GREEN BAY

THE CADILLAC ROAD TOUR CONTINUES.  DID I MENTION WE’RE USING THE O.D.’S 1991 CADILLAC FOR THIS TOUR?  THIS YEAR IT HAS 35,000 MILES ON IT. IT’S LIKE DRIVING A BOAT, IT JUST SORT OF FLOATS DOWN THE HIWAY.

WE SET UP CAMP AT THE NEW HOLIDAY INN, AND WHAT WAS A NICE POOL AREA……

 

ENDED UP LOOKING LIKE THIS……

 

THE WEATHER WAS A LITTLE COLD AND CRAPPY SO BOTH LAURA AND SARA JOINED US FROM UP NORTH. JAKE AND HANNAH TAGGED ALONG FROM SPOONER SO THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS THERE EXCEPT AMY AND PAUL. A GREAT TREAT TO SEE EVERYBODY IN WISCONSIN!!

HERE ARE THE CROWD SHOTS AND I HOPE YOUR FACE IS INCLUDED.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT STOP SPOONER…..

La Crosse

From Mt. Hope we went to La Crosse, where all of my children and 6 of my 7 grandchildren live. I have not seen any of them, except for my daughter Heather, for over a year.  Heather came to Mohave Valley to visit us last September.

I confess…I am the type of Grandmother that says things like “your shorts are TOO short, you have too much makeup on, etc, etc.”  Because of this I really wanted to do something that they would all enjoy and something that would give them a favorable memory of “grouchy” Grandma.  So I asked that they would all be available on Friday night for pizza at Heather’s house.  I would order pizza’s from Edwardo’s Pizza Wagon and get  sodas for everyone.  Fortunately no one said they couldn’t make it.

 

This is one of the 5 pizzas I ordered.

I also ordered cheese curds….and these are the BEST damn cheese curds I have ever had.  I will definitely be ordering these every time I am in La Crosse.

These are my lovely daughters, Heather and Nikki.  In addition to pizza I wanted to do something special for everyone, remember I have not seen any of these people for over 1.5 years.  So I got the bright idea for balloons.

I got 20 balloons for 10 people so everyone got 2 balloons.  Inside the balloons was MONEY.  Two balloons had $50, 2 had $20, 6 had $10, and 10 had $5.

 

This is my youngest grandchild, RJ, opening up his rolled up bill…this one was a $5.

The whole beautiful group with me after popping their balloons. 

Nobody complained…..a successful visit!!

Next is Green Bay……

PRAIRE DU CHEIN

MARY’S NEPHEW TODD, WHO IS ALSO OUR FINANCIAL GUY, INVITED US TO STOP AND DO BUSINESS AND COOK OUT ON THE DECK.

ON THE WAY INTO PRAIRE WE GAVE MIKEY A CALL, AND HE HAD JUST GOTTEN HOME FROM A ST PAUL  RUN. MIKE IS AN ENGINEER ON THE RAILROAD. HE INVITED US OVER FOR “JUST ONE DRINK” AND TO CHECK OUT HIS MAN CAVE.

WHAT DO YOU  THINK WOULD BE THE FOCAL POINT OF THE ROOM? A TV THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE NORTH WALL OF THE BASEMENT  OR THE FIRE PLACE?  NOPE, IT’S THE BAR. AND WHAT A BAR IT IS!

 

HERE IS A CLOSER SHOT OF THAT WISCONSIN LOGO.

 

THE TOP IS A 4 INCH SLAB OF BLACK WALNUT.

 

THE RAW TOP OF THE WALNUT LOG HANGS ON THE WALL AS A BACK BAR.

A TRUE PIECE OF ART.

 

OVER AT TODDS WE SAT ON THE BACK DECK, DID A STEAK FRY, AND DRANK BEER “TILL THE COWS CAME HOME”. THAT’S WISCONSIN TALK FOR DRINKING TILL YOU CAN’T FIND YOUR ASS WITH BOTH HANDS.

BIRTHDAY NUMER 92

FIRST OF ALL  I’D LIKE TO APOLIGIZE FOR NOT BLOGGING.  IT’S A COMBINATION OF EXCUSES INCLUDING ‘PUTER PROBLEMS, NOTHING GOING ON, AND THEN VACATION WHEN WE LEFT THE COMPUTER HOME. THANKS TO THOSE OF YOU THAT E-MAILED AND CALLED TO CHECK ON US. WE’RE BOTH FINE.

WE FLEW HOME TO WISCONSIN ON MAY 7TH FOR MARY’S MOTHERS 92AND BIRTHDAY. UNCLE HANS AND HEATHER HAD BEEN SENDING US WEATHER REPORTS AND SNOWY BLOG PICTURES PRIOR TO OUR TRIP. JUST NORTH OF ROCHESTER, MN ON A PIT STOP, I SNAPPED THIS PICTURE OF THE LATE SPRING IN THE MIDWEST.

 

WE ARRIVED ON THE BIRTHDAY AND HERE IS MARY AND HER MOM AT 92 YEARS YOUNG.

 

WE SPENT A COUPLE OF DAYS IN MT. HOPE AND HAD OUR FILL OF HOME-A-GINS FRIED FOOD. MARY ENJOYED MOWING THE LAWN, SOMETHING YOU NEVER DO ON THE LOWER MOHAVE DESERT. MARY GOT TO VISIT WITH A LOT OF OLD FRIENDS INCLUDING  HER BROTHER BILLY, AND LIFE LONG GIRLFRIEND LINDA.

NEXT ON THE SIX DAY WHISTLE STOP ROADTRIP IS PRAIRE DU CHEIN.

 

Snow Again?

By Uncle Hans

   .....Yup, another 6 inches of the heavy wet white stuff.  I could not lift the hot tub cover, I had to shovel it off first!  But don't worry Rex and Mary, we I'll have the mess cleaned up by the time you arrive.  And it will be warm and sunny!!.......



Not another blog on late spring from Spooner?!?.  Well, we made the national news, apparently.  Neil texted me about the 12 inches of snow we got.  My realtor from Texas asked about it, too........

  ........this was my trip to work yesterday.












    A late spring snow is actually a thing of wonder.  It lasts but a day or two.  It shortens the "spring fire season", a big problem up here.  It raises the lake level (yea!).  It makes the farmers happy (we are still in the 54% of America officially in a drought). and, as you can see, it is beautiful.  Remember, without the nice white frosting, our landscape is a dreary, dirty brown and will be for two more weeks until the green finally appears.

     Oh, by the way, it is snowing again this morning.............

By Uncle Hans