June and July were fun and we are doing well.  There was some very hot weather but July has finished very comfortably.  Some very rainy days and the corn fields seemed full grown by the start of July.  The corn loved the hot wet weather.  We have been out to a local Winery in Ripon several times and gone past the farm fields.   Sitting in the vineyard with a glass of wine is very enjoyable.  We are still doing some take outs and visited a few restaurants.  Ruby Owl here in Oshkosh is a good example of one we feel comfortable with.  All employees wear masks, some tables shut down, half the bar stools taken away.  Staff is disinfecting tables, bar, stools and chairs each time a customer leaves.  And downstairs from us Cranky Pats is only open Friday, Saturday, Sunday.  But also doing a good job of cleaning and we are enjoying the pizza or Italian sausage sandwiches on weekends.   I have been trying to get some golf in, usually a couple of days with old friend John, and have added some 9’s with Mike and friends on Fridays.  I am playing OK, I would like to be more consistent, but that’s golf!

For July 4^th we were in the Detroit area with MJ and John.  We try to be there for MJ’s birthday, this time doing grill outs and some take outs.  I helped with some projects and we had a fun week.   We headed home the northern route after struggling through Chicago traffic on the way there, it was much more relaxing.  Then home and unpacking and start to repack, as we kept our annual trip to Door County for 2 weeks to finish July.  There are lot’s of outside venues in Door so we felt comfortable keeping our reservations.  MJ and my niece again joined us sharing a motel room while Chris and I had a small condo.  We had a very fun but very different time this year.   We did get to briefly see some old friends which was worth the trip.   We wish it was more time but this year just feels so different it didn’t always feel comfortable to be out.   Again we did more grilling and inside condo eating than usual for us, as there are many good restaurants we enjoy.  Door County was still very busy and we spent less time in the towns especially on the busy weekends.  Chris mentioned she had thought that 1 week may have been OK to go up for, but the 2 weeks went by quickly and she was happy we did.  What was the same is that I am sure I ate and drank much more than I should have!  I will try to cleanse a little this week, with some planned golf and dentist appointment.  We were tracking the hurricane heading to our condo and friends and were very happy to see it weaken and head north.  It will be more than OK to see the storm season slow down.  We had made a decision to move from our downtown apartment this year, we love it and the location but are paying a premium for a place we don’t spend a lot of time at.   So we have spent a fair amount of time searching.  We had decided on a complex as our first choice but had to join a waiting list and wait a couple of months, but while we were on vacation received a call that a unit opened up that matched our specs so we took it.  We will be moving to Havenwood Heights on the west side of town.  By the time we are moved in October we will be thinking of leaving for Florida.  So even if we don’t like the apartment thoroughly, we can deal with that next Spring!

We hope you are staying safe and healthy!

view of Ephraim from the Peninsula Park course

Denise on the green

Hugel Haus dinner and German beer

MJ and Denise

Fox River into Lake Winnebago

Well we are back home in Oshkosh.  The travels went well, we held to around 6 hours in the car per day.   First day to Valdosta GA.   I had a call from old friend VW who happened to be on his computer when I mentioned Valdosta, and he was anxious to take a trip anywhere and was just looking at Valdosta.   He picked out a local brewery so when we decided to leave Boynton he decided to meet us.   More like a couple of hours from Jacksonville for him.  The brewery was open only with outside seating which was perfect.  Good beers and we had a pizza delivered while we got caught up.   We had had rain most of the day through Florida but Valdosta was dry and it was nice sitting out.   The next morning back in the car and off to Tennessee.   Most of the day traveling Georgia then headed West to Murfreesboro.   There is a National Park there we will get back to at some point but missed it this time.  One of the bloodiest most decisive battles of the civil was took place near there.  We had a very nice room in a Hilton Garden which had just opened their restaurant.  So after a little relaxing we went down to the restaurant, we were two of just a few people there and the only ones sitting at the bar so it was fine.   The bartender was also the cook (apparently they did not expect a lot of people) with a limited menu, but everything was tasty.    The next morning on through Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois stopping in Champaign Urbana.   A college town so rather quiet, staying at a Home2 Suites which was a multiple room suite.  Right next store was a Harvest Market (think Whole Foods)  which we picked up some dinners to go from the deli and had our own dining table in the room.   So another night of rest then on to Oshkosh the next morning.  Lot’s of heavier rain for that ride, but luckily not for too long an extended time.  All the hotels usually had  a buffet style breakfast and now feautured prewrapped grab and go in the mornings.  So we would get something to take back to the room, eat and have some coffee, then shower and hit the road.  Along the way no issues with gas or rest stops.   We like Love travel stops so I had mapped out a few along the way.  Generally clean and large restrooms. 

