Well, it's almost been a month, so time for another update.
Jacob spent a few hours in school early this month getting his speech re-evaluated. He made 10 months of progress in a six month span, so the good news is he's catching up. The bad news is he's only speech at an age level of 2 years, 10 months, so we're going to be working with him a little more intensely. He'll be visiting with the speech therapist at school once per months to see how he's doing and get new assignments to work on.
One thing that is maturing is his attitude. He thinks he's the boss and is learning how to talk back. It's gotten him sent to bed early on more than one occasion.
Nate and I left December 12 and spent a few days in Las Vegas with Nate's college roommate, his wife Crystal, Scott's brother Joe, and a few of their friends from Michigan State. It was a nice trip and even though I lost a little bit, Nate broke even and probably came out a little ahead when you figure in he was paying tips and bought a few drinks with his winnings. We stayed at the MGM Grand for 3 nights and the Golden Nugget for one. We saw Bill Engvall at TI and went to an adult show at Luxor. Crystal and I were both a little nervous, but it was actually very good. In addition to the boobies, they had a really good singer and a guy that came out for comedy relief between dance numbers. I'd recommend it to anyone over 21. I swear, you don't even notice the dancers are topless after a while. It was cool out there, windy Saturday and it snowed a little Monday. We left before the big snow hit. The only thing I was disappointed with is they didn't have the giant screen on Fremont Street playing and the Christmas tree there wasn't lit because it was raining Monday. Wimps!
We returned to snowplows and a traffic jam on 494 Tuesday night. I had the rest of the week off of work, so I used it to do some Christmas shopping and spend time with Nate and Jacob. It was tough to go back to work on the 22nd!
Christmas isn't over yet for us, but here's what we did so far. We went to the Christmas eve service at Nate's church. The Lutheran school kids did a program for the service, so it was more like going to a Christmas concert than church. It only lasted 45 minutes so I didn't mind. Jacob got a giant treat bag on the way out, so he filled up on goodies on the trip home. Nate's mom, dad and brother came over to our house for Christmas eve and we exchanged gifts. Jacob got a toy Craftsman tool bench and a giant fire truck, among other things. The funniest moment was when he opened up his Bob the Builder underwear from Nate's aunt. He brought it over to me to open, and when I showed them to him, he dropped his pants, undies and all, stripped down and put them on right there. Just a warning for any of you thinking about giving him underwear anytime soon.
On Christmas Day, Jacob awoke to find more presents and that Santa had put together his tool bench. We opened a few more presents, then headed to Nate's parents for their celebration with relatives from both his mom and dad's sides. Jacob and I left there at about 9 p.m. because we had to get home and finish wrapping presents for my family and do laundry before we head south today.
I woke up this morning to a fun combination of drifting snow and freezing mist. Nate called and told me to take the truck today. He didn't think the car would make it out of the driveway. I almost turned around when I was going down 97 and felt like I was either going to get stuck in the middle of the road or go in the ditch, but luckily once I crossed the county line they had plowed it. I would had stayed home today except the news editor is on vacation and we have a short week because of the holidays.
Wish us luck and good roads as we head south today. Merry Christmas!!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Making plans
I'm neglecting this again. Oh well. Nate and I have been busy making plans for a December trip to Las Vegas with a few friends. We picked December because #1, it's a slower time for the farm, and #2, the prices are cheaper.
We're going to leave Dec. 12 and come back Dec. 16. We're spending three nights at the MGM Grand and one at the Golden Nugget downtown. I bought tickets to see Bill Engvall at TI Friday night, but other than that we're looking for ideas of things to do. If you've got a suggestion of a place to see or eat at, let me know!
Other than that, not much going on. Trying to get started with my Christmas shopping. We had house guests last week. Scott and Crystal were here Monday night, and Nate's cousin Chris and her husband Jeff stayed with us Wednesday and Thursday night. 'Tis the season for visitors.
Better get supper in the oven!
We're going to leave Dec. 12 and come back Dec. 16. We're spending three nights at the MGM Grand and one at the Golden Nugget downtown. I bought tickets to see Bill Engvall at TI Friday night, but other than that we're looking for ideas of things to do. If you've got a suggestion of a place to see or eat at, let me know!
Other than that, not much going on. Trying to get started with my Christmas shopping. We had house guests last week. Scott and Crystal were here Monday night, and Nate's cousin Chris and her husband Jeff stayed with us Wednesday and Thursday night. 'Tis the season for visitors.
Better get supper in the oven!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Another Halloween come and gone
Not much new to report. My pictures from Halloween are on my work computer so I won't be able to upload any photos right now. If you're on facebook, you can see one on my profile picture. Jacob went as a puppy for Halloween, complete with the barking and panting. We did a little trick-o-treating and I doubled it up with some work assignments. It was a great night for it. Nate was too tired to go out that night and I don't usually get into the dressing up stuff anyway. We had a grand total of three trick-o-treaters, but probably would have had more had we been home before 8 p.m.
The election day was hectic at work. Nate started combining corn this past weekend and has been rushing around trying to get some done before it rained and snowed this weekend. We're also having the Scanlan/Nelson thanksgiving this Saturday, so that is one good thing about the rain: Nate won't be missing much at home.
That's all. Told you it wouldn't be much.
The election day was hectic at work. Nate started combining corn this past weekend and has been rushing around trying to get some done before it rained and snowed this weekend. We're also having the Scanlan/Nelson thanksgiving this Saturday, so that is one good thing about the rain: Nate won't be missing much at home.
That's all. Told you it wouldn't be much.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Daggone varmints!
We had a visitor to the corn silage bags a few weeks ago: a northern Wisconsin black bear. Judging by the size of its claw marks and pictures from a neighbor's deer camera, he's probably about 300 pounds. He was definitely going for the corn silage, but luckily the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. He clawed open a hole about three feet from the end we were feeding out of (stupid bear, why didn't he just dig in the opening? Then he bumbled past a covered pile of haylage and a bag of haylage to rip open the end of another corn silage bag. We will be able to salvage most of the corn silage, but if he had tore into the middle of the bag it would have been a different story.
The DNR came out that day and set up two traps. Basically, they are culverts with a screen and coffee can of bait (cookies and other sweet goodies) one one end. When the bait pail is pulled on the door on the other end drops. Apparently the bear didn't find anything yummy enough to stick around for. He hasn't been back to the bags since, but he has been messing the the neighbor's deer camera on a regular basis. If we catch him, I'll post more pictures.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sad, I know
Another month has passed before I could get a post in, as Cindy has pointed out to me. I'm not writing a weekly column anymore so that puts a crimp in my blog posts. Now I actually have to write something original.
Let see. I've been working at the Star News now for about a month, give or take. My official title is reporter which is pretty accurate. It's been a bumpier transition that I thought it would be, but that's a whole other conversation. I also help with special sections at both offices, but that's part of my job description, not my title. I got a new camera just like the one I used in Abby, a Canon Rebel XSi, expect this one came with a 70-300mm lens for $50 less than what it sold for a few months ago. I really like it so if you are looking for a decent SLR and a price that's not crazy high, I suggest this one.
We've had a few changes on the home front too. The parlor is DONE!!!!! We milked in it for the first time Sept. 30, a day short of two months past the original completion date. Six weeks behind schedule with the concrete work this spring is what screwed that up. The first week we used it I helped milk cows in the morning, went to work until 5 p.m., then came home and went back into the barn. I was exhausted, and I don't know how anyone can work full-time and dairy farm without going nuts.
So far, everyone seems to really like the parlor. Our best milking time is about 1 hour 20 minutes for about 75 cows right now, which is on track with what it should be. The cows have adapted well and so have the people for the most part. Wish the cows would milk more, but that's more to blame on the 2007 corn crop. There's a few more finishing touches on the way. Rubber mats for the pit floor and teat dip foamers, to name a few. The final price tag came in earlier this week and it was right on budget, so that's good too. Stop in a see it sometime if you get the chance.
Jacob had his three-year old check up a few weeks back. He's still big for his age, but proportionate. He was at the 95th percentile for height for his age and 88 percent for weight. His doctor said he's as tall as the average 4 year old right now. He's decided to be a puppy for Halloween so bought fleece that is white with black spots to make him a costume. I'll post pictures when I get it done.
Other than that, all is well. We're going to a wedding in Ripon this weekend of some college friends. Vicki is one of my sorority sisters and Matt is a fraternity brother of Nate's so it should be a good time. Also coming up in December is a trip to Vegas which we need to finish planning. I definitely need a vacation!
Let see. I've been working at the Star News now for about a month, give or take. My official title is reporter which is pretty accurate. It's been a bumpier transition that I thought it would be, but that's a whole other conversation. I also help with special sections at both offices, but that's part of my job description, not my title. I got a new camera just like the one I used in Abby, a Canon Rebel XSi, expect this one came with a 70-300mm lens for $50 less than what it sold for a few months ago. I really like it so if you are looking for a decent SLR and a price that's not crazy high, I suggest this one.
We've had a few changes on the home front too. The parlor is DONE!!!!! We milked in it for the first time Sept. 30, a day short of two months past the original completion date. Six weeks behind schedule with the concrete work this spring is what screwed that up. The first week we used it I helped milk cows in the morning, went to work until 5 p.m., then came home and went back into the barn. I was exhausted, and I don't know how anyone can work full-time and dairy farm without going nuts.
So far, everyone seems to really like the parlor. Our best milking time is about 1 hour 20 minutes for about 75 cows right now, which is on track with what it should be. The cows have adapted well and so have the people for the most part. Wish the cows would milk more, but that's more to blame on the 2007 corn crop. There's a few more finishing touches on the way. Rubber mats for the pit floor and teat dip foamers, to name a few. The final price tag came in earlier this week and it was right on budget, so that's good too. Stop in a see it sometime if you get the chance.
Jacob had his three-year old check up a few weeks back. He's still big for his age, but proportionate. He was at the 95th percentile for height for his age and 88 percent for weight. His doctor said he's as tall as the average 4 year old right now. He's decided to be a puppy for Halloween so bought fleece that is white with black spots to make him a costume. I'll post pictures when I get it done.
Other than that, all is well. We're going to a wedding in Ripon this weekend of some college friends. Vicki is one of my sorority sisters and Matt is a fraternity brother of Nate's so it should be a good time. Also coming up in December is a trip to Vegas which we need to finish planning. I definitely need a vacation!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Has it been a month?
Sorry for no putting up any updates. The truth is I haven't been writing a regular column since the new guy started the end of August. I've been busy training him and trying to figure out what all my "new job" entails. So far it has been babysitting the new guy, still doing cops and courts and covering a few meetings, a little bit of sports photos, working on some special sections and covering for vacation.
I had my first day at the SN learning the ropes of their cops and courts. I'll be there Tuesday and Wednesday this week filling a vacation hole.
Speaking of vacation, I did use a few days of my own. Here's my last column on my vacation:
What I did on my summer vacation
When people announce they are “going on vacation,” that can mean many different things, depending on the person. Some people spend their days off catching up on the yard work or chasing after their children. Others go camping and brave the outdoors. Some go on exotic vacations to Mexico, Africa or Canada (OK, “exotic” might be stretching that last one) or to NASCAR races or to watch their favorite college or pro team play. Others visit relatives or old friends. One person in our office spent his vacation at a jazz camp for adult students.
I spent my vacation at the county fair.
For the past several years I have taken vacation to go to the fair. It’s become a tradition now, so I won’t be able to back out at least until my little brother outgrows 4-H in five years. I do usually take just two days of vacation for the whole affair. I don’t think I could handle any more “fun” than that. Anyone who participates in a county fair on the large scale like my family knows it can be a stressful time. There’s cattle to teach to lead, wash and clip before they can go on the trailer. Dairy cattle numbers from our farm have ranged from one or two to a dozen or more throughout the years. This year we had eight entered. Six made it to the fair.
We have cut back on the animal front, though. At one time throughout our 4-H careers at least one of us kids has shown beef steers, market lambs, chickens, geese, turkeys, rabbits, dogs, cats and horses. Over the years I think my parents have gotten smarter. We’ve cut back to just dairy.
But the animals are only half of it. There’s also all the fairhouse projects. As a kid I can remember making quilts, canning chicken, gluing cutout letters to posters, arranging flowers, selecting garden vegetables, tracking down the best bale of hay on the farm, framing photos and art, and others I’ve long forgotten. We’ve cut back on that too. Most of my brother and sister’s projects are limited to summer-long projects: flowers, crops, vegetables, art, photography, etc. It saves on the last-minute poster making rush.
That’s not to say there isn’t a rush. Kaitlyn put the finishing touches on flower arrangements as we hurried to the fair Wednesday morning. Kristopher put his hay samples in the required clear plastic bags as we were loading the truck. Then there’s the cattle. Getting six in tip-top condition is a little easier than a dozen or so, but it can still wear on a person. They sure know how to make a mess in the few hours they have to themselves between midnight and 4 a.m.
But I will go back, year after year, until Kristopher is done with 4-H. Then, I plan to enroll Jacob.
I had my first day at the SN learning the ropes of their cops and courts. I'll be there Tuesday and Wednesday this week filling a vacation hole.
Speaking of vacation, I did use a few days of my own. Here's my last column on my vacation:
What I did on my summer vacation
When people announce they are “going on vacation,” that can mean many different things, depending on the person. Some people spend their days off catching up on the yard work or chasing after their children. Others go camping and brave the outdoors. Some go on exotic vacations to Mexico, Africa or Canada (OK, “exotic” might be stretching that last one) or to NASCAR races or to watch their favorite college or pro team play. Others visit relatives or old friends. One person in our office spent his vacation at a jazz camp for adult students.
