Holiday Weekending Close to Home

We didn't have plans to leave town for the long weekend. And that was before the spike in gas prices over the past month or so. 

But in the end, that worked in our favor. 

We have just enough going on anyway to keep us busy and entertained – with time for naps.

This morning, we both ran our errands. Then early this afternoon we hopped over the Lake Wazeecha for a graduation party. Filled up on the taco bar and then came home to nap before heading to the next party at the Ridges in the late afternoon.

I'm kind of so full it's almost painful. And I haven't even had cake yet!

Tomorrow we'll repeat the same pattern. Only this time, I'll be starting with a brunch at church before the Assumption graduation parties. I better pace myself! Or none of those "new" smaller pants I bought at Goodwill will fit me come Tuesday when I return to work! 

For those camping or holiday-cationing somewhere where you're spending lots of time outdoors, I hope you stayed warm enough today. It was cloudy and cool here, but Mother Nature is turning up the thermostat tomorrow. YAY!

I mean the forecast for Memorial Day is 82 degrees, no graduation parties, and total dedication to Mr. Deck Chair 2.0. Bring it on!

Enjoy your weekend!

Sneaky Sticker Shock

After an oil change this morning, I had to stop and gas up and... I must not have paying attention lately because gas prices have jumped sky high.

Also why I was putting gas in my mileage-friendly Honda vs hubby's truck for an evening trip to Green Bay for a friend's retirement.

I looked it up – on my trusty, historical-record-type blog, of course – and the last time gas prices were of concern or of note was in June of 2022 when we hit $4.87 per gallon of the regular unleaded variety. God bless you diesel people. Ouch.

We did have fun at our friend Scott's retirement party. We both worked with him at Rapids newspaper and then again at the publishing house in Iola. He and his wife Sandy are the ones from Green Bay that we meet up with each summer for at least one golf round on a nice course somewhere!

On the way home, we had to keep a sharp eye out for deer and orange construction barrels. It's that time of year.

You'd think this would be a nice sunset reflection on a lake. But nope its a flooded farm field near Shiocton. Nearly half of the 400 homes in the village were evacuated two weeks ago as the Wolf River reached record levels with that constant rain. The road was dry today. But there is going to be quite the agricultural impact on that area of Wisconsin, I'm sure.

Got home in time for me to get 8 hours of sleep before I sing in church in the morning. Then BINGO. I gotta play for gas money now!!

The Gasoline of Life

Love when local businesses have inspirational or just plain factual signs. This is 100% what I needed after church today. And it was actually cheaper than a gallon of gas! That's telling you something!

We haven't tipped the $5 mark for regular unleaded gas here – yet. But it's so close. I wish coffee would fuel my car as much as it fuels me. Did you know a gallon of gas only cost 31 cents in 1963? A cup of coffee – 35 cents!

Why do we care? Because also in 1963 a certain someone came into this world. On this very date!

Yup, someone is spending his last year in his 50s. I was just wiki-researching his birth date and it turns out Jim was born on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. The fact that that is a reference point on his birthday seems way too historic for my taste!

Probably the coolest fact was the day before his birth. On July 2, 1963, baseball pitchers Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants, and Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves faced off against each other in a National League baseball game that one author would later call "the greatest game ever pitched". Tied 0-0 after nine innings, the game was won in the 16th by the Giants on a home run by Willie Mays. A perfect stat for my baseball-loving man!

Of course what he enjoys about having his birthday on the 3rd is that he always has the day after his birthday off! Thank you, America!

He didn't exactly whoop it up today, though. He had to be the lector (or something like that) at 5 p.m. church so he was well-behaved all day, relaxing on his recliner with some John Wayne on TV and listening to his Reds baseball on Sirius radio. I offered to take him out after church, but he was fine with just staying home. 

So I went to King Cone myself in observance of his special day. After all, ice cream is the gasoline of life when the coffee shop's closed. And sometimes even when it's open.

Road Worthy

Woke up and decided to take a 336.2-mile round-trip road trip. I mean, why not? Gas is cheap, right? Honestly, although a graduation party was on my calendar for quite sometime now, I was waffling on my decision to go. Since hubby had a previous golf engagement, did I want to drive to Marinette by myself – almost 3 hours each way to spend an hour in between? And with these horrendous gas prices?

When I woke up this morning, I decided yup. These friends are worth more than the price of gas! If I didn't go and something happened to one of them, I'd regret it forever.

