Saturday, 8 May 2021: Northeast Wisconsin

The last month or so has been filled with hints of springtime.  Daffodils and tulips frame the view from our bedroom window looking out to the river.  Gemma has been known to terrorize the goslings when she’s given half a chance.  We ventured to Brussels a couple of times during over the past few weeks and I’ve started a thorough deep-clean so we can get our cottage up and running.  We reconnected the water, got the shutters open and we are getting there.  Justin needs to concentrate on the gardens.  So many things he needs to do now and then it will will pay off throughout the summer.  

We woke up to snow on 21 April -- that is so, so wrong!  Of course, it was melted as soon as the sun came up but it is still not right.

We finally go the granite finished and it looks fabulous!  I didn't really want to be "that customer" but I did want it done right.  

Tom and Joan came for a visit.  Tom was on his way to the doc for new hearing aids.  Our nice but short visit was highlighted by Tom’s home brew of cranberry-apple sparkling wine.  It was perfect for mimosas.  He warned us that it could be quite the show when opening so I sent the boys outside for the un-corking.  Joan brought us some tomato plants and some pepper plants that she had started from seed.  Tomatoes are already ripe in Texas but not so much here.  

Justin found a boat, or three, and finally settled on a 20’ 1979 Cruiser Holiday Beachcomber.  We met with the previous owner a couple of times and then he pulled the trigger to buy.  When we went to pick it up, I was distracted by the Japanese lantern in the front yard and after a bit of chatting, scratching and shifting from foot to foot, three pieces came home with us.  One spectacular tall lantern, one delicate Buddha and one stone feature who needs a bit of hospital time to reattach her head before she can reside in the gardens.  What a find!  Don’t tell Justin, but I was as excited about the Japanese lantern as I was about the new boat. 

Step one:  removal

Step two: reassembly

Step three:  on display with Japanese balls and tulips

Eric and the kids came for a visit.  He took them back to Milwaukee for Mother’s Day and then he came back for the weekend with us.  He sure can't come in his new Miata with all three kids!   He starts his new job on Monday so he was ready to max out his break.  We all took advantage of Cinco de Mayo week with dinner at El Sarape.  I am rather selective on where all eleven of us go together.  We make for quite a crowd; thankfully, the wait staff at El Sarape have known our kids as they’ve grown up so it seems to go ok.  I was all about all Mexican-all week so Justin and I also went to the Old Mexico Cantina in Sturgeon Bay ... it has been forever since I had a margarita out.  Yummy!

Yes, we are eating out a bit more.  Things are beginning to return to normal...sort of.  This is still such a strange time.  Thankfully.

The NFL draft came and went.  Justin, along with most of the sports pundits, seemed to be pleased with the Packer selections.  The draft was definitely overshadowed by Aaron Rodgers’ craftily timed announcement that he did not want to return to the Packers.  With that announcement, his stint on Jeopardy, and his engagement to Shalene Woodley, he has dominated the news cycles for several weeks.  And he did only one thing.  Trump could have taken some hints but thankfully, those days are over and things are a bit more quiet from the White House.  

I am trying to quilt a bit.  So many projects and so little time.  I finally got the presser feet that I need and I’ve set up a sewing spot upstairs that is serving quite nicely.  Maybe on the next rainy day I’ll get to spend more time upstairs.