Family Treasures

  A couple of months ago when we were in Green Bay, Kathy was kind enough to give us some knick-knack type stuff Jean had in her condo.

 

 This is a candle holder, but since I didn’t have any of the very, long, slender candles it holds I put some of my rocks and desert critters on it.  I don’t know for sure, but it is possible this candle holder was made by Rex’s maternal grandmother.  I do know that the crocheted portion of the doily was done by Jean.  I sure wish I knew how to starch it…..it would look great starched.

 

 

 This silver object was really, really tarnished.  I have been working on it quite a bit and still don’t have it completely polished.  Another of Jean’s doilies.

My neighbor asked me what this silver object was for…..while I really have no idea but this is what I came up with.

You put ice in the bottom of the round part and butter on the glass dish.  Keeps it cold.  Does anyone know what it is really for??

BOTH CATS

FOR SOME REASON SUSIE-Q HAS BECOME CAMERA SHY?  EVERYTIME I GRAB THE CAMERA TO GET AN ACTION SHOT OF BOTH CATS PLAYING TOGETHER, SUSIE QUICKLY EXITS THE FRAME.

I’LL KEEP MY CAMERA HANDY AND KEEP TRYING, BUT FOR NOW THIS IS THE BEST I COULD DO.

OF COURSE THERE IS NOTHING SHY ABOUT “AZ”.

17 BEAN SOUP

WE’VE BOTH BEEN HUNGRY FOR HAM AND BEAN SOUP.  APPARENTLY MY OLE IOWA PIG FARMER FRIENDS ARE GETTING RICH OFF THE PRICE OF HAM IN ARIZONA.

JUST WAIT UNTIL THANKSGIVING AND TURKEY AND HAM WILL BE ON SALE.  SURE ENOUGH WE GOT AN OLE FASHION, BONE IN, CHUNK OF HAM ON SALE AT SMITH’S FOR $1.39 A POUND.

GREAT, NOW WE CAN MAKE HAM AND BEAN SOUP, AND POTATO SOUP WITH HAM.

YOU REMEMBER THE OTHER DAY WHEN MY ALL DAY PROJECT TOOK 20 MINUTES FLAT? SO REX WAS IN CHARGE OF HOMEMADE HAM AND BEAN SOUP.  I PUT THE HAM IN THE SLOW COOKER SOUP PAN AND FILLED IT WITH WATER TO GET A NICE BROTH.

 

THE HAM BROTH WAS TOO SALTY, SO HERE IS MY COOKING TIP.  MARY READ SOMEWHERE TO CUT A RAW POTATO IN HALF AND PUT IT IN THE BROTH TO ABSORB THE EXTRA SALT. I LEFT THE RAW POTATO IN THE SALTY BROTH WHILE I CUT UP THE REST OF MY VEGGIS, AND IT WORKED.

WE HAD A ONE POUND PACKAGE OF 17 DIFFERENT BEANS FROM TRADER JOE’S SOAKING OVERNIGHT AND READY TO RINSE AND ADD TO THE SOUP.

 

AS USUAL WHEN WE MAKE SOUP IN THIS POT, WE STOP ADDING THINGS WHEN THE KETTLE GETS FULL.  LOOKS GOOD DOESN’T IT?  IT SIMMERED ON THE PORCH FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND WAS READY FOR SUPPER.

I ENDED UP WITH A COUPLE OF HAM BONES AND DECIDED I’D SEE WHAT “AZ” THE CAT, WOULD DO WITH THEM.  YOU REMEMBER, “AZ” EXHIBITS A LOT OF DOG LIKE QUALITIES?

JUST LIKE A DACHOUND, HE SPENT THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON GNAWING ON THE HAM BONES. CRAZY “AZ” !!!

THIS WEEK’S PROJECTS

WE HAD TWO PROJECTS FOR THIS WEEK. I WAS SUPPOSED TO DIG OUT THE POWER SAW AND CUT A NEW BACK FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, AND MARY‘S PROJECT WAS TO PAINT THE INSIDE OF THE PORCH.

WE UNLOADED THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER AND MOVED IT AWAY FROM THE WALL. THE BACK HAD SEVERAL HOLES PUNCHED INTO IT FOR CORDS AND THE LIKE, AND I WANTED A NEW BACK WITH ONLY ONE HOLE FOR THE CORDS.

WHILE I WAS REMOVING THE OLD BACK, WHICH WAS ON STAPLED ON, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT I COULD TURN THE OLD BACK UPSIDE DOWN AND ALL THE OLD UNSIGHTLY HOLES WOULD BE IN THE CABINET.  I HAD THE NEIGHBOR MARTY DRILL A NEW HOLE FOR THE CORDS, AND STAPELED THE BACK ON, AND MY PROJECT WAS DONE.  20 MINUTES FLAT !!!

