The Great Outdoors

Figures Mother Nature waits until the last day of May to give us a beautiful day. And we'll take it!

Although quite breezy, the sun was shining and the temps were in the mid-70s so we had to get out of the house. Carter had a friend stay over last night. I kept shooing them outdoors this morning. At least they went for a short bike ride and played catch awhile before coming back inside to their hand-held video games. I don't know why it is such a struggle to get kids to go outside these days!

After his friend went home, I had Carter help me get air in my bike tires and golf cart tires at the gas station. When we got home, he actually decided to stay outside and hit some baseballs. I said, "Do you want to field those for you or pitch to you?" He said I could I pitch. Of course, him saying I can pitch and me actually having the ability are two different things. I pitched him dozens of balls (overhand like a real baseball player, mind you). I did take one line drive in the gut, but I have a feeling my back is what will be protesting in the morning.

After taking a break, I had him help me set up and wash the patio furniture on the back deck. Later we headed to the driving range at the golf course. Jim was getting his golf clubs re-gripped and the guy doing it gave us some clubs to try out. Plus, it's always good to get some practice in -- especially for Carter, who hasn't golfed "for real" yet.

When we got home awhile ago, Jim had Carter pick up some sticks in the back yard so he could mow. I asked Carter when he was done if he wanted to go for short bike ride with me so I can blow the cobwebs off. He grabs my shoulders and looks me straight in the eye and says, "Mom, we already played ball and golfed. I haven't even had time to relax today!"

Oh, pardon me. I guess it's hard work spending time in the great outdoors!

Gotta run. I just heard the lawnmower quit so I'll have to see what's next on our demanding schedule!

Do you compute?

Just when I think I have a handle (somewhat) on today's technology, I realize I am light years behind. Someone said this week that e-mail is the newest "snail mail" because texting is that much quicker. I don't know about that, but I am getting my eyes opened.

Today Carter had a program at school. He and his classmates were presenting their agriculture reports with Power Points. So Carter has officially done a Power Point before Mom or Dad. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a computer program that can be projected on a big screen -- just a nice, graphically pleasing way to present information. Almost like a slide show. I'm sure I can teach myself how to do one. I just haven't taken the time. The kids did sound quite professional with their little microphone and slides. Just not something I expected to see in a 4th-grade classroom.

I knew kids were learning things at a much younger age when I watched Carter type in his guest blog. He had his hands poised above the home row and he typed with all fingers ... just like I learned in 10th-grade typing class (only they call it "keyboarding" now)!

He knows his way around the computer and the Internet, too. I was grateful his teacher made the kids start their ag report research using encyclopedias first so they have a clue what to do with those antiquated books.

Of course, he's asked for a cell phone. But that is not happening anytime soon.

Then there are the two older boys who have their cell phones on them every minute of every day ... and I can't convince my hubby to get one for emergencies or those "almost important" calls from Wal-Mart. It's not like we would run out of minutes with it. Certainly not from texting.

Texting. Now that is a foreign concept to me -- probably because I have a Blackberry through work (la-tee-da) and I just type whole e-mails to people with that. But texting is THE thing. The teenage boy living with us was almost complaining the other day that he was limited to only 1,000 text messages a month. Only?! If you've got the phone, why don't you just call your friends and TALK to them?

See how old-fashioned I am? At least I know how to blog, right? That's hip ... or whatever the "kewl" word of the day is...

Rain, rain, go away...

Unfortunately, the Bad News Bears were back in action tonight. I'd blame the rain or the fact that it was a late game -- right around bedtime for some of these kids -- but both teams had to deal with those conditions.

Watching the Orioles out in the field, standing in the light, steady rain, it brought to mind a Peanuts cartoon. I could just see Charlie Brown standing in the pouring rain, mitt in hand, ready to play.

Unfortunately, our guys weren't ready to play -- and didn't seem like they wanted to. But who am I to judge? That's just my observation from the stands.