But now back in the apartment, we were anxious to get back even though we were enjoying Florida a lot.   But weather is good here now. A great day today and lot’s of people out biking and boating.   Most bars/restaurants are open to some degree.  Cranky Pat’s downstairs still just for takeout but a limited opening next weekend.   We met a few friends at our favorite bar Oblio’s on Friday night.  Their first time out also and we were all a bit tentative.   But not crowded and we were able to be on our own while we got caught up.  I picked up some groceries and am surprised at the number of people not wearing masks while in stores, but this area has been relatively few in the number of visrus cases.   Our bedroom TV gave up when we tried to get it working again, so a new one on order.  Best Buy has large TV’s in stock but not small !    And the next day when we tried Netflix in the living room we found Netflix has stopped support because that TV is too old.  So it looks like a fire stick to fix that.   The Jeep needed a tire pumped up and a jump start, but the landlord helped with that and everything else working OK.   Chris and I are determined to do some more downsizing of what we have,  so we are already at work on that!  No grilling yet because of the birds nest with eggs inside the grill (can I turn it on for breakfast?).  And we will give the bird some time to finish(better hurry).  Weather looks good this week as we work on settling in, so will try to get some walks in and I will get my bike tires pumped up.   Hope you all take care and find a way to enjoy life!

Another month flying by. Florida is getting into the warm rainy season.   We keep finding ways to keep busy.  We had new tile installed on the lanai this month and are very happy with it.  So that should be the last of our tile projects.   And I redid the guest closet, cleaning painting and redoing the shelves.  We have kept up with our happy hours but they keep getting smaller.  Marie went home this week and it sounds like her flights went well.  Dan and Christy left this week, and Chris and I are thinking of leaving Memorial Day.  We will watch the weather, right now it looks like we may hit some rain next week but if it is not steady thunderstorms we will be OK.  If we need to delay a day or two we can do that too.  As usual we do not want long days in the car, even though we won’t do much sight seeing this trip.  We are thinking 4 days to get home, starting to lay out some tentative plans.   Hopefully in the fall we can add the sight seeing, but who knows.  For now we will get to see Oshkosh again and get a feel for what our summer plans will be.   We are still planning on Door County in July, and considering moving apartments since we are gone more than we are there.  But one day at a time.  Everyone stay safe, and see some of you soon.    

New Tile

Closet Work

Happy Hour

Another Happy Hour

Isn’t life interesting?  Nothing in our life has affected so many people at the same time. You would think that would get us past the politics, but obviously that is not true.  The good news is that it seems like a lot of the country is starting to show positive signs of the virus declining.  Of course until there is a lot more testing being done there is still a lot of guessing.  But science is learning a lot at a rapid rate and I hope we will listen.  Remember that we need to learn from this and plan for the future.  In the meantime we take joy in little things; sunny days,  birds singing, a package of toilet paper at the store. 

Friday April 28, 1978.   I worked a half day then tried to kill time waiting to go to church.  We had a small ceremony and close group out to dinner afterward.  We have had fun times and quiet times, always keeping it interesting.   I was blessed with Chris and Mary Jane coming into my life and still putting up with me (for the most part!).  We have lived in different homes but have always had family and good friends to fall back on.  We still treasure those folks even when we don’t see them often.  We can never be sure what the future holds but enjoy today.  42 years and counting.

Bauer Family

Biegel Family

Well a lot keeps changing for all of us.   Life is full of adventures that you don’t see coming.  We are good, still in Florida and still enjoying our life.   Not quite the same but overall probably better than most, so we are blessed.  We have a good group of friends here and we do still socialize, happy hours go on.   We have minimal contact with the outside and try to keep some distance for the most part.  But socialization is still important for some of us.  The weather has been average or above so being outside in fresh air and getting sunshine is a positive.   I had been golfing with some neighbors until Palm Beach county shut down all golf courses.  4 hours on a golf course is pretty much social distancing, and exercise is good for your immune system.  But that is done for now, so I took the clubs out of the car and cleaned them up.  Since our pool and common area is closed some of us in our buildings have added a grill to our courtyard.  It took some negotiating with the Association board but we got it done and we think it looks great.  Many of us do enjoy the BBQ.   I also took our car in to get some maintenance done, even though we are not putting many miles on these days.   But the dealer did a good job of sanitizing the car before and after they worked on it, and now that is out of the way.  Chris made us some masks to wear when we go out now, which is not much but groceries and fresh food are still important.  We try to do some purchases with the local bakeries and restaurants and hopefully can play a part in helping them through this tough time.  Some of our neighbors have worried about getting home and being closer to family so our group here has gotten smaller.   Our son-in-law John has been asked to help out in other areas of the hospital since occupational therapy has been cut back, but we know he will take the precautions to stay safe. 

