Scenic Route

The 7 sisters parted ways at noon today -- 1 to Texas, 2 to Minnesota, 3 to western Wisconsin and me, heading southeast to Rapids.

Just like my 169.2-mile drive up there, the way back was just as gorgeous with fall colors popping everywhere. I also managed to get the Vikings game on the radio the whole way so I could hear their victory firsthand! Nice bonus.

I happened to get back to Rapids just in time to pick Carter up at school. He and the Assumption H.S. Band marched in the Cranberry Festival Parade in Warrens today. Carter said it was hot and "boring" to play the same song 8 times on the mile route! But I think they all had fun.

Got home and unpacked, got some groceries and attempted to upload some photos. I got a few and now my computer doesn't want anymore. So while you won't get the group photo of the 7 "wild women," here are few colorful snapshots...

Now I can tell you we stayed at Beaver Point Lodge along the Chippewa River just outside of Exeland, Wis.

Lots of leaves floating by in the Chippewa River.

I even captured another moose on film!! This one was in the front yard of the cabin.

Being creative with the milkweed.

Had to pull over when we saw this! Neat reflection and color among the birches!

Another must-stop and see view! Water was just still enough to give us photographer-wannabes a nice shot!

Even facing the sun, the lack of color was striking when I saw the "black" grass and "silver" lily pads floating on the water.

Oh gosh, I have so many pictures between the two "vacations"! I hope I'll get to them soon so I can share some more. Right now I have to remember how to pack a lunch and set an alarm.

Monday is gonna hurt.

Non-Scents

Maybe it's my years of living in a paper mill town, but something has gone wrong with my sniffer. And I am especially thankful for that. Today anyway.

We normally have a policy on sister weekend that no outsiders are allowed. And we mean "outsider" in the kindest, gentlest way. Now I know why we have that unofficial policy. Last night while we were all tucked in our beds, Pepe Lepew showed up and crashed our party, raising quite a stink.

For some of the sisters to smell anyway.

I don't know how I slept through it but a few sisters got up at 5 a.m. because the smell was so bad they thought the culprit had sneaked into the house. How did I sleep through that?

I still couldn't smell anything until I later opened the front door. Then closed it quickly. We were worried we were going to be cabin-bound all day but the wind took the odor away by late morning and we were able to enjoy another gorgeous day of walking, relaxing in the sun and yes, even canoeing.

Had a nice time bonding, talking, playing and laughing. And thankfully, not smelling anything!

Colorful Treat

It's not unusual to throw caution to the wind and do something wild on Wild Women's Weekend. For me that entails having dessert with breakfast. Nothing follows up good ham and cheese scrambled eggs like a piece of chocolate!

Today, though, we got treats all day long. Only the first included any calories.

Yes, we found some ice cream. Duh. That was mapped out ahead of time so we knew exactly which convenience store was selling good, "hard" ice cream. So when we finally ambled off our property, we enjoyed a single scoop of yummy-ness in the afternoon. Then it was on to the next treat...

Mother Nature's brilliant array of fall colors!

We drove around the area, taking side roads and back roads and practically unmarked roads, looking at the beautiful leaves and pretty scenery around the numerous nearby lakes. My sister Rayna and I had a field day trying to capture the perfect images on our cameras. Actually, we all were doing that. Rayna and I just happened to jump out of the car first, with cameras in hand.

Besides the colorful leaves, we saw still-water reflections that took our breath away and, at one point, watched 3 bald eagles across a pond. Unfortunately, they were just too far away for my camera to capture in any detail, but we have the image in our minds and, I'm sure at some point I'll share a blurry picture!

This evening we dined at some lodge that served a delicious fish fry! We followed that up with some entertaining "what happens at Sister Weekend stays at Sister Weekend" fun.

I connected with hubby via text and learned he is fighting off a cold and Carter is recovering from a new PR in his cross country meet in Fond du lac. That's so awesome! I am glad I'll be around for his next meet.

Now I need to go out in the full moonlight and hope I get a cell phone signal so I can talk to them in person. I think I'll join the girls around the campfire anyway. Someone's gotta protect them from the wildlife.

And I don't mean US!

Wild Weekend

Any weekend that starts on a Thursday is good. A weekend that starts on a Thursday with your 6 sisters is even better.

We all made it safely to our destination outside of Birchwood, Wis. Trust me, you couldn't find it... and frankly, I don't think I could give directions!

We all enjoyed our drives from our various points of the globe, well Wisconsin and Minnesota. The fall colors are at near peak so it was just glorious to drive and look at all the shades of autumn. Then arriving at this log cabin home was a sweet surprise.

It is a gorgeous home on a river with so much space it easily sleeps 7 of us and has some bonuses like a game room with a pool table, a screened-in gazebo-like porch and about 60 acres to walk around -- if one is not afraid of the bear spotted yesterday. Yikes.

I got here in the early afternoon so was able to relax in the sunshine a bit with 3 of my sisters who also arrived early. It was nice to explore -- in a group. Is it safe to go alone? I don't know.

Not sure I want a bear to be putting the "wild" in our Wild Women's Weekend!

In Betweener

Happy Hump Day! This is the hump in the middle of my 12 days out of the office. Sort of the middle. Got one vacation down, worked from the home office today and will start vacation No. 2 tomorrow!

This was the in-betweener day.

First, I'm glad I checked and deleted and kept up with work emails while on vacation. I didn't respond to any, just kept them in order and got rid of the spam. That was wise. It made today go quickly and productively.

I got everything done I had to and some I merely hoped to. All this while fielding dozens of emails from my sisters who are also working today but, like me, are distracted thinking of last-minute lists and plans for our 14th annual weekend together.

After 7 days of vacation, I think I've got the gist of how to pack. Like our other trip, no one is going to care if I end up wearing the same jeans or shorts (I hope) twice. I don't need to pack so much extra, right?

Right now I have all the "extras" and "surprises" packed and ready to go. I just have clothes left and need to double check the weekend forecast in the morning. It looks like low 70s so I can pack a hoodie a day -- that's the advantage of driving by myself. I can fill the whole car. And sometimes I do.

