A Different Kind of Day at the Office

It was a completely unproductive day at work today. And none of us cared. Our writing team hopped on a bus and headed to Milwaukee this morning to see one of our PR agencies. From there, they hopped on our bus and we all went to what I still call "Miller Park" for the 1:10 p.m. game vs the Texas Rangers.

As a Twins fan, I don't know a lot of Brewers players. To be honest, I only knew Yelich going into today. But still, nothing beats a live baseball game, no matter who is playing. 

My day was made immediately when I spotted the parents of one of my college friends. I got to spend some quality time with her dad last summer when he was at the U.S. Senior Open. So he recognized me. All because I took the long way to our section. Providence! 😊

We had great seats just 13 rows up. But anyone who goes to day games there knows there's a good chance we'll suffer if it's sunny and hot. No shade!

And yep, it was warm! You know me, I love the heat, but this was a little bit stifling. I lasted 3 innings and had to just chill in the concourse by a huge ceiling fan for an inning. Needless to say, expensive water was my friend today.

It was funny that we all cheered when this teeny tiny cloud gave us 15 seconds of relief from the sun! 

Group photos about the time we all started melting! 

See, we're still smiling anyway! Plus there was lots to smile about.

We had good seats. I could see Yellie in person. We witnessed a grand slam! And an in-the-park homerun.

Plus those adorable sausage races!

And with a 5-5 tie after 9 innings, extra innings! Rally Time!!

Thankfully, the Brewers had a walk-off single in the 10th inning. And thankfully, bigger sporadic clouds floated by to help us all cool off and enjoy the game.

Not a bad day at the "office" at all!

Proof I didn't completely melt! And of course, I had fun. And it wasn't hard to cheer for the Brewers since they're in the National League and those darn Rangers are in the American League with my Twins. 

By the time we dropped off our PR friends at their office, we got stuck in Milwaukee rush hour traffic and weren't really "out of town" until after 5 p.m. So it was really a long day by the time we got back to Stevens Point.

But when you're sitting in an "office" with a retractable roof, who cares? We'll bounce back. 

Tomorrow.

Spring is Marching In

Just a few days out of February and it seems like March is marching in to the tune of spring! For the second day in a row, Wisconsin Rapids set a record for high temperature. It was 72 and sunny here this afternoon, but there was another factor...

It was super windy! Like enough to create a "wind chill" or a feeling of not quite 72 degrees. I still got a few things cleaned up in the garage (just a few) and mopped the kitchen and dining room floor so the wind could air dry it quickly through the two open doors!

It certainly did!

Obviously this nice weather won't last long, but at least it should stay above freezing for this week anyway. And we have no place to go anyway. Winter sports are officially done as of last night and spring sports won't have any outdoor competitions scheduled for a month.

I don't mind the down time, but we really hoped the girls would've pulled off the sectional championship yesterday. We rode a fan bus down to Hartford and we took on another Royal Blue team – Albany-Monticello. Very close game throughout. Tied with 10 seconds to go, a layup by the other team put them up by 2 and they ended up winning, 47-45. Dang. What a great season, though! 

I suppose with my "free time" I should start getting rid of clutter in the house. Because that super fun, doesn't it?

I did actually price one box of books for the upcoming garage sale at Carter's former babysitter's in April. Lots more to sort through and price. Not my favorite pastime. But I did catch up on The Voice from last week while I was doing it. Hopefully my multi-tasking didn't make me put $50 on a book instead of 50 cents! (Audrey: If they ask, we'll take less!)

Alright, I am stepping away from the computer. I have my back to reality alarm-setting and waking and working tomorrow and after being off for 10 days. How do people do this?!

Breathe in some fresh air. And let's have a great week!

Score: Low, Fun: High

We don't often take bus trips to Brewers games. But when we do, they better be playing one of our teams. And we better be going with good people. 

Today was both. The Brew Crew hosted hubby's Cincinnati Reds for a 1:10 p.m. start. That meant the nice coach bus was leaving Assumption at 7:20 a.m. – totally worth it to not have to drive! If you haven't been to what we all still call "Miller Park," it's a pretty nice place to see a game. For any fan and any weather.

Our group of more than 60 Assumption and Rudolph friends consisted of approximately 56 Brewers fans, 1 Reds fan, and 3 neutral Twins fans.

I even wore black to prove that point. Just here for fun and good baseball.  

We could see pretty decently down the first base line. And we were thankfully in the shade all day. Even though it was only 76 degrees, I'm sure we would've melted in the sun! 

