We spent a good part of the weekend in snowy Milwaukee.  Saturday it snowed most of the day,  but it was not too bad a ride to Milwaukee.  We had a nice time.  My cousin Jim, cousin Bob and wife Fran came over to Mom’s for cocktails.  Then we met my brother and wife Claire at a Greenfield restaurant for pizza’s and beer.  We spent a few hours exchanging stories and catching up.

And on Sunday Skip and Claire and neice Denise came and we all had brunch with Mom and spent a few hours with her.  She is doing well and enjoying her life in her apartment complex.  So we hope and pray her health can continue.

We made it home in the daylight Sunday, and cleaned up our driveway when we got home and got the fireplace going again.   It looks like a cold couple of days and then a little warm up.  Back to normal temperatures,  And we hope that stays awhile!

We hope everyone in Wisconsin got through the snow OK,  and we wish we were with those in warmer places!

Just a beautiful day!   Weeks of below zero must make the 40’s feel so good.    We were in Milwaukee this morning and it was above 50.  A well deserved break for all of us.    A little cooler tomorrow but still above freezing.  The ice is clearing off the driveway and roads, this is much better.

We went out with friends Dick and Carol last night in Greendale.  It was a very nice night and I had a great fish fry at Ricardo’s.  Today did some shopping for Mom and a couple of little things before we left.  She is doing well.  Getting ready for her 88th birthday in a couple of weeks.

Got home and did some things outside until the sun went down.   Brought some firewood up,  knocked down some snow piles. Chris was getting stones out of the snowpile before they melt into the garden.  I loaded some pictures into a new album on the album page.

And there is Chris with her new car.  So far I think we are both very happy.  We took it to Milwaukee and it has a nice ride, and the nice radio is a plus!

And I moved my ice shanty down the breakwall and onto the ice.  Tomorrow I’ll try to pull it out away from the shoreline.  There is still a fair amount of snow close in.  I am hoping the ATV will get it moving.  Then I hope to do some fishing this month! The ice will clear off the next few days with the warm weather,  but then we will be back to normal!    I need to try the ice drills and see if they start.  I believe there is a lot of ice out there.

So we hope everything is good for everyone.  Even Craig in Minneapolis should be getting a weather break.

Enjoy

We finally had some sun and temperatures above freezing!  Boy did that feel good.   Friday night we went up to Door County and it was zero degrees when we got there.   Saturday was better and today was just great.   Our friends in Florida won’t believe how good 38 degrees can feel.   I did some clean up in the driveway and took the ATV for a ride on the lake.   I am planning to get the fishing shack out this month.  It has not been out for awhile.   So I moved it a little today to prepare it.   I’ll probably have some trouble getting it away from the shore where the snow is deeper.  When I come down off the shoreline it will dive into the snow.   I’ll set up some ramps to help it down.   Once I get it out away from the shore I think the ATV will pull it.

And I will hope we get some more good weather.  There is always hope!

Just in case I did manage to get the new parts for my snowblower gear box and got it all together today.   I’ll let the silcone gasket material set before I put grease in and try it out.   But it was much easier to fix this year, since I had it all apart 2 years ago!

Chris has a new car,  well 2002.   But an upgrade from her 1996.   When we got home from Florida after New Years the 4 wheel drive was not disengaging and we decided not to put more money in it.   So we looked at a 2002 Trailblazer and Chris felt OK sitting in it.   And the price was right so it was sold!   I really like how it handles and rides.  So we will hope it lasts as well as the Blazer did.

And the back light of her laptop has gone out,  so we are looking for a new laptop for her.  All sorts of birthday presents for her!

Well back to watching the superbowl.  I’ll put another log on the fire and sit at the bar!  Take care,

Life is good in South Florida.  We are having beautiful weather.  Each day has gotten warmer.   We have been relaxing for the most part.  Noel and Jo Ann came over from Fort Meyers Friday  night and will be leaving today.  For the most part we have eaten and relaxed.   I’ll have to get back to my exercise program when we get home – shoveling snow.  Not looking forward to that actually.

But life is good for the moment.  I am trying to not get too involved in what is happening at work,  just have some reports to review, maybe on the airplane Tuesday night.   A lot of people seem to be down here now,  the condo’s are busy and the traffic heavier than New Years.   Prime season.  The economy seems healthy for the moment and there is new construction going on.

Well back to the sunshine,   must be close to 75 this morning!

Well we survived one cold snap.  It was a long week.  And of course when it got above freezing it snowed some more,  very little though.    So hopefully we don’t have more of these temperatures,  I really prefer snow and 30 degrees.   Actually I prefer sun and 78 degrees.  

So we hope everyone else survived this OK.  I am sure nephew Craig is happy that he is moved back north for this winter (why am I here?).  Isn’t Minneapolis just like Houston?    This week is better and midweek should be much better.  That is good because we want good weather to leave in,  Thursday night we head back to Florida.   My assistant is having some major surgery at the start of Feb and will probably be out 6 weeks.  During that time I won’t be leaving for any trips.   So we needed to get one more warm weekend in.

Somehow Phil is still going, not by much.   At one point I think Judy said he may be trying to outlast Bush in office.  That may just be it, at this point there is nothing much keeping him alive, and we pray he does not feel the pain.

So a big week for the county no matter who you voted for.  There is a lot of excitment and let’s hope that the American spirit can make our country strong again.

Next, probably from Florida!

