Two days and counting…Time to say goodbye…Tomorrow, final expenses for six weeks in Minnesota…

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Miles, Madighan, Maisie, Camille, and Greg in front of our hotel yesterday.

The 4th of July was a good day for us although we spent little time engaged in the usual activities. As we wound down our last few days before leaving Minnesota, our priorities revolve around spending quality time together.

Yesterday morning, son Greg, daughter-in-law Camille, Maisie, Miles, and Madighan arrived at our hotel in time for the complimentary buffet breakfast. When we booked this hotel, Country Inn & Suites in Plymouth, we included a total of five of us in the reservation.

The Port of Excelsior, our former downtown.

In doing so, we’d be able to have any of our six grandchildren come for breakfast at no extra charge and swim in one of the two indoor swimming pools. This idea proved to be ideal when at one point or another, any of our three families visited us; Tom’s son TJ’s family of four, Tom’s daughter Tammy’s family of three, and my son Greg’s family of five.

In checking with the kindly hotel general manager, since more mornings than not, it was just Tom and me for breakfast, there was no additional charge when any of our family members came for the breakfast and pool time. Also, based on our long-term six-week stay, this wasn’t an issue. 

 Miles, Madighan (front), with me, Maisie, Camille, and Greg.

After all, most guests check-in and back out after about three days. We have undoubtedly been the exception with this long-term stay.  We’ll be preparing a more comprehensive review on our last day, Friday, when we’ll leave to fly to Las Vegas, Nevada, for the next leg in our US visit, the first in almost five years.

This is where I took Willie for his haircuts.

The three families were with us in Hawaii at Christmas/New Year 2014/2015, but now, as we head to Nevada, we won’t have seen son Richard and my sister Susan since Christmas 2012, a very long time. 

Of course, I’m excited to get to Nevada, although we’ve stayed in close touch over these last almost five years through Skype and Facebook’s Messenger, an easy-to-use “text” type communication medium.

There are many quaint shops in Excelsior.

Now, we continue saying goodbye after yesterday’s day with Greg’s family, which ended up with us coming to dinner for a fabulous meal of grilled steaks, skewered veggies, and salad. 

Not only did we enjoy the home-cooked meal, but after the meal ended, we loved hanging outside near the bonfire with Camille, Greg, and the three kids. Before dark, we decided to head back to our hotel, knowing it was time to say goodbye. 

Upscale clothing store.

The next few days would be spent saying goodbye to all of our other family members, including Tom’s siblings, on Thursday night when we attend the usual barbecue at his sister Mary’s home. 

Today, Tom will pick up Vincent, and he’ll spend the afternoon and evening with us. At 8:00 pm we’ll meet Tammy for dinner at a restaurant and say our goodbyes. On Thursday evening. After we leave the barbecue, we’ll stop at TJ’s home to say goodbye to TJ, Sarah, Nik, and Jayden.

Many of the storefronts in downtown Excelsior had changed over the years.

Saying goodbye isn’t easy. It wasn’t when we left on Halloween 2012, and it’s not easy now. But, our hearts are filled with love that will carry us through for the next few years until we return in 2019 for another visit. In the interim, we’ll all stay in touch.

Leopold’s is an exciting hardware type of store with parts for literally all household goods.

If it weren’t for the magic of the Internet, such a long time away could be heartbreaking. Able to see their faces on Skype, their photos, and experiences on Facebook and have conversations online all make it considerably more manageable than it would have been long before technology facilitated the ease of staying in touch.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with our final expenses for the six weeks we spent in Minnesota, and on Friday, our travel day, we’ll include a post with a review of the hotel and any notes on our final goodbyes. 

Not a good photo as we whizzed past the Dock Cinema, where my sons and I often attended movies when they were young.

Thanks to all of our readers for bearing with us through this intense family time. It’s odd that I ever assumed we’d be able to “entertain” our readers with peripheral topics instead of our continual family time. What was I thinking? It all became way more important than photo-taking and sightseeing. In a mere 26 days, we’ll certainly be back to THAT! 

Photo from one year ago today, July 5, 2016:

This clawfoot tub is just what I needed for soaking when we arrived at the five-star hotel, the Sofitel Legend Metropole, located in Hanoi, where we stayed for five nights before the Mekong River Cruise. For more details and photos, please click here.

Happy 4th of July to all Americans…Dinner with more friends…Three days and counting…Saying goodbye has begun…

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With the bright sun behind us, this photo didn’t come out too well, plus our plates of food look twice as big as they were.

I believe I met Lisa in 1990 and her husband Brian (her then-boyfriend) a short time later. The three of us became fast friends. In 1991, I met Tom, and he too fell into the groove of this good friendship with this lovely couple.

They lived in Minnesota, but after a few years, they moved to Las Vegas. We stayed in touch. Over the years, with son Richard residing in Henderson, Nevada, it became an ordinary course of action to see them when we visited Richard and my sister Susan who moved to Las Vegas many years ago.

Maynard’s on Lake Minnetonka has remained a popular lakeside restaurant since we left. We had a reservation, but outdoor seating wasn’t available when we arrived at 5:30 pm. Instead, the four of us dined indoors in a comfortable booth.

For those living outside the US, Henderson is an upscale less-hurried, and less-gambling-orientated suburb of Las Vegas, although the two cities are next door to one another. We’ll include more about Henderson after we get settled upon our pending arrival in three days.

Our friends, Lisa and Brian, drove from Wisconsin to have dinner with us on Sunday night.  Thank you both for coming to hang out with us.

In 2009, a year before I retired, I went to Henderson to help my son Richard with his booming real estate business. The market had crashed the prior year but morphed into an outrageously active marketplace for buyers and investors to purchase everything they could get their hands on.

Tom ordered the Kung Pao Chicken, which he found to be too spicy for his taste.

That wasn’t the case in Minnesota, which was barely chugging along after the economy had crashed. I left my share of our real estate company in the trustworthy hands of my business partner Theresa, while I took off for five months to help Richard.

We piled my car with the “stuff” I’d need for such an extended stay, including my beloved Australian Terrier Willie, and drove from Minnesota to Nevada, staying at dog-friendly hotels along the way. Willie immediately learned that if he knocked on the car door, we’d stop the car so he could go “potty.” I loved that dog!

