ALMOST THANKSGIVING

THE FAMILY GOT TOGETHER, AND MARY  AND KATHY DECIDED NEIL SHOULD GRILL US A TURKEY FOR DINNER.

PERFECT, IF THERE IS ONE THING IT TAKES TO GRILL A TURKEY, IT’S 10 – 20 BEERS.

FIRST IT’S WARM AND SUNNY OUT ON THE DRIVEWAY, BUT EVENTUALLY WE NEED A CAMPFIRE.

GOOD JOB NEIL !!!   THE TURKEY IS DONE AN HOUR EARLY, AND WE ONLY HAD TO MAKE ONE “B” DOUBLE “E”, DOUBLE “R” “U N”. BEER RUN.

HERE CAROL IS TRYING TO HELP OUT JAKE WITH THE CARVING, USING AN AX.

THE TURKEY DINNER AND ALL THE SIDES WERE DELICIOUS AS “WISCOWSIN” HIT THE QUAD-FECTA (IS THERE SUCH A WORD?) WITH TWO BREWER WINS, A BADGER WIN, AND A PACKER WIN, ALL ON THEIR HOME TURF!

GAME DAY

IT’S GAME DAY IN GREEN BAY, AND ALTHOUGH WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY TICKETS WE STILL GOT CLOSE TO THE ACTION.

THE MORNING STARTED OUT LIKE THIS.

NO, IT’S NOT SNOW, BUT THE THICK GREEN GRASS IS WHITE WITH A MORNING FROST.

HERE IS THE CREW.

NOW DOWN TO THE STADIUM CLUB BAR TO TAILGATE.

IT’S A SEA OF PEOPLE ALL DRESSED IN GREEN AND GOLD.

MARY IS IN THE PACKER SPIRIT.

WE ENDED UP WATCHING THE PACKER VICTORY AT BRETT FAVRE’S STEAK HOUSE, JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY FROM LAMBEAU FIELD.

 

THIS IS MARY AND I WITH THE BRETT FAVRE MVP TROPHY ON THE RIGHT.

I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH AN OLDIE, BUT A GOODIE.

AND IF YOU REC0GNIZE THIS JERSEY, YOU’RE AN OLDIE AND A GOODIE, TOO.

“AZ” -THE WILD THING

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. WELCOME “AZ” TO THE HAPPY CAMPERS.  THE MISSION TO FIND “AZ” WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GREEN BAY WISCONSIN.  WELCOME YOU WILD THING!





“AZ” IS A BENGAL KITTEN, 5 MONTHS OLD.  HE SURE IS IN FOR AN ADVENTURE AS WE CONTINUE OUR ROADTRIP OF WISCONSIN.

HERE "AZ" IS MEETING MITZY, NEIL AND KATHY'S HOUSE CAT.

WHAT THE HELL IS SUSIE GOING TO THINK OF THIS?!?

TORCHLITE PARADE

WHERE ELSE BUT OKTOBER FEST WOULD YOU FIND A PARADE HELD AT NIGHT IN THE COLD WEATHER OF FALL? WILL IT RAIN TOO?

BUT THE PARADE MUST GO ON, HORSES, FIRE TRUCKS, FLOATS, AND EVEN THE MARCHING BANDS.

ONE OF THIS YEAR’S HIGHLIGHTS WAS GEORGE WENDT, AN ACTOR FROM CHICAGO WHO PLAYED THE LEGENDARY CHARACTER “NORM” ON CHEERS. IN THE PAPER IT SAID HE “NEVER MET A BEER HE DIDN’T LIKE”.  HE TOOK UP RESIDENCE IN SLOOPY’S ALMA MATER TO DO A BOOK SIGNING OF HIS NEW BOOK.

HERE’S A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF OUR GROUP, BUNDLED UP AND WATCHING THE PARADE.

IT RAINED OFF AND ON MOST OF THE DAY AND WE HAD A DOWNPOUR IN THE HOUR BEFORE THE PARADE BUT COME 7PM WHEN THE PARADE STARTED IT STOPPED.  OTHERWISE I DON’T THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NEARLY AS CROWDED.  AT LEAST I COULD THINK OF A COUPLE OF LESS PEOPLE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE.

TRAVEL NAZI

IT’S 1,750 MILES FROM OUR SPOT IN ARIZONA HOME TO WISCONSIN. THE FIRST DAY EAST IS 500 MILES TO STOP AND SEE AMY AND FAMILY. THE SECOND DAY I THOUGHT WE WERE WITH UNCLE HANS THE TRAVEL NAZI.

WHEN YOU TAKE A ROAD TRIP WITH UNCLE HANS YOU CLIMB IN THE CAR AND DRIVE FROM POINT A TO POINT B STOPPING ONLY FOR GASOLINE.  IT DOESN’T MATTER IF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN POINT A AND POINT B IS 200 MILES OR 2000 MILES, YOU DRIVE STRAIGHT THROUGH STOPPING ONLY FOR GAS.  THAT’S WHY UNCLE HANS EARNED THE NAME TRAVEL NAZI.

ON THE SECOND DAY OF OUR TRIP WE DROVE 935 MILES, IN 15 HOURS AND 45 MINUTES, THRU 6 DIFFERENT STATES.  NEW MEXICO, TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, KANSA, MISSIOUR, AND IOWA.  THAT’S A LONG TIME IN THE SADDLE, AND I FELT LIKE A TRAVEL NAZI.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE THIRD AND LAST DAY WAS ONLY 300 MILES, A REALLY EASY DAY COMPARED TO THE DAY BEFORE.  

THE NEW 6 CYL HONDA DIDN’T GET THE THE GAS MILEAGE THAT THE OLD 4 CYL DID, ALTHOUGH IT DID TOUCH 30 MPG ON THE KANSAS TURNPIKE DOING 78 MPH.

NOW WE’RE HOME IN THE MID-WEST WHERE THE LAWNS ARE NICE AND GREEN AND THE LEAVES ON THE TREES ARE RIGHT ON THE VERGE OF CHANGING TO THEIR BEAUTIFUL FALL COLORS.

WE ENJOYED OUR VISIT WITH MARY’S MOM (90 YEARS YOUNG) IN MT HOPE, AND TONIGHT WE’RE IN LA CROSSE FOR THE TORCHLITE PARADE AT OKTOBER FEST.  THE BEER TENT, COMPLETE WITH A LIVE BAND WILL ALSO BE ON THE AGENDA.