July 2016 Wisconsin

In no particular chronological order, a high level compendium of activities for the few weeks we were in Wisconsin.

A train delayed an already anxious grandmother.

We rolled into Wisconsin in the late afternoon and after stopping for a train in Oconomowoc, went right to Greg and Laura's house to see Seany and Sam.  Well and Laura and Greg too.

We hung around until Greg came home from work and then went out to eat.  After dinner we went to the Hagens and our temporary room for a few weeks.

We were presented with presents from Jack and Jonah! 

Jack, Seany and Jonah at Pewaukee Lake

We took the kids along with Laura and Sammy to Pewaukee Lake and met Jennifer there.  Seany was anxious to try out his new snorkel and fins.  Alas, the mask and snorkel were lost in the murky water.

We also spent some time at City Beach on Lac La Belle lake with the kids.

Blue Light Special was the band.  Local and pretty good.

One night we attend a concert in the park at Lac La Belle in Oconomowoc.  Very nice.  

One day we joined Laura, Sammy and Seany at the Milwaukee County Zoo.  And we even took the train!

Insect exhibit with replicas.  This thing squirts water and it got me full on

Sammy the train rider 

Sammy and Seany at the petting zoo

Sammy delightfully feeding the goats

Seany, another train rider

We stopped to see my mother and met Kathy and Dave there.

Visiting with Dave and Kathy too

My mother and sister surfing the web

LeAnn drove in from Minnesota to see everyone for a weekend.  And Dave treated us to a subdued fireworks display since it was well past the 4th.  I was able to test out my new bug zapper which is basically a tennis racket type thing which fries any little flying critters that come in contact with the wire mesh.  Quite effective.  And it does induce a slight shock if you touch the mesh.

I had called back to the marina to arrange for a pump out of the boat.  But they ultimately decided it was to risky without us being aboard.  Go figure.

Glass work!  Love those hanging LED shop lights

Mary had a chance to do some glass work thanks to David and his garage.

A few times we packed up all the grandsons int the car and went off to the Y to swim.  Sorry Sammy.  In a few years!   

One trip we had the  brilliant idea to get everyone changed into swim suites at house.  Cloths flew every where.  Once out of the pool no one had anything proper to wear.  We forgot to bring any real cloths along.  Quite a miss-mash of outfits but everyone chowed done just fine at the Y's little snack bar.

We saw a few of Jack's swim meets at the Y.   And we went to one of Jonahs baseball games too.

Jonah, waiting for the pitch

Jonah on second base taking a little break

Grandma ordering for Jonah and Jack at Chocolate Factory

And of course a few obligatory stops at the Chocolate Factory.

My Droid 4 phone is pretty much given up the ghost so I ordered a new Nexus 5 and it arrived a few days after I ordered it.  It was verified to be compatible with Verizon, but the Delafield Verizon store guy said it couldn't connect.   So I left there with my old phone working again and my new phone not.  But have a new nano SIM card in the new one.  Now what?

After a call to Verizon they did their magic and in 5 minutes it was working just fine.

We had to be in Green Bay for doctor appointments and such for a few days so we joined Greg and Laura in Door County.  We made a visit to the Train Museum in Green Bay and stayed at the Suamico Country Inn are usual hotel when we are in town.

Prepped with a snack and ready for a Train Museum, train ride

Then on to Sturgeon Bay where we stayed while visiting Washington Island.  We drove up there and then took the ferry across to the island.

6 month trip across country?  Nah.  Weekend in Door County

We took the Viking train since the Cherry Train was booked.  

Sammy running around before having to sit in the blue car

We took that around the island and even stopped at School House Beach and skipped a few stones.   Another thing I could do with aplomb some years ago.  Now my efforts rarely skip, but just plunk.

Then we took the ferry back and drove to Sturgeon Bay and the hotel for a swim and then bed.  

Next morning we had breakfast and at Cedar Crossing Inn. 

Seany and I were engineering a stable coffee creamer tower waiting to eat

After we toured the Maritime Museum  and even went on the tug boat John Purves.   After that Greg and Laura headed home and we went back to County Inn in Suamico because we had doctor appointments in Green Bay the next day.

What better way to prepare for a doctor visit than spending some time at Anduzzis Bar?

We always seem to stop in here when we're in Suamico

I turned, ah, a little older this month, and the kids held a nice little party for me.

Golfers Jack and Brant

While LeAnn and Brant were here, he and I along with Brant and Jack went golfing.  Jack is getting pretty good.  I had an awful round and noted the Wilson Duo balls weren’t any better than any other ball I ever played with.  That's not an indictment of the balls per say.  Just the my skill at hitting them.

Jonah and my belt

I needed a belt for the wedding so Jonah and I went shopping.  At Goodwill to be exact.  And he found one right away.  So a reward was in order.  

And now the reward....  

Or better said, reward(s).  Grandparents are so easy

Not Amanda's work

Mary couldn't get her hair done with  Amanda when we were in Green Bay so she went to a local pace in Oconomowoc.  Jonah, when asked how it looked replied with his standard serious expression, "It's pretty.  But your not gorgeous".  

See Amanda?  Your still the best.  

Wedding attendees.  We got to watch cartoons on the way there!

Wedding goers, Mary, LeAnn, Brant, David and Jen

Went to Jessica Carey's wedding held in Lake Geneva.  Brant and LeAnn had driven down to attend. Fun.

It rained though.  We watched the thunderstorms roll in at the start of ceremony.  

Began raining a few minutes after the ceremony began.  After a few sprinkles we all moved  into a vestibule to finish it off.  Quite fun.  

Stopped at the drugstore for medical supplies That's LeAnn's bleeding elbow held up. 

LeAnn almost did a header running out of the reception as we left later in the evening.  She fell and gashed her elbow.  On the way back (we were all in Jen and Dave's van) we stopped at a drug store for medical supplies to tape up the wound. 

We loaded up the car today, Sunday, a day after the wedding.  

And then we went over to snatch the unsuspecting Bubbie from her life of leisure.  She'll soon be  plunging into a new life of adventure and intrigue on the high seas.  New sights to see, many new smells and sleeping late are a few of the perks Bubbie.  It'll all work put.  Plus we are criminally lavish treaters.  Prepare to gain weight!

So Bubbie came back to the house with us much to Jonah's joy.  She and Jack will be sharing the back seat of the car for 1,000 miles on the drive back to Virginia. 

The victors

The year long "discussion" about getting another dog was finally over.  There was a victor. 

 And a looser.     

We elected to leave on Monday instead of trying to rush around and leave Sunday, the day after the wedding.

And the first stop as always will be the Watertown Kwik Trip for fuel, money and breakfast.  Get ready Jack...