After supper tonight, I also took time to get a little baking done. We can never have too many treats on Wild Women's Weekend. Actually, we can have too many. It's just hard not to eat them all!

I also swung by the gas station tonight to get our Powerball tickets. Jackpot is super duper big. I'd really like a piece of that so hubby and I can fly back out to New England in a week or so and enjoy the fall colors this time!

Something tells me I will not be disappointed in what Wisconsin has to offer this weekend. Colorful trees and colorful personalities. Doesn't get much better than that!

Life Goes On...

I don't know how anyone on the East Coast ever gets to watch anything on late-night television. It's just so... late!

Knowing we had to get up at 6 a.m. to catch our flight, hubby and I went to bed at a decent time and were unaware that the world was coming to an end, according to certain football fans.

I mean, the sun still rose in Burlington, Vermont, this morning so we were still in the dark., so to speak. A routine check of Facebook and morning SportsCenter quickly brought us up to speed. Poor Packer fans. Seriously, it does suck to lose a game because of missed calls. But you know what? Every team -- in every sport -- has had to endure it. Probably more than once. So life goes on.

The only thing these two Viking fans were bummed about was seeing our vacation come to an end.

We got a little concerned in O'Hare when the two outgoing flights in the gates we were sitting near were delayed because the pilots were "missing." Perhaps they had a late night in Seattle doing their part-time "replacement" job?? Not sure what the final resolution was, but both planes eventually left. Ours did, too, just a wee bit late but we got to Madison on time and were home by 4 p.m.

One thing we both noticed on the drive was that Wisconsin suddenly looked really flat! I miss seeing mountains at every angle! That was something to treasure!

Got home and got laundry going and unpacking. Jim went into town to his parents -- the saintly Carter sitters and taxi drivers -- to pick up Carter's stuff. I bonded with the kitty, who really missed us, and got a few things put away before heading into town to pick up Carter from the volleyball game where he was playing in Pep Band.

While it was tempting to hug him at school, I waited until I wouldn't embarrass him in front of his friends. I know he didn't miss us like we missed him, but he was kind enough to let me give him a big, long hug! Probably because he knew he'd have to be nice to get any of the "treats" we brought home for him.

Tough. He still has to finish homework first. Ha. Apparently I didn't forget how to be the mean mom while I was on vacation.

At least I remember how to use the washing machine! Back to reality...

Gold Medal Day

Can't believe today was our last full day of vacation! We definitely made the most of it! And we finally were seeing some fall color (better late than never) so that was a bonus, too.

We started out heading to Lake Placid first, since that was only 45 minutes away from our hotel. It is such a teeny tiny town, I can't believe it won a bid to host the Olympics -- twice! We knew there was still a few things going in the Olympic village so we figured we check it out.

On the way there, we got pretty lucky. Remember when I said I was trying to get a picture of the dozens of Moose Crossing signs we've seen in the past week? Well we found out today the signs are there for a good reason. You never know when you will stumble upon one.

And we did! We just happened to be taking pictures downstream for here and when we were walking back to the car, a passing motorist yelled out, "Is the moose still there?" We're like, "What moose?!" So we checked around and finally got in the car and continued on our way. Just a few hundred yards up the road traffic was stopped. Heck, if traffic is stopped, I am jumping out with my camera!

This guy stood on the opposite side of the river, eating his lunch, oblivious to clicking cameras and "ooh"s and "ahhh"s. I felt like I struck gold. Ha.

We found more "gold" when we got to Lake Placid and toured the Olympic Center, which houses the ice rinks used in the 1932 winter games and the 1980 Olympics -- our favorite -- when we all remember the USA Hockey Team's "Miracle on Ice."

Here hubby stands on center ice where that historic game was played! Seriously! We both had goose bumps!

Here I am standing in the goal, where a few lucky pucks found their way in our victory over Russia and our later Gold Medal win. How coooool! We are of the age we remember that game clearly and it means so much to consider ourselves a part of it now. It was such a symbolic game to pull our nation together like one big family. I love that.

Speaking of family... what are the chances I'd run into someone I knew on this trip, let alone a relative? Well, also touring the Olympic Center today were two cousins on my dad's side -- Lee and Romelle -- who happened to be on a cross-country bus tour from the Twin Cities with N.Y. City their ultimate destination. Small, small world!

After our Lake Placid adventure, we swung by the North Pole. Heck, we might as well go everywhere on this vacation, right? There is a little town called North Pole, N.Y., that is smaller than my hometown. Most places were closed for the season, but shouldn't their toy-making season just be starting? Hmm.

From there we headed to Port Kent to catch our ferry across Lake Champlain back to Vermont. Now we're back in Burlington, packing up everything and getting to bed early. Somehow everything is gonna fit in those suitcases! I didn't get too much -- a few gifts and yes, this hoodie addict finally broke down today, on our last day to get a hooded sweatshirt.

Good thing it's chilly back in Wisconsin because I need to wear all the extra layers that won't fit in our luggage!

Here's the Scoop

If I haven't told you yet, even if we are not seeing any fall colors really, this is turning into an awesome anniversary vacation!

Today we made our way over to Montpelier, the capitol of Vermont. It really is a small town for a state capitol, but it's a quaint OLD town. Saw some really pretty building and took some pictures, of course.

From there we made it to my favorite destination (for the day anyway)... Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury, Vermont. Whoot!


We got a factory tour, where we saw how they make all the yummy flavors, learned about the company and got a free sample of the Flavor of the Day, which today was Steven Colbert's Americone Dream. Tasty stuff! I got the special tour package that included a t-shirt and a pint to go (of course).

OK, it wasn't quite THAT big! I picked out Chubby Hubby and shared it with my Lovey Hubby on our way to Burlington, Vermont. From there, we got another treat. Our route to New York took us island hopping up Lake Champlain across little islands and bridges with the beautiful Vermont scenery to our right and New York to the left. Very cool way to do that!

