And Luck Ran Out

Last week when I looked at my calendar marking my "Days out of the office" I felt like I'd won the jackpot. I mean 777 is pretty lucky on the slots, isn't it? Not so much on this calendar, though.

While 777 looked good last week and the thought I might be back there in 45 days was OK news, too, the 783 was the best number in that many days. Because that's how many days I outran "IT". And that's why 784 is the worst day.

That's the day IT caught me.

After finding no lasting relief from those "spring allergy" symptoms I was battling, all week, I took the plunge. Or I should say, I took the swipe.

The "positive" line on the test showed up in 2 seconds flat. No sense delaying the obvious news. 

Damn.

Doesn't matter from who, what, why, where or when. That won't change anything. This princess has been banished to her tower! And majorly bummed since we had "planned" a concert tonight, two weddings tomorrow, and trip to see friends on Sunday. All off the books now. But at least I'm the only positive here.

And when I get off the Pity Pot, I'll remember I'm grateful I am fully vaccinated and boosted. I'd prefer these "allergies" to having a ventilator tube stuck down my throat. 

As I often say: Be careful out there.

Caught a Bug?

Stupid Stink Bugs are invading the house again! They aren't the only ones. I think cold and flu bugs are going around, too. And, for this girl, spring allergies.

I don't get them every year – just the ones where there are extreme temperatures changes like, oh say, this past weekend. Several hours outside on Saturday and Sunday when it was in the 60s. Then drops like a dead bug down to the 20s and 30s. Eww. That is gross, isn't it?

So I've had the dry, scratchy throat that always reminds me of strep. But was quickly followed by the pesky cough and my favorite – stinging, water eyes. 

Still like this bug better than a stink bug. Just wish the anti-allergy meds didn't make me feel out of it. Yes, I take the daytime, non-drowsy ones, but I still feel like I'm walking around with my head floating above me like a helium balloon.

Again, I still love spring better than winter. Come what may.

Speaking of May... Just 4 days away and I was wearing my winter coat and hat shooting some pictures of Lincoln High School baseball tonight. So not spring-like. I'll back for another game on a nicer day. Mainly because I was there to photograph two players and one was there and the other one forgot his uniform. 

I guess I'm not the only one out of it.

Be careful out there!

Snow Delay

Well guess what happened to the spring sports schedule today? It got wiped clean. Again.

This time not because of rain or snow. But COLD. It's a balmy 34 degrees right now with a 27-degree windchill. This photographer thanks them for call it off. But I realize we are in for a huge mess with the schedule as more and more games get pushed off for one reason or another!

For today, though, I'm inside and warm and about to snuggle under a blanket and watch This Is Us. 

Look at me having a slow and uneventful day?! It can be done.

Go Royals!

Out of Hibernation

Guess who's out of hibernation? That's right. Mr. Deck Chair is back! But don't let the picture fool you. It was not as nice as it looked.

But with that wind today, it was definitely cooler than yesterday. Still, plenty of spring weather!

After church today, my walking legs also came out of hibernation. My neighbor and I did the 4-mile hike around Lake Wazeecha for the first time this year. Last year we had mild winter weather and walked much of January. Not so for 2022. But it was a good walk and we had plenty to catch up on – including "when are we going golfing?' All the important stuff.

After the walk, I did my Saturday chores, which I should just say "weekend" since they're rarely done on Saturday. And then dug our Mr. Deck Chair and sat down for a minutes. Not wearing shorts or anything crazy. Just wanted to feel the warmth of the sun on my face.

Later, we visited Jim's parents and then I talked on the phone with my mom. Glad Sunday "visits" are also out of hibernation.

Also glad that we had this nice weekend since spring wants to go back into hibernation – and it'll be another week of un-spring-sportsmanlike weather.

Yawn.

Spring Finally Sprung

I don't want to jinx it by saying spring has finally sprung. But I mean that it has finally sprung – for a day.

Somehow we got up to 76 degrees here in central Wisconsin. I didn't quite feel that warm thanks to a pretty steady cloud cover and very steady wind!

If you can believe, I did curl my hair before heading into town today. Obviously, I wasn't aware of the wind. And that it required super-powered '80s AquaNet. Not just regular hairspray!

Even with hair in my eyes, I somehow managed to shoot a ton of photos of our Lady Royals soccer team. Finally got a game. They are 7-0 overall this season so far and piled on the goals for an 11-2 win over Aquinas this afternoon. Pretty fun to watch!

