Mellow Yellow?

Due to road construction, there is not a direct way to get to work in Stevens Point via Plover these days. Lots of detours.

So my morning commute means I have to go south first to head to the Interstate and then head north to Point. It adds time and miles (good thing gas is cheap).

Yesterday morning there was lots of fog. And today there were pockets of it. And this weird yellowish hue to the sky. I was pretty sure there weren't any wildfires causing this. And thankfully the Internet again came through with the answer:

The glow is an atmospheric effect, a result of how the sun is filtering through particular clouds. 

There you have it. It is not the end of days or anything dramatic!

I was kind of hoping it would but me in a "mellow yellow" sort of mood today but that only lasts so far into the day at work. Ha.

Good thing I balanced it out with a nice Book Club meeting tonight. We tried out The Lantern at Bullseye Country Club. The prices were decent and so was the food. It was sparsely populated in the dining area so we actually got a quiet little table where we were free to discuss the book and not disturb anyone. Always great to see everyone and spend an evening on the banks of the Wisconsin River.

I call this one "Book Club With a View." Now that's mellow!

Those Fickle Golf Gods

After driving to work in the pour rain – make that a deluge – and seeing it rain all morning, my golf partners and I thought for sure we wouldn't have league tonight.

But the golf gods were smiling on us and the sun came out by 1 p.m.

So golf was on! The tricky thing about the golf gods is that if they smile on you, it can only be for one thing at a time. If today was weather, that meant they were not helping me have a stellar round! 

Also against us was the fact the course was so wet, it was "cart path only." Now there are a few holes with wide fairways and a long walk from the cart path to your ball. While it did help me get my 10,000 steps quite easily. It didn't help my game.

Still, I'll never complain about a round at SentryWorld!

And on the way home, the regular God gave me a colorful commute. Never doubt the blessings hiding in plain sight!

The Land of the Lost

I could have titled this blog "Land of the Lost" or "Somebody Moved my Cheese" and both would have been appropriate.

First, the 6:20 a.m. alarm is jarring after setting it to 7:25 a.m. to walk across the hallway and login at 7:30 a.m. for 6 weeks. Secondly, weather conditions were strange.

I feel like I was literally trying to find my way back to the office. And Mother Nature was saying, "Why? Just stay home." LOL. Wishful thinking.

My new digs. Of course it looks impressive. We happened to open it just before COVID. It's modern and also so foreign in layout that I felt everyone was quite lost finding our way around – from where to park, how to enter the building and how to set up our work station to where are the meeting rooms and what's the cafeteria like.

Summary: Confusion overpowered Productivity today.

Also our is on the 6th floor so my fear of heights/falling ramped up any time I was in a meeting or near the ground-floor indoor "courtyard" area. Uff da. I gotta buck up for the next 4 years. Feeling grateful we share a desk with someone so we're only in office every other week for this transition period!

Look up to stay positive about change. Don't look down! 😆

Commute and Construction Do Not Mix

There's more than one reason I haven't missed being in the office for the past month. But I was reminded today of a few more as I see the only "light" at the end of the tunnel is a fluorescent one when we return to the office next week!

Today I had a special occasion to return to Stevens Point as the mentor for our summer intern. The interns compete in a special challenge each summer – ideas they come up with as a team that could streamline or grow business at our company. So today's presentations were at SentryWorld – since our headquarters building across the street is under construction.

As I headed out after lunch, hubby asked: "Do you remember the way?"

Ha. But he had no idea how that would shape the day. While I did get to SentryWorld easily. Afterward, the state patrol had the entrance to I-39 south closed. An accident, I assume. So I went north, back to the next exit and realized traffic was backed up some 3 miles at least. Oof.

I figured I would just go south on one of the main streets and connect with Highway 10 since I had errands there. But that street was closed quickly for construction and it took me a minimum of 3 detours to get to the all-important Target store. Ugh. I realize I have forgotten my way around Stevens Point!

But I did find a few of the items I was seeking at 4 stores I haven't seen in 4 weeks. So glad they're still in business! I am so influential, you know!

