Jumping into a Busy Tuesday

Not that there is anything more important than you, my dear readers, but I am beat after quite a full day.

Work was a bit chaotic because we had a new member of our team and the mother hen in me always wants to go overboard to be sure they're welcomed and know their way around.

From work, I went straight to Nekoosa for their track meet so I could finally get the "field" part of a Track & Field meet pictures of our Royals. Got what I could before my next engagement.

Book Club.

We were discussing my book "The Last Secret of the Soul" at R&R Patio and Bar (formerly Joker's). The book is a novel a point of view of a 10-year-old boy and how he gets through the holocaust, etc., near the end of World War II. Our group has done several different WWII novels but not from the point of view of a child, so it was interesting.

My next engagement?

Well, as I mentioned we have a new member on our writing team, so of course that calls for a trifle. I have to do the finishing touches so that is why it is not photo ready at 10 p.m.

I also need some sleep. Quite the full day for a Tuesday. The rest of the week can feel free to slow down. Am I right?!

Pumpkin Spice Girls on a Spicy Saturday

First Saturday of October means everyone in Wisconsin is embracing pumpkins and fall. There were at least 4 festivals within short driving distance of our houses, by my friend and next-door neighbor Cindy and I hit 2 of them. 

The Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin Fest – which runs tomorrow too – has gotten bigger and bigger each year. This picture is one of the hundred or so vendors. Pretty set-up.

While the top photo is Cindy and I with a large inflated pumpkin, the real pumpkins are really taller than humans – when sitting anyway.

They're so heavy, they can't be perfectly round. They have to be picked up by a forklift to the weighing station.

We just happened to be there when this one weighed in at over a thousand pounds!!

Very proud owner!

Besides craft vendors, food trucks, and competitions, they had some interesting attractions – like this guy who carves these giant pumpkins.

Inspiring but I know I couldn't do it. 

Pretty cool to see him at work!

And it just happens my team at work is going to dress up for Halloween as the Peanuts gang. Someone has dibbs on Snoopy, but I had to buy this hat! When I press the end of those long black cords, his ears go up! Pretty cool.

Also had to stop at our neighbor's Pumpkin Shed business. It was dress-up day for the workers so we got to see some neighbors in their finest!

My golf partner – Sir Zigs and Zags-a-Lot!

And so many pumpkins! Check it out on Deer Road close to the the intersection with 70th Street. 

After I got home, the pumpkins turned me into Cinderella so I got some windows and screens washed since I'd done my dusting and vacuuming before shopping. Then this evening I went to the wedding reception for a friend's daughter marrying a nice young man from my church. 

It just happened a "friend" put a ball and chain on Sam's ankle. I think they both were Ok with it. And I had a great time dancing, too. I consider that a great Saturday.

My spicy sneak peek tells me Sunday will be just as good!

Just Pumpkin Around

Happy October! Now today was the absolutely beautiful kind of all day that I dream about – 365 days a year. While I love summer, a steady 65 and sunny would do me just fine, too.

It was a nice day to be outside so my friend Cindy and I picked up her sister and headed to the Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin Fest down the road. We thought we were there early, but it got crowded – very crowded – in no time. Everyone looking for a cool craft (or like me, says "I can make that") or tasty food or, oh yeah, pumpkins!

When we were there, they had just started weighing things. And by things,  I mean they check out giant watermelons and squash too.

And no one said big pumpkins are pretty. They're just pretty huge!

You can use our short stature to see that they can be pretty big. And there are larger ones this this, I'm sure.

Did I mention I got to be Sylvester for a minute, too? No longer than a minute though. Trust me. No one called ME princess when I walked in the door.

But Mr. Deck Chair loves me. I gave him plenty of attention today when we soaked up what we hope aren't the last rays of the season. We'll see if we can't at least have afternoon coffee together tomorrow.

Close to Home

Hard to believe a year ago today was when my sister and I first laid eyes on the majestic Denali mountain. And we've never been the same. Still gives us goose bumps when we think of how big that mountain is! Crazy.

