I am behind on updates.  We were at High Cliff State Park until Saturday.  We had planned to stay until later Sunday,  but with rain Friday night and a high predicted of 52 Saturday,  we decided to head home a little early.   That gave us a chance to start to winterize the trailers, and to be home Saturday to see the Badger game.  Unfortunately the game did not turn out as well as we had hoped.   But we watched the game, worked on Noel’s beers to lighten the trailer.  And did accomplish a lot with the trailers this weekend.    Saturday night we were going to teach the girls how to play cribbage,  but that turned out a lot like the Badger game.

Sunday was church and then some more projects before the Packer game.  Noel got all his seals cleaned up and water lines winterized.  And helped me pull the Bayliner out of the water.  So that is in the boat house,  still needs to be cleaned up and life jackets taken out,  but a good first step.  It sounds like we will have a week of good weather so I hope to get the pontoon out of the water this week also.    Have to take advantage of the good weather while it is here.  It was pretty frosty this morning but that should be the end of that for at least a little longer.

Most of the garden is looking done,  but the mums are in full bloom.

The weeks seem to go by quickly!  Another weekend here already,  thankfully.     After getting home from Albuquerque we have kept busy with meetings and projects.   Last weekend we used a hotel certificate we bought at last years Pius Auction to spend Saturday night in down town Milwaukee.   We made it down early afternoon and our first traditional stop is Real Chili.   So we added the works and built a base for the day!  As good as ever.   And we stopped at Zim’s before heading to the hotel for check in.  College football is back and the bar was crowded.

We checked in at the Hyatt and then headed out on the town.  We lucked out,  after rain in the morning the day kept getting nicer.  And we enjoy walking downtown.   We started with the sky walk though and headed to Grand Avenue.   Far too many empty stores there, that was depressing to see.  There were years there was a lot of activity there.  Hopefully going into the Christmas season more storefronts fill up.  And we came out on Wisconsin Avenue.   A stop at Uhle’s cigar shop to enjoy the ambiance,  and walked the river walk.  Milwaukee has done a wonderful job with the riverwalk.  There were lot’s of people and families walking the entire distance.

We made it into the third ward and the Milwaukee Ale House.  One of my ‘must’ stops.   We sat outside in the sun, had a cigar (one of us), some good drinks and people watched and river watched.    We were surprised to see the pontoon boats still running.  There must be 6-8 that can be rented for parties or you can sign on for a brewery cruise.   We have to get the details but it looks like when you get on they give you a mug the color of your pontoon cruise.  There are bars on the boats, and I am guessing the mug gets you specials at the stops they make on the river.  People get off and enjoy, walk some more, and can come back for a jump back on the boat I am guessing at designated time it comes back to that stop.  A lot of people were having a lot of fun.   I had heard they go from Lakefront Brewery to Milwaukee Ale House and not sure how many stops along the way.

We were walking though.   Made some more stops on the river and eventually back to the hotel for a break.  We went to Water Street Brewery for dinner that night, and ended up listening to some music at Rock Bottom Brewery.    Sunday morning we had brunch at the Hyatt which was part of the package, and was very good.  And we had a late checkout so took another walk.  It was a beautiful morning and downtown is fairly quiet on Sunday Morning.  we did end up late morning at the outside bar at Rock Bottom, watching the river and having a bloody mary.   And eventually check out at the hotel and home.

We live a good life.   tonight to the refurbished Grand Opera House in Oshkosh.  Grand re-opening weekend of the oldest operating opera house in Wisconsin.   A year ago while doing some changes they found major structural problems, not necessarily from the original 1888 but from fixes done in the 60’s.   But a couple of million later it is reopening.  A beautiful facility with great accustics.  So anxious to see that.  Jeff Daniels is opening it up,  last night for the high rollers and tonight for the rest of us.

And Saturday afternoon down to see Mom, then to Noel’s Octoberfest in the evening.  Happy 65 Noel!   Then sometime Sunday back home.  We do have some work to do, and we leave for 10 days of camping at High Cliff State Park on Wednesday.   Noel and Jo Ann and Chris and I have done this a number of years now.   I do make it to work each day,  I get to sleep in since it is closer to work from the park than from home.  But we have an enjoyable relaxing time.   A great time of the year for campfires.

So everyone enjoy!

We are past Labor day and moving to the end of the year.   It seems to go faster each year.   The Wisconsin summer coming to an end.   Already too cool,  you know I like the warm weather,   and days are drastically shorter already.  Time to start considering putting the boats away and taking the docks out.  It seems way too early but the weeks will go by quickly.

