Re-Re-Re-Redoing Dupont Ave N

Okay, I am getting a bit frustrated with the construction company that won the low bid to repave Dupont Ave N. Today is the fourth time they have chopped up and removed newly poured concrete sidewalk and curbing at the corners. I don't know if the company has incompetent help, if they are not following the blueprint, if they are cutting corners, or if the city is changing the rules in the middle of the game. The city estimated the cost of the project to be about $3.5M, with $1.4M coming from the Obama stimulus fund. The low bid came in over a million dollars below the estimate. Everyone was assessed according to the estimate and not the winning bid, but when the city accepted the cheapest bid they did not lower our assessments. We still pay the same amount, so the city is making more money on me. Call me upset. It was 3.5 weeks ago when they said they would be done in 2-3 weeks. All the curbing must be in before the asphalt can be laid. Aarrrrgggggghhhh!

And the Construction Continues

Okay. Here is the update. This has been going on since late May and we still live on a dirt road. Three weeks ago Judy talked with the contractor who told her then that our section would be done in 2-3 weeks. I guess they missed. Twice they have removed newly poured cement curbing and poured it again. The last time was because they forgot the handicap access curbs at the corners. Our section is the easiest part of the whole project and only 1/3 of it. It is supposed to be done before November. They brought out the big equipment today. Should get a lot done now. Well actually, they did have the road-grader out and they scrapped off and removed 4-5 inches of dirt, but there is still dirt there. I was hoping that they would find a new road under there. But today they have done more work on the road than they have done in several days. But 2/3 of the project still needs to be done and there is only 2 1/2 months left, half way through their time table. Maybe they will be done before the 2011 Earle Brown Days Parade.

Gramma & Grampa's Big Adventure Day

Saturday morning was the start of the Great Big Gramma and Grampa Adventure day with Logan and Liam. The day started about 10:00AM and the plan was to visit three parks and decide which one was the best. First stop was at Hyland Lake Park Reserve at the Chutes and Ladder's park. I tried to get pictures along the way but didn't get them all.
They were excited when they saw what they were in for. Well at least for Liam. Logan is very cautious about heights and did not want to venture very far up. In fact, I had to go up with him so that he could at least go down a slide or two. Liam was lost in the maze within 30 seconds.
The boys saw the tire swing and wanted to try it. Video below. This was great fun and they were screaming with laughter. I wound them up pretty good because all of a sudden I heard, "Stop. I'm getting dizzy." So I stopped them and said I had to spin them the other way to unwind them. Within a minute I heard the same thing. They were walking around like a couple of drunken sailors. This was great fun. "This was the best park" they said, and this was only the first.
Time for lunch some place by Southdale. It starts with an M. Oh yeah. McDonald's and the happy meal. Chicken Nuggets for Logan.
And a cheese burger and fries for Liam. Both got the Hulk action figure so there would not be any fighting between them as to who got the better toy.
Park number two was Linden Hills on the west side of Lake Harriet. What caught our eye was the wadding pool. The boys wanted to play on the playground stuff first before swimming.I tried to get the boys to stand together for a picture at the park but only one showed up. The other one had already climbed on some equipment.
This is the equipment that Liam climbed on. He actually was technically in the first picture - just could not see him. "To heck with pictures", he was thinking. "I'd rather swing!"
There was a double deck pirate ship so each one got their own steering wheel and they each got to go where they wanted to go. I'm going left.
And I'm going right.
Liam just loved this swing. I had him going so high that I just about had to jump up to push him. He stayed on this swing for about ten minutes. Logan did join him so I had two dudes to keep going. Whew!!!
Ahoy there, matie! And shiver me timbers!
Then on the the water. They donned their suits and started stealing everybody else's toys. So I grabbed some of their toys. First rule was "Do not pour water on your brother!" That lasted about 30 seconds as Liam got a bucket full of water on the head.
But they had fun anyway.
Park number three was River park up by us. We let them stay in their suits for the long ride to this park. It was crowded and I had to park about two long blocks away. They were in the water for about a minute or two and that was it for them. "The water is too cold", they said.

Results: Logan liked park number one because of the tire swing. Liam liked park number two because of the other kind of swing. They both agreed that park number three was too cold. So I guess instead of picking one park out of three, it was a tie between two of the parks. Good job boys. We really wore them out. They said to us, "On the next adventure day, lets just go to your house!" Agreed.

So we came home and both boys got to push the button to make the magic fire with no matches. The flames were about 8-10 feet high at times until it burned down so we could roast hot dogs for supper. The grass looks mighty green here. But even though I was spraying water on the grass around the fire pit until the fire was below the surface, the next morning showed how hot the fire was, with singed grass on the south side.

