Cloud Control

It was race night in La Crosse for the Tundra Series our nephew is competing in this summer. So after work, hubby and I headed down to cheer on Colin.

We had been keeping an eye on the weather all day since they said "chance of storms" for the afternoon and evening. Although it as sunny for qualifying, by the time Colin ran his first heat race – where he took second, by the way – we could see the dark clouds approaching.

Stock car racing is one of those sports you can't do in the rain. No wipers on cars and the track surface can get pretty slippery. We were looking at the radar on our phones and figured there was no way they could get in the 35-lap feature for the truck race and the 50-lap super late model race Colin was running in.

The track organizers (bless them) ended up skipping a bunch of heat races to get the main events done before those clouds opened up on us. Miracle of miracles, they got the truck race done and Colin's feature only had some sprinkles going. Not enough to stop the race – there were enough cautions the way it was.

Colin was second for a few laps, then, after some contact was sent to the back of the pack of 24 cars. He ended up maneuvering his way toward the front and ended up with a 6th-place finish. That was good, hard work. And fun to see.

As a bonus, those dark rain clouds gave way to a spectacular sunset. Who knew Mother Nature had it in her?

Well done.

Rain Date

Since I had to take a rain check on birthday golf and dinner last night, hubby and I had our rain date tonight.

Very pleasant evening at The Ridges, just a few miles from home. Not hot and not rainy and just enough breeze to keep the skeeters at bay.

We golfed the back 9. This is the hole that we have kayaked to from Nepco Lake. So naturally, my kayaking heart willed my drive to go into the water. Dang. Still looks like a long way to the green (see flag far right). But it is so pretty. How can one complain?

A friend was golfing alone and joined us on our 4th hole since he was cruising along. That was fine. I'll blame him that my game fell apart at that point. It should have gotten better, though, since he pointed out I was golfing from the "senior" tees. What?

I did shoot my age so that was cool. Well, plus another half-dozen strokes for good measure.

Afterward, we had some dinner and headed home at a decent time when we remembered that it's not Friday. Date night, yes, but still a "school night" as we used to call them when we have to work in the morning.

I'm just glad we got out. Might have to do it again Saturday for our anniversary and Monday again for Jim's birthday. And next time I'm not golfing from the "senior" tees. No, I don't qualify. And yes, I'm losing my sense of humor with age.

Fore!

Birthday Wishes Come True

When 4 out of 5 well-wishers recommend you enjoy your birthday with ice cream, you sorta gotta follow through.

A Wednesday birthday meant a normal work day (with decorated desk and treats). A rainy birthday meant no golfing or kayaking.

So I went to kickboxing and my fellow Wonder Woman kicker Gwen took me out for ice cream after class. It's a law that calories keep burning until midnight of your birthday. We enjoyed some salted caramel chocolate chunk something or other that was called Now This Is Serious.

This is serious birthday celebrating alright.

Was glad I was able to at least see my twin this past weekend. And I got a call from my momma. So it's all good. Of course the icing on the proverbial cake (nope, not a real one) was a nice card and hug from the boy. And then there's that new camera in my future, thanks to a Best Buy gift card from hubby to get me going.

I don't care what age I am – and no, this is not a birthday with a zero at the end of it – I love my birthday. It's fun to be a princess for the day and hear from so many friends and family through phone calls, cards, texts, emails and Facebook messages.

Of course, I'm going to have to stretch this celebration out at least until the end of the month. I don't think my single scoop meets the recommended requirement.

Shooting Stars

So about this trapshooting business. Finally getting around to looking at my pictures, which are barely blog worthy but it was such a different experience, I have to share.

My twin sister's step-grandson Ian is 14 years old and on the Blue Hills Shooting Stars team from the Chippewa Falls area. Since this is his first year shooting, he is on the JV team (just like other sports) but still could compete in this state competition.

Apparently there are a lot of big competitions at this facility in our backyard. The Wisconsin Trapshooting Association (WTA) Homegrounds opened just 5 years but are very well-known for the trapshooting crowd. Which obviously isn't me.