The only other challenge I faced was showering, putting on my face AND curling my hair! Oh, and wearing grown-up clothes instead of shorts and your favorite t-shirts. I'm gonna have to step up my t-shirt game for the next 4 home-office days!

Those Darn Bad-Luck Bowls

There are some baseball fields we just call “bowls” because they are situated at the bottom of a park ringed with banks of grass where fans could sit and watch the action from most of the sides of the field. For the longest time, the Pittsville “bowl” was our perennial nemesis, almost always knocking the Royals out of the postseason playoffs—while exhibiting highly vocal, annoying behavior from their dugout.

Somehow conferences and possibly divisions have realigned in recent years. So this season, after soundly defeating Gresham in round one of Regionals, we headed to Iola-Scandinavia. My old stomping grounds if you recall me blogging about our 100-mile round trip to work for a dozen years.

As someone with certain sports superstitions, I immediately recognized the similar “bowl” setup to P-town. That was unnerving right away.

But the game was so close. Not a runaway score by either team. We were ahead by 2 then the Thunderbirds caught up. Then we’d make a mini-surge, but they’d catch up. It came down to the last batter for the home team. And they ended up defeating us 6-5 and knocking us out of the playoffs in what was one of our better season record years of late.

For me, though, the fun was running into some of my “Iola people”!

I left the publishing house some 10 years ago now. But Cori the ticket taker who worked at the Fitness Center there remembered me!

Then I ran into Miss Mandy, one of Carter’s first daycare people in Iola. And her mother, Judy, who worked with Jim and I at Krause. Just great to get long overdue (though you didn’t realize they were overdue) hugs!

Of course I then had to check out some of our favorite haunts…

Including Carter’s favorite ice cream place Shivers. Per usual, a long summer line.

Then I took the route home through Scandinavia, which always seems like I just earned another stamp on my passport. If only! Still, all was a great reminder of how we can forge great bonds in the workplace when we work in a friendly community and we, by nature, are friendly too.

Side note: I absolutely do not miss that commute.

Side note 2: Thank you, seniors! What a great season!

And We All Fall Down

After getting delayed on my commute by at least 20 minutes today just trying to navigate through Plover, I was reminded in the back of mind about a Michael Douglas movie where he totally lost it in a traffic jam. I get you, man.

With some quick research, thank you Google, I realized it was called Falling Down and released in 1993. They labeled it "The adventures of an ordinary man at war with the everyday world." That's most of us every day, isn't it?

I'm not sure why I went to see it in the theater other than there were few entertainment options then. Plus I was single and some guy probably promised me popcorn. Ha.

In the movie, his character is desperately trying to get to the birthday party of his daughter (living with his ex-wife) and basically has a breakdown and leaves his car in a traffic jam in Los Angeles and decides to walk. 

While I do need my steps, I was in no mood to get out and walk – first it was still 10 miles to work. And secondly, the temps dropped down to just a high of like 52 today. I will cope with my impatience in my heated driver's seat, thank you.

But it probably did fuel my attitude for day where I was pretty impatient with some people who had no time to acknowledge or appreciate my offer to help, etc. Some days are like that. Are our mid-50s the age we lose our filter to NOT get defensive about things like that? I think so. 

And I hate that and I regret that.

But am I ready (well, mature enough) to extend an olive branch? Knowing my luck, it would blow away in these cold spring winds.

Lord, help me!

Monday Monday

Monday, Monday (Bah, da, bah da-da, da)

So good to me (Bah, da, bah da-da, da)

Monday mornin' (Bah, da, bah da-da, da), it was all I hoped it would be.

Maybe I captured the robin with a worm but if not, I'm thrilled to participate in Monday madness – and fun!

Funny how you take a day off on a Friday – and come Monday, it's like you are almost punished for a day off. So much work that piled up in one day. 

Anyway... I hope that you fellow mothers are still feeling the love from "Mother's Day Weekend". 