Although there were plenty of hits, a lot on both sides were left on base. Brewers ended up squeaking by with a 1-0 win.

Poor Jim. But at he pointed out, the Reds are still in first place over the Brewers in their division.

Meanwhile, my Twins got slaughtered by the Orioles today so we slipped a half game behind first in the American Central. Good thing it's early July. Lots of baseball left.

And hopefully lots more fun with friends this summer! Hope you had a great weekend.

Ready to Go

Got my work done, my camera batteries charged, memory card cleared – even my scrapbooking stuff ready – let's get this weekend started!

Leaving the house by 8:30 a.m. to catch a ride on the "adults only" bus down to La Crosse for state hoops. Usually the girls play in Green Bay for state and only the boys play in Madison. Now, with COVID restrictions, they're dividing up at a few sites. Division 5 will play all their games tomorrow at the La Crosse Center. Assumption takes on Chippewa Falls McDonnell at 12:35 p.m. (Wisconsin ABC channels) and the winner plays the championship game at 7 p.m.

They had a sendoff at school today before the team headed down there. I couldn't go – work time, dang – but I was able to provide dozens of photos for them to use in a slide show and was definitely there in spirit. Tomorrow I'll be shooting under the baskets (photos, of course) and am excited to document their crowning achievement. 

Fingers crossed for the best.

Anticipating a late night Thursday, I'm making sure that I'm pretty much set to go for Camp Crop-A-Lot on Friday morning. Vacation time out of the office takes focus!

Camera pun intended. Yep. I better try to get some sleep for the Royally big day tomorrow!

Go Royals! #royalpride

BOGO Bus

We wouldn't normally drive two-plus hours from the southern end of our conference (Rapids) to the northern tip (Phillips) on a school night in winter, but we will if we're just along for the ride.

Hubby and I joined about 40 others on a fan bus road trip north this afternoon and evening. It was a "coach" bus so quite comfortable for seating and, later, sleeping. But most people signed up to go because it was a double-header and we could see both the boys and girls play for the price of one. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.

We arrived in Phillips at 5:36 p.m. and the boys tipped off at 5:45 p.m. Cutting it close but we didn't miss a thing. Our boys hung pretty close and made a run toward the end of the second half and cut the margin to 8 points with 6 minutes to go.

But then, one by one, four of our five starters fouled out. We ended up losing by 15 points, 62-47. Dang.

The Lady Royals tipped off around 7:30 p.m. At first I was worried about the late start and then I remembered, "Who cares? We don't have to drive home AND I have tomorrow off."

Girls were evenly matched for the first half, leading by a bucket at halftime. Gradually in the second half, we pulled away and had a comfortable lead. Enough to allow some of the JV players to play. Our Lady Royals were victorious, 78-52.

Always mixed emotions when one of our squads wins and the other doesn't. But mostly we were just proud they played with hustle and heart. And that so many of us got to cheer them on in person.

Got home just before the stroke of midnight so this old lady is really happy we had a BOGO (buy one boys ticket get one girls free) bus to ride. It's the way to go.

Successful Hunt

I wouldn't call us impostors, per se, but we kind of were. Even though our hubbies don't wear blaze orange,  a bunch of us pretended they do in order to score some "Hunter's Widow" deals today.

Armed with our Christmas lists, we started off for Mall of America at 7 a.m. My new employer sponsored the trip and we were allowed to bring a guest. I kidnapped my BFF Christine and, between employees and guests, we filled 3 coach buses!

The only other times I've been to the MOA (as it's called) has been with kids in tow. I've experienced the amusement park as both Camp Snoopy and Nickelodeon Universe. This was my first trip there where I could actually shop. And for 8 hours to boot!

If success means money falls out of our pocketbooks like ornaments dropping from a Christmas tree, then we are high achievers!

Did I get ALL my Christmas shopping done? No. Partly because Carter didn't text me his list until well after our arrival. And partly because there rarely are bargains at MOA. It's a tourist attraction. People will shop there no matter what.

Still, I did find some good stuff, enjoyed lunch, ice cream and Caribou coffee with my bestie, found time for a much needed half-hour massage break (yes, MOA has everything) AND felt right at home in Viking territory.

May not have found deals, but I'd say our hunting excursion was priceless.

Trip Log :: Winding Down

The journey of our Assumption students in Germany is winding down. Carter's teacher sent this update this weekend...

