Missing!

Paul took some screens off the basement windows to clean them this weekend. Unaware, Michele opened one of the sliding windows about an inch wide. Unbeknown to us...Veto...

1. sensing spring outside, forced the window open
2. climbed into the window well
3. crawled up the terraced steps
4. forced himself through the opening between the ScapeWEL and its clear cover. (imagine theme music from "The Great Escape")
   

We couldn't find Veto. We went around the block numerous times...he was gone.

Sadness overcame us.

This morning, Paul made up a flyer to print at OfficeMax and put on telephone poles in the neighborhood. Then he went for one more walk around the block. On a neighbor's steps he saw a large orange cat huddled in a corner. It was Veto. Paul picked him up and brought him home. Veto is now safe (again). It was scary though. We have become very attached to our big furry cat.

Here is the flyer Paul made up (not needed anymore)...
...and probably a good thing because Paul can't spell "Maine"...

Aunt Stephanie's Surprise Mother's Day Weekend Visit

Taking advantage of her last opportunity to fly standby for free, Michele's sister Stephanie made a surprise visit to Rochester. During her quick visit she got to see the corn cob water tower, Plumber house, and other Rochester landmarks.

A Sammy-sandwich of Michele, Sammy, and his Aunt Stephanie...



We took Stephanie to the old theater in town which is now a bookstore...
...this view is on the second floor, you can see the stage at the back...


Sammy expressing dismay at the shortness of his aunt's visit...



Saying good-bye at the Twin Cities airport...

"Minnesota Sam" and the Basement of Bonbons...

Warning: Contains Spoilers!

This past weekend we had an Indiana Jones marathon. In one day we watched all three movies and then went to the cinema to see the latest one. Jessica and Johanna joined us for this monumental event. Surprisingly, our two year old Sam intently watched all three movies with us. We bought just about every kind of movie candy you can think of...and really didn't eat any of them (just popcorn). Anybody want a box of Milk Duds?

For the day, our basement became...
the "Basement of Bonbons"...
(recognize the scene on the TV?)
...notice the "treasure" on the TV stand...

In his guise as a little boy, our Sammy seems the average child...

Until he saw Raiders of the Lost Ark,
upon which he donned his fedora,
and became "Minnesota Sam"...

"Minnesota Sam"...
...and his father...
...eat your heart out Sean Connery...

Sammy snuggles with Jessica during a tense scene...

Usually wearing your hat in a theater might cause some to complain...
...but with the stadium seating we had, it was no problem for Johanna...

"Minnesota Sam" successfully raided the bowl of popcorn...

...only to be leveled by a booby-trapped bouncing ball...

Keep on Truckin'

Today Rochester had a transportation fair. So this morning, while Sammy was still fresh (and not ready for a nap), we took him to see all the vehicles. He's becoming quite the independent little fellow...insisting on climbing in and out of all the vehicles we saw today. We ran into Linda & Shannon who offered Sammy a ride in Tom's big red truck.

The listing in the Post Bulletin for the Transportation Fair...

Sammy takes control of an excavator...

Sammy dressers as a fireman...

All serious as he drives an off roader...

Sammy shows Michael Flatley that his is the real Lord of the Dance...

Sammy ponders a career in transportation...

Driving Miss Mommy...
...in a real Checker Cab...

Tom's (really) big red truck...

Most trucks had lines of kids waiting to sit in them...
...except this one...

Not exactly crop circles...
...but "Signs" nonetheless--which aroused Paul's suspicions...

Some people see black helicopters...
...for some reason, Paul sees industrial sized document shredders...