They also tried out their new super soakers they got for their birthday. Again the rule was "Don't squirt your brother". But as soon as I said that, the devil came out in Logan and wammo, bammo. Liam got blasted. So Logan's super soaker had to have a time out. He was sad but knew he broke the rule. After two minutes we had a talk and the super soaker came out of time out. Liam still got wet. Well so did I for that matter. There were no more time outs.
Then it was bath time and camping out in the living room. They watched "The Fox and the Hound" inside the tent before they were ready to settle down.

Tire Swing action:

Liam

Logan

Construction season

June 1, 2007 started road construction on Dupont from 57th to 73rd. This has been our view for several weeks. The project is supposed to be over before November when it gets too cold to work. Looks like dirt but the giant asphalt eating machine ground up all the street surface and the dirt below and mixed it up. Then they leveled it out and compacted it (several times) with the giant vibrating steam roller. This shook the whole house so much that I thought it was going to crack.

The part of the project from 57th to 67th was only for resurfacing the road and spot replacing sidewalk and curb. But what has happened was everyone got a new gas line, they replaced all the fire hydrants and pipes and all the storm sewer (but we do not have a storm sewer on my block so we did not end up with piles of old storm sewer pipes in front of the house). The main part of the project is from 67th to 73rd where the water main, storm sewer will be replaced - that means they will be digging down about 10 feet, and they will be widening the road and adding curb to both sides and sidewalk on one side only.

As you can see, every intersection is being narrowed to 33 feet but the rest of the street is 44 feet. This is to give the illusion that it is a narrow road and slow traffic. A lot of cars are already going 40-50 MPH, including some buses, so we will see if this is true (no more passing on the right, which is illegal anyway).

Better shot of the new curbing. I have a question. If they are resurfacing the asphalt, that usually means they grind off some of it and throw it away and put new asphalt down. But here they ground it all up and packed it all down, so it is the same height as the old road - NO ROOM FOR ANY NEW STUFF.

How do you like my new car? Have to park it in the street because there is not room in the driveway. Does not go very fast but people don't get in my way very often. Since Dupont is completely baracaded at 57th and Lilac Dr (63rd) the only way we can access our house it to drive through the neighborhood, either Colfax or Emerson. That way we are still able to use the bridge - so far.

Minnehaha or "waterfall" or "rapid water" in Dakota

Tana invited me to go on a surrey ride at Minnehaha park. The falls were pretty big - well we did get almost seven inches of rain last month. Most people think Minnehaha means "laughing water" but in the Dakota language it means waterfall" or "rapid water". By the falls is the statue of Hiawatha carrying Minnehaha across the water.
Joseph wanted to get a red one so that is what we got.

We had to rest occasionally because driving one of those things around with only two peddle'ers is hard work.

During one of our rests we stopped by the falls. Calvin was busy talking during a lot of the hour we spent on the surrey.

Another Fourth at Big Lake.

Every year for the past I don't know how many years, Kathy A. has invited us up to her Big Lake cabin for the day. So after the Ward Breakfast, we headed out of town. Of course we took I94. There were no lanes closed, no construction going on no accidents and no reason but it was stop and go most of the way to Big Lake averaging 10-15 MPH at times. No reason for it. Stupid drivers! Gretchen loved the water but she was to have a floaty or a life jacket on at all times. It was in the mid nineties and very windy, with large waves and white caps on the lake.

Lorelei was slower into the water but once in she stayed in.

The girls really like the water and sometimes didn't know the danger they were in.

Joseph wanted to be with everyone and joined in the fun.

Joseph had a thrill by being towed behind the boat.

I did not know how dangerous it was for him until he got back. Apparently just after they took off, one side deflated and caused it to flip in the middle of the lake, spilling all three. I am thankful there were two older guys out there with him and that they cared for him and got him into the boat.

While we were there, we, or the ladies, had a baby shower for Emily who was in town with Josiah (or Jo Jo as Taylor calls him) for a few weeks.

Gretchen was too busy playing to know what was going on.

One of the best gifts was a "Tiger" hat for Josiah that Tana made. Emily tried it on. It was too small.

Josiah's cake.

Then Josiah tried it on. Oh my! It was too big. But by the time he will need it, it will fit just fine. Congratulations.

Shingle Creek July 4th Breakfast

On July 4Th, we had our traditional Shingle Creek Fourth of July Breakfast. This year we had it alone; no other wards wanted to join us. Jennifer Hamilton played a flawless "Star Spangled Banner" on the trumpet for the flag raising.
Afterwards was the children's bike parade. All bikes were decorated with patriotic decorations. Gretchen was proud of her bike.

Joseph decked his bike out, which included a card "motor".

Hey everybody! Line up for the parade in numerical order.

Participants

And more participants. Fun for all.