It is interesting to see how perspectives change. During the planning phase of our trip, our nearly 4 week stay seemed like an eternity to our GAPP participants to be away from their family, friends and normal routine. Now, however, the time appears to be way too short. The thought of saying goodbye is already making several weepy.

We had a very busy week again. On Monday [June 29] we traveled to the BMW plant after our morning classes. We got a very informative and interesting tour of the BMW plant in Dingolfing (30 min away) where the 5, 6, and 7 series cars are built. Unfortunately, there were no free samples given out. The students were impressed with the technology and automation used to produce each vehicle. Our bus driver added to our adventure as well with his driving skills. The non-air conditioned bus also was an experience as well.

Wednesday [July 1] we had our somber day at Dachau [Concentration Camp Memorial, picture above]. We also got to experience first hand the frustrations of public transportation. The normal 45 min ride to Munich took nearly twice that due to construction. Upon our arrival in Dachau (after switching trains in Munich) we then had to deal with multiple groups who wanted to get to the memorial site. It took 3 buses before we could get on. Even though we spent 3.5 hours at the camp, our time did not do justice to all the information that is available there to see, read and absorb. We had very warm and sunny weather for the day, which helped dispel some of the gloom.

Our return trip to Landshut was another adventure in the use of public transportation. Again, the return buses were filled to the gills, so it took 2 buses before all of our group was together. Then the train from Dachau to Munich was delayed and surprisingly no information was given to all of us roasting in the sun waiting for it to show up. The train from Munich to Landshut also had a delay so we were 1.5 hours late coming back to Landshut. My German cell phone got a work out letting families know of our delay. The train was also very full so many of us stood for most of the stretch from Munich to Landshut.

[July 2] after lunch we took the city bus to the Wittmann brewery. The brew master gave us free bottles of cold soft drinks (made by his company) and a wonderful tour of the facility. In response to a question from one of our students, the brewmaster shared with us that each employee gets up to 78 liters of their beer per month for free. Each employee can then purchase per month another 78 liters of beer at the reduced price of 35 Euro. There were several that were eager to fill out a job application after hearing about this fringe benefit. At then end of the tour, I presented the brewmaster with Point beer coasters in the shape of our state (thanks to the Hilltop in Point) and a package of sweet and dried cranberries. He gave each student a Wittmann brewery 1/2 liter beer mug.

[July 3] is another very hot day. There is no air conditioning anywhere at school. Teachers often look to relocate their classes to another, cooler classroom, which makes things interesting. The weekend is forecasted to be in the 90s. Many students will be here in town for at least part of the weekend to attend the Burgfest, a precursor event held in anticipation of the next Landshuter wedding re-enactment in 2017. ...

Monday [July 6] is our final field trip which will be a joint one to Wallhalla and the Liberation Hall. These are located along the Danube River. Our farewell dinner is Wednesday evening and then comes the challenge of fitting everything into our suitcases and not being overweight.

I'll be curious just what Carter is bringing back with him since it appears he is quite skilled at using his ATM card now!

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen...

Have Euros, will travel...

Since yesterday was "Sister Sunday," I didn't get a chance to touch on the fond farewell... Before Carter and the other 13 Assumption students and 2 chaperones hit the road yesterday, they had a brief goodbye ceremony at the school.

And by brief, I mean one of the local priests said a few words and blessed their journey. Then it was  a group picture by the bus...

I was thankful Jim was there to take photos and see our boy off (while I was busy with my sister). Every student going had hosted a German student last spring and, like Carter, will be staying at their partner's home. They were very, very excited!

Jim's sister Sherry took a nice father-son photo since Carter will be gone on Father's Day!

I may or may not have shed a tear when Jim texted me this photo yesterday. The bus took them to Minneapolis, where they flew Icelandic Air to Germany, touching down in Iceland to refuel. They landed in Germany this afternoon, about 5:30 a.m. our time since they are 7 hours ahead.

Was happy Carter landed safely in Germany. Not happy he forgot to turn off has mobile data roaming on his phone. Did you know it doesn't take much to rack up $6,000-plus in international charges? I am serious. Look up the many tales of woe on the Internet. I was in a bit of a panic when I started getting the "excessive international data use" alerts on my phone. Just a bit of a panic.

A sincere thank you, AT&T, for understanding teenage boys don't listen. It's all good now. We'll let him come back.

In the meantime, we are sooo jealous Carter gets to see his "brother" Lukas!

Lukas' mom emailed me some photos right away. She's been in my shoes. She knows I need to SEE that my baby is OK!
 