I ordered the usual salad that has seen me through dining out every night in Minnesota, a variation of a Cobb Salad; chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, tomatoes, onions, olives with a side of sour cream. The blue cheese was missing, but I didn’t squeal.

The plan was for me to live with Richard while we worked together during that extended period. Moms and adult sons don’t necessarily make the best “roommates,” but we did our best and stayed out of each other’s way. 

The interaction between Willie and Richard’s pug Monty (now in doggie heaven along with Willie) created many laugh-worthy experiences we both still treasure today. 

Lisa ordered the chicken lettuce wraps. This would most likely have worked for me, but I was hungry, and this wasn’t enough food after not eating for almost 12 hours.

After we arrived and unpacked the car, Tom flew back to Minnesota on Halloween 2009 in time to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters who flocked to our neighborhood for the generous offerings from us and our friend/neighbors for their ambitious hike to our remote private road.

Upon my arrival, I had to apply for a Nevada real estate broker’s license, attending school, and taking a test. It took an entire month for the license to come through.

During these five months, I spent considerable time with Lisa and Brian, my only friends living in Las Vegas.  Tom flew back and forth on a few occasions to see me as we stayed in close touch by phone. It was a long five months being apart from one another.

Brian ordered the plain broiled chicken breasts with a baked potato.

Tom flew out for his birthday (December 23rd) and the Christmas holiday at Christmas that year. We had dinner at Lisa and Brian’s beautiful home, helping to prepare a few dishes while thoroughly enjoying spending the holiday with them and other friends.

When the five months ended, Willie and I returned to Minnesota, happy to be back with Tom, our home, and other family and friends. Being away for so long wasn’t easy.

Before leaving to travel the world in 2012, we spent some time in Nevada, again over the Christmas holiday, while establishing our Nevada residency. We got our Nevada driver’s licenses and spent quality time with family. It was during this period and we had a few opportunities to be with Lisa and Brian again.

After we’d left to travel, they moved back to the Midwest, this time in Wisconsin, to be near family. We hadn’t seen them until they joined us at the friend/readers Meet & Greet several weeks ago and then again on Sunday night. At the end of the evening, we all hugged a warm goodbye, knowing someday in the future, we’ll all be together again.

This morning son Greg, Camille, and three grandchildren came for breakfast at our hotel. We had a fabulous breakfast together with lots of delightful chatter. Later today, at 6:00 pm, we’ll meet them for dinner at our favorite restaurant, after which we’ll all say goodbye. The process has begun…

Photo from one year ago today, July 4, 2016:

As a renowned international business center, there are many high-rise office buildings in Singapore. For more photos, please click here.

Down memory lane…How did it feel to return?…Four days and counting…

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From left to right, Doug, Jamie, Tom, Sue, Nelleke, Dave, our dear old friends, and neighbors are on the point.

Not only did we leave all the people we love behind when we left Minnesota and the US almost five years ago, but we said goodbye to all of our worldly possessions; home, cars, and all personal belongings.

My happy guy, enjoying time spent with old friends.

We gave the family the memorabilia and physical photos (all of which we scanned) and sailed away with only that which was contained in an overabundance of luggage at the time.

Now, pared-down considerably with only one large clothing suitcase each, a third smaller bag with supplies, and two carry-on bags, our worldly possessions are few.

Our former home.  Respecting the new owner’s privacy, we didn’t bother them to see it.

I won’t imply that any of that was easy. It was more difficult than we can ever express. But, somehow, we both knew that this new life was meant for us. And yes, it was a process. Freeing ourselves from “stuff” didn’t come easily.

Little did we know, as we suffered the angst of “letting go,” how meaningful and purposeful our new lives would become, providing both of us with a sense of joy, contentment, fulfillment, and happiness neither of us ever anticipated in these later years, especially after all this time has passed.

Our former home is on the opposite side of the peninsula.

We had no doubt we’d return to our old neighborhood to see our friends, and we wondered how we’d react to returning after almost five years. We knew it would be no different for us than when anyone returns to a home in their long-ago past. Doing so will always have the potential to bring up emotions many of us may have put aside for a time.

Alternate view of Jamie and Doug’s home with Nelleke and Dave’s next door.

As we stood on the road with our friends, looking toward our old house, we surprised ourselves when we each smiled, remembering the great times we shared, leaving us with memories we’ll always cherish. There was no sadness.

Jamie and Doug, two doors down from our former home. Thanks for inviting us to the “cocktail cruise.”

However, we weren’t sad in any way or even felt nostalgic to any degree. Later, when we discussed it, we equated it to how one might feel when they see an “old flame” while happily ensconced in a relationship with a “new love,” eliciting not much of a reaction, not a glimmer of sorrow…we’ve moved on.

And move on, we have, into another chapter of our lives for which we’ve adopted with grace and ease, knowing we made the right decision for us, not necessarily that which many others would care to adopt.

Doug, driving their spacious pontoon boat.

The people? We miss them and always will. Spending Saturday night with our old friends and, after spending many other days and nights with other friends and family members, our emotions regarding all of them remain in tact, filled with love and admiration for who they were when we left and who they’ve become in our absence.

Jamie and Doug’s stunning lakefront home.

Yesterday was a busy “friend” day for me when in the morning, friend Chere stopped by our hotel with gifts, Norwex cloths for our travels. Thanks, Chere, how perfect they are!  

Sue sold her house this past year, five years after our beloved Chip passed away. We shared photos and stories of her new home a few weeks ago. Click here for photos.

A short time later when TJ and grandson Jayden arrived for breakfast, they dropped me off at friend Karen’s home while they headed to Wisconsin to buy fireworks. Spending several hours with her was an unexpected treat when suddenly there was a gap in the schedule.

Tom picked me up at Karen’s home around 3:00 pm. We headed back to the hotel to change and dress for the planned dinner with friends Lisa and Brian at Maynard’s Restaurant in Excelsior, located on Lake Minnetonka, an old favorite haunt. 

Dave and Nelleke, our former next-door neighbors.