I spent my vacation at the county fair.
For the past several years I have taken vacation to go to the fair. It’s become a tradition now, so I won’t be able to back out at least until my little brother outgrows 4-H in five years. I do usually take just two days of vacation for the whole affair. I don’t think I could handle any more “fun” than that. Anyone who participates in a county fair on the large scale like my family knows it can be a stressful time. There’s cattle to teach to lead, wash and clip before they can go on the trailer. Dairy cattle numbers from our farm have ranged from one or two to a dozen or more throughout the years. This year we had eight entered. Six made it to the fair.
We have cut back on the animal front, though. At one time throughout our 4-H careers at least one of us kids has shown beef steers, market lambs, chickens, geese, turkeys, rabbits, dogs, cats and horses. Over the years I think my parents have gotten smarter. We’ve cut back to just dairy.
But the animals are only half of it. There’s also all the fairhouse projects. As a kid I can remember making quilts, canning chicken, gluing cutout letters to posters, arranging flowers, selecting garden vegetables, tracking down the best bale of hay on the farm, framing photos and art, and others I’ve long forgotten. We’ve cut back on that too. Most of my brother and sister’s projects are limited to summer-long projects: flowers, crops, vegetables, art, photography, etc. It saves on the last-minute poster making rush.
That’s not to say there isn’t a rush. Kaitlyn put the finishing touches on flower arrangements as we hurried to the fair Wednesday morning. Kristopher put his hay samples in the required clear plastic bags as we were loading the truck. Then there’s the cattle. Getting six in tip-top condition is a little easier than a dozen or so, but it can still wear on a person. They sure know how to make a mess in the few hours they have to themselves between midnight and 4 a.m.
But I will go back, year after year, until Kristopher is done with 4-H. Then, I plan to enroll Jacob.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Career as an event planner? I don't think so
Sometimes I wonder what I’d be doing if I hadn’t discovered journalism. I think my sister Kirsten thinks of me as her own personal travel agent. Every time she’s needed to fly home, I’ve been the one scouring the Internet for flight deals to find the cheapest way to bring her home. It’s a challenge and a game to be played with the airlines since the prices are constantly changing. I like to travel and explore new places so I think it would be fun to advise and arrange trips and vacations for travelers. It’s a hobby though, not something I want to make into a career. This past week at a meeting, Gary Leichtman jokingly told me I should have been a police officer. One of my college roommates became a sheriff’s deputy and really enjoys it. Maybe I should have looked into it a little.
I’ve had a few friends from college who at one time wanted to be event planners: conferences, weddings, etc. That’s one area that’s never appealed to me. Too many details to worry about, too many things that can go wrong and too many people involved. This past weekend I got a little taste of what that career would be like in planning Jacob’s third birthday party.
For the kid’s first and second birthdays we just had small family gatherings, usually just for cake, ice cream and a few gifts. After encouragement from a few others and attending a kiddie birthday party earlier this summer, I decided it would be fun to finally host one. Plus, it would give people who haven’t had an excuse to visit yet a chance to see our house.
Events tend to snowball, I think. It starts innocently enough: picking a date, a guest list, designing and mailing invitations, menu planning, etc. It doesn’t take too long to get somewhat out of control. Looking at the calendar, there were only two open weekends that would possibly work in July and August. I crossed off one because Nate’s mom would be on vacation in South Carolina. That left August 9. The first full week of the month tends to be my busiest week because I usually have both a city council and a village board meeting. Throw a referendum meeting in there and that eats up the first three days of the week.
Thursday morning I surveyed the house and wondered what I was thinking. The island was piled full of mail. The lawn was four days past when it should have been mowed. The fridge was piled full of uneaten leftovers. To top it all off, Jacob’s toys were littered about most of the house. I made a list of what needed to be done on what days to make this work by 2 p.m. on Satuday. Somehow, it all came together. Jacob even helped a little (I bribed him with fruit snacks to pick up his toys). My mother-in-law washed windows and my mom helped with the food. By 1 p.m. Saturday, most of it was pulled together and I was finally able to relax as the guests arrived.
Tuesday I visited the friends and family picnic at Continental Manor. As I talked to one of the employees, Becky, we were in awe of how well organized the event was despite having what looked like several hundred people to feed and entertain. I could barely handle 30 guests. No, event planning is not for me. I’ll stick with newspapers.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Jacob's birthday: Part I
**We also did a part for him Saturday. Here's the summary from Aug. 3-4. I'll get something up about this past weekend later.
What do you get a little boy who already has too much stuff for his third birthday? A trip to Lambeau Field of course. A few months back I received a press release announcing the Green Bay Packers Family Night at the stadium. It landed on Aug. 3, the day after Jacob’s birthday, so it seemed like perfect timing for a family getaway.
Last year I started something which I hope to make into a family tradition. Instead of buying Jacob more toys, we took him to a wildlife park near Minocqua as his birthday treat. He was going through an animal-loving phase at the time so he had a blast. This year Jacob’s tastes have moved a little more toward sports and things that go: big trucks, trains, airplanes, etc. dmittedly, he’s more into baseball and watching dad play softball right now, but I’m sure his taste in sports will morph with the seasons.
I had never been to Packers Family Night, but it got excellent reviews from those I talked to about it. First of all, it’s a bargain.Tickets for all seats are $8, parking at the stadium is $5 (or free on the street if you don’t mind the walk) and there’s a picnic lunch where everything from brats to watermelon to ice cream is just $1 each. My original plan was for us to spend an entire weekend, Saturday through Monday, in Green Bay. Due to Curtiss Days for me and second crop for Nate, we cut back to just one night. We left Sunday late morning and headed east. The hotel I booked was on the east side of Green Bay, so we took the scenic route and got a good view of the bay before checking in. Even though our hotel was a little out of the way from the main tourist attraction, I picked it for its pool area. The kiddie pool with giant froggy slide was the perfect place for Jacob. Dad caught a short nap while I attempted to burn some energy off Jacob.
We headed to Lambeau only to be greeted by dark clouds and spectacular flashes of lightning. We headed to a fast food restaurant for supper and shelter, hoping the event wouldn’t be cancelled. It stopped raining so we headed back to the field. Due to the lightning they still couldn’t allow spectators onto the bleachers. We visited the Hall of Fame while people huddled in all corners of the stadium concourse waiting for news. The storm did clear up in time, and it turned out to be a fantastic night. The fireworks at the end, shot off to music from all around the top of the field, were worth the entire trip.
The next day was more swimming, then a visit to the National Railroad Museum. Jacob was in awe the entire time, from his first sight of the giant locomotive, Big Boy, to the ride around the grounds. We could barely peel him away from the glass case of the model trains and the life-size ones left him speechless. We came back Monday afternoon in time to make it to the city council meeting. I shoved two days worth of work into Tuesday, but the trip was worth it. Anyone on a dairy farm knows family vacations are a rarity, but a little getaway can be enough. Now I have to figure out what to do for next year. Judging by Jacob’s excitement over Grandma Bubble’s birthday gift of a “fishing hat,” next year’s trip might have to be to the lake.
What do you get a little boy who already has too much stuff for his third birthday? A trip to Lambeau Field of course. A few months back I received a press release announcing the Green Bay Packers Family Night at the stadium. It landed on Aug. 3, the day after Jacob’s birthday, so it seemed like perfect timing for a family getaway.
Last year I started something which I hope to make into a family tradition. Instead of buying Jacob more toys, we took him to a wildlife park near Minocqua as his birthday treat. He was going through an animal-loving phase at the time so he had a blast. This year Jacob’s tastes have moved a little more toward sports and things that go: big trucks, trains, airplanes, etc. dmittedly, he’s more into baseball and watching dad play softball right now, but I’m sure his taste in sports will morph with the seasons.
I had never been to Packers Family Night, but it got excellent reviews from those I talked to about it. First of all, it’s a bargain.Tickets for all seats are $8, parking at the stadium is $5 (or free on the street if you don’t mind the walk) and there’s a picnic lunch where everything from brats to watermelon to ice cream is just $1 each. My original plan was for us to spend an entire weekend, Saturday through Monday, in Green Bay. Due to Curtiss Days for me and second crop for Nate, we cut back to just one night. We left Sunday late morning and headed east. The hotel I booked was on the east side of Green Bay, so we took the scenic route and got a good view of the bay before checking in. Even though our hotel was a little out of the way from the main tourist attraction, I picked it for its pool area. The kiddie pool with giant froggy slide was the perfect place for Jacob. Dad caught a short nap while I attempted to burn some energy off Jacob.
We headed to Lambeau only to be greeted by dark clouds and spectacular flashes of lightning. We headed to a fast food restaurant for supper and shelter, hoping the event wouldn’t be cancelled. It stopped raining so we headed back to the field. Due to the lightning they still couldn’t allow spectators onto the bleachers. We visited the Hall of Fame while people huddled in all corners of the stadium concourse waiting for news. The storm did clear up in time, and it turned out to be a fantastic night. The fireworks at the end, shot off to music from all around the top of the field, were worth the entire trip.
The next day was more swimming, then a visit to the National Railroad Museum. Jacob was in awe the entire time, from his first sight of the giant locomotive, Big Boy, to the ride around the grounds. We could barely peel him away from the glass case of the model trains and the life-size ones left him speechless. We came back Monday afternoon in time to make it to the city council meeting. I shoved two days worth of work into Tuesday, but the trip was worth it. Anyone on a dairy farm knows family vacations are a rarity, but a little getaway can be enough. Now I have to figure out what to do for next year. Judging by Jacob’s excitement over Grandma Bubble’s birthday gift of a “fishing hat,” next year’s trip might have to be to the lake.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Construction blues (7/30 column)
Ka-bang! That was the sound that jolted me awake Monday morning at about quarter after six.
Maybe it was just a car back-firing. We do hear that kind of stuff living on a state highway.
Ka-bang! There it was again. That was no car. It sounded more like a gun shot.
Ka-bang! I looked over at Nate and Jacob, who had crawled into bed with us sometime around 5 a.m. Neither of them had moved from their mouths-wide-open sleeping positions. It would take a nuclear blast to wake those guys up.
After a few more blasts I heard the buzz of a saw and the low mumbles of men’s voices coming from the other side of the driveway. It wasn’t terrorists. It was construction workers.
Our milking parlor project first got underway in late May, but lately it’s stepped into high gear. After a several week delay waiting for the concrete crew to work their way back to our site, the blue Melvin Companies trucks rolled back in and we were in business.
Last week the first lumber hit the site as the walls of the building started going up. Roof joists were placed Friday and Monday, windows have been framed out and the first plastic layer hit the walls Tuesday.
Monday night Jacob and I took a self-guided tour of the progress. When just the concrete was down, I had worried it wouldn’t be big enough. Now with the building taking shape, it’s turning out to be a lot larger than I thought.
Originally we had hoped it would be completed by Aug. 1. With the cool spring and delay in concrete, we’re now shooting for around Sept. 1.
I’m starting to wonder how the cows are going to react. According to people who have put in parlors, we’re going to hate it for the first couple weeks as we try to acclimate the cows to their new settings. Anyone who works around cows know they are creatures of routine. Anything out of place confuses them, whether it’s a strange person in the barn or a slight change in their diet.
Once we get over that hump, I think it’s going to be a great addition to the farm.
---
This past weekend we traveled down to my parents’ farm for my sister’s graduation party. My Air Force sister also came up from the St. Louis area to visit, but I think what she really wanted to do was pick up her new car.
Kirsten has been without a car since she left for basic training a year ago the end of August. Now that she’s done with technical school and at a more permanent base, she decided it was time to buy.
My mom did the shopping and found her a 2006 Chevy Impala at a reasonable price. Nate and I took Kirsten Saturday morning to sign the papers and pick up her shiny new black car.
I have to admit I am jealous because I was thinking about buying an Impala myself once my own car bites the dust.
Monday afternoon when I went to leave for work, my car chimed: “Service Engine Soon” displayed in amber on the dash. Time to step up the shopping.
---
My dad’s birthday is today, but bad daughter as I sometimes am, I forgot to send a card.
So, instead of a $3 card you get this message printed almost 3,000 times for everyone to read: Happy Birthday Dad!
Maybe it was just a car back-firing. We do hear that kind of stuff living on a state highway.
Ka-bang! There it was again. That was no car. It sounded more like a gun shot.
Ka-bang! I looked over at Nate and Jacob, who had crawled into bed with us sometime around 5 a.m. Neither of them had moved from their mouths-wide-open sleeping positions. It would take a nuclear blast to wake those guys up.
After a few more blasts I heard the buzz of a saw and the low mumbles of men’s voices coming from the other side of the driveway. It wasn’t terrorists. It was construction workers.
Our milking parlor project first got underway in late May, but lately it’s stepped into high gear. After a several week delay waiting for the concrete crew to work their way back to our site, the blue Melvin Companies trucks rolled back in and we were in business.
Last week the first lumber hit the site as the walls of the building started going up. Roof joists were placed Friday and Monday, windows have been framed out and the first plastic layer hit the walls Tuesday.
Monday night Jacob and I took a self-guided tour of the progress. When just the concrete was down, I had worried it wouldn’t be big enough. Now with the building taking shape, it’s turning out to be a lot larger than I thought.
Originally we had hoped it would be completed by Aug. 1. With the cool spring and delay in concrete, we’re now shooting for around Sept. 1.
I’m starting to wonder how the cows are going to react. According to people who have put in parlors, we’re going to hate it for the first couple weeks as we try to acclimate the cows to their new settings. Anyone who works around cows know they are creatures of routine. Anything out of place confuses them, whether it’s a strange person in the barn or a slight change in their diet.
