Physical Labor for the Win

Last week, our Dumpster arrived. With hopes of us filling it with all of our siding. And maybe a few extra things we definitely could live without.

As luck and our schedules would have it, we got very little done while Mother Nature did not let up on the rain. Today was finally our full day home and brother-in-law Baird was available, too.

They worked outside my corner office windows and I didn't care. It was the sound of progress!

There was only one bee incident for hubby. The west side of the house/garage when they moved the kayaks out of the way. Uh-oh! Glad they spotted it before the bees found Jim!

Today after work I did my part, trying to pull as many nails as I could from the old siding, etc. I got a few rows of my height level but there is more to be done. I honestly didn't want to venture out on ladders with nobody home. 

Dang. You are so not used to mature Robyn making adult decisions, are you? Me neither! :)

Birthday Weekend Sandwich

For this birthday girl, I couldn't ask for a better celebratory weekend than having my bday sandwiched between two rounds of golf – and celebrating actual birthday with tons of friends!

After a fun round on Friday, we headed out by noon Saturday to Delafield and a cathedral on the grounds of the St. John's Military Academy just outside Milwaukee.

What a glorious and historic venue! 

All of the stained-glass windows were gorgeous.

But none could compare to the bride of course. Claire is always beautiful!

So honored to be a part of Claire and Joe's official Gotcha Day! It was so nice.

I managed to snag a hot birthday date with hubby. The reception was at The Commodore, right on the shores of Lake Nagawicki (or something close to that). What a gorgeous venue!

We each had our assigned tables, but then they went one step further.

At each of our place settings we got a personalized card. And I think to an individual, we all shed a tear at this heartfelt sentiment. Wow. Very special.

Of course I was thrilled to have perfectly delicious "birthday" cake. Yum!

And a made-to-order sunset. God knows me and my birthday wishes, that's for sure!

After a fun evening of a ton of dancing – including a few with hubby – we were spent! This morning, though, we hit the road from Milwaukee-dom to get home by noon. 

I got some shopping done and Jim visited his dad – and then (after multiple rain showers) it was time for golf!

Today was our final week of Couples League, which meant we were doing a scramble format, then dinner. Except the rain was not done. So we switched up the plans and ate our year-end dinner food first, then headed out. But it was still a soggy several holes before it quit.

We were lucky to have our friends Sean and Michelle be part of our foursome! One, they're awesome people. And two, they're awesome golfers! This is our Eagle Selfie on the par 5 4th hole. That was all Sean. Great drive, great second shot to land it close to the hole, then we gave him honors to knock it in a few feet for eagle.

Needless to say, we finished 8-under par for our 9-hole round. And won the scramble. I have a lot of wet stuff to dry out in the sun tomorrow. But with a little prize cash in my pocket, I can say it was worth it!

What a fun weekend! Maybe aging isn't so bad after all.

The Spoils of Victory

I was on such a winning streak last year between cash prizes, raffle baskets, and special giveaways, that I almost forgot about this free round of golf for a foursome at Bullseye. It had been hanging on the side of the fridge all this time and I finally looked at it a couple weeks ago.

Thank goodness I did. The expiration date is June 30! We were going to use it Monday afternoon – but that got quite stormed/rained out. Today we convinced our friends Tom and Sharon to take the afternoon off and golf with us.

Tom and I are on league at work together. Sharon just took lessons with me. All four of us worked together for years and years in Iola. So while I see them every day at work, Jim was happy to hang out with them for a change!

The weather was cloudy and steady high 60s. No issue of melting today. Just perfect. 

This was Sharon's first time out. Ever. She got a new set of clubs after our lessons and was anxious to try them out. I did what I could to sort of coach her, helping her pick the right club, line up shots, etc. She did great! And it was somewhat freeing to think about someone else's game and not bother to keep score!

I'm not even sure how the guys did, but I know there were some birdies and pars between the two of them. Sharon and I were in a zone!

Afterwards, we went out to eat for the usual delicious meal at Ida's. I hope we can do this again soon. For sure I don't want Sharon to forget what she learned today. If I have to sacrifice myself to golf even more so she gets practice, I guess I'll take one for the team! Such a hardship. NOT!

A good walk spoiled is definitely the way to spend an afternoon off. Bring on the weekend!

Birthday Weekends Start on Thursday

When you work from home on Fridays, a Saturday birthday becomes something you celebrate on Thursday. And I'm OK with that!

Was a nice surprise to see my desk decorated for my birthday. I take pride in my role as the Birthday Fairy for our team. But I love that everyone pitches in when I can't. I mean obviously I wouldn't decorate my own desk. But another team member has her birthday on July 1 and she's on vacation next week, so they took care of her, too.

For my part, I brought in a trifle for the July 1st birthday girl. She said she likes éclairs. So I did my best to match those flavors. Like most of my trifles, every one if a new combo of flavors and ingredients. This is what created this one...

