Thursday, March 28, 2024

This Bud's for You

After the end of what seems to be a series of stressful work days, I got home, picked up the boy and headed back to Point. We had "technical" stops to make at Best Buy and Spectrum. We pondered stopping at some car lots but decided to wait a few weeks. So naturally, our next stop was B-Dubs.

A couple of things we learned. Of course it would be crowded because March Madness games resumed tonight. Thankfully, we beat the first tip-off time.

Secondly, we learned that on Thursdays, they have Buy One, Get One deals on wings so Carter was basically a free date! We also beat the BOGO crowd, too. Just by minutes! There was a line out the door.


Since one of our meals was free, he convinced me to try the Fried Pickles appetizer. Not bad. I liked them – even with the honey mustard dipping sauce which was OK for this anti-mustard chick. Of course, 2 hours later I'm still burping up the pickle taste. I KNOW you wanted to know that!


Since we were living in BOGO Land, we both got 10 boneless wings. Here's my review... I had 5 of them as the limited-time-only Honey Sriracha. I'll tell you it had a pleasant taste but it was not really spicy in anyway. I was surprised by that since I add Sriracha to many a thing – being the Spice Girl that I am. My other 5 were Thai Curry. Jim and I both love these. Great flavor with quite a kick!

Needless to say, I had to save a a few of those for hubby. We both were full anyway so for this time, no room to stop at King Cone! Dang. I gotta learn to think things through.


In addition to hoops, opening day of baseball (Twins won today, by the way), field hockey, NBA and NHL, I suddenly saw the legendary Vikings coach Bud Grant up on one of their 187 or so screens. I think it might have been an outdoors show focusing on his deer hunting exploits. Still, it was a pleasant surprise for 2 lifelong Vikings fans. 

We got home about an hour ago and I am still so full I can't breathe. Thank god we didn't get a side of those filling carrot sticks!

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Hump Day Heritage

 

It was an unusual Hump Day today. I brought a typical well-received trifle to work. No big deal. Then went to choir practice after work. 

But in between, I did my Easter meal-and-treat shopping (uff da, inflation!) and went to choir practice to rehearse Good Friday and Easter Sunday numbers.

While I was doing that, Carter was cleaning out one of the dressers in his old room. It turned out to be quite a blast from the past. Lots of memories from his childhood and from his older brother's journey to adulthood.

I'll have to scan in a few entertaining things. But for now, think of hump days 10 years ago -- not just recent weeks ago. So much we can learn, appreciate, and decide to repeat or not repeat.

Be careful out there -- and be appreciative!



Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Getting By With a Little Help From My Furry Friends


Although I firmly believe you can never trust a puppet (thanks, comedian Heywood Banks), I don't mind that once in awhile on a super stressful work day that you have a furry friend nearby to cheer you up.

Our team joked a few weeks ago that we should have puppets on hand (pun not intended) to deliver good news and bad news. Today I just got a "you look like you could use this" visitor to my desk.

Yay, stress. That's why they call it work, my late mother-in-law often said.

Anyway, I got through it and came home to a naked yard. All that snow... gone! There's still some stubborn flakes flying about, trying to stake their claim. But I don't think they'll stay.

The good news is that despite a bit of a day, Cookie Monster prompted me to buy some Thin Mint-wannabes at the store and whip up a Tuesday Trifle for work tomorrow. Celebrating a couple of birthdays and I'm so lazy I combined it into one...

Delicious-looking (and hopefully tasting) Thin Mint Madness trifle! And now that my "work" is done for the day, I can watch The Voice – and maybe Sesame Street if I have time.

Have a stress-free week and be careful out there!

Monday, March 25, 2024

Manageable Monday

Turns out we go exactly what the weather dudes predicted. More than 3 inches but definitely less than 6. Fine with us.

Good neighbor Mike snowblowed our driveway so Jim could get out for morning baseball practice – inside the gym, of course. And I work from home Mondays so I wasn't in a rush to get anywhere. The roads cleared up pretty quickly – mainly because the temperatures were above freezing and it was raining.

And raining.

I think it will rain tomorrow, too.

Tonight we ran into town and it was starting to fog up quite a bit. Say a prayer for our boy, who's driving home from Dubuque tonight. Rain and fog and dark roads make for a challenge.