 

MAN THAT WAS EASY.  I’VE GOT THE REST OF THE DAY TO DRINK 10 – 20 BEERS, LAY ON THE COUCH AND WATCH MARY PAINT.

CAREFUL, YOU DON’T PAINT YOURSELF INTO A CORNER, DEAR…..

 

ACTUALLY, I DIDN’T GET OFF THAT EASY, MARY ASSIGNED ME TO MAKE 17 BEAN SOUP FOR SUPPER.

LAZY “AZ”

House

By Uncle Hans

  You all remember the big windstorm we had on July 1st, Renee and I were almost killed by a freak accident where a tree fell on us while motorcycling.  This house in Grantsburg was one of probably 200 that was damaged that night. 

....I noticed the other day that they were finally getting around to fixing the house.....

......this is the tree that fell on the house.  It was huge, but you can't tell from this angle how huge....

    .........you can't really tell from this angle either, but you can see it was not broken off, but uprooted.......

.....here you can see that the diameter is at least 5 FEET.  That is a semi trailer parked next to it.  This was no small tree.  imagine g-force needed to uproot such a monster?
I am glad this beast did not fall on us.........

I am glad this beast did not fall on us.........

By Uncle Hans

THE “TO DO” LIST CAUGHT FIRE THIS WEEK

THE OLE FALL “TO DO” LIST REALLY CAUGHT HELL THIS WEEK.

WE RENTED THE RUG DOCTOR AND GOT OUR $50 WORTH OF DIRT SUCKED UP HERE AND AT THE NEIGHBORS. WE DID THE BIG GREEN AREA RUG THAT WE USUALLY TAKE TO THE CAR WASH, ALONG WITH THE COUCH, DINNING AREA PADS, RUGS, HELL, WE EVEN DID THE CAR MATS WHERE I SPILLED MY COFFEE ON THE WISCONSIN ROADTRIP.

NEXT I GOT OUT MY FAITHFUL WEEDWACKER TO CLEAN UP THE OUTSIDE.

 

THIS IS AN ANNUAL CHORE, NOT WEEKLY ALL SUMMER, LIKE AT HOME IN WISCONSIN.

WHILE MY WEEDWACKER WAS DOING HER THING I REPLACED THE SEWER HOSE. THIS IS JOB BEST DONE ANNUALLY AS WELL. IF YOU WAIT LONGER IT WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL, AND I GUARENTEE THAT YOU’LL BE EMPTYING THE SHITTER ON ONE OF THE COLDEST DAYS ON THE LOWER DESERT.  BESIDE THAT, IT NEVER RAINS TO WASH THAT SHIT AWAY.

NEXT UP WAS SCRUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE TRAILER. BELIEVE ME, WHEN YOU HAVE A SMOKER INSIDE ONE OF THESE LITTLE CAMPERS, IT’S A JOB NOBODY LIKES!!!  IF YOU DO HAVE A SMOKER INSIDE, I RECOMMEND USING STRAIGHT WINDEX.  SPRAY IT DIRECTLY ON THE WALLS AND CEILING AND WIPE WITH A DRY RAG OR TOWEL.  BE PREPARED FOR THE MOST DISGUSTING PILE OF BAR MOP RAGS YOU’VE EVER HAD TO DUMP INTO A WASHING MACHINE, AND WALMART DOES SELL WINDEX BY THE QUART.

MARY ALSO GOT THE PADS ON THE PORCH SCRUBBED, REX WASHED THE HONDA, WE STOPPED AT SPIRIT MOUNTAIN ON SUNDAY TO WATCH THE UGLY ORANGE BEARS BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF THE LIONS (LITTERALLY), I GOT TO THE DENTIST, I DROPPED THE PICK-UP OFF AT THE FORD GARAGE, ADDED DISTILLED WATER TO THE CAMPER BATTERY, AND EVEN HAD TIME TO DRINK 10 – 20 BEERS.

AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH WHEN YOU HAVE THREE DAYS OFF IN A WEEK.  TUNE IN NEXT WEEK WHEN THE POWER TOOLS AND THE PAINT BRUSHES COME OUT AGAIN.

NOW WE HAVE DOG DISH MEAT LOAF IN THE DUTCH OVEN AND WE’RE WAITING FOR THE WEEKLY PACKER VICTORY OVER - THE VIKINGS.