Tonight we are staying in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and have a little sight seeing in the Empire State to do in the morning and day tomorrow before catching a ferry back across Lake Champlain to Vermont.

We talked to Carter a few times today and heard an enthusiastic report from homecoming. He said he danced so much his feet and legs hurt today. Now that's a surprise! He also had his share of slow dances and claims he's pretty good at that. But you did NOT hear that from me!! We were just glad he had a great time. Today he had a ton of homework so he was busy doing that. Almost felt guilty about all the fun we're having.

But not really. Would you?

Extra Innings Fun

Woke up to a foggy morning in Boston. Went out on our balcony and could just make out the Harvard rowing team practicing on the Charles River below us. You don't see that every day!

You know what else you don't see? SNOW!

We weren't even out of bed yet and we were getting texts from back home in Wisconsin about the snow. Unreal. Normally we'd be thrilled we weren't home, but we felt bad for Carter who had to play in Pep Band before today's 11 a.m. homecoming game and then march at halftime. The snow melted but it didn't get too warm. He said he was freezing. I'm sure he got over it and is having a ball tonight at the homecoming dinner and dance.

Jim's sister sent us a photo of the boy all dressed up. That makes us miss him all the more... but, we are having fun.

Had breakfast this morning with two of the women that Jim knows through work. They're the ones who got us the tickets to the Red Sox game. It was their company tickets, which meant nice club seats with the rich and sometimes famous. So we hear. Anyway, Claire and Suzanne were a hoot and I'm glad I finally got to meet them.

After breakfast, we packed up, checked out and headed to Fenway Park. Our seats were indeed awesome. Not only a great view of the game behind home plate, but we actually did have a brush with the famous part of rich & famous.

My fellow gearhead fans will appreciate this one. NASCAR driver -- well, commentator now -- Michael Waltrip sat in our club seat area. Jim is the one who encouraged me to go say "hi." I did. And told him we were from Dick Trickle's hometown and asked about a photo. He was very accommodating and hugged me close. I mean, he was willing to let Jim take 3 pictures 'til I was sure one turned out right!

 

Who's luckier than me?

Back to the game... Fenway Park and the famous Green Monstah (as they say it in Boston) are celebrating 100 years. So much history. Very cool -- and quaint -- ballpark. Game went into extra innings and the Orioles ended up beating the Sox 9-6 in 12.

After that we headed northwest out of town, across New Hampshire and into Vermont. Ended up as far as Barre, near Montpelier. We are staying at a place called the Hollow Inn. Not worried about dreaming about Headless Horsemen and Sleepy Hollow tonight, though. Something tells me I'll be dreaming about racin'!

Sweet dreams!

Weekend in New England

It felt like our "weekend in New England" was accomplished in one day as we left Newport, close to the Canadian border, made our way south across the state of Vermont and part of New Hampshire and into Massachusetts and the Atlantic Ocean. Our final stop: Boston.

Well, technically, Cambridge, Mass.. More on that in a bit.

Our morning started late as we slept in past 8. Ha. We did the lakefront water walk and checked out the pretty scenery in Newport. Even got my picture with a  lighthouse. Sort of. A small one, built just for me, I believe.

From Newport, we headed southeast and crossed through the little state of Vermont and across part of the equally small state of New Hampshire. That was my first time there. Of course, I miss the welcome sign but I know the state motto is "Live Free or Die." Saw that on every license plate!

The one thing that surprised us about New Hampshire is that the White Mountains were even more impressive than Vermont's Green Mountain chain. Really cool. Took lots of pictures out the car window, traveling 65 mph on the interstate. I think some turned out. It only took me 10 tries to get a Moose Crossing sign in focus. I need more practice!

We also went by the New Hampshire speedway in Concord and realized the NASCAR race is there this Sunday. Our plans may have to change! You never know!

Jim's cousin was unable to get together with us today so we headed straight into Boston. We're actually staying on the north side in Cambridge, home of Harvard. Saw what we believe were the Harvard "kids" out practicing their sailing on the Charles River (which makes its way into Boston Harbor) outside our hotel window. I braved the balcony on the 12 floor and took some pictures. I just looked out, not down!

After we got settled in, we took a cab over to downtown Boston. After driving 4-lanes-wide into town, we weren't in the mood to even attempt it any further. So we cabbed it over to the north side and walked a tour of historic sites -- everything from Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church (where they hung the lanterns) to the Massachusetts State House and Cheers bar.

C'mon, that has to count!

We had dinner at the Bull & Finch, which was the inspiration for the television program, then shopped in the gift shop. I got a shirt and earlier, we already found Carter his gifts (hint: Boston Celtics). We still need to find something for Jim (besides cemetery pictures).

We cabbed it back to hotel and now we're just chilling out, enjoying the view of the cityline lights on the water. Gorgeous day all around. We got lucky.

Hope it continues!

Family Time

Spent a picture-perfect day with our new family members Don & Sally. Basically, we just tooled around finding photo opportunities for me!

Not really, we found some tombstones hubby was looking for and we are done with that mission now. We ended up in the pretty lake city of Newport, where we toured a historic school/museum called the Stone House, followed up with lunch on the shores of the Lake Memphremagog. Try saying that 5 times fast!

We then drove around finding a covered bridge for me (ha)! And some water falls.

 

Got some neat photos but will have to wait 'til who knows when to post.

We spent a great day and part of the evening with our "family" -- including several games of cribbage between Jim, Don & Sally. They had a great time with that. They are a pleasure to spend time with and we'd love to get back here again some day.

We had to say goodbye tonight as Jim and I made our way to our hotel in Newport. Get to check out some more of the waterfront in the morning before making our way to Boston.

It already feels like we've been gone a week. And that's in a good way. I love having to think twice about what day of the week is! Just love it.

Border Hopping

Dateline NORTH TROY, VERMONT... One teeny mile from Canada!

We were lucky to get our vacation going on time. For some reason we had a power outage in our neighborhood during the night. It blinked off once and turned back on and we set backup alarms on our cell phones. Good thing as power went out again for a few hours.