And, if you have a new audio book in your recent "listened to and enjoyed it," please let me know before my week's commute begins.

Define Precious Cargo

So what defines a "precious cargo"? This weekend meant our neighbors transporting their newborn son home. Yesterday was our son driving his and Mamie's belongings from Dubuque to Duluth for their new start. Today was me and this birthday trifle.

I will say having this tasty bugger strapped in was a good idea since I had to slam my brakes for deer just 5 minutes into my commute! (Side note: It arrived in beautiful status and was 98% snarfed down before I took the bowl home today!)

But what about invisible precious cargo?

Think about who you are carrying around in your hearts – especially those with needs for additional prayers right now.

Like when our son called me tonight and said they quickly traveled from Duluth to southern Wisconsin because his girlfriend's best friend's dad died this morning from pancreatic cancer. His call was partly to share the sad news and also him saying how grateful he is he has both his amazing parents.

Yes, I'm ugly crying now! 

I'll confess, when I was in my 20s, I can't imagine I'd ever have made that call to my parents. So who's more grateful now?

Just think about what precious things you are trying to keep safe. If you need extra prayers, ask for them! And if a friend or loved one needs prayers, share that. 

There's a pretty good group of people around here who will pray and care about your precious cargo!

Not as Trifle of a Trifle Tuesday as I Hoped

I should've known at the first glance of the sunrise on my morning commute that God was trying to instill in me a sense of calmness for the day ahead.

Instead I was worried about my precious cargo for a Trifle Tuesday birthday celebration at work. Granted that does take 30 minutes of concentration – especially when I had to slam the brakes for two idiotic deer crossing the road. I held my hand across my passenger seat like I was protecting a child! In the end it got to work intact.

Right now I feel stupid talking about what was in the trifle because some tragedies occurred today with some of my loved ones but I'm not at liberty to share yet. Just hug your loved ones and know cancer effing sucks!!!

So anyway, this is my usual Frosted Circus Animal Trifle. So appropriate when a majority of us working in corporate setting know it can be a circus!

Bottom layer had a very carefully placed parade of animals on the outside. Inside that parade is mini frosted vanilla cupcakes basically cut in half or crumbled a bit. Next layer up is white chocolate pudding I added some red food coloring to for a pink-ish layer to match those animals! Next layer is chopped up vanilla wafer cookies – the kind with frosting in them, not to be confused with 'Nilla Wafers.

Repeat layers. Add Cool Whip on the top – plus more circus animals!

It was very sugary and sweet and delicious. And I came home with perhaps one serving left if I really scrape the bowl good. I'm not above licking it clean when it comes to this particular trifle combination!

The other bright spot of the day – although much colder than "summer" yesterday – was Royals baseball kicking off their home season. I lasted a few inning but got pictures of each of the starters at bat. And we were ahead when I left and thankfully continued to kick butt and beat Owen-Withee 11-1. I think this will be a fun season to watch and capture.

When it's warmer! 

I do hope you all found something positive and not the least bit "trifle" to your emotions today. Take care!

A Not-So Trifle Tuesday

How can it be only Tuesday when it's been a whirlwind week at work already? Monday was crazy because I worked from home in the morning, then had to be in the office in the early afternoon (I was accidentally a stunt double for myself plus a hand model, LOL), then back home before an end-of-day meeting.

With the caveat that I needed to log off in time for my VIP meeting with my hair artist!

I don't know how the timing all worked out to my favor, but it did! 

But in the midst of all this, Boy Wonder (aka Mr. Smooth) was going to call us at an appointed time for a "chat." This meant all kinds of scenarios in the brains of Papa and Mama Smooth – from general "catch-up" convo to marriage proposal. I mean, who knows?

We were thrilled to learn that the sentence that started with "We have news..." ended with his girlfriend securing a full-time job in the fashion industry with Maurices. Guess where their headquarters are? Way the heck up in Duluth of all places. Who knew?