Soccer requires power and stamina...

And guts and determination ...

And a tough skin! Ouch. It's quit an aggressive sport. Keep up the great work, ladies!

Hubby enjoyed the warm weather by going golfing. Now he's up in Rudolph singing with the choir and church (and socializing afterward). And I've got some windows open and am enjoying some girly TV.

Mother Nature, you have my permission to keep the sprung spring around!

Beat the Clock

I feel like I've been in a Cinderella story all week. No handsome prince – just trying to beat the clock and get into bed by midnight the past few nights. To do that, I had to skip blogging. But I'll give you a quick lowdown of the fun...

On Wednesday, I literally got home about one minute to midnight. My friend Cindy and I finally got to see Dear Evan Hansen – the last show from our 2019/2020 season ticket package. Just 4 words about that: Well worth the wait!

OK, maybe more than 4. It was in incredible show. We read the book and saw the movie and listened to the "soundtrack." But the live Broadway performance exceeded our expectations. We laughed a lot and cried, too. Had a big lump in my throat for quite a while after its conclusion. Just so good. See the Appleton paper's review of it here to learn more about it. And go if you can!

Thursday was all about baseball. And a late night editing pictures. Why are these Royals fans cheering? Well, a couple of reasons. One is that we had our first victory of the season with our 7-1 win over Port Edwards. Two is that we had to borrow some players, sort of, to make it happen.

Our roster is small to begin with and with two players out, we were down to just 8 available to suit up yesterday. If you don't follow baseball ever – you need 9 players for a full team. I mean it's not illegal to have 8, but 9 works best. So we had 2 members of the golf team and 1 from track and field suit up. I don't think he'd played since elementary school, so the fans were pretty excited when he not only swung and made contact with the ball, but got a double and eventually scored.

I know it's always a lot more fun to win. But this was just fun to see a school come together to make a team. Loved it! Maybe those 3 will stay on? Never count out anything these days.

Friday (today) was a long, rainy day. First work, then workout, then meeting friends at Homestead first, then Layla's for fish fries. Except it was very busy and took forever to get a table for 7. Ended up finally eating about 8:45. According to my husband, the rich eat late! So there must have been others who got their food after we did! 

Just got home and I'm determined to get to bed before midnight AND get 8 hours of sleep. My mind says I should "Live like there's no midnight," but my body says, "You turned on your heated mattress pad the minute you walked in the door – who are you kidding?"

Time for bed, Cinderella!

More Easter Blessings

It was a gorgeous day today! I have to thank God and Mother Nature for not gifting us with any snow while we slept.

Instead it was sunny – still cool in the 40s, but not as cool as our catcher on the softball team. Ha.

After a busy day, I did manage to catch the second half of the game versus Auburndale. The Lady Royals beat them 5-0 and I got to see all the runs, so that was a nice bonus. 

The game got done in time for me to race over to the baseball game. We were down 19-0 and had 2 outs and the bases loaded. I saw us score our one run before the game ended. So I guess that was sort of nice. But yeah, not a happy day for the boys.

We did have a happy evening, though. Carter and Mamie just got here. He survived his eventful travels to and from D.C. and will be heading back on Saturday for a week. At least the Easter bunny finally got to deliver his goodies to the "kids."

I'm still hoping the streak of no snow continues. That would be a great Easter week blessing. Thanks in advance, powers that be!

Tired of Re-Runs

Tired of waking up to the same view – different day. Seriously, it was a green Easter Sunday. Then we go to sleep, being none the wiser, and winter sneaks back in.

So spring sports were called off. Again. And I don't know if everything will be rescheduled. Probably baseball and softball for sure since they were supposed to play up at Auburndale. And supposed to host Auburndale tomorrow. (Please cooperate, Mother Nature!). Golf was to take place just down the road at The Ridges. Who knows if that'll get rescheduled. And I was going to shoot track and field at the new Nekoosa facility. I do hope to see that some day (maybe a warm one!).

So without those plans, I just worked, got myself a deep-tissue massage after that, then went to Book Club at Applebee's (relocated from Perkins, which was closed – not weather related). That worked out for me.

And I could taste the food fine there and at home today. So whatever cold or ickyness I had, it seems to have passed. Leave it to COVID checklists to make us all over-paranoid about every little thing. Just grateful for the NEGATIVE experience. I have more plans this week that I don't want canceled due to virus – or weather.

