Trifle Tuesday Has My Vote!

As a former newspaper reporter and editor, I still get a little PTSD on Election Day. I should say Election Night! Waiting, waiting, "hold the press until results come in" waiting.

With more than a decade of experience in the trenches, I was schooled to be neutral (or write neutral) on just about any type of public decisions – including elections. I mean all my reporting had to be unbiased. I still can't break that habit. I honestly have my opinions, but I just try to see both sides and don't exclaim to the masses how unjust or outrageous certain sides / candidates / campaigns, etc, are.

Even though the educated voter in me says, "Are you kidding me?"

According the machine at our town hall, my vote was "counted" today so that's what matters.

If I ran the world, though, of course I'd say Trifle Tuesday should be a national WEEKLY holiday. (See my Roll a Rolo to a Friend Trifle in Exhibit A above.) 

And really, can we NOT have a serious election on April Fool's Day? It just makes me very nervous for the coming hours. This is also why I'm blogging early. I might not be able to contain my allegedly neutral outside opinion later. 

But if you haven't voted, get out there. Our freedom to do so is not to be "trifled" with! 

Seasonal Defective Disorder

After surviving Saturday night's ice storm (a.k.a. Another of Mother Nature's Mood Swings) and being able to sing in church choir, it seemed like Sunday would be fine. But "she" just couldn't let things go.

We were able to hold an enjoyable Book Club and meal at El Mezcal last night. But as soon as we exited, the snow was coming down. And by the time I was on the home stretch, it was that fun Millennium Falcon-warp speed view. 

Not a fan.

I did get home safely but forgot how snow falls silently while we sleep.

When I woke up this morning, I thought "Yay, tomorrow is April 1st and TriCity Golf Course opens!" I mean, I have been counting down. But this view out the front squashed my dreams. 

So now I think the TBD opening date should mean "Take Bad weather Down!"

If only we had the power, right? The encouraging thing is that when I took a walk after work with my golf partner the snow was rapidly melting away. And based on the forecast – which I never know when to trust – temps will be well above freezing the rest of the week.

Not sure if there will be golf, but perhaps spring sports in the form of baseball and softball will make their debut! 

Get over you seasonal defective disorder, Mother Nature! Remember how good sunshine and warm temperatures feel!

In the Blink of an Eye

Pardon any photos that might be too graphic. A year ago today my sister Rachel was on her way to Easter weekend services at church in Minnesota when an approaching car crossed the center line and hit her head-on. 

When fire department personnel and paramedics arrived, it took an hour for them to extract her and her passenger (friend Brian) with the hopes that at least one of them – hopefully both – would survive. Honestly, it was touch and go. The med flight from the accident scene to the Twin Cities included some emergency blood transfusions just to keep Rach alive.

Brian had a fractured pelvis and a shorter, but still painful, hospitalization and recovery. For my sister, there were literally months of time in the ICU at Regions Hospital where we all took turns visiting – and you, my prayer warriors, were with me on those journeys. Thank you!

Three months after the accident, Rachel could finally return home. But it was during that time that my mom had her own home accident and ended up in a nursing home, then hospital, then passed away. We waited until Rachel was able to attend a funeral – months later – and that's where that top photo is from. All of us together – and our wardrobes giving a nod to Mom's love of flowers.

Today, Rachel is not out of the woods. She's fighting an infection from some of her new internal hardware. And, once that's clear, needs to have major surgery on that left leg that didn't heal at the correct angle.

What I've learned from this is that we can never take even the tiniest of moment of our lives for granted. Never take your family, your friends, your job, your health, your home, the air you breathe for granted. Life can change in the blink of an eye!

I also learned that when I reach out to friends and family – even strangers, there is an army of prayer warriors just waiting to support us, whether they've met my sister or not.

We so appreciate all of you for not only praying during the immediate crisis, but continually asking "How is your sister?" It means the world to all of us. And God is definitely listening. 

In turn, I pray none of you have to go through anything remotely as stressful and painful as this. Treasure each minute of each day!

The Calm Before the Alleged Storm

I love purple – but not when it indicates we could be in for a nasty wake-up call tomorrow. We're right on the bottom of the Ice Storm Warning and close to the milder Winter Weather Advisory. There's a chance the storm won't follow the boxy county lines, so I'm holding out home.

