This is Jo Ann's daughter, Laurie (updated by Tracy).   I have some very sad news. My mother passed away Thursday, August 30th.  She died of a heart attack while at the Minnesota State Fair.  It was very sudden and not expected.  I know many of you have gotten to know my mother. She thought of so many of you as her dear friends and looked forward to reading your blogs each day.  I thank you for the friendship you gave my mom.

(My mom had put this as private, and since she never kept anything private I figure she meant this to be public! It is not a finished blog, she had more to say and meant to come back to finish it but became busy with the grandkids and outings.)  It is unfinished.

We have my two youngest granddaughter for two weeks .   Tracy and I  and Kat and Marnie went to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and we did the audio tour. We all like it, we learned more things about the painting,  the artist, which make it really interesting.  We had our lunch at the cafe. Then we took the bus home. Tracy had leave for work. Both girls would like to go back next week.

We went to the Mill City Museum. 1880 to 1930 Minneapolis was know as the "Flour Capital of the World" First  we enter the Flour Tower Show. The show is a 12 minute elevator ride that travels eight floors stopping at several for viewing reconstructed rooms depicting life in the mill when in operation. Recorded messages tell the washburn mill's story throughout the ride. than we rode a elevator to the 9th floor indoor/outdoor observation deck. the view looking east over the Mississippi River was spectacular. Than we went back down to first floor were they had fun thing for kids to do. The Water Lad, The Baking Lab. We all enjoyed being  there.

We all went to the Minnesota State Fair on opening day. We went to the 4 H building. Kat and Marnie are in 4 H at home.  Next they went on the Giant Slide. Than to the Miracle of Birth Four pigs were born while we were there! We went to the Sheep and Poultry Barn. I love the sheep. We went to the Horse Barn The girls got to pet some of the horses. It started to rain so we went to a lot of the building Empire Commons were they saw

We had our Family Reunion  this weekend. I  had a great time. It rained all day.  We were supposed to be in the outdoor shelter but they moved us into a building with a fireplace, AC  with nice restrooms, and plenty of tables for all of us.  For lunch we had Famous Dave's Georgia Pork and Pull Chicken, buns, coleslaw, potato chips, cookies, and beverages.

We bought tickets for prize drawings of various baskets - Raspberry Wine, Game Basket, Science Fiction Books, Bath & Body Works, Casserole Basket, BBQ Basket, Tailgate Basket, Art Basket, and a Quilt basket.  I was trying for the beautiful quilt that my Sister-in-Law Jerry  made. My sister Sharon won it - darn!  

I won two bottles of Raspberry wine, Games Basket (Cranium game, Family Game Center that has a nice case and 12 games, 3 boxes of candy and two bags of popcorn. I did pretty good.  

We played a family trivia game for a free ticket for the right answers. Which of our relative drank a beer a day and lived till 90? Kept an alligator in the family bathtub? Was wrongfully accused of killing Tiny Tim? Made bathtub gin and sold it during Prohibition? Danced with the Rockettes?At age seven jumped into the Mississippi River to save a friend from drowning? etc. I answer quit a few of the questions!! I put my tickets for the wine and quilt of course!

It was so much fun being with my family and our relatives. 

Later Laurie, Paul and Joanna and Ian  came over and we had a birthday party for Marnie. she 9 years old.  I maded her two birthday cakes, We had ice cream. Later we watch a DVD and played a game Apples to Apple!

I had a busy  fun day.

Sunday Tracy & I went to the Uptown Art Fair. I love going there, every thing is so nice. I love the glass vases and bowls I just wish I could afford to buy them  We saw everything  and stop for french soda, so good   We caught the free bus and went to Powerhorn Park Art  Fair they had more craft items too. Walk all around the lake. there were a lot of cute things. We had a hamburger and pop and got back on the free bus to Lake Street and got on the train to downtown for our bus home. Our legs were so sore from all the walking we did!  We had  KFC for supper!

Monday we went to the Stone Arch Bridge we could see a little of the 35W bridge from there. Down the street  we could see were part of the bridge that landed on the train. We got back in our car and drove down Univ. Were the start of the bridge. So sad. I think of all the thousands of time we went over that bridge. I always felt safe!   Now I have a little fear going over any bridge. I say a pray before I get on the bus. or car.

I'm going to the gym for my workout, I been going to aerobics classes too. I miss too many days this summer. I had a lot going on. August 18th we are having our family reunion. Katrina and Maureen will be here for two fun weeks. I'll be getting in plenty of walking in at that time. If I don't make to the gym at least I will be getting exercise just keeping up with the girls!

Skeeter doing pretty good with his weight loss. He was 68 pounds at his last weight in he is 61 pounds. I know he getting plenty of exercise.  Tracy  takes him for his walk every day. They been taking him to others parks in the area Skeeter loves going to new parks. He been doing more running  and less resting.

Have a nice week end!!

Laurie came over and she planted Hosta and Day Lily all along the new front steps!  I bought three of the Hosta Pauls Glory, Patriot, and Regal Splendor.Laurie gave me three more Hosta.One we don't know the name. In  between each Hosta she planted Day lily, Strawberry Candy, Little Grapette and Stella De Ora which is Yellow. Laurie really has a green thumb mine is yellow green!   My garden turn out pretty good, Laurie garden is so beautiful.

Today Tracy and I are going to the MOA I want to get my hair cut. See if I can find some sales  We were going to go the Art Museum Tracy remember it's close on Monday.

It's going to be in the 90's today!