Tucked on a side road in Adams County, I did not know this existed. This is looking to the west. You can't see much because this "range" (I think it's called) is a mile long. This facility sits on 280 acres. There are 30 trap fields that offer a wide variety of trapshooting experiences. There is American style trapshooting as well as an Olympic bunker for international-style trapshooting.

For reals. See the aerial (not taken by me, by the way)? Each of those paved white areas have shooting stations for 5 people.

Like so. Ian's team happened to have just 4 shooters.

There is call box next to each shooter. They say "Pull!" when they are ready and the guys in the cement blind in front of them release the orange clay pigeons in a random direction. Obviously, the goal then is to hit it and get points.

Scorekeepers sit in chairs behind the shooters and keep tabs. Just an FYI, Ian and those other three are the same age. Ian is built like his dad and grandpa (my brother-in-law Steve).

Need proof?

Let's talk guns.

Uhm, I know nothing about them. But they are some sort of shotgun. Isn't it? I know Ian's is a 1940s gun belonging to his grandpa or great-grandpa on his mom's side.

And they shoot these shells. Not bullets, but shells. See how smart I am?

Ian wears a pouch that holds the spent shells. Otherwise you just pick them all up from the ground after the shoot.

The Shooting Stars were competing/shooting from fields 2, 3 and 4. I'm guessing part of the reason this facility could be developed was through generous donations. That's great.

Here the coach gives some pointers (literally, haha) before a round.

The competitors shoot 5 rounds from each station at the field.

They get a break, check their scores and shoot another round of 25 total shots.

The competition is done after 100 rounds are shot.

Some of these young kids are pretty good.

The guns are taller than they are!

 Well, some of them!

Ian had his best round with the last grouping when he hit 21 out of 25 clay targets. Nice.

I think it would be fun to try. Sort of like baseball. There's no time for hesitation. Just point and shoot.

Sounds easy but no, it takes skills. Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law for exposing me to a new world.

Just Chillin'

I feel bad for my friends in the Southwest. They have been suffering through a lengthy, even dangerous heat wave. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, for all those who mock me and my year-round electric mattress pad, I bet you wish you had it this morning!

The wake-up temperature was pretty nippy. In fact, hubby and I added a blanket last night. The windows weren't open but we couldn't escape the chill in the air. This morning, each time I hit the snooze, I burrowed further and further into my blanket fort.

B-r-r. Just b-r-r.

Hopefully between the Midwest and the Southwest there is a happy medium. Let's hope the mercury rises knee-high by the 4th of July. Which I suppose for a vertically challenged individual like me is 47 degrees. Dang.

To warm up, I went to kickboxing class tonight. Missed last week and it feels like I've been gone a month. Definitely ramped up the sweat beads. Had a cool down walk with my neighbor Cindy when I got home.

Not too cool. But I have my mattress pad on again, just in case.

Cloudy With A Chance of Ice Cream

Mother Nature was having major mood swings today. She couldn't decide if she should be happy and sunny or cloudy and gloomy or pouring rain. Either way, she was playing it cool. Like in the 50s cool.

But I found some warmth in a visit from an old friend. Well, I should say longtime, not old. We are the same age.

Sometimes the only way to keep a date is to write it in Sharpee on the calendar. My Luck High School bestie Julie and I always talk about getting together more often but life gets in the way. A month ago or so, we both realized Sunday, June 25, was open on our calendars so we made a date.

She drove up from the Madison area and got here around 11 a.m. Since the weather was cooperating for the moment, we took a walk around Lake Wazeecha.

We managed to make the 4-mile trek without a drop of rain. Even some sun! We must be in amazing shape because we were able to talk the whole way without taking a breath! That's the blessing of friends. Your conversation can pick right up where it left off. And you never run out of things to say.

Since we were burning major calories, we went straight from the lake to the river, where Julie treated me to a pre-birthday lunch at Anchor Bay. Because it was cold, windy and rainy, we had no trouble getting a table in the typically busy hot spot on the river. We both had a great bacon cheeseburger and fries. We were pretty full.

But not completely. There's always room for some...

Did you doubt it? Hey, she requested it so I had to comply. It was pouring so when we ran out to the car with our treat, we might have gotten some raindrops on them. We figure that made them "diet" treats so there was no remorse. Plus all that talking and walking... we were still burning calories.

