Olivia Love, and Renaissance Festival, continued.

Dave chowing down on a fruit and cream pastry at the MN Renaissance Festival.

Pat and our girls have been staying with Melanie and her girls, and this is the type of thing that happens to Molly and Annie. Molly was shut in here for about four hours and we thought she had run away and would never be seen again. Not true. She was sleeping in the play oven.

This is Isabel, 4, with Annie and Molly. Isabel has a thing for doing things with (to?) our dogs.

Pat with Olivia Love.

Olivia, about 5 days old.

Melanie with Olivia. Annie has bonded with Olivia and wants to be with her all the time.

Grandpa Dave with Olivia.

Olivia.

Melanie and Olivia, still at hospital.

Mel with all her girls.

Melanie, Jason, Meghan, Isabel, Bailey, and Olivia, the whole family.

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

While this has been mostly a summer of work, we have still found time for a little fun and relaxation. Pat has been recently helping Melanie, our youngest, by helping take care of her kids while the new arrival, Olivia, adjusts to life outside the womb and her new family.

The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is the largest of its kind in the U.S. We have watched it grow over the years, and while it is much the same each year it is still different enough to keep people coming back year after year. We've attended, on and off, for over 25 years.

This is only part of the parking area. If you have Google Earth it might be interesting to take a look from orbit. Oct 2 is the last day of this year's festival.

You can see what the dress style is, at least for the performers, from this photo.

In addition to "why", a more pointed question might be "how?"

As he balanced this ice sculpture he is spouting poetry. Mostly rather ribald verse.

This photo is included mostly for our friend Shirley in Washington.

The musicians and dancers add a lot of flavor to the festival and help set the mood for the day.

We have watched this performer do the same act for as long as we've been attending. He said this is his 29th year at the MRF. And he still looks about the same as he did when he was 18!

This trio is really into the festival. Not performers, they are attendees.

Some of the costumes are (more than) a little strange.

The landscaping and village scenery is worth the visit. And yes, jackets are needed. This is Minnesota at the end of September, you know.

The quality and large choice of food types is a large attraction.

Musicians are everywhere and playing constantly.

One activity that we can't get away from wherever we go.

Are you starting to feel the theme and atmosphere yet?
We'll be adding more to the blog real soon with more MRF photos and photos of our new grandbaby, Olivia.

Minnesota State Fair

Last week we filled our days off (usually Mon and Tue) with lots of activity. We went to the Minnesota State Fair on Monday - mostly because it was senior day and that makes it a twofer for us, but also because we wanted to go, again after missing it for most of the past ten years. As usual, it was too crowded, too huge, too much to see, and somehow we just can't seem to eat as much junk as we used to.

Every street on the fairgrounds is as crowded as this one. LOTS of people.

These guys are cooking our MN Wild Rice and Beef Burgers. Yummm!

You want walleye? This booth will fix it for you any way you want it.

And two booths away, you can get a spaghetti and meatball dinner - on a stick. Really.

Peel 'em, slice 'em, slicker than you'd ever believe. The demo makes it look soooo easy.
At least the cutters are made in Switzerland, and not China.

We're going to have coleslaw at our house soon. What a slick tool.

The Spam competition is an ongoing event at MSF. Love these open face Spam sandwiches.

If you have never tried Spam, don't knock it. Maybe it's a cult thing.

There was a long line for the ladies' room. Pat had to wait a while.

We spent about six hours at the fair. Add another two for finding a Park and Ride lot with space available and the bus ride and it's the whole day. Enough fun to last for at least the next year.

Our house needed a little work in the living room. It was either replace the carpet, or replace the carpet (with something else). We chose faux wood planking because it's easier to keep clean. We made it into a two-day project and are pleased with the outcome.

Here I am laying some of the planks.

Had to tear out the old carpet and put down an underlayment before installing the planks.

That's all for today. It's Labor Day and we're working instead of being 'off'.

See ya.