Mouse Did Not Read Poem

On my walk today I saw different tracks in the snow.  Mouse tracks.  Didn't he read the poem "not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse"?  I took some photos because he had made some interesting designs in one continuous line.  Happy New Year, Mouse.

close up

at a distance

8 pm

Usually, 8 in the evening is rather uneventful around here at the Mazik house.  We are reading or watching a show on TV when the 8 pm alarm on my phone goes off to remind me to take my evening insulin.  That being done we both settle back in.  Last night was a bit different...

My 8 pm alarm went off.  Then the clock in the kitchen started the chickadees chirping (have a bird clock that chirps a different bird on the hour - usually the kitchen is dark by that time and it doesn't chirp) because all the lights inside and out were on waiting for the delivery man with an expected package.  Because it is Christmas my clock that chimes a different carol on the hour was singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas."  Then the doorbell rings.  Which is quite loud.  What chaos!  Package was brought inside to warm up, I gave my insulin, and we turned off the lights in the rooms with clocks.  When you are retired, the least little thing is chaos.

PS  Since we are on the edge of nowhere, we are the last on the delivery route and can sometimes receive a package at 8 pm...in the dark...in winter.  Be glad for the job you have.

My U.S. Representative

My U.S. Representative is Sean Duffy.  He isn't perfect but I like what he is doing and saying.  People in Madison (WI state capital) are moaning, complaining, protesting about the outcome of the election like many places across the county.  Sean said that they are communists by protesting a democratic election.  Some win.  Some lose.  That is the way it is set up.  If they are having a problem, he will send a therapy dog to a "safe place" of their choosing. 

If you don't understand the political jargon, check out some conservative websites or email me - I
will catch you up.

The recount in Sawyer County had only 1 vote difference than the original count.  Clinton received one less vote than the original.  As election judges Case and I had to sign a few papers before the recount began.  Good to know that we counted correctly!

Advent Devotional

This Advent I am reading the daily devotional from Dynamic Catholic.  Yesterday's had a statement that really hit me.

You can never get enough of what you don't really need.

Picture of White

No photograph of white.  That is how it looks outside - white.  Snowing - 30 mph winds - quite cold.  When people explain why they don't live in the Northwoods, they point to the picture of white. 

We are inside with the wood stove going.  Quietly, doing paperwork and projects.  It's just fine.

Speaking of paperwork...remember when "they" predicted we will be a paperless society.  When is that coming?

What a day!

Tuesday was quite a day if you worked the polls.  In the town of Spider Lake there was 87% turnout!  We were hopping all day.  Certainly made the day go quickly.  The election judge who usually plays solitaire didn't even get out the deck of cards.  There were 22 new folks who came in to register and vote.  Wisconsin allows that. 

Being inside all day Tuesday we decided to visit a friend on Wednesday who has a horse that pulls a carriage.  We toured the countryside in style.  Weather has been unseasonably warm.  People still in t-shirts - at least the locals are.  Usually we would have some snow on the ground or at least in the low 40's.  We're living large in the Northwoods! 

Best Fall Since 2010

How would I remember that?  October 1, 2010 was the date we moved here six years ago.  That fall was a long, slow fall.  Memorable because it was our first one.  Winter was mild - no beastly cold.  Pussy willows were out by March 15.  I thought to myself that the weather is not a problem here.  That was the honeymoon period.  Next year was a different story. 

Fall in the Northwoods

Today is a picture perfect day - blue skies, no clouds, sun is shining, 60 degrees, not much wind.  It is certainly not the usual early November around here.  We are all literally basking in it.  I led my walking group on a hike this week - weather was just as nice.  The owner/cook of the restaurant that we were going to eat at - tomato basil soup, grilled cheese for 45 women at $6.99 each (sweet!) drove and found us where we were walking - electric power was out in Clam Lake, WI where his place was.  However, he secured a new lunch place for us at another restaurant.  Wow!  Life in the northwoods is always surprising. 

Six Months of News

I definitely got out of the habit of writing a blog entry.  Life in the Northwoods has settled into a nice flow.  Perhaps too relaxed, too enjoyable to sit back, too busy to reflect and write a blog.

We have a grandson - Alek who has a big sister - Kata.  He is healthy and happy.  May 2016

I bought a new car and drove 2,200 miles in two weeks solo.  June 2016

Case's mother died of Alzheimer's in July.  Age 92

August 2016 - Assist in cleaning out his mom's house of nearly 50 years.

September 2016 -Helped Lucyna's fiance pull off a surprise 30th birthday party.

October 2016 - Trip to Niagara Falls to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. 

And here is November...let's see how I do...

This is good enough to break silence

In January 2017 I will be 62 years old and can begin to receive social security.  I am not waiting until full retirement age - another 4-5 years - because the money may be all gone by then!  Of course, I needed to create my own account with SS.  User name cannot be your name so I like to be imaginative.  For my gasoline card my user name is gassy1.  You get the idea.  Hmmm.....what should be my user name for social security?  It didn't take long for the inspiration to arise.......givememymoney.  SS immediately came back to me - THAT USER NAME IS ALREADY TAKEN.  When I wiped away the tears of laughter, I typed in...thisisfunny. 
That one was taken as well.  So, then, I typed a non-amusing user name and that was accepted.   So on the last Wednesday of March, I will receive my first social security check.  Hallelujah!