So we got up on time, to the airport in Madison on time and our flight to Chicago was short. I was so tired (hard to sleep when you worry about the alarm) that I slept the whole flight from Chicago to Burlington, Vt. I never sleep on airplanes! So I was pretty tired.

Upon landing, got our rental car and headed north. Got to see so much beauty on the short 90-minute drive to Jim's distant cousins Don & Sally Austin. Saw mountains (closest I've ever been to them), pretty rivers and wildlife. We are too early for true fall colors but I am going to get over that.

After we arrived at the Austins, another cousin and his mom came over and took us into Canada where Jim's great-great-great-great grandfather and great-great-great grandfather are buried. Found some related tombstones, too, so that was good.  Plus more in another cemetery nearby.Took pictures of those and a nearby covered bridge that used to serve as the border crossing between the U.S. and Canada. Probably just 2 hours in Canada but worth the passport for Jim's "finds".

When we got back, we rejoined Don & Sally and took them out to eat in Jay, Vt., down the road. Tomorrow we will spend the day with them seeing some sights.

Tonight we are snuggling up at the North Troy Inn Bed & Breakfast, where evening temps may fall into the 20s!

This is not shorts weather! Glad I bought those new anti-mom jeans!

Murphy's Stinkin' Law

I now realize Murphy's Law applies to vacation planning, too!

So we dropped our Civic off for an oil change this morning since we knew we'd be driving it to the airport in Madison in the morning, plus I'd be taking it up north for sister weekend. About mid-morning, the garage calls Jim at work and tells him we need new brakes and more.

There goes our "hotel budget" for the trip! I sure hope our rental car in Vermont can sleep 2 comfortably!

Oh well, I guess we'd rather know now then after the vacation was over then fret about having spent too much. Now we'll still spend too much but know we'll be paying for it one way or another! Ha. Seriously, our plans aren't changing.

Tonight we are going over our list of lists and making sure everything is packed up. We were interrupted for awhile getting all of Carter's stuff packed and over to Grandpa and Grandma Austin's. Sure enough, we get there and realize Carter left his dress shirt and tie for Homecoming back in his room. So there will be some extra running around while we're gone.

The important things left are closing the suitcase, running the dishwasher and remembering to take out the garbage! We're leaving the house at 6 a.m. sharp so I better go.

So long for awhile, maybe. No idea what sort of Internet connection we'll have in the mountains, etc. Oooh, just typing that gets me excited. I've never seen mountains except from a plane!

I better sleep fast so we can get this vacation started!

Women of a Certain Age

There comes a point in our lives where there is one thing many of us women dread. I mean even more than a root canal or mammogram (almost).

It's jeans shopping.

Who's with me on this? The problem for some of us in our 40+ years is that everything is shifting. In places we don't want it to. We probably support our husbands' desire to have it all gravitate to our bodacious boobs. But they usually only catch the "gravity" part of that word!

Instead, my gut and butt are in a race to see who can reach out the furthest first. There are no winners in that race! For sure, not me!

So jean shopping.... Sometimes you gotta do it. I didn't feel compelled to buy new clothes for our vacation, but when I was packing and saw the same grubby pair of "fat jeans" (you ladies know what I'm talking about), I just didn't want photos in those again! Yes, I am vain.

Not.

I told hubby I would just run to town and buy some. (Though he kindly said I didn't need any.) I had hoped I would be in and out and done in no time. But I knew better.

First I was distracted by all the end-of-summer clearance racks, looking at racks and racks of clothes I do not need. Then there is the challenge of finding short jeans. Yes, I am of that petite stature -- when the word "petite" merely means short and has nothing to do with skinny jeans.

I found a pair on clearance and honestly had no idea what size to look for. Thankfully, the ones I tried on were too big. Then I went down a size and tried on 3 different pair. Either too long or they looked like "mom jeans." Yes, I am a mother, but I don't want jeans making me look like I'm 40-something. I am not ready to embrace that yet! (And yes, I know I've had a few years to get used to it.)

So I go out of the dressing room one more time and find a pair of petites in the same brand and design I liked. Just liked, not loved. At this point, I'm over an hour into it and really have to make a decision. Thankfully, the petites looked fine and felt good. When I looked at my backside in the mirror, though, I thought, you know this is where Jim is going to say, "Those aren't tight enough!"

Well of course I went a size down. Gotta keep everyone happy, right?

At some point I will be of a certain age where I will chose my comfort first. Looks and sexiness be damned.

But frankly, I hope I don't. Who's with me?

Prep Work

My mission today was to get a lot of our prep work out of the way for the next 10 days. I can almost say "mission accomplished." We're getting close.

I started out behind schedule -- not because I went to church or anything important, but because I spent 12 hours in bed! Not kidding. I was so physically exhausted when I went to bed last night. I think way too many early mornings, late nights, work, stress and running around. I guess it caught up with me.

After I woke up enough, I went for a 3-mile run to get that out of the way. Then hubby brought up the suitcase and I started making piles of clothes and other "stuff" (like our passports!) to take on our trip. I have it easy since Jim is the one who planned everything and has to organize his family tree materials, determining what he must bring along.

After a quick trip to Wal-Mart to get some necessities -- red licorice and an extra memory card for the camera -- I stole a few minutes of sunshine out on the deck. Didn't stay out too long. Wanted to see the Vikings' great almost-comeback. Dang. We should have had that game!

Later, we got into some live football action. This is Homecoming Week at Assumption, so this evening was the Powder Puff game between the Junior and Senior girls. We stood on the Juniors' side since my "adopted daughter" was the QB. She did outstanding, of course, and the Juniors won 12-6.

Carter worked the "chain gang" the first half, then hung around the girls and other friends, I think, for the second half.

Got home in time to get some of my Wild Women's Weekend "prep work" done, too. This is good. I even had to get some help from Carter and he didn't mind at all. Now I have one more thing to do for that top secret stuff, and I'll be pretty set for that.

