Saint Paul - Celebrating the new kitchen, upcoming retirements and life

We have moved on from "shut up Lorne" to "shut up Dennis". And the NoDak and Cannuck continued your "border battles". So it was a great night to once again break in the new Klauda kitchen and engage in lively debate and many many laughs.

Saint Paul - Record temps, on the warm side. What more can you ask in October!

A week ago we had on winter hats and gloves for the bike ride and this week it was shorts and sunscreen - so goes fall in Minnesota.
We got in 30 plus miles...thought we better take advantage of the great day and the end of the fall colors.  Hopefully, a few more rides await us before the snow. 

Twin Cities Marathon - Year 29

I moved to Saint Paul the first year of the Twin Cities Marathon and we all got out and took it in.  Today was number 29 and was sunny but crisp day to get out and enjoy it. 
And after a break Mary ran again.  When I caught up with her between mile 19 and 20 she was moving so well I could only catch her racing on past me - probably best if she didn't have her lipstick on...

Saint Paul - the Marathon shuttle

I made 2 drop offs this year for those intrigued with running 10 - 26.2 miles on a chilly fall day.  One in the dark and the second as the sun was rising. 
I arrived home to take in the current state of our street as we are proceeding through street upgrades - water, gas, curbs, sidewalks, sick trees...just about everything.  It is a mess - and was a muddy mess with all the rain last weekend. 
Fortunately, a few steps away the trees look beautiful and I was able to enjoy the moisture rising like fog off the Macalester sports fields as the sun rose. 
Off to the race...

Saint Paul MN - the first chilly ride

A cool 42F when we hit the road this weekend.  Definitely not anywhere near Carly's requirements...
We bundled up a bit and 5 of us took on the challenge and got in a great ride.  The colors are starting to come out so there was plenty to see and will only get better over the next couple weeks.
With it being Twin Cities Marathon weekend there were miscellaneous add on activities everywhere.  So there were roads closed here and there and a wide range of people out participating at their level.  We zigged and zagged our way to a great chilly fall ride. 

Red Wing MN - a questionable start to the day but then the sun came out...pleasant afternoon along the Mississippi River

The Nixons gathered today along the Mississippi and after several days of amazing amounts of rain and other crazy weather the sun came out to make for a very pleasant fall afternoon.
There is still plenty of water everywhere in the southern part of the state and we are preparing in Saint Paul for the rise as all the rivers and their extra flow converge on us.
Greg and I have been friends forever.  I have known many from the Nixon clan since the early 70s and have met the others as they have come in to the world.  As life happens I haven't seen many of them for more years than should have passed.  Most were children when our paths last crossed and today they arrived with their children.  It was great fun to meet the new members of the family, the spouses and catch up with all the rest.  The story was equally true today with the Sterns and it was so much fun to have that gang around as well.
I learned lots of important things today - Margaret has an important friend Hector who sleeps all the time - he is stuffed, Margaret also never screams but her friends and brothers do, Quillan has big feet and plans to grow in to them, Ross, a senior in high school, doesn't communicate with his mother as much as she would like but has big plans, Ed still has more stories to tell than there are people to listen, Deb has scheduled the first year of Greg's retirement to get her house in order for Maida's graduation and Ed's retirement and several of the Minneapolis Nixons like to spend a fair amount of time eating and enjoying Saint Paul...
Sorry, I was too busy talking to remember to remember to get out the camera, sorry about that,  but caught a few shots of the park on the shores of the River. 

And lastly, my neighbor Simon, fifth grade,  and his buddies realized there was quite a mess in our mutual front yards due to all the utility and road upgrades they are doing.  So he and his buddies repaired it all this evening for all of us...  It is a bit of a war zone out there.  I chose to come in the house and not review the improvements and upgrades they accomplished.....................

Rochester Mn - The birthday workday

This year for Mom/Grandma's birthday we asked her to create a list of projects that she would like to get done . We gathered a good percentage of us from the area and worked our way through the list.  And celebrated another birthday after the list was completed.
We were inside and outside and working both the top to bottom of the house.  We had a good range 1 - 83 years.  Sister Lucille arrived Friday night to get caught up but had a better offer and missed all the fun on Saturday.
And will she or won't she - quit smoking, finish the needlework...and not find a new vice to survive it.  Keep us updated Lauren...
There has been lots of work being done in the neighborhood as part of a street upgrade, including a gas upgrade.  I got home tired and grimy from the work day and was welcomed to a cold shower when I tried to clean up - fortunately Xcel Energy came shortly and got me all up and running again.  

Serbia and the Danube - Petar showing off the hometown view