Of course, at one point I'm yelling at Carter to step closer to the base when he's batting. I turn to the people next to me and say, "I don't care if I'm the yelling mom. If he doesn't listen to the coach, he better listen to me. Unfortunately, he has to live with both of us!"

Ahh, sports. Gotta love 'em!

Thy clubs be christened!

When it dawned on me today that I have had my new golf clubs for 5 months now and they had yet to be christened, I knew I had to do something soon or I was bound to get cranky about it.

Of course, when the day starts out with temps in the 30s, one doesn't think about golf first thing. But as I watched the mercury slowly make its ascent near 70, I knew today had to be the day.

We took advantage of the fact we have a "temporary" live-in babysitter, and headed for the golf course as soon as we got home. I promise not to bore you non-golfers with a hole-by-hole play-by-play, but...

When I teed off on the first hole, I had some concerns. The ball shanked off to the left. I thought, "Something is wrong with these new clubs!" After racking up a 7 on that hole, I pulled my head out of my ... bag ... and started concentrating. I parred the second hole. Whoo-hoo!

Just so all of my clubs felt appreciated, I ended up using every one at least once (except my 5 iron). Even the sand wedge got a workout. I found I am in love with my new hybrid club. I felt especially comfortable hitting that -- and driving with my 3 wood. I ended up pounding out a 54, which is great for me for the first outing of the season.

The only thing I didn't like was all the mosquitoes! Will definitely need to pack bug spray in the bag! They are out for blood already. This is definitely going to be a wicked year on the links. But I am willing to make that sacrifice, aren't you?

Up in Arms

While I was visiting my parents this weekend, my nephew Zachary stopped by. Zach, who runs his own farrier and horse-training business, asks Carter if he wants to go with him to pick up some wood. Carter respectfully declines because he wants to go with Mom and Grandma to garage sales.

This is the point I am actually embarrassed but we couldn’t convince Carter to change his mind. Later, in some last-ditch attempt to prove his manhood, Carter challenges Zach to an arm wrestle (or maybe it was the other way around). If you watch Zach’s face in the videos, you can see he really enjoyed this!

Below: Carter gives it a valiant effort.



Below: Carter tries one more time to "pin" cousin Zach, this time using two hands. Unfortunately, he loses twice as quick!



Zach later confessed he can bench-press twice Carter's weight so really Carter didn’t have a chance, but I was glad he was willing to try something!

Weathering the Weekend

Carter and I spent the weekend Up North at my parents' house. We drove up Friday to give us some more time, but I forgot what a nightmare holiday traffic is. Couple that with some unexpected road construction (no, I didn't think to check ahead), and we were just happy to get there.

On Friday night, Carter impressed Grandpa and Grandma with his skill (or luck) at playing cards. We played 3 to 13 and somehow in the last two hands I came from behind to win by 2 points. So that was fun (I can say that because I won.)

On Saturday, my main goal was to do some videotaped interviews done with Mom and Dad to gather some genealogy info and hear some of their stories. That took a while to get started. We had to start the day with some garage sales with Grandma first. We actually only went to two. One huge one, where I ran into a guy I went to grade school with. He says, "You sure look different." And I'm thinking, I would hope so. It's been at least 20 years. Anyway, Carter's big find at the sale was a Brasil soccer shirt to match his Brasil hat. (He asked today if I mentioned that in my blog, so I thought I better!)

After the sale, we swung by my old grade school. I wanted to show my fourth-grade son the school where I was in the last fourth-grade class before they shut it down and we went to Luck. After Oak Hill closed in the late '70s, it was purchased and used as a home, but it looks much the same on the outside. The windows on the right show were the "little room" was -- that's what we called the room with grades 1-3. The windows on the left show the "big room," where the bigger grades, 4-6, were. Physically, the rooms were the same size, but that's what we called them. We drove up the road to look at the ball diamond and that is basically grown over, but I could point out to Carter the few hot spots for building forts anyway.

