As discussed last night, I'm running 2 days late on these...is today Monday?  Then ya, you betcha this is Saturday, our last day in Minneapolis.
Couldn't resist this shot of Ruby....does this dog look like she doesn't feel good?  Not to me!  She seems to be back but we won't find out for sure until late this week...blood tests, waiting for the Lab results (joke) and seeing if Dr. Clayton got Ruby to give back all the rat food.
Just to recap...and understand that Ruby is a Lab in the fullest sense...if it's on the ground, it belongs to her and it's going to go into the mouth for a taste test!
Since leaving she has killed a dove and a squirrel...found and carried around what I think was a goat skull...chicken bones...2 fish skeletons...2pieces of different dead birds and now her newest peccadillo...licking bugs off front license plates of cars in the parking lot!
Sure looks like I'm feeding her enough!!
Protein deficient? 

My brother Chris and his beautiful daughter Maggie.
Maggie is absoltutely the most adorable young woman that you have ever met... she just finished her sophmore year at Creighton in Omaha..(Creighton..92...inside joke).  She is studing to get her degree in Nursing, but really has aspirations to be a doctor!
When we were talking and she mentioned a grade in a class that I heard as a "D"...I said don't worry..I got a couple in college and still graduated...very respectfully she replyed "no uncle Clay, I got a "B".
It was the first grade that hasn't been an "A" since she started school.
She's kind, compassionate, and smart!
The perfect combination to be a great doctor or nurse!

This is Chris and Steve's home in Minneapolis.  It's located very close to downtown and Lake Harriet (yesterday).
They have done a phenominal job of decorating and their home and magnificent garden should be in a home and garden magazine!

Chris, Maggie and Steve with the Rubes cutting in on the action.

After leaving Chris and Steve's house, Ruby and I went to Lake Minnetonka  to visit my great high school friend Jack Barbier and his charming wife Becky!
The boy next door to them thought it would be funny to feed a stick to Ruby...obviously they both enjoyed it immensely!
Ruby loves sticks!

Meet Jack and Becky!
Jack reminded me that we were in the same 6th grade class and was one of my two oldest friends...I stand corrected!
Jack works for the Burlington and Northern railroad driving locomotives and hooking up freight cars in the switching yard...to me it sounds like the perfect job for a guy that grew up as a railroad fanatic!  Another one of my friends living their dream...all of my friends that you have now met have a passion for their job or the place they live...
I'm envious!!
Becky has been whacked by the economy as have a great number of people that I have met these last 7 weeks...my heart goes out to all of them..why can't somebody in D.C. get their shit together and figure this thing out?  Millions and millions of Americans are either unemployed or are underemployed.  We pay our "elected officials" to make the country function according to the principals estabished by the Founding Fathers...isn't it time that all of these jack-offs be shown the same door as so many Americans have?
I'm voting against every encumbant regardless of party affiliation...throw the basterds and bitches out!
The rant was inspired by Becky who has been activily seeking employment as an adjustor but can't find a thing.
If anybody has a led for Becky let me know and I'll pass it along..

Jack and Becky's lovely home.  It's only a few minutes from Lake Minnetonka and all of the boating, good drinks and dining that go along with living in a resort type area.  If I didn't get cold when the temp falls below 60 degrees I would consider living where Jack and Becky live!

Ruby has this fear of inanimate objects that appear to be well...animated (alive)!
She went absolutetly nuts when she met the Barbiers scarecrow...hope that it worked as well on the birds as it did on Ruby!

Ruby campaigning for DOG OF THE YEAR! with this cute little 2 year old!  I was afraid that after Ruby got done kissing her the little girl wouldn't go near dogs again....but...she loved it and kept coming back for more!
One of Ruby's best freinds in the world is my cute as a button grandaughter...Rowan, who also will be 2 this Friday...I can't believe that it was 2 years ago that I held my Row for the very first time.   She was 2 hours old!
I'm not happy at all about missing her birthday party this Saturday.
We'll probably be in Seattle.

Jack walking Ruby at Lake Minnetonka after an enjoyable dinner of brats, kraut, mustard and potato salad...once a German always a German!
I really appreciate everything that Jack and Becky did for the Rubes and I..we had a really good time and wish that we could have spent a lot more time with them as was the original plan...the poison thing again threw off the timing.
Donna Dickens gave me the following quote that I thought was appropriate for my final visit with the last my long time buddies:

"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships"
A. Lincoln

As I mentioned earlier Chris and Steve have beautiful gardens surrounding their home.
While we were talking outside this female Cardinal decided that she needed a bath..once again ...nature....
LOVE IT!