We spent hours talking, paying little attention to our food, instead of focusing on one another. It was so good to see them again as it had been to see Chere and Karen one last time and, of course, our old friends Lisa and Brian last night.

Nelleke and Dave’s gorgeous lakefront home.

During this extended stay, I even had an opportunity to see an old friend and former business partner, Theresa, a second time on a whim during a gap in the schedule last week.

Tom’s fish and chips with coleslaw.  He’ll eat healthier food once we start cooking again in Costa Rica in about 28 days.

As this final week comes to a close, knowing we’re leaving in four days, we’ll focus our time and energy, as their work schedules allow saying goodbye to our family. The busy 4th of July holiday puts a slight damper on this process, but we’ll manage just fine. 

Jamie and Doug shared this massive plate of pork chops at Hazelwood Restaurant, where we dined after our happy hour boat ride.

We arrived in Minnesota on a holiday weekend (Memorial Day) and are leaving on the 4th of July week. Soon, we’ll return to the life our Aussies friends always referred to as our “living life on a perpetual holiday (vacation).” 

My usual Cobb salad with a side of sour cream (instead of salad dressing) which I’ve ordered almost every night since we arrived in Minnesota nearly six weeks ago.

For us, it’s not a perpetual vacation. Its a nomadic life filled with adventure as we continue to explore beyond our wildest dreams, a decision that ultimately required a lot of change, sacrifice and adaptation, a decision we’ll never regret.

Thanks, dear readers, for sharing this particular time with us.

Photo from one year ago today, July 3, 2016:

Historical building in Singapore one year ago. For more photos and final expenses for the week we spent in Singapore, please click here.

We’re packing in the good times…Minnesota and Nevada law changes…Five days and counting…

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Tom and I dined here in our old lives. Dining here now doesn’t fit into the budget in this life.
It was over this past week that time began flying by at a pace we’ve only experienced in the final weeks of our favorite places in the world. With only five days remaining with the busy Fourth of July holiday in between, we continue to pack each day, spending time with family and friends.
Many buildings had changed or been added along Lake St. in Wayzata.

Shortly TJ and family are coming for breakfast, after which they’ll be dropping me at my dear friend Karen’s home in Eden Prairie, where I’ll spend part of the day on my final visit with her. 

This was formerly Sunset’s Restaurant and is now Cov.  Maybe we’ll try this for dinner one evening this final week.

Tom will drive to Wisconsin (a one-hour trip) with TJ and family, where they’ll purchase fireworks for the Fourth of July festivities. In the US (for our friends in other lands), the annual celebration of Independence Day is often commemorated with massive fireworks displays at both public venues and private backyards.

Outdoor dining at Cov Restaurant.

Minnesota is strict in many regulations, including prohibiting the sale of fireworks (beyond sparklers and ground snakes) for anything that makes noise or shoots into the air. Neighboring Wisconsin has no such laws, and many Minnesotans make the annual trip to shop at various stores close to the border.

Speaking of Minnesota laws, as of today, it will be legal to sell alcohol on Sundays, but only from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, at the discretion of liquor and wine shop owners. 

Another new building on Lake St.

Old laws on the books prevail in Minnesota, including that car dealerships must be closed on Sundays.  Oh, I won’t get into this topic any further; however, if your curiosity is piqued on “dumb laws,” click here for a few shockers.

Few boats were yet at the public docks in the cool early morning.

Now that we’re residents of the state of Nevada, we pay attention to what’s transpiring there. As of yesterday news, we discovered the following as quoted from this article:

“Sales of recreational marijuana kick off in Nevada on Saturday, July 1, and the state is expecting an onslaught of tourists coming to sample the local merchandise.”

The Lafayette Club private golf and country club is situated in Wayzata. As a popular and desirable wedding venue, I was married many moons ago (not to Tom).

Gee… many changes are occurring throughout the US and surprisingly here in Minnesota while we’re here and then in Nevada, where we’ll soon arrive in a mere five days. 

Yesterday was another busy day with the morning’s sightseeing and photo taking in Wayzata, which we’re wrapping up in today’s photos and midday shopping to round out our required purchases.

The owner of this newer 34-foot boat was busily washing the bow.  The upkeep of a boat is a constant and costly responsibility which we’re happy is no longer a part of our lives.  We both had boats before we met and for many years after that.

Last night was memorable, spending the evening with dear old friends and neighbors with whom we’ve stayed in close touch over this past almost five years. It was as if no time had passed at all when we all so quickly fell into step with warm hugs and animated conversations. 

A footbridge at the Wayzata Boatworks.

Tomorrow, we’ll post photos of our old neighborhood and Lake, including photos from our “happy hour” boat ride Jamie and Doug, who so generously hosted on their boat with fabulous food and drinks. 

After the boat ride, we all headed to a popular local restaurant where all of us had dined in years past. It was an evening we’ll never forget and look forward to repeating next time we return to Minnesota.

This was new…planter boxes with flowers at the boat docks. 

Tonight, we’re meeting more close friends, Lisa and Brian, at another restaurant frequented in our old neighborhood. Photos will follow for all of these meaningful events over the next few days.

Thanks to all our readers who’ve written to us expressing how they’ve enjoyed reading about our family-orientated visit to Minnesota. We’d expected our readership to decline during this period, but it has not. It inspires us to know that wherever we may be, whatever we may do, we always have YOU at our side.

Here is a small portion of the many expensive slips in Wayzata for Lake Minnetonka boat owners. There is an annual lottery for 100 residents only.  The remainder of boat owners must pay exorbitant fees at various locations, often priced well into the thousands of dollars.

In 30 days, the pace will kick up as we make our way to Costa Rica. I can’t wait to take photos of those colorful frogs, birds, and other wildlife indigenous to the wildlife-rich country. Back at you soon!

Photo from one year ago today, July 2, 2016:

Lots of fresh fish are reasonably priced in Singapore. For more photos, please click here.

