tab please".:)
Grand-niece Lily and granddaughter Lucy have so much fun together and like to pose.
Big huge memorable event this year - Andrew, Chris and the kids found crawfish after dark by the dock and this one was still alive and wiggly.
We think we had 28 crawfish or crayfish or crawdads or whatever you call them. They taste and look like tiny lobsters.
So Chris and my brother Kent cooked up a crayfish boil and it was excellent and a big hit.
Yum - we have plans to catch 100-200 next year to have a huge boil but apparently will need crayfish "traps" to do this. I'm sure it will happen.
Last night and Alex and Lucy are almost in tears waving as Kent and Karen leave at dusk to go back to their cabin and we pack up to leave the next morning. We are a very lucky family to have this big support system.
OK - MN State Fair is a go and Brian, Andrew, Alex and I hit it the first day. Ross had to bow out with heel plantar fasciitis so Alex got his ticket and chose it over soccer camp. Almost 9 hours to do this and lots of fun and good food.
DNR Fish pond and the "boys" discussing the species of fish.
We did get to "Machinery Hill" now with a new name but same old tractors and gas powered things. This was a gas powered wringer washer still operating and quite fascinating. I can't imagine being able to do this inside the house as the gas smell was quite pungent.
I could still drive a tractor which I realized after I got on it and knew where everything was.
Nephew Andrew with a lemonade slushy in one hand, texting cell phone in the other and steering with the knees which he says they do on the freeways in California.
Loved this sign on the old 1949 tractor for sale: "runs real good" - Minnesota talk for sure! You betcha - uffda!
Andrew is telling Alex about the aftereffects of the car hitting a semi - the side of the car says the person survived with just a nosebleed and of course they were selling this brand of car.
Hmm - Alex thinks he will be getting one of these road bikes soon - not!!!
Art building - a "person" made of sewing stuff.
Minnesota beer flights for the big boys, Alex has fresh apple cider freezee and I had a new crop Minnesota Zestar apple - mmmmmmm good!
And - end of the day brings a bucket of Sweet Martha's chocolate chip cookies. It is a must do at the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
Next day - our first cousin Denny and his wife Sue popped in for lunch, visiting, giggling and catching up on each others' lives. We have such fun memories of growing up. He was raised in Lake City so close to 400 miles from us but each year he and his mom and dad (my Dad's sister) visited at least once a year and in the fall always brought a bush of Pepin Orchard new apples - mmmmmm!
I just call these the "California T-Shirt Guys".
Last day - visited the farmer's market and Brian and I were looking at a Vietnam war exhibit and this guy came up to visit and turns out he was in Vietnam and his artwork and stories were on the display. He was a "combat artist". He was drafted but deafness would have excluded him which he did not want and wanted to serve his country so they sent him to art classes (his lifetime interest) and he did sketches of all the war things so did see the war first hand. His work is on display in the National Library of Congress. He also graduated from Hopkins MN HS in 1964 the same year I did in Red Lake Falls.
Next up - niece Molly and the group of 6 here in a few days and I'm ready - always ready for the next B&B guests!
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