Minnesota

I am in Minnesota for some advanced training in my firm. Coincidentally, Brian and Rachael are in Minneapolis staying at Brian’s parents’ house. Ever the gracious host, Brian invited me to have dinner at his parents’ house Thursday night. I didn’t think I would be able to get out of my business dinner, but I managed to do just that. Brian picked me up at 6:00 and we headed to his parents’ house near Lake Minnetonka. The reward for enduring lots of rain is lush surroundings, and that’s exactly how I would describe the Pritchard residence. Max greeted me like I was the prodigal son. If I had to turn around and go home a minute later, his greeting would have made my trip worthwhile.




I said I wasn’t very hungry, but found myself still eating long after everyone else finished. Rach cooked a delicious spaghetti dinner, complete with Brian’s homemade sausage. Yum! Max showed me around the house, to the detail of where shoes go. Max and I played some hoops, and then we sat around the fire pit drinking, smoresing, and swatting mosquitoes. I was preparing to ask for a ride back to the hotel when I came up with the idea of running to Lake Minnetonka in the morning with Rach and swimming. Checked my backpack for goggles and found some. Brilliant!



So Rach and I got up at 5:20 and were running to the Lake by 5:30. I was wearing Rob’s basketball shorts, my black dress socks, and Dick’s size 15 shoes. I felt like a clown. We worked up a good sweat and after 20 minutes of running donned our goggles and dove into the lake. Can I just say Rach is a bad ass? I mean, that was nuts. We left the shore and quickly found ourselves in thick seaweed. I told Rachael it would get better, but it didn’t, and I was freaked out. We turned around and swam close to the shoreline for 25 minutes. We finished our swim, toweled off, and there was Deb walking towards us from the quaint downtown area of Wyzata. We grabbed coffee at Caribou, sat outside for awhile, then walked back to the house. Deb walks fast.



I quickly showered, Rach took me to my hotel to grab my stuff, and here I am back in my training. 24 hours ago, I had no idea I’d be sitting around a fire in Wayzata, and swimming in Lake Minnetonka at the crack of dawn. That was an adventure. Dick and Deb are incredible hosts, Brian made it all happen, and Rach is a bad ass. Thanks to all.

Did I mention that I'm headed to Chicago tonight to visit Mandy and Kevin?