“AZ” LOVES THE CAT TREE

 

 

THE STEPS

THE NEXT PROJECT ON THE MILE LONG “TO DO” LIST WAS THE STEPS.  THESE ARE THE STEPS ON THE PORCH THAT LEAD INTO THE TRAILER.

THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST SINCE THE PORCH WAS COMPLETED.  THE MAIN REASON WE DIDN’T DEAL WITH THEM WAS THE EXTREME HEAT OF SUMMER.  OUR INTENTIONS WERE GOOD, WE EVEN BOUGHT A POWER SANDER AT THE TIME.

THE SECOND REASON THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN ON THE BACK BURNER SO LONG WAS THAT MARY AND I COULDN’T AGREE.  MARY WANTED THE THE STEPS TO BE NATURAL WOOD WITH STAIN AND VARNISH, AND REX JUST WANTED TO PAINT THEM AND BE DONE WITH IT.

THE STEPS WERE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF SOME REGULAR 2 X 6’S.  THEY WERE RUFF IN SPOTS, AND LOT’S NAILS AND SCREW HEADS YOU JUST COULDN’T SAND OVER.  WITH THE HEAT AND DISAGREEMENT THEY JUST SAT AND WERE IN USE FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS.

FINALLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE ARRIVED AT A COMPROMISE.  WE WILL PAINT EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE TREDS, WHICH WE WILL STAIN AND VARNISH.

BEFORE:

 

AND AFTER:

 

NOT BAD !!! IF THERE WERE A PAINTING THE STEPS MERIT BADGE, WE EARNED IT !!

OF COURSE I FORGOT TO GRAB THE CAMERA DURING THE BEST PART, WHICH WAS USING A POWER TOOL TO SAND THE STEPS OUTSIDE.  IT WAS ESPECIALLY FUN FOR MARY BEING A FIRST TIMER WITH A NEW POWER TOOL.

THE STEPS WERE HAULED BACK INTO THE PORCH AND THE PRIMER WENT ON.

 

FOLOWED BY THE BRIGHT RED PAINT.

 

WE USED A THREE STEP LADDER FOR THREE DAYS TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE TRAILER WHILE THE COATS OF PAINT AND VARNISH ALL DRIED, AND MANAGED TO KEEP THE CATS OUT OF PAINT.

Phoenix

By Uncle Hans

We just got home from a whirlwind, weekend trip to Phoenix.  Renee has an Aunt and Uncle and 4 cousins and a brother and all the families to visit.  We spent a lot of time at the poolside in "85 and sunny".....

  ....we also rented a big Harley and spent a day travelling around touristing.  This was an old mining town converted into a tourist trap.  Luckily, they had a tavern, but the steps to get into there are kinda like a sobriety test. 

interesting......

This shot is some of the rest of the town.  The camera does not seem to get out of the pocket as much as it used to.  Maybe I am getting old, but you have to take it from me, there was some cool scenery.

     We went up the road toward a place call Tortilla Flat.  The road was narrow and twisty.  This bike weighed 400 lbs more than our bike and Renee was uneasy about the combination.  We came around a sharp corner and found a gaggle of people and bikes on the side of the road.  There were many long faces peering over the side, looking down.  We decided to turn around.  We will see Tortilla Flats another day.

     We met two ambulances on the way back to town.  The first bounce was 150 straight down.  I doubt there were any survivors. We have head enough of motorcycle accidents for a long time...........

“AZ” MOVES INTO A BEER BOX

 

That Explains It!!

When Rex writes a blog I usually proofread it.  I try to correct the spelling errors, if any, and anything else that needs to be changed.  The other day he had me proofread the post called “turkey finger”.  Did you read it?

We talked about that post and how AZ will follow Rex anywhere to get that “turkey finger”.  I started thinking about that concept and do you know what I realized??

REX is MY turkey finger!!

At least I have followed him into many, many interesting places and situations.  And I am very glad I did.  Makes life interesting!

Halloween In Spooner, Too

By Uncle Hans

It was recently that time of the year to carve the Jack-o-lanterns.  We have had great fun in the last couple of years with this, mostly because little people have re-appeared in our lives  Annie is Jake's little one and Bella lives next door and has has adopted Renee as her Grandma...........

.....the crew included Bella's Dad and two guys staying in the guest house who work for Jake, and Laurel.....

...........The result is pure art........

  .....and a lot of fun...........

   .....We only had one Trick-or-Treater at our rural lake house,.  This is Bella, dressed up as Taylor Swift.  We went into town, as we have in the past, and helped some friends open the door for over 500 kids at their house.  Great fun!

By Uncle Hans