Hope you're listening, Ol' Man Winter. You are so last season!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! Hope your status today was "blessed"! It was wonderful to celebrate in church in person today for the first Easter since 2019. Crazy to think about, isn't it?

Our choir sang at the beginning of both services today. Then I went home and got things going for Easter dinner. Apple-Snicker "salad" in the fridge, cheesy potatoes in the crockpot, and ham in the oven. Sounds like Easter to me! Our plan was to take it all over to my in-laws around 4 p.m.

I ran into a minor snag at 3 p.m. when I was taste-testing the ham and potatoes and was disappointed how bland they were. Then Jim tasted, and he said they were both good. I started to question if I could taste anything! Was it because my nose was a bit stuffed up? Or something else?

I was shoving all kinds of different foods in my mouth. 

Could taste the tart apples in the salad but not the Snickers. Easter candy didn't leave an impression either. We all know losing a sense of taste or smell could be a sign of COVID. That and fatigue. See yesterday's blog. Needless to say, we both were thinking it.

In the end, Jim ran the food into his parents, but didn't stay to eat with them – just as a precaution. And he picked up a home COVID test on the way home. Not at all how we planned Easter.

The good news is that I tested negative (it's probably just this congestion). And the great news is that He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Hope you had a blessed, worry-free Easter!!

Some Bunny Was Lazy

This is the extent of the work the Easter Bunny has to do around here this year. Carter is in Washington, D.C., for work and Mamie is back home. Hubby just happened to mention these Cadbury mini-eggs the other day. I had no idea he liked them so much. I mean the Easter Bunny probably knew. 

So after a morning photo shoot, I stopped by the grocery store to get some essentials for tomorrow's big dinner and they had some of these among their minimal Easter treat inventory. Sweet!

And yes, they are sweet as well. I put them on Jim's recliner and when he got home from his hair cut – and yes, a shave – he was happy to get a visit from the E.B. a day early. I had a few (or more) and yes, I see why he likes them.

That was about all I expended energy on today. I took a nap on the couch for some reason – totally unlike me – and passed on going to see a friend's band tonight. Gonna hit the hay and hope I am just tired because of dealing with Empty Easter Basket syndrome. 

Probably having scrambled Cadbury eggs for breakfast will re-energize me in the morning. Some bunny told me they're good for any meal!

Doing Good

May the darkest night end and may the sun shine on all of us today.

I'm fortunate enough to work for a company that allowed me a long lunch today to attend Good Friday service at my church. Plus, I kind of needed to be there since there were only 3 of us sopranos available to sing with the choir. 

It was a somber song but also was a positive one for us because it was the first time we (the choir) could sing in church since winter of early 2020. We're looking forward to Sunday when we can really express our joy as we sing "Christ is risen!"

Always a somber message on Good Friday but also a good reminder about how much God loves us – and if we look around, how many of our friends and family love us, too. Feeling very blessed!

Had to go back to work for the rest of the day but tonight Jim and I went out to eat to get a fish fry. For you locals, we tried the Junkyard Bar and Grill (formerly Octane), which came highly recommended. Place was full but we did get a table – and did have to wait an hour for our food. But it was very delicious!

We had similar waiting situations elsewhere last week at a different venue. Everyone's short-staffed these days so it's best we aren't short-tempered about it. Pretty sure there are more pressing things going on in the world right now than how quickly we get our deep-fried food!

As we witness God's love again this season, let's see if we can keep paying it forward. In patience and kindness to start. 

Wishing you blessings and joy this Easter weekend!

We're the Forty-Niners

Ended the day on top of the world. Well, on top of a Wisconsin list of wind gusts today anyway. There's Wisconsin Rapids at 49 mph. I know it can't compare to my fam in Minneapolis – 59 mph is just bragging, isn't it?– but it was pretty wicked out there. Even had a windchill! 

Still, I'm pretty happy that this was the view at 7:30 p.m.

Why yes, that is daylight out there! It might be windy, but that didn't rush the sunset. Yay!

Also good news is that nothing blew away – as far as we know. And, more importantly...

The spring colors are out for brooms! Just in time for these wind gusty days. Ladies, let's ride in style!

Leftovers

Our friend's garage sale was a smashing success last weekend, despite un-garage-sale-like weather. At lunch today, Jim and I went to pick up the tables we loaned plus the leftover items and, oh yeah, some cash!

