The First Auf Wiedersehens

In recent weeks if we couldn't quite hear the clock ticking on our imminent departure, we certainly can after this weekend. Steph departed last Wednesday evening and I joined her Friday night in Minneapolis to spend the weekend with her parents and to visit my twin brother's family. Yes, that's correct, if you've deduced that this is the last time we'll see them in a while due to our impending continental transfer, then you understand how the gravity is slowly but surely settling on us.

The weekend itself was quite excellent--not only did we enjoy picture-perfect weather but also a wonderful succession of pleasant events. A very good Italian dinner on Friday night with Steph's folks, Barb and Jim, was followed by a classic breakfast at Perkins (triple-berry pancakes, anyone?) with brother Troy, his wife Connie and adorable twin nieces Justine and Lauren, now 2 and doing wonderfully well. They were very well behaved at breakfast and, although a little shy at first, were almost chatty by the time we kissed them goodbye (the nieces, not Troy and Connie).

We spent Saturday afternoon with Barb and Jim meandering through downtown Minneapolis, which I've visited dozens of times previously but was never exposed to this string of various excellent sights. The new Central Public Library is an architectural and technological marvel (for a library, that is) only rivaled by the spectacular nearby Guthrie Theater (pictured above) where we ate a great dinner. Between these two are the Grain Belt Bridge, the historic Mill District--currently under renovation and improvement--and very cool Stone Arch Bridge, all flanking the mighty Mississippi River amongst a series of industrial locks and dams. We also viewed the remains of the recent I-35W bridge collapse nearby, a humbling and profoundly sad sight.

We capped the evening by attending the Gophers v. Purdue football extravaganza (ha!) at the Metrodome, a mere five-minute walk from the theater. In an often comical "defense optional" display, Purdue won 45-31 to extend their record to 4-0 this year vs. creampuff teams in advance of meeting the fantastically 0-4 Notre Dame next weekend. With any luck, those trends will continue when Purdue plays ND next week and Charlie "More Pizza Please" Weis can invent more losing rhetoric before taking on the various branches of the armed forces the four following weeks. Troy and Connie also attended the game, so at halftime we said hello again followed by hugs and (temporary) goodbyes.

Steph ran a mere eight miles Sunday morning (and I joined for the final four) around Minneapolis's lovely Lake of the Isles, as she's begun tapering for the Chicago marathon now just two weeks away. Finally, after a fantastic visit, we bid Auf Wiedersehen to Barb and Jim at the airport and returned home in the early afternoon. Oh yeah, and then three hours later Steph returned to O'Hare for a return visit to Zürich this week. And I started prepping for our 125+ guest party this weekend. And our realtor stopped by. Should be an interesting week...