And it was the best decision! So very, very glad I went. I needed hugs from these almost-lifelong friends. Three decades and counting. Cindy (left), Sally and I had worked together at the daily newspaper in Menominee – my first job out of college! Cindy and her family took me into their fold and they literally were my family when I lived in Marinette – since driving home to Luck was a 6-7-hour drive so I missed some holidays. Love both these "girls" so much!

Cindy's daughter Sara was 7 when I first met her. Now she's the mother of the graduate! I've got to see her grow from a little girl to a strong young woman to an amazing mother of two!

And I've known her brother since he was born. Love my little Jacob! He's gonna be 30 this summer so yeah, somebody here is getting old!

After much-treasured hugs and visiting (3+ hours not 1), I hit the road. But not before touring around some of my old stomping grounds. Mainly the Lake Michigan waterfront wrapping around Marinette and Menominee.

This car breaks for beaked-creature pictures!

Looking across the waters of Green Bay you can see Door County in the distance! I loved that when living up there.

And I had to stop and see my lighthouse. Yes, MINE!

The memories here are classified, sorry.

Don't miss the gulls though. Their poop, that is!

Slams on brakes midair.

Dives for something.

No sure what because he surfaced empty-handed and empty-mouthed as far as I could tell.

Watching the boats – and occasionally riding one – never got old. And still doesn't.

New (to me) statue in Menominee.

And a Robyn-sized lighthouse replica that I couldn't lift to take home in my car. It wouldn't have fit!

Driving back into Wisconsin, I just felt so blessed and grateful that I decided to make the trip. These people were my family for 4 years and still are. 

My advice: Always take the trip. Make the time. See that person. Get that hug. Always!

Pre-Summer Status Update

 Just a little status update on things...

So here we are on the first Monday in June and I need to include the current state of affairs for my future self to see. Yup, gas in Wisconsin Rapids is $4.89 a gallon. 

Which wouldn't be the worst thing if my "Days out of office" number could keep rising. But it's only going to get to 830.

Because the other tally going on a different calendar is the countdown to my return to office. Eight stinkin' days. Next week at this time, I'll be going to bed early so I remember how to get up to an early alarm again. 

And gas prices are rising just in time for my half-hour commute. And a pound of hamburger is nearly $6 – just in time for summer grilling season. Good stuff. 

At least we have our health. Which, after having the dreaded virus, we don't take for granted either.

Be careful out there!

ThankFul F Words

 

Our alphabetical gratitude month continues today with the letter F, which means I'm about to unleash some F words. The good kind, though!

A = Autumn, Austins, Assumption
B = Ballots, Books, Book Club, Bible
C = Casey, Clay, Carter, Church, Creativity, Camera
D = Dad, Daughters, Deck Chair, Dar, Design
E = Eggs, Election, Energy, Empty Nest

Family: That's an easy one. I'm so very, very grateful for my birth family, hubby's birth family, and the family we've created together. Since fuel prices are somewhat low now, we even took the truck down to Platteville today to enjoy some family time with Carter and friends. (Well, friends will be another F word shortly.)

It's his girlFriend's birthday on Tuesday so I made some treats (scotcheroos) for her and crocheted a scarf – and did the same for his roommate (brownies for her) who's having a birthday on Wednesday. We went to lunch with the household and enjoyed good food plus visiting outside in what turned out to be another fanta-bulous fall day! 

We also spent some time with Bennie, the feisty feline of the house. 

Do not tell Sylvester. We don't need a long-distance cat fight!

Friends: Lots of our friends are just like family! I love my circles of friends from high school and college friends to close co-workers at my handful of workplaces to my current social circles of church, school, book club, neighborhood, and so on. And the list really does go on. I'm so fortunate God has put so many wonderful people in my path. I seriously wouldn't be the person I am without you. Thank you!!

Faith: This is a big one. I'm not bragging about it. I'm just saying I'd be lost without my spirituality. God once game me a second chance at life and I'm not gonna blow it. I'm eternally grateful and try to pay it forward. Sometimes – when there's nothing we can control – that just means fervent prayers. Thanks for listening, God, and teaching me your will is far better than any of my silly ideas of control.

Flu shot: I have to include this! I survived my flu shot yesterday. No pain. No crying. No fainting. And hopefully.... no flu this season. Between the COVID-19 virus and the possibility of just the normal crappy flu, there could be some serious F words over the next few months. Here's to our health!