The final week in Minnesota busiest schedule yet has begun…Late posting…

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Tom used to travel along these same railroad tracks in Wayzata as I looked out the window (in the late ’80s) of my lake view office watching the passing trains. Little did I know…

This morning we had to run a few errands resulting in today’s late posting. We had to pick up a few items at local stores, which were along the drive through the beautiful town of Wayzata, Minnesota, where I worked many years ago (let’s say around 30 years ago), to take photos to share.

Ducks, tails in the air while feeding on Lake Minnetonka.

I felt a little nostalgic in the upscale Lake Minnetonka community, where over the years, I boated, dined at good restaurants, shopped, and worked. 

A few of today’s photos include the location of my old business when I owned a few ReMax offices, which I later sold and are no longer in that location. Times have changed.

My former office location in the late ’80s.

Both Tom and I were surprised to see how much this famous lake town has changed in these past five years since we’ve been gone. There were new buildings everywhere, new and different restaurants, new shops, more offices, residential buildings, and many more mature trees.  

This was where my office was located (as a business owner), with views of the train depot and the lake. It seems like a lifetime ago.

Wayzata was even more beautiful and appealing than it had been years ago when it was considered one of the most desirable places to visit and, for a lucky few, places to live.

In my boating days in the ’70s and ’80s, it was a perfect spot to dock the boat at the public pier and head to lunch or dinner at one of the several restaurants walking distance from the docks. Lots of great memories occurred there and in many other areas of the famous Lake Minnetonka.

Boats at one of many marinas on Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata.

By the time I met Tom in 1991, I had lived on a different lake where I had kept a boat and rarely ventured out to Lake Minnetonka. My “hay days” were over after becoming 40+ years old. 

We can only imagine the cost of renting these boat slips in Wayzata in this day and age when 40 years ago I paid $2,000 for the short summer season.

This new period of my life morphed into mature activities with friends and neighbors, which resulted in a plethora of phenomenal new memories, which Tom and I share.

Today at 5:00 pm, with much delight, we’ll be with those friends/neighbors when we pick up dear friend Sue and drive out to our old neighborhood to spend the early evening at Jamie and Doug’s home (they lived two doors from us) while they take all of us on a  happy hour boat ride on the lake. 

The historic train depot in Wayzata.

It will be weird to see our former home but certainly, won’t bother the new owners. Neither of us knows what to expect when we see the exterior, but we’ll report back here tomorrow.

Were we sightseeing for the first time since we arrived in Minnesota?

By 7:00 pm, we’ll all head out to dinner at a favorite local restaurant and surely enjoy more of some of the most lively conversation to be had, reminiscent of our “old times” together. We can hardly wait!

As we begin our final six days in Minnesota, a sense of whirlwind activities is upon us.  We’ve reserved this last week to say goodbye (once again) to family and friends, make any last-minute purchases, prepare our old clothing for delivery to Goodwill and make the finishing touches on our packing to comply with baggage weight limits on Delta Airlines.

A little history of the railroad coming to Wayzata in 1867.

We fly out on Friday, July 7th at 2:20 pm, arriving in Las Vegas at 3:39 pm with a two-hour time change (we won’t even notice that!). With the fourth of July this week on Tuesday (US Independence Day celebration – for our friends overseas), lots of activities planned, and unreal traffic, we’re attempting to plan this final week carefully.

Plenty of seating was available for spectators in this beautiful area.

Our top priority is to say our goodbyes and keep this final week as stress-free as possible. In the time-constraint arena for most Americans, stress can quickly overtake one’s state of mind with the endless congestion, busy schedules, responsibilities, and plans. 

Wayzata Bay of only a tiny portion of huge Lake Minnetonka with over 14,000 acres and 140 miles of shoreline.

It’s been easy to become caught up in the frenzy of life, often finding ourselves more tired than usual, struggling to get a whole night’s sleep. Dining out most meals has also taken a toll on our typical healthy, grass-fed, organic homemade meals. 

Walkway at the depot.

At this point, I hadn’t cooked for us since before April 22nd, when we spent our final time in Australia before boarding the ship to Seattle, Washington. That was 71 days ago. I have no idea if I’ll be cooking any meals during the upcoming three weeks in Nevada, but I anticipate we’ll be dining out during the majority of that period as well.

Miniature historical representation of Wayzata railroad.

Don’t get me wrong. We’ve loved the time we’ve spent in Minnesota being with our family members and friends. But, six weeks is a long time living in a hotel regardless of the comfort and amenities.  

Alternate view of the depot’s historical display.

A month from today, we’ll be settling into a life of leisure in the upcoming rental in Costa Rica, where we’ll live for over three months. We’re not complaining. It’s all been good, better than we’d expected.

More history of Lake Minnetonka.

Now, as we roll into this holiday week, we wish all of our friends/readers a safe and happy fourth of July. Be well. Be safe and be satisfied.

Photo from one year ago today, July 1, 2016:

Live crab in a bin in the market in Singapore, one year ago today. For more photos, please click here.

An anniversary night where we met 26 years ago…Post #1800 today!

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Our waiter took this photo of us on our 26th anniversary of the day we met at this exact location, now a different restaurant.

Dining out every night over the past 34 nights, except for a few occasions when we’ve eaten at the homes of friends or family, has lost its novelty. No longer do we peruse the menu with renewed interest anticipating something new and wonderful.

When we entered Poor Richard’s, we were reminded of the memorable date of when we met.

With my restricted way of eating and the availability of restaurant menus online, it’s been easy to determine which establishments may work for me and which do not. Also, since I don’t consume foods cooked in vegetable oils (only butter, quality olive oil, or coconut oil), there are few menu items I’d consider ordering.

The easiest and least risky meals for me are salads containing hard-boiled eggs, bacon, fresh avocado, lettuce, tomato with broiled chicken or salmon. This generally may be described as a Cobb Salad or variation thereof.

Tom was all smiles when he perused the menu.

Except for amazing fall-off-the-bone ribs we ordered (without sauce) at Grizzly’s the other night, I’ve only ordered the above-type salads over these many past meals. 

On the other hand, Tom has indulged in a whatever-he-wants mentality, knowing that in a little over a month, I’ll be cooking our meals again, which won’t include fries and other starches, burgers in a bun and other bread products, etc. 