For simplicity, every item out of the this house had R.A. for the initials on it. But Carter and Mamie used a a black Sharpee and I used red – because I knew from past experience we'd get all our tags back as part of our friend's diligent accounting system! 

The kids didn't quite make enough to fill a tank of gas, but they'll be happy with anything. Thanks to a few items priced over $20, my profit jumped up to triple digits for the first time in a long time. So that was cool. And we really didn't have a ton of leftovers.

Thankfully things like golf clubs and some weird round chair sold. So no big items came back. Just a few boxes that I had to decide what to do with. Donate them or hold them to see if they'll see at another sale? I know what superstar organizer and declutterer Marie Kondo would say, but I wasn't inviting her to the conversation. Instead I reached out to friends on Facebook – just in case someone was having a sale in the very very near future.

Nobody was having one soon enough for me. So I loaded all but the leftover books into my car and dropped it off at Goodwill.

I know there are other worthy donation organizations but this happens to be right next door to where I was working out so I had no excuse but to unload it all after class. 

The books, though, I will put on a friend's sale this summer and donate some to the various "little lending libraries" around town. I completely forgot about that option until someone mentioned it. Since some of the books were great book club reads, it only makes sense to get them out there where people who enjoy reading want them. How did I not think about this before?

For once I know what to do with leftovers. Besides wait for them to get old and toss them out!

Thanks for everyone's input!

April Showers Bring... Hail

Apparently the warmest day of the year (so far) wasn't meant to bring sunshiny happiness to all. Instead, the high winds moved some storms out West into the Midwest in no time.

So even though the school bus took the baseball and softball teams north to Stratford. They were coming home before game time – thanks to rain and lightning. So I went to workout instead. While inside the gym, we could hear the rain pounding hard as the lights went out. Then we stepped outside and we were...

"Oh hail!"

No wonder the "rain" was so loud.

My car wasn't damaged. It just served as a hail holder!

Oh the drive home, it was like a normal winter commute with a path cleared on each side of the road. There was steam on the left side of the road. Sure enough, the temp had dropped 20 degrees to 43. The warmed up earth was in just as much shock as we were.

So I got a free night. Baked some cranberry bars and am catching up on Virgin River (one episode left to go of Season 3) and This is Us (last season but plenty of crying left to do). 

Just good to be home. I know there's wicked weather everywhere and more is coming this way, too. Be smart and be safe!

 

Gotta Start Somewhere

The sun was out. The field was ready. The temp was close to 60 degrees. A perfect day to start the baseball season. 

Until it wasn't.

The Royals had their home opener today against the always powerful Stratford Tigers. (I have to say that since my father-in-law and his brothers played their years and years and years ago.) The scoreboard wasn't working at Witter Field so it was hard to keep track of how things were going – other than orange uniforms were crossing home plate and Royal blue ones were not.

In the end, we lost 12-0 in 5 innings. Lots of work to be done. But they hopefully shook off the cobwebs and will be ready to go go go! Because tomorrow they head back up to Stratford, then jump into a busy schedule after Easter.

Didn't get much for action shots, but I always love me some baseball pitchers!

And my favorite shot. We didn't get the guy out but junior Ryan Shaw hopped up to make the catch. Nice!

Let's have a good season, Royals!!

Master of My Sunday

Nothing is as gorgeous in early April as Augusta National. We don't just watch The Master because it's good golf, it's also beautiful and gets us in the mood to play. Not today though.

Even though it was allegedly 58 and sunny. It was windy and cold and we weren't going to swing any clubs in person. Plus had baseball practice early and then church late this afternoon. I had church early but then worked on a photo project all day. I had a deadline. 

But I did sneak in several minutes of golf watching when I could. I thought it was going to come down to the wire with Scheffler and the Aussie Mullet Man, but no, Scottie pulled away with the victory. 

And I just finished editing the last of my photos in time for bed. But I didn't consider it a Sunday wasted. I was doing things I enjoy. And chuckling a lot looking down at my new coffee mug...

Is that not hilarious? Seriously the best thank-you gift I've ever gotten! I'm pretty sure I've told you a family had young girls who called us Mr. and Mrs. Awesome (because it sounds like Austin, right?). And that stuck with some other people around here. So the Mrs. Awesome on the mug is accurate but the rest? Hmmm.

I guess if you can be anything in life, be kind... And be a pole-dancing unicorn! 