We are coming off a great long weekend.   We flew to Albuquerque with friends Dick and Carol to visit Chris’s sister and brother in law.   The flights went well and we had a very relaxing and enjoyable time.  Pictures in the album page (click on a picture and then use the ‘next’ or previous buttons) .  Marie had lots of visits planned.  We ate and visited each day.  And throw in a few beers!   The time went by too quickly.  The weather was warm and sunny each day, wonderful.   We had quality time with old friends Tom and Barb Madrid and got caught up on the family.   And had a wonderful meal at the Madrid’s,  thank you Barb!

I love the food in New Mexico, and the scenery.  There is lot’s of open countryside in Rio Rancho where John and Marie live.  Hilly and a very alive desert,   and the mountains always in sight.  Very pretty.   And the largest balloon fiesta in the country comes up at the end of the month in Albuquerque.  The combination of the elevation, cool nights and still mornings make New Mexico a great place for hot air balloons.  and we saw lots of them out enjoying the mornings.   Chris and I would wake up to the sound of the flames overhead lifting a balloon.  And Dick and I walked each morning and would see many balloons flying over.   They are beautiful against the clear blue skies.

We enjoyed each day celebrating John’s 80th birthday and John and Marie’s 41st anniversary.  Thanks for your hospitality!  Chris and I would enjoy more time in New Mexico.  God willing we will get that chance.

So we are blessed with more good times.   From the good company,  great food, and laughs as I tried to get the timer to work on my camera!  Life really is not about what has to be done at work each day,  but the memories we create with friends.

Having a great time in New Mexico.  Weather is warm with blue skies.  Great friends and relaxing.  Dick and I are walking in the morning, and there are lot’s of balloons flying.    A good time of year for them.   Marie and John are doing well and we have been celebrating their anniversary and John’s birthday each day!  Life is good.  Had a great Mexican breakfast again this morning.

About to head to Milwaukee and start the weekend.   We have been busy but things are good.   Saw the Timber Rattlers win big this week and had a stock club meeting.

Tonight to see Mom and stay there, and in the morning off to the airport to Albuquerque.   We are flying with Dick and Carol, good friends of ours and John and Marie.   To Minneapolis then down to New Mexico.   We come home on Tuesday so have a nice long weekend.   Can’t wait!

So everyone have a great Labor day.  Relax and enjoy.   I’ll try to do an update from New Mexico!

The end of another great weekend.   Something about being away from work.  But this was even more special, it was Irish Fest weekend.    The 30th year for Irishfest in Milwaukee, and we must have made most of them.  We heard some old favorites returning for the anniversary, and found some new bands to listen to.   Wall to wall music, it was a wonderful time as usual.   And of course made better by seeing good friends.   We spent time with Enders, Millers, Shanahan’s, Koss’s and ran into a variety of people we knew.  And I drank more than I should have, and ate more than I should have,  oh well.   I can fast during the week.

We got to Milwaukee late afternoon on Friday,  I was able to leave work early.  And we had some pretty hard rains Friday night.   The bands had to stop during the periods of lightening,  but always continued on.  And by the end of the night the lines at the beer tents had lessened.  So we still were able to take in some favorite bands.   And all day Saturday,  There was a brief shower during the day,  but it ended quickly and turned into a great evening.  And Sunday started as always with mass.   This year Northern Ireland was featured at the fest and a bishop from Northern Ireland said mass.  It is a special way to start the day and we got to share it with a number of friends.   And after a beautiful mass the music stages started back up.   We stayed until around 3 today and then made our way home.

The house was hot and breezes light when we got home.  So Chris and I took a long boat ride.   It was nice and cool on the lake,  you can tell the air is drier.  So now get ready for Monday morning and back to that other life!    Have a great week!

The start of another week already.   The weekends go way too quickly.  We had a relaxing day.   We had some of the neighbors over for brunch today and a good chance just to relax and have conversations.    It was a good time and did not accomplish much more today.   Took a ride to a marina in Oshkosh to get some gas for the pontoon boat.  I try to stay away from any ethanol because it breaks down so quickly and my engine notices it right away!   So well worth a couple of more miles.   And we watched the end of the PGA Championship in Kohler.  It is a beautiful setting and gives the country a different view of Wisconsin.  I can’t imagine golfers not wanting to come and try it just for the views.

The week was OK.  Work continues to be challenging.  But we managed to get some downtime in the evenings.  And Chris and I got out a couple of nights.   And Wednesday night I was in Milwaukee for my stock club.   It is good to see some of the members that I don’t think will be in the club for a lot longer.   So that was fun.  And Friday night Chris and I went out after work and met some other friends for a few good beers and then out to eat.   Life is good.

Saturday a trip to our favorite butcher to pick up some things for todays brunch and this coming Wednesday’s Homebrew club picnic.  some more yard work and Mass on Saturday night.  The church’s picnic was this weekend so we hung around for a sandwich and to browse the silent auction.