Now this summer we're just close to home. Her Friday was spent working at a lake in Minnesota somewhere and mine was watching a baseball game. Of course!

I know. A free night and I grab my camera right away. But it worked out I could watch one of our Legion teams in action. The 16U team coached by our Assumption baseball coach was playing down in Nekoosa. I knew more Nekoosa kids than Rapids kids because only one Royal – the coach's son Nolan – is on that particular team.

So I got some nice pictures and had a nice visit with another member of the Coaches' Wives Club and got to see a win. Cool! 

It's still windy and still dusty around here! So I'm going to have to figure out how to really clean my camera lenses before other photographic fun begins for the summer. 

Even though there's nothing like last year's scenery in Alaska, I bet there are plenty of photo-worthy sights to see close to home.

I'll be looking.

Field Work

I switched from back yard work to field work today. Baseball field, that is.

I was senior night so we got to honor Aaron, the lone senior for the Royals baseball team. Then it was game time against Nekoosa. Neither team has many victories this season so it was a close one as they battled for hits and runs. 

Got to witness my first high schooler over-the-fence home run at Witter Field. Unless I saw one years ago, but this is the first under the Ryan-Jim-Greg coaching regime. Then Nekoosa answered with one of their own. Lots of runs and rallying, but we ended up losing 13-8.

Just got done with photos so I'm going to bed. This is the banner I designed for Aaron. I like how it turned out and wished there were more seniors. But he's a great kid – who I've watched grow up – and he deserves his time in the spotlight.

That'll be it for me for sports shooting this week. I think everyone's away now. Or I am!

Have a good week, everyone!

Loaded Bases

Our sharp new uniforms!

Good thing I had time to pack after work because by the time my camera and I headed to the ball diamonds, it was a busy eve. Don't know if the bases were loaded, but my spring sports schedule was.

First Nekoosa to shoot some of my seniors, as I call them. So cold and windy that I bailed into the 4th inning. 

I was going to go straight home but figured I should get a picture of the Assumption players in their new uniforms. Stratford soundly defeated us in 5 innings so I didn't have to hang around long.

I was going to go straight home then but I had to meet someone at softball who was giving me books to read this weekend by the pool. I did not take pictures there. It was already getting dark. That was also a quick game as our Lady Royals defeated Stratford by 10 in a short game.

Just got done now and I have to fall asleep immediately to get my 8 hours. After all this cold and wind tonight, I can't wait to be sun-bound! 

One more work day. One more sleep after that. We got this!! 

Bring Out the Crazies

I didn't even fact check this. I just saw that I'll be 80 years old the next time there's a full moon on Friday the 13th. I just wonder if it will bring out the crazy in me. I sure hope I'll still be up to shenanigans!

It was windy, cold, and cloudy tonight so I didn't see the full moon. Doesn't mean it's not there. We'll know when the cat starts doing jumping jacks at 2 a.m.

Since we escaped any weirdness today, hubby and I had a football Friday night date. Sort of. Joined friends at the Nekoosa game to watch a senior on the Nekoosa team and an assistant coach on the Adams-Friendship team. Cousin vs Cousin and we adore them both. In the end, it was Nekoosa by one point.

I had another crazy adventure today – for me – but I'll wait to tell you about that in a few days to see if the positive results hold true. Right now I feel like I was hit by a truck – driven by Jason from Friday the 13th, ha – but no pain, no gain, they say.

Be safe out there!

But, Mommm

I believe I heard it from my hubby first – years ago after a teenage eye roll – "The reason parents have kids is to embarrass them!"

All in good fun, of course. When they look back at it. In a decade or so.

Tonight I got to witness some good-natured mother-son fun. It goes without saying that whatever sport you play in life, your mom is your biggest fan. Right? Tonight I was shooting a picture of seniors for a football schedule poster. And the moms asked to be a part of it. They had something in mind. And I'm so glad they did!

What a hoot of a shoot.

So we have these tough guys...

And moms come in to show some love...