Once we get over that hump, I think it’s going to be a great addition to the farm.
---
This past weekend we traveled down to my parents’ farm for my sister’s graduation party. My Air Force sister also came up from the St. Louis area to visit, but I think what she really wanted to do was pick up her new car.
Kirsten has been without a car since she left for basic training a year ago the end of August. Now that she’s done with technical school and at a more permanent base, she decided it was time to buy.
My mom did the shopping and found her a 2006 Chevy Impala at a reasonable price. Nate and I took Kirsten Saturday morning to sign the papers and pick up her shiny new black car.
I have to admit I am jealous because I was thinking about buying an Impala myself once my own car bites the dust.
Monday afternoon when I went to leave for work, my car chimed: “Service Engine Soon” displayed in amber on the dash. Time to step up the shopping.
---
My dad’s birthday is today, but bad daughter as I sometimes am, I forgot to send a card.
So, instead of a $3 card you get this message printed almost 3,000 times for everyone to read: Happy Birthday Dad!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
A rather strange feeling
Well, I've been kind of quiet on this because I'm waiting to see how it all works out. The pieces are falling into place so I should probably get this off my chest.
Within the next few months, I will no longer be working on the Tribune-Phonograph anymore. At least exclusively.
Basically since the former editor left and I took over his job as an interim editor, I've not really been comfortable with my job. Long hours, little appreciation and feeling like I never was doing quite as good as I should be will wear on a person. I asked the GM to post for an editor. It took a couple weeks before we even got a reply and then they were weak.
But, along came the perfect candidate. I helped interview him, which was a rather strange feeling in itself. But, if I were him, I would be glad to hear about the job from the person working in it, rather than what management thinks I do. It seemed more like a sales pitch to me than an interview. Please take my job.
Guess I should be in sales. As of today, a new editor has accepted the job and is coming in tomorrow afternoon to go over some things and look for a place to live.
So, on to the next step. What about me?
That's still to be determined. In the short term, we're going to run a three person outfit so the new guy gets off to a good start. After that, I'll likely be working at the Star News as a reporter filling in for the guy that left there last week until they decide what to do with that job.
After that, I'm not really sure. I have some ideas for a special sections and marketing position, and I think management might see me as a daytime reporter at SN. Mainly, I need to cut back on working evenings as much as possible. It's been a point of contention between Nate and I, and it's not really something I enjoy that much anyway.
My long term goal is to be a stay-at-home mom/help on the farm/putz with photography/freelance writer, but that is quite a ways down the road yet. In the mean time, this is a step in the right direction.
Within the next few months, I will no longer be working on the Tribune-Phonograph anymore. At least exclusively.
Basically since the former editor left and I took over his job as an interim editor, I've not really been comfortable with my job. Long hours, little appreciation and feeling like I never was doing quite as good as I should be will wear on a person. I asked the GM to post for an editor. It took a couple weeks before we even got a reply and then they were weak.
But, along came the perfect candidate. I helped interview him, which was a rather strange feeling in itself. But, if I were him, I would be glad to hear about the job from the person working in it, rather than what management thinks I do. It seemed more like a sales pitch to me than an interview. Please take my job.
Guess I should be in sales. As of today, a new editor has accepted the job and is coming in tomorrow afternoon to go over some things and look for a place to live.
So, on to the next step. What about me?
That's still to be determined. In the short term, we're going to run a three person outfit so the new guy gets off to a good start. After that, I'll likely be working at the Star News as a reporter filling in for the guy that left there last week until they decide what to do with that job.
After that, I'm not really sure. I have some ideas for a special sections and marketing position, and I think management might see me as a daytime reporter at SN. Mainly, I need to cut back on working evenings as much as possible. It's been a point of contention between Nate and I, and it's not really something I enjoy that much anyway.
My long term goal is to be a stay-at-home mom/help on the farm/putz with photography/freelance writer, but that is quite a ways down the road yet. In the mean time, this is a step in the right direction.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Restricted to corrective lenses (7/23 column)
Last week I was looking through birthday cards for my brother-in-law and came across one that struck me. To paraphrase, it said birthdays are like a slap in the face from Father Time. I’m here to say birthdays aren’t the only wake up call that screams, “Hey, you are getting old!”
Very soon it will be one year since Nate and I moved into our house, but last week I finally got around to updating the address on my driver’s license. This was something I’d actually planned to attempt several times, but either ran out of time that day or just plain forgot. For whatever reason Thursday morning, I remembered it was DMV day in Abby. I took a slightly early lunch in order to tackle the job. Everytime I’ve been to the DMV in the past, whether it was in southern Wisconsin, River Falls or here, I found myself waiting around and spending at least an hour there. It’s not my favorite place to be. For some reason, many of the DMV workers I’ve come across have this way of striking fear into their customers. No matter what you do, like filling out the forms or standing in front of the screen for a picture, you just can’t seem to get it right. I always walk in with the fear I’m going to screw up and they won’t give me my license back.
So Thursday I walked into the DMV with the intention of getting an address change. As it turns out an address change now costs $14 (I think it used to be $4). Since my license also expires next spring, I found out I could just renew it for $34. It was a no-brainer. However, the drawback to renewing my license is I had to take a vision test. No problem. I’d passed it before, right?
I do have glasses, although I wear them so infrequently it sometimes startles people when I put them on. I just don’t really like the feeling of having them on my face. I got my first pair of glasses when I was a sophomore in high school. I was struggling in chemistry and noticed I was having a hard time reading the chalkboard. I took a trip to the optometrist and found out my vision was slightly near-sighted. Enough that glasses could help me see the board but I wouldn’t need them to drive. Unfortunately, it didn’t really help my chemistry grade much either.
When my license came up to renew when I was 19, I passed the DMV vision test again without any trouble. My vision was about 20/40, which is right at what the DMV’s minimum standard is to drive without glasses. Two years ago I went in to get new glasses. I’m not really a “once-a-year” kind of person when it comes to visiting the eye doctor. Normally I avoid it until I break or lose my glasses. The eye doctor then told my vision was closer to 20/50, but that the DMV allowed you to squint so I should still be able to pass their test.
Apparently my vision has gotten worse since then. On Thursday I looked into the DMV’s little machine and froze. It was nothing but blurs. I couldn’t even guess what the letters were. I looked up and told the guy behind the counter, “I think I need to use my glasses.” I put them on and looked again. This time they were almost perfectly clear. I rattled them off with no problems. I took the dreaded picture and got my new license. As he handed it to me, he said, “Now, you know you’re restricted to corrective lenses, right?”
“Yes,” I said, slightly annoyed by both the man looking down at me and the idea that I now must wear my glasses whenever I drive. It might be time for contacts.
Very soon it will be one year since Nate and I moved into our house, but last week I finally got around to updating the address on my driver’s license. This was something I’d actually planned to attempt several times, but either ran out of time that day or just plain forgot. For whatever reason Thursday morning, I remembered it was DMV day in Abby. I took a slightly early lunch in order to tackle the job. Everytime I’ve been to the DMV in the past, whether it was in southern Wisconsin, River Falls or here, I found myself waiting around and spending at least an hour there. It’s not my favorite place to be. For some reason, many of the DMV workers I’ve come across have this way of striking fear into their customers. No matter what you do, like filling out the forms or standing in front of the screen for a picture, you just can’t seem to get it right. I always walk in with the fear I’m going to screw up and they won’t give me my license back.
So Thursday I walked into the DMV with the intention of getting an address change. As it turns out an address change now costs $14 (I think it used to be $4). Since my license also expires next spring, I found out I could just renew it for $34. It was a no-brainer. However, the drawback to renewing my license is I had to take a vision test. No problem. I’d passed it before, right?
I do have glasses, although I wear them so infrequently it sometimes startles people when I put them on. I just don’t really like the feeling of having them on my face. I got my first pair of glasses when I was a sophomore in high school. I was struggling in chemistry and noticed I was having a hard time reading the chalkboard. I took a trip to the optometrist and found out my vision was slightly near-sighted. Enough that glasses could help me see the board but I wouldn’t need them to drive. Unfortunately, it didn’t really help my chemistry grade much either.
When my license came up to renew when I was 19, I passed the DMV vision test again without any trouble. My vision was about 20/40, which is right at what the DMV’s minimum standard is to drive without glasses. Two years ago I went in to get new glasses. I’m not really a “once-a-year” kind of person when it comes to visiting the eye doctor. Normally I avoid it until I break or lose my glasses. The eye doctor then told my vision was closer to 20/50, but that the DMV allowed you to squint so I should still be able to pass their test.
Apparently my vision has gotten worse since then. On Thursday I looked into the DMV’s little machine and froze. It was nothing but blurs. I couldn’t even guess what the letters were. I looked up and told the guy behind the counter, “I think I need to use my glasses.” I put them on and looked again. This time they were almost perfectly clear. I rattled them off with no problems. I took the dreaded picture and got my new license. As he handed it to me, he said, “Now, you know you’re restricted to corrective lenses, right?”
“Yes,” I said, slightly annoyed by both the man looking down at me and the idea that I now must wear my glasses whenever I drive. It might be time for contacts.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
OK, I know a lot of people aren't going to agree with this...
Since the end of last season, Packer fans have had one question on their minds: Is Brett coming back or isn’t he? In March we thought we had the answer. A tearful Favre sat in front of the media and declared his career over. We mourned, and we got over it. So did the Packers. But, Favre never filed his official retirement with the NFL. Now, if I’m head coach Mike McCarthy, that right there should have told me something was amiss.
News came out last week that Brett not only wanted to come back, he was also asking to be released from the Packers. Fans understandably felt betrayed by the news. Favre was called a traitor and much worse in some circles of fans. I admit that was my first reaction was well. But digging deeper into the issue brings up a whole other side of the story. Favre appeared Monday and Tuesday nights in a Fox News interview taped Monday afternoon. I caught Monday’s segment but not Tuesday, so my impressions are mainly coming from that part.
The interview was in a simple format. Brett, looking and speaking passionately about the game he loves, pleaded his case. As always he was genuine, wearing his football-shaped heart on his sleeve. According the Favre, he felt pressured into giving an answer in March and gave the best one he could at the time, that he didn’t feel like he could commit to the upcoming season. No one in the world could understand the pressure he was under except Brett Favre. How would you like to be the speculation of every sports broadcaster and bar conversation nationwide? Do you think you might crack under the pressure a little too? Yes, Favre made a mistake, but hasn’t everyone? The game of football isn’t about the mistakes but how you recover from them. Favre is trying to do that.
Favre admits he screwed up, and on June 20 when he called the Packers to confess it, he was told they had moved on. At the same time, Favre says he was told the Packers couldn’t see him playing for anyone else either. I think that’s a cop out on the Packers part for both a contract and a relationship. Favre is still under contract by the Packers, and that goes both ways. The Packers should decide soon to honor it and let him play, to trade him or to release him. They’ve already announced releasing him is not an option. I will fault Favre for one thing: his disdain at the thought of playing back-up to Aaron Rodgers. Because of the position he has put himself in, he should take what he can get at this point if he is serious about playing. While I don’t doubt Aaron Rodgers’ talent, I do have concerns about his resiliency. Rodgers may begin the season as the starting quarterback, but who will finish it is another question. It could be Favre.
Favre is an inspiration to the team, and that quality can’t be overlooked. Starting or benchwarming, Favre is an asset on the field and off. I have a proposition that I think is the most fair way to decide the fate of Favre and the Packers. Bring Favre back, but make him earn the starting spot if he wants it. Make Favre and Rodgers duke it out, and may the best quarterback win.
The people most hurt in all this controversy are the fans. Packer Nation is becoming a divided one: some taking the team’s side and some taking Favre’s side. It’s no way to start a season.
News came out last week that Brett not only wanted to come back, he was also asking to be released from the Packers. Fans understandably felt betrayed by the news. Favre was called a traitor and much worse in some circles of fans. I admit that was my first reaction was well. But digging deeper into the issue brings up a whole other side of the story. Favre appeared Monday and Tuesday nights in a Fox News interview taped Monday afternoon. I caught Monday’s segment but not Tuesday, so my impressions are mainly coming from that part.
The interview was in a simple format. Brett, looking and speaking passionately about the game he loves, pleaded his case. As always he was genuine, wearing his football-shaped heart on his sleeve. According the Favre, he felt pressured into giving an answer in March and gave the best one he could at the time, that he didn’t feel like he could commit to the upcoming season. No one in the world could understand the pressure he was under except Brett Favre. How would you like to be the speculation of every sports broadcaster and bar conversation nationwide? Do you think you might crack under the pressure a little too? Yes, Favre made a mistake, but hasn’t everyone? The game of football isn’t about the mistakes but how you recover from them. Favre is trying to do that.
Favre admits he screwed up, and on June 20 when he called the Packers to confess it, he was told they had moved on. At the same time, Favre says he was told the Packers couldn’t see him playing for anyone else either. I think that’s a cop out on the Packers part for both a contract and a relationship. Favre is still under contract by the Packers, and that goes both ways. The Packers should decide soon to honor it and let him play, to trade him or to release him. They’ve already announced releasing him is not an option. I will fault Favre for one thing: his disdain at the thought of playing back-up to Aaron Rodgers. Because of the position he has put himself in, he should take what he can get at this point if he is serious about playing. While I don’t doubt Aaron Rodgers’ talent, I do have concerns about his resiliency. Rodgers may begin the season as the starting quarterback, but who will finish it is another question. It could be Favre.