Julie left around 3 p.m. It was such a nice visit. Nice to talk without our previous distractions like scrapbooking, grad parties and, unfortunately, funerals. Feel LUCKY to have a friendship span more than 3 decades.

She totally puts the Forever in BFF.

Never Too Old to Learn Something New

I was blessed to have a visit from my twin sister and her husband today. It just happened that their grandson was competing in a statewide trapshooting event held in the nearby town of Rome. So Raylene and Steve arrived early to bond with the Austins.

I knew Raylene wanted to try kayaking for the first time so Jim and I got the kayaks ready so I could take her out when they got here. We borrowed our neighbor's truck to haul them so I did something new today, too. I drove a truck for the first time ever! Feeling tough now.

I took Raylene to Lake Wazeecha. Not much in the way of boat traffic today but boy, was it windy! She had to learn to paddle right away as we were fighting the waves and wind resistance. She did good!

We even managed a twin selfie without tipping over. Somehow her pants were all wet by the time we got back, but she was smart and packed a spare pair. Due to the time schedule for the trapshoot event, we couldn't paddle long but I think it was long enough she caught kayak fever!

I went with them down to watch Ian shoot. I didn't even know this large facility was located 20 minutes from our house. Will blog more about that another day. I learned a lot of new things there!

It was super windy there, too, so I think it was quite the challenge hitting those bright orange clay pigeons that seemed to have minds of their own in the wind. Ian did well for a first-year shooter.

Grandpa Steve and Grandma Raylene were very proud!

We went back to our house and I managed to treat my sister to King Cone before they left town. Priorities. Plus it was our pre-birthday celebration.

This evening was spent around a campfire for a neighborhood party and potluck.

We somehow dodged the rain and it turned out to be a very nice night. A great ending to a long and full day.

TGFFF (Thank God For Flat Friends)

I don't always take Flat Stanley with me on social engagements, but when I do, he's not Stanley.

As most people know, the Flat Stanley Project was started to facilitate letter-writing by schoolchildren to each other as they document where Flat Stanley has accompanied them. I think due to social media it has morphed into other "Flat" people, pets and objects. People of all ages are sharing their good times with those who can't be with them beyond the flat sheet of paper.

Tonight I took my friend Flat Kristin with me to meet up with our friend Laura. The three of us were ace reporters in the Marinette-Menominee area oh some 25 years ago. We are actually reuniting in person – not flatly – 5 weeks from today when Kristin is back in Wisconsin.

Tonight, though, Laura's daughter was playing in a softball tournament in nearby Plover so we let our Flat friend know we were thinking about her better half in Seattle!

It was nice to visit with Laura and her hubby (I was in their wedding back in the day) and watch their daughter play – and win. They'll be close by all weekend but I won't see them. I have other plans with other special ladies.

And none of them are flat. And I mean that in the kindest way.

Wet Walkabout

When it rains all day, College Boy doesn't work. And Momma doesn't get any steps.

Took a walk about the neighborhood after the rain finally stopped around 7 p.m. Missed the rainbow, I guess, but still saw plenty of drops clinging to inanimate objects, waiting for my attention.

If you click on photo to enlarge, there are little spider webs even!

You can tell by the intersection photo that we've gotten rain all day. Nothing was soaking through the sand yet.

Neighbor chickens were hunting for big, fat, juicy worms.

And this guy was bugging me. Just walked right next to me. Don't worry, he's not even as big as my thumbnail. (Which, in my opinion, is still too big when it comes to bugs!)

Trying to be artsy. There is a reflection of our street sign in the puddle. If you don't see it, just say, nice puddle.

There are green things growing in my garden!

This is probably a weed in my backyard but I can just say it's a pretty yellow-bell flower of some kind.

There was more than one so it has to be a weed or wildflower. What I purposely plant does not grow.

Hopefully this rain will get our last grass seeds to take. And green up the sod next to the driveway. If not, there are plenty of things to do on sunny days besides sit and admire the lawn.

There's always something interesting on my wet and dry walkabouts.