20130621 – Fort Snelling, Soiree and At Last A Lazy Day

Friday – Very hot 85C, sunny and a tad humid.

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Drive down to Fort Snelling via the main runway of the International airport thanks to that bitch in my satnav system – she obviously had the map upside down.

Fort Snelling was really interesting. Canon firing; soldiers drilling; surgeon to talk to; had a chat with Colonel Snelling about his problems, he really does need to improve his table manners and stop eating off his knife; chatted with the cook in her farmhouse kitchen; watched the washer women do some washing. All great DSC02478live demos. The only down side is we didn’t have enough time.

How this for novel “Sample a Cat”. No it’s not a sign outside a Chinese restaurant, it’s outside a pet shop. Apparently you can spend 2 hours being ripped to shreds by a cat, and if you enjoyed it so much will be able to buy one.

In the evening we went to a soiree for the Phoenix on the River apartment residents and guests. A Jacobs join and bring your own booze on the rooftop, well actually they had it in their lovely social area, another great feature of this building, along with bike storage area, conference rooms, spacious garages, spacious womanned reception.

A very pleasant evening with our hosts and got to chat to a lot of the residents here. There’s some interesting DSC02483characters. Some interesting conversations. Thankfully we’re not in Tennessee – we could easily understand one another.

Horrendous rains, 80mph winds and thunder storms overnight. A severe weather watch with tornado watch. Certainly took down some trees and power lines with 500 thousands being without electricity.

More Lanky sayings:

“Hoof it” – throw it away

“yawreet – grand” (You all right – grand) – are you alright – very well thank you.

“Mum’ll do a spud” (Mum will do a spud) – to be in bother with mum.

“Owt wearin nowt bura shimmy” (Out wearing nothing but a shimmy) – she is out wearing a dress that looks like a night dress.

“A bit ten punch shilling” – not all there.

Saturday – rains stop by 10:00 and turns into yet another warm sun and cloud day.

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Main street is closed off again this morning for yet another event, this time it a children and adults fun run. Just watching them all from our balcony tires us out.

Wander over to the supermarket and then Wendy goes to the wool shop for some buttons. Ends up in the knitting group, personally I think it’s more rattling than knitting, all very friendly and helpful with her. She learns a few new techniques. I start to get the shakes as we go in Lunds supermarket as I dread the battering our credit cards going to get. It’s that bad that last DSC02519 ime we were in here the bank refused our credit card. I have to admit they have an awesome salad bar, hot food, fish and deli counters with more cheese than a French supermarket.

I have to visit the liquor store, free wine and beer tasting – it’s a hard life and it would have been rude not to try them. Outside there’s one of these totally bodacious bike bars where you booze and peddle your way around town – see picture. Really must have a go.

It seems like since we moved North we’ve DSC02510 bviously aged and are no longer passing as under 21 – common sense at last. However I notice the couple in front buying liquor. She’s paying and has to produce photo Id. I get that. What I don’t get is why her husband also has to produce Id. Being the inquisitive sort I ask why. “Ah well she could have been buying it for him.” Have they not realised that if you’re going to buy it for someone under age – quite rightly against the law with stiff penalties – the youngster would stay outside. Another example of the immigration card question “are you a terrorist?”. My inquisition continues with “what happens if there’s 4 people in the party at checkout”. Yes, you’ve guessed it by now, they all have to produce Id. If one of them can’t then they won’t sell it and on top of that they won’t sell to you for 24 hours. Alas I’d lost the will to live by now so never got to the bottom of how they monitor the 24 hour rule.

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Moral of this story is if ever there’s a gang of you buying booze don’t all go through the checkout together you’ll have reached retirement age by the time they’ve Id you all.

Decide we’ll have a lazy day in reading, knitting and enjoying this awesome apartment. It’s so, dare I say it, cool. Lovely wood floors; matching wood cabinets; hifi in every room from a central sling box; Apple TV – yes I know I’ve mentioned it once; electrically operated blinds; giant, plumbed in gas barbecue on the balcony; great  coffee machine that all you need to do is put water in and it grinds the beans fresh for you; luxury of a daily newspaper.

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This Mississippi just keeps rolling on by our apartment. I know the heavens opened up last night but you just wonder where all the water comes from.

The days are passing fast. Less than a week left, which feels hardly anytime at all to us. Wendy’s getting excited about seeing Jasper and the knitting needles are clicking away night and day.

More Lanky:

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“A jump up door and a bite o`t towel!” ( A jump up door and a bite of a towel) – reply to what’s for tea.

“Its all a load of iron peggy martin”  – Its all a load of rubbish or its not very likely to have happened.

“stop acting the leather pig” – stop misbehaving.

“I’ll cotter you one” – I’ll smack you.

“well I’ll go to the bottom of our stairs” – an expression of surprise.

“she hasn’t all her chairs at home” – not very bright.

“Being in Dickies’ meadow” – being in some kind of trouble.


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