Tom’s puff pastry-topped chicken potpie and garlic mashed potatoes.

During this period, he’s avoided all desserts and sweets, including the home-baked chocolate chip cookies available in the hotel’s lobby throughout the day and evening.

Eating only a low-carb breakfast (no pancakes, waffles, cold cereals, or toast) and no lunch or snacks between breakfast and dinner (or after dinner), he hasn’t gained an ounce while consuming some of this less-than-desirable food. I’ve stayed mum about what he orders (other than perhaps drooling a little when I see what’s on his plate at dinner time).

My seasoned buffalo chicken chopped salad with bacon, avocado, and blue cheese.

Last night was a perfect example of my drooling.  He ordered a puff pastry-topped chicken pot pie with a side of garlic mashed potatoes (skins included). I rated another variation of a Cobb Salad based on the menu offerings at Poor Richard’s Commonhouse in Bloomington, the location of our anniversary dinner as explained in yesterday’s post.  Please click here if you missed that post.

To our local readers: This is not the wrong spot for a reasonably priced and delicious meal.

Tom thoroughly enjoyed his pot pie, while I found the salad to be one step above some of the others I’ve tried since we arrived on May 26th.  Of course, the evening wasn’t so much about the food as it was the experience, dining in the same spot where we met 26 years ago, although the former establishment had been replaced twice; from the former Stonewings to Major by the current Poor Richard’s.

We’d anticipated feeling somewhat nostalgic about the location. Still, unfortunately, it had changed so much in the past 26 years we didn’t see any of the old Stonewings in its shape or design. Considerable remodeling had transpired over the years, making it an entirely new place.

We met in 1991 at this geographical location, not necessarily this same restaurant.

Instead, we giggled over the people we were 26 years ago, chatted about how our lives have changed so much, our time here in Minnesota and upcoming in Nevada, and the continuation of our travels in a mere 32 days when we fly to Costa Rica.

We both want to thanks our readers/friends, our Facebook friends, and our family for all the well wishes, email messages, and comments posted on yesterday’s post (click here to see).  Tom’s photo was quite a hit with the “girls,” and as he’s continued to mature over the years, he’s still quite a hit with me. 

The sign on the outside of the unrecognizable building.

It’s funny how when one is in love, they never mind the apparent aging process and changes that evolve over the years. In our minds, we’re still the 26-years-younger people we were back then with some added wisdom and “seasoning.” 

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, June 29, 2016:

Sri Mariamman Temple in Singapore with its ornate carvings. For more, please click here. 

Today is our 26th anniversary of the date we met…An unusual plan to celebrate tonight…

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This was Tom around the time we met in 1991. (Photo of the old photo).

Tom and I met 26 years ago at a popular nightclub and dance bar in Bloomington, Minnesota. Stonewings was known for being a place to meet the more mature types. I was 43 years old, and Tom was 38. 

I’d been on a blind date with another guy and ditched him when everything about him revolved around lies he told me to get me to go out with him.  It didn’t take long for me to run as fast as possible and call a girlfriend to join me for some “fun” at Stonewings.

Walking into the busy nightclub, I took a seat while my friend went to the restaurant next door to have a bite to eat. No more than a few minutes after I ordered a drink, I spotted him…Tom that is. 

He was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with a button-down collar with tight black jeans. He didn’t look like my usual “corporate type,” wearing a Hugo Boss suit, a 100% pinpoint cotton long sleeve dress shirt, a subtle Armani tie, a pair of Cole Haan shoes, and socks with dots. Nope, he wasn’t my type.

His shock of dark hair, his bright white toothy smile, and his crystal blue eyes had me smitten in minutes. Another man approached me, announcing, “Hi, my name is rockin’ rollin’ Bob, and I’m the social director here tonight. I’d like to know who you’d like to dance with.”

Jess and Tom in 1991.

I paused, contemplating the peculiar announcement for only seconds. I pointed at Tom and said, “Him!”  Bob escorted me to Tom’s table, introduced me, and left. In moments, we were engaged in lively conversation.  Within 30 minutes, we were on the dance floor, unable to wipe the smiles off our faces. 

By the end of the night, the sparks were flying. At the end of the evening, when the bar was closing, he escorted me to my car, asked for a kiss which I declined, and asked me to see him the next night. I agreed, but I invited him to my lake home for dinner in an unlikely moment of pure trust.

We had nothing in common. He was a “blue-collar” railroad worker, and I was a “white-collar” business owner.  We lived in different worlds, mingled with different kinds of people, and had nothing in common. He liked rock music. I liked disco.  He was from a large family. I was not.

He grew up in the hood and spoke slang language. My friends joked that I was the queen of proper diction and elocution. He purchased his Wrangler or Levi jeans at Fleet Farm.  I wore designer jeans from Neiman Marcus. 

When I looked deep into his ocean blue eyes, I knew this would never last, nor did I want it to.  I thought, “This guy will be fun for the summer.” The following night when he drove up to my house on the peninsula with its lush green manicured lawn, he thought (so he says), “We have nothing in common, and soon I’ll be out of here in no time and head back to Stonewings.”

See…he does “clean up” nicely wearing a tuxedo. 

But it didn’t happen that way. He hated the food I’d made and the drink I served: blackened swordfish, couscous, and grilled baby asparagus with a crusty baguette and bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. He somehow managed to eat the food and drink the wine. 

The conversation flowed with ease.  We laughed, talked, and shared personal stories not necessarily befitting a “first date.” When he told me he’d taken his mother, who was going blind, to see the Pope in Italy and visit Ireland using his entire one month of a year’s vacation, I truly believe it was a stepping stone to my falling in love.  Who does that?  This must be one special kind of guy.

This sexy bad boy was much deeper than I’d expected, and I let my guard down and let him into my world.  It wasn’t an easy four years until we were married in 1995. He had to rid himself of his bad-boy ways, but somehow we managed to stick together and grew more and more in love over time as we both grew and changed.

We met 26 years ago tonight, and here we are, living a dream we never knew either of us had ever imagined.  Here we are, more in love than ever, sharing a commonality of interests that often baffles us. How did we get here?