FastForward: Just a quick mention of gratitude that we could rewind out TV back to noon when we got home tonight and fastforward through our football victory today. Thought I'd spell it out for you in case you missed to purple F up top!

#SKOL #gratitudemonth #gratitudealphabet

Steady Decline

Somebody needs to send Old Man Winter a message reminding him that just because gas prices drop, doesn't mean temperatures have to as well.

Don't mind cheaper gas, but when I am the only one to crawl out of their warm bed to attend 5:40 a.m. kickboxing class, I really mind the subzero air. Of course, my instructor (aka drill sergeant) made sure I warmed up quickly! No worries there. Can break a sweat in all four seasons.

Unfortunately, pump prices and the mercury are not the only things declining these days.

It's been a prayerful week for my family. Remember I told you Sunday I received troubling health news? Well my brother-in-law Paul down in Texas has been in ICU ever since. To start with, his blood pressure was low, his kidneys were failing and he was dehydrated. The kidney function is getting back to normal but at the same time, they diagnosed walking pneumonia, they found a bleeding ulcer in his stomach and doctors believe he may have had a heart attack during all of this. That would make the third heart attack in the last 20 years. I sure hope Paul is part cat so he has several more lives left!

Needless to say, we have been praying quite a bit for healing, comfort from pain and guidance for the doctors. My sister Rayna also has been recovering from a cough and cold so they are hoping she doesn't have/won't get pneumonia, too.

Uff da. There is nothing in my life that justifies any complaints or whining compared to that. How about you?

Hopefully this gives you something to be thankful for and, more importantly, gives you another reason to pray tonight. All warm thoughts are welcomed and appreciated.

Gas-X

As far as I'm concerned, the best way to relieve gas pains is to lower the price at the pump.

I know you were worried I was going to talk about gas because I had broccoli for lunch. No need to fret. I won't go there.

I was just excited tonight to see petrol prices plunging. Relatively speaking.

Apparently, the last time it was this low was 2009. But it had been way up before that so it felt more like a temporary reprieve. Probably like now. But it was back when Carter was a baby that it started inching from the bottom up.

In December of 1999, when gas prices were at $1.34 a gallon, a AAA Wisconsin spokesperson said it ranked as "the highest price of the decade." Then, a few months later they made their way up to about where they are now and people were panicking – and understandably upset with the oil industry. One angry Cheesehead said, "They're insane. Americans are never going to survive at $2 for gas it's not foreseeable. It is not foreseeable."

It wasn't funny at the time, but it's kind of amusing now that we've survived that and so much more!

I just find it so ironic that after driving 100 miles a day for work the past 12 years that now that I have a 12-mile round trip commute, gas prices decided to decline. Just figures. I suppose I can't complain. I only have to fill up my tank about every other week! That's nice. I'll enjoy this while I can.

I also plan to choose something different for lunch tomorrow. In case you were wondering...

Being Flexible

flexible:
• capable of bending easily without breaking: flexible rubber seals.
• able to be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances or conditions: flexible forms of retirement.
• (of a person) ready and able to change so as to adapt to different circumstances: you can save money if you're flexible about where your room is located.


I found several reasons to appreciate flexibility today. And by appreciate, I mean I wish I could be flexible! Well at least in one case...

So this is a flex bar. Our Tuesday UBC class involves a weighted body bar (I use the lightest weight of 6 pounds for now) and this flex bar, which looks so easy to flex in this photo, doesn't it?

We were supposed to establish goals in our 10-week program and one of mine is to be able to bend this supposedly flexible bar before my completion. They assure me I will get there, but it certainly calls attention to muscles we do not use. It's ironic I can run for 30 minutes but I can't bend this bar and hold it for 30 seconds. But that's what will be good about this challenge. It is working everything!

I also appreciate flexibility from my employer. I am able to work from home at least one day a week to save on gas, which finally dropped to $1.99 in Rapids, by the way.

I typically choose a day when I can do most of my work online – or if I have an appointment interrupting my work day. Today I had my church committee meeting, which falls on the second Tuesday of the month at 11:30 a.m. No comment. I'm just glad my schedule is flexible enough that I (as someone employed and not retired and not having an open daytime schedule) can serve.

And like the definition states, we should be "ready and able to change so as to adapt to different circumstances."