The only sad thing is that you do all this prep work and really, once you get home after all is said and done, you are no further ahead. But if it prevents me/us from forgetting something, it's well worth it.

Time to make another list...

The Smiley

Nothing could quite prepare us for our first Smiley CC Invite in Wausau. First, it was hard enough getting up shortly after 5 a.m. to get Carter to the bus by 6. Then, when we got there, we realize this is the biggest event Carter has been to. 62 schools there and 19 were in Division III with Assumption.

Carter and the 3 other freshman on our boys team ran JV today. Look at this start!

That's a whole lotta runners! See Carter in there? See anyone you know? It was tough.

The way the course is laid out and the sheer number of runners made it hard to get pictures today. All of sudden runners are streaming by and there's Carter. Whoops, missed the shot. At least I could cheer him on.

They had plenty of hills today so they didn't get bored anyway. The course is set up on the American Legion Golf Course in Wausau. It seems like a nice course we wouldn't mind playing some time!

Here's Carter about 300 meters from the finish line. Unlike Stratford's uphill finish, they got to go down a hill (sort of) to finish. I looked at my stopwatch when he went by and told him to "kick it" because his time (for him) looked great.

Sure enough, while he finished 148th, he still had a PR -- shaving 6 seconds off his best previous time. Hurray, Carter!

As a bonus today, we got to see some old friends. First we ran into a guy Jim worked sports with in our central Wisconsin newspaper network, then we ran into a guy who was the photographer at our paper when I first started there (plus his dad was my college biology professor, but that's a different story).

The only person I planned to meet was my friend Julie from high school/grade school. Her daughter was running varsity for Oregon High School, south of Madison. So I got to watch the race with her and her hubby and family and cheer on Sydney. While we didn't get a chance to do lunch, we at least planned a future visit in October or November -- some time when we can sit and talk and not chase photos of our kids!

Good thing we were all "smiley" this morning, because this afternoon was a bit of a challenge. I had to take Carter clothes shopping for Homecoming. Since we are down to a few days left before we take off, this was a must-do today. And he needed everything -- shirt, tie, pants, shoes. He's outgrown anything from last year (except the tie, of course).

So we went to 5 different stores in town to get 4 items. I wondered which was harder for Carter today -- getting up at 5 to run a cross country race OR going clothes shopping with Mom! Tough call. The race was a lot shorter. If that gives you a clue.

Somehow, I'm still smiling.

(Or gritting my teeth?)

TGIFF (Thank God it's Football Friday)

Who says band isn't cool?? Carter got a chance to add some Pep to the Pep Band tonight when they performed pregame and halftime at a home football game versus Athens.

This was the first game I got a chance to attend. It wasn't pretty. We lost 49-zip. But it was nice to see a few people that it feels like I hadn't seen in ages. Guess this past month has been so busy it seems like months!

Jim had to go early to sell tickets at the entrance. I had to go straight from work to pick up Carter from cross country practice, then feed him, get him home to change and then back to the football field by 6:15. Our plan was to leave as soon as he got done playing at halftime because we have to get to bed early.

Carter's cross country bus leaves the school at 6 a.m. for a meet up in Wausau. I am especially excited about this one because I know parents/kids from at least 3 different schools competing. So hopefully I'll run into some of them in the mass of humanity that is the 36-school Smiley Invite. For sure I am meeting up with my high school BFF Julie, whose daughter is running for Oregon High (south of Madison). That will be great.

I better get to bed now. It's going to be a short night and long day tomorrow.

TGIF!

Coming Together Nicely

I figured I better blog quick since this may be the only time this football season I can say the Vikings have a better record than the Packers! Tonight's showdown between the Pack and da Bears might already be under way. I won't have time to watch it, so I'll assume I can still keep an ounce of Purple Pride in me for a few hours yet.

Not much to report anyway. Just that our New England vacation plans are coming together nicely.

New England? Yes, we have officially expanded our scope.

Now we'll be in Vermont and Canada the first few days, then boogie down to Boston(only 3 hours away) to catch a Red Sox game at the famous Fenway Park, then head up to New York, through Vermont and the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory, then cross the ferry back over to Vermont and the airport.

Somewhere in there I'll get to meet some really neat people, find some dead people (well, tombstones in our family tree research) and see some really pretty sights. Hope the weather holds but really, even if it's cold and rainy, we'll be able to do everything we planned. I just won't get a thousand pictures. Maybe I'll be reduced to 800.

Maybe we should do some side bets on just how many I will take. Ha.

After these unexpected Boston plans fell into place today, both hubby and I had a hard time concentrating on work. Now we just want to GO!

Lots going on between now and our departure, though. We've got football/pep band tomorrow, cross country Saturday and packing/planning on Sunday. Then work our butts off 2 days so we can leave guilt-free.

Mostly guilt-free. I still hate to miss Carter's first homecoming dinner/dance, but I am really looking forward to our weekend in New England (as Barry Manilow would say!).

Yup, it's all coming together nicely.

Runner's High (and Low)

I'm juggling a few projects right now so I am going to be lazy and just post photos from yesterday's cross country meet. You'll have to live with it.

Like I mentioned last night, it was a tough outing for Carter and team. Hot weather again (85 and sunny) and a wind that seemed more challenging than in their favor.

They had some hills, too. Little but tough. Here you can see the wind whipping their hair and jerseys.

We had a detour of sorts so we literally got to Stratford when the starting gun went off. We missed the big start but saw people lining up to cheer runners on. So we stood there and waited for #974. The first time by us, we could already tell he was hot.

The second time by, he looked like he was on a mission...

A mission to stay ahead of the "big guy." Carter has beat this guy in a previous meet already -- proving size does not matter, but speed and endurance do!

Crappy photograph but you can maybe see here where the wind was at his back for a change. That wasn't a very long stretch.

He still had to survive one more long, gradual hill against the wind to finish. You can see he's struggling.

But he's sprinting his heart out to finish strong. This was the first time he said afterwards that he really, really felt like puking.