Gosh, those two look good. I can see they are going to have a great time. Hopefully, my son will find a frugal way to keep us updated now and then so we can share.

Until then, feel free to keep that group in your prayers! (Oh, and God grant me some serenity, too!)

Rustic Road Trip

Today was the last road trip for the German and American students. Under sunny skies, they traveled in a comfy coach bus down to Amish Country – the Cashton area near La Crosse.

They toured an Amish farm, bakery and store, plus stopped at a creamery in La Crosse for ice cream on the way home. So jealous on many levels.

The back story: Several years ago my six sisters and I held our annual Wild Women's Weekend in that area of Wisconsin. One day while visiting a farm and bakery, we discovered Cashew Crunch. It's like that peanut brittle you have at Christmas, only with cashews instead and softer and yummier. We all fell in love with it.

Since then, Carter and I have ventured down to the flea market in Adams at least once a summer because we know there is a booth there selling Cashew Crunch. Sometimes we get the chocolate-covered crunch and other times just regular. Both are delicious.

My point – and I do have one – is that Carter KNOWS I love Cashew Crunch. He KNOWS we have driven miles and miles out of our way to go get some. So how could he not KNOW (a few days before Mother's Day, mind you) that he should buy some for me when he is in the heart of Amish Country??

In his defense, I did not "place an order" with him or specifically mention it in advance. I was just holding out hope. He did manage to spend the 20 bucks I gave him even without that mouth-watering treat!

Anyway, they had a good time. As Lukas pointed out, not necessarily everything they saw but the fun bus ride. I said that's because you all know each other so well now. It's totally different than the bus trip your first day here when you didn't know them – or US – really.

"It's going to be very hard to say goodbyes in two days," he said.

I know!!! The time is going much too fast!

After I picked them up from school tonight, we went to the Assumption girls' soccer game. I dropped Lukas and his German buddy off before the game and Carter and I did some pre-driving test practice. Got to the game and we were already leading 5-0. It was not long until Lukas and two other Germans were cold. (Aren't they used to our extended winter by now?)

I ended up taking those two boys, Carter and one of the German girls to Taco John's for some hot, fast food. The place was swamped, though, so by the time they got their food (to go) and we got back to the field, the game was basically over. Still same score 5-0, so you could say we didn't miss anything. Ha.

As long as our foreign guests didn't mind missing it, I didn't either. There is still plenty of the soccer season left.

And I've got all summer to get me some of that Cashew Crunch!

The New Orange

With everything else PINK during the month of October, we might as well make pumpkins pink, too, to observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Don't forget to check your pumpkins!

Easy enough to remember. They make it super easy at work and do it right on site. So today I started my day on the Pancake House on Wheels (aka Mobile Mammography Bus). Not fun, but it's short-lived pain. And frankly, we can't just wear pink. We do have to take some actions steps, ladies!

Obviously, getting parts of you squished like flapjacks can only mean your day is going to get better! And it did.

Had a chair massage this afternoon. So much back and hip pain (off and on) lately that I needed it. AND I am getting a massage tomorrow, too! All this pink must mean it's "Be Kind to Women Month" too, isn't it?

Tonight I had some fun with a new group of friends and acquaintances. They've been doing a monthly Girls' Night Out for quite some time. This time, I got to tag along for their creative outing. Seriously creative.

We were at a pottery studio, of sorts, much like my Wednesday night Ceramics Class from 20 years ago in Marinette. You just paint the porcelain object with special paint and sometime in the next few days, the owner fires them in the kiln and they become magical gifts or items for your home. I was working on a gift. But if it doesn't turn out, I'll keep it at home.

Afterwards, we stopped at a saloon around the corner from home for more chit-chat. I had a good time and it was nice to come home and the homework was all done. Nobody's grouchy and we're all getting to bed on time.

Perhaps I should make a habit of Momma's Night Out.

Or maybe just during PINK months!

Just Briefly

I love being a mom -- even when it cuts into my blogging time. Tonight after grocery shopping I had to quickly cut Carter's hair so he could shower then finish his home work and next -- "when you get a moment, Mom" -- I have to go iron his shirt for tomorrow. So I'll keep this brief.

Fall Colors: Freeze warning tonight is not the only sign of Autumn today. My hair got its fall colors! Well, of course, this is the leading news story! What were you expecting?? There seriously is a freeze warning tonight as temps dip into the low 30s. A friend in Duluth already reported a snow sighting tonight, too.

