UW-Madison Pride

We moved our daughter (again) over the weekend, into her next apartment for her junior year at UW-Madison. This move was particularly painful for us in that she had to be out of her old apartment during a time when she was away for a camp job. So that meant we had to move her out of her sophomore apartment, hold her stuff for three weeks, and then move her into the "new" apartment this weekend. Nothing like wrestling with 100+ pound dresser sets, desks and boxes of kitchen gear twice in a three-week period.

Oh, and did I mention that her new apartment didn't have an elevator? And did I say that the dresser weighed over 100 pounds....???!!! How about that the temperature that day was around 90 degrees Farenheit?

To say that Corey (my husband) and I were both sweaty messes when we were finished is an understatement. We didn't begin moving her things until about 6 p.m. that evening, our daughter arrived from camp around 7:15 p.m. on the bus and by then, we were done moving it all up the two flights and into her bedroom. By the time we got her picked up from the bus stop, and supper eaten, it was after 9 p.m. A long exhausting day.

Sunday was unpacking day, grocery shopping and out and about getting odds and ends like carpeting, desk chairs, shelving....and in our jaunts about town, we noticed so many other families in our same boat. New UW students wearing their new Badger gear, parents finding that balance between being a parent and hovering too much. UW-Madison did a good job Sunday keeping traffic moving around the residence halls where the freshman were moving in and high traffic areas like the bookstore where kids wanted to stock up on Badger gear.

Our daughter is the farthest from campus she has ever lived. She is just four blocks from our illustrious state capital. The street where she lives is 98% UW-M students. Older hovels (I mean homes) carved into small apartments. As I walked two blocks to the restaurant where we dined Saturday night, I counted at least one party every third or fourth house. Definitely taking advantage of the good weather and no coursework (classes begin next week.)

I'm very proud of my daughter and what she has accomplished. I'm proud of being a Badger mom. You Rah! Rah! On Wisconsin!

Life Gets in the Way Sometimes

If I could retire tomorrow, I'd do so in Milwaukee minute! I have so many things I want to do and try, but never enough time to do it all.

We have a receptionist at work who is very proud that she has worked for the company for almost 50 years. She is clearly beyond retirement age, but says she doesn't know what she'd do with herself!

This week I turned the sloth chapter and hopefully put to bed my non-fitness ways. If I cannot change my eating habits, then my fitness habits need to pick up so I don't turn into one of those candidates for The Biggest Loser.

It all snowballs--ride bike or go for a walk over my lunch hour takes away time I could be picking up around the house or running errands. Now running errands and cleaning the house need to come out somewhere else....my family time, craft time? It is all important and so necessary for my psyche...but then there is this thing called work. I need to earn a buck so I can travel, support my craft habits, have fun with friends, go on vacations.....

It's really too bad that life has to get in the way sometimes!

Follow Up to Earlier Post

I didn't make time the other day to post another incident at our local post office. Is it me, or does that post office bring out the worst in people? (see post from earlier this summer > http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=34622944#editor/target=post;postID=3496557563431131715;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=2;src=postname) Monday I needed to mail a sweepstakes letter as well as a birthday gift to a friend who lives in California. As I moved forward in line (it was my turn next) a dazed looking woman came into the lobby area and glanced at the line (there were about 10 or 12 of us) and walked right up to the counter with her dilemma. No backwards glance to the rest of poor schmo's patiently waiting in line for their turn... From what I gathered from the conversation, she had mailed a package earlier that morning but now wanted it back. Because the Post Office couldn't guarantee next day delivery for the zip code she was mailing to, her sister (the recipient of said package) insisted she ship it another way. Well getting a package back costs you over $10. Once that package crosses the counter, it is in the hands of the government and you have to fill out a form to get it back, as well as cough up some money. I don't care what your story is--you saw the long line of people--our stories may not be as exciting as yours but we waited our turn and you can wait yours bitch. Since I was next, I got my package weighed, paid my postage and went on my merry way. But not before stepping close to our line butter and say softly "next time wait in line like the rest of us!" Shame on her. And shame on the postal clerk for waiting on her. He should have politely asked her to step to the end of the line. I was flustered enough by the whole thing that my sweepstakes envelope was still in my hand down the block a few moments later! But I felt better giving her a piece of my mind!

Fall Weather in the Hottest Month--August

This summer will be on record for Wisconsin--it was so unbearably hot most of the month of July, not to mention dry that I dare not complain about our recent bout of cool weather.

When we woke this morning, it was only 53 degrees Farenheit. Right now, at about 4 p.m. in the afternoon, it is 69 degrees Farenheit.

August in Wisconsin is typically hotter than HOT. Hotlanta hot. And humid. Disgusting humid. Not so this year. In fact, our hottest days in July were hotter than typical August days. Global warming indeed.

We have a new member in our department at work. He localized here from Brazil for career opportunities...how do we explain that this year just isn't typical?