Sunday, 23 June 2019: Green Bay

Summer solstice was this week and we finally got to go sailing one day.  Windjammers sponsors cruises throughout the season.  The original plan for this first cruise of the season was an overnight to Southbay Marina but since the weather for Sunday looked tentative, they changed the plan to only go to City Deck for lunch and return.  Justin and I with Bill Wons on “Snow Escape” and Laurie and Mark on “Slow Ride” made up our flotilla.  It was a fabulous day!  I refused to wear sunscreen and I didn’t have a hat with me so I paid the price a bit on my forehead... it was a burden.  

Justin was on the tiller most of the day

leaving Bill to take care of lines and fenders.

And calling ahead to make sure they opened the bridge for us

Slow Ride coming in right behind us

JUstin ready to jump on the dock to secure the lines

We all took time for a refreshing adult beverage aboard Slow Ride before heading in to lunch.

When we saw a wedding party in town, Bill was quick to offer Snow Escape for photos. 

 The boys jumped n board but the girls weren't as interested

Justin has been working diligently with the good folks from the DNR, Door County and various engineers and contractors.  We got our temporary permit so now we need to find the money.  We are hoping to be able to work something out so that we all use the same company and get it done all at the same time.  Don and Amy, the McNalley’s, Fred and Judy plus us represent over 1,000 feet of continuous shoreline.  I had originally thought that we could divide up the work and stretch it out over maybe three years, doing the most urgent work first.  However, it cost so much just to get the machinery to the sight.  Plus, it looks like they might need to access our shore through Don and Amy’s yard.  We can’t tear up their landscaping three times.  And even doing this they may need to cut down some of the cedar trees that serve to separate our front yard from our neighbors.  As nice as our neighbors are, we all like the modicum of privacy the trees provide.  Something about chopping down trees is just wrong anyway... unless it is a cottonwood.  Aargh!!!  I am sick of those dang trees.  Every time we open the door some of that fluff manages to enter too.  It is stuck to screens as well as every surface outside.  The grass sometimes looks as it’s fit is covered with frost.  And poor, poor Gemma.  If getting sand on her tongue on the beach isn’t bad enough now it is the crap from the trees — she adds a whole knew meaning to “cotton mouth.”

Wednesday, 19 June 2019: Bay Shore

Erich and Lily and Brody have been here since Thursday.  They worked their family vacation to coincide with Jordan and Kris' family.  Erich and Jordan had plans to get some serious fishing time in during the trip.

Captain Grandpa made French toast for everyone on Friday; it was a great start to the day. 


Justin and I had an appointment to get the oil changed in the car and I had a sewing class on Friday. (I wanted a refresher on making  round cushions with piping using outdoor fabric. I was the only student in the class since the forgot to cancel so I got a few tips that were well worth the price of admission.)  

In town, afterward, we all met at El Sarape for a dining experience. Jordan, Kris and their three kids, Erich and his two plus Justin and me.  I was about to jump out of my skin.  Thankfully,  Ben and the rest of the waitstaff are tolerant.  

We had a jigsaw puzzles picked out for the kids.  It was a world map with larger pieces.  As it turned out, it was mostly completed by Erich and me and Justin chimed in a bit.  The kids couldn’t be bothered.  

I made pasticio while the kids were here. It was a hit even with Lily and Brody.  I had everything to make spanakopita too but that just didn’t happen. Banana-blueberry muffins went over well one morning. I also made chocolate chip cookie dough and had it in the freezer so Lily had her first experience baking cookies.  

The kids were, not surprisingly, very interested in movies, especially when it was chilly outside.  We watched Transformers, Sinbad, Sponge Bob Square Pants and Secretariat. One evening when Erich and his kids decided they should sleep in Jordan and Kris’ canned ham (huge mistake, BTW), Justin and I watched a movie about Anita Hill. Will we one day soon see a similar documentary capturing Christine Blasey-Fords’ recent testimonies?

