Summertime In Minnesota, Family, Fishing, Friends, Fireworks, And A Squirrel Too

We are past the last official weekend of summer (Labor Day) and officially into the fall season. Gopher football season is four games in and I am seeking therapists.

Back in May I knew that this summer was going to be more about work than enjoying long lazy days. Oh boy was I right. Usually summer seems to fly by. It is after all a little shorter here in the Upper Midwest.

Not this one. It dragged on. And on. And on.

A lot of work, very little play, very hot, very dry until August when the floods came.

There were some good times mixed in, some of which are shown below.

Meet my Mom. Everyone says it about their own but my Mom is the best. And she likes to go fishing now and again:

Meet Brian. He is a fraternity brother and we volunteer together with the group. I do the advising to the kids, he does the financial stuff. Where are the fish in these fishing pictures? Uh, well, there are none. I caught the first fish, not worth taking a picture of. Brian caught the biggest fish, not worth taking a picture of. Brian caught the most with ten versus my two. No pictures at all. I think Brian’s big fish was 2.5 pound bass.

We were on Lake Minnetonka in mid-June. Got there really early. We stayed a little too long and by noon the lake had been taken over by water skiers, big boats, fast boats, lots and lots of boats. By 1 pm there was a line to get to get through channels, to get off the lake as well as on:

I am a sucker for a fireworks show. I like the “ooh ahh”. Here is  picture from the 4^th of July:

Speaking of fireworks last year I invited some friends and their kids for a BBQ and then we took a walk to see the Minneapolis Aquatennial fireworks. A much cooler, more intense and longer in duration show than the 4^th of July. We had a great time and decided to do it again this year. Between work and families it is hard to get together so having spouses and kids together makes it easier. Most importantly it gives me an excuse to act more like a kid than I already do:

  

Finally meet my new friend. I have decided to name him “Charlie”. No good reason for the name but it seems to work. He likes to lounge around and has no fear of me when I am outside on the deck:

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