Bus Route: For the first time since school started, Carter did not have football practice or a game so he had to ride the bus home. Though I am sure nothing changed since last year, he was nervous about getting on the right bus after school. Have I mentioned he's a worry wart? Well he got on the bus fine and managed to get all of his homework done (except reading) before going to confirmation, which started tonight. Gotta love our jam-packed schedule. And we wonder why time flies!

Wild Turkey: I made the mistake today of watching a fast time-elapsed video of our half-marathon course. Up until today I have been looking forward to Sunday. After watching the video, I got my first case of nerves. The butterflies were dancing like crazy in my stomach. At least I thought they were butterflies. When I went for a 4-mile run tonight, I saw 12 -- yes, a whole dozen -- wild turkeys cross the road in front of me. I thought, "Dang, it wasn't butterflies in my tummy after all. I bet it was wild turkeys!" It sure felt like it.

... Just breathe ...

Church Ladies

There's really nothing more stereo-typically accurate than two bus loads of aging Lutherans heading to the big city for an off-off-Broadway production of Church Basement Ladies.

And believe me when I say I am not mocking them because I am one of them already, in part, and I saw a glimpse of what's in store for the rest of me. In the meantime, my friend Becky and I shared a lot of quiet chuckles about it today.

First of all, I was right about people canceling in pairs. Unfortunately, I didn't think it would happen with Becky's parents, who signed us up for this trip to begin with. But her dad broke his hip yesterday and was laid up in the hospital today instead of road-tripping with us. Naturally, her mom spent the day with him -- but they both insisted we go. So we did.

Becky picked me up at 5:30 a.m. and we were in the church parking lot well before our 7 a.m. departure. So was everyone else. Good thing to know that as I get older, I'll become an early riser and get places a half hour early!

It was quite the sight when the buses arrived. Suddenly all these car doors fly open and the Gray Hairs file out like termites coming out of the wood work. And I mean that in the nicest way.

We got on the bus and were amused en route with word finds, word scrambles, a few pit stops and clever clean jokes over the bus intercom from tour guide Ray. At one point, after announcing he was on his last joke, a number of passengers mentioned they couldn't hear him. Ray asked, "Should I start over?" That got a resounding no. (Sorry, Ray. We still love ya!)

We had lunch at the Kelly Inn, which also houses the Plymouth Playhouse. Conversation around the lunch tabled ranged from a comparison of body aches and pains to curiosity about a local supper club from long ago that was now a strip club. I just kept my head down and smiled while eating our typical Scandinavian smorgasbord of chicken, corn, mashed potatoes and Jell-O. Becky and I were not aware we had become speed eaters until we glanced around after our plates were cleaned and saw we had that competition locked up. Let's just say we really savored (slowly) every bite of our carrot cake!

Our matinee production of Church Basement Ladies 2 -- A Second Helping started at 1 p.m. We didn't realize this was a sequel. Neither Becky nor I saw the first one, but we'd like to! It was a very entertaining show! I highly recommend it to my readers in Minnesota who could pop down to see it yet. A good comedic depiction of women who could have been my own mom, grandmothers, aunts or just ladies from my childhood church.

After a post-production pit stop in Hudson to eat, world-class bus driver Carl found our way home in the thick fog, and we were treated to a Reader's Digest video production on the bus TVs -- turned up way too loud (but no one else seemed to mind).

I guess I should consider it a good thing I still have my hearing and, comparatively speaking, can still hold my water pretty well.

In Like a Lion...

The funny thing about the month of March is that it doesn't really matter if it comes in or goes out like a lamb or a lion, because it undoubtedly changes a lot in between.

From a weather perspective, I'd have to say it came in like a lion. We definitely had below-zero temps at the appropriately named Lions Camp this weekend (where I snapped this photo of a carving on the fireplace mantel). I know in the Northeast they are dealing with a major Nor'easter Lion that prevented our company execs in New York from flying to Wisconsin this week.

I think the only people enjoying a "lamb" in March are my parents, who unfortunately, are packing up their bags as we speak to leave their winter retreat at my sister's in Texas (where they had record highs in recent days). Figures they're experiencing major warmth the one spring we decide not to vacate there!

March also means the start of high school basketball playoffs. Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, hubby's alma mater, is ranked No. 1 for both boys and girls. He and Carter watched the girls win their first round last weekend while I was at camp. Last night we watched the boys soundly defeat their opponent 75-31. I actually found myself clapping when the other team scored because I felt so bad for them! Lincoln High School (where Casey goes) also scored twice as many points as their opponent last night so we have two Rapids boys teams moving on. Should be some excitement in the area over that.