But he didn't. It took him awhile last night to feel back to normal.

Speaking of feeling back to normal, my body -- legs really -- took a few days to recover from the massive hill run Sunday. I figured out what I can compare that trail running to -- it's like when my nephews raced dirt bikes and 4-wheelers on those up and down tracks. It felt like that... only longer and spread out over miles and miles.

And miles.

Today I got back at it and went for a run at lunch. Since it was pretty warm, I did walk a bit but managed to get 4 miles in. I decided to be brave (or stupid) and run on a new road that had some hills so I could start getting used to them. The hills didn't kill me but a dog -- probably named Satan -- almost did.

He comes roaring after me and I quick turn around and head back the way I came. I just kept a nice steady FAST pace, listening to him bark behind me and praying he wasn't going to take a bite out of me. I didn't want to look at him or talk to him or engage him in anyway. I just pretended I didn't see him and I was out for my normal run. My normal FAST run.

Nothing like Satan on your heels to give you your fastest running pace. Ever.

He didn't follow me far, so I live another day to run.

Both Carter and I do. Whew. What a hobby.

Remembering

I wonder sometimes if the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, will always be so fresh in my mind. It's 11 years now and I can still remember it like it was yesterday. It was so shocking and surreal, I know I'll never forget it -- not entirely, anyway.

I remember once in high school I had to interview my mom about certain events in her past. Twenty years after the tragedy, she could still recall in vivid detail where she was and what she was doing when she heard JFK was shot. She was doing laundry at home and heard it on the radio first.

Of course, I can still recall Jan. 28, 1986, when the space shuttle Challenger blew up. I also remember the day when John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Reagan and did manage to shoot press secretary James Brady. In both cases, our regular school day was interrupted and we could spend our study hall in the library watching news coverage.

I guess it's pretty unlikely those of us old enough to remember 9/11 will forget it. Carter was only 3 so he won't empathize with the emotion of the day, but he has learned many times in school about the historical significance of the tragedy.

Today, social media sites were abuzz with various photos and meaningful images related to Sept. 11 and our need to remember to stay strong as a country. Since I take care of my nephew's racing fan page, I created this image for his site...

(Yep, me and PhotoShop -- we're a team some days!)

On a positive note, I know a few couples celebrating wedding anniversaries today. And, most importantly, Jim's godfather Uncle Frank has a birthday. As luck would have it (or as cross country schedule would have it), we got to stop in and see him, too.

Carter's meet today was over at Tiger Stadium -- not Detroit, but Stratford. Jim and I thought we left work in time but we got there just as the starting gun went off. So we did get to see pretty much all of Carter's race and I did get some pictures.

It was hot again -- about 85 degrees -- and super windy so it was a slow run for the boy (and many others). His time was his worst of the 5 meets so far so I won't share that. I think he still feels ready to puke!

After we saw the girls run and middle school, we headed to see Uncle Frank and Aunt Colleen in nearby Marshfield for a quick visit. Always great to see them -- and especially great when Colleen sends home some of her canned goods. We'll have some yummy "refrigerator pickles" with our next meal and Jim can enjoy peach jam on his toast. Yes, we are that spoiled.

We got back to Rapids the same time Carter and the bus did. Got home at 8 and are jamming in homework, blogging and some of those "ducks" we're still getting in a row. I better log off before they head down stream.

Duck Hunting

We're starting our countdown. With just 8 days before hubby and I head East, we are trying to get all of our ducks in a row. The problem is, we're not sure which ducks we need to worry about and which ones we still need to hunt down.

I'm starting to make lists as I think of things for our Vermont trip AND my sister weekend trip that comes right on the tail of that. I'm feeling like my parents -- OK, I gotta get my prescriptions refilled, etc. But you know, if you don't write it down, it's not going to be remembered by either of us!

Over the weekend, Jim talked to his cousins that he met the last time he was out there. They are more like his parents' age, not ours, but a really nice couple we've kept in touch with since his last trip 5 years ago. Jim's talked to them a few times in the last month since we booked the trip and last night they told us we can stay at a bed and breakfast 3 doors down from them. Cool. I am staring to get excited.

It shouldn't be hard, but, there are just enough things going on with Carter during our absence that I am feeling bummed about missing. Mainly homecoming... He is dressing up and going and I am missing out on the first major "dress up" -- not quite formal. Sigh. I am "employing" several people to photograph various parts of his weekend for me -- between marching band at the game and the dinner and dance. Just won't be the same, but I appreciate their understanding of a mother and scrapbooker's heart.

It's just more ducks to get in a row.

I fear Grandma and Grandpa Austin are going to get a rude awakening about life as a taxi service. Not only getting Carter where he needs to be, but not forgetting there is another long-haired sibling to tend to. Carter better not forget to feed Sylvester before heading to school each morning!

So many details, details, details. Good thing we got those passports months ago. One duck in line. Many more to go.

Quack!

Hit the Trail

Have you ever agreed to do something, then once you got started wondered what the heck you got yourself into? That would sum up my morning at Hartman Creek State Park.

The Hartman Creek 10K Trail Run, part of the Great Lakes Endurance series, was my first "trail run" ever. I didn't know what to expect and boy, was I in for a rude awakening.

We got a chilly, bright and early start from the neighborhood, leaving at 6:45 a.m. for the park, located about 45 minutes away. Running the 10K today were my next door neighbor Cindy and her son, Isaac (the elite athlete in the bunch) and my "half" sister Chris, who ran the half marathon with me a year ago. Notice we both are sporting our shirts? We didn't plan that, honest.

So what I knew about a trail run is that it is run mostly on trails versus pavement and there are hills -- probably quite similar to Carter's cross country meets. Only this one was twice as long at 6.2 miles. I've done a flat 10K before and did fine. Throw in a million, well 100, hills and it is a challenge. That's putting it mildly.

Don't you love showing up for a race and the organizers inform you they tacked on an extra mile? Yeah, me neither. But that's what they did. It was going to be 7 or 7.1 miles. I haven't run that since last fall! Of course, as I alluded to earlier, there was no backing out at that point. No escape.