The same for all of you, do what you can to stay safe.  But stay sane and treat others well. 

Home sweet Home

Pat, Larry, Frank in the old days, 2 weeks ago

Happy Hour

I told Chris maybe next car…..

or maybe not

John work prepared

Wow, am I behind schedule!    This retirement is just too busy.    Life has been great for us.   We are surrounded by great friends that we share time with.   I have been getting some golf in, not enough to improve my game, most weeks is just one time out; and 2x a week helps my swing more!   But there are always other things going on.  We have had group breakfasts and happy hours.   We have been doing a little work on Marie’s condo.  MJ has been here multiple times.  Old friends John and Debbie spent some time with us and John and I took in a couple of Spring training games.   Chris and I had our main electrical panel upgraded so that is out of the way. 

We were looking forward to seeing Chris’s cousin from Switzerland but his flight has been canceled, so we will have to wait to see him again.  Lot’s of things canceled here in south Florida, I think some of the worry has gone overboard (too much news 24/7?) but I guess better than not doing anything.   I believe March Madness should have gone on without fans in the seats, and given us all something to watch while at home!   We will keep our hands washed and keep living our lives.   The drop in the stock market will keep us from going out as much and change our spending habits!  But everything is temporary, things always return to normal, just have to wait and see how long the bear market lasts. 

So keep eating your veggies and keep your immune system strong.   But enjoy this great life we are blessed with.

girls out painting

MJ on beach

John at Washington Nationals game

don’t look for golf balls

Breakfast anyone?

We want to wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year.    A new decade is beginning, for many of us we grew up thinking of 2020 as something in the far off future, so far off as to be some space futuristic movie.   But we have made it this far, and we may not be in hover cars, but could not have foreseen being linked to our smart phones and depending on our on-line connection.  Most of us are living a good life that we could not have imagined.   Chris and I feel blessed and thankful.   We look forward to the next decade and wish you all a healthy and happy year ahead!

Another month has gone by quickly!  Chris and I were busy settling back into Florida.   With our drivers licenses and voters registration settled in we worked on unpacking and reorganizing.  I had decided last year that after 15 years it was time to get a new refrigerator.   Our neighbor last year had to wait a month for her new refrigerator so we decided to be proactive.   Since our kitchens are small we are limited in size; and most retailers show lots of large size specialty refrigerators, but that would not work for us.   So we did our research and made a decision and ordered.  Ours came in quickly and we are very happy with our choice.  I have done some research and settled on an electrician to change out our breaker panel, but otherwise spent a lot of time on smaller things.  Amazing how time goes by.  I have been waiting to sign up for Medicare since the best plan for me is not available to me in 2020 and the new plan was only approved for Florida this week.   Politicians getting in the way again.   But hopefully we take care of that this week. 

Weather has been beautiful, we have recently hit what the local weatherman call a cold front.   Which meant overnight temperatures getting around 50 and daytime in the lower 70’s.    MJ was here for Thanksgiving  and we had some grill outs and pool time.  This weekend the city Christmas parade formed in front of our condo and this coming Friday is the local Christmas boat parade that we had come down to see for a number of years.  So we look forward to that. 

We have been working through an unpleasant issue.  We found a collection agency had put an issue on our credit report.   A cable company in Milwaukee WI had issued an account under my name to someone in the central city, which defaulted.   I am sure the cable company representatives are anxious to quickly sign someone up to an account, and that goes through much more quickly than it takes to prove to them you were not the one that opened the account.  So we are in the midst of that.   The collection agency and cable company want you to enter a police report, but the police do not want to open a report for something they cannot investigate.  More to come on this.  Letters and notarized letters on the way. 

So we are looking forward to the rest of the month going by as quickly as the last.  Marie arrives this week,  MJ will be back for Christmas, and our neighbors start arriving back after Christmas.  Shortly after New Years all of the condos around us should be full again.    So we hope you also are getting ready for Christmas and will have a wonderful time with family and friends!

Love the ocean

Christmas lights are up!