I had a graham cracker crust type layer throughout, interspersed with French Vanilla pudding. For the middle layer I figured I should add some Cool Whip and Hershey's chocolate chips. I repeated a few layers and on the top I melted some Hershey's chocolate frosting, let it firm up in the fridge, then added more whipped cream and some Hershey's chocolate bar squares for decorations.

Not my personal preference for flavors, but since I came home with an empty trifle bowl... mission accomplished. 

Now I just have to figure out how my birthday can stay top-of-mind through Friday! Unlike college years, birthday "weekends" can be a bit long when they start on Thursday!

Another Day At The Main Street Office

Every time I casually mention that I have the best job in the world, I actually mean it! Today it was a privilege to escort the cast and TV crew for the John McGivern's Main Streets around our property at SentryWorld.

Please check out their website and previous episodes and you'll see why this was a hoot! Also this is part of PBS broadcasting so if you love to support the cause, this one is a good one.

As for our work experience, it was pretty cool and I think our interns (the tall girls next to me) would agree. John and his co-host Emmy (far right) were super friendly. 

I can't wait till this episode airs. Which will likely be in February as part of Season 5. 

Gives you plenty of time to check out their other episodes at https://mainstreets.tv/

Powered Up

We thankfully had power restored by the time I got home after 8 p.m. last night. As far as we know, nothing spoiled in the fridge or anything – since also thankfully, it wasn't as hot as it had been on Saturday and Sunday.

So I had no issues hearing my alarm this morning. I even took a second to take a picture of our rain gauge for Monday's total. Over 2 inches!

Work was fast and busy today. So many meetings. Didn't necessarily have a productive day. But it flew by.

Which is always nice on Tuesdays when we have golf league at SentryWorld. Of course, based on previous exhibit of rainfall and showers all morning in Stevens Point, we had "cart path only" golf tonight. Which takes forever.

And it did.

I had one par dance but also one ball taking a "swim" so I didn't have the greatest score. Still, it's golf. It's summer. It's not work.

I think our round took almost 2 1/2 hours because we couldn't drive to the ball. Ever. So I am yawning and hitting the hay as fast as I can here.

Sure is nice to type this on my computer keypad instead of my phone! God bless electricity!

Feeling Powerless

 

So here I am at 6:15 p.m. on a Monday squatting at our local library. Why? Well, I need to charge my phone since we haven't had electricity in our neighborhood for 4 hours-plus -- thanks to the mid-afternoon storm pictured above.

I may have mentioned we were supposedly to golf this afternoon with friends.  Glad we canceled early enough to get our money back.

The storm hit quickly just when I was heading into town on a late lunch. Suddenly it was like driving through a car wash.  N9 visibility.  Slowed down enough to avoid trees in the road and took the first right to try to go around the block to head home. Between trees, branches and garbage containers in the road, I felt like I was driving a Mario Kart game.

Uff da.

By the time I was home a few minutes later, we counted 3 trees down in our yard. But all on the edge of the property line so most people wouldn't notice. 

But the neighbors? Ouch. 

Here's the house around the bend.

And here's a tree next door that thankfully fell towards the creek and not either one of houses. Is that not insane?

Since I did finally make it to town, I took a few damage pictures like any good former reporter would do.

Big fall across the snowmobile/recreational trail by Lake Wazeecha. 

Campground and entrance to part of the park there.  Thankfully it was a Monday and no campers/tents were hit. Crazy.

I'll just chill with our weird but mild damage -- for now -- and try not to think about my morning with no curling iron, etc.  Thank goodness hair spray doesn't require electricity!! 

Also,  thank goodness the temps dropped a hair with no A/C working!

Hang tough, my friends! 

What's the Big Hot Deal?

While today was the hottest day of 2025 so far in the Wisconsin Rapids area, it didn't set a record. We needed to match 96 from 1911 to hit that. It's like you're not even trying, Mother Nature.

Just kidding. She was trying very, very hard!

That high hit just before our Couples League tee time. Uff da. While hubby and I always walk with our pull carts when it's just 9 holes, today we took a cart. We didn't need to pass out or something. And a cart can hold two hydrating drinks at a time.

There were high winds the whole time. Which is nice if you like fresh breeze straight from your oven. Not kidding. Just ick. By the 7th hole, I thought we were entering the 7th circle of Hell. But nope. Not THAT hot. Just 93 with a real feel of 103.

I will say, we were playing hot though. Literally. Jim and I took the match, finishing just 3 over par. Our best score in league so far. 

We'll just take it and run with it. We are not wishing for a repeat of today's weather for any future rounds. That would be the heat-crazed brain cells talking.

Hope you all stayed hydrated and safe today. 

More than 100% Heat

It was so hot and humid around here today that even the "feels like" temperature after 6 p.m. was 104 degrees. Insane!