My plan, since I really haven't trained for this, was to run a mile, walk a minute, run a mile, walk a minute, and so on. After each of the first 2 miles, I did that. I was astonished at the hill running. Not huge hills necessarily, but pretty constant. Uff da. What the heck did I get myself into?

After 2 miles we got off the wide trail and we were in the woods following a narrow, one-runner-wide trail up and down and back and forth. I just kept an eye on the person ahead me and hoped I didn't veer off the marked route. It was a tough trail because you had to be so careful of sharp turns and roots sticking up and branches and uneven ground. A fast person could really get hurt. I was OK, though. And quite relieved I hadn't watched any park- or camp-related horror movies lately!

Since I was concentrating on the path ahead of me, I really didn't notice the miles go by like you normally would on a wide open out and back race route. That was nice. Not boring at all. I ended up running the 4 "inside the woods" miles without having to stop and walk.

When we got out, I walked a little bit but then finished as strong as I could anyway. Let's just say my time was awful, but I didn't care. I wasn't last. I was just glad to say I did it!

 I told my "half" sister that I thought that was even more difficult than our half marathon. This was way more challenging on the heart and legs. I don't even want to guess how this old body is going to feel tomorrow!

We did get a cool shirt out of it -- made out of recycled soda bottles! Seriously, it's all about connecting with nature and our planet ... and taking care of it. Neat neat concept for these races.

Here's our survivors! Isaac ended up finishing 2nd overall (he rocks) and his mom took 3rd in her age group (Yay, Cindy)! Mya, the 12-year-old girl from next door, finished 1st among girls in the Kids 2K Race. Awesome!

Would I do it again? Heck yeah. With training, of course.

All of these trails runs in this particular series take place in parks of some sort. The scenery is so beautiful you can't help but enjoy yourself mile after mile... after mile... after extra mile!

What the Flock?

Some naughty kids "flocked" their parents' yard overnight to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary!

If you are unfamiliar with the term, this is what my in-laws woke up to -- a flock of pink flamingos. The purpose? So everyone asks them "Why are there pink flamingos in your yard?" And they can tell them about their golden anniversary... and, I suppose, their sneaky, rotten kids! (Technically, someone else did the "flocking," but you know who will get blamed for it!)

That's what happens when they refuse a big party and put the son and daughter in charge of "entertainment." Ha. We did take them out to eat tonight so we had a nice family meal with 4 of our 5, plus Jim's sister's family of 3. Afterwards, it was yummy cake!

A great way to end a day that started pretty rough.

We laid to rest Jim's friend Davey today. After dropping Carter off at school to catch the bus to his cross country meet in Stevens Point (which unfortunately was at the same time), we spent the morning at the funeral home. Jim gave his eulogy during graveside services at noon. Bless him. He got through it OK, bringing laughter and tears. It was really thoughtful and well-written (naturally).

While the "gang" was getting together for fellowship afterward, I picked up Carter from school and shuffled him home before heading over to the saloon/restaurant to join them.

Carter had great news! He set a new PR (remember, that's personal record) at his meet this morning. His recent PR was 25:19. Today he clocked a finish at about 24:30. The official time hasn't been posted yet and, since I wasn't there to keep track, we're going on his best estimate. Even off by a few seconds, that's great! I told him he'd enjoy running in cool weather!!

Hopefully I'll have a similar experience for my run tomorrow. Probably be close to the same conditions on the trail run. A bit wet and slippery from rain today and cool temps around 50. I like that part!

I suppose I should get decent rest tonight. I probably didn't prepare myself too well before race day -- between a big ol' twice-baked potato for supper and then cake, too.

I have a feeling when I am halfway through my race tomorrow, my whole body is going to wonder what the "flock" I am doing!

Wild Side

Here I thought my nephew the cowboy was a little crazy after "roping in" 14 gators in 2 days. But I was reminded today you don't have to travel to faraway Louisiana to experience the wildlife.

My sister Romey and her husband Rick are always seeing black bears in or near their yard -- and have photographed a few in their 40-acre woods with some magic night-vision camera. Even when Carter has stayed there during his "Up North Vacations" he used to take, he would see one or two bears.

Last night, Rick's nephew on his side of the family, shot a big black bear on their land. A big, big black bear. A big, stinkin' huge black bear! I don't know much about hunting bear, but I always assumed a 300-pound bear is big. This one was twice that and more. 653 pounds! Shot dead not that far, really, from where we were having a campfire just a few weekends ago. Uff da. Who needs all this excitement?

My heart stopped the way it was when we came over a hill on our way home from Iola and hubby had to slam on the brakes in a "leave tire tracks in the road" kind of way to avoid killing 8 big ol' turkeys crossing the road. If you haven't heard already, hitting a turkey is like having someone throw a bowling ball at your car or windshield. Not good. Thankfully, hubby has cat-like reflexes and stopped in time.

I'm glad the only wildlife around here are the hornets and bees trying to get in the house and away from the cold. (Low of 43 tonight.) I don't mean to brag, but I am a pretty good hunter, too. I managed to kill 2 long-legged wasps with the fly swatter -- using my lefthand, mind you -- while talking on the phone. Yes. I am that good.

Since I bagged my limit, I let hubby chase the third one around the kitchen tonight.

Yup, wild times in the not-so-North Woods. Yee-haw.

Keepsakes

Carter came home with his "official" cross country portrait today. I think it turned out nice -- but I am a bit biased, of course.

Daddy surprised me and when he ordered the photos (I don't know where I was), he ordered a picture pin for me, too, so I can wear that at cross country meets and everywhere else -- just to embarrass Carter. That's what he thinks anyway. He is not in tune with a mother's need to brag. (Apparently, he doesn't read my blog.)

Anyway, the photo, which is a nice keepsake, will eventually find its way into a frame and scrapbook for posterity. And it couldn't have come at a better time. We needed a little pick-me-up around here.