Then move in for a simple kiss on the cheek! Can you just hear the collective, "Noooo!"

I was laughing and couldn't hold the camera still! Here's my boy Trent misbehaving for my friend Jodi. Ha.

They did cooperate for one so the moms will appreciate that.

And we did mother-son goalpost pairings as well. It was fun. I just don't think the boys realize that even though school hasn't started, the "lasts" are starting and will continue for the next year!

Be patient with your biggest fan, boys. Some day you'll thank her on national television with a big, "Love you, Mom!"

I just know it.

Bundle Up, It's May

Instead of yelling, "Batter, up!" at baseball today, they could've just said, "bundle up!" Yes, this is the accurate temp for May 18, not March 18. Even have a windchill – or at least a "real feel" of 38 degrees.

Uff da.

So yes, chilly and occasional rain showers and the half our activities today were out of doors.

Full day for me, anyway. Book Club, Assumption baseball at Nekoosa (lost 7-1), graduation party/pig roast, then dinner with my twin and her hubby who are in town for my nephew's MSTC graduation tomorrow.

So the cool events were sandwiched in by warm ones. Until we got home. Yep, time to turn the heat back on. Not just my mattress pad either.

Maybe it will be too cold for the birds to wake us up at 5 a.m. again. I will sacrifice heat one day for that. This must be what they mean when they say life is a balancing act.

Permission to Play Hooky

It felt like I was playing hooky today. Because it was a Friday, before a three-day weekend, AND absolutely gorgeous out!

But for real, I had permission. Even though I didn't really have a good reason. I just figured if we have stuff going on each of the days of the three-day weekend, then I better add a fourth day just to get stuff done.

I did have my chores done – including mopping floors – by noon. Got a 3-mile walk in and really felt as out of shape as a person should after 6 weeks off of any exercise or cardio. It's gonna be quite the journey back.

This afternoon, since I had to be quiet when hubby had a conference call, I bonded with Mr. Deck Chair and finished the sequel to Beartown. Excellent book! Both are!

Meanwhile, Sylvester was not happy to be "locked" out of Daddy's office. She just waited there and meowed in a begging way – "I promise to be quiet" – until he let her in. I'm pretty sure he was closing the door to keep me and my noise out. But I didn't tell her that!

This evening, Jim went up to the Assumption football game in Loyal to help with stats. I did some shopping and then stopped by the Nekoosa game to take some pictures of my friend's son. It got dark quickly (as it does this time of year) so I left by halftime.

Did I really get anything done to justify a day off? Not really. But at least I don't have to squeeze in dusting, vacuuming, or mopping floors when I'd rather have fun this holiday weekend. That'll be worth it.

Mr. Deck Chair agrees.

How to Saturday

How do YOU Saturday? Apparently I've been doing it wrong. Because my Saturday looked nothing like Sylvester's. Not that I wouldn't have minded. Just had things to do, places to go, people to see.

My morning multi-tasking involved dusting and vacuuming while treats were baking in the oven. First I made a Hornet's Nest Cake for the church picnic tomorrow. Then I baked those Monster Cookies I mixed up last night. I tried not to taste test. But ohhhhh, soooo good!

Had just enough time to clean up my baking mess since Martha Stewart's TV crew weren't around to do it. Then I was off to senior photo shoot #3 of the season. Today was the son of my friend and former Renaissance co-worker Jodi. Her son Ryan goes to Nekoosa so we did some of my normal settings on my "senor picture route" and a few football ones, too.

On the photo above, I am actually laying on my stomach at the edge of a bridge and hanging over as much as I can to get this shot with some water in the background. I am either dedicated or stupid. Either way, no one was hurt and no one got wet. Oh, and my camera equipment is intact!

I have to give Ryan some credit for sticking it out since it was about 90 degrees at the time. Yikes.

Had just enough time to go home and change into racing gear. Well, fan gear. And head up to Marshfield. We picked up Jim's dad on the way. When we got there and it was 87 degrees – matching Colin's race car number – I thought that was a good omen.