But, rather than question it, we’ve blended our ways. He still doesn’t like blackened fish or red wine, and I don’t eat (and never have) Planter’s cheeseballs or McDonald’s burgers and fries. I’ve been to parties in garages and bowling alleys, and he’s worn a black tie to social events. 

He knows what fork to use at a formal dinner table, and I can snip a nightcrawler (worm) with my long fingernails and neatly place it on a hook with nary a comment or concern for the mud under my nails. We’ve blended well.

In 33 days, we’ll be back “out into the world,” continuing on our world journey with a powerful sense of joy and contentment, knowing wherever we go, whatever we do, we’re genuinely a match “made in heaven.”

Tonight, we’re dining where Stonewings used to be, which is now a casual bar named “Poor Richards.” It won’t be quite the same, but we’ll be content, and we’ll celebrate this amazing life we share together.

Photo from one year ago today, June 28, 2016:

We’d expected the Vietnam Embassy to be guarded and much larger. As often is the case, many embassies are converted to large homes. We’d specifically gone to Singapore to get three much-needed visas at various embassies, visas we’d need over the two months we were spending in Southeast Asia.  For more details, please click here.

Ten days and countings…Fishing with the boys…

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Tom is standing outside the Bait & Tackle store in Plymouth, near the red SUV

How the time has passed so quickly baffles us. Is it due to our rapidly advancing age, or is it since we’ve been so busy with spending quality time with family and friends? Perhaps it’s a mix of both.

A container of “waxworms,” aka maggots.

As July quickly approaches in a few days, with July 7th as our Minnesota departure date, we anticipate the three weeks we’ll spend in Las Vegas will pass soon as well. Each time we prepare the “photo from one year ago today” at the bottom of each post, we’re astounded by how the one-year period of time seems as if it’s only been months, not a year.

Vincent fishing on the dock on Lake Johanna in Arden Hills.

This is true with most of our travels, especially when we’re living in an area we find particularly interesting and meaningful, as has been the case over the past month we’ve been in Minnesota.

Yesterday, a bit of nostalgia entered the mix of experiences when we brought grandson Miles out to our former Lake Minnewashta in Chanhassen, a 20-minute drive from the hotel.

It was a fantastic, sunny day with a few bathers at the beach on Lake Johanna.

We’d planned to fish with the boys sooner, but somehow the time got away from us. In these past two weeks, we’ve had the opportunity to go fishing with both grandson Vincent (Tom’s daughter, Tammy) and grandson Miles (my son, Greg).

Vincent caught his first fish, tiny but gratifying. The hooks are carefully removed to avoid injuring the fish, and the fish are tossed back into the lake. The kids have no interest in eating the fish they catch, nor do any adults care to fillet small sunfish or crappies (pronounced croppies).

As shown in today’s photos, both fishing outings were relatively successful, at least to some degree. Vincent caught three sunfish on Lake Johanna in Arden Hills last week, and yesterday, Miles caught 13 or 14 sunfish on Lake Minnewashta in equal periods. The bait used and equipment were identical. 

Another catch for Vincent, equally small but enough to elicit a partial smile.

Since it made no sense for us to get fishing licenses or purchase equipment, we helped both grandsons with their fishing line issues and bait. Over two years older than Miles, Vincent needed little to no assistance, while Miles, only nine, needed a bit of help on a few occasions, to which we happily obliged.  

Miles is ready to “toss a line.”

Tom had stopped to purchase easy-to-use bait in both cases, the popular wax worms as shown in the photo.  These are now priced at $2.28 per container of 25 “maggots.” When we lived here almost five years ago, they were priced around $1.50 per container. Inflation, I guess. 

Yesterday’s cool (under 70 degrees) weather prevented any interest in swimming at the beach on Lake Minnewashta.

Where can one get hours of enjoyment for a paltry $2.28?  They each had a good time. Then again, so did we.  How could we not be reminded of living on the lake and fishing with the grandchildren? As we sat on that public dock yesterday afternoon, did we miss the lifestyle as we overlooked our former lake?

Miles and his well-stocked tackle box.

Yesterday, we freely spoke as to the answers to these questions while we watched Miles fish. We’ve missed the interactions with our kids, grandchildren, and other family members and friends, but not the limitations of a structured lifestyle. 

The line’s in the water.  Let’s see what happens.

We’re totally convinced this nomadic lifestyle we live was meant for both of us.  How odd that sounds. Neither of us ever dreamed of or ever mentioned the prospect of “living in the world,” let alone being “homeless” and traveling with no end in sight, health providing.

Family and friends have asked, “Aren’t you happy to be home?” We’ve smiled and answered, “We’ve loved spending time with the family and friends. Nothing compares to that.”

Miles’ first catch of the day with another 12 fish following as we carefully kept count.

Where is “home” to us these days?  Often people refer to where they grew up as their “home.”  To us, these adages seem to apply:

“Where we love is home – home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.”–   Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.  

Also, for us, the following applies:

“I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself.”–   Maya Angelou.

And also, the following:

“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”–   Author Unknown.  

The dock to the public fishing area on Lake Minnewashta.

And, when we leave Minnesota in a mere ten days, and then Nevada, a mere three weeks later, we carry all the love and warmth we’ve experienced in these nine weeks in the USA, well into the future as mentioned above, “Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

We continue on…

Photo from one year ago today, June 27, 2016:

The swimming pool at the Hilton Garden Inn located in Denpasar Bali is much larger than most hotel pools. We stayed one night while awaiting the next day’s flight to Singapore. For more details, please click here

A children’s theater production…Shrek and company…Not so good dining experience…

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Madighan, Camille, and Maisie at The Stages Theater in Hopkins where the four of us saw a local production of Shrek.

By the time we uploaded yesterday’s post around noon, it was time for me to go back upstairs to our hotel room to change clothes and head to Greg’s home in St. Louis Park for a children’s theatre event.

Camille had purchased four tickets for us and Maisie and Madighan to see the new production of Shrek at the popular Stages Theatre in Hopkins, an often sought venture for kid celebrations and special events.

It was odd but the theatre didn’t have a parking lot in downtown Hopkins, a sleepy town known for its annual Raspberry Festival which my sons and I attended 40 years ago when we lived in nearby Minnetonka in the 1970’s.