I'm just excited because the temperatures are turning around, too! We could hit 40 tomorrow. What difference does it make? A lot. When it's 40 we can take a few layers off. We don't have to be concerned about ice on our commute. We can't exactly lay in the sun but can certainly get outside for a walk (if you don't mind puddles).

I will actually not get out much tomorrow. I will be spending about 8 hours in a bus going to the Twin Cities and back with a busload of old people -- people over 40, probably over 60, too. My friend and I were on a waiting list (I can't make this up) to go see the musical comedy Church Basement Ladies with her parents. Her mom and dad have tickets but the buses (departing from Wausau) filled up right away. We put our names on the list, figuring that people would cancel in twos -- you know, if Elsie got sick, Elmer wouldn't go. That's what happened. We found out yesterday afternoon that a twosome canceled so Becky and I are in. Just have to get up at 4:30 a.m. tomorrow to catch the bus. I imagine we won't be the only ones sleeping on the ride! Should be a fun way to play hooky!

You just never know what comes your way in March...

Pride Goeth Before the Fall

On our way home from picking up Carter at the sitter's, we asked him how his day went -- as usual. Then had to expand on that -- anything fun or interesting?

He started talking about how he was helping a physically disabled girl from his class during gym. Their unit right now is gymnastics. I was curious where this story was going to go, but felt a warm spot in my heart at the prospect of hearing what a caring, helpful boy we have.

Then the plot took a turn when he talked about the girl's other assistants, including some college boy who could do back flips. "Then I did the Worm," Carter said proudly. The worm? Why? "Because they wanted us to showcase our talents!"

That's it. End of story. He only mentioned the girl so he could mention the assistant and get to the main point -- his talent for doing that obscure, not quite break-dancing move known as the Worm. Nice. We are too proud.

After supper, Carter was volunteering to clear the table, even wash it off, too. "See, I'm doing this and no one had to tell me," he said. I was getting suspicious. Was he trying to not be selfish because of the earlier story? Was he up to something? Or is he really just the good kid I hope he is?

When I heard him cleaning the litter box, the red flag went up. What is going on? What alien came in and switched places with our son?

Then I remembered a conversation from this weekend. He asked if he could take his Nintendo DS to school so he could play it on the bus -- since every other kid does that. I think my response was something like: "What happens if you lose it? You know, we're not replacing it. I just don't think you're responsible enough to keep track of it and keep track of getting off the bus in time. You don't do anything unless you're told or reminded." Like what? He asked. "Like we have to remind you every night to brush your teeth. And you never take a shower unless we order you. And when was the last time you cleaned the litter box?"

So this 10-year-old schemer has apparently been thinking about that all day. He cleared the table, washed it, cleaned the litter box, swept the floor in the bathroom, brushed his teeth and was in bed 5 minutes before bedtime.

Impressed? Don't be. When I went in to check on him, he relayed that list of accomplishments in short order, then asked, "Now can I take my DS on the bus?"

Sigh...

Riding the Busy Bus

You'd think the neighborhood kids were anxious to get back to school the way they ran to get on the bus. Actually, they were just trying to get away from the camera-toting scrapbooking moms at the bus stop!

Carter said his first day of fifth grade was fun. He learned at least two things today. One: There are more girls than boys in his class (poor guy). Two: The key doesn't always fit in our front door the way it should! Other than that, it was a pretty non-eventful day as far as school was concerned.

After school, we went to football practice, which will only be two days a week now that school is in session. Since this was another day with temps hovering around 90, we thought this would be a two-Gatorade practice for sure. But then a funny thing happened (funny if you're a kid), the winds blew in some dark clouds and it poured and poured and poured. And the kids, now cool, of course, kept on practicing.

The wimpy adults were trying to stand out of the rain next to a building, but the rain was blowing sideways at us. All we could do was laugh! It never did lightning so they technically could have kept practicing, but finally decided it might be too dangerous if the boys started slipping and sliding. No sense in getting injured at practice. Good thing Carter's stuff has two days to dry out!

While Carter and I were having all the fun at the "waterpark," hubby was up at the hospital visiting his dad. Turns out he didn't have a triple bypass. He had a quadruple one. I guess while they were in there, they decided to do the fourth one. Yikes. He did OK, though, and they had him sitting up 5 hours later. We'll be curious tomorrow to learn how long they will keep him. I sure hope it's not like the "drive-thru" maternity wards these days!

