RoadTrip Number Two: Party in St. Paul, MN

          The end of July brought a much awaited for three day vacation for the family.  Beth's parents (Dan and Kathy) invited us all to come stay with them for the weekend in St. Paul, MN.   It was a lovely offer. I was glad we got to know Beth's parents better and enjoy some of their local attractions.

     First stop:  a tour of the raptor center where they rehabilitate injured raptors then realease them. The ones that can't be released become education raptors. 

Here we have Ephraim trying to show he is bigger than Beth and all the raptors in the universe. Not quite.

I like the look on this one's face. This is how I feel when people around me continually want food or clothing, and it's my job to provide it.  Cooking and laundry seem to be never ending aspects of my life, and I'm still working on "being ok" witih that. Maybe that's what this raptor is brooding on as well.

Our next stop was a really funky/weird/one-of-a-kind shop called "Axeman".  It is tough to describe this store.  People (and the internet) use the words "surplus store".... but that isn't really what it is.  I'd call it "a functioning commecial art instalation commenting on the consumerism of our culture in a vey humourous way".  I LOVED wandering up and down the aisles reading the home-made items descriptions taped on various boxes and bins.   Here a a few for your own mind expanding experience...

"No:Bikes Scooters Negative Vibes".  This was taped on the entrance, and was only an appetizer of the feast behind the doors.

I think the vampire re-bar stake poster was my favorite!

                                                    Don't try the Booger Brush! It was a joke!

You're Welcome!  It's as if you were there in the store, right? Not quite, because you didn't come out of the store with a mix of practical and weird items.   We got some useful plastic picnic cups, but also a bag of 3 foot long straws.  You have to suck muliple times to get the liqued up that far! No wonder they aren't all the rage.

We headed back to the Fryxell residence and enjoyed some good food in their lovely yard.  

Kathy did a great job planning out easy-to-assemble meals.  She is a very thoughtful hostess. I can see where Beth gets her hospitality skills from.

One thing our family really enjoyed was seeing all the greenspaces ini the area.  The parks and neighborhoods were much more lush than over in our part of Wisconsin.  We had a good time trying out a local pickleball court and playing some croquet.

       Some of the best parts though, were not planned (and therfore not photographed).  Ephraim discovered a flock of wild turkeys living in their neighborhood on a walk.   He was constantly on the lookout for them afterwards.  I enjoyed playing cards and games with Kathy, and just sitting around the table visiting.

     Sylvia and Ephraim benefitted from Dan's patience, as he explained his woodworking tools to them, and helped them with simple projects.   It made me smile, everytime Ephraim would hear Dan start up a woodworking machine in the basement, his ears would prick up like a dogs, and freeze, then get up and sprint to the stairs to see what was going on down there.  Dan was really patient with his curious little visitor.

We had a fun tournament of Kubb on their front lawn before we left for home.

   I don't remember who won or lost, but we had a good time. while we were out playing, a couple of ladies were walking by with their dog.  I asked them to take a family photo of us...

    We are a pretty good looking group.  When I look at this photo, I smile, knowling that behind Asher's head, Dan has a sandwich hidden on a plate.  We descended around him mid-lunch for my impromptu photo shoot!

    I think what I valued most about this weekend was that it was an offering of building a relationship between the families that wasn't based solo around the kids that connect us (Asher and Beth).  Our families have met at musical recitals, and graduation, but not for the sole purpose of hanging out.  This is a different pattern of in-law dynamics than either Sean or I had grown up with.  It is nice to be part of something new. I look forward to many more years of getting together with the Fryxells just because we like them.