“Hopkins Raspberry Festival

The Hopkins Raspberry Festival is an annual event in Hopkins. The Hopkins Raspberry Festival was founded in 1935 as a way to boost business during the Great Depression of the 1930s. A date of July 21 was chosen to hold the event to coincide with the peak of the raspberry-picking season. The festival now takes place the third weekend in July every year.
The Raspberry Festival is overseen by a board of directors supported by many additional volunteers and local civic organizations each year. Most of the volunteers return from year to year, with some being active for as many as 20 years. Since its inception, it has evolved into a dynamic community celebration with activities including music, sporting events, royalty coronations, craft fair, and parade.”

Hopkins, only consisting of four square miles (with a population around 18,000) is also known for it’s highly rated high school, low-priced movie theatre and of course, the Stages Theatre.

The Shrek production was well done with performers skillfully singing and dancing throughout the musical production. The storyline was light, as the case for most children’s productions and of course, it had a happy ending.

Madighan, Camille, and Maisie at the Stages Children’s Theater.

When the production ended, we made our way back to Greg and Camille’s home where I dropped them off, stopping to say hello again to Greg and Miles who was busy working on one of Greg’s vehicles. 

Back at the hotel around dinner time, Tom and I jumped back into the red SUV to head out to dinner to a restaurant where we’ve dined for no less than four prior occasions during this past month we’ve been in Minnesota. 

There were few diners on a Sunday evening in the now-familiar establishment. Waiting for a table for five or six minutes at the hostess stand, we wondered when we’d be served, noting many open booths and tables.

Asking for a booth, the hostess stated they were no available booths and yet, we had a clear view of two booths that only needed to be cleared. Tom pressed for a booth while I waited patiently curious to see how this situation would roll out. 

With an added level of insistence, Tom finally got the hostess to see we were serious about getting a booth.  Their wooden high-top chairs aren’t comfortable and we wanted a booth. Had there not been any available booths, of course, he wouldn’t have pressed the issue.

The small intimate theater was freezing in today’s cold weather.

The hostess finally agreed to clear one of the booth’s tables explaining we’d have to wait  for “several minutes.”  We waited quietly and finally were escorted to the booth, handed menus while graciously thanking the annoyed hostess. We rarely make any type of fuss in any types of venues but felt insistent in this particular case.

Each time we’ve dined at this restaurant, we’ve ordered the same items off the menu. Perusing the menu for other options, we still ended up ordering our usual items which had been perfect on all of our past visits. We waited for 30 minutes for the food to finally arrive. 

The restaurant continued to be quiet with few tables filled. Tom’s food was cold (obviously from sitting under the lights and not being served promptly and mine had the wrong type of meat and was missing items. 

I’d ordered the shredded beef for my chop salad and they brought a chunk of badly charred steak that was grossly overcooked. Waiting five minutes for the waitress to return to the table to explain our “issues,” she finally whisked away our plates, returning 10 minutes later with a new hotter dish for Tom.

Another view of Paulette and Mark’s beautifully landscaped lake property.

Again, my order was wrong. All they’d done was cut the burnt steak into tiny cubes and delivered it with the salad on a separate plate which I’d requested. There was no way I was going to eat those burnt little chunks of beef. Again, she returned my plate to the kitchen while I insisted Tom eat his meal before it got cold again.

Finally, my meal arrived but the salad was missing the avocado and bacon. I didn’t bother to mention this at that point. Since I don’t eat bottled dressings, I’d asked for sour cream when ordering. It still hadn’t been served. 

Again, I waited, this time for the sour cream which arrived in the tiniest of containers, way too small for the amount of lettuce in the bowl. It was comparable to putting one tablespoon of dressing on a huge salad.

At last, the waitress brought me a reasonable portion of sour cream. At this point, we’d had enough and I asked to see a manager. We waited for 10 minutes for her to arrive.  When she approached us, she immediately mentioned she was aware of our “issues” and was going to”comp” our dinner while apologizing profusely for the food and the service.

Paulette and Mark’s view of Ham Lake from their yard.

We appreciatively accepted her apology and the “comp” and finished our meals. Will we go back?  We’ve loved this restaurant on all of the prior occasions. We’ve agreed to give it another try but not on a Sunday when a lighter staff may have contributed to the problems with the food and service.

We haven’t mentioned the name of the restaurant since our comments aren’t intended as a bad review.  If all turns out well after our next visit to this establishment, we’ll write a good review. Why tarnish their reputation over one bad experience?

Today, Miles is with us for the day. Soon, Tom will pick up Sister Beth in Blaine to take her to the airport for her return flight to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was her second visit to Minneapolis since we arrived and was a surprise intended for Margie’s birthday party on Saturday night. 

The end of the day from Paulette and Mark’s yard in Ham Lake.

On Friday, while Tom attended the “Back to the 50s” event at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, I collected Sister Beth at the airport and drove her to Patty’s home in Blaine. I never mentioned it in Friday or Saturday’s post for fear of spoiling the surprise element.

That contributed to mine and Madighan’s driving time on Friday, including dropping Tom at the fairgrounds and picking him up later in the day during rush hour. She was quite the trooper when we spent nearly five hours in the red SUV.

Today, after Tom returns around 1:00 pm, we’re taking Miles fishing. It will be another pleasant and busy day.  We hope you have a good day as well!

Photo from one year ago today, June 26, 2016:

It was business as usual with Tom wearing a sarong as the required dress to enter the monkey temple. He had a hard time managing the steps. He just didn’t have the same experience as women who’ve worn long dresses, knowing when to hold up the hem for ease in walking. For the final figures as we wrapped up our first two-month stint in Bali, please click here.

Tom’s family sure knows how to throw an 80th party…Happy birthday, Margie!

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Margie with one of her two birthday cakes.  This photo was taken by nephew Joe’s wife Donna before our arrival around 4:30 pm. The party had started at 2:00 pm, and by the time we arrived the cake was cut. Thanks for the good photo, Donna!

