It's a Date

Weird and bizarre weather lately.  Makes me think something crazy is going on with the World.  Cold, hot, rain, dry, humid, hail and all in one day. 

Bob is here and it appears he may be here for a few days this time.  Niko is back in Cali, Bailey back to St Francis awaiting leaving for the ARMY.  Some different sets of friends will come and visit in the next 6 weeks, I am trying to get familiar with everything in the area so we can keep everyone entertained.  My local friend CC has been away for a bit on a vacation, anxiously awaiting her arrival back at home as she is my only friend I have here and she is truly a great find.

Went fishing since Bob has been home and enjoyed the peace and serenity of Stella Lake.  Took some great pics of lily pads, a beaver hut and downed trees.  Looking forward to a hike around Shannon Lake, hopefully this week too.  We hiked there in March when we had that weird warm spell when it was in the 70's and 80's.  I can't wait to see how the shrubbery has changed.  I won't need a cane this time either.  My $10 bike I found at a rummage has been put to good use.  Bob thinks I am still "a gimp", but I think I am fine.  It has been one year this month for the first knee replacement and 9 months for the other.  Ironically the 2nd replacement is feeling and doing betther than the first.  When we went fishing the other day in our little boat, I was stepping on an anchor, poles, a net and other things and he became impatient and said "when are you going to be healthy?".  This frustrates me.  I am healthy.  Uneven ground is really difficult for people with new knees.  Ugh.  Anyways, the new bike is perfect rehab.  I enjoy that much more than the stationery bike (so does Maggie as she usually gets to come along in the front basket). 

Hopefully someone I know that lives in North Hollywood won't open his mouth and get me in trouble, but....another someone I know that is staying with my parents in St Francis went on a date tonight to a Brewers game.  She is so cute.  Took a pic of her outfit and asked my opinion.  Poor girl, I hear it's in the high 90's there!  Good thing she is young, and cute with porcelain skin.  I would be sweating like a stuffed pig right about now and looking like a drowned rat.  Well I hope the date turns out as she wishes.  I heard stories about this particular young man and it sounds like a good match, at least for a date.

A GFPD friend of mine made my week by sending me a care package in the mail, made up of various items I love.  Thoughtfulness goes along way.  I think I am going to pay it forward.  I was pretty good about that in the past, but have dropped the ball in my pity party for Angie lately.  And another GFPD friend sent me some really cool items for Bailey for an Army scrapbook. 

Trying to talk my mom into coming to my house in the late summer, early fall.  She has to get HER knee replaced (had one done years ago and has been putting off the 2nd one as she hated the recovery).  She would love it here.  My parents have yet to visit :(  They say the drive is too long, but they jump in the car and drive to Shawano for a fish fry!  My dad isn't really a "stay overnight guest" kind of person, but I hope I can talk my mom into staying for awhile after her knee replacement.  Not many things in ER, but there is a physical therapy place 3 miles from my house, which our (we have the same orthopedic doctor) knee doc has already told me he could send anyone to this facility including me.  (Funny story, my knee doc lives right outside of Rhinelander Thursday - Sunday and in Milwaukee area Monday thru Wednesday.  I had my knees done in Milwaukee, way before I knew I would be living up here, AND he goes to my same church.  Talk about small world!  He does not practice medicine up here, just lives up here).

Very proud of a certain someone that lives on the West Coast for acknowleding his step dad for father's day.  For all the drama and I don't care attitude he puts out there, I see he still has a big heart. 

Sweating my bee jeezers off, going to hit a cold bath (no air conditioner up here in da' nort).

xxoo and miss all my family and friends.  still.

Visit

Approaching the 6 month mark for my move to the Northwoods.  Niko and Bailey came to stay for a week.  The time flew by.  We didn't have a ton of money but made the best of it.  We went to the Wildwood Wildlife Zoo in Woodruff, and oh was it fabulous!  I think I like it more than the Milwaukee Co Zoo!  So many animals to see and touch, so little staff to warn you not to.  It was awesome.  I am considering getting an annual membership.  It's not too expensive and I would really like to just sit and watch all the critters.  Don't know why these peacocks are behind a cage, as lots of them were walking about but what a neat pic. We also went to see a movie, fished, went shooting, horseback riding (haven't done that in 10 years) and I was pretty impressed how well I did with the knees!  Went to a wonderful flea market, my friends took them to see Bond Falls and Bonanza Falls and Lake Superior, another friend took them to Rhinelander to see a movie.  All this even with Niko not getting his pretty little head off of the pillow until the afternoon on most days!   