So today while I was "working" I had to dedicate some time to reach out to any and all Duluth connections to guide these young professionals in their housing situation. Sketchy versus good neighborhoods, etc. Got lots of information and where to and where not to go, and a few rental bites. But we're working on it.

I say "we" though they didn't ask me and might not want my intervention. But there comes a point in life you know people in a lot of places, and if you did them good, they'll do you a solid too. So we'll see.

Tonight my one task was a birthday trifle for my supervisor, who shares a birthday with my mom. I can't ever let this NOT happen because I'm sure she's up in heaven saying, "Yes, for me, you must do a putzy, layered dessert to earn the adoration of your club / neighbors / friends / co-workers."

On it, Mom!

This one: Chocolate brownies, topped with... white chocolate pudding with peanut butter power mixed in, then... diced up Nutty Buddy bars, and the top... whipped cream with mini Reese's PB Cups on top.

I do have to call out it took me 5 stores to find the Reese's THINS these days.. Festival Foods for the win. Just needed to cut them half for one outside layer around the bowl.

I think my "be sure to make this a putzy, layered dessert" is accomplished.

Continue to guide me on these important quests, Mama! 💗

 

Whoa, Black Betty

I've been watching my odometer this week because I knew at some point Black Betty – my Honda HRV – was about to reach 6 figures. Wish my paycheck would!

This morning when I got to work, she was officially at 99,999. I had to get gas on the way home and that was exactly one mile away apparently, so I could take a picture.

In my mind she's still a new car. Because when I hit a deer on the interstate and totaled my Honda Accord in June of 2020, the 2019 was still "new" since people were concentrating on surviving a pandemic, not going anywhere, and not buying cars.

It was the "newest" vehicle I ever had in my life. And the HRV is totally a Robyn-sized SUV.

A 2019 model but less than 3,000 off the lot. I remember hubby saying, "Well this should last you 'til retirement." Now I'm like, dang reliable Hondas. 100K miles is nothing. I'll have to work forever! Grr.

I treated her to a car wash on her special day. I mean we almost hit 50 degrees today. I know with the massive meltdown, she'll get all splashed up and dirty again, but it was the least I could do. She's got my back and keeps me going places!

Who's got your back today? Maybe give them a special nod of thanks!

Leprechaun Vibes

St. Patty's Day is over but I'm still feeling leprechaun vibes. Not only am I vertically challenged but so is my car! Still cannot see over piles of snow at most intersections.

And this icicle at work? It might be as tall as me by the time it's fully formed. If it doesn't fall to it's melting death first.

Roads were better on way home but any city side streets are just slushy messes. The temps are supposed the rise the next few days. I was ambitious thinking that when I got home tonight I could shovel out our turnaround area before the melting created Lake Austin.

This little area here is the concrete area I usually back into when pulling out of the garage. I was wrongly thinking that since the snow was fluffier to shovel Monday that today would be same. But no. Warmer temps added moisture and I realized right away my aging back ain't made for this. So I quit that almost as soon as I started!

My leprechaun car is small enough I can back up, make a few tries at a Y turn and eventually get out the driveway hood-first without any problem. So I will deal another day with this First World problem!

Be careful out there!

WTF (What the Forecast?)

When this is the first thing I see when I get home tonight, I am slightly enraged... and slightly jealous.

I'd take a March heat wave warning any day before an ICY forecast on a day when we're supposed to reach 50 here. It's insane.

This morning's commute proved this is far from done. Yes, the roads were plowed. But quality? Meh. Lots of snow-covered and glare ice-covered surfaces. Plus occasional drifts to drive through. Normally takes 30 minutes to get to work and today it took 50.

When I got to Stevens Point, it was obvious they got more snow because they didn't know where to put it. I was mostly concerned at the roundabout by work because the snow bank was so high I couldn't see to my left. I had to inch out super slowly and pray not to get sideswiped. Thankfully, I didn't.

I was so distracted by concentrating on driving after work that I just realized I forgot to stop to get a Shamrock Shake to celebrate St. Patty's Day. That's definitely the worst kind of distracted driving.

