She reads wuffly....

T had a great time this Saturday. She partook in the "Paws to Read" program which allows the kids to have a reading lesson (at the local library) whilst cuddling upto an extremely patient and literate mutt. T's was called Murph, and he even glanced at the pictures when she held the book upto/on his nose.

And, yes please, she would like to do it each week, if that's OK.

Happy Easter!

It has been a beautiful weekend. About 52 degrees; a temperature at which you feel compelled to cast off the down, and maybe even don a light sweater.

Yesterday we went to the Lowry Center and had great fun in the feeble sun-shine doing a treasure hunt. There was a short course in the woods, which T hared around, searching for hidden bags filled with pebbles - once she had collected eight, she could trade them for a bag of cereal or an orange (very health conscious). They were extremely tricky to find, hidden as they were in tree trunks and under leaves. They also had a small petting-zoo (with some fat rabbits, extremely stunned chickens).

Today's event was at Linden Hills, where there was a snack for the kids, with a puppet show, followed by an Ester Egg Hunt. This was slightly more traditional in that there were (it seemed) hundreds of plastic eggs hidden around the play-ground by the Community Centre, which were filled with small sweets.

I have rarely seen T run quite so fast, and she used her elbows admirably. We are very proud.



She wanted to take the bunnies home.

Linden Hills is a great area; I'd be quite happy to live there. Nice vibe to it, and loads of restaurants. We ate at a French restaurant today, and I appreciated the real tuna steak in my Salade Niçoise (yesterday, when I had it too, it was still in a cylindrical shape, perched on top of a pile of wilted greens). Purple potatoes too.

Pride goeth before destruction...

So I was quite chipper getting my Minnesota license - right up to the point I was pulled over for speeding. Yes, I was doing 65. And yes, it was a 50 zone. But, I mean, really. Actually, it was a little bit scarey. Suddenly this Christmas tree came up right behind me about a foot from my back-end. And when I pulled over, and he got out of the car, I could see him in the wing-mirror. I squeaked. I saw him fiddle with his waist-band, and realized Goodness Gracious, he's packin'! So, now, after $148, I am driving very well indeed. Oh - and ways to make yourself look like a complete n*b. He left me saying "Now drive carefully, now y'all" (possibley), and first I put the car in reverse (it is an automatic), and he beeped. And then I drove off with the hand-brake on.

This weekend we went to Linden Hills which gives the impression of being slightly bohemian. First good point is that there is a kids book-shop (Wild Rumpus), which also has animals. In the guid-book I inferred that these were toy ones. Nope, actually you have to move the tabby off the Diana Wynne-Jones, and there is a caged rat under the floor-boards. (And also chinchillas, parakeets, a rather sullen-looking tarantula and some lizards). You mostly can't see the reptiles though, because of aforesaid cats which like to drape themselves over the heat-lamps.

Very handily, just next door, there is Cafe 28. Everything on the menu is under $10 and is the perfect Sunday brekkie/brunch place. Decent coffee too (good yard0stick). I had French toast with caramelized figs and pears, cut slightly with alcohol just to smooth out the sugar (although I was also offered extra maple syrup). Most of it was devoured by a 5 year-old. You can pay for extra sides too, but really it was quite sophisticated and plentiful for the price.