Puppies, Renaissance, and Bob Dylan; Oh My!

Oh Neville, when will you get better?  Almost died getting neutered.  Got pneumonia.  Now he has to fight off Dock...

Good sniffin'

All work and no play

B-day cake for Papa

Ohhhh!!!  Nice use of the golf ball

The Sterling Renaissance Festival.  Right now, I'm going to tell you this is way more than I expected...

I didn't even know they would have permanent structures.  I just expected some jousting and a turkey leg.  Not theater.  It's essentially the Medieval Times restaurant outside!

Oh, and you get to use old weapons, like a bow and arrow.

Here's the midday public execution.

Chop off that head!  The kid brought up was very disappointed that he didn't get to catch a real human head...

It was "Scottish Days," so some Highland Games were in order

THROW THAT TELEPHONE POLL!!!

Ping Pong Crossbow

Tomato throwing at Tomato Justice.  You may get hit in the face with tomatoes, but you also get to insult everyone and get paid.  So...

Nothing could illustrate America's health crisis more than this...

TO THE WATER DUNK!

Misery

FINALLY!  Some jousting.  WWE style

Megan's dad got tickets to the Leon Russell/Bob Dylan concert last night at CMAC in Canandaigua.  Pretty swanky place.

"Do you think he smokes?"  Yaba Doba Gabba Do.

Off to see the Buffalo Bills practice.  They need so much practice...  

BARKTOBER FEST 2011 is on September 24th in Egypt Park (next to Lollypop Farm) and I'm on The Dirty Dogs team.  So, please support me (and the homeless and abused animals of Lollypop Farm) by going to http://lollypop.kintera.org/ba​rktoberfest/mike to make a donation!

The Classy Kraus' of Rochester

This is Air Bud.  Who's Air Bud?  We didn't know either.  We just tried to play basketball at Cobbles Elementary and he'd steal the ball...



Genesee Waterways Center in Genesee Valley Park in Rochester.  Megan's work helped fund a regatta called the Diversity Invitational.



While we were waiting for the regatta to start, I saw this crazy tree in the park.  A bit tropical looking for this area.



Crew racing!






Here's my crew boat.















I believe this is the boat Megan's work bought.  I could be wrong though...


 









First of all, there's a "Professional Disc Golf Association."  Second, the "World Championship" was going on.  Third, this guy had a disc golf cart.  If I were in Buffalo I'd say "For Realz?"



We're still celebrating our first wedding anniversary.  This time, we had a free night stay at the Hyatt Rochester because that's where our reception was (if you remember).  We didn't get the Presidential Suite this time, but we still managed to have a good time...



It's amazingly difficult to take a picture of downtown Rochester without getting it full of empty parking spaces.  It's the difficult position many mid-sized cities have.  People won't come downtown unless there is more parking than in the suburbs.  But, people don't want to come downtown because it is boring since they bulldozed all the retail space to make parking lots.  



Thanks Lindsay!  If you ever get the opportunity to work with her, you are very lucky!



Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.  Oh la la!



Take note, to the Hyatt Corporation this is our official name.  



Goodbye Midtown Plaza.  This was a urban renewal project in the 60s that closed off a bunch of streets and made a huge, windowless superblock indoor mall.  For my Michigan folk, think the old malls in downtown Muskegon and Grand Rapids which met the same fate.  



Despite the whole Paetec situation, I think downtown is still heading in a much more stable and sustainable direction.  



Goodbye Robocop Architecture.



The old Sibley Department Store.  This reminds me of the Merchandise Mart building in Chicago.  Under the right management, this place could be the crown jewel of Rochester.



Dinner at Scene on Main in the Hyatt.  Since we got married, they renovated the first few floors of the Hyatt and it's pretty swanky (and "IT'S OUR WEDDING COLORS!" as Megan pointed out immediately).  I believe this was called "Scene Snax"


 
This is the flatbread 



The filet and fingerling fries.  I know it's in a hotel, but it is really super good food and you should go to it.  And, we happened to be there when the Tall Club had their convention, which meant that Megan and I were the shortest people there.


NOW FOR SOME BUSINESS:
BARKTOBER FEST 2011 is on September 24th in Egypt Park (next to Lollypop Farm) and I'm on The Dirty Dogs team.  So, please support me (and the homeless and abused animals of Lollypop Farm) by going to http://lollypop.kintera.org/ba​rktoberfest/mike to make a donation!


That's it for now.  Megan's trying to make a cake with Rachel...

Chalk Mike In Moon Boots!

An original chalk on papa driveway piece by Tachel.  Note: It is near the "Poopie" graffiti, which will never wash away.  That will boost the re-sale value of the house.



Self-portrait



MOON BOOTS!!! Marianne had quite the $3 find at a garage sale.  A find that almost killed the entire family (or at least put them in the E.R.).  Unfortunately, I am too big to use them and I really can't lose more weight without jeopardizing my health...






I can't wait until she uses them to jump off the diving board...



Here's Dock playing with his favorite toy.  He is 2 hours of sleepy peace and 15 minutes of chaos.  That you can count  on.  We'll see how he does after he gets neutered tomorrow...


BARKTOBER FEST 2011 is on September 24th in Egypt Park (next to Lollypop Farm) and I'm on The Dirty Dogs team.  So, please support me (and the homeless and abused animals of Lollypop Farm) by going to http://lollypop.kintera.org/ba​rktoberfest/mike to make a donation!

The Summer Red Wings

Who's that dog with Megan?  It's Barbie!  Who's Barbie?  Just another lap dog that loves Megan.  It must be a sign...



Rachel and I ruining papa's driveway with chalk paint that doesn't come off with water even though it said it did.  Oh well...



"Poopie."  Real nice work...



Stella (aka Sasha to those at Lollypop Farm) enjoying all the other dogs at Ellison Park



She's a bit big for a lap dog.



Frontier Field, home of the Rochester Red Wings.  So, now I can have my "Winter Red Wings" hockey and my "Summer Red Wings" baseball.  



Baseball glove horse sculpture.



Why was I at a baseball game?  FREE TICKETS, FREE FOOD, FREE DRINKS! FREE BEER!  FREE STOMACH ACHE AFTER THE GAME!!!  So very worth it!



If there's one thing I've learned about Rochester, it is that they love bounce houses!






Tire race gets a little dangerous and almost takes out a third base coach



The Legends of the Red Wings.  One is Cal Ripken, Jr. and I don't remember the other two.  And, I couldn't find it on their website.  So...



HERE THEY COME AROUND THE BEND!



OH NO!  NOW THEY ARE COMING AFTER US!



Panoramic shot of Frontier Field.  Thanks to Dee for organizing this.  It was a good time and I expect to see the awesome new glasses at work soon.


I'm done.  Need to find a way to get out of the heat...