Minnesota!

Blog #11, September 5-8, 2018:

We left South Dakota and entered into my home state of Minnesota. I attended the Milaca Schools from 4th - 7th grade, and the former three-classroom Bock Elementary for 3rd. The towns have changed, but not as much as I expected after all these years!

Our first stop was visiting Dean and Arlou. Their daughter Cindy and I were in the same grade, her sister Jill was a year younger, and their brother Alan and my sister Erika were about the same age.  We spent so much time together, playing at each other's homes. We were greeted with a home-cooked meal, which was delicious! Then we went to a Bible study in the same home I went to when I was young, so that was very special too.

The next day, we went to their very cute cabin on Mille Lacs Lake.

Later we made the short drive to my Aunt Ann and Uncle Bob's farm.

The next day Ann and I had hot fudge shakes at the cute Park Diner in St. Cloud: yum!

On Saturday we visited the Hairy Mosquito Trading Company on Highway 169 between Milaca and Onamia.  What a hoot! They have lots of oddities, antiques, and more, including ice cream!

AND they have ice cream!

Then my cousin Kevin and his girls Ellie and Rosie came over. They had fun blowing bubbles!

September 9, 2018:

Our next stop was at Baker Park Campground on Lake Independence in Maple Plain, Minnesota. We got a spot very close to one of several adorable cabins! 

We've done a lot of traveling since I retired in June!  We just heard that Hurricane Florence is heading towards North Carolina.  We may have to stay on this side of the Appalachians for awhile. Dean and Arlou's daughter Jill made homemade-from scratch spaghetti and meatballs for us at her house, and her sister Cindy joined us. It's so nice to get together with childhood friends!

September 11, 2018: Penelope got to chase a squirrel as we were packing up. On our way out of Minnesota, we stopped and saw my Uncle Tom and his wife Myrt too! Unfortunately we didn't connect with some other relatives and friends, but hopefully we will next time. On to Wisconsin!

 Continue with us in "Wisconsin Dells to Tennessee!”