Favre is an inspiration to the team, and that quality can’t be overlooked. Starting or benchwarming, Favre is an asset on the field and off. I have a proposition that I think is the most fair way to decide the fate of Favre and the Packers. Bring Favre back, but make him earn the starting spot if he wants it. Make Favre and Rodgers duke it out, and may the best quarterback win.
The people most hurt in all this controversy are the fans. Packer Nation is becoming a divided one: some taking the team’s side and some taking Favre’s side. It’s no way to start a season.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Baby "M"--7/9 column
Up until Tuesday, I owned the world’s most pregnant cow.
Being a 4-Her for so many years, there are a few “projects” I’ve yet to give up: flowers, photography and, most notably, dairy. When I moved to northern Wisconsin a few years back, some of my cows came with me shortly after. A few milking cows stayed at my parents place, payment for feeding them all these years, but the four heifers I had moved north. I had two Holsteins, Tasha and Dana, and two Ayrshires, Greta and Marnie. The Holsteins are not fairing so well. One refused to have a calf until she was more than three years old. She just doesn’t milk. In Nate’s barn the cows pay their own way or they don’t stay. Dana hurt her back in a stall after she freshened and hasn’t been the same. The only thing saving both of them is that they keep having calves.
I’ve had more success with Greta and Marnie. I have to admit Greta is my favorite if only because she goes back to my old show cow, Willie. She’s also given me two heifer calves and is just pretty to look at. Marnie is pretty much the opposite of Greta in appearance: short and fat. But, she milks well, is pleasant to work around and keeps having calves.
After having her first calf in June of last year, Marnie bred back right away and was due May 2. The day came and went with Marnie looking as fat and dry as ever. By June we were really worried, but she wasn’t acting sick like there was a problem. Nate swore up and down he wrote her breeding date down correctly, and she could not have gotten near a bull in the freestall barn. The vet was out for pregnancy checks the second week in June, so we had him ultrasound Marnie. Yes, there was a calf. Yes, it looked good and was alive. We would just have to wait. As time went on we came to the realization someone didn’t write down the second breeding date (first time it has ever happened since the farm has been using artificial insemination).
On Tuesday I finally got the happy news: Marnie had a calf, and it was even a heifer. In Nate’s words, she is only about 50 pounds and “cute.” Now comes the tough part: what to name the little bugger. Tradition dictates she will have an “M” name like her mother and grandmother, Marita. Meanwhile, I’ll be combing the breeding records trying to figure out who her daddy is so I can register her. We only keep a few Ayrshire bulls in the tank, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. If all else fails, maybe one of the daytime talk show hosts would invite her for a paternity test on the show.
Being a 4-Her for so many years, there are a few “projects” I’ve yet to give up: flowers, photography and, most notably, dairy. When I moved to northern Wisconsin a few years back, some of my cows came with me shortly after. A few milking cows stayed at my parents place, payment for feeding them all these years, but the four heifers I had moved north. I had two Holsteins, Tasha and Dana, and two Ayrshires, Greta and Marnie. The Holsteins are not fairing so well. One refused to have a calf until she was more than three years old. She just doesn’t milk. In Nate’s barn the cows pay their own way or they don’t stay. Dana hurt her back in a stall after she freshened and hasn’t been the same. The only thing saving both of them is that they keep having calves.
I’ve had more success with Greta and Marnie. I have to admit Greta is my favorite if only because she goes back to my old show cow, Willie. She’s also given me two heifer calves and is just pretty to look at. Marnie is pretty much the opposite of Greta in appearance: short and fat. But, she milks well, is pleasant to work around and keeps having calves.
After having her first calf in June of last year, Marnie bred back right away and was due May 2. The day came and went with Marnie looking as fat and dry as ever. By June we were really worried, but she wasn’t acting sick like there was a problem. Nate swore up and down he wrote her breeding date down correctly, and she could not have gotten near a bull in the freestall barn. The vet was out for pregnancy checks the second week in June, so we had him ultrasound Marnie. Yes, there was a calf. Yes, it looked good and was alive. We would just have to wait. As time went on we came to the realization someone didn’t write down the second breeding date (first time it has ever happened since the farm has been using artificial insemination).
On Tuesday I finally got the happy news: Marnie had a calf, and it was even a heifer. In Nate’s words, she is only about 50 pounds and “cute.” Now comes the tough part: what to name the little bugger. Tradition dictates she will have an “M” name like her mother and grandmother, Marita. Meanwhile, I’ll be combing the breeding records trying to figure out who her daddy is so I can register her. We only keep a few Ayrshire bulls in the tank, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. If all else fails, maybe one of the daytime talk show hosts would invite her for a paternity test on the show.
Monday, July 07, 2008
If only...
The Fourth of July was on a Friday every year. It was nice to have a three day weekend, especially on a holiday that was "assignment light." We stayed busy though. Here's what we did.
Thursday: I get a call from Nate, "When are you going to be home? We've got hay to unload." So I unloaded five (? I lost count, but I think that's what we did) loads of hay when I got home from work. Whoop-dee-do. Then I soaked the dirt and crud off in a hot bath and went to bed early.
Friday: Cheryl and I picked four gallons of strawberries. I got some groceries and Sure-Jel and made two batches of strawberry freezer jam. I've still got a whole gallon left and I need to buy a chest freezer before I can do any more. We went to the fireworks in Medford Friday night and had a couple at the bar afterwards.
Saturday: I got up early and made two salads, then Nate and I went to my grandparents for lunch. We met my mom and Kaitlyn there to hand off Jacob. Boy, was he excited to see us! We spent a good part of the afternoon there, then headed back north. That night we all went to the NTPA pulls. Jacob fell asleep on Grandpa Tony's lap still wearing his ear muffs.
Sunday: Jacob and I headed to Eau Claire and met Jen and Cindy for lunch, arcade and shopping. Jacob hit the 250 ticket jackpot on a wheel game (he pulled the handle then hit the stop button). After we spent all our money we putzed around the mall for a while, then said our good byes and headed home. Cindy sent a new toy for Jacob: a red Powerwheels Chevy truck. The battery is on the charger now and Nate can't wait to teach Jacob how to drive it.
Also, I got some big news over the weekend. It's still hush-hush, so it will stay quiet for now, but there will be a big announcement in the future! I will say we're thrilled Jacob will finally have a playmate. And no, I'm not pregnant.
Thursday: I get a call from Nate, "When are you going to be home? We've got hay to unload." So I unloaded five (? I lost count, but I think that's what we did) loads of hay when I got home from work. Whoop-dee-do. Then I soaked the dirt and crud off in a hot bath and went to bed early.
Friday: Cheryl and I picked four gallons of strawberries. I got some groceries and Sure-Jel and made two batches of strawberry freezer jam. I've still got a whole gallon left and I need to buy a chest freezer before I can do any more. We went to the fireworks in Medford Friday night and had a couple at the bar afterwards.
Saturday: I got up early and made two salads, then Nate and I went to my grandparents for lunch. We met my mom and Kaitlyn there to hand off Jacob. Boy, was he excited to see us! We spent a good part of the afternoon there, then headed back north. That night we all went to the NTPA pulls. Jacob fell asleep on Grandpa Tony's lap still wearing his ear muffs.
Sunday: Jacob and I headed to Eau Claire and met Jen and Cindy for lunch, arcade and shopping. Jacob hit the 250 ticket jackpot on a wheel game (he pulled the handle then hit the stop button). After we spent all our money we putzed around the mall for a while, then said our good byes and headed home. Cindy sent a new toy for Jacob: a red Powerwheels Chevy truck. The battery is on the charger now and Nate can't wait to teach Jacob how to drive it.
Also, I got some big news over the weekend. It's still hush-hush, so it will stay quiet for now, but there will be a big announcement in the future! I will say we're thrilled Jacob will finally have a playmate. And no, I'm not pregnant.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Gone to Camp Grandma (7/2 column)
I believe I write nearly the same, exact column every time this happens, please bear with me.
I am childless this week.
Once or twice a year, Jacob gets to go spend a week at “Camp Grandma.” He’s been doing it since he was about nine months old but I still can’t quite get over the shock of not having him around. The house is quiet when I come home at night. There’s no Sponge Bob theme song blaring, no sound of the toy box getting dumped in the middle of the living room floor and no commotion of kid and dog wrestling on the floor. (Typically, this ends with one of them crying, but then they are back at it 30 seconds later.) Speaking of the dog, even Lucy seems to be depressed. The pup has done little but sleep the entire time she’s in the house. Outside she seems bored. Or maybe she’s enjoying it.
As much as I miss Jacob this week, there is a certain freedom in his absence. On Monday I didn’t have to rush out of work to get him from day care before the deadline. I haven’t had to stop in Stetsonville to drop him off at the babysitter, or worry about who will watch him Wednesday night when I’m at the Dorchester village board meeting. I’m also not finding so much stuff out of place at home. Toys are staying in their places. Pudding cups aren’t left at random around the house. The floors don’t even have as much dirt tracked in from outside.
Since he left Sunday after lunch, I’ve been trying to keep myself busy getting things done I wouldn’t normally be able to do (at least as efficiently). Sunday afternoon I took out the weed whacker and attacked some tall grass south of the house that I’ve been too scared to take the lawn mower through. A cement block won’t damage the trimmer nearly as much as the mower. I’d never run a weed whacker before Nate and I bought one a few weeks ago. I’m learning it can be very therapeutic.
When I was done I was even able to shower without a single interruption.
In the evening I treated myself to some peaceful shopping. OK, I admit it was just to Medford, but it was relaxing not having to chase a toddler through the aisles or worry about what expensive chunk of glass he might pull off the shelves. Monday evening I was able to get more flowers planted without needing to keep one eye on Jacob to make sure he didn’t wander too close to the road.
I almost feel a little guilty sometimes that I might not be missing him enough. But then it gets to be time for bed. Lately Jacob wants to snuggle with me or Nate before he drifts off to sleep. Not having him there at bed time has made both me and Nate miss him a lot. Still, I’m not going to feel too bad about enjoying my little vacation from motherhood. I have been calling my mom and dad’s house a couple times a day just to check up on the munchkin. Thus far, I’ve barely gotten a word out of him over the phone. The most response I’ve had was Monday night when my sister handed him the phone and asked if he wanted to talk to mom.
“No,” Jacob said. “I’m watching Sponge Bob.”
I see where I rank at Camp Grandma.
I am childless this week.
Once or twice a year, Jacob gets to go spend a week at “Camp Grandma.” He’s been doing it since he was about nine months old but I still can’t quite get over the shock of not having him around. The house is quiet when I come home at night. There’s no Sponge Bob theme song blaring, no sound of the toy box getting dumped in the middle of the living room floor and no commotion of kid and dog wrestling on the floor. (Typically, this ends with one of them crying, but then they are back at it 30 seconds later.) Speaking of the dog, even Lucy seems to be depressed. The pup has done little but sleep the entire time she’s in the house. Outside she seems bored. Or maybe she’s enjoying it.
As much as I miss Jacob this week, there is a certain freedom in his absence. On Monday I didn’t have to rush out of work to get him from day care before the deadline. I haven’t had to stop in Stetsonville to drop him off at the babysitter, or worry about who will watch him Wednesday night when I’m at the Dorchester village board meeting. I’m also not finding so much stuff out of place at home. Toys are staying in their places. Pudding cups aren’t left at random around the house. The floors don’t even have as much dirt tracked in from outside.
Since he left Sunday after lunch, I’ve been trying to keep myself busy getting things done I wouldn’t normally be able to do (at least as efficiently). Sunday afternoon I took out the weed whacker and attacked some tall grass south of the house that I’ve been too scared to take the lawn mower through. A cement block won’t damage the trimmer nearly as much as the mower. I’d never run a weed whacker before Nate and I bought one a few weeks ago. I’m learning it can be very therapeutic.
When I was done I was even able to shower without a single interruption.
In the evening I treated myself to some peaceful shopping. OK, I admit it was just to Medford, but it was relaxing not having to chase a toddler through the aisles or worry about what expensive chunk of glass he might pull off the shelves. Monday evening I was able to get more flowers planted without needing to keep one eye on Jacob to make sure he didn’t wander too close to the road.
I almost feel a little guilty sometimes that I might not be missing him enough. But then it gets to be time for bed. Lately Jacob wants to snuggle with me or Nate before he drifts off to sleep. Not having him there at bed time has made both me and Nate miss him a lot. Still, I’m not going to feel too bad about enjoying my little vacation from motherhood. I have been calling my mom and dad’s house a couple times a day just to check up on the munchkin. Thus far, I’ve barely gotten a word out of him over the phone. The most response I’ve had was Monday night when my sister handed him the phone and asked if he wanted to talk to mom.
“No,” Jacob said. “I’m watching Sponge Bob.”
I see where I rank at Camp Grandma.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Ok, so thing is being a pain in the butt today. Here's the start of the long-awaited "Spring in Review."
The first picture is Jacob on a giant snowbank. This picture was taken in April. We didn't have a very pleasant spring. Weather was in the 40s and 50s, and that was in May. We didn't get to plant any corn in April. Come to think of it, we didn't do much of anything in the fields in April.
Second picture is my new baby! This is Eckert Griffey Gessie at about 3 weeks, a daughter of Test Greta and granddaughter of my first Ayrshire, Spring-Valley RW-Girl (aka Willie). Gessie was born March 1, so she's a full-age spring calf. She was born in Medford, but moved south for the summer. I was down to just two Ayrshires, one from Willie and one from a Moy-Ayr cow I bought, so getting a heifer calf is a big deal. My count is now at four. My little sister, Kaitlyn, qualified Gessie for the Wisconsin State Fair in August, which is the largest junior show in the country. If she does well there, we
might try to get her in some bigger open shows this fall. She's pretty, but she's also quite a character and will be spoiled rotten by Labor Day, I'm sure.