Right now, Jim is in Stevens Point doing a fantasy football draft. He'll get home late. I'll get up early to get to my back-crackin' doctor by 7 and he'll be heading to Milwaukee for a Brewers game about that time. (Did I mention this week is busy?)

Carter will be getting up on his own and getting himself next door by 8 a.m. He's got a list of morning "tasks" written on a brand new, hot pink wipe board on the fridge. I bet he'll be just fine. It's Mommy who will have a harder time with this independence thing! Looks like we'll all be growing up this school year!

Carter's Guest Blog

Since hubby and I have had such a frustrating, disappointing day with our new guest, I decided to turn this blog over to Carter tonight to keep it "on the light side." So this is what he has to say. Let us know if you think he should start his own blog!!

-----------

To start off with my "first blog" today I had a pop quiz and got 100% on it. At recess we played a soccer game, we won 5-2 so I was pretty happy about that. Later we had MATH!!! We're learning about fractions. We were hungry because we had a problem that had an apple pie, cherry pie, and peach pie. At second recess we had another soccer game against the 3rd graders, we won again 7-0, yeah, we are so the best. I had a pretty funny bus ride home because my friend said a funny joke and we laughed for 3 minutes and we cried so much because it was so funny. Tonight we had our first baseball game, we lost, 7-4. After that I got all my homework done.

By, CARTER AUSTIN!

Tuesday Tidbits

Iron Man: Carter and I enjoyed the new Iron Man movie. I don't know if I was getting burned out on Spider-Man or what, but I found myself really liking this one. Of course, now that I work with some comics publications, there is a definite buzz around the office when there is a Marvel release. The movie was rated PG-13 but since Carter saw the Spidey flicks, I figured I'd cover his eyes as needed and he didn't object. The lady in front of us in line was taking her younger son to a movie, too. When the cashier asked how old her boy is, she said "7 today. It's his birthday." OK, says the cashier, "because our policy is that a child has to be 7 to get into an R-rated movie." Are you kidding me? It took every effort to bite my tongue, knowing it's not my place to give mothering advice. I can tell you after that, I didn't feel so bad taking my 10-year-old to a PG-13 movie (with my left hand as a built-in censor).

Fore! I helped Carter break in his new golf clubs at the driving range last night. I find I do better when I am demonstrating to him -- head down, eye on the ball, swing slowly. I also found out I managed to drive a heckuva lot farther with my 3 wood than my driver. That could be my secret ace-in-the-hole club this year! At one point I was having a devil of a time hitting my hybrid club (which worked well last time). So I am saying something to myself like "why isn't this working?" and Carter says, "Mom, people might not want to play with people who talk to their golf equipment." Next swing, and that ball sailed! Hey, use whatever motivates you -- even if it's to channel anger or prove a point. Fore!

Natural Disaster: The death toll in the devastating Myanmar cyclone has risen to more than 22,000 with 41,000 more missing, according to news reports. We hear these stories but don't give them much thought after the newscast. Until it gets personal. My friend Lucy's sister Lisa is a kindergarten teacher over there in Yangon. Since phone service is out, Lucy hasn't heard from her since this happened. Please pray for Lisa's safety.

Heritage Hill: Today Carter is taking a field trip over to Heritage Hill State Historical Park outside of Green Bay. Of course the best part of any field trip is the bus ride, cold lunch (with soda!) and a snack. But I hope he learns something, too, even though he said last night, "Good, I get a day off from thinking." Oh it's tough being a fourth-grader. I sent one of those disposable cameras with him in case he saw something cool -- and advised him to not use all the pictures up on the bus ride. If there is one picture of scenery and 23 of girls, then we'll have a talk.

News to me...

Chicken Little: Good news in the "sky is falling" department. The Pentagon said today it has a "high degree of confidence" that the missile fired at a dead U.S. spy satellite in space (remember the one the size of a bus?) destroyed the satellite's fuel tank as planned. Apparently, a space operations center in California is tracking some 3,000 pieces of debris, all smaller than a football. Well, I still think an object smaller than a football, falling thousands of feet from the sky, could hurt, don't you? Think: baseball, Coke bottle, telephone...

