Summer Reminisce and Door County

Well it seems that we had August weather early in July and now we are experiencing mid-October type weather here in SE Wisconsin. Last week when we were camping in Door County, we had to shop for sweatshirts because we were so chilled wearing our normal summer garb. August 1st is later this week and I feel like my summer has spun out of control! It has gone by so darn fast! Is it my age or is it just the state of things? In summers past, I don't recall it flying by this fast. Door County was an interesting experience last week. It's been quite a few years since we've spent any time there and a loooong time since we've been there in the summertime. We typically like to visit mid-winter when the pace is less hectic and parking isn't an issue. Ralphie our dog seemed stressed out during our camping adventure--not sure why? Perhaps it was all of the car time, or her not having the ability to follow me to the bathroom each trip to the rest room (no dogs allowed.) Megan seemed to enjoy the numerous activities we were able to fit in. The Skyway Drive In movie theatre was great. We went to see the movie Despicable Me2. There was a second movie playing but we didn't stay since it wouldn't begin playing until shortly after 10 p.m....way past my and Megan's bedtime! Shout out to Hands On Art Studio for giving me a creative outlet our last full day in the Door. My 9-year-old Megan and I chose to do fused glass. Unfortunately with the firing that occurs to fuse the glass overnight, we have to wait two weeks to get it shipped to us. We could have picked up the piece at 2:30 the next day, but given we had a four-hour drive, we wanted to get an earlier start driving home and chose to have it shipped. Megan made a glass plaque we hope to hang in her window and I made a garden stake. Corey was able to get his shopping in while we did that so he ended up being a happy camper after all. (I absolutely hate shopping with others, especially when parking is atrocious and the crowds were abysmal.) If you are into camping, we have to highly recommend the campground where we stayed...The Wagontrail Campground. http://www.wagontrailcampground.com/ It had an Ellison Bay address but was close to Rowley's Bay on the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula. One of the cleanest campgrounds we've stayed at. The bathrooms were spotless no matter the time of day. My daughter wanted us to stay at a campground with a pool but we felt there is so much to do in Door County, we wouldn't need it and we were correct. They even have a dining guide that gave us lists of pet friendly dining spots. The Viking Grill in Ellison Bay brought out a bowl of water for our dog while we dined at a table on their patio. Other than the long drive, we enjoyed our time in Door County!

Better Late Than Never

Well I knew I had not posted for a while, but I had not realized it has been over two months since my last post! I'm not sure anyone follows my ramblings anyway, so we're OK, right? Work has consumed me and my energy, so by the time I get home, I do what I need to do for the family, take the dog for a walk and go to bed. I'm typically in bed by 9 p.m. I'm ready for this to end. I'm ready for Spring to finally arrive and I want to spend more time in my gardens outside and in my craft room getting cards made or scrapbooking. My 9-year-old daughter tried a new recipe today....blah. It was OK but I wouldn't make it again. Rocky road brownies that were rather chewy. Not an inspirational post, but there you have it, and now I can get back into the swing of things and post more often!

Food Network Inspired Dinner

Yesterday morning, my usual Saturday morning show "This Old House" led to programming on HGTV and then the Food Network. My daughter and I watched Paula Deen flirt with some Italian chef who has a restaurant in Vegas, while making stuffed manicotti. I'm not sure if it was the good nature flirting, or my slight hunger at the time, but I wanted to try and make my own manicotti. While surfing for a good recipe to use on www.AllRecipes.com, Ina Garten's show came on and her Raspberry Crumble Bars sounded equally intriguing. The cool thing about being connected to the Internet 24X7, is the ability to hook up and download just about anything. I found Ina Garten's recipe and made note of the ingredients we needed. After reading comments on a few manicotti recipes, I had a game plan.

Everything turned out fantastic! I didn't photograph my manicotti, but I was surprised how easy it all went together. I'm not a professional chef, but I used a gallon-size ziploc bag to squeeze the stuffing into the cooked shells. My stuffing included ricotta, mozerella and parmesan cheese, spinach, and a small amount of Italian sausage. For the sauce, I doctored up some cheap canned tomato sauce with minced garlic, fresh parsley and Italian seasons. My advice? Let anything be your inspiration--you may be surprised at your results (and your tummy will thank you!)

