I drove out to White Bear Lake this evening. That's where my best friend Bob's parents live – where David, who is Bob's dad, grew up. Bob has Minnesota roots.
Bob and his two sons drove up from Wisconsin (near Madison) today. I will be staying with Bob in White Bear Lake for the rest of my stay in Minnesota, because Mark and Amy are hosting a big family reunion type event in their house, so I wanted to not be in the way for that. It does mean a bit more of a commute to my storage unit, which is in Eagan just a few miles from Mark and Amy's while it's about 30-45 minutes' drive from White Bear. But it's OK. And I'm happy to see Bob, his parents, and his sons. They are my midwestern family, in many respects. I met Bob my first day of my first year of college, and we've been best friends all these long years.
When I drove out to White Bear Lake, I was just a bit early, and so I waited for Bob to call me and let me know where to go. I stopped next to the lake that gives the town its name. I took this picture of the boats and the summery lake.
[daily log: walking, 3 km; moving heavy things, a lot]