And that thought should keep me giggling through the whole darn week! Let's have a good one!

Saturday at the Park

Although it LOOKED like a lovely Saturday to spend in the park, that Sun didn't exactly jack up the mercury too far today.

But it was a bit warmer than Tuesday so I did enjoy two full softball games. And two Royal victories. And got lots of pictures. 

That was pretty much the day. We both went to the early game versus Pacelli at 11 a.m. Then Jim had to sing in church choir in Rudolph this afternoon, so he went there and I went back to Robinson Park for our second game around 4 p.m., when we beat Laconia.

Tonight I'm home alone since the kids went back to Potosi area and Jim's fellowshipping after church. So I watched what I missed of The Masters today. Yes, I am one of those dorks. And tomorrow should be another good day to watch.

Except it might actually FEEL like spring tomorrow, not just LOOK it. Hope so. In the meantime, enjoy a few more action shots. Go Royals!

That's How a Week Should End

This is how every work week should end. Watch a bit of golf after work. Take the kids out for a fish fry – even if takes going to 3 places before we found one with a table available. Enjoy a super good meal (Thanks, Fallback Bar) and great company.

Then walk outside to this view.

Definitely a nice treat – without the calories – and a reminder that even though temperatures barely got above freezing and it rained and it snowed today, Mother Nature comes through once in awhile.

Please pardon me while I go turn my electric mattress pad on rather than sing any further praises. She's gonna have to earn that. Bump the temps up another 20 degrees and we'll talk.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Turkey Crossing

Why did the turkeys cross the road? To get to the other side... And out of the rain. I guess they're smarter than we give them credit for.

Well, I mean, I did stay inside all day. So I guess I'm smart, too. But I'd rather not have to dodge raindrops for another solid 24 hours.

Yeah, I feel like Eeyore on the gloomy days in the Hundred Acre Wood. It's cloudy and gloomy and downright depressing. 

So I binged the rest of Bridgerton tonight on Netflix until I got over it. But then realized I probably have to wait a year for the next season. And that's a bit depressing, too. What a vicious cycle!

Too bad there's not a Turkey Crossing sign somewhere so we can escape. This lovely spring weather is for the birds.

Castles in the Clouds

One thing I like about Facebook is that every day you have an opportunity to view your "memories" of posts you made on this day in previous years. I don't even look at them every day but today popped up and I wondered why I had a memory with Carter. Well, 3 years ago I was visiting him for a long weekend in Germany!

What an adventure. Seeing him and the Heidelberg Castle up on the hill. And exactly 3 years ago today...

We hopped a train with croissants in hand and headed to France for the day. Because we could.

We both said that it seems way longer than 3 years ago. I think this pandemic has warped our sense of time. It's been 2 very long years. And we are super grateful that it was 3 years ago – not 2 – that he was studying abroad for a semester. There's no way that would have worked out for him in 2020 or 2021. 

And we both would have missed out on those amazing French pastries!

Of course, not all memories that popped up today were so sweet. Some were bittersweet.

This was my dad and me 9 years ago today. Knowing he was declining, I decided that as a gift to him, I'd cheer for the Packers for one day. Or the 4 hours we were with him anyway. I guess we knew then that either Hell was freezing over or he was on his last days.

He did last another 6 weeks after that but I never donned the green and gold again. Nor will I. Now that the king of our castle is up in the clouds.

Again, with that pandemic time warp, I've had no sense of how long Dad's been gone. Nine years seems like a lifetime ago. Or yesterday. Depending on the day. And when I see this picture of us together, the clouds are breaking up and raindrops are falling on my cheeks.

I'm reminded how short life can be. Do those things you want to do in case you can't later. Hop on that train or plane. Climb the castle. Go see that friend or loved one. 

You'll be grateful when it pops up in a future "memory."

Batter, Up!

Mother Nature cooperated today. If by cooperating we mean she held off the rain during the Assumption softball home opener. But if we mean surviving 40+ degrees and wind, then no, not cooperative.

Still, the game was on! And our Lady Royals defeated Phillips 6-3. My camera and my fingers are both still cold, I think! But it was good to get back at it and watch these talented girls – plus capture a few action shots like these...

And the game got done just in time to stop at the town hall and vote! That's when the rain started. Thanks, Mother Nature.

I guess.

Looking forward to some warmer game days and a lot more victories! Let's go, Royals!