The first picture is Jacob on a giant snowbank. This picture was taken in April. We didn't have a very pleasant spring. Weather was in the 40s and 50s, and that was in May. We didn't get to plant any corn in April. Come to think of it, we didn't do much of anything in the fields in April.
Second picture is my new baby! This is Eckert Griffey Gessie at about 3 weeks, a daughter of Test Greta and granddaughter of my first Ayrshire, Spring-Valley RW-Girl (aka Willie). Gessie was born March 1, so she's a full-age spring calf. She was born in Medford, but moved south for the summer. I was down to just two Ayrshires, one from Willie and one from a Moy-Ayr cow I bought, so getting a heifer calf is a big deal. My count is now at four. My little sister, Kaitlyn, qualified Gessie for the Wisconsin State Fair in August, which is the largest junior show in the country. If she does well there, we
might try to get her in some bigger open shows this fall. She's pretty, but she's also quite a character and will be spoiled rotten by Labor Day, I'm sure.Thursday, June 26, 2008
Useful? Yes. Boring? Yes.
OK, this is a boring entry. I was pushing up against the deadline an had nothing inspiring to write about. At least that I could put in the paper anyway. I post that here later. :)
Just Tuesday I was sitting in line waiting for my fast food fix when it suddenly came to me: how much gas do Americans waste sitting in line in the drive-thru?
I typed that exact question into my Internet search engine. Judging by the 51,600 hits I got, I’m not the only one wondering. I also ran across an article by Alisa Miller who offered 101 ways to use less gas. With prices at nearly $4 per gallon, I’m guessing I could use at least 50 of these recommendations.
I have found myself very conscious of how much gas I’m using. A few years ago I used to go some place every weekend, trekking from River Falls to visit my parents or Nate. Even on the weekends I “stayed home” frequent trips into the Twin Cities were the common place.
I must be getting wiser or cheaper. I don’t remember the last time I went shopping in Marshfield. I know for a fact the last time I was in Wausau to shop was April, only because I was shopping a wedding registry at Bed, Bath and Beyond.
With the rising price I’m definitely not saving money by cutting, but I am staying within my weekly fuel budget and not spending more. My car doesn’t have a fuel economy tracker, but Nate’s truck does. When I drive it I find myself constantly checking it to see how I’m doing. Based on that, I can tell you the biggest fuel hog is stepping on the accelerator too hard. Hitting the gas drops the economy into single digits. If I can accelerate nice and easy, it stays in double digits and keeps my overall average up.
Some of Miller’s tips don’t really apply for us country folk: we don’t have the luxury of trains and buses. I doubt a Segway would get very far on some of the more aged sidewalks.
Regardless here are what I found to be the best tips out of Miller’s 101 ways to use less gas.
1. Walk. Take advantage of the easiest and cheapest form of transportation–walking. If your destination is within a mile or two, you can easily walk the distance. Not only will you save gas, but you will be doing something healthy for your body, too.
25. Take out the junk. Make sure you aren’t carrying around too much extra stuff in your car or in the trunk. 100 pounds of added weight in your car will significantly affect your gas mileage.
41. Fill up at a quarter tank. Don’t wait until the gas gauge hits empty before you fill up. Filling up around a quarter tank is better for your fuel injection system, thus improving your gas mileage.
55. Avoid idling. Turning your car off and back on again uses less gas than idling for 30 seconds in newer cars and one minute in older cars.
61. Turn off the A/C. Running the air conditioner uses considerably more gas. See if you can get by with the windows rolled down. This changes if you are doing highway driving, however. You will want to use the A/C to reduce the drag on your car that occurs with windows down at a faster rate of speed.
75. Park it. Don’t drive around a parking lot looking for the closest parking space. Park and walk. Take advantage of the opportunity for some exercise.
97. Move. This may only apply if you are in the market for a new house or you rent, but move closer to work so you are more easily able to take advantage of walking or one of the other alternate transportation methods.
I guess that last one won’t work for me, but good luck to the rest of you on getting the most out of your gas tank.
Just Tuesday I was sitting in line waiting for my fast food fix when it suddenly came to me: how much gas do Americans waste sitting in line in the drive-thru?
I typed that exact question into my Internet search engine. Judging by the 51,600 hits I got, I’m not the only one wondering. I also ran across an article by Alisa Miller who offered 101 ways to use less gas. With prices at nearly $4 per gallon, I’m guessing I could use at least 50 of these recommendations.
I have found myself very conscious of how much gas I’m using. A few years ago I used to go some place every weekend, trekking from River Falls to visit my parents or Nate. Even on the weekends I “stayed home” frequent trips into the Twin Cities were the common place.
I must be getting wiser or cheaper. I don’t remember the last time I went shopping in Marshfield. I know for a fact the last time I was in Wausau to shop was April, only because I was shopping a wedding registry at Bed, Bath and Beyond.
With the rising price I’m definitely not saving money by cutting, but I am staying within my weekly fuel budget and not spending more. My car doesn’t have a fuel economy tracker, but Nate’s truck does. When I drive it I find myself constantly checking it to see how I’m doing. Based on that, I can tell you the biggest fuel hog is stepping on the accelerator too hard. Hitting the gas drops the economy into single digits. If I can accelerate nice and easy, it stays in double digits and keeps my overall average up.
Some of Miller’s tips don’t really apply for us country folk: we don’t have the luxury of trains and buses. I doubt a Segway would get very far on some of the more aged sidewalks.
Regardless here are what I found to be the best tips out of Miller’s 101 ways to use less gas.
1. Walk. Take advantage of the easiest and cheapest form of transportation–walking. If your destination is within a mile or two, you can easily walk the distance. Not only will you save gas, but you will be doing something healthy for your body, too.
25. Take out the junk. Make sure you aren’t carrying around too much extra stuff in your car or in the trunk. 100 pounds of added weight in your car will significantly affect your gas mileage.
41. Fill up at a quarter tank. Don’t wait until the gas gauge hits empty before you fill up. Filling up around a quarter tank is better for your fuel injection system, thus improving your gas mileage.
55. Avoid idling. Turning your car off and back on again uses less gas than idling for 30 seconds in newer cars and one minute in older cars.
61. Turn off the A/C. Running the air conditioner uses considerably more gas. See if you can get by with the windows rolled down. This changes if you are doing highway driving, however. You will want to use the A/C to reduce the drag on your car that occurs with windows down at a faster rate of speed.
75. Park it. Don’t drive around a parking lot looking for the closest parking space. Park and walk. Take advantage of the opportunity for some exercise.
97. Move. This may only apply if you are in the market for a new house or you rent, but move closer to work so you are more easily able to take advantage of walking or one of the other alternate transportation methods.
I guess that last one won’t work for me, but good luck to the rest of you on getting the most out of your gas tank.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Computers don't like me today
I was trying to upload photos to make a "April and May in Review" entry. It doesn't want to work, so that will have to wait for another day. We had a busy weekend in the Eckert family. We went to Mike and Kristen's church wedding Friday night (they actually got married in the courthouse a year ago this weekend), to a little celebration that night and then to a big ol' picnic on the farm Saturday afternoon and evening. Nate's mom and dad went to Pewaukee for another wedding, so we were a little short-handed with chores.
Sunday Nate, Jacob, Ryan and I headed south to watch the tractor pulls in Tomah. Of the four of us, Nate was the only one who had been to them before. Jacob had a blast, but got rather crabby when the evening came to an end. He woke up with leg cramps about an hour after he fell asleep.
Other than that, not much new to report. Nate is hoping the concrete guys get going on the rest of the parlor today. It's been sitting there for about a month without much progress. Our original completion date was supposed to be Aug. 1, but now we are hoping it is done before we start chopping corn. It's a typical building project: it never goes the way you want it to.
Sunday Nate, Jacob, Ryan and I headed south to watch the tractor pulls in Tomah. Of the four of us, Nate was the only one who had been to them before. Jacob had a blast, but got rather crabby when the evening came to an end. He woke up with leg cramps about an hour after he fell asleep.
Other than that, not much new to report. Nate is hoping the concrete guys get going on the rest of the parlor today. It's been sitting there for about a month without much progress. Our original completion date was supposed to be Aug. 1, but now we are hoping it is done before we start chopping corn. It's a typical building project: it never goes the way you want it to.
Friday, June 20, 2008
June 18 column
Is it just me, or is summer getting away from me? I know it’s only June 18, not even to the official start of summer. That comes on Friday (unless you live in Europe, then it’s Saturday). Since I started working full-time in the summer in 2002, it doesn’t really seem like I have one. “Summer” just doesn’t have the same ring to it when nothing changes except clothing.
I started spring with a rather long list of things that needed to get done before the snow melted. Unfortunately, my summer to-do list is not getting any shorter. For every item that gets checked off, two more are added. There is progress on the home front, though. I hauled in enough stones to create borders around two new flowerbeds. One became my vegetable garden and has a nice looking crop of radishes, tomatoes, peppers and sunflowers coming up in it. One thing is missing: I specifically remember buying a large packet of green beans a few weeks back. I wanted to plant them and make an attempt at dilly beans this year. Try as I might to find them, the seeds have disappeared off the face of the earth.
The other flowerbed now has pansies and a few petunias in it, along with two new bleeding hearts and two Virginia bluebell plants. Seedling columbines from my mom are also looking good. There’s more room in that bed, but I think it’s a good start.I’m not finished though. I have gladiola bulbs that needed to go in the ground last week, and six new hostas are waiting to be planted on the north side of the house.
Regardless of what needs to get done, my world comes to a halt when it’s community festival weekend. This weekend it was Dorchester Days. As far as summer festivals go, I would venture to guess Dorchester Days is only second to Athens Fair on Nate’s list of favorites. I can’t really rank my favorites, but if I had to pick a top five, Dorchester Days would be in there. This event is also interesting because of the balancing act Nate and I do. Nate traditionally plays in the softball games and likes to go to the tractor pulls. I have to get pictures from different activities for the newspaper. Somewhere in there, Jacob also needs to be supervised. After doing this for the fourth year in a row, I think we’re starting to get the routine down. While Nate played softball, I went with Jacob to get photos at pulls and the carnival. When Nate wanted to watch tractor pulls Jacob was happy to camp out with him so I could get more pictures.
Between events, I did manage to make a little progress at home. A few loads of laundry got done, and I bought a weed trimmer Saturday to combat the areas outside the realm of the lawn mower. Speaking of which, the lawn got a trim Saturday too. Still, there’s no way I would willingly let company into the house right now without some major cleaning and organization. It’s one of the hazards of summer: no free time at home. But I’ll take that hazard and even enjoy it while I can. As long as I’m sitting in the sunshine with my family at a tractor pull, a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade in one hand and a cardboard dish of deep fried cheese curds in the other, the laundry can wait.
I started spring with a rather long list of things that needed to get done before the snow melted. Unfortunately, my summer to-do list is not getting any shorter. For every item that gets checked off, two more are added. There is progress on the home front, though. I hauled in enough stones to create borders around two new flowerbeds. One became my vegetable garden and has a nice looking crop of radishes, tomatoes, peppers and sunflowers coming up in it. One thing is missing: I specifically remember buying a large packet of green beans a few weeks back. I wanted to plant them and make an attempt at dilly beans this year. Try as I might to find them, the seeds have disappeared off the face of the earth.
The other flowerbed now has pansies and a few petunias in it, along with two new bleeding hearts and two Virginia bluebell plants. Seedling columbines from my mom are also looking good. There’s more room in that bed, but I think it’s a good start.I’m not finished though. I have gladiola bulbs that needed to go in the ground last week, and six new hostas are waiting to be planted on the north side of the house.
Regardless of what needs to get done, my world comes to a halt when it’s community festival weekend. This weekend it was Dorchester Days. As far as summer festivals go, I would venture to guess Dorchester Days is only second to Athens Fair on Nate’s list of favorites. I can’t really rank my favorites, but if I had to pick a top five, Dorchester Days would be in there. This event is also interesting because of the balancing act Nate and I do. Nate traditionally plays in the softball games and likes to go to the tractor pulls. I have to get pictures from different activities for the newspaper. Somewhere in there, Jacob also needs to be supervised. After doing this for the fourth year in a row, I think we’re starting to get the routine down. While Nate played softball, I went with Jacob to get photos at pulls and the carnival. When Nate wanted to watch tractor pulls Jacob was happy to camp out with him so I could get more pictures.
Between events, I did manage to make a little progress at home. A few loads of laundry got done, and I bought a weed trimmer Saturday to combat the areas outside the realm of the lawn mower. Speaking of which, the lawn got a trim Saturday too. Still, there’s no way I would willingly let company into the house right now without some major cleaning and organization. It’s one of the hazards of summer: no free time at home. But I’ll take that hazard and even enjoy it while I can. As long as I’m sitting in the sunshine with my family at a tractor pull, a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade in one hand and a cardboard dish of deep fried cheese curds in the other, the laundry can wait.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Thoughts on flooding (from 6/11)
It’s rarely a good sign to see footage on your hometown on CNN. For the past several weeks southern Wisconsin has had an unusual amount of rain. This area has been lucky: farmers have been able to plant crops which haven’t been drowned out. In southern Wisconsin, most crops are either underwater or struggling to grow in sopping wet soil. Other farmers still have bags of seed sitting in their sheds, the fields too wet to plant.
