Sky report

Five cloud photos!?  Is it too good to be true?

Yes, I was on the prowl this week. But to be fair, there was a lot to see:

This week was a whole hodgepodge of weather: hot, stormy, cool, and windy. I think this means that conditions are especially ripe for good clouds as each front blows through.  This weekend, the heat returns. I will be out and about - running, volunteering at an event and hopefully visiting a farmer's market - and rest assured, Reader, I will keep my eye on the skies for more.

Dare I say that summer clouds are my favorites?  No! I could never choose.

My favorite sidewalk art

Someone's first baseball game

Tonight's Twins game for my party of six featured home runs from the home team, a warm welcome back to Target Field for Jim Thome (one of my favorite players), a rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" live on the big screen, and two helmet sundaes.

But for a six-year-old boy, let's get real: what is the big-time, Grade A, pie-in-the-sky highlight?

"I hope the bear didn't eat some of my hair!"

Marvelous Monday: Week 24

Storms rumbled through last night, and while I definitely took notice, they sounded to me like garden variety summer thunderstorms. Much to my surprise, I discovered this morning that there were branches down all over the neighborhood, including some big branches, and garbage cans were not in their proper places. The wind had done a number on the neighborhood, but thankfully, from what I could see, that (and some power outages) was the extent of the damage.

When I headed out for my run, the dark clouds lingering from the storms were just starting to dissipate. By the time I was done, blue sky was popping out all over the place.

Onward with some Marvelous Monday, okay?

1) I picked up my first watermelon of the season late last week and have been enjoying it immensely. One of my favorite things to do with it is blend it and drink it as juice. Yum.

2) I woke up a few minutes before my alarm today and discovered a dog laying squarely on my calves, with his happy face next to the fan. (Luckily, it was Wish.) I got up for my run and decided to do three of the miles at tempo pace, which obviously speeds up the whole process. That meant I had a few (marvelous) extra minutes at breakfast to finish Salvage the Bones. Can you believe that I was so tuckered out last night that I fell asleep 96 percent into the book, with one key character's fate still unknown? I kept thinking about it on my run and was glad to be able to finish the book at breakfast. It was the first book in quite awhile that made me jot down notes about literary devices and themes, the kind where you start thinking about the characters and their dilemmas when you're not reading the book like you're thinking about your friends.  I think it's going to be a good choice for book club.

3) Josh's family is here this week!  I love this picture because usually Wish is the one who can't sit still!

4) We got to visit a newly renovated waterpark today!  Two thumbs up.

5) The heat and humidity broke and our walk with Wish this evening was cool and breezy and lovely.

Hey!  What was marvelous about your Monday?

The Mall of America's coolest corner

Many people think that the most exciting part of the Mall of America is Nickelodeon Universe or perhaps the big rotunda - or, you know, the more than 500 stores that draw gazillions of visitors annually.

Today I learned the truth: the best part of the Mall of America is - wait for it - the build-your-own-Lego-person station within the massive Lego store!

And to think: I never would have known if Josh's nephew (you know him as Loco) had not been dreaming about visiting this store for months!

We arrived at the mall early this afternoon and made a nearly direct beeline for the Lego store. There were approximately 28,000 people inside the store already and I wasn't much help in discerning what would be the coolest Lego set to choose. (Plus, Loco wanted to survey the whole store so he could make an informed decision.) But lurking way in the back corner of the store was this little station with bins full of fragments of Lego people.  For $9.99, one could assemble three mix-and-match Lego people with the head accessory, head, torso, legs, and accessory of his or her choosing. This was an immediate must-do activity for the younger members of my party, although given the opportunity on my own, I can't deny that I'd be interested myself. Wouldn't it be intriguing for anyone who grew up with or around lots of Legos?

Here are the two kids, focusing intently on the process.  This also gives you a look at the station:

And here is a close-up of the work tray:

The first best part was seeing the discarded Lego people that people had opted not to purchase.

No words

Astronaut?  Robot?  Elvis?

Mostly, I did not know that Lego people could frown, or sideways-smile, or all-out grin - or have so many wardrobe options!

The second best part was seeing Lala and Loco's creations:

Here is one of Loco's, with the saddest face I've ever seen on a Lego dude:

Here's one of LaLa's, with a very nice unitard (I think) and either a shovel or spatula in hand:

You get a little box for transporting them. Here's Loco's final trio, including a sailor holding a chainsaw in the middle:

We discover something new every day, right?