I say I'm going to bed shortly, but we'll see how relaxed I am!

Be careful out there.

(Oh, and happy birthday to my mom, who officially made it to 92 today!)

Sunday, March 24, 2024

It's a Fine Line

For as much as I watched the weather this weekend, I wasn't quite prepared for this return to winter. I guess I should've paid attention to that fine line (circled in red) where we live and where it magically divides between 1-3 inches and 3-6 inches.

I'm guessing we're on the north side of it!

Our first surprise was waking up to snow. We were concentrating on the actual 1 p.m. start of the storm advisory. But like those magic lines on the map, weather isn't always an exact science. So our morning plans changed. 

I had planned to go since at 9:30 church then book it home so Carter could borrow my car to drive down to a funeral / wake in Dubuque. Since it was already snowing, I stayed home and he hit the road by 8 a.m. so he could try to stay ahead of it. Thankfully he did and made it down there OK. And he'll just drive back up tomorrow after work. (Yay for remote jobs!)


As the afternoon went on, the snow wasn't accumulating a ton but icicles were forming – never a good sign.


And most of the time the snow was blowing sideways. Uff da. I can't imagine what my family up north – in that hot pink 10-15 inches bubble – is dealing with. We have spring break here in Wisconsin Rapids this week but I'm sure schools are closing everywhere!

The last look down the road before it got dark. Not that the visibility was super anyway.

The only good thing about being housebound for the day was that I had time to clean off my desk in my office, make a cheesy chicken dip in the crockpot, and price dozens of garage sale items. 

Oh and maybe watch a little basketball – despite my crumbling bracket.

Hope you stayed safe and are careful out there tomorrow! I'll let you know which side of that fine line we fell on.

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Miles to Smiles

 

We decided to celebrate our mom's 92nd birthday two days early for several reasons. One, it's hard to gather on a Monday. Two, some folks had Palm Sunday plans tomorrow. And three, half my family is under a winter storm storm warning Sunday into Monday. Something like 10 to 15+ inches possible. Depends on who you listen to.

So 6 of 8 R's, 2 spouses, and 1 grandchild gathered at my sister Rayna's in Siren. The usual 4-hour trek for us.

Lunch was some of Mom's old favorites – meatloaf, potatoes, baked beans, corn, and her classic strawberry Jell-O with slices bananas. Mom liked it. Great job, Rayna!

After lunch, Mom, per usual, was ready to play a game. Her "tell" when playing cards is to start humming when she has a good hand. All of her children are quite aware of this.

Today she says, "Who wants to play cards? I need practice humming!" I hope I'm that confident and sassy when I'm 92!

Although Mom started out strong, Carter ended up winning in the last hand. The way she's smiling, I don't think she minded. Time with any of her kids or grandkids is precious to her.


We managed to get home by 8 p.m. Daylight for most of the trip and a full moon chasing shadows for the last part. Thanks to Jim for driving. And thank you, deer, for staying in the fields and ditches.

Be careful everyone in the snow zone tomorrow!

Friday, March 22, 2024

Something's Fishy


No matter what Punxsutawney Phil says on February 2nd, we mostly give him the benefit of the doubt – and are especially supportive when he predicts an early spring. And he certainly did that this year. And we certainly got it.

Apparently the fine print indicates there's no guarantee that winter won't return AFTER that early spring. Doh!

So we awoke to the predicted 3-4 inches of overnight snow. 

Thankfully, the snowblower wasn't needed. Just some muscle work by the man of the house while the boy and I worked. 

I forgot we actually wanted the snow so we could get rid of this dead-ass ash tree pile in our front yard. Jim and neighbor Mike cut that down in the late fall.


Today, with the snow covering the dry ground, they commenced to turning the dead-ass ash pile into a pile of ash.


Was tempted to have s'mores for lunch...

But Carter and I saved room for fish at Kellner International while Jim worked his final Friday of the fish fry at St. Lawrence. Good stuff!

Now we're watching some hoops and while waiting for the super-late-for-old-people Badgers game.

Meanwhile, we should all apologize to Punxsutawney Phil. I mean whoever seeded these brackets did a fishy job too. I mean... Yale? What?

Let's go, Bucky (Phil's rodent cousin)!!