One afternoon all the kids and I headed to Chaudoir’s Dock. The kids had a great time at the playground there until a couple of sandbox bullies showed up so we left and went to have a beverage at the local pub.  They were dozens and dozens of bikers there but we were still able to find a table outside.  I went inside and found Jimmy to tell him “Jimmy, I have four kids outside and no money.  I need to run a tab.  I need two kiddy cocktails, one root beer, one water, one big-girl lemonade and two cheese curds.”  He laughed and told me he knew I was good for it.  The big burly biker next to me said, “lady, all you had to say was ‘four kids’.”  Yes, kids are allowed in bars in Wisconsin — this could never happen in Texas.  

We counted over 60 bikes when they all pulled out.

Did anyone here used to live in Japan?

Captain Grandpa had a chance to teach the kids the finer pints of tether ball 

or "slobber ball" as we like to call it when Molly plays.

Marsha and Randy , Kris' parents, went to Jordan and Kris’ for Father’s Day lunch.  Erich and his kids joined them.  We were invited I think,  but we passed knowing that everyone was coming over here for burgers and dogs for dinner.

Erich and Jordan went fishing almost every day.  They finally caught something on their next to last and  last trips out.  They cleaned the fish and there was talk of a fish fry but that didn’t happen.  They took Jordan’s 14’ boat out. Caleb went with them one time but he got bored after the first twenty minutes.  Somehow though, he lasted a few hours.  Our Bayliner is ready to go and sitting in our front yard but they didn’t want to take it out.  Justin’s thinking about selling it.  He had envisioned that it would be a “family” boat.  That’s not happening.  We have a slip at Chadouir’s Dock, where, like everywhere, the water is quite high.  We are dependent on Jordan and his truck for launching and pulling the boat;  if we get it in the water and the winds pick up and we need to get it out right away, what if Jordan isn’t available?  I sure am not comfortable asking to borrow the truck.  

On Monday, the guys from Pier and Waterfront solutions came to finish securing our breakwall.  The brought their cool all-terrain machine.  Thankfully Erich was here to get some of the concrete out of the way so Justin didn’t have to mess his back up.  They were able to lift up the cedar beams then get them back into their original position.  It is easy to see just how much shoreline we’ve lost there and it is most depressing.  Justin has been writing to the good folks at the DNR and at the county to see just what steps we need to take to get our temporary and then permanent permits. We will need to coordinate with Don and Amy since we will need to use their land for access to the bay.  We will only want to mess that up once.  

This is some big ol' asparagus.  We harvested a bit this spring and we know we will lose the 

garden when then do the stone work.  oh well... guess we will plant again.

Justin worked with the kids to learn to rise their bikes.  Lilly is so close as is Caleb. 

 Jonas might learn to drive first.  One day when he is interested he might just surprise us all.

On Tuesday we all made a trip to Dyckesville.  I was excited about cheese curds because everyone knows the best curds on the planet are at the Dyckesville Bowl  The kids were excited to get to go bowling; Jordan and Erich had a brother bowl-off too.  Erich and Willow took home the blue ribbons.  Jonas and Caleb bowled most of Willow’s balls but she managed a strike on her own and that set her up for her win.

Next stop was Frosty Tip.  Justin and I wanted burgers from there since they claim to have the best burgers in town.  Yes, it is a small town and I won’t need another of their burgers, but you can’t beat their chocolate banana wonder.  Caleb had a melt down during ice cream time but thankfully, all was better by the time  the four older cousins came back to our house.

After one last trip to April’s for breakfast this morning, Erich and the kids headed home.  Justin and I made a run to Marchant’s and to Tony and Mo’s to get eggs before we came home to work in the yard.  Thankfully the weather was warm enough.  I couldn’t muster up the umph to start cleaning the house yet and it was just to pretty outside.  It it finally warming up a bit and I wanted to be outside in it!