But now prepare for the work week.   The next couple of nights prepare for the picnic, Wednesday the picnic, and probably Thursday clean up.  Then Friday night to Milwaukee for the weekend of Irish fest!  We look forward to that every year.   Friday night.  most of the day Saturday, then Sunday for Irish Fest Mass and a few more hours of music before heading home.  Then another weekend will come to an end!

It is cool tonight, at least after the last week of hot and humid weather.   It seems like it has broken the pattern and we have a nice week ahead.  We will take it!   So enjoy your week ahead!

Hey,  I have gotten really behind in updates.   But we are trying to settle back down to our normal life,  whatever that is!   We had a great time in Door County, always is when you are with good friends.   The time always goes too quickly.    We got home Saturday July 31 and we had an uneventful ride.  Then it is usually hot when we get home and we work to empty the trailer.  Not that we had to get everything out the first day,  but we do.

And the week has been about trying to get caught up at home and back in a normal groove.   I had to move the old pontoon boat when we got home,  because I had it where the trailers needed to go to be picked up the Thursday before.  But that had fallen apart,  but that gave me a chance to get to Door County earlier that evening.   But it meant moving it around a few times more.   But the buyers did get out to get it Monday night.   So we got to say good by to it and have some extra room in the driveway.   I cleaned up the boats last Sunday and we put both to use that day.  And on Monday night Noel brought their trailer back up,  they had taken it to Wauwatosa to unload.   Noel treated us to a nice meal at Fratello’s to celebrate the pontoon sale, and we probably had one more beer than we needed.

The rest of the week was wash for Chris and trying to get caught up in the yard and garden for me.   I had the concrete guy drop me a truck load of screenings for the driveway, and I am working on spreading that out and taking care of low spots.   And work in the yard and gardens have been tough.   The mosquito’s are like blood thirsty piranha’s.  Long sleeves, long pants, hat and spray.   And still tough to stand them.   More chemicals to be added to the lawn to make it livable!  The gardens are better and the grass getting trimmed up.

Work has been crazy busy.  I am getting some help for the next month so I can work on some of my duties that have been low priority.  but if the weeks are like this week was it won’t matter.  Full days spent on crazy projects trying to make things happen.  Next week has to be better.

Friday night we headed down to Milwaukee and got to see Mom.  She is doing well.  It had been a few weeks since we had seen her.   We did a little shopping and had a chance to talk.   We headed home this afternoon.   When we got to Oshkosh we stopped at the Verizon store to get me a new case for my cell phone.  And while we were there we checked out a new phone and plan for Chris.  She has complained a lot about the coverage, or lack of it by ATT.   She has had a long time plan with a good price,  but we got a comparable deal with some extras.   So now she has to learn a newer technology phone.  So that should keep her busy.

So I still had time to move a little more gravel tonight.  And watered the garden,  the heat this week was taking it’s toll even though the ground is still damp a few inches down.  There is some thunder we can hear now,  but it looks like a small cell that could easily miss us.  The Weather Channel says there is a chance of these all the next week.  Hopefully we get some boat time on Sunday.

take care

Making our way through another week!  A short work week for me.   We made it to Door County on Saturday.  The trip went fine,  the people on our site stayed to the very last minute!  But that is their right.   So after 3pm we made it on our site and set up.  The same for Enders.   And it was good to be there, it has been so many years it feels like home.  We enjoy the park,  the restaurants, the stores, and being with good friends.  And this year a whole group of us are next to each other.  From us Enders and Sporer across the way, Pindel and Miller on either side.

I came back to work Tuesday morning.  Drove direct to work from Door County.   I am saving some vacation days for later in the year.  So work Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,  and leave from work Thursday to head to Door County.   Then I will have a long weekend and do it again next week.   Work has been very busy, which is good overall.   It makes for a lot to try to get done, especially since I have other things I want to get done!  I had a call from our concrete contractor that he had an opening and wanted to do our work on Wednesday.  So got home from work Tuesday and back to my ‘excavation’.   I wanted to dig out a lot of the decorative stone we had in so it could be used again.   That is the top layer, and we had screenings below that then dirt.  The contractors machinery tend to mix it all up.  So Tuesday night I got my work out in finishing the work.   Wednesday morning they showed up on time and went right to work.   We are doing a new entrance walkway coming into the breezeway, then by the grill a long patio area and walkway back to the woodpile.   It will be much easier to shovel in the winter!   And cut down on the gravel we track in.   They worked hard all day and were finishing up around 4:30, and came back later and put a sealer coat on.   It looks great.   I took lot’s of pictures I was going to put up,  but my camera must have defaulted back to a high pixel count and the site won’t let me upload them.  Craig I never wrote down the software you recommended for downsizing the pictures! (check that looks like it is now letting me one at a time, check some pictures in albums!)  Next week I will start working on putting ground and stone to edge it.