Still, we made sure our dinner plans started early enough in case it started this evening.

Since one of Jim's classmates lives over in the Fox Valley area and the rest of us are in Rapids, we decided to meet halfway at Simpson's in Waupaca. Five people in this photo are from the Assumption Class of '81. I still marvel at how close hubby is with classmates after all these years. So not my post-high school experience.

We had a good meal and great conversations. When you can linger over a meal for more than 2 hours, that's good stuff! A fun group! 

And as a bonus, the skies stayed clear our 45-minute drive home. 

We'll see what happens while we're sleeping. I'm supposed to sing in church choir tomorrow – coincidentally the same song we were supposed to sing on Ash Wednesday when that service got stormed out. Honest, Lord, we sound good. Let us sing it already!

Whatever happens, be careful out there! And remember – it's not the worst thing to be home-bound during March Madness! 

 

How Great Thou Aunt

The best part about being an auntie is that you get to watch your little nieces and nephews grow up – then they have littles of their own and you get to watch it again!

Was excited to learn a few weeks ago that my nephew Travis and his family were going to be in my neck of the woods today on their way south. Not many family members come through here, that's for sure. So it was a treat. Of course I was happy to see Travis and Michelle but my great-nieces Kenlee and Khloe (above) kind of steal my heart! 💖

Since they were spending the night in nearby Plover, I thought I'd treat them to some time at our friends' store – Feltz's Dairy Store – where they can see cows through the store window and do some fun farm-like activities.

Since 2-year-old Khloe just learned to sing Old MacDonald, she was thrilled that was what was playing on the little merry-go-round. She bravely held onto Jake the cow so she could do actions while singing!

And Kenlee fed the bigger cow that they could also pretend to milk!

And then there was Buttercup, the biggest cow. A must-see must-photo opportunity. It burned off a little energy after their long drive anyway. If you haven't checked this place out, do so. Once school lets out, they also have a fun outdoor play area opening up. Shop local – entertain yourself locally.

From there we hopped over to Chili's since we figured they'd have something for every aged appetite! Good food. Good visit. And good reminder I better get in shape if we ever ever have grandchildren. I couldn't keep up. And this was in a restaurant! Ha.

Loved every minute of it. Seeing the grown-up dad version of the kiddo I saw the day he was born also melts my heart.

Treasure family time. Always!

Inching Toward Real Spring

I feel bad for the robins and other birds who thought it was spring a few weeks ago. After the lovely snow and ice storms, I was relieved to see a survivor in our yard tonight. Have they not learned their lesson that April is the earliest month to return – and May is even safer?

The human side of me was just thrilled that we were inching closer to 60 degrees. My friend Marigene and I took a walk after I got home from work and I even wore short sleeves. The madness!

But since I knew tomorrow was going to be a hair warmer, I took my car to a "manual" car wash so I could hang my car mats and give them a good power wash. So much salt on my driver mat. And so nice to get rid of that. 

For now.

I mean you never know in Wisconsin. And there could be rain on Saturday – or ice. It's too soon to tell. But for $3, I can handle re-doing today's wash and vacuum again! 

My preference, however, would be to keep inching toward real spring – and stay there!

Cowboy Up

If there's one thing I've learned from my cowboy nephew Zach it's to "get after it!" – whatever "it" may be.

Because he does just that and creates his own opportunities in life, he and his wife are in New Zealand this week, where he's conducting a "Cowhorse Clinic," going a hunt of some sort, and enjoying the gorgeous Down Under scenery with his wife.

I'd be 100% jealous if I hadn't had my own opportunity to "Cowboy Up" today.

OK. I admit it's a complete stretch. But I did get to try out some cowboy gear at work today while we prepped for a video shoot related to a Wild West sales trip for some top employees. I say, if you can't have the fun, you gotta invent it. 

Side note: I just happened to be wearing clothes today that would match any Western gear, hat, or lasso. Yay me! (Or is it Yee-Haw!?")

My advice: If life gets boring, play "dress up" and create your own fun! You might find your own cowboy swagger as a result!