Bailey graduated from high school last Sunday.  My baby.  I cannot even believe it.  I feel like a huge chapter closed. She will stay at my parents for most of the summer and will visit me a few times before leaving at the end of August for boot camp.  She says she wants to keep going to PT for the ARMY which is near my parents house.  She also said that with me moving up north in the winter, it prepared her more for her move away from home when joining the ARMY.  She claims that if she was living with me here it would be harder to leave in August (sniff).  Also she feels that grandma likes having her there.  I think Bailey also likes grandma waiting on her!

Niko is still here in Wisconsin, visiting with friends and family until he flies back to LA on Friday.  Brat in true form while he visited.  I forgot how the World revolves around him.  And when trying to set boundaries with him, he argues with me saying "I am not 15 years old anymore, I am an adult!".  Really hard to argue with a young man, coming into his own, that is always right.  As much as I felt like clobbering him over the head, I sure miss the snot. 

Bob continues to work some in the Milwaukee area (take it when you can), which has left me alone this week.  Silence.  Alot of silence.  Trying to be as thrifty as possible, I haven't contacted DISH Network again (to see if Bob's tree trimming helped find a signal).  I figure it's saving money each month.  These last couple of windy days have left me tv-less.  Yesterday was 90 degrees, today the high was 60 degrees and there is a frost advisory tonight!  Anyways, I worked in the yard and am trying to make it our own.  Dug out a little area and spread some wildflower seeds last week.  Also bought a bike at a rummage sale with a cute wicker basket on the front, so Maggie and I took a 3 mile ride today.  Good for the knees and the butt, ha, ha. 

Today is Tuesday.  Stock car racing down the road.  Loud.  Since it's chilly today the windows are closed so it's a little better.  I wonder how long this racing season is?

Looking forward to more warm days, Bailey and I and Korkie (what a sight we were), took a blow up boat and a blow up chair down the river the other day.  It was great!  We went about a mile and got out at our friends house, where Niko picked us up with the car.  It took over and hour and we needed to use our little paddles to push off some rocks sometimes, but it was great!  I can't wait to do it again.  

I think I finally have a good systme worked out for the birds that we feed.  However as I say that I am watching a gosh darn chipmunk toss off all the expensive stuff onto the ground from about 7 feet up, off of one of the feeders.  I had to move some things around as the deer also like the expensive bird seed.  The deer get corn out of a big covered troth (also purchased for 10 bucks at a rummage sale), and I have suet feeders and wild bird mix in various feeders throughout the yard.  It's so entertaining.

The recent bad news; a tree fell on our 2nd garage/workshop, not too much damage, fixable.  Bob's work van that we really need for him to be successful - died.  Dead.  No longer operational, ever.  Recent good news; we made some new, wonderful friends.  Some old friends are coming to visit.  We plan on going camping for the first time in our lives in the Porcupine Mountains.  I am healthy.  Bob is healthy.  Kids and family-healthy. 

Tomorrow I plan on finally painting 2 sides of the garages that don't match the rest.  Yes, I have been putting it off.  Move, clean, paint, move, clean, paint.  Feels like a re-run.  But that should be the last of the painting for awhile. 

Next time I go back South, I hope to catch up with everyone.  Didn't get a chance to see anyone (except one), when I went to Bailey's graduation as we were in town less than 24 hours!  Stopped at the old house and took a look around.  Hard to breathe.  Everytime I think of it, I feel like a failure.  

Happy June everyone.  Make the most of it.  It seems like it's going to be a pleasant weather month.

(Wanted to post more pics; river rafting with Korkie, more of the zoo, tree on the garage, but it took 20 minutes to load just the one!)  Ugh.  Take the good with the bad of the northwoods :)