Aug 4th-August 5, 2014-Mall of America-Work day-Surprise lunch!

Monday August 4, 2014 No hurries this morning, this is our last leisure day in Minnesota & the only plans we have is to go to the Mall of America!!! Everybody knows this mall, it's the biggest mall in the states!!!

We had a few errands to do before arriving at the mall, or maybe Lennie was just wasting time till lunch! He loves to eat yet stays so thin.....so unfair!!!

We made more than a mental note of where we                                                         parked, we wrote it down on paper cause this place is huge!!!!

 We walked around a little bit before we settled on a place to eat. We both chose separate places at the food court!

then we met up to eat our lunch!

Our lunch view today!!!! There's an                                                                                                                amusement park inside the mall!!!

Lennie wanted me to go on this ride!

I said I'd go on the TURTLE ride if he rode the                                                                                                                  Sponge Bob Plunge!!!

Here is the real reason we came to Mall Of America!                                          Really!!!!Lennie LOVES Peeps, this is the only Peeps store he's aware of!

Making his selections!

One happy shopper!!!

When we were leaving, Lennie saw these Ninja Turtles & wanted me to go stand by them while he took my pictures! I almost did! Until I realized this was a Mall Photo gimmick, YOU had to PAY to have your picture taken with the Turtles! I still might have done it but.....the line was too long & no one under 10 was standing in the line!!!!!!!!!!

That was it for today! Back to the RV & our dog who is waiting patiently for us, or a treat which we aren't bringing him!!! Tomorrow is my favorite day....NOT! It's the prepare to leave work day. I better do a load of laundry too, my favorite job!?!

Aug 2nd-Aug 3, 2014 Leisure Days

Saturday August 2, 2014-We are spending our time here in Minnesota rather leisurely, not a lot of go-go-go, just some nice drives, picnics, & relaxing at the RV site.

This morning when we leave, once again we leave Otis "in charge"!?!

Heading downtown!

We stop at a Farmer's Market! Now these people know how to hold a Farmer's Market.

It was so crowded it was hard to walk around.                                                                                   We got the veggies we needed & left!

Lunch at the NOOK! A Guy Fieri visited                                                        restaurant. They advertise, Small Restaurant With Big Hamburgers!

If there's no room upstairs to be seated....they seat you in the bowling alley area!

They are known for their Cheese stuffed burgers, but watch that first bite! When that cheese oozes out.....it's HOT!!!!

We continue our random sightseeing & wind up at St Paul's Cathedral. We like looking at churches????

It's a beautiful church. The first thing we see is a sign announcing a WEDDING is going on!?! It didn't say PRIVATE! Nooooo, it said you were welcome to take photos, just silence your cell phones!?! We weren't the only onlookers during this wedding procedure!?!

I found this strange.....I wouldn't want "other"                                                           people wandering through the church during my wedding!?!

Then the Priest (or official?) announced the                                                                                       start of Amanda & Garrett's wedding!

When the bride & her father made their                            entrance, Lennie was ready to leave. Myself....I wanted to stay for the reception!?!

From the steps of St Paul's Cathedral we could                                                                                                              see the Capital Building!

We haven't been gone that long, but we haven't gotten Otis a treat from McDonald's in oh....about a month!?! He's waited long enough! Sure enough we get him a McDoubles & serve it to him by....none other than McDonald's finest!?! (I found that hat back in Salida, Colorado & was just waiting for the right moment to wear it!!!)

Otis had his treat outside!

Later that evening I was teasing Otis with his dog toys! He was trying to tell me those were HIS toys!!!

July 31st-August 1, 2014 First day-Train ride to Minneapolis

Thursday July 31, 2014 Today We don't really have to rush around to do the "tourist" thing! We've been here before, so we may repeat some things, or....look for something new to do in the area!
We do know that we're going on a picnic, & we know right where too. Minneapolis has the largest park I've ever seen! It's called Grand Rounds. There is 50 miles of land designated for the park. We always go to the same area, Minnehaha Parkway. The reason we go to this area is the Minnehaha Waterfalls......just beautiful!!!!

but first our picnic!

"Did you bring something for me?"

& now the waterfalls......& once again I took too many pictures of the waterfalls!!!

Top of the falls

Now the beautiful Minnehaha Falls!

We walked down to this bridge. While sitting here with Otis, an 80 year old woman who was also enjoying the falls came over & started talking to us. She lives in Washington state & was here visiting her 90 year old Aunt. After she left, I was so sorry I didn't take her picture. She was so nice & friendly!!!!

What you can't see in this still shot is, those branches across the water were shaking up & down from the current!

It was pretty warm out, I can see the                                                                                                                           temptation here....

Oh to be young again.......!

"Like a bridge over Troubled Waters...."

Time to go back up to the top!

"Wildlife" on the trail!

 Looks like the ESCALATOR is "Out Of Order"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Guess who's waiting for me!?!

These bikes were available for a rental fee....

Looks like fun, not sure where Otis would have                                                                                                              ridden!?!

We're going to head back to the RV park now, but no outing with Lennie is complete till we stop for a Yogurt!

Then he wonders why I want to wait to start                                                                                                     dinner........!?!