Wednesday, 12 June 2019: Bay Shore Road

It is very disconcerting to have our property washed away one wave at a time, but, as Justin says, at least we do have a front row seat.  More excavators, engineers, stone guys came to look today.  Fred, three houses down, invited us all over at 6pm for a consolidated pow-wow.  These guys almost seemed more interested in the permit process from the DNR (Dept of Natural Resources] than in the time and materials to do the job.  I am pretty good at the computer and I certainly have time to at least start to file the permit myself.  I can better spend the $600 they charge for the permit on stone and labor.  

It has rained all stinking day.  Justin promised that the weather in north east Wisconsin will get better the third week in June.  Ok, I am ready!!!  Thankfully the sunsets are spectacular!

Sunday, 9 June 2019: Brussels

I bought a Bernita sewing machine last summer and never even plugged it in.  This year I set up what Justin referred to as "Sewing Central."  The impetus came from the need to alter and hem Justin’s new yukata.  Stephanie was kind enough to purchase and send a new one from Tokyo.  I had told her we needed XL/ tall.  I don’t know it these were Japanese sizes or Japanese sumo sizes but both of us could have fit in it and he tripped over the length with each step.  Once that alteration chore was complete I found a few other items that needed mending.  After a quick trip to JoAnn fabrics for a bare bones sewing kit I was on my way.  

Now we all know that Airstream travel trailers are affectionally revered to as “baked potatoes”.  Kris and Jordan bought a “canned ham” — their new find, a vintage  (1958 I think) travel trailer.  It has some water damage so they have a protect in store.  Kris borrowed a crowbar and a few other items for her demolition project last weekend.  She tackling the outdoor shower at their cottage.  They really seem to enjoy being their and they want to maximize their time — with a shower.

Justin and I also have protects to do but it is still too cold and/or rainy to want to do anything outside.  Instead we started doing jigsaw puzzles.  We got the first one done in three days.  The second, also three days, but 1000 tiny pieces instead of 500 normal sized pieces was a bear,  honestly, we didn’t do much more those three days so we are now on a self-imposed hiatus.

Justin made chili skillets for us for breakfast one morning.  He often likes to order this dish when we go to April's so today he tried it at home and made one for me too.  Pretty darned good if I do say so myself!  









We went to Hartung and got to visit with Rich and Gloria.  What a hoot she is!  We watch the water levels there even though we don’t seem to be in any immediate jeopardy.  The grounds look spectacular.  Rich has done a good job of tending to the property but Justin still needed to do a bit of tending and clearing things up.

Dave, from Pier and Waterfront Solutions, came out and installed a cable as a stop-gap measure.  Although pole in the water is about ten feet long, only about 4 feet extend above the waterline.  This pole is attached to an eyelet up in the yard.  The cable connecting the two has lots of tension so it should be stable.  Please oh please.  

Tuesday, 4 June 2019: Green Bay

We went to Packer practice today --actually it was OTA -- Optional Team Activities.  Justin was ahead of me as we were crossing the street and got to see new head coach Matt LaFleur up close and personally.  He was in a gold cart since he just had emergency surgery from an Achilles heel mishap that happened when he was playing basketball.  It is fun to get to see some of the new players.  Jason Stonebarger, from Texas A&M is going to be one of my new guys.  

After practice we had lunch at T Bacon’s BBQ.  Yes, there are at least two BBQ places here.  this one had at least eight different sauces so I was able to find one with just the right amount of kick.  No way this would ever pass for Texas BBQ but it was just fine for today's lunch.

Gemma is better.  She gave us quite a scare last week.  She is eleven (this month) and she has slowed down only marginally.  She was in such pain and that is just aweful when you cant do anything to help her.  

Our shower is turning pink!!  I know it is from the iron in our water but I don’t want a pink shower and I sure don’t want to leave it and then it is just brown and “rusty.”  I can wash the shower curtain and I can always buy a new one but, what to do with the shower?  I remember that I got very specific instructions on how to clean the Tundraland shower when it was installed last summer but, honestly, I had to call then to get the reminder.  I found the coolest product last year, Whink, to get out rust stains but the question is whether or not I can use it on my fancy shower.  So I called, they said use a 50/50 Dawn/ water solution and if that doesn’t work use 50/50 bleach.  Do Not use the Whink!  Drat.  Here we go...

