2 week hiatus

Hal writes:

It's been about two weeks since my last post. Since leaving Jim's wedding, I spent a little over a week in Arizona and then some time in Minnesota before returning back to SW Wisconsin tonight.

To follow up on my last post, here was my sixth row view for the Diamondbacks baseball game. (You can count six rows up on the other side to get an idea of how close I was.) Oh, and did I mention that they served Coldstone at the game?

I randomly found a candy company that gave a free tour in the afternoon. Besides watching the chocolate, creams, and caramel at the Cerreta Candy Company, we also saw a 400 pound cactus made of chocolate and decorated with other candies. Anna the PT student enjoys that they also make chocolate hip bones.

We spent a couple of days up in Flagstaff including a visit to the Grand Canyon. Anna's cousin Kip lives in Flagstaff with his wife Beth and their two daughters. Anna and I were able to go out to dinner with Kip and Beth (the first time to eat Thai for Anna and I) and get to know them a little bit better. Pictured below is Kip giving a rickshaw bicycle ride to his two daughters and his mom Carol. (Anna and I stayed with her aunt Carol and uncle Jim in Phoenix most of the trip.)

We left early one morning to visit the Grand Canyon. We walked a couple of miles along the South Rim and saw several different views.

Anna and I at the Grand Canyon.

When I returned to Minnesota, I spent a couple days with Kevin. He is getting ordained in two weeks, but in the mean time he is trying to relax and take time off. We went up to visit my parents at the cabin. Here is Kevin showing what his life will be like in 50 years: retired, enjoying lunch on the patio with a blanket to keep him warm.

My dad continues to have a variety of projects at the cabin. The next project is to create a level area for Anna and I to pitch a tent when we visit. In addition to creating a level surface on the hillside, he also has to make sure that when it rains, the water is directed elsewhere. He and my mom have a bet as to whether or not it will be completed when Anna and I visit in mid-July. Pictured below is dad with the beginning of his engineering project, piling stones to hold the dirt back before laying some sod on top.

In an ancient Scandinavian tradition, Kevin and I took kayaks across the lake to pillage some unsuspecting commoners. Pictured below is the victorious return.

This weekend Anna and I spent in the twin cities with her parents and sister Kat. On Saturday we went to Michelle and Steve's wedding in Red Wing. Kat and Anna know Michelle from college. They are pictured below with the bride and other UMD friend Katie.
Hal and Anna at the wedding.


Guess it's time for me to get back to work...