Russ&Suzie

Trip Log
2009-08-16 19:35:49 (UTC)

Visiting St. Paul, new grandson Aiden, Ben & Meghan

Susie and I left on 8/12 on our trip up I-94 to the twin
cities while Ben and Meghan had a busy day househunting (we
couldn't get there in time to join them) and they then came
to our Embassy Suites suite for a long visit. Baby is long
and slim, so tiny to our inexperienced eyes. Name is long a
Aiden with a silent i and the den like a place for small
furry creatures.

The parents seem completely enthralled with their little
one. Both take a strong and positive role with exquisite
coordination. We saw no dissension whatsoever despite their
hectic schedules and complex living situation. Things have
gone according to play, favorite groups in which they both
participate (indeed, met each other) remain so and many
thoughts revolve about them as well. They told about the
birth in detail, about the houses and issues they pose,
future employment and health coverage plans. Smart,
reality-oriented, loving.

Dinner later at a new restaurant on Grand Avenue (Indian)
meant a spacious uncrowded experience and Gina my "bookend
cousin" (called so as I'm the oldest of Robert and Gina
Haines' 24 grandchildren and she's the youngest). Her new
friend and significant other though they live separately we
met, a nurse named Linda Maday, pronounced with accent on
the first syllable, on Ma not day. Gina had made some
wonderful knitting contributions, a largish blanket and a
little over the shoulder blanket. A good time was had by all
and the baby contentedly sucked on his daddy's finger.

Linda called our attention to Gina's 4-legged teether, a
golden retriever puppy named Dude who either is all go or
sleeping. She does the noon chores he entails so has become
attached also (the hospital she works at is near Hudson
where Gina lives).

We came home the next day traveling the Minnesota side of
the Mississippi getting our walking out of the way in a very
pleasant park in Red Wing. WE enjoyed (Susie for first time)
the pleasant views of Lake Pepin, the overlook- discussions
of wildlife in the Upper Mississippi multistate project
involving birds, fish, habitat for a long stretch of the
river. We came down into Iowa into Valerie Haefner territory
(she owns the bluff-top of an Iowa-side bluff) but didn't
see her parents' house where Valerie had taken John Price
and I for a visit. But we heard the singing bridge from
which he had entered Wisconsin for the first time.

WE got back in time to Madison to enjoy a west side dinner
with Dick and Lisa where we debriefed our trip and the
celebration of their daughter, Tiffany's wedding that had
occurred on Sunday, August 9th. We'd met Sebastian Laws who
does repair on fancy clocks in Manhattan and I'd taken
informal pictures for some cds and a shutterfly gallery.




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