And it was. Colin qualified with fast time! He started around 8th place for the 75-lap feature and worked his way up to finish 3rd. It was a close race and fun to watch.

We didn't stick around for the fireworks after the races. The sky was hazy due to wildfires in Canada or in the West or both. Plus, it was late for us old folks! If I did a better job of Saturday-ing, maybe I wouldn't be so tired!

Kitty, help me out on this one.

Royal Focus

Just a quick note to say I'm still around. Just had a few late, late nights. And since it's midnight now, I'm going to bed pretty quick.

Both nights were sports nights. Last night I took a second swing at capturing wrestling photos of some of our Assumption boys on a combined Assumption-Nekoosa-Port Edwards team. I had taken a few two weeks ago and wanted to improve it a bit.

So here are a few from last night...

Our guys just lift their opponent like it's nothing. Wow.

Other than that, they are always straining to pin the other guy, who's typically got a painful expression on his face.

Can you blame him? Ouch!!!

We did win the meet. I can say "we" since I've been to two now!

Tonight we had a double-header basketball game at home versus Rib Lake. No camera. I knew the games would be close and I just wanted to watch and cheer!

Our varsity boys won in overtime. Crazy! Very physical game. Well, I guess not as physical as wrestling, now that I can compare the two. The JV girls won but the varsity girls team just came up short.

Afterwards, quite a number of us gathered at a watering hole to catch up on life beyond the court. It was very nice. Now off to bed so I can focus tomorrow. No matter what I type tomorrow night, do not assume I suddenly love wrestling. Just love some people involved.

And happen to have a camera available. Hope you had a good week and can do something – anything – to enjoy our brief mild spell!

Made of Stern Stuff

Stop me if you've seen this before...

You know, I met Al Gore once back in 1988 during a campaign stop at UW-La Crosse. He was celebrating his 40th birthday that day. I still should have taken him aside and told him then there'd be days that whole global warming thing would be a tough sell.

Not just to Wisconsin and Minnesota folks either.

My friends in Florida had legitimate reasons to complain this morning when their wake-up temperature was only 26 degrees. Yowza.

And my sister Rayna and husband Paul had a long road trip from Hudson, Wis., to Gulf Shore, Ala., before they hit weather above freezing. This winter is not for wimps. You're either made of stern stuff, or you'll suffer from the cold or a bad case of useless whining.

You know who else is made of stern stuff? Wrestlers.

What?

Weird transition, yes, but I spent the evening taking pictures of a wrestling match since we have some Assumption kids on the co-op team with the nearby Nekoosa and Port Edwards high schools. I hadn't been to a match in a long time. Like when my brother wrestled in high school... and he graduated in 1979. So I definitely forgot what it was like.

Still managed to take hundreds of photos for some moms – and the Royal yearbook. Not sure moms want to seen the grimace of pain and strain on their boys' faces. But I think I got enough decent shots that I won't have to go to another one. Unless I just go for fun.

Not sure I'm tough enough to handle that. Let me face the weather first and see how it goes.

Oh, That Stings

Not sure how we missed the 90% chance of rain this afternoon and evening, but we did. So I finally got to test out some action settings on my camera at the Legion game in Nekoosa, where they hosted the Vesper team Carter used to play on.

I knew kids from both teams, well their parents anyway, so I got a few halfway decent shots. Lots of trial and error right now.

I think I know a few settings I can work with. I had to leave early because I was just resting my arm on the fence to focus on the batter and there was a bee or hornet or some evil thing in my spot. Arm went squish and the insect went sting.

Oh, did that sting!

Thankfully the ump had ice cubes in his cooler so I could apply that right away. Since I am semi-allergic, I went home and too some Benadryl and applied the appropriate essential oils.

When Jim got home he grabbed me to go take pictures of a weird sky and stormy sky and lightning sky. Pretty cool. We'll see if I captured lightning or not. But since the Benadryl is kicking in, I better wait on those until tomorrow.

By then, my right arm should be working better, too! My first photography injury and I survived.