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Dinner with Heather and James

This weekend marks the end of the third week in Minnesota, and as great as these last 21 days has been, the last couple have been extra delightful.  Friday, I shared dinner with James and Heather Rahbany-to-be.  Has James ever told you the story of his family’s name? 

While somewhere in the middle of the conversation, our waitress asked us if we were ready to order, and we bashfully said that we hadn’t even looked at the menu.  She cheerfully replied, “Y’all must be from Texas.”  Stunned, we asked how she knew.  Apparently, Midwesterns are more hurried than we Southerners.  Our waitress, Robin, proceed to tell us that she had migrated to Minnesota, but still called Texas her home.  Soon we realized that Robin and I had actually attended the same high school.  Small world.  To follow dinner we watched Ocean’s 13… and I really liked it.  Yes, I had a good time at the movies, even after paying $8.75 for a ticket.

The Chain of Lakes

Kristin, Danesh, and Matt

This was the highlight of the weekend.  Most of the out-of-state interns headed for the Chain of Lakes for a day in the sun.  Armed with frisbees, softballs, and beach towels, we raided Lake Calhoun.  Once the beach was secure, we took to the high waters in canoes to explore the other islands.  But before we made it 5 feet from shore, Chumma and I capsized.  Let’s just say you should avoid pointing a canoe perpendicular to large waves.

Paddling toward a bridge still used by trains

After righting our canoe, we explored as much of the lakes as our rental would allow.  Our trip looked like this:

For dinner we shared  six family-size portions of novelties like mahi-mahi with some green sauce and a pulled pork tostada at a hip Uptown restaurant, and ate .  To cap off the night, we played Hmm -  a game Heather made up (I think) similar to Catch Phrase.  I haven’t laughed as hard all summer as I did that night.

Today a few of us went to Bethlehem Baptist to hear Pastor John preach about marriage and raising godly children.  Like I said, it was a wonderful weekend that reminds me of so many equally memorable ones I’ve shared with y’all over the last four years.

Two weeks of work are in the books, and I have a paycheck for services rendered.  So, I feel it’s time to give you, my readership of 3, an explanation as to what in name of Sam Houston a Texan is doing in Minnesota.

Andersen Windows & Doors (AW) hired me to work in their Logistics group to buy my supervisors’ lunches and donate my paycheck to those who presence I have the privilege of working in.  Or so I’m told.  In all actuality, my job for the next month is to put things in boxes!  Let me elaborate. 

All finished products from AW’s three manufacturing sites come to Menomonie, WI to be either cross-docked or placed in inventory.  Eventually they are loaded on outbound trucks headed to regional distribution centers or directly major distributors like Home Depot.  When a truck reaches a distribution center, it takes a long time to unload, and people are hypothesizing it has to do with the unloading of accessories like door handles (really any metal part).  Currently, these accessories are scattered throughout the truck to help fill up the truck.  My bosses think there might cost savings if we put the door handles and window trim in a separate container.  Like I said, I’m just putting things in boxes.

Honestly, I’ve had a great time working here in Stillwater…well, when I’m in Stillwater.  I’ve been to Wisconsin twice, two visits to the main production facility, and a field trip to a distribution center in Minneapolis.

As for the other 31 interns, I think they are all having a great time.  18 of us live in four different townhomes in the same retirement community.  Last weekend our elderly neighbor walked through our garage thinking that it was his house, despite the fact that he and his wife share one compact car, not the truck and SUV he walked past.   We’re a grab bag of Big 10 schools with a couple rebellious Big 12-ers.  The Midwest is the major contributor with a few from New England and we have three other foreigners from California, Florida, and Georgia.

If the job and the people aren’t enough justification for spending the summer in Minnesota, then the gorgeous weather and geography will surely win you over.  But to do that requires a visit to the Land of 10,000 Lakes.  So until then, you’ll just have to keep taking my word.

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