HOME AGAIN

ON THE WAY HOME WE STOPPED BY WORK TO CHECK OUR SCHEDULE.  WE HAD ASKED FOR A COUPLE OF EXTRA DAYS OFF, THINKING WE’D NEED SOME TIME TO REST UP, DO LAUNDRY, ETC, BEFORE WE HEADED BACK TO WORK.

WE WERE SCHEDULLED OFF THE REST OF THE WEEK, SO WE TOOK ONE DAY AT HOME (110 DEGREES) TO FRESHEN UP, AND PACKED UP THE HONDA TO RUN TO “THE MOUNTAIN” WHERE IT’S MUCH COOLER FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.

 

WE TOOK A LITTLE SNOW DAMAGE TO A COUPLE OF WINDOW AWNINGS ON THE SOUTH SIDE, BUT THAT’S IT.  WE ADDED THE REPAIRS TO OUR ON GOING PROJECT LIST FOR THE PARK MODEL ON “THE MOUNTAIN”.  THEN WE FILED AWAY THE PROJECT LIST AND DECIDED TO JUST RELAX THIS TRIP. WE DID LOT’S OF HIKING AND BOTH OF US HAD OVER 75,000 STEPS ON OUR PEDOMETERS FOR THE WEEK.  WE DID SOME SHOPPING, AND MARY EVEN TOOK A TWO HOUR COOKING CLASS.

MARY CLEANED OUT A FLOWER GARDEN IN FRONT, AND THEN PICKED UP ALL THE FALLEN PINE CONES AND PILED THEM IN A COUPLE OF POTS INSTEAD OF THE PLASTIC FLOWERS THAT WERE THERE LAST YEAR.

 

I’LL ZOOM IN…….

 

MARY PICKED UP THE ROCKS WHILE OUT HIKING.  SHE CAN’T GET TOO CARRIED AWAY DIGGING IN THE DIRT HERE BECAUSE IT’S THE FUTURE SITE OF MY SCOOTER PARKING PLACE.

NOW WE DEFINIATELY HAVE TO GET BACK TO SLAPP’N JACKS AND IN ABOUT 60 DAYS WE WILL RETURN TO THE MOUNTAIN FOR A 2 WEEK VACATION IN JULY.

SPOONER

I DON’T THINK YOU COULD PACK ANYMORE STOPS OR ANY MORE FAMILY INTO OUR SHORT SIX DAYS IN WISCONSIN.

IF WE STARTED LISTING ALL THE “THANK-YOUS” FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND FAVORS RENDERED WE WOULD SURELY FORGET SOMETHING OR SOMEBODY, SO THANKS EVERYONE FOR EVERYTHING !!!

I DIDN’T GET ANY PICTURES IN SPOONER, BUT UNCLE HANS AND I DID MANAGE ONE PONTOON TRIP AROUND THE LAKE, EVEN IF WE DID HAVE TO DIG OUT WINTER JACKETS, AND JAKE DID A FISH FRY IN THE GARAGE OF CRAPPIES HE CAUGHT THRU THE ICE THIS WINTER.

AFTER WINTER JACKETS IN THE AFTERNOON, THE TEMPERATURE IN VEGAS WAS OVER 100 DEGREES WHEN WE LANDED IN THE EVENING.

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.