A monkey interlude

Since Monkey is frolicking in Michigan (my second favorite state shaped like a hand) right now and I'm sure everyone else is as eager for an update as I am, I thought I'd post some pictures from my final day with Monkey. I just realized I hadn't posted them yet!

I had Monkey for his second Minnesota stop, where he got some book learning in the law library, got his hair done, tried to purify himself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, and worked hard in the Legal Services Clinic. Monkey was practically a lawyer by the time we were done, and on our last day he decided to go test out his skills in court!

The first thing we did was discuss our upcoming clients for the day. I guess you could say Monkey was a deputy public defender? Lucky for Monkey, his hair doesn't react to the rain quite like mine - which was straight when I left my house, I swear!


After that we went into court to face the music...or the jury box!



Monkey was so confident, he decided he could just do the judge's work for her. There was actually a male judge who will not be named in this courtroom, but he switched out the nameplates for Monkey's debut.


These nice people were doing a survey on our courthouse experience downstairs in the lobby. Monkey and I both agreed that the state needed to add more public defenders. Monkey also felt that there should be an attorney's lounge with bananas.

After all, he was the judge!

Monkey wanted a photo of himself at the first courthouse he appeared in so he could hang it in his new office at Monkey & Associates.


While we were leaving, we were stopped by the police! They wanted to see Monkey's tourist visa! Luckily, his time in the Immigration Clinic paid off and he wasn't detained.


After that, we swung by the office to do some research for the attorneys. Monkey wasn't very impressed by the workspace law clerks get, but he did find somewhere to hang out.


After that, it was bon voyage, Monkey! We took one last photo before going to visit the UPS store to send him off.

I loved having Monkey visit me in Minnesota - it was a really fun way to spend my last days there! I hope we get some more updates on Monkey soon!

KMM

P.S. If you liked the pajamas I got Lisagh, you can find them at Target. They are on clearance now so they'll be a good deal! If you can't find those, there are some new sock monkey pajamas that you can order online!

rain, rain, go away, you make it hard for Monkey to play

Monkey was starting to learn his way around the Legal Services Clinic, so he thought he'd fill in for one of our awesome assistants and handle things up front for a bit.


All our Immigration clients made Monkey aware of new countries he could visit, so he decided to check out the globe and see where to go...he decided on Chicago for now!


Monkey then decided to pretend he was a supervising attorney, and peer in through the windows to make sure the students were working hard. He also thought he'd take that time to do a little stretching.


Then he decided that he wanted to peer out on the students from a higher vantage point.

But that wasn't high enough...oh, here we go! I can swing freely and see what's going on!


He stopped into a clinic fellow's office to visit this lovely lady...


...and our office manager's office, to say goodbye to his furry friends!

Then he went to get lunch at Food for Thought, where Chris (who I like to think is my personal chef) was happy to pose with our traveling friend!

While Monkey ate lunch, Amanda decided to model her graduation hat.

Monkey was so jealous of this awesome hat (and loved all the work he did all week!) that he decided he just had to go to law school, so he went to see Pete the security guard and find out how he could take a tour!

Ted the custodian was happy to give Monkey a ride on the cart and point out the business school setting up for an event.


Monkey says "The business school having an event in the law school during the finals study period is wrong! Just wrong!"


Nine out of ten law students agreed, so Monkey took his case to court. Moot court!

After arguing his case, Monkey noticed a jungle theme going on, and swung by to say hi! (Thanks for the help, Bridget!)


Sir Thomas More stands outside the moot courtroom. It's tradition for students to rub his foot for good luck on their exams.


Monkey apparently managed to get an extra blessing as well!

He was feeling faithful, so he decided to go to the chapel and pray for safe travels...

but only after blessing himself, like a respectful Catholic Monkey!


While in the chapel he stopped to check out the artwork...


and then it was off to Wisconsin for an awards banquet in the rainy, rainy weather.
Monkey got restless sitting in St. Paul traffic and started hopping about the car. I should have brought his backpack for a snack.

If you look very closely in the left of this picture, you'll see a "now entering Wisconsin" sign. It was too rainy to safely stop and take a picture. :(

In Wisconsin we have two seasons: Winter and Construction.


Monkey couldn't come into the awards banquet because there were too many cops there who might be suspicious of a Canadian, so he was eager to get back on the road and leave Eau Claire!


If you have supersonic x-ray vision, you might be able to see the sign for the last Wisconsin exit. I sure can't, but that's what this is!


Monkey had enough of all our driving (and the rain! it never stopped!) so he decided to sleep the rest of the way home.


Up next: for his last day in Minnesota, Monkey goes to court!

Monkeying around

Monkey started off the morning with some tea and the news...
...then read Lisagh's blog with quite a bit of concern! Was she okay from the bug incident?

After that it was back to the Legal Services Clinic where he supervised Monica making nametags for an important meeting...
She was definitely happy to have his help!
Vanessa brought her dog Charlie to the clinic and he and Monkey had a little chat...

Then Monkey and I were off to run some errands!


He helped pick out some tunes...
Then hopped in the backseat and said "What are these bags, Kathleen? It is unseemly to be carrying garbage around in your car!"

"Oh, I see, we're donating clothes to the poor!" Monkey was a little nervous because he knows stuffed animals get donated, but he was safe in the front seat at this point.
After that little junket, we decided to head out to Wayzata for a little shopping and sight-seeing...


Monkey had to take a little detour before we could check out the lake...
but then we saw the railroad depot, now the home of the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce.


We read about the history of the railroad in Wayzata, which Monkey was interested in because we had seen a very long train go by just a minute ago!


Monkey was checking out Lake Minnetonka. He wanted to go purify himself, but I told him it was a little cold and awfully deep by the boat docks!


Instead we came home and decided to order in for dinner instead of cooking! Yum yum!
I needed to do some studying, but Monkey was graduation focused and tried on my beautiful cap. I'd modeled it earlier in the day, but let me tell you, it looks better on him!
Later today -- Monkey goes back to clinic, takes a tour of the law school, and takes a road trip to Wisconsin in a rainstorm!