09/01/2015 to 09/07/2025
On Monday morning, Tammy made a delicious breakfast for everyone, waffles 🧇 and bacon 🥓. After breakfast, Andrew drove us from the Thingelstad cabin to the Foshay Tower and we all were able to complete the Architecture Aficionado category of the POAP 612 challenge! We then ate lunch at Hell’s Kitchen Minneapolis before driving home. I had the fish and chips, the description included – “These hard-to-fish ghosts in the lake are our Holy Grail of fish.” MN Public Radio
Tuesday, I bought a few First Kiss, also known as Rave & MN55, apples 🍎 to try. They were developed by the U of M and are a cross between a Honey-crisp and a MonArk. Andrew and I tried one and both thought it was very similar to a honey crisp but not as bitter and sweeter.
Friday, we ate dinner at D’S Smokehouse in Zimmerman. Tiffany ordered the Beef Ribs with Brussel Sprouts and Caesar Salad and I got the Half Rack of Ribs with coleslaw and fries. It was delicious, in the future, Tiffany and I would split the Beef Ribs and each order a side of Brussel Sprouts.
Jamie and I started off Saturday with enjoying a coffee and donut at Five Watt on Nicollet. We then headed over to St Paul and did the Wabasha Street Cave tour. Our tour guild was Josh, who stated his side gig was a standup comedian. We learned that they used to grow mushrooms in the cave and John Dillinger and other gangsters frequented a club built into the caves. After the tour, we had lunch at Yum before heading over to Eden Prairie High School to start the first of two marching band competitions for the day.
Eden Prairie High School held there 34rd Prairie Colors Marching Band Festival. Up first for Class AA was Mankato, their program was titled “The Uninvited.” Second was Marshall with their program titled “Aurora,” and third up was Waseca with their show titled “Van Beethoven.” Then there was an unfortunate rain delay. 🌧️ The GR Marching Band was cold, wet, and unable to use their props on the field. Grand Rapids placed 2nd in Class AA. Mankato walked away with all of the Caption awards and we felt a little defeated, we later learned the judges made a mistake and GR would receive the Best Winds Caption Award.
After the first competition, we ate dinner at Forepaughs in St Paul before heading to the second competition at Eastview High School. Tiffany and Jamie both had the Beef Wellington and Tammy and I had the Sea Bass. Everything was amazing and we finished off dinner with some delicious dessert as well. Turned out we needed the extra nourishment as the second competition would be cold and filled with unexpected excitement.
We arrived at Eastview High School just as the marching festival competition started. Because of the previous competition judging results, Tiffany and I both though that Grand Rapids was probably going to be passed over for Caption awards and the most we were hoping for was overall third place. Turns out, counting anything out with the Grand Rapids Marching Band is a bad bet! Grand Rapids placed 2nd in Class AA with a score of 74.40. And Andrew, Aaron, and Jocelyn, what did they do?... they marched away with the Best Drum Major Caption Award! Yep, I stood up and screamed, so proud of them and what a reward for all the time they have put into it!
Sunday morning, Jamie, Tyler, Tiffany, Andrew, and I, had breakfast at Original Pancake House in Edina. Mazie and Tammy were busy with a race, Mazie finished 6th and Tammy 8th. After breakfast, we drove home so Andrew could get ready for Lion King additions later in the afternoon.
When we returned home, Andrew and I had new watches waiting for us. Andrew went with a tan Freestyle Shark Classic Clip Indigo #FS101135, and I chose to go back to wearing my all-time favorite Timex Ironman 30 Shock Triathlon T 5K195 9J. This is the watch that I wore for a majority of my law enforcement career before switching to an Apple Watch. I have enjoyed wearing an Apple Watch but I realized I have badly missed my Timex for some of the following reasons.
It’s really reliably easy to ALWAYS see the time, day, and date.
I never have to charge my Ironman; the battery lasts a really long time.
I really don’t like the number of distracting notifications pushed to Apple Watch.
I have never wanted, or needed, the health, messaging, phone functions of AW.
The cost of an Apple Watch is really unjustifiably high and I already have an iPhone that serves my purposes.
The Apple Watch is amazing and great for those who need and enjoy it’s features. Personally, I am just really happy with my original Timex Ironman and it reminds me of happy times. Some of my T5K195’s firmware #’s – current is 854 D7, 85 40 10 30, & 85 40 05 30. FYI to future self, it takes a CR2016 battery. Wikipedia has an interesting article regarding the Timex Ironman.
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