Ice Out Photo

When we bought the house 9 years ago, this steel, heavier-than-Hades dock, came with it.    It needed two wheels.  Case took measurements of what the configuration was to attach to the dock.  He went to the junk yard to look for the exact match.  You are looking at two wheels from a Crown Victoria!  What a hoot!  He fills them with air before "the boys" roll it in. 

There is our bay - Steamboat Bay on Lost Land Lake - free of ice.  Spring is here!

Big Day on Lost Land Lake

I bet you remember the Surfaris song "Wipe out"    Every carnival ride at the Champaign County Fair played this song in the mid 60's when I spent much time there.  What, you say, does that have to do with Lost land Lake?  Every spring there is a day when all the ice is gone.  Locals call it "ice out."  Last week when ice out occurred, Case and I were running around the house in excitement.  Somehow Wipe Out came to mind.  So I was saying ICE OUT like WIPE OUT with the crazy laugh like in the song.  Good times!

I going to get on the phone and call the "dock boys" to come out and git 'er done!

Words

Here is a "parlor" game or conversation at the dinner table.

A few words do not have rhymes...unless you can find one.  (There are no rhyming words for these.)

angel
bulb
orange - I already knew this one.
silver
month

I enjoy this kind of stuff.

The Party's Over

Case and I have been suffering from the let down - now that Tuesday's party is over.  I am referring to the Wisconsin Presidential Primary.  For more than a week we were the center of the political universe.  Boy, was that exciting!  Candidates showing up at large and small venues.  We watched all of this from the comfort of our living room, but, nevertheless, the excitement was felt.  Both of us are election inspectors as they are called in WI.  Getting ready Tuesday morning was as exciting as the big ski race day.  We were giddy.  There are 303 registered voters in our "Town of Spider Lake."  186 voted which is about 61% voter turnout.  There was no down time.  The time went quickly.  I left at 2:30 when the next inspector came on duty.  Case and another inspector were there from 6:30 am to 10 pm.  I don't work the whole time because President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 freeing the slaves.  15.5 hours of work with NO breaks is slavery in my opinion and I won't do it. Thank you, Abe.

Another reason we were giddy was because we felt we were facilitating the Stop Trump campaign which was running strong.  The state did just that - stop Trump.  However, here are the results of our polling place.  And our county followed suit. We were disappointed. So Trump received 3 delegates from the northern part of the state and 3 delegates from the western part of WI.  The rest went to Cruz. 

Trump 69
Cruz 35
Kasich 23

Sanders 34
Clinton 20

There were only two candidates running for two positions on the local town board.  They received 139 and 126 votes and 1 vote for "Dave" - one of the election inspectors!  I guess that brought a little levity to the late night counting situation. 

It's the little things that are fun

I have never seen a black safety pin...until now.  Didn't know they even existed!  Only seen the gold-colored or silver-colored ones. Recently, I was at a store in Hayward to buy a pair of ski/snowshoe pants on clearance.  Last pair I bought was when we moved here 5 years ago.  I'm due for a new pair.  I arrive home to look at my new purchase and remove the tags.  None of that plastic tag business that is attached with a "gun."  No sirree!!  This was attached with a little black safety pin.  Well, isn't that something?  So, back to my original thought, it's the little things that are fun.  I will enjoy the pants next year, too.

Giant Strawberry

...no foolin'    When we go to see Lucyna and Shane, we pass through Strawberry Point, Iowa (pop. 1279).  Everything is named strawberry (restaurants, barbers, other shops).  This huge strawberry is in front of the police station on the main drag through town.  Citizens claim that it is the world's largest one.  It got me to wondering what their school mascot is...the Fighting Stems?....well, the town is one of three in a new consolidated school called Starmont.  There is NO mascot yet.  They are still deciding/voting, etc.  But the PTO will donate 1/3 of the money to buy a "costume" of  some sort.  Who says Iowa is boring?

This is one of the welcome signs.

Tuesday at the Mazik's

I hosted my walking group - WOWWs - yesterday.  It was a small group because many head south for March.  We hiked 4 miles in the Chequamegon National Forest and then lunched at a local restaurant.  Tuesdays are always a great day.  (WOWW=Women of the Woods and Waters)  I am in the first row in red.  Case is taking the photo after being the parking director for all the cars.

I also must comment that all the restaurants - and I mean all - write up separate checks for a group this size.  They just do it.  In Chicago and suburbs, the waitress would laugh! 

Early Spring in the Northwoods

65 degrees here.  All the snow has melted except for mounds in parking lots and near the end of driveways.  Ice is melting in the lakes.  Case and I headed for a favorite spot to hike along the Flambeau River.  Current was moving swiftly due to the winter run-off over Little Falls.  The noise of it all!  Both of us were glad that we wore our knee high rubber boots.  Fabulous day for so early in the spring.