Good News on Mary Jane.  She is with us in Door.  She wanted to make her 25 year reunion at her grade school on Saturday (yes 25) and made the drive.  She is very tired of the sore throat but otherwise seems to be much better.  Unfortunately John could not make the trip.  He was released from the hospital last Friday night.   Still has some morphine and anti biotics in his system,  sounds like his elbow is much better and every day better.  Hopefully that is continuing.

So I was lucky enough to be able to work from home yesterday, it was a very busy day and I worked late after the contractors left.  So need to get going to work (It is 5:30 am) so I can leave as early as possible today (good luck).   All last night our cable was down and could not get to this, or a few other things.  Unfortunately is sounds like another rainy day is back.  It looks like the storms are already moving out of Minneapolis into Wisconsin and could get more storms this afternoon.   Sorry Sue, that sounds terrible,  I hope my ‘waves’ did not wash into the house last week.   And hope the road does not flood again.   I am hoping for our campers that this wave of storms stays south and leaves Door County alone.  Although the next couple of days  the chance of rain continues.  I have a golf game around noon tomorrow I hope to get in!

So everyone try to stay dry and enjoy!

I did look out at the sunrise and ran out.  Red sky at night sailors delight,  red sky in the morning sailor take warning.

Hey,  it is almost the end of the week!  And that means we are almost to Door County.  We have not got to this point smoothly but we have got there.   Chris is finally home!  Of course she was supposed to get home last night.   What did we have more of last night,  rain or lightning?   Well is was rain but gave it a good run for it’s money.   I got home for one storm, and tried to get some things done while I waited for Chris.  We did get a break in the storm, and I managed to get the cat in the house.   But then another storm came, this one with more wind and lightning with heavy rain.  When Chris texted me that she was on the plane and the doors were closed I headed for the airport.   The flight should only be about an hour and in good weather the ride is a half hour.   By that time our road was flooded over, pretty deep.  Of course I forgot to mention that early in the first storm we lost power.  So our large sump pump on the road may have helped some,  but it had no chance to try.  So I had been sitting in the breeze way with a flashlight trying to keep the cat calm.   But anyway, I creeped down the road with Chris’s Trailblazer, I knew better than to try the Focus.   And could feel the water on the undercarriage.  Made it through there and when I got to 21 into Oshkosh hwy 21 was flooded.   I wondered why the Sheriff was sitting there with his lights on.   So creep again.  And made it up the on ramp on onto hwy 41.  Well before I got to Neenah I got a text from Chris that they were opening up the plane.   The pilot was looking at radar and reports and was not willing to try and get into Appleton.  The weatherman,  the old weatherman in Green Bay had said he had never seen as many lightning strikes.  So even though I was watching an eerie sunset, a hole shining through the storms.

So back to Omro I headed, back through the floods.   I got home and got out the generater, ran extension cords into the house and down to the sump pump.  And ran that for awhile to give it a chance to keep up.  Of course it could not keep it from flowing back in,  but at least emptied out a lot.    And Chris received the news her flight was canceled and had to go get a rebook for the morning.  And we discussed what to do next.  It was already late in Detroit and Mary Jane has a good hour ride to get to the airport.  Then an hour home,  then do it again in a few hours.  So we decided Chris should get a hotel room and everyone try to get some sleep.

Oh, except John.  Wednesday John mentioned his elbow had been bothering him the last couple of weeks,  and I hear it was swollen.   So he went to urgent care, and when they looked at him they said he should go to the hospital.   When the hospital looked at him they said it could be an infection, and they kept him there.   Not sure what they all did besides pumping some anti biotics and pain killers into him.  This morning he was doing better, so the antibiotics were helping.  The doctor ordered some more rounds of IV and he gets to stay another night.

Oh and when Chris got to the airport this morning she had a call from MJ that her throat started bleeding again.  Chris told her to drink cold water and call the doctor, and the doctor said to get to his office right away.  And of course Chris’s plane was over booked and they needed some people off.  She was considering it at that point.   But MJ was far away and already on her way to the doctor.   So she kept her seat.  Of course they pulled away from the gate almost on time,  but then had to sit on the runway and burn fuel because they were overweight.   But she did finally make it home this morning!  And the doctor did a chemical cauterization in MJ’s throat.  And it sounds like the hospital did not do that on the first round of bleeding, which the doctor was not happy about.  He also does not sound thrilled that she will be 45 minutes from a hospital when she comes camping.  She and John are supposed to stop in Milwaukee on the way to Door county for a class reunion for St Sebastians.   But that is not the most important thing right now.   We will have to see how things play out.

So just an uneventful week.  There are people in Oshkosh whose homes are flooded, and we don’t have that.  Much of the camper is packed and we get some days to vacation with friends.  So life is not so bad.