If you're Irish in any way, I hope you found a fun way to celebrate! When we were growing up we had an "Irish blessing" of some sort hanging on the wall – even though we're 100% Scandi-Hoovian. So maybe everyone is a bit Irish today.

Sláinte to us all! ☘

Spring Chickens and Other Random Commute Photos

 If you ever saw the Disney movie Up, you know that dogs can have a single train of thought until "Squirrel!" That is me. Of course, I've said previously that my "spirit animal" is an eagle or a fox. But now I'm thinking... squirrel. I offer my commute photos from the first part of this week as evidence...

Coming home from Stevens Point on Monday, I saw a plume of smoke and drove 10 miles out of my way to follow it. The old newspaper reporter in me never dies. Took this from the Prairie Chicken Viewing/Counting Area on County Trunk F (if you know, you know). But does anyone know what was going on south of there Monday? Gas prices are rising so I didn't go any further.

And here is what I am calling a spring chicken in the neighbor's yard. Mainly, since this was taken on that fake spring day Monday, I was attempting to coax it to make spring a little more permanent. Let the record reflect that that effort failed.

I was, however, successfully treated to a glorious sunrise. I will always tap the brakes for these!

PHOTO CREDIT: JIMMY AUSTIN

My photographic failure is that hubby captured a photo of this pale guy in our front yard and I've had my camera – with mega zoom lens – on the kitchen table all week to get a nice, crisp photo of him. And he (ooops, maybe SHE) hasn't reappeared since I've been at the ready. Multiple neighbors keep on seeing IT so hopefully IT will come back.

Also I assured Jim he'd get a photo credit.

So, yeah, there's a peak inside my hamster cage (or squirrel cage) of a brain! Enjoy your perfectly NORMAL selves for the second half of the week!

A Trifle Cold

I will say it was more than a trifle cold today! And we'll get back to that trifle later!

Woke up to 8 degrees below zero today with a "feels like" of 12 below! We reached our high temperatures of 1 degree ABOVE zero a little after 3 p.m. It was very short-lived. Thank God I didn't have to leave the house. But tomorrow will be even worse! 

And I do have to leave. Because I need to deliver that birthday trifle to work! 

I was not-so-secretly giddy that Kwik Trip is carrying their St. Patty's themed "mint milk" already. So I just had to make mint pudding and another Andes Mint-Chocolate Trifle! If people don't want to brave the cold in the morning, I'll be happy with the leftovers.

Just kidding. That never happens.

Seriously, though. Make smart decisions and be prepared for anything out there in the morning. I don't need an emergency food kit since I have the trifle, but I'll be sure actually wear a winter coat this time!

So as I say, not as I do. Most times.

The Fog is Trying to Lift

My morning commute was trying so hard to display color despite the lingering winter darkness and the fog.

Naturally I realized this was the most appropriate metaphor for the past few days. My brain is foggy and mushy from two days of training and my color (aka Creativity) is trying to show through!

Pretty spot on, actually.

I was trying to do my "normal" job today and found it challenging to put words together. I guess upending how you normally do your work can cause a bit of fog. Not to mention mental and physical exhaustion.

So I am just sticking close to home tonight. Was going to shoot some pictures at school but I just don't have it in me. From what I've read about New Year's resolutions, it's a good one to realize and practice the art of saying no. 

Especially when it's a non-paying volunteer gig where someone else is capable of handling it. (Also known as: Note to self, Robyn. You don't need to be the hero here.)

So I'm going to veg a bit, maybe hook a little, then go to bed at an absurdly early time. Because I really want to. Really need to. And because I can.

Don't forget to make choices for yourself this year!

False Free Time

The holiday season is over so in reality, this should be true. But the reality is that when I was too sick to even watch Hallmark movies over Christmas break, that just means I'm behind.

So change the 5th heart to "I can finally watch all the other HALLMARK CHRISTMAS movies on my DVR."

Although that will have to wait until the weekend anyway. Last night hubby and I watched our only current "joint viewing" show High Potential. And tonight, we have our respective choir practices. Then tomorrow night I could potentially shoot some wrestling pictures.