Pinterest

I've fought it long enough, and over the holidays, became a HUGE fan of Pinterest. At first I didn't get it. My college-aged daughter was doing it (and she drags me to current trends). Then a few of her friends were pinning on Facebook....I had to learn more. She gave me a demo when she was home over the Thanksgiving holiday. I still fought it. But having two, four-day weekends in a row over Christmas and New Year's, I started to get a wee bit bored....and explored. I'm hooked! I started with gardens, and hooked my friend Hope. I added crafts, cards, and now--recipes. What's next for this creative brain?

Packer Backer

I've always been a Green Bay Packer fan. (OK, maybe not when I was a kid and my dad and uncles would hog the TV to watch the games during family get togethers.) Shortly (OK, immediately) after my divorce from hubby who will go unnamed, I was able to secure my email handle where I proudly show the love of my home team. (That in itself is another story.) Every game day I run the gambit of: to fly or not fly the flag (is it good luck or bad luck); do I watch the game or listen to it on the radio (I feel they do better when I am out shopping and hearing the game on the radio); which shirt do I wear, which Packer set of earrings? Now remember that video of the drunk chick that made the news a year or so ago when the Packers lost their playoff berth? You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbjqjOrFBbs I'm a fan, but I'm not rabid (or drunk.) I feel for her, because wardrobe, earrings and nail polish IS important. Now back to the ex-hubby and my e-mail handle. I had had my new email handle for a while (spouting my love for the Packers) when I got a comment back from the ex that I complained every weekend when he watched football while we were married, yet claim my love for the Packers in my new e-mail handle? My reply? Hell Yes! It's easy to love and follow your home team when I'm not forced to watch every single football game on TV from Thursday through Monday during football season! Difference? I love Packer football--not football in general. OK, Packer football and any team playing the Vikings or the Bears! My current husband? Yes, he's a Flatlander....but he's a Packer Backer as well. I've converted him (not that it was hard--he didn't grow up in a household that watched much sports.) Did my anxiety help the Packers today? It's only the half--time, and earrings, will tell. *Post Game Update* These earrings are going in the trash! (Packers lost)

Post Holiday Boredom

Not only did I have a four-day weekend, but then three days working from home. Now another four-day weekend is upon us and I find that I have a bad case of the blahs. I'm bored with the stuff/games/music we have around the house, I'm broke so I cannot go shopping to relieve my boredom....what's a girl to do? Cruddy weather is looming and the sidewalks are slippery--no walking. Games on my phone and laptop bore me--no games. Hubby and daughter working on a 3-D puzzle--blah. Since it is later in the evening, perhaps I just go to bed. Need to shake out of this cruddy mood and fast!

Post Holiday Break

It is always nice to work the week between Christmas and New Years. There aren't many employees in the building and not too many people have needs. This year, working this week is especially nice since my boss is allowing me to work from home. (and in turn, I am allowing my employee to work from home as well.) If someone needs something, they know they can call my cell phone or ping me on Sametime (our Instant Messenger) if needed. I worked all day today, but it didn't seem urgent in any way and this is the most relaxed I've been in a long time. Megan is home from school so I get to spend time with her as well. Love my life right now.

Four-day Weekends Go Too Fast!

My employer is good about giving us holidays off...so I had Christmas Eve and Day off this year, giving me a four-day weekend. Why do four-day weekends go by so fast? Had the family over for Christmas on Sunday and that went by in a blur. All that prep, you hardly get to enjoy it. Then Christmas Eve we spent the day at my in-laws...today, was just for us. Lazed about the house, only venturing out for the occasional dog walk and a short trip to the dog park. Ralphie really enjoyed herself there....running a lot in the snow! The only nice thing about the remainder of the week is that I get to work from home.

Family

My oldest daughter did mom a favor this weekend and took the weekend off from work. This allowed us to pick her up late Friday afternoon in Madison, and get out of Dodge (so to speak) for a family weekend together. Since our youngest daughter had an egg drop challenge at school, we opted to pick her up after school. We drove to Madison straightaway, picked up daughter #1 and headed to Verona, Wisconsin. We rented a room at a new Holiday Inn Express. Nice place--new, modern and super nice staff. Ate supper at a brew pub...again, super nice staff, but the food sucked. Could not keep my eyes open and it was fairly early. The girls went swimming in the pool and Corey and I watched TV. A nice, relaxing evening. Today, we started the day at a holiday arts and crafts show in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. I bought cat nip toy for Zorro, an ornament for the tree and the girls got tatted ornaments for the tree. I try and buy them both an ornament each year so when they move out on their own, they will have a tree full of ornaments. Since it was early, we then drove to Mineral Point, Wisconsin to tour the galleries in town. Drove down Shake Rag street (from the old iron ore mining history) and to a gallery outside of town. Drove all the way back home so Sarah can have one night at home. Christmas portraits tomorrow at JCPenney.

