Tales of a Shoebox Princess

Who would have thought that in the middle of a pandemic (or maybe not middle? Maybe we are at the very beginning of one of those sci-fi apocalyptic pandemics and we're all about to snuff it...Perhaps I have read too many sci-fi apocalyptic pandemic stories) that we'd have more visitors in the span of a month than we've ever had. I just hope we don't all pay for it later, because we aren't enforcing mask wearing in the house, nor are we limiting contact with little grandchildren who are too cute to keep at 6 ft distance. Check back in a month to see if we got sick. Paul and Bethany were here for a while, then my sister came for a bit, then hot on her heels, Hayley and Austin showed up, then overlapping H&A, Jimmy (now James) came with Blair and little Jimmy. And with all the visitors, Katie and clan made sure to join in. Various pictures with our various visitors: On the Stone Arch bridge Silliness and a possible Ariel photobomb. Bethany made the face on purpose,...

 Katie and Christian went on a paddleboat cruise on the Mississippi River a few weeks ago, and I decided I had to do it too. I made Jim come with me, and since Hayley and Austin were in town, we made them come too.  This is the boat. Our table is on the upper level. Hayley and Austin are willing to check out the Mississippi River. St. Paul is in the background. A bridge. One half of a swing bridge, the half that doesn't have the swing bridge on it. Pretty shoreline along the Mississippi River I don't know what this is, but there is water coming out of it. Someone has hung out their laundry for us all to see. The half of the swing bridge that has the swing bridge. Dinner was available for preorder and we availed ourselves of the opportunity. They brought us dinner within a few minutes of getting underway. During the cruise, we were occasionally treated to a narrative piped through loudspeakers. I recognized the narrator as former anchor at WCCO, Don Shelby.  I don't know w...