This past weekend Nate and I packed up Jacob, the dog and a calf to trek to southern Wisconsin. It was the first chance we’ve had to visit my parents since my grandpa’s funeral in January. It was around Mauston when we first started to see evidence of the bad weather: ponds where corn fields should be, gullies on plowed hillsides and just a general feeling of “wet.” Even the air felt like it had more moisture. By the time we reached Plain and Spring Green, ponds had become lakes. Even just outside of Spring Green, where the soil is sandy enough for potatoes and irrigation, there were several acres of solid water where I’d never seen flooding before. Though my parents are in a valley away from the river and “low ground” their fields were soaked. Hay fields were flatbed by hard rain and very few fields have been planted. The lower, flat fields are mud holes and the side hills are too slick to safely take a tractor across them.
Even with the muck, Nate and I intended to enjoy our visit. Friday night was my sister’s high school graduation ceremony. With more than 170 students to graduate, Nate and I decided it would be too much for a toddler to sit through. We took Jacob to Kung Fu Panda instead, a very cute kids movie that kept the big kids entertained too. On Saturday the whole family went to the Iowa County Dairy Breakfast for pancakes and their famous loaded scrambled eggs. More rain came in the afternoon and overnight.
By Sunday morning I told Nate we better pack up and head home before the creeks spilled their banks and flooded us in. Mid-morning my brother came from his farm across the road to report his driveway was flooded. The creek flooded over a culvert and washed a big chunk of it away. He called the milk truck driver to tell him not to try crossing it. We traded the calf, a loaner for my sister to show this summer, for my little brother’s swingset. With the whole family packed up we headed back past deeper gullies and even more flooded fields. The worst hit the area Sunday night and Monday morning. My high school had one more week of school left, but is now closed for the summer. The middle school was used as a shelter for families with flooded homes. More than 40 families were displaced in one Spring Green subdivision.
As for my family, my brother found a load of gravel to patch his driveway enough for the milk truck to get in. It saved him from dumping three days worth of milk. My parents are worried if they will ever be able to get the spring crops in. With corn prices at record levels, no crop would threaten the livelihood of their dairy farm. Count your blessings and keep all those affected by flooding in your prayers. They definitely need them.
This past weekend Nate and I packed up Jacob, the dog and a calf to trek to southern Wisconsin. It was the first chance we’ve had to visit my parents since my grandpa’s funeral in January. It was around Mauston when we first started to see evidence of the bad weather: ponds where corn fields should be, gullies on plowed hillsides and just a general feeling of “wet.” Even the air felt like it had more moisture. By the time we reached Plain and Spring Green, ponds had become lakes. Even just outside of Spring Green, where the soil is sandy enough for potatoes and irrigation, there were several acres of solid water where I’d never seen flooding before. Though my parents are in a valley away from the river and “low ground” their fields were soaked. Hay fields were flatbed by hard rain and very few fields have been planted. The lower, flat fields are mud holes and the side hills are too slick to safely take a tractor across them.
Even with the muck, Nate and I intended to enjoy our visit. Friday night was my sister’s high school graduation ceremony. With more than 170 students to graduate, Nate and I decided it would be too much for a toddler to sit through. We took Jacob to Kung Fu Panda instead, a very cute kids movie that kept the big kids entertained too. On Saturday the whole family went to the Iowa County Dairy Breakfast for pancakes and their famous loaded scrambled eggs. More rain came in the afternoon and overnight.
By Sunday morning I told Nate we better pack up and head home before the creeks spilled their banks and flooded us in. Mid-morning my brother came from his farm across the road to report his driveway was flooded. The creek flooded over a culvert and washed a big chunk of it away. He called the milk truck driver to tell him not to try crossing it. We traded the calf, a loaner for my sister to show this summer, for my little brother’s swingset. With the whole family packed up we headed back past deeper gullies and even more flooded fields. The worst hit the area Sunday night and Monday morning. My high school had one more week of school left, but is now closed for the summer. The middle school was used as a shelter for families with flooded homes. More than 40 families were displaced in one Spring Green subdivision.
As for my family, my brother found a load of gravel to patch his driveway enough for the milk truck to get in. It saved him from dumping three days worth of milk. My parents are worried if they will ever be able to get the spring crops in. With corn prices at record levels, no crop would threaten the livelihood of their dairy farm. Count your blessings and keep all those affected by flooding in your prayers. They definitely need them.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Study shows Friday the 13th not unlucky
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Unlucky for some? Dutch statisticians have established Friday the 13th, a date regarded in many countries as inauspicious, is actually safer than an average Friday.
A study published Thursday by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) showed fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays.
"I find it hard to believe that it is because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home, but statistically speaking, driving is a little bit safer on Friday 13th," CVS statistician Alex Hoen told the Verzekerd insurance magazine.
In the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday, the CVS study said. But the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500.
There were also fewer incidents of fire and theft, although the average value of losses on Fridays 13th was slightly higher.
A study published Thursday by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) showed fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays.
"I find it hard to believe that it is because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home, but statistically speaking, driving is a little bit safer on Friday 13th," CVS statistician Alex Hoen told the Verzekerd insurance magazine.
In the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday, the CVS study said. But the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500.
There were also fewer incidents of fire and theft, although the average value of losses on Fridays 13th was slightly higher.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Random thoughts from 6/4
These last few weeks have been hectic to say the least. I’ve found myself needing to prioritize quite a bit. Unfortunately, “prioritizing” is really just a fancy way to put “deciding what to let slide.” Two things have become very apparent that I need to address them. The first is my blog, a little blip on the World Wide Web I use to keep family and friends updated on the goings-on in the Eckert household. I got two complaints this week. I checked and I haven’t updated it since April 16. Has it been that long?
The second are the floors in my house. Our floors are 95 percent laminate, supposedly one of the most low maintenance floors there is. As I looked at it walking into the house at 10:15 p.m. last night, it definitely needs a little maintenance. So what have I been so busy with? Here’s just a peek.
While Nate and I both agree Jacob should get help if he needs it, we’re going to wait and see how he does for the next month. It seems like he’s finally making leaps and bounds in the past few weeks. One thing is certain: we’ve been needing to watch what we say around him a lot more.
Congratulations to both Nelson family graduates!
Addition: Kristopher was supposed to graduate 8th grade Thursday. No ceremony for him since they called off the last week of school due to flooding.
-----
I attended my first Colby High School graduation Friday night. As far as graduations go, I was impressed. It was longer than some but it didn’t seem like it. The speeches were entertaining and the music was moving. When I graduated the crowd was instructed not to applaud and instead wait until an entire row was finished. At Colby each graduate was given the opportunity to stand and be recognized. It seemed to truly celebrate the class’s achievement.-----
Saturday turned out to be a free day, so I spent it sleeping in an hour later than usual, then running errands with Jacob. The little guy finally seems to be outgrowing the terrible twos and is a lot of fun to be around. Although, I’m starting to think he may not ever outgrow the slightly embarrassing announcement he makes every time we walk into my credit union: “Sucker!”-----
Sunday morning was spent at the Abbotsford Dairy Breakfast. This was the first time I’d attended this event as well, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was apparent how much hard work goes into the day, and how dedicated the volunteers are. What a great way to salute area dairy farmers.-----
Monday was the big meeting to talk about Jacob’s potential speech therapy needs with our school district. With his history of ear infections, which led to ear tubes, it was no surprise when he was called back for further evaluation. As it turns out, he’s not as far behind as I was expecting. While he does qualify for extra help, district officials said it was really up to us if we wanted to have him do speech or just wait and see if he catches up on his own.While Nate and I both agree Jacob should get help if he needs it, we’re going to wait and see how he does for the next month. It seems like he’s finally making leaps and bounds in the past few weeks. One thing is certain: we’ve been needing to watch what we say around him a lot more.
-----
This Friday I won’t be in the office. I’ll be heading home to see my sisters. Kirsten graduated from the Air Force’s weather forecasting school May 21 and came home Thursday for some time home before she reports to her new base. My youngest sister, Kaitlyn, is graduating from high school Friday night, so it will be a two-fold celebration. She is planning to attend UW-River Falls next year for pre-veterinary science.Congratulations to both Nelson family graduates!
Addition: Kristopher was supposed to graduate 8th grade Thursday. No ceremony for him since they called off the last week of school due to flooding.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Another update
I didn't get a new car. The trusty ol' Grand Am is still running. Saving my money for something different by next winter though, and still taking suggestions for what I should get.
Hiatus is over
Call it a writer's strike if you want I guess. I've been really really busy lately, mostly work. Ever other free minute has been spent getting things done on the house: Staining the porch, landscaping, planting flowers, etc. Here's a sample of my work: 
Still a long ways to go, not to mention a lot of money. Nate and I used my tax refund and our economic stimulus check to buy a new toy to help out. I'll get pictures up of it as soon as its dry enough to use.
Until then here's a column to help you get caught up. This is from May 28. Obviously by now, it has warmed up and I'm getting my plants in.
Column 5/28
If you’re a person in the business or hobby of growing anything outside, it’s been a hard year to do it. According to one of the local weather guys, mid-May is usually the last frost of the year. And yet, frost was predicted again Tuesday night. Some people have fallen victim to Jack Frost. One ambitious person I see often set out all her tomato and vegetable plants. They are now sitting limp and black in her garden. My mother-in-law is the opposite. Every slightly fragile plant she has purchased is inside her house. Her hanging baskets, which she bought a month ago, are still hanging in the greenhouse she bought them from, awaiting warmer weather.
I got ambitious this past weekend and started getting ready to plant. My landscaping has been in the preliminary stages for several weeks now. I’ve been collecting garden tools and supplies, even using some. I raked and got rid of weeds from flower beds. I hauled in rocks from the fields to make borders and the start of a rock garden. I even convinced Nate to bring me a skidsteer bucket of top soil to create a small vegetable garden on the south side of our house. Until this past weekend, I avoided buying any plants. I collected a few along the way: a geranium won as a door prize, a petunia from Jacob for mother’s day, some little columbines from my mom’s garden and a small hanging basket from kid’s day at a local greenhouse. But, ever being the bargain hunter, a buy-two-get-one-free plant sale lured me in over the weekend. My new front porch has five openings. To fill it up I would need five hanging baskets, a purchase I was trying to figure out how to finance. Thanks to the sale, raiding my mother-in-law’s garden shed for five used but perfect condition baskets, and a large bag of potting soil, I was able to create five baskets for the price of one basket at the garden center down the road.
However, I do admit getting Nate to install the hooks for the baskets looks to be a project all by itself. While my baskets might take a few weeks to get caught up to the store bought ones, I think deep purple and white wave petunias will be just as pretty if not more so than anything I could have bought. Although I swore last winter I would not grow anything edible this year, temptation won out and I also picked up some tomato and green bell pepper plants. A few jalapenos and I’ll have the makings of fresh salsa later this summer. I’m also scouting a spot for a pumpkin patch.
So far, I have yet to put anything in the ground. I’d barely finished my baskets when Nate came to tell me there was a chance of frost. So Monday and Tuesday night, I grouped all the plants that could possibly be fragile and covered them with a sheet, tucking the ends under the heavy baskets. We can’t cover the many acres of corn just emerging from the soil, but they have a built in defense. Corn plants will come back even if frozen as long as the growing point is still below ground, which is about the fourth leaf collar. While this weather seems to be contradicting the global warming theory, it does make it a little frustrating if you like to work outside. Tuesday night I looked over the bundle of plants and wondered: Will it ever warm up?
Still a long ways to go, not to mention a lot of money. Nate and I used my tax refund and our economic stimulus check to buy a new toy to help out. I'll get pictures up of it as soon as its dry enough to use.
Until then here's a column to help you get caught up. This is from May 28. Obviously by now, it has warmed up and I'm getting my plants in.
Column 5/28
If you’re a person in the business or hobby of growing anything outside, it’s been a hard year to do it. According to one of the local weather guys, mid-May is usually the last frost of the year. And yet, frost was predicted again Tuesday night. Some people have fallen victim to Jack Frost. One ambitious person I see often set out all her tomato and vegetable plants. They are now sitting limp and black in her garden. My mother-in-law is the opposite. Every slightly fragile plant she has purchased is inside her house. Her hanging baskets, which she bought a month ago, are still hanging in the greenhouse she bought them from, awaiting warmer weather.
I got ambitious this past weekend and started getting ready to plant. My landscaping has been in the preliminary stages for several weeks now. I’ve been collecting garden tools and supplies, even using some. I raked and got rid of weeds from flower beds. I hauled in rocks from the fields to make borders and the start of a rock garden. I even convinced Nate to bring me a skidsteer bucket of top soil to create a small vegetable garden on the south side of our house. Until this past weekend, I avoided buying any plants. I collected a few along the way: a geranium won as a door prize, a petunia from Jacob for mother’s day, some little columbines from my mom’s garden and a small hanging basket from kid’s day at a local greenhouse. But, ever being the bargain hunter, a buy-two-get-one-free plant sale lured me in over the weekend. My new front porch has five openings. To fill it up I would need five hanging baskets, a purchase I was trying to figure out how to finance. Thanks to the sale, raiding my mother-in-law’s garden shed for five used but perfect condition baskets, and a large bag of potting soil, I was able to create five baskets for the price of one basket at the garden center down the road.
However, I do admit getting Nate to install the hooks for the baskets looks to be a project all by itself. While my baskets might take a few weeks to get caught up to the store bought ones, I think deep purple and white wave petunias will be just as pretty if not more so than anything I could have bought. Although I swore last winter I would not grow anything edible this year, temptation won out and I also picked up some tomato and green bell pepper plants. A few jalapenos and I’ll have the makings of fresh salsa later this summer. I’m also scouting a spot for a pumpkin patch.