A very dear friend of Jim's died yesterday following various complications from an amputation surgery several weeks ago. Although, he somewhat expected the possibility, Jim was still shocked and obviously deeply saddened. Davey was not only a friend, but a mentor, taking Jim under his wing as they worked the sports desk together at the daily newspaper here for many years.

Jim often is heard saying, "My old sports editor used to say..." or "Did I tell you about the time Davey..." So many memories that will now be keepsakes in the hearts of good friends and family. On Saturday, Jim will have the honor of sharing some of those stories at the memorial service. I give him credit for accepting the invitation from Davey's wife, but I can't imagine how hard it will be for him. All I can do is just stand by him and support him in any way I can.

As usual, God is using the situation as a reminder not to take what we have and who we have for granted. I love my husband and our boys. I am so blessed my dad seems to be improving this week and that I have both my parents and all my siblings with me. Not to mention numerous special friends who have touched my heart along my life's journey, each creating a unique keepsake of a memory for me.

Just thinking of you gives me the pick-me-up I need. Thanks!!

Different Strokes for Different Folks

We all have our hobbies or special interests. You know mine include writing, scrapbooking, golfing (trying), running (trying) and eating ice cream (succeeding). It's amazing how different each person's is -- even people in your own family.

Take my nephew Zach, for instance. He's a cowboy at heart -- and professionally. He is a horse trainer and farrier and does some sort of roping and sorting competition that earns him world titles and belt buckles as big as a Thanksgiving turkey platter.

At one time, he also served as a "guide for hire" taking rich folks on their big hunting excursions out West. This week, the tables are turned and he is the hunter, learning from a special group of guides known to most cable television viewers as the SWAMP PEOPLE. Not kidding. Somehow through his vast connections, he got flown down to Louisiana on a private jet and went huntin' gators with the Swamp People today.

Want to see how he did?

Zach (the handsome cowboy at left) said it took a "10-minute fight" to haul in this 10-foot gator. "What a rush," he said.

Uhm, to each his own, I guess. I wouldn't be caught dead trying that! Actually, if I did try it, I would be caught AND dead. Uff da. That kid has officially topped the Redneck Scale.

And I couldn't love him more. Just hope he comes back in one piece!

My sister Rayna and brother-in-law Paul just returned from a 2-week vacation in Alaska, which included a week on a cruise and a week on land, doing such daring things as riding some sort of tram on cables up one of the tallest mountains. Uhm, heck no. That sounds too dangerous for this fear-of-heights woman. I almost need to take an anxiety pill thinking about it!

Glad they could cross that adventure off their bucket list, though. Sounds like a great time in a beautiful part of America.

I am looking forward to our own adventure out East in a few weeks. I think the most daring thing will be crossing Lake Champlain on an hour-long ferry ride, hoping no hurricanes are messing up the weather then. Of course, some would say spending 7 days in a car with your spouse is pretty scary in its own right.

That's us... living on the edge!

What do YOU do for heart-stopping fun??

I Like Mondays that Start on Tuesday

It's the day after Labor Day so you know what that means.... I need to keep my whites in the closet, start working on my bikini body for next summer... and get up on the second, rather than third, snooze so we don't get stuck behind the school bus!

That was my first mistake today. Now that it's just a bit darker in the morning, it's just a bit harder to get up so early. Or am I the only one having this problem?

Since Carter has been in school since Wednesday, I sort of forgot about the first day of public school today and our 6:47 a.m. bus stop. If we are out the door before 6:45, we beat it. Otherwise, I best keep my mouth shut on the ride to work!

I liked work today. Coming in on your "Monday" to realize it's Tuesday is always a bonus... if your Monday work is done. I did pretty well in the productivity department knowing tonight would be full.

Carter had cross-country practice after school -- in the 90-degree heat -- then he had to play in Pep Band for the varsity volleyball game. I gladly went to the match to watch the girls try to beat Wausau Newman at some sport. Didn't happen though. The band, however, sounded good for their first outing of the school year. Ha.

While we were inside, it stormed quick and fierce. Thunder, lightning, wind and hard rain. Was planning to get to the car wash and there is no need now. Yay. As a bonus, there is a nice clean breeze drifting through the house. Should be super sleeping whether.

Just gotta remember to get up on the second snooze!! G'nite!

Labor Day

While we didn't have to report to the office for work today, we did our share of labor. Nothing overwhelming, mind you, just putzy little projects.

Hubby was working on the back deck, cleaning it in preparation for some maintenance and painting. Normally, I would have been mad that he commandeered my tanning space, but the sun wasn't shining enough to bother. Rain threatened all day, but might not arrive 'til tonight.

So I got a little run in and noticed the neighbor's sunflowers in bloom. I always say I'm going to take pictures and I forget. I took several today because the bees were definitely laboring. However, the sunflower seeds are a few weeks away from appearing. So you'll get some early-stage sunflower photos with some busy bees in a few shots. But first the rest of the exciting day...

Not really. I made some Rice Krispie bars with my own recipe. (Totally domestic, I know.) Did you know they have Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cereal? It looks like Kix but tastes way better. Anyway, instead of using all Rice Krispie cereal, I did like 4 cups of that and mixed in 2 cups of the Reese's cereal. Then I melted some chocolate-peanut butter chips and spread that on top. Um, yeah, it's good stuff.

After the hard work in the kitchen, I went grocery shopping, visited my friend Christine, who is recovering from knee surgery and another birthday (poor girl), then came home and grilled out supper so it would seem like a real Labor Day.

At some point, I asked Carter about homework. I'm not in that habit yet. Apparently, neither is he. He got done what he remembered to bring home but forgot his English in his locker. Good thing he has a study hall first hour. This is not a good way to start the school year. And he's been told that.

I think he got distracted trying to decorate his "man cave" in the basement. He found a flashing red light at a garage sale and now he's on this light kick. He's making the TV/video game/exercise room a funky place. We'll probably never see him on the main floor again. Oh wait, he does tend to eat!

That reminds me, I better go have another Krispie treat before those are gone!

Enjoy the photos...