That's not always easy when life throws a bunch of "stuff" at you and all you have to defend yourself is a flex bar you can't bend! It can be physically, emotionally and mentally challenging.

I have several friends and loved ones currently in such a circumstance who I am praying for, hoping God will give them strength to bend the bar and make the best of it.

Like I said, I do appreciate flexibility... in all its forms.

sMiles Per Hour

It dawned on me today that it was exactly 8 years ago when I waved goodbye to the daily grind of newspaper land and embarked on my first 45-mile commute to Iola.

Now, some 200,000 miles later, I'm wondering where the time went... How we managed to go through an entire car (a gas-friendly Honda, no less)... How many learning opportunities (read: changes) I've experienced on the job... How many wonderful people have touched my life... and How empty my life would be without them.

I'm also wondering how we managed to stay in Rapids for the boys -- first the big boys, now Carter -- and not move any closer, especially the first time (a few years ago) gas was up to 4 bucks a gallon. Now it's gone up to that critical level again and we are staying put.

You might think it's because we have the coolest neighbors on the planet... or that our jobs are so great, any mileage is worth it.

That may all be true, but I'll let you in on a little secret...

There's this really cute guy in my carpool... And I wouldn't want to do anything to short-change my 2 hours a day with that one!

Stretching the Dollar

As the chief cook and bottle washer for 8 kids, my mom knew a thing or two about innovation.

She could stretch a dollar farther than most NFL QBs can toss the pigskin. In a pinch, she could make a sustainable meal with a handful (or less) of ingredients -- something akin to that fella who did the magic trick with the 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.

Thankfully, in a dual-income household, we have not faced those same challenges (yet). But once in awhile I get thrown for a loop and I have to think on my feet like all mothers apparently have the innate ability to do.

When I pulled out the jug of milk this morning, I was dismayed to discover it was close to empty. Apparently in all our running around putting out fires this week, grocery shopping slipped off the radar.

So I wondered how I was going to stretch this milk over the three bowls of cereal normally consumed in our household each morning. I decided I would be the martyr (another innate maternal trait) and I would put a little milk in my bowl and add water. Well that's all fine and good when you add water to whole milk to essentially create skim milk. But when you start with skim milk and add water... eww. Oh well, at least there was just enough milk for everyone.

In today's economy, with layoffs at our workplace (and lots of workplaces) and gas prices creeping back up, hubby and and I will be taking a hard look at ways to stretch the almighty dollar. Maybe we'll start clipping coupons or, at a minimum, reconsider some of our so-called "luxury" spending.

I do know that no matter what, we are going to have milk on hand. And toilet paper. I may have some of my mother's creative genes, but I don't even want to think about applying them there.

What Now?

I felt kind of lost today. It seemed kind of quiet, didn't it? I suddenly remembered what was on TV and what was in my mailbox before the election and especially the recent months of campaigning leading up to it.

Now what happens? Well I hope the gas prices, which have fallen to almost reasonable levels, will stay that way. That's unlikely. Of course, we'd like the economy fixed or at least turned around and heading in the right direction. That just can't happen overnight. I'd like the conflict in Iraq to end, too, before my nephew in the Army has to get shipped off to fight.

We can't expect miracles. And I know from experience -- a lot of it -- that change doesn't always please everyone. I am hopeful, though, and that's a big step for people like me who have had to acknowledge, accept, embrace a mountain of changes in recent times. We just need patience, right? And we're loaded with that.

In the meantime, I can refocus on my own little non-political life. I've got a boy with an incredibly tough class load, another boy who needs to stop being a load, a little boy anxious about his first quarter grades (real letter grades this time), and my big boy facing knee surgery in a couple weeks.

There's plenty going on. Then there's me, just floating in my Democratic cloud, counting down the days to my annual Wild Women's Weekend. This year is our 10th one so six of us Northern girls are flying down together to take Southern Texas by storm next week! Checked the long-range forecast today -- should be sunny and in the 80s.

So I'll just keep thinking about that while the Austin clan finds our own ways to make our own little changes in our lives. If a new president can turn things around for the nation, we can certainly do our part at home, right? Yes, we can!

Optical Delusion

Gas prices are dropping. And in Wisconsin Rapids, for a few hours, they were dirt cheap. By accident.

It's made the national news wires: On Monday, a gas station here accidentally programmed their gas to be 34.9 cents per gallon instead of $3.49. So a person gases up, realizes the mistake, calls a friend and they gas up, too.