So far, I have yet to put anything in the ground. I’d barely finished my baskets when Nate came to tell me there was a chance of frost. So Monday and Tuesday night, I grouped all the plants that could possibly be fragile and covered them with a sheet, tucking the ends under the heavy baskets. We can’t cover the many acres of corn just emerging from the soil, but they have a built in defense. Corn plants will come back even if frozen as long as the growing point is still below ground, which is about the fourth leaf collar. While this weather seems to be contradicting the global warming theory, it does make it a little frustrating if you like to work outside. Tuesday night I looked over the bundle of plants and wondered: Will it ever warm up?
Friday, April 18, 2008
Car for sale--cheap (4/16)
I’m having a few issues with “Ol’ Not-So-Trusty.” Unlike Ben, my car isn’t so rare, nor is it that old. It’s a Pontiac Grand Am, the make’s most popular model. Even though General Motors stopped making them in 2005, it is still nearly impossible to travel any highway without seeing one.
This ‘01 is actually my second Grand Am. I started with a green ‘94 right out of high school. Even though the car already had more than 105,000 miles on it, the body was spotless and it ran great. After trekking back and forth between River Falls and Spring Green for more than three years, it was time for a replacement. The car now had more than 150,000 miles on it. While it still ran fine (and had even better paint thanks to hail insurance) I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous every time I headed down I-94.
The replacement was another Grand Am, this one black and with four doors instead of two. It was only two years old at the time with 32,000 miles on it. By a college kid’s standards, it was like having a brand new car.
The new Grand Am GT also had a plethra of features lacking in my old one. First off, the power locks worked and I had a little remote to control them with. I had a moon roof, and I got to ditch my portable CD player with car kit for the new Monsoon system in the ‘01.
My green ‘94 (also known as “Petey” to a roommate who insisted on naming all our cars) returned home to my parents. While it has had a little work, I don’t believe it’s had any major engine trouble and is approaching 200,000 miles on its odometer.
My ‘01, however, died shy of 150,000.
I’ve known for a year or two now that things were not quite right with my car. It’s had a slow coolant leak for several years. In January 2007 we had the intake gasket replaced.
A few months later, it was the fuel pump and a little glitch in the security system that wouldn’t let it start. This winter the thermostat went out on it. All these repairs are not counting the brakes, tires, belts, fuses, sensors and other parts that have been replaced. I keep telling myself I will soon have a new car, with everything that’s new on it.
Also this winter, I learned about the leaky head gasket. After conferencing with Nate, we decided to let it go and see how long it could survive. The hope was to save up enough to replace it by the time of its death.
A few weeks ago I noticed the throttle was sticking. Wanting to avoid another shop bill for now, I got in the habit of putting it in neutral when I came to a stop sign.
But a week ago Sunday is when it called it quits. The head gasket finally gave out and coolant spewed into the engine. Luckly I was close to home when this happened and limped it into the driveway. It hasn’t moved since.
After a few days deliberating its fate, we decided we are going have the head gasket replaced so I can drive it the rest of the summer. In the fall we’ll look at something different for the winter and park the Grand Am on the corner with a For Sale sign.
In the meantime, I’ve been driving my husband’s diesel pick-up. I enjoy the seat heaters and CD changer, but not its appetite. After dedicating a large chunk of my paycheck to filling its tank last week, I hope the Grand Am can be shocked back to life soon.
This ‘01 is actually my second Grand Am. I started with a green ‘94 right out of high school. Even though the car already had more than 105,000 miles on it, the body was spotless and it ran great. After trekking back and forth between River Falls and Spring Green for more than three years, it was time for a replacement. The car now had more than 150,000 miles on it. While it still ran fine (and had even better paint thanks to hail insurance) I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous every time I headed down I-94.
The replacement was another Grand Am, this one black and with four doors instead of two. It was only two years old at the time with 32,000 miles on it. By a college kid’s standards, it was like having a brand new car.
The new Grand Am GT also had a plethra of features lacking in my old one. First off, the power locks worked and I had a little remote to control them with. I had a moon roof, and I got to ditch my portable CD player with car kit for the new Monsoon system in the ‘01.
My green ‘94 (also known as “Petey” to a roommate who insisted on naming all our cars) returned home to my parents. While it has had a little work, I don’t believe it’s had any major engine trouble and is approaching 200,000 miles on its odometer.
My ‘01, however, died shy of 150,000.
I’ve known for a year or two now that things were not quite right with my car. It’s had a slow coolant leak for several years. In January 2007 we had the intake gasket replaced.
A few months later, it was the fuel pump and a little glitch in the security system that wouldn’t let it start. This winter the thermostat went out on it. All these repairs are not counting the brakes, tires, belts, fuses, sensors and other parts that have been replaced. I keep telling myself I will soon have a new car, with everything that’s new on it.
Also this winter, I learned about the leaky head gasket. After conferencing with Nate, we decided to let it go and see how long it could survive. The hope was to save up enough to replace it by the time of its death.
A few weeks ago I noticed the throttle was sticking. Wanting to avoid another shop bill for now, I got in the habit of putting it in neutral when I came to a stop sign.
But a week ago Sunday is when it called it quits. The head gasket finally gave out and coolant spewed into the engine. Luckly I was close to home when this happened and limped it into the driveway. It hasn’t moved since.
After a few days deliberating its fate, we decided we are going have the head gasket replaced so I can drive it the rest of the summer. In the fall we’ll look at something different for the winter and park the Grand Am on the corner with a For Sale sign.
In the meantime, I’ve been driving my husband’s diesel pick-up. I enjoy the seat heaters and CD changer, but not its appetite. After dedicating a large chunk of my paycheck to filling its tank last week, I hope the Grand Am can be shocked back to life soon.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Hard lesson for a little pup (4/9 column)
As promised, Lucy is delivering stories for me to share with you all. Unfortunately, she won’t be as embarassed as Jacob will be in 15 years. Lucy, in case you missed it, is my lab pup. When I say “my” I mean it. Nate claims no ownership to her.
So far life with Lucy has been interesting. We are still working on the housebreaking and teaching her the ways of the Eckert world. She sits on command now, and is learning “stay” and “down.” This past week, I noticed Lucy caught on to “no.” She will now stop whatever she’s doing and look sheepish. When she really knows she is in trouble, she goes to her corner of the living room and cowers.
We’ve also been teaching Lucy about life on the farm. She will be primarily an outdoor dog when she gets older. I’ve been letting her spend more and more time in the barn so she learns to respect cows, barn cats, tractors and those who work there. Lucy learned an important lesson in farm life Saturday. I let her off leash so she could roam as she pleased. Lucy is fascinated with all the barn smells and spends most of her time wandering nose to the ground. While I was standing in the feed room and Lucy was down near the milkhouse I heard a yelp, followed by the laughter of Nate and his dad. Apparently in her explorations, Lucy came across one of Jacob’s barn kitties, Flo. Flo and Lucy have met before. The first day I had Lucy Flo took a swipe at her, nicking her nose and leaving a tiny drop of blood.
On this day, however, Flo got a bit better grip on the pup. According to my father-in-law, who had a fairly good view of the incident, Lucy took a sniff at Flo who let out a mighty hiss and attacked. As Lucy yipped and jolted away, she startled a cow who kicked and sent her flying as she was trying to escape the cat. Sometime in the fray, one of the two (I would assume the cat) put about an inch slit in her velvety puppy ear. Lucy didn’t want me to look at it. She was bleeding some and shaking her head which made it extra fun to try to examine. It was clean through the ear and didn’t appear that stitches would really do much to repair the tear. It was just a sliver away from being a full blown notch.
I bathed the poor thing once her ear stopped bleeding. She moped around the rest of Saturday and made the most of her injury. On Sunday the wound seemed to be healing and looked like it wouldn’t even leave a hole. But on Monday evening I found Lucy must have itched the healing gash, severing what flesh was holding it together. She now looks like the lower part of her ear is torn half off. On Tuesday I related this to my pet-loving co-worker, Kristen. I thought she’d have some sympathy for Lucy. She had a little, but also thought it was hilarious.
“She got her $%# kicked by a cat!” Kristen laughed. Yes, I guess she did. I don’t think Lucy was trying to hurt Flo. She just wanted to play with her a little. Still, I hoped Lucy learned a valuable lesson about being a farm dog: Don’t mess with anything that has sharper claws than you.
So far life with Lucy has been interesting. We are still working on the housebreaking and teaching her the ways of the Eckert world. She sits on command now, and is learning “stay” and “down.” This past week, I noticed Lucy caught on to “no.” She will now stop whatever she’s doing and look sheepish. When she really knows she is in trouble, she goes to her corner of the living room and cowers.
We’ve also been teaching Lucy about life on the farm. She will be primarily an outdoor dog when she gets older. I’ve been letting her spend more and more time in the barn so she learns to respect cows, barn cats, tractors and those who work there. Lucy learned an important lesson in farm life Saturday. I let her off leash so she could roam as she pleased. Lucy is fascinated with all the barn smells and spends most of her time wandering nose to the ground. While I was standing in the feed room and Lucy was down near the milkhouse I heard a yelp, followed by the laughter of Nate and his dad. Apparently in her explorations, Lucy came across one of Jacob’s barn kitties, Flo. Flo and Lucy have met before. The first day I had Lucy Flo took a swipe at her, nicking her nose and leaving a tiny drop of blood.
On this day, however, Flo got a bit better grip on the pup. According to my father-in-law, who had a fairly good view of the incident, Lucy took a sniff at Flo who let out a mighty hiss and attacked. As Lucy yipped and jolted away, she startled a cow who kicked and sent her flying as she was trying to escape the cat. Sometime in the fray, one of the two (I would assume the cat) put about an inch slit in her velvety puppy ear. Lucy didn’t want me to look at it. She was bleeding some and shaking her head which made it extra fun to try to examine. It was clean through the ear and didn’t appear that stitches would really do much to repair the tear. It was just a sliver away from being a full blown notch.
I bathed the poor thing once her ear stopped bleeding. She moped around the rest of Saturday and made the most of her injury. On Sunday the wound seemed to be healing and looked like it wouldn’t even leave a hole. But on Monday evening I found Lucy must have itched the healing gash, severing what flesh was holding it together. She now looks like the lower part of her ear is torn half off. On Tuesday I related this to my pet-loving co-worker, Kristen. I thought she’d have some sympathy for Lucy. She had a little, but also thought it was hilarious.
“She got her $%# kicked by a cat!” Kristen laughed. Yes, I guess she did. I don’t think Lucy was trying to hurt Flo. She just wanted to play with her a little. Still, I hoped Lucy learned a valuable lesson about being a farm dog: Don’t mess with anything that has sharper claws than you.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
A new addition to our family
Well, I finally talked Nate into getting a puppy. My mom and dad had to have Josie, the Boston Terrier I got right before my senior year of high school, put down a few weeks ago. She had cancer. So, I decided this spring we were going to get a puppy and this is what I got:
This is Lucy, Jacob's new "little sister" watching Scooby Doo. Lucy is a yellow lab (purebred but no papers). She was from a litter of three and the family that raised her had both the mom and dad. She was a little shy at first, but now she's all puppy. Nate says just watching her and Jacob play was worth getting her. She's about 12 weeks old and weighs 25 pounds with huge paws, so I think she's going to be big girl.
(Dial up doesn't like the photo tool, so I had to add it with html. If you have trouble with it cutting part of it off, just click on it to bring up the entire thing.)
This is Lucy, Jacob's new "little sister" watching Scooby Doo. Lucy is a yellow lab (purebred but no papers). She was from a litter of three and the family that raised her had both the mom and dad. She was a little shy at first, but now she's all puppy. Nate says just watching her and Jacob play was worth getting her. She's about 12 weeks old and weighs 25 pounds with huge paws, so I think she's going to be big girl.
(Dial up doesn't like the photo tool, so I had to add it with html. If you have trouble with it cutting part of it off, just click on it to bring up the entire thing.)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The story behind the photo
Jeff Foxworthy defines “redneck” as “a glorious lack of sophistication.”
For the most part this is a perfect description for my husband, especially last weekend.
Nate’s been playing softball with a group of guys from the Medford area for the last several years, since before we were a couple. I think meeting his softball team ranked right up there with meeting the family: I had to meet their approval before I was in. They’re a pretty harmless group of guys, so I don’t think I could pick a better crowd for Nate to hang out with in the summer. It’s good he has people to bond with outside his regular crowd.
Softball season usually runs from early May to Labor Day. In the “off-season” they really don’t see each other much except for the occasional random meeting at a wedding or out on a weekend. As sick of softball as Nate can get by the end of summer, he’s always ready to rekindle the friendships and get out there again in the spring.
So when Greg, the team’s sponsor, called a few weeks ago and invited Nate to join a different kind of team, he jumped at it. In typical Greg fashion, it couldn’t be something normal like pool or darts. It had to be something a little off the wall.
Greg invited Nate to join his outhouse racing team. Just saying it conjures up all sorts of backwoods visions, and brings the term “redneck” to mind.
Of all things to do in the winter in Wisconsin (skiiing, hockey, snowmobiling) outhouse racing seems to have a dedicated following. At least in Perkinstown it does. Nate agreed so on Saturday it was off to the remote area in the national forest to watch teams of four push a wooden hut on skis containing their fifth team member.
Greg’s team was a new addition, and their outhouse was sparkling new. The loving hands that built it (which were probably bribed with the promise of free beer) did a great job. It was sturdy yet light: about 220 pounds including the rider. All four of the pushers were rookies in the sport, but young and quick. They walked the course before the race to look for potential trouble spots.