The birthday party invitation read the event was starting at 2:00 pm. Knowing how late Tom’s family can stay up to have a good time, we decided to head out a little later to get a few things taken care of in preparation for our upcoming departure from Minnesota in a mere 12 days.

 With few daylight hours together at the hotel (other than while I’m preparing the day’s post), we did some laundry while I began the process of taking all the tags off Tom’s new clothing, neatly folding each item into a tidy pile.  Sure, he could do this himself, but there are just some things better left to me. So, he did the laundry while I snipped and folded.

When I met Tom three days short of 26 years ago, I attended a party in a garage for the first time in my life. I’d never heard of such a thing but now all these years later it’s the expected location of his family parties in my mind. Many lingered inside Paulette and Mark’s home and around their exquisite lakefront yard with the huge group.

The shirts, tee shirts, socks, and underwear, all overly tagged and wrapped in excess amounts of cardboard, plastic, and paper, took longer to prepare than I’d expected.  What’s the deal with all this “packaging?” A simple price tag stuck to the item’s promotional tag is all that’s required.

Those little plastic tags that, once snipped, leave a “T” shaped piece often caught in an unreachable spot are quite annoying.  If it weren’t for those, I’d have been done in half the time. Leaving one of those items behind is a huge annoyance for the wearer when these little buggers hurt and scratch until they’re found and removed.

After we were done, we packed our handy Celebrity Cruise Line shopping bag (I don’t own a handbag) with iced tea, tea bags, and zippered sweatshirts. It’s been cool these past several days, and a party in a garage could become chilly as the day wore on. At the moment, at 11:00 am, it’s a chilly 57 degrees in this area.

Tom’s blind brother, 24 years his senior, and his daughter Kathy who is a big help to him in his day-to-day life. Every day Tom sends our post to Jerry after deleting the photos.  He has a computer with text-to-talk technology suited to the blind and enjoys “hearing” our daily posts.

We’d expected hot weather while in Minnesota in late June. I guess we’ll have to wait for warmer weather until we arrive in Las Vegas soon, where at 9:00 am, it’s already 100 degrees with an expected high of 112 today, a little cooler than last week’s record-breaking 117. Wow!

The drive to Ham Lake didn’t take as long as we’d expected, with light traffic on Saturday. With the help of the navigation system in the red SUV, we quickly found niece Paulette’s lake home.

Kaitlin is Tom’s sister Margie’s great-granddaughter which makes her Tom’s grandniece. Oh, gosh, how can I keep up?

We hadn’t been to their home in years, and after extensive remodeling, we hardly recognized it at all. We couldn’t help but admire the attention to detail, quality design, and amenities. 

But, oddly (or maybe not so oddly), we imagined (and easily recall) the commitment and cost required for the upkeep, maintenance and constant cleaning, an aspect of most people’s lives we gave up long ago. No longer do our weekends revolve around a trip to Home Depot and the time required to complete one project or another.

The party was held at Tom’s niece Paulette’s (husband Mark) beautiful lake home in Ham Lake, Minnesota. The food and drinks were abundant and delicious.  I was happily able to eat some roasted meats and munch on nuts.

Recently, when we stopped in a market for a few items Tom noticed the giant bags of water softener salt. He couldn’t stop smiling over how hauling those 50-pound bags was a part of his long-ago past.  

 Tom recalls waiting until the salt was on sale and subsequently buying eight or 10 bags, loading them into his vehicle and bringing them into the basement.

Both white and chocolate cakes were served along with giant muffins.

Now, in this simple life we live, the only salt we haul is a little hand grinder filled with pink Himalayan salt to season our food. Ah, life is not only good, but it’s easy. Relatively.

No, we don’t have any negative feelings or perceptions of those who live a busy and fulfilling life of home ownership, of entertaining guests, or of spending time on projects they find meaningful and enjoyable. We did that. At the time, it was all we knew. 

Tom’s two sisters seated here are Margie and Mary.   Margie is talking to son-in-law Ken, Tom’s niece Ann’s husband.

And, we admire those who bring meaning and significance into their world with their dedication and commitment to their homes, families, and friends. It’s in this same manner we admire those who branch out in their retirement and find a warm climate where they spend the cold Minnesota (or other states) winters in a second home or traveling the country in an RV.

Then, of course, some cannot afford an RV, second home, or winter escape. And yet, we find ourselves reveling in other ways that those retirees and others find purpose in their lives.

Tom’s sister Colleen is hiding from the photo but showing her adorable granddaughter, Ella.

Yesterday, while I sat at Jerry’s side during the party, he shared with me how he orders talking books through an organization for the blind read aloud on discs he inserts into his computer. It’s easier than trying to figure out and pay the outrageous fees for online text-to-speech books offered at various outlets. 

Daughter-in-law Tracy helps grandson Vincent hold Ella for the first time.

We’re so proud of Jerry, almost 89 years old, for finding ways to make these later years of his life enjoyable and with purpose. For him, this means of reading brings him considerable pleasure. And that’s why Tom never misses a day in sending him our posts with the photos removed. 

Jerry, you’re a great inspiration to us and Tom’s many other family members who celebrate life together regularly and with such enthusiasm. We find them all delightful.

Today, I’m off to a stage presentation of Shrek at a local children’s production company with daughter-in-law Camille and granddaughters Maisie and Madighan for a “girls only” afternoon. No doubt, it will be yet another great time spent with family.

Tom’s sister Margie with Kaitlin, her great-granddaughter, and Kaitlin’s baby Harper, who is Margie’s great-great-granddaughter, making Kaitlin Tom’s great-grandniece and baby Harper, Tom’s great-great grandniece. Whew!

We love all of you and are grateful for the efforts our family and friends have expressed in sharing valuable time with us during this memorable stay in Minnesota.

Thanks to Paulette and Mark for hosting the party and for all those who contributed food, drinks, and support for the large group. And, happy 80th birthday, Margie! It was a fabulous celebration so richly deserved by YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, June 25, 2016:

On our last morning in Bali, we had the joy of seeing this final “sighting on the beach. Wow! Was this Mother Nature’s way of saying goodbye? We were happily returning in two months for another two months after we visited Southeast Asia. For more Bali photos, please click here.