America's Best Idea

I went to Eau Claire this afternoon so I could attend a Wisconsin Public Television screening of Ken Burns' new documentary, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. I was invited because I had donated a little money to Wisconsin Public Television earlier this year. It was a nice event, only about 40 or 50 folks. The two speakers shared many facts about the National Park Service. One man was a PHD (U of W alum) in land management and the other was the Superintendent of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (U.S. National Park Service). Excellent speakers with very interesting information. The event was a partnership with University of Wisconsin Alumni, Wisconsin Public TV and The US National Park Service. The film shows on PBS on September 27th, 2009. (We only saw a 15 minute segment / introduction to the film.)

http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/

After the program, I decided to try a restaurant that I had been wanting to check out. The Shanghai Bistro and Sushi Bar. It was delicious...and expensive. They had Blue Moon on tap (I had 2 big ones, yummy)...and the sushi I had tasted wonderful. This will probably always be my most expensive meal in Eau Claire, WI. $60 included the tip...Wow! But it was great.

A Vacation Day

On Monday, I joined Mark and Krista & girls at Big Moon Lake for a vacation day. Of course, it was their vacation, not mine.

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I'm enjoying this summer so much. I was looking back in my journal to what I was doing last summer, and mostly I was packing and getting the house ready to sell. That's not to say I didn't enjoy lazy mornings last summer too, but most days I spent at least some part of the day packing or worrying about the packing. I'm liking this summer much better!

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So, yesterday I got to the lake in the afternoon. We all fished from the dock for quite awhile. There are lots of little perch and sunfish that hang around the dock area, everyone was catching something, but all too small to keep. We fed the little beggars a bunch of night crawlers.

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While Mark and Krista took Jordyn & Payton out for a tube ride behind the speed boat, Breanna and I went out fishing in the paddle boat. It works great. We caught several little fish and Breanna pulled in a decent sized bass. After checking in with Glenn from my cell phone, we released it back into the lake as it was probably smaller than regulations allow. Next time I'll take a picture of the fish on the hook instead of in my fishing bucket.

After supper we took a pontoon boat ride. It was a nice still night, looked like a picture postcard out there. Jordyn & Payton got a little sassy with me about taking so many scenery pix, so I turned on the rapid fire on my camera and pointed it at them.

Sunday at the Lake

Kaija and Mike and girls have been staying a few nights at Glenn & Kathy's lake cottage, today they moved out and Krista and Mark and the girls moved in. I was invited to come for the afternoon. I enjoyed a nice pontoon boat ride with Dana and Erin followed by a nice long paddle boat ride with great niece Breanna. It was a beautiful day and lots of yummy food. I'm getting a bit of a reputation that I always show up at meal time...well, everyone is famous for something I guess.
Thought I would post a few pictures of the family folks.

Tough guy Dana.

Krista and Mark had a paddle boat ride.

Payton was such a champ and caught the little kids as they jumped off the dock. Jackson was fearless.

Charli could not get enough of this jumping off the dock, and she had a major meltdown when she had to quit because it was time to go home and nearly dark.

Breanna

Jordyn and Alyxis.

Jordyn

Charli

Krista

Mark

Did I really buy a boat?

Yep! Glenn's lake neighbor at Big Moon Lake offered up a paddle boat for $100 today. I decided it was a bargain and used the last of my dog sitting mad money to buy it. After Glenn and I fished all day, I took the paddle boat for the first ride. It was built for someone about a foot shorter than I am, but I managed and after some coaxing, even got Kaija's daughter Charli to get in it with me and go for a paddle. I think the kids will have a blast with this toy.

Mike and Kaija and the girls are spending a few days of vacation at the lake. Glenn and I pulled up along them in the fishing boat while they were out for a pontoon boat ride. Milli was having big fun!

Charli & Mike did some fishing off the dock.

Wynni was on vacation too, she was enjoying her day.

Sure was a pretty day at the lake.

Bulletin Board

The St. Paul Pioneer Press has a fun section each day called The Bulletin Board. I sent in a picture from Saturday, and they used it. Here is the scanned page for those of you non subscribers. Click on the picture to see it larger. Fun stuff!

Of course you've already seen the color version below.

Misc

On Sunday I went to Waumandee for Sunday dinner at the Rosenow's. It was wonderful pork roast, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and Betty's rhubarb pie for dessert. Yum! Had a good visit with LeAnna, and made off with several bags of Roseholm Farms Compost as well.

"On the way home", or many miles out of my way, I went to Mike & Kaija's for supper. Baby Wynni has changed so much in a couple of weeks, and of course Charli & Milli were wild girls! It was a good visit for sure. I was silly and left the camera in the car...I know...shocking!

Today, I stayed home, something different. I did get a call about my Pet Sitting business though. I will confirm tomorrow, but will probably take a one day dog sitting job to get started. I put the ad in the paper about a month ago for 2 weeks and didn't get a call. My Colorado friends know that I was busy busy out there and for the last several weeks I lived in Colorado, I didn't sleep at home very much because I had clients to take care of. We'll see if this one client leads to any more.

Tomorrow Gus is bringing over my freezer that my Aunt Ane Marie had in her apartment when she passed away. I am anxious to have it so I can fill it up with frozen blueberries, strawberries and maybe some peaches and tomatoes! I will take him to brunch after, I am betting it will be the China Buffet...his fav.

How to catch a fish...and Obi-Wan Kenobi

I was on my way to Glenn's lake cottage this afternoon and pulled up behind these two. It just made me chuckle. Both of these boats are about the same goal...catch a fish.

Big 'suck my wake' bass master boat with mega motor vs. old aluminum boat with barely a motor...priceless.

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I spent the afternoon with Alyxis and Breanna on the dock fishing. Most of the time I was baiting a hook or taking a fish off a hook and releasing it back into the lake. A few times, I even cast my own line out, only to feed my worm to some sneaky fish who knew I wasn't watching my own bobber.

These cousins are either thick as thieves or mad at each other. Today, they were fellow fisherwomen. I like this one, "fishin' and talkin'.

Breanna needed a drink but was busy with her fish pole, so Alyxis helped her out.

By the supper time, both Alyxis and Breanna could put their own worm on the hook. This is big, they want to learn to take their own fish off the hook too, but touching the fish was just a little too much today. I almost got them to kiss the fish on the lips tho...but not quite. Lexi was really proud when she got that first worm on the hook.

Later, Grandma Kathy got crazy and hopped on the rope swing. Luckily no one had to call 911.

I got a good laugh this afternoon. Jackson (he's 4) is a major Star Wars fan, knows all the characters, and who the 'good guys' and 'bad guys' are. He talked me into playing light sabers him (he's got 2 of these weapons, 3-4 feet long, telescoping, just like in the movies).

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He told me when he touched me with the lightsaber that I was supposed to fall right down on the ground. I told him "Jackson, I'm too old to fall down on the ground", and his immediate response was, "You have to be Obi-Wan Kenobi then."

When I asked him why, he said, "Because you are old."

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So, that's that! I hope the force will be with me.