When it was time to go Nate handed me his coat and sweatshirt, stripping down to his softball jersey which was the uniform of the outhouse team as well. They drew #1, so they were the first team to brave the course. When given the signal the guys were off up the hill and through the trees. I couldn’t see much of what was happening through the woods. Suddenly the outhouse burst into sight.
But it was two team members short. Where was Nate?
A split second later Nate and his fellow detached teammate barreled down the hill after it. The other two still hanging on continued to go with Nate frantically trying to catch up. He caught the outhouse with less than 50 meters to go, but they had to pull up and wait while the fourth caught them too before they crossed the finish.
Surely enough, there was an amusing tale behind it. Nate and the other guy on his side got pushed into the deep snow. As they tried to sprint through snow up to their knees, the outhouse gained speed and they had to let go or get dragged behind it. Fifth place may have been a disappointing finish for them, but I’m sure they will do better next year.
For the most part this is a perfect description for my husband, especially last weekend.
Nate’s been playing softball with a group of guys from the Medford area for the last several years, since before we were a couple. I think meeting his softball team ranked right up there with meeting the family: I had to meet their approval before I was in. They’re a pretty harmless group of guys, so I don’t think I could pick a better crowd for Nate to hang out with in the summer. It’s good he has people to bond with outside his regular crowd.
Softball season usually runs from early May to Labor Day. In the “off-season” they really don’t see each other much except for the occasional random meeting at a wedding or out on a weekend. As sick of softball as Nate can get by the end of summer, he’s always ready to rekindle the friendships and get out there again in the spring.
So when Greg, the team’s sponsor, called a few weeks ago and invited Nate to join a different kind of team, he jumped at it. In typical Greg fashion, it couldn’t be something normal like pool or darts. It had to be something a little off the wall.
Greg invited Nate to join his outhouse racing team. Just saying it conjures up all sorts of backwoods visions, and brings the term “redneck” to mind.
Of all things to do in the winter in Wisconsin (skiiing, hockey, snowmobiling) outhouse racing seems to have a dedicated following. At least in Perkinstown it does. Nate agreed so on Saturday it was off to the remote area in the national forest to watch teams of four push a wooden hut on skis containing their fifth team member.
Greg’s team was a new addition, and their outhouse was sparkling new. The loving hands that built it (which were probably bribed with the promise of free beer) did a great job. It was sturdy yet light: about 220 pounds including the rider. All four of the pushers were rookies in the sport, but young and quick. They walked the course before the race to look for potential trouble spots.
When it was time to go Nate handed me his coat and sweatshirt, stripping down to his softball jersey which was the uniform of the outhouse team as well. They drew #1, so they were the first team to brave the course. When given the signal the guys were off up the hill and through the trees. I couldn’t see much of what was happening through the woods. Suddenly the outhouse burst into sight.
But it was two team members short. Where was Nate?
A split second later Nate and his fellow detached teammate barreled down the hill after it. The other two still hanging on continued to go with Nate frantically trying to catch up. He caught the outhouse with less than 50 meters to go, but they had to pull up and wait while the fourth caught them too before they crossed the finish.
Surely enough, there was an amusing tale behind it. Nate and the other guy on his side got pushed into the deep snow. As they tried to sprint through snow up to their knees, the outhouse gained speed and they had to let go or get dragged behind it. Fifth place may have been a disappointing finish for them, but I’m sure they will do better next year.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Greg's Towing Outhouse Racing Team
Ah yes, the Greg's Towing Outhouse Racing Team. No joke.
My redneck husband is the one on the left. They placed 5th out of 12 teams. One placing higher would have netted them a case of frozen pizzas. Still, not too bad for a bunch of rookies. They're already plotting how to improve the design for next year.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A few thoughts
Here's a few random, Tuesday items:
-I ordered a photo printer for my mother-in-law for Christmas online, and I STILL have not gotten it. They say its backordered. And yet, they charged my credit card. I sent them a not-so-nice email. Hopefully they will get the hint.
-My work camera is on the downward spiral. The autofocus on the trusty ole Canon 10D is hit and miss. It may be replaced soon, likely with the newest member of the Canon family, the XSi. I'm giddy about this for some reason. I love new toys, especially when I don't have to pay for them.
-Dawn is still down for the count since the influenza is spreading through her household. Kind of makes me wish I'd gotten the flu shot. At least Jacob got it.
-Kirsten called and said she had a bad day. Bosses suck, she said. I don't think it made her feel any better when I told her mine is in Florida for the next three weeks. (Must be nice, huh?)
-I'm lacking motivation tonight after this week's paper. I need to figure out what to write my column about yet, any suggestions? But yet, I'm doing unproductive things like complaining to customer service and updating my blog. Huh.
P.S. I tried upload a cute picture of my sis when she was four. Doesn't want to go through the dial up. Maybe another time.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
A funny e-mail
This is something Jacob would do, and my guess is Nate would do the same:
One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me and my brother who is four years older than I am. I was maybe 3 and a half years old and had just recovered from an accident in which my arm had been broken among other injuries.
Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a get-well gift and it was one of my favorite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news and my brother was playing nearby in the living room when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water.
After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home. My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!'
My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy and she watches him drink it up, then she says to him, 'Did it ever occur to you that the only place that baby can reach to get water is the toilet?'
Now to my update! Nate and I took Jacob to the Kalahari in the Dells last weekend. I was there for the newspaper convention (got an award, whoop whoop!), so we got a good deal on the convention rate. Jacob had a blast in the water park, but I'm sad to report I didn't think to take a waterproof camera. :(
Otherwise, not much new to report. Just busy with work as usual. I'm hatching a plan to "retire" from newspapers and become a full-time mom, part-time farm worker and part-time freelance writer, maybe even mess around with some photography. Still too many loose ends yet, but that's my goal.
One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me and my brother who is four years older than I am. I was maybe 3 and a half years old and had just recovered from an accident in which my arm had been broken among other injuries.
Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a get-well gift and it was one of my favorite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news and my brother was playing nearby in the living room when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water.
After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home. My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!'
My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy and she watches him drink it up, then she says to him, 'Did it ever occur to you that the only place that baby can reach to get water is the toilet?'
Now to my update! Nate and I took Jacob to the Kalahari in the Dells last weekend. I was there for the newspaper convention (got an award, whoop whoop!), so we got a good deal on the convention rate. Jacob had a blast in the water park, but I'm sad to report I didn't think to take a waterproof camera. :(
Otherwise, not much new to report. Just busy with work as usual. I'm hatching a plan to "retire" from newspapers and become a full-time mom, part-time farm worker and part-time freelance writer, maybe even mess around with some photography. Still too many loose ends yet, but that's my goal.
A funny e-mail
This is something Jacob would do, and my guess is Nate would do the same:
One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me and my brother who is four years older than I am. I was maybe 3 and a half years old and had just recovered from an accident in which my arm had been broken among other injuries.
Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a get-well gift and it was one of my favorite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news and my brother was playing nearby in the living room when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water.
After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home. My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!'
My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy and she watches him drink it up, then she says to him, 'Did it ever occur to you that the only place that baby can reach to get water is the toilet?'
Now to my update! Nate and I took Jacob to the Kalahari in the Dells last weekend. I was there for the newspaper convention (got an award, whoop whoop!), so we got a good deal on the convention rate. Jacob had a blast in the water park, but I'm sad to report I didn't think to take a waterproof camera. :(
Otherwise, not much new to report. Just busy with work as usual. I'm hatching a plan to "retire" from newspapers and become a full-time mom, part-time farm worker and part-time freelance writer, maybe even mess around with some photography. Still too many loose ends yet, but that's my goal.
One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me and my brother who is four years older than I am. I was maybe 3 and a half years old and had just recovered from an accident in which my arm had been broken among other injuries.
Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a get-well gift and it was one of my favorite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news and my brother was playing nearby in the living room when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water.
After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home. My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!'
My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I come down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy and she watches him drink it up, then she says to him, 'Did it ever occur to you that the only place that baby can reach to get water is the toilet?'
Now to my update! Nate and I took Jacob to the Kalahari in the Dells last weekend. I was there for the newspaper convention (got an award, whoop whoop!), so we got a good deal on the convention rate. Jacob had a blast in the water park, but I'm sad to report I didn't think to take a waterproof camera. :(
Otherwise, not much new to report. Just busy with work as usual. I'm hatching a plan to "retire" from newspapers and become a full-time mom, part-time farm worker and part-time freelance writer, maybe even mess around with some photography. Still too many loose ends yet, but that's my goal.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Goodbye Grandpa (1/2 column)
This Christmas may be one that stands out in my family’s memory. It’s not because of my sister being home from the military the first time since she joined, or because of the 10-plus inches of snow we’ve received.
Instead, this holiday season appears to be the one that will go down in family history as the one when we lost Grandpa.
My grandpa, who turned 93 last March, has been in assisted living and nursing homes for several years now. I have to admit, I haven’t been the world’s best granddaughter in making sure I visited him every time I was home. I guess it’s just that I’d like to remember him as he was during my childhood instead of the last few years.
I’ve always thought of my grandpa as a quiet man. When my mom and dad were busy on the farm, we spent a lot of time just down the road at their home. My grandma was a charateristic ‘50s wife. She had been a school teacher before she married my grandpa, but then spent the majority of her life taking care of her family.
Grandma had a weekly schedule: laundry, ironing, cleaning, etc. One chore for each day of the week. My favorite day to visit was Friday, which was baking day. I think this was also my grandpa’s favorite day too. He was known for his sweet tooth, as well as his love of picking berries.
While Grandma ran the house, Grandpa ran the farm. While we were there, he was usually out in the barn or on a tractor. When he was inside in the evening or over lunch on the colder days, he spent most of the time on an old brown couch in the dining room. Beside it he kept an end table so full of farm magazines I was amazed it never collapsed.
If he wasn’t reading, Grandpa was catching a quick snooze. I don’t remember him ever listening to the radio or watching TV. In fact, I don’t remember my grandpa ever spending time in the living room except for after Christmas dinner when we opened presents.
Christmas shopping for Grandpa was never hard. A new pair of bib overalls, a few flannel shirts and packages of Hersey’s candy bars were enough to satisfy him. In the last few years, I’ve given him a new picture of Jacob, which I found proudly displayed in his room when I visited.
When my grandma passed away in 2001, Grandpa took it very hard. It was then I learned how my grandparents met, a story fit for a Nicholas Sparks novel. My grandma had been hired as the teacher at the one-room country school house just down the road from my grandpa’s farm. As was custom then, the teacher boarded with a family, which happened to be my great-grandparents. The two became friends. When my grandma took another job farther away, my grandpa went after her and somehow convinced her to marry him.
“Best thing I ever did,” he said.
My mom called to tell me before Christmas to say he had been taken to the hospital early that morning. He had a badly bleeding stomach ulcer, but was too weak to survive surgery. At 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning (Dec. 22), a nurse called to say he was not likely to survive past mid-day. But, he proved stronger than they thought. By Christmas Eve he was well enough to be released from the hospital. However, trauma and age had taken its toll, and Grandpa passed away Saturday morning.
It makes me smile knowing he and Grandma are back together again.
Instead, this holiday season appears to be the one that will go down in family history as the one when we lost Grandpa.
My grandpa, who turned 93 last March, has been in assisted living and nursing homes for several years now. I have to admit, I haven’t been the world’s best granddaughter in making sure I visited him every time I was home. I guess it’s just that I’d like to remember him as he was during my childhood instead of the last few years.
I’ve always thought of my grandpa as a quiet man. When my mom and dad were busy on the farm, we spent a lot of time just down the road at their home. My grandma was a charateristic ‘50s wife. She had been a school teacher before she married my grandpa, but then spent the majority of her life taking care of her family.
Grandma had a weekly schedule: laundry, ironing, cleaning, etc. One chore for each day of the week. My favorite day to visit was Friday, which was baking day. I think this was also my grandpa’s favorite day too. He was known for his sweet tooth, as well as his love of picking berries.
While Grandma ran the house, Grandpa ran the farm. While we were there, he was usually out in the barn or on a tractor. When he was inside in the evening or over lunch on the colder days, he spent most of the time on an old brown couch in the dining room. Beside it he kept an end table so full of farm magazines I was amazed it never collapsed.
If he wasn’t reading, Grandpa was catching a quick snooze. I don’t remember him ever listening to the radio or watching TV. In fact, I don’t remember my grandpa ever spending time in the living room except for after Christmas dinner when we opened presents.
Christmas shopping for Grandpa was never hard. A new pair of bib overalls, a few flannel shirts and packages of Hersey’s candy bars were enough to satisfy him. In the last few years, I’ve given him a new picture of Jacob, which I found proudly displayed in his room when I visited.
When my grandma passed away in 2001, Grandpa took it very hard. It was then I learned how my grandparents met, a story fit for a Nicholas Sparks novel. My grandma had been hired as the teacher at the one-room country school house just down the road from my grandpa’s farm. As was custom then, the teacher boarded with a family, which happened to be my great-grandparents. The two became friends. When my grandma took another job farther away, my grandpa went after her and somehow convinced her to marry him.
“Best thing I ever did,” he said.
My mom called to tell me before Christmas to say he had been taken to the hospital early that morning. He had a badly bleeding stomach ulcer, but was too weak to survive surgery. At 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning (Dec. 22), a nurse called to say he was not likely to survive past mid-day. But, he proved stronger than they thought. By Christmas Eve he was well enough to be released from the hospital. However, trauma and age had taken its toll, and Grandpa passed away Saturday morning.
It makes me smile knowing he and Grandma are back together again.
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