 Case looking upstream of the Flambeau River.  Little Falls to his left.

Jo needs to look where she is going!

Large chunks of ice have been pushed up on shore by the fast-moving water.

Christmas Present

Because we no longer have our pet birds, Case gave me a bird feeder for Christmas.  Now I have lots of birds.  Some I had never even heard of before moving here:  Red Polls, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Downey Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, and of course, Chickadees.  We are both having great fun watching them. 

From bottom to top:  Chickadee at feeder, suet cage for the Woodpeckers, baffle to keep the squirrels away.

Here is a full-sized black squirrel enjoying the dropped seed.  He is sleek and beautiful!

Overload and Explode

We have been watching the debates and then CPAC.  Our heads are on overload and I think they will explode.   I am embarrassed to be an American if this is what we have to offer on both sides.  November 9 - the day after the general election - better have some good news for the country.  

Netflicks

By the miracle of today's technology, we have Netflicks free through somewhat shadowy means.  Case and I have limited tastes so much of what is offered does not interest us anyway.  However, recently, we found 3 movies that I recommend.  Stories with characters worth watching and have a message.

Little Boy - starts slow so stay with it (happy ending)
The Physician - set in middle ages (happy ending)
and this one I recommend but Case doesn't:  a comedy - Johnny English - the actor who plays Mr. Bean plays a bumbling secret agent.  I can't remember the last time I have laughed so hard at a movie.

The Big Ski Race

Every February Hayward and Cable host the largest cross country ski race in North America called the American Birkebeiner.  The original Birkie is held in Norway to commemorate and re-enact from 1206 when a infant prince was kidnapped in the Norwegian Civil War.  The prince's father sent two of his best skier/warriors to rescue the prince and ski as fast as they could back home.  They skied 53 kilometers.  Thus is born the annual race.  Twelve thousand skiers come to our area for the weekend.  Each skier brings an entourage with them so the population of Hayward is much more than the usual 2100.

Early February brings "Birkie Fever."  Symptoms are varied but all bring excitement culminating in the volunteer dinner for 1000 the day after the race.  Local volunteers pack the registration packets with race bibs, gather supplies for spaghetti feeds the night before the race, lay in their own supplies at home because shopping in town that week is impossible, on the radio listen to Birkie songs recorded by local musicians.  It is excitement beyond my description.  My tasks this year were packing registration packets, baking several desserts for the church spaghetti feed, and taking a long shift the day before by checking IDs of skiers coming to pick up packets.  Really enjoyed the international skiers, especially the Spanish team. Case spent all of race day sorting the skiers' bags of belongings and handing them back when they finished the race.  His group was in charge of more than 3,000 bags. 

Case in the race several years ago before he blew out his knee.

 

Behind the start line at the Cable airport.

Skiers write an essay to win the honor of being the warriors.  Modern day adds Inga, the mother of the Prince who is skiing with a baby doll.  The three of them lend moral support and fun to the racers.  Note the birch bark leggings on the men.  Birkebeiner means just that - birch bark leggings.

Lest You Think There is No Civilization Here...

...I was accosted by Girl Scouts selling cookies.  Well, to be truthful, I had to stand in line to purchase.  They were outside of Walmart - outside, mind you...in northern Wisconsin in February.  These girls are a hardy lot.  I chatted with one of the leaders for awhile.  She loves the camp experience for the girls.  I shared that I was a "Cookie Mom" at one time and a leader for Junior Girl Scouts for 3 years.  Good memories.  I took my box of Thin Mints and my box of Chocolate-Peanut Butter Patties home and directly to the freezer.  On an extremely hot day this summer the boxes will be brought out and thoroughly enjoyed.

Winter Garb Continued

Last week a technician from our satellite company came out to bring us a new DVR.  Our old one, leased since October 1, 2010, no longer records.  He was dressed properly.  Of course, if we needed a new dish, he would be on the garage roof.  That restored my faith in Wisconsiners dressing ability.

...until church last Sunday.  As we were driving out of the lot, we stopped to let a couple cross in front of us dashing for their car...without coats. 

I am not totally Wisconsin yet

This is a priceless, true story about living in Wisconsin.  Let me set the scene...

On the way to church I pass a local bank with the time and temp always going.  At church I was assisting with youth club which happens when the teachers have an institute half day.  The children spend the afternoon at church doing a serious thing or two but mostly fun stuff.  It was the time in our schedule to cross the small street from our education building to the church sanctuary where Fr. Wilger was to talk about Ash Wednesday and Lent.  The adult leader for that day asks the adults if the children need coats to cross the street.  The other adults are thinking and slowly shaking their heads.  This common sense Illinois girl pipes up,  "It is 7 degrees outside not including the windchill.  Yes, the children are wearing coats!"   Good Golly!

Good thing we did... Fr. Wilger had our group outside burning the palms from last year's Palm Sunday to make ashes for the service.  WOW!

Walking in a 2016 Winter Wonderland

Our lane to the mailbox

Bushwacking a snowshoe trail - what a beautiful workout!