The station owner estimated 30 to 40 customers fueled up at the incorrect price — between 200 and 300 gallons worth — for about 90 minutes. Did no one think that they should tell the manager? Apparently, when it comes to getting cheap gas, no one has a guilty conscience. We deserve it, right? I'm just glad that for the moment -- and I say moment because it could be changing as I type -- that the prices have dropped a bit.

When we saw yesterday that gas prices had dipped below $3 a gallon (for real), Carter says, "Man, they're giving it away!" I don't think he realizes Daddy is sarcastic when he says that!

How did we get brainwashed into thinking gas under $3 is a bargain? It doesn't seem that long ago when gas was sitting at $2.25 and hubby and I (who commute 45 mile to work) said, "If gas ever gets close to $3, we better consider moving or getting new jobs." Then, bam! We're suddenly inching our way to $4.

I feel like this old-timer talking about gas under $2 in the good ol' days. Of course, after getting my dreadful 401K statement in the mail yesterday, I will be an old-timer -- very old -- before I can retire! Sheesh! Things sure were different back in the day...

Going Green

It's a sad state of affairs when oil prices rise to an all-time high on Earth Day. A good reminder we need to think seriously about where we as a planet are going. And what can we do about it?

We hear so much buzz today about "going green." I guess if there's one good bandwagon to jump on, it's that one. As long as people are willing to adopt the attitude for the long haul. I heard a lot of "green" tips on the radio this morning on the drive in. Everything I've heard before, but sometimes we forget.

Of course, one of the obvious ones is to use less fuel -- either drive less or buy a hybrid vehicle or both. When we work 44 miles away, it's hard to drive any less, but we do ride together and only drive separately when it's absolutely necessary. Our Honda Civic gets good gas mileage but the minivan is another story. It cost 60 bucks to fill it last night and it wasn't even an empty tank. Ouch! We said we should stop on the way home and buy a Prius. But then I'd probably need a second job to afford one. Just more driving!

They mentioned saving water, too, by doing fewer loads of wash, turning off the water when brushing your teeth and flushing a few less times each day. Since Carter often forgets to flush already, we've got that one covered. Plus, when I was growing up, we didn't even have indoor plumbing until I was Carter's age so I have 10 years of water conservation invested already!

It goes without saying we should recycle, recycle, recycle. I feel guilty if I go someplace where they don't recycle and I have to put an aluminum can in the trash. It just doesn't feel right. We do a good job of recycling aluminum, plastic, glass, cardboard and paper at our house. The cardboard/paper effort requires a trip into town to the drop-off site every now and then but it's not really an extra trip if we tie it into a stop at the grocery store, etc.

In Wisconsin, we are particularly proud of Earth Day since its founder -- Sen. Gaylord Nelson -- lived here. It seems strange to think there was a time when it was OK to toss that can or bottle out the window or into the creek and litter. I distinctly remember that TV commercial when I was a kid where the Native American had a tear rolling down his cheek because he was so sad about what we were doing to the Earth. Not littering was a new thing then. So was caring about the environment. And what is this O-zone thing? The most crushing blow as a teenager was learning I probably shouldn't be using that aerosol can of Aqua-Net hairspray. How did we survive?

Think about what you can do to go green so our children and grandchildren have a safe and beautiful place to live. Why not start today?

Gas pains

OK, the headlines are starting to scare me. In the news this week:

"Watch out: Here comes $4 gasoline"

Yikes. That's not what us commuters want to hear. Obviously, Jim and I choose to live 44 miles from work. We're not required to stay where we are -- we just like it. We like our house. We like our yard and our neighborhood. And, of course, we like being close to the "big boys."

We just don't like the gas prices!

We try to make the most of our "gas mileage" by riding together whenever possible, which is most days, and using a gas-friendly car. But with driving a minimum of 88 miles a day, we've put 100,000 miles on our Honda Civic in 3 years. Another yikes.

It almost pains me to talk about the van, also well over 100,000 miles. I'm guessing it gets more than 20 mpg so it has to be a little better than those trucks and SUVS. But the tank is so big it's like we need to take out a small loan to fill it up.

The other day Carter and I stopped to get gas for the van. When I pulled up to the tank, I said, "Wow, it went up to $2.89!" Carter happened to have his wallet with and he pulled out two singles and handed them to me and said, "Here Mom, now you only have to pay 89 cents."

Oh, if only that were true!