Pool Time

Happy Halloween

Almost another month has gone by and we have stayed active!  We were on our way home from New Mexico on my last update, and then we soon headed up to Washington Island Wisconsin.  We had another great time with Steve Janet and friends.  Like last year the weather was great the first day and we took in lots of spectacular color in the trees.  Then the rest of the weekend became cool and rainy.  Somehow that did not stop us from having lots of fun, food, and drinks.   Having the resort almost to ourselves lets us have some great meals in with everyone contributing.  The wind also added to some fun for some on the car ferry ride back though! 

Once we got back to Oshkosh we were busy packing and preparing the apartment for us to leave.   After a leisurely start on Monday October 21 we headed out on our fall trip.  We packed up the car, disconnected the battery on the car that was staying, and finished up the last of our preparations to leave before traveling 2.5 hours to New Glarus!  We love New Glarus, for Chris it started when she was a child and her Grandmother took her to this Swiss town.  For me it was when New Glarus Brewery started brewing their great beers.  We did make it to the brewery and spent some hours visiting local establishments in town.  And we did have a great Swiss meal.

The next morning was on the road to St Louis.  We had not visited old friends Bev and Wally for awhile and we spent a couple of nights with them catching up and revisiting old times.  We did have some more great beer and food, including Pappy’s in St Louis which the Food Network rated as the best BBQ in the country.  Of course we had the ribs, which they say they go through 6000 lbs per day!  They were awesome.

After a couple of nights and sad good byes we were back on the road, this time heading to Little Rock Arkansas.  We have had this destination on the list, Chris’s Dad was born there and we wanted to see what it was like and try to fill in some questions.  The family story was that Chris’s Grandparents and Father left Little Rock when a cross was burned on the neighbors lawn because they were Catholic.  We were not sure when.  I had not heard about the KKK targeting Catholics but when reading historical documents from the U of Arkansas I learned it was quite prevelant and in the 1920’s the State legislature passed a law allowing law enforcement to enter Catholic churches and rectories because they were sure the priests were holding nuns and lay women as sexual hostages.  The KKK was at a peak in the 1920’s against Catholic, Jews and immigrants: and today the KKK is on the rise in Arkansas against immigrants and people of color: go figure.  But we had a good trip to Little Rock.  We had a picture from Chris’s Grandmother of a church and procession that we had tried to find a location for years.  We thought it was Milwaukee.  But it was actually Little Rock, the church still looks the same and a genealogist at the library there placed the picture as probably in the 1920’s.   With some further help from the library we traced the grandparents addresses in city directories as still in Little Rock in 1923 and in Milwaukee in 1926.  And we now have a couple of new questions to follow up on.   Unfortunately we had some cool rainy weather and did not get around town as much as we had hoped.  But it was still a very interesting and fun time, and of course we found some great places to eat and drink!

After a couple of nights in Little Rock it was back to the road, this time to Tupelo Mississippi; which by the way is where Elvis was born.  Of course they have a tourist attraction at his birth home.   We visited and found it interesting.  We traveled in mostly rain again that day, and Tupelo had been hit by a bad storm before we arrived.  But the town was busy cleaning up branches and trees and of course by evening we were ready for some good food.  Lucky for us just down from our hotel was one of the top 10 steakhouses in Mississippi and we stopped in.  I may not go back to Tupelo to see Elvis’s birth home again but I would go back to Woody’s!

Just one night in Tupelo and then on for our longest leg of our trip, to Tallahasse Florida.  We had first thought we would spend 2 nights in the capitol city, but since rain was predicted we decided to make that one night.  After a long day of driving we were very happy with the hotel and were again ready for a cocktail and meal!   Again there was a great place a couple of blocks away.  Ted’s Montana Grill is a franchise started by Ted Turner, specializing in local source and great meats.  They did not disappoint.  They were very busy Sunday night but Chris and I found a place at the bar and started with cocktails.  Since I tell everyone the best steak I have ever had was a Bison ribeye at Eddie Martini in Milwaukee, I could not pass up the Bison filet, and it met my expectations.  Chris also had a great meal so this was certainly a food trip for us. 

So one night in Tallahasse and back to the road, this time to Sanford Florida.  Most important was visiting friends Darren and Sheryl, but we also had in mind some more food.  We had been to a great German restaurant with Darren and Sheryl before and I checked to make sure they were open on Monday nights.  Of course after we arrived in Sanford Darren informed us they were closed that night for a private party!  No problem, we spent a wonderful evening with friends, had good drinks and food, and thoroughly relaxed. 