Our first weekend back in Wisconsin.  It was a rude awakening coming back home after the wonderful Florida weather.  Wisconsin is still cold and wet!  We took our good friends in Florida Al and Viv out to lunch before we left, and they dropped us at the airport the next day.  There was plenty of ice and snow back here in Wisconsin while we were gone, and Chris and I have worked on trying to clean up the walk and driveway.  Chris got the walk clear of ice for the neighbors to come over last night.  We try to invite everyone over after Christmas and though we had a small group we had a very nice evening with good friends.  Today spent a little more time trying to clear some snow back in the driveway with my new toy.  I have worked it hard already, and it has saved my back a lot of pain!   My snowblower blew through a gear before Christmas, and we ordered some new parts today.   Last years snows took their toll.  So hopefully the parts come in before the next snows!  It sounds like not much snow the next week,  but we will get classic January tempertures,  possibly not above zero by late next week.

And when we came back from Milwaukee on Tuesday night we heard some whining from Chris’s car.  The 4 wheel is not disengaging properly, and the fix is expensive.  So we may have found Chris a new (used) car this morning.  We will think about it a day and decide on Monday.  So something to get excited about!

So everyone stay warm!  I put some additional pictures on the album page.  Our thoughts today also with old friends Phil and Judy Ortiz as Phil seems to keep coming up with bursts of energy, and our prayers stay with them.

Nearing the end of the year, and we are having a Marvelous time in Boynton Beach.  The weather here is ideal.  Close to 80 during the day, light breezes, upper 60’s at night.  My cold is getting much better!   Chris MJ and I spent some time at the pool today just soaking up sunshine.    We have kept to very unscheduled days and relaxed.  Sunday after church we went out to sports bar for lunch on the intercoastal.  So we were outside watching the boaters and watching the Packers play.  A few bloody mary’s, lunch, and a few dollars later we had a win.  Glad the Pack did not muff this one.  And the local team, the Dolphins came through in the late game.  So we won’t watch Brett in any playoffs.

Life is good for us.  We were sorry to hear of the passing of Rock ‘n roll Ed Dixon.  And each day I think of Phil who hung on through Christmas and say another prayer for his ragged ass and find some solace in the fact he has spent most of the last 2 years doing the things he wanted to do. 

So Chris and MJ are off to a movie for Mother/Daughter bonding.  I am on the porch with a good glass of wine, and shortly a good cigar.  And I will raise a glass to friends and family past and present, and hope that 2009 brings a Happy and Healthy year to all. 

Ok,  this White Christmas stuff is going to extremes.    Last night I spent extra time out just trying to decide where to move the snow to!  The road and driveway are already getting narrower, and I can’t get it higher with the plow.  And my snowblower gear box went out when I was trying to dig into some piles.  After I was so proud I rebuilt it a year ago.  So it made it through last winter and part of this one.  I’ll pull it apart again and take a look,  AFTER the holidays.  So it is snowing now and I’ll clean the driveway one more time this afternoon before we leave for Milwaukee.

Then down by Mom this evening to make supper and open a few gifts. And tonight our annual St Sebastian midnight mass (at 10).  Tomorrow to brother and sister in law for a relaxing Christmas.  Then Friday afternoon Chris MJ and I head out to Florida.  I seem to look forward to those trips more and more.  Could it be because it will be below zero again here tonight?   MJ will stay a few days and get home for New Years Eve.  Chris and I will be down until January 6th.   Probably one of the longest trips we have ever done.   I just hope to lie out in some warm sunshine and soak it up.

To all we wish a very Merry Christmas.  May Santa fill your stockings and may the Lord continue to bless you.   He has given us much to be thankful for, including good friends and family.

Another nice day in South Florida.  Partly sunny, but in the 70’s already.   Very little humidity.   It has not been bright sun any day but has still been a nice break from Wisconsin.   I hate the thought of arriving home in below zero weather tomorrow night.  But it looks like there is some warmer weather there now that may settle down some of the snow piles.   We have had a chance to spend time with an old friend and just relax.  And I have had some walks on the beach.  Life is good.

We hope all are well and warm.

Chris and I traveled to Holland Michigan for Thanksgiving.  As is our ‘new’ tradition we met Mary Jane and John, Skip and Claire and Denise, and this year Craig flew in to spend some time with us.  We have been visitiing Southwest Michigan and enjoying it, and this year went back to the Holland Michigan area.  For a change of pace we found a house for rent online that we tried.  I was a little tentative (is the house really there?) but with some checking we booked it and it turned out great.   While other houses in the area that rent for vacationer’s are on the big Lake or in a small town, this was in a residential area a little out of Holland, but offered 5 bedrooms which fit us well.  And the house was beautifully decorated and worked out well..

So this Thanksgiving we did not have to find a restaurant that was open. Claire had made the turkey and we brought the rest of the meal to make, and had a full kitchen to work with.  Hotel rooms don’t offer a lot of cooking capabilities!  So well we spent a lot of time walking the town we also spent a lot of time at the house together and ate at the house as well as out on the town.  And it just so happens that one of the best regional breweries in the midwest, New Holland,  has a brew pub in town that we had a chance to visit!

So we hope you had a great Thanksgiving.   There are some pictures of us on the albums page.   Now back to work tomorrow, and possibly some shoveling in the morning for all of us.  But Chris and I look forward to our first trip of the season to Florida on the evening of the Dec. 10th.  Our good times and blessings are tempered tonight by our prayers for our old friends Phil and Judy Ortiz,  as Phil’s cancer has given them some significant challenges this weekend.  And we pray for Phil to pull through again.