last weekend we flew to minnesota to visit mike's mother and stepfather.

we also proved one of my father's oldest theories wrong. you know how at the baggage claim the airline always puts out a couple of decoy suitcases that no one ever picks up? it's to make you think your own luggage is coming, right? well, it's not true. in minnesota, mike and i walked up to the baggage claim and our bag was the first one out. and while i was glad to see our suitcase, i am a little sorry that one of my theories of childhood has bit the dust.

we had a wonderful time in minnesota. it was sunny and lovely the whole weekend. on the flight in, we could see most of the twin cities and approximately 20 lakes. they don't call it the land of ten thousand lakes for nothing. in fact, you can see two different bodies of water from sandy and archie's yard!

we also went to this amazing children's bookstore that almost (but not quite) makes me want to own a store. it was overflowing with books, of course, but also had (and i kid you not) a live chicken, a chinchilla, a ferret, two cats, a dog (which we didn't see) and a hamster which you could see through a glass in the floor. i wish i felt more up to the business of a bookstore. on the other hand, i could just have a library with all those things! now THAT would be fun. ah, for a world where such things were possible.

rachel anne (my friend from grad school) is here for the week. i feel i have given her the authentic new york experience because (in just one day!) we experienced the following:
- a bus driver who yelled obscenities to a trucker on his cell phone (in the driver's defense, the trucker was not paying attention and almost ran in to us)
- a guy looking for money who told us that he "served the goddess of impossible things" and then told us how to make impossible things possible (hint: it involves a sacrifice of a one-eyed toad)
- we walked into prada and were not thrown out despite our obviously not prada clothing
- while roaming the town, we ran into a crowd of people who were watching alicia keys (a very happening singer, for those of you who don't know) perform live in a plaza area

tomorrow: we explore queens.