Minneapolis 9/1/13

Up early for the Caribou coffee shop and red white and blue bread.  Then a tour of the warehouse district and the Stone Arch Bridge.  We hiked on a winding trail to see St. Anthony Falls and Lock and Dam # 1.  Then we toured The Sculpture Gardens.  It has lovely landscaping.  We shared a carnita burrito at Chipoltle's and did some serious shopping.  We hit three Good Will stores.  I bought more swim suits and  drapes for the condo for $4.00.  

I saw her son's Steve's house that he recently purchased.  We both had the short sale experience.  It's a lovely old home with hard wood floors.  I saw his barbershop the night I arrived.  It has a western theme.  Steve and I had to convince Rita that gelato's were something she should try.  Next to his barbershop in Lynn Lake (Uptown) is a cafe that serves gelato's worthy of any Italian town.  Back at the condo Rita and I discovered we have similar TV habits:  Doc Martin, Law and Order, The Closer.  Dick arrived from visiting his mother.  We swapped stories about living on a substandard farm.  I usually can win the contest for greatest poverty and hardships.  I slept well in her spare bedroom.  The beds have a topper that I must get the name of.  My feet always hurt at the end of the day.  Rita's runs me ragged!  

9/2/13  I leave at noon.  We start the day with coffee at Dunn Brothers.  Dick, Rita and I talk aging hippy politics for awhile.  Time for one last tour:  Nicolette Island.  On the trip home I got a seat on the upper deck.  There is an emergency exit on the roof.  I guess if the bus tips on its side this is how I get out.  I like the Megabus experience.  I am going to use it to visit Terry in Columbia.  

Rita was a most gracious hostess and seemed to know exactly what I liked to do.