Thankfully, the Dawn worked perfectly with just a little elbow grease.  Now, on to the next chore ... cookie sheets with all the baked on gunk.  This year I am trying oven cleaner.  They don’t recommend it as they sat it might pit the aluminum.  Wouldn’t I rather have pitted than dirty?  Well, I am giving it a try.  

We watched Cat on a Hot Tin Roof yesterday so we are into National Velvet today.  Secretariat and War Horse are next. So Elizabeth Taylor to horses.  How did we end up on this horse theme -- I couldn't tell you.

How lucky I was never to have had student loans.  Sure I took out loans from Navy Federal Credit Union to pay tuition in grad school and I never got a break on my taxes since my salary bracket was what it was ... but too many kids owe thousands and thousands forever.  

Abraham sent pics from Casa Colibri.  Sacmoch (Mochi) seems to be enjoying looking at a blooming flower.  I do miss Mochi!  And our wheel barrow looks great too.

Sunday, 2 June 2019: Green Bay

We decided that we were tired of watching our property fall into the bay so we went into Green Bay to work on our daytime drinking.  The Creamery, downtown on City Dock, has a bottomless mimosa! We'd talked about going for a while so today was the day.

Cousin Jim reports that "water is in the club house."  The Balduci family cottage is near St Louis on the Mississippi.  In Wisconsin, we’ve had the highest rain fall in the last twelve months in recorded history — 125 years or so.  Jeez!!!  Carole, in Toronto, reports that the water is so high there they can't put boat in so no sailing there yet.  

We have three hummingbird feeders going this summer but when we saw orioles trying to raid those feeders we thought we better try something for them too.  We bought cheap grape jelly and the orioles were happy.  They are so brilliantly colored!

So it seems that as an ice shove broke up this winter the movement rearranged the  course of our little creek and built a dam at the end of our marshland.  There is probably only a foot difference now between the bay and the creek but Justin’s continues to try to clear it out.  

We are seeing the stone, gravel, rock and sand as Justin has been trying to dig it out. The work song from Les Miserables has constantly been going through my mind. “Look down, look down... your standing in your grave...”. I’ve been calling Jean Val Jean.  

Justin said he was adding new meaning to “draining the swamp.”

For the beginning of June, it is still quite cold.  The south is experiencing record highs and we are still “unseasonably cool” (read COLD).

Friday, 31 May 2019: Brussels

Trade wars with Mexico?  Seriously?

Trade policy and border security are not the same thing.

We haven’t had a good avocado since we got back and it looks like we won’t anytime soon. 

How can the dollar continue to be sound?

Monday, 27 May 2019: Brussels

Memorial Day -- My quote for today, tweeted by an active duty member --  “Be an American worth dying for,”

We had a big bonfire Sunday evening.  Jordan and his family came to visit.  We had dogs and buns but I didn't have fixin's for s'mores.  I should know better.  

Erich, Lily and Brody came to visit.  Erich wanted to go fishing with Jordan so that meant we got the kids.  We all headed to April's for breakfast and Kris met us there.  When I walked in I told April it was a "cousin event."  Three adult and five kids.  The weather was nasty and Jordan and Erich had had enough so they joined us later too.  They tried another couple of fishing spots from piers but there day was a bust.  

Meanwhile, Justin and I had Jonas, Caleb, Lily and Brody.  They played and colored.  We watched a Woody Woodpecker movie.  At one point I found  myself in the middle of explaining what happens when you put a dog to sleep... how did I end up here?

I finally got to wear shorts one day this weekend -- finally!  

We went to a huge hosta sale on Saturday.  This lady had over 600 varieties.  Her gardens were something.  She's been at that location for 40 years.  

Justin had his first Brat of the season -- he was a man in heaven!

Finished watching House of Cards -- I am rather glad that it done.  I enjoyed it at first but it did get weird -- moving on...

More and more democrats add their names to the list. I’m still thinking Buttigieg.

Randy and Marsha (Kris' parents) came to visit.  Randy sees me as a Republican; I choose to say independent.  The current abortion topic in the news certainly has my attention.  

Trump visited Japan to meet with Abe and Naruhito -- I hang my head I shame, again.