Right to Vote

As much as we bitch and moan about the numerous phone calls, junk mail, knocks at the door and commercial press trying to convince us to vote one way or another, you have to love that we live in a country that allows us the freedom to vote. More than anything, I'm glad that Facebook posts and Twitter updates will no longer have a political bent (after today that is.) You can't help but look at a coworker or neighbor differently if they don't lean the way you do. But again, it comes back to us living in the United States where we can agree to disagree. My flag is out flying proudly today. I'm heading out to vote over the lunch hour. I hope you are voting as well. All votes count. Freedom matters. Our futures depend on your vote.

Full Moon

What is it about a full moon that brings out the weirdos around the world? I can always seem to tell, even if the full, bright moon isn't obvious in the sky. Requests come in at work like gangbusters, weird system issues come out of the woodwork, and it always seems to happen when I'm at my busiest. Is this something that can be measured or quantified? My instincts seem to think so.

Fall in Wisconsin

The weather in Wisconsin is always interesting--the temperatures and weather patterns can change at the drop of a hat. But fall in Wisconsin needs to be experienced! The crisp smell as you crunch fallen leaves underfoot during a walk in the woods, the smell of a burning pile of leaves, the unseasonably warm spells and the cold snaps that make warm tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich taste all the better. Is there anything better than Badger football or Green Bay Packer football? The annual ritual of raking leaves to the curb, only to see the neighbor's unraked leaves blow onto your property for disposal. :-( We saw our temps fall from 72 degrees Farenheit to 35 degrees Farenheit this week. The winds kicked up my neat pile of leaves at the curb and squirrels are rooting around in the yard to store their finds for winter. The vivid leaf colors of brillant red, dull orange, muted shades of yellow. Yes, I love living in Wisconsin. Especially this time of year!

Walk of Shame in Beautiful Wisconsin

I was out walking my Havanese this morning before mass and encountered three young men at various points during the walk returning to their apartments. Mussed hair, wrinkled clothing...the early morning walk of shame back from their girl friend's place. (making assumptions here.) It ended up being a beautiful day today in SE Wisconsin. 63 degrees at 3 p.m. which is rare. I'm inside though watching the Green Bay Packers play the St. Louis Rams. One minute left in the game and they are winning 30 - 13. Love it when my Packers win! Since we did all of the outside work yesterday, I plan on just enjoying myself today and taking it easy.

Cranberry Festival

My family camped in Warrens, Wisconsin this past weekend. It was absolutely wonderful weather the entire weekend! The fall colors driving to and from the Cranberry Festival were so perfect. There was a Harvest Moon so flashlights were hardly needed if we ventured out at night. We had a roaring fire each night...hard to gear up for a work day tomorrow. *sigh*

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?

Is It Me, Or Are You Just Rude?

The other day as I was leaving the post office, as I stepped toward the glass exit door, a man threw the door open in front of me and strode right through. Strongly. Without a backwards glance AND did not hold the door for me. WTH?

Holding the door open might have delayed him a whole 10 seconds, but it is a nicety we women come to expect (at least this woman.) I mean, I was RIGHT THERE! His stride was such one would have thought he was going all "postal" on someone or something. Since I haven't read any news stories of such, maybe it was my imagination.

Normally I just blink my eyes and shrug my shoulders and blow it off, but his forceful entry and rudeness still has me pondering two days later.

And since I'm on the subject, what about throwing a baby shower at work and not inviting all of your coworkers? Sure, I work for global and you work for another division, but I sit right next to you when I'm in the office!

Rudeness surrounds me....daily apparently. Here is hoping I get a day of rudefree blissfulness today!

It All Comes Out in the Wash

My hubby is so busted! I've been missing my sunglasses clip-ons for a couple of weeks now. He found them this morning--they must have been in a jeans pocket because they went through both the washer and dryer load. (He's busted because he hasn't been keeping up with the laundry!) I complained last night because I had no shorts to wear. I'm thankful they came out in the wash...we are on vacation soon and the clip-ons are well needed.

Related to laundry, it is the middle of July and I still have winter clothes piles in our bedroom waiting to be packed up. Today is the day to finally get them packed away for the remaining month and a half of summer.