Tooth Fairy: I got Scott and Jana's take today on Carter's weekend visit. He behaved quite well and was patient with their almost 4-year-old (for the first 12 hours anyway). If you recall, Carter lost a tooth on Friday so they got to play Tooth Fairy that night. Carter put his tooth in his little snack-sized Ziploc bag and put it under his pillow, where he found two presidential dollars in the morning. One tiny detail Carter was quick to point out to the fairies-in-training: "She (as in the Tooth Fairy) doesn't usually doesn't take the baggie." Oops. I think he still believes -- especially since the ante has been upped to presidential dollars now!

Oscars: I'm glad I didn't bother staying up for the Oscars. Looks like No Country for Old Men took home a bunch. I didn't see that movie (yet) so I wouldn't have been excited or impressed. Sort of like the year Titanic won everything and I was the only person in the western hemisphere who hadn't seen it yet! (Yes, I've seen it since. What's all the fuss?) Of course, now that I am typing about it, the Celine Dion theme song for Titanic is starting to play through my head. I hate when that happens!

Winter Break: We got a reprieve from the arctic air yesterday and today. The mercury moved up beyond the 30 mark! The joy is short-lived, naturally, and temps will dip down to single digits again by tomorrow night. Did I mention I am going somewhere warm for spring break (tee hee)? Three weeks from now, I'll already be in toasty Texas -- where it is 93 degrees as I type this. Whoo hoo!

Concession Stand: We'll be signing up Carter for baseball this evening, which means Mommy and Daddy will have candy bars for sale at their desks for the next few weeks ... or until the box of 50 is gone. Even if you gave up chocolate for Lent, buy one and stick it in your freezer. If we don't sell them, we get stuck eating them ... and I don't think my Biggest Loser team would appreciate that.

(What? Don't all newscasts end in a commercial?)

Chicken Little

In the childhood story of Chicken Little, he thinks the sky is falling and tells everyone the sky is falling, but no one believes him. Now we actually have something falling out of the sky and no one is really telling us anything.

In one of those 15-second news spots, I heard this: Government officials say a large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and propulsion and could hit the Earth in late February or March. The satellite, which no longer can be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down, they said. Did I mention it's the size of a bus? The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret, but they are keeping other nations apprised of the situation. Did I mention it's the size of a bus?

Last night I was freaking out when I was hearing the 45-mph winds howl in the blizzard. As I listened to the creaking and groaning of the house, I wondered what it would be like to have the roof ripped right off. Now I'm wondering what it would be like to have a bus land on my home, where thankfully we only have 3 occupants (just in case maximum seating capacity on the satellite is 71).

Funny (as in funny ironic and scary, not funny ha ha) how there's all this urgency about global warming, but not much to be said about this mammoth chunk of "Chicken Little's sky" falling. I'm feeling a bit like Chicken Little myself -- mainly the chicken part -- and I'm a little concerned ... not fretting or worrying yet. Just concerned and keeping my eye on the sky (and the news).

Hmm... I wonder if March will come in like a lion this year or lamb or perhaps a Greyhound...

Lordy, lordy, look who's...

I had to do something this week I have dreaded for a long time. I had to buy my childhood best friend a 40th birthday card.

You know what that means ... The "I'm 40" snowball has started rolling down hill, picking up speed and picking up classmates along the way and heading straight for me! I wonder if it will melt by June... Fat chance.

Thanks for getting that started, Julie! Seriously, it's a privilege to send birthday wishes to someone I celebrated the other milestone birthdays with: 13 (We're teens!); 16 (Let's drive!); 18 (Oh boy, here comes college!); 21 (We can legally drink the beer we've been consuming in college!); and 30 (which seemed old until today).

The first time I met Julie I was 8 years old. All the third-graders in the Luck School District were taking a field trip to the Shrine Circus. This meant us kids out in the country elementary school (Oak Hill) got to go with the town kids and the East Luck school third-graders. Julie recalls seeing my twin sister and me sitting on the bus together. I don't recall meeting Julie that day, but for some reason remember buying a laser-gun shaped flashlight at the circus.

Two years later, when a school fire prompted a much-needed expansion of the main school in town, the "country schools" closed and all the students were in one building. That was when I really met her, our friendship began and, I'm blessed to say, has not faded in 3 decades. (Oh gosh. Now we do sound old!)

Well somebody had to go first -- and I'm glad it wasn't me. (Except she'll be laughing at me in 10 years when she can get the AARP discounts before me!) I'm sure in 6 months, Julie will have much wisdom to impart to us young whipper-snappers.

In the meantime, Julie, a sincere happy birthday! May you receive as many wonderful blessings as your friendship has brought to me!