Maybe this is one of those things that you had to be there to appreciate it

Our Pastor, Fr. Phil, has been ill for several weeks and returned to church on Sunday.  After the service he explained that he had been diagnosed with tinnitus, a ringing in the ears.  The doctors said that he can minimize the ringing by staying away from stress and anxiety (his brother died days before his diagnosis).  We gave a collective nervous laugh.  I would think that his type of job would be full of stress and anxiety.  He went on to explain that he needs to stop drinking caffeine and stop eating chocolate.  We all sat silently except for the woman near the front who gave a loud audible gasp.  He turned to her and said that he probably won't be in anymore.  That woman owns the fudge store on Main Street.  He ended with a positive note that if he stays busy, he doesn't hear it.  We definitely will keep him busy. 

A few years ago when I was telling everyone that we were moving to Hayward, there were 2 usual responses:  blank stare (they had never heard of Hayward) or isn't that where there is the four story museum shaped like a fish? or isn't that where there is a fabulous candy shop on Main Street?  Yes, to both.  I think that Trembly's will continue to thrive even though Phil won't be coming in anymore. 

Gardening in the Northwoods

I attended a continuing education class about gardening - No Fear No Deer Gardening.  There was a handout listing all the plants that deer absolutely do not eat.  It was blank.  Lots of talk about electric fences, 8 foot fences and double fences.  I'm sticking with the native plants.  They can't eat all of those!

Basketball Cliches

Usually when I lay under a down comforter on the couch (1 below zero last night), I am the one to fall asleep.  Not last night -Wisconsin fell asleep first- looked like they were asleep right out of the locker room.  I was also checking in on Duke.  They fell asleep as the game progressed.  I was the third one to fall asleep.

At the big dance...the Badgers and the Blue Devils were wallflowers.  The Bulldogs and Wildcats came to play and play hard the entire game.

I have been going with the theory of rooting for the team where I live.  Perhaps we should have moved to Arizona or Indianapolis?

Not crying UNCLE just yet

We got up this morning to 8+ inches of blowing and drifting snow.   All schools (including the one in the town of Winter which I find very amusing that Winter is closed because of snow) and many businesses are closed.  The post office said that they are delivering mail but not to expect it at the usual time. 

There is food in the frig and firewood outside the door.  We're good!  However, I do need to go to work tomorrow.  (Jo yelling:  "CASE, IS THERE GAS IN THE SNOWBLOWER?")

One Thought Leads to Another

or...my mind is wandering.
      Case and I have a list of user ids and passwords for the numerous websites we go to.  They are kept on a large piece of paper placed between our computers.  (Yes, we each have a computer because someone has a difficult time sharing, and he wasn't an only child.  That topic will be saved for a possible future blog.)  After moving, changing banks, etc, I have typed this list as the handwritten one was just about too scratched up to read.  It is both sides.  I remember when we used the same info for all of our 2 websites.  Didn't need to write anything down.  Each site has certain parameters:  how many characters, upper and lower case, letters and numbers.  You know the drill.  How can anyone remember all of these?  The experts have stopped telling the public not to write any down and don't keep it beside the computer.  Sorry, experts, that ship has sailed.  And then there are the personal safety questions.  Name of the best man at your wedding.  Father's middle name.  Your first car.  Gone are the days of only "your mother's maiden name."  Some websites we share.  Some are separate.  Recently I was looking up one of mine when I saw one of his.  "Red Horde"  What the heck is a red horde?  His answer:  high school mascot.  I use mine sometimes - Panthers.  That got us talking about high school.  Had the NCAA on TV.  Which brought us to Coach K at Duke.  Case went to Weber High School in Chicago with him (different class). 
     So I started with computer passwords and ended up with the NCAA basketball tournament....my mind is wandering. 

PSA on Northwoods Radio

After the radio aired a story about yet another truck falling through the ice with the driver inside (driver did get out), the radio announcer read a public service announcement.  "If you are driving on the ice this time of year, be sure to keep your windows rolled down."  That seemed like a comedy segment from the Northwoods television show - The Red Green Show. 

And, yes, all the lakes are still ice covered - except where the trucks have fallen through, that is. 

America at Work

I keep thinking about the lumber manufacturer where we bought our firewood.  Walter Brothers was family owned and run.  It was a nice operation and told him so.  I saw over a dozen pickups and beaters from the employees parked around   It looked as though they were busy.  Currently, they are going 60 hours a week making pallets for John Deere in Moline, IL.  So John Deere must be busy.  I see these as good signs for the economy.  The family was employing many locals and shipping their product to a neighboring state where they were employing people, etc.  It was exciting to see America at work.

A Bad Day in the Northwoods

It wasn't really a bad day but not what I planned.  We have run out of firewood...again.  There is an explanation.  We burn propane gas from one of those big silver tanks to heat the house, water, clothes dryer, and oven/stove.  Since we were not full time residents until October, we couldn't lock in a good rate so we have been paying top dollar for propane.  To continue to explain...if we keep the wood stove going (with wood - hence, the name), then the propane heat for the house doesn't go on.  Our mantra is "save the propane." Last summer saw us working hard to sell our Mt. Prospect house.  Because we came to Wisconsin so little, we didn't have time to cut dead trees to store up for the winter. Now back to...we are out of firewood again.  The first time we looked in the newspaper and bought a pickup full of wood  for $70.  We were happy.  However, we have burned all of that wood, and we don't think it was oak as advertised.  We asked around and found a lumber manufacturer about an hour away.  They make pallets from local lumber and have "ends" leftover that they sell for $65 a pile.  The ends are a perfect size for the wood stove.  We pulled up, paid, and loaded by hand.  When the truck was full, the pile was still quite large, so...we drove the hour home, unloaded by hand, drove back to the lumber place and loaded the remaining amount.  Thankfully, the rest of the wood fit in the truck.  We drove home again with our noses in the air because the weight of the wood caused the truck to be at quite an angle, but also perturbed that we previously paid $70 for one load instead of $65 for two.  We unloaded and took Aleve.  Next year we are locking in the price of propane and cutting down many dead trees before winter.

A Good Day in the Northwoods

March 1, 2011

Five months ago Case and I moved to Wisconsin.  Has it been that long?

Blue skies and bright sun today for Case to loosen up some muscles as he skied about 5 miles. Blue skies and bright sun today for my recreational group.  We hiked for 90 minutes.  Then off to the Seeley Sawmill Saloon (and restaurant) for lunch.  The manager offered a special that she made for today - not on the menu - basil/pesto grilled chicken wrap with "sawmill" fries for $6.28.  Yes, another good day in the Northwoods.

We wouldn't want to be anywhere else.