The interviews got started in the afternoon and each parent was on the hot seat for about 45 minutes. I think they turned out pretty well. I mainly just wanted to capture their personalities and I did that, that's for sure. I also learned a few things -- and it got emotional at times. I am sure it will be something interesting to share with my siblings, children and grandchildren someday.

On Sunday, we attended a church service at Pleasant Prairie Church, located in the sand barrens of Burnett County. The church closed many years ago but for the past 62 years, they have opened it up for a service the day before Memorial Day for the families of those buried there. My grandparents and great-grandparents on my dad's side are buried there.

Since it was raining, we packed everyone inside that little church. There were only 11 pews, 5 on one side, 6 on the other, and an altar and piano. We lit candles because it was so dark and cloudy. During the sermon, the storm hit ... lightning, thunder and hail! I turned to my brother and whispered, "This is really hail, fire and brimstone!" (I know. I can't stop myself.) At least we didn't have to worry about the electricity going out, since there wasn't any to begin with. It was a neat, patriotic service, though, and I look forward to going back. The rain let up so we could sit outside to eat in the mist. Not the best day for a picnic, that's for sure!

We heard more bad weather was on the way so Carter and I left in the late afternoon to head back home. First we stopped to see my sister Rachel, who works at Fawn-Doe-Rosa, a little wildlife park in St. Croix Falls. Carter and I got the quick tour of the cute baby animals and fed the deer. I hadn't been to this place since I was a kid, but I could see why Carter liked it. He was a little unnerved by the hissing geese and the deer who tried to get into his bag of feed, but other than that, he enjoyed it! As soon as it started to rain, we hit the road in hopes of beating the storm.

No such luck. By the time, we got to Amery, we heard sirens going off as we drove through town. I found a radio station with the local weather which mentioned what was happening in Minnesota and heading that way. Strong rotations -- as in tornadoes. The two things I remember about tornadoes when it comes to driving. One, you should never try to outrun a tornado. Two, don't stay in the car. The third thing I couldn't remember is where to park (parking lots are no-nos, aren't they?). I figured I'd just keep on driving until I figured it. Probably not the smartest decision in the world, but it worked this time.

We ended up missing that storm and several others. Every time we'd hear an update on a radio station, the storm was either behind us or to the north or the south. I was still a little nervous but somehow it worked out. It was like we were driving in this zig-zagging protection zone all the way back to Wisconsin Rapids. We never got another drop of rain after Amery and made it home safely 3 hours later.

Today it is simply gorgeous out. So really, I shouldn't be sitting here at the computer. I have got to get something done. I know those chairs on the front deck need some testing. So I think I'll grab a cold one (water, that is) and see if they pass inspection...

Puttin' on the Hits

For breakfast this morning I found myself eating my words. But this time I didn't mind choking them down.

Two nights after I labeled Carter's team the "Bad News Bears," they were out to prove me wrong. And they did! I'm sure it had much more to do with Coach Austin's stern post-game "critique" Tuesday night and the fact he had them show up an hour early last night to get in some batting practice. But either way, they turned themselves around to chalk up their first W of the season.

For once, the Orioles were the team taking the lead in the first inning. It started out with walks -- they were getting walked around the bases and scoring that way. Then the first person got his hit. Then another kid. Before you know it, our team looked like a hitting machine.

Don’t know how many hits we had -- but it was more than any other game this year. Carter and several others got their first good whack, that's for sure. The team was so positive, so enthusiastic. It was contagious!

We ended up winning 9-2. Whoo-hoo! I'm sure it took hours for the adrenaline rush to die down. I know Carter still wasn't asleep at 10!

I got the inside scoop on the victory from the coach (since I'm sleeping with him, you know). The big key, according to coach, was "We threw strikes and didn’t give up a lot of walks. Then kids in the field pay attention better and have a better chance at catching the ball."

I'm not convinced the A.D.D. in the dugout is gone, though. At one point I walked by and heard a kid say, "My dog peed in my mouth once," and I kept right on walking.