But there may be a winter weather advisory.

I guess we do live in Wisconsin so these probably take place every day between December and April! Duh.

I did make it into work today. A few slippery spots but it wasn't too bad of a commute. Another 8 hours of training/planning/whatever today. This old dog is starting to understand/sort of learn some of the new tricks. But I'm wondering what TREAT I get for performing them? 

My guess is it's something called a paycheck every other week. Boo.

Back of my mind says there's gotta be a Hallmark movie where the stressed writer quits her corporate gig and releases the next best seller! 

Ha. I better cut back on the leftover eggnog. Keep dreaming, my friends, and enjoy your free time!

Pretty in Pink :: Only in the '80s

Shout out to the weather dudes for being right 100% of the year – the 6th day into 2026, anyway. The popular pink color was so 1980s, though!

As it turned out, it was about 5:30 a.m. when I was checking my phone and realized yes, all the central Wisconsin schools (contained within yesterday's raspberry beret) were closed today. Even parts of I-39 (my commute) were shut down due to multiple accidents. So I stayed home.

And had 8+ hours of training/meetings remotely.

The only advantage was that this forced us to meet in smaller teams where we could all contribute rather than being in a meeting room with 60+ people and trying to be heard.

Still, I am officially entering the era of my life wondering if you can, in fact, teach an old dog (admittedly me) new tricks.

So much is changing about how we are going to be doing our work – at work – that I want to scream "Didn't you hire me for my writing skills? Why am I managing projects now and trying to squeeze in writing and editing?" 

Well, I guess I just screamed it now. Ha.

You know me. I eventually will embrace and make the best of it. But give me time. 

This old dog has to stretch out all her aging joints to tackle new moves.

May you all conquer new challenges this week!

Possible Guest Appearance :: Vanilla Ice!

Last night's ice and sleet didn't impact me much. I mean I work from home on Mondays and had no place to go until my late afternoon chiropractor appointment. By then the main roads were in pretty good shape. 

But now we're getting Round 2 of Vanilla Ice, Ice, Baby tonight. 

Most of our work writing team is in that little raspberry beret-colored oval in the middle. We commute to Stevens Point from Wausau on the north, Wisconsin Rapids on the south, Marshfield on the west, and Waupaca on the southeast. So yep, a good half of the team who don't reside in Stevens Point proper.

Per usual, if we head out in the morning and it's an ice rink, we can just turn around – slowly and carefully – and work from home. But it just happens that we have a two-day meeting set up with our whole team, which includes co-workers traveling in from Madison and Milwaukee and beyond.

I want to see them, but, no offense, I won't risk my life to do so!

And due to the widespread nature of this projected freezing rain, most of you – my friends and family – are in the circle of raspberry to pink to peach.

No one needs to be a hero. Make smart choices and be safe tonight and tomorrow! 

I mean we're already 5 days into a new year... the weather dudes are due for a wrong forecast anyway. Right?!

They Just Had to Be Right

When I saw this advisory yesterday, I was hoping that if I just ignored it, it would go away.

It did partially.

Woke up and there wasn't much happening in Wisconsin Rapids. But as I got closer to work in Stevens Point, it was coming down in that annoying slushy way! Darn weather dudes just had to be right!

It was pretty until you had to drive in it. Lunchtime views showed some accumulation. On and off the road.

But yes, pretty when you have a wildlife reserve across the street from work!

Meanwhile hubby texted me a picture of the back yard. Nothing happening. I was OK with that, knowing I'd eventually have a good stretch of road in go-home commute that would be dry!

Beyond the unwelcome weather, today was just a long day. Found out first thing one of Jim's aunts died during the night. Aunt Janice was a spitfire! And I mean that in the nicest way. She loved everything Snoopy and Peanuts and Milwaukee Brewers. Over the years we've traded recipes and Robyn Carr books! She'll be missed.

Hug your loved ones. And be careful out there!