That made the next day on the road short and sweet.  We took our time in the morning and had an easy ride to Boynton Beach, and then unpacking.  We have been taking some things to Florida that we would want if we someday give up our Oshkosh apartment.  So we had a fair amount to unpack.  The last month we were busy putting things in place to make Florida officially our residence.  We had that idea from the start of the idea but there are a number of things that happen when you change your address to another state.  Chris has spent a lot of time with her favorite subject, insurance.   We have accomplished a lot and today we both got Florida drivers licenses and registered our car.  And we have our health insurance figured out for next year.  So now to start to settle in for winter.  I was lucky enough to get my first round of golf in today and looking forward to the days ahead!

Washington Island

sunset at Sunset Resort

New Glarus bottling line

Urban Chesnut Brewery

Wally and Bev

Little Rock

Tupelo

Sunday October 6, 2019              

Already into October and fall!  September went by quickly.  We started the month in Sterling Heights MI with MJ and John and ended it in New Mexico.  When we left Michigan after Labor Day we headed home to a number of yearly appointments.  We did have an appointment for Chris with an orthopedic doctor.  We felt we dodged a bullet as she had been having knee discomfort for a while and our family doctor prepared her for the thought of knee replacement.  But the Orthopedic felt that is not anywhere on the horizon and Chris was trying some medication that helped fully.   But there was some discomfort when she stayed off the medication so the doc thought a cortisone shot was next.  And so far it is providing full relief.  Next we had blood drawn for our lab work as the next week we had our yearly physicals.  And our physicals and lab work came in with great result overall, a couple skewed numbers for Chris most likely the result of the cortisone just before the lab work.  So she has a follow up blood test just to be sure.  And visits to our dentist’s office for cleanings for both of us and an impression for Chris to finally get her implant.   The summer has done well for her with the implant post inserted and the bone growing around it as planned.  And next week a new, permanent tooth after a year of wait.  Throw in some days spent in safety deposit boxes cataloging coins and visits to a coin dealer, and some time for fun!  Old friend Jeff Pindel came up to Oshkosh for some golf, biking, food and drink.   We traveled out to Hartman Creek State Park to visit with Janet and Steve who were doing a month of camp hosting and ventured into nearby Waupaca for some micro brews and good food.   We also fit in a meal with John and Debbie to catch up, my golf with John has been interrupted by travel and appointments.

Then after a couple of weeks home we took to the skies and headed to New Mexico.  With a quick stop in Milwaukee for boneless duck with Noel and JoAnn (Kegels German restaurant is still awesome) we flew out of Milwaukee to see Marie for a couple of weeks.  It was an exciting couple of weeks; I am not sure how Marie would describe it.  She had decided with the condo in Florida it was time to get ready to sell her house and take a next step.  We all decided it would be best to keep a presence in New Mexico since she has been there for 35 years, so we started to look at some possible apartments.  We did find a 55+ community that we were all impressed with, and although it was not in Marie’s plans she decided making a move decision was easier while we were there.  So she signed a lease!  She had already been cleaning for a move and in the first week we were there we made a lot of progress on downsizing! Many trips to donations stops included me renting a pick up, her Corolla doesn’t carry enough!  And the landfill played a role also!   We were able to fit in a grill out with her friends to grill out Usinger brats and say good by to the house.   Then we were able to find a mover to fit us in October 1 and we signed up.  So in she moved.  Going from a 3 bedroom house to a 1 bedroom apartment required far less furniture and it was an easy move (the movers were on track to make record time other than the elevators at the apartment and 3 other  people moving in that day).  Things went well, within a day all boxes were unpacked and Marie was feeling fairly comfortable.  She did well.   As of now the house is cleaned and mostly empty.   We met with a realtor and Marie also has a possible private offer that would work wonderfully.  The 2 weeks went by quickly, not much downtime!  Next time will be a little more relaxing and involve more sightseeing.  But Marie now has a lot behind her and once the home is sold there will not be much to worry about when she is out of New Mexico.  As I am typing we are on a plane back to Milwaukee, then the drive to Oshkosh.   And next weekend 4 nights on Washington Island to celebrate Steve and Janet’s anniversary, always a fun time.  Once we get back from the Island we will then finalize some plans to head to Florida.  My hope is to be there around November 1.  We consider ourselves Florida residents and need to get new driver licenses, registrations and such.  So more travel on the way!  Enjoy life.

Grill out

the Group

2 weeks of work

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