Opposing Colors - Still Friends

These are some dear friends of ours who live in Florida. John grew up in Minnesota, Heidi in North Dakota. They were visiting family this past week and stopped in to stay with us for a night on their way home.

I worked with John at Mayer Lutheran High School. I appreciated his candor and dry-but-good humor, and his dedication to Christian education. He was always a bright spot when he stopped in the office. His family is likewise. What a joy to have them with us.

Our family has lived (in exile, except for Dave) in Minnesota for the last twelve years. Finally, although it will be a short stay, we are in the land of the "Green." Johnny is pure "Purple". When one of the kids made note of our tee shirts, well, we had to take a picture.

Johnny Goetz is now serving as principal of Redeemer Lutheran School in Stuart, Florida.

We will see these folks again, God willing, when we spend some time in Florida in January 2009!

Today is my mom's birthday

As long as I can remember I have been calling my mom on July 1 to say, "Happy Birthday!" This year, eight months after her death, the day falls flat and brings to mind things I miss about my mom. She had a wonderful quick smile, she always had a pot of coffee ready for a sit down visit, she shopped at Goodwill with all 10 kids and their children in mind - you could never be sure what was coming when she said, "Oh, I found this for you..."

The picture on the right (bottom) was taken after mom opened an afghan made by my daughter, Alyssa.
The one on the left (top) was taken at our annual family camping trip. After many years, this will be our first year of family camping without mom.

A word from someone who can no longer have a sit down visit and a cup of coffee with her mom - don't take it for granted.

I miss her in this life, but I look forward to our NEW Birth day in heaven where we will celebrate life to the fullest with our Lord and Savior - I am sure there will be coffee.

June 12, 2008 Flooding

This area needed an Ark! This is WI 33 between Portage and Baraboo. Down the road near the curve sign is a farm that is up to its kneecaps in water.

On our short drive today we could see how the water made its way regardless of the hay bales, bridges, roads or homes in its rushing path.


This gas station and trailer dealer on WI 33 off of I-90/94 near Portage sits next to the Baraboo River , which has overrun it's banks. This is our way into Portage, so at the moment there is no way into town. We thank God that no one was killed in this massive, historic flooding and pray for all those who have suffered loss.

Roof Scrubbing

On one of the few sunny days... I scrubbed the roof of our house. I started inside the trailer and finished up on the top. Actually, the roof needs to be cleaned at least once a year and this was the once. A small price to pay for no shingling, scraping, painting, mowing, shoveling, etc.

I get to do the roof because I would be too worried to have Dave tromping around up there -- he is not a small man. It's only fair, I suppose. He deals with all the tall stuff and reaching up high. I'm the light-footed, petite one.

Dave and I are settling into our new home. We are beginning to figure out how to work together. Fortunately, Dave is a patient teacher when it comes to computers.

Memorial Day Weekend at Sky High

Inhale

Exhale

Friday of Memorial Day weekend the campground seemed to inhale! Travel trailers, RV's, tenters, and all of their necessities, just kept arriving. It was a busy, fun time.

The photo on the top was taken on Saturday morning and the one on the bottom was taken on Monday afternoon. This is not the whole campground, just one of three loops. Dave was inside the trailer working and recording with headphones most of the day and came outside late afternoon thinking he had warped into an alternate universe.

Sky High Camping Resort

The farm is not at the campground, but you do pass it on the way up the hill to the campground. We pass by it each morning on our walk. They actually have a rooster that crows in the morning. We say 'hi' to the boys and girls (steers and heifers) and simply enjoy a sight that is more and more rare: an old-fashioned, operating family farm. Across the road the Red-Winged Blackbirds remind us from the wires just whose place this really is. Sometimes there are wild Turkeys out jogging the gravel. Once we spied a Pileated Woodpecker passing from woods to woods. The other day we put on one of those 'ambience' CDs, entitled "Rainforest Morning" or something. It played for a while, we looked at each other and smiled as we realized it didn't sound as good as what we hear out the window every day!

If you are traveling by on Interstate 94 this summer through Wisconsin, exit on Highway 33 west and follow the signs to Sky High- we will keep the fire going and the camping chairs handy!

Camping World

My new favorite store! You can buy all kinds of items you did not even know you needed for your RV at Camping World. Our most recent acquisition was two pair of stablizing jacks. They help the slide-outs to not sag if you remain stationary and slid-out for a long time. They do not seem to stabilize anything. From now on, whenever one of us is up and moving around, the other will have to be up and moving around also, or else the one seated will surely become seasick.

When Dave is on the phone talking to someone, and he does that quite a bit in the booking aspect of his work, I just go outside. He likes to pace when he talks on the phone.

I have had my eye on a few frills as well, but first, we need to spend a little time in the RV to determine what we really need. And after all, what we really need is all we really need.