Today is the official last day of summer in the U.S. I say 'official', although perhaps I should say 'traditional' as unlike the Queens Birthday there's only one of them, as far as I know anyway. It's also the first day of the Republican National Convention, right here in St Paul, and the day that Gustav refused to drown New Orleans, much to the disappointment of the news media I'm sure.At the start of August my parents came to visit Liz and I in St Paul, so we got to show off the delights of the city to our first 
guests. They efficiently worked their way through the detailed itinery we had put together and now have seen far more of the city's museums and attractions than we have. Staples of Americana we served up included: Baseball (Bratwurst and Summit beer were hits, the local team's batting mostly misses), Bowling (Dad won easily ) and Bald Eagles. We also visited Liz's parents for several days and spent several more days on the shores of Lake Superior. Which upon contact Dad pronounced 'Boiling!' scotching malicious rumours that it is in-fact hypothermia inducing.
guests. They efficiently worked their way through the detailed itinery we had put together and now have seen far more of the city's museums and attractions than we have. Staples of Americana we served up included: Baseball (Bratwurst and Summit beer were hits, the local team's batting mostly misses), Bowling (Dad won easily ) and Bald Eagles. We also visited Liz's parents for several days and spent several more days on the shores of Lake Superior. Which upon contact Dad pronounced 'Boiling!' scotching malicious rumours that it is in-fact hypothermia inducing.
Following my parents' departure to rediscover the long lost Canadian relatives, (apparently they've been in Canada all this time) Liz and I have been soaking in the last heat of Summer. The end of Summer in Minnesota means one thing - the State Fair. Actually, it also means the ever approaching spector of winter but everyone has a cultivated state of denial around that. I'm sure you'll be amazed to know the State Fair has over 60 different kinds of food on a stick. Every year new kinds of food on a stick are dreamt up and this year's addition to the menu, chocolate covered bacon, recieved state wide news attention.S
queaky, one of the fair's biggest attractions, may indeed have indulged a little too heavily in the food on a stick.... 
queaky, one of the fair's biggest attractions, may indeed have indulged a little too heavily in the food on a stick.... 
I didn't buy the sob story about it being 'in the genes' or 'selective breeding'. I know a case of 'deep fried snickers on a stick' when I see one.
Th
e other big event in St Paul this week is the Republican National Convention, so Liz and I went down to check out the demonstrations. The demontrators were a diverse lot, from peacenic young families, to anarchists dressed in black with scarfs around there faces. 
Some speeches called for love not war, others for militant revolution, all playing to the same crowd, just to prove distaste for the current regime tops ideology any day. I'll let the pictures do the talking:
e other big event in St Paul this week is the Republican National Convention, so Liz and I went down to check out the demonstrations. The demontrators were a diverse lot, from peacenic young families, to anarchists dressed in black with scarfs around there faces. 
Some speeches called for love not war, others for militant revolution, all playing to the same crowd, just to prove distaste for the current regime tops ideology any day. I'll let the pictures do the talking: 
Code Pink and Che.