Needless to say there wasn't a ton of time outdoors. I did get to a graduation party on a lake -– so that breeze was nice. Then had a photo shoot outside. That was supposed to be a few hours but they decided to take activities indoors because it was just THAT hot!

I did pop down to the Shermalot Water Ski how after that because I had to pick up some raffle ticket winnings. Oh not for me. For Mr. Austin, who hasn't gone to a show yet. But he bought a ticket from one of the skiiers at a fish fry this spring. Lucky!

While I was there, I did take a couple hundred photos of course. 

But am grateful to be home in the A/C. And hoping I sleep like a baby after all that heat and wind today.

Again, stay hydrated and be smart. Sunday will be even worse!

Happy Summer Solstice

For the longest day of sunshine, I certainly didn't spend much of it outside. Darn work!

Still, the way the forecast is looking, I might want to purposely stay indoors for the days after the solstice, too.

Looks like a majority of my family will have it even worse. Stay hydrated and be smart! 

I'm pretty sure I'll limit my post-solstice outdoor activities to a required photo shoot late Saturday and 9-hole round of golf on Sunday. Otherwise, I could hang out indoors and watch my Twins on TV – but after seeing the beat-down from the Brewers tonight, that's not top on my list either.

Happy Summer Solstice! Be careful out there!

Just Swingin' Around

I was fortunate after having meetings at work from 8 a.m. to noon, I was able to sneak on over to SentryWorld to see the final holes of the Rolex Girls Junior Championship.

When I headed over there, there were 4 golfers tied at 8-under. Then when I got there, one had jumped to 9-under and there were still 2 at 8-under. An intense finish!

Amelie Zalsman of St. Petersburg, Fla., who just finished her sophomore year of high school, captured the title and trophy with 9-under par after 54 holes. I told you these were pint-sized golfers!

Based on the early feedback, our team (marketing and SentryWorld) felt it was a success. So that's my win of the week.

Unlike my golf score at women's league tonight. But I honestly was just grateful to be swinging. My partner immediately recognized I was swinging differently and protecting my back (with good reason). But that didn't help my score.

I still was grateful to wake up this morning and feel that my rib was back in place and that each golf swing was only mildly uncomfortable and not at all painful. I count that as a win – despite my not worth mentioning final score. 

Still, I must mention I had one "spare-rib par dance" as I call it on a par-3. That'll carry me through to the next 9-hole adventure. 

I mean that AND those stretches, Doc!! I swear, I'm doing them!

Spare Ribs or Just Misplaced?

I was thinking a bit about Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden today. Why? Well, funny story, turns out my back pain this week is caused by a rib out of place!

Can that happen? Apparently so. 

I remember this happened to Carter many years ago and I thought his chiropractor was a quack. But I trust mine to the moon and back, so it must be true.

Had an appointment after work today. As soon as she touched that area on my back, I let out a yelp. And was reminded that no wonder that Shiatsu massage chair hurt so much. It was digging in right where that rib was out of joint. She did her best (and quite painful) ministering to push it back into place. I did not feel immediate relief but I should know come morning if that did the trick. Otherwise, it's another try on Friday.

What could cause this since there was no trauma?

Probably lots of things. But ... she almost hid behind her desk when she said, "It could be too much golf with no stretching."

The nerve!

Since most of our twisting in golf is one-directional, she said I need to do specific stretches for the "other direction" to help compensate and keep muscles loose. "Do these stretches and that's the only way I'm going to let you golf."

Yes, ma'am. Anything you say, ma'am. I have league tomorrow!

I'll keep my fingers (and apparently my ribs) crossed.

Tiny But Mighty

Hey, fellow golfers. If you ever want to be humbled about your game – and your capabilities – just watch 72 of the top girls junior golfers play. It's insane.

Part of my "day at the office" included attending some of the Rolex Junior Girls Championship at SentryWorld, where, in fact, these girls blew my mind. Tiny humans driving from the men's tees and hitting it further than (gasp!) my hubby.

It's an international field but there is one Wisconsin girl we are pulling for. Go, McKenna Nelson!

Canada's Aphrodite Deng is ranked No. 2 in the world on these Rolex standings. She did not conclude day one on top, but she's fun to watch.

After lunch, I brought our writer intern over with me to capture some colorful Flower Hole pictures and write a social post. 

We collaborated and got a good one. Well, duh, you know me the Mother Hen and me the pun-ster had an influence. But I enjoyed experiencing this with the next generation of writers.

Plus, what a great (and valid) excuse to get out of the office!

If you are interested in watching these tiny but mighty golfers the next 2 days, they tee off on holes 1 and 10 between 8-10 a.m. There's no admission fee. In fact, it's mostly parents and college scouts attending, so there's no issue with parking right at SentryWorld and seeing what "could have been" if you had started golfing in middle school!