October 12 through October 15, 2012

Friday:
Our drive, which included a stop for gas, lunch and Gander Mountain took 5 hours thanks to the multiple areas of construction and 45 mph speed limits. When we got to O'Wich we noticed that the trees had lost lots of leaves and the ground was so covered you couldn't make out the whereabouts of the driveway. I'm sure if the forecasted storm comes through the trees would lose what's left of their foliage! I got the cooler emptied and the heat started while Carlo changed the water filter. I was getting the vacuum out when Carlo decided we would play the Lee and Joan game. This is the game where some noise is going on (in this case the furnace), and someone stands next to the noise (me) and the other person (Carlo) decides to have a conversation (begins talking) with the end result being that you cannot hear each other but you continue to scream whatever is on your mind (with a lot of I can't hear you)! This is a game where everyone loses! Anyway, in the midst of this game Carlo yells for me to prime the pump, plug it in and turn it on. Now this pump is in the maintenance room where the furnace is running loud and proud!!! It is during this part of the game that the maintenance room floods and the screaming continues...and continues. How am I suppose to remember how to open and close this place when I do it - rarely - and I use a list????? Moving on...once the mess was cleaned up and the yelling stopped, Carlo got the wood stove burning and threw away one dead mouse while I swept the porch and deck of fallen leaves.
 
After a very short catnap, we were on the way to getting our chores underway. I tackled the Wal-Mart list while Carlo ran to Pierce's and Tractor Supply. We heard from Rick, Katie and Jack as we were carrying in the groceries and by the time the bags were emptied, they were unloading their bags. We snacked on some very tasty Southwest Rolls and Chicken Wings and settled in for the evening. Jack was the first to call it a night...he found it comfortable to skip the bed and opted for the floor and the rest of us weren't too far behind!



Saturday:
Jack was the first one awake and got the rest of us going. It took over 2 hours to prepare breakfast - it was frying 2# of bacon that took so long! But it was tasty along with scrambled eggs and toast. I'm sure it was the anticipation that made it so yummy! Thank goodness for the donut appetizers that helped in our waiting.
The boys went to the laundromat to wash the loft bedding while Katie and I visited and watched HGTV. Carlo and Rick started a fire in the pit when they got back, but the rain killed our project plans for the morning. Jack faked a nap as the Italian Sausage burned on the grill - thank goodness we salvaged the hot dogs! After lunch, they kept the fire going and then cut up the tree that was knocked down last year...the trunk is shot but will rot away and the top of the tree is now in the woods. It looks much better now that it's gone! Rick moved firewood from the falling storage bin and the outhouse steps. Then they dismantled the labors of last September as they chain sawed the wood stand into moveable pieces directly into the firepit. Jack even put on gloves and helped with everything in between playing Hide-n-Seek, Jack Attack and The Tree Run. We were glad that the rain stayed away long enough to get something accomplished! After all the fresh air, we unwound with a little TV and once again Jack was the first to say good night. I grilled chicken breasts to go with our Pine Cone fist sized dinner rolls, salad and fried potatoes. Dinner certainly beat lunch; hands down! Katie and I both had a hard time staying awake for a TV show that was just dragging and by 10 we were all tucked away, Jack was off the floor and tucked away too!

Here are pictures I took on Saturday -

 

 

Sunday:
The storm and rains continued through the night and by 4:30 am it was 61 degrees - from 45 degrees before we went to bed. I got everything ready for breakfast and just waited for everyone to get up! This meal was tasty and much quicker in preparation than yesterday! The rain continued to come down the there was nothing to do for the entire morning. Before we knew it, it was time for packing, lunch and Jack's nap which he was going to take in the car on their way home. After our visitors left, we ended up napping for most of the afternoon. We called our neighbor, straightened up, packed up, had dinner and ended our day! It was great for Rick, Katie and Jack to visit and slightly disappointing to have the extra help when the weather stopped the work.

Monday:
Just like any other day of departure...pack it - clean it - shut her down - depart! Adios!

September 1 through September 4, 2012

** Lots of traffic this trip...good thing I didn't man the wheel! The backups were:
a. kids moving into college
b. A dead deer
c. Badger game
d. Labor Day travelers
e. all of the above

We got to the Pine Cone Restaurant in time for lunch. Not that time matters since the entire menu is available 24 hours a day - just like their hours! This place never disappoints. Our to-go treats were a piece of cheesecake and long johns. I forgot to snap a picture of the cheesecake before we ate it!!!

The cheesecake was delicious and one piece filled this box - it was huge and just perfect for sharing. Any more would have kicked us into a diabetic coma - the crust was sweet, flavorful and fabulous!!!

We had stopped for gas, bread and milk and a quick run to the farm stand before we got to the cabin. We got the truck unloaded and put everything away when Carlo noticed the slab creature in the back. He peeked out long enough for me to take his picture.

I took the opportunity to take some other pictures of work we will tackle and of the green grass. We are actually pretty excited to have anything that appears to look like a lawn; no matter how small in size.

Carlo ran to the store when we realized we were out of pop and we forgot to get coleslaw to go with the pulled pork we are planning for dinner.
   

** The smell of coffee woke me on Sunday morning around 5:00 am. We had been sleeping since 7:30 pm except for Carlo waking up at midnight. I was excited to indulge in a vanilla covered long john yet I was slightly disappointed in this bakery choice, as the cake was heavier and the frosting too sweet. At 6:00 am it was still dark outside with a hint of day breaking through. The air is cool and crisp and now it's time for a cup of coffee; tasty - just as good as the scent that woke me up!



~~~ Overused words of the weekend: hence / rhetorical / exactly / apparently ~~~ I need say no more!

We actually put the labor in this Labor Day Weekend and had a busy and productive day. Our new fire stove tools were placed at their new home from the box in which they arrived. They just tie everything together!
 
Then we moved wood, put together a 4 foot wood rack and stocked it, moved our homemade wood rack under the deck, put together an 8 foot wood rack and put it next to the shed, had a fire of wood pallets and old gas, stacked up all the leftover stones from the fire wall job, rearranged the living room, removed storage tubs from the deck and washed them, straightened out the deck, decorated the back deck stairs with my rock collection, gathered up accumulated garbage and suffered (a lot) in the humidity.

    
Carlo went to the store to get some foam and wire for an upcoming project under the addition - hopefully to keep the animals from nesting and storing their nuts!
 
We were beat from our busy day and watched TV: a "Snapped" marathon was on and then multiple episodes of "Survivor Man" followed. I'll be searching for the most important thing in life while I dream - WATER!

** I got up at 5:00 am to silence, pitch black skies and 65 degrees. We needed to get a few things accomplished so we saddled up and got crackin'. Stuck on the screen door was the craziest creature I've ever seen - well maybe not ever, but certainly in a while...it was either a fuzzy moth or a baby bat. Whatever it is, it was dead!
 
Carlo fixed the gutter(s) which were leaking in a couple of different places. I trimmed down the five hedges, which are still big twigs, on the side of the cabin. I'm hoping they'll get wider if they are shorter - since I have no coloring in my thumbs, this is just a stab in the dark! I started to clear out the flower beds but between the humidity and tripping over something - I decided to wait until my next visit, hoping for cooler temps. Carlo loaded up the truck and we enjoyed the remaining hours of Labor Day watching a train wreck on TLC - Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.These hours will never come back to us, but it was good comedy relief!

  


 
 
 

It got pretty dark and started raining around 4:00 and didn't let up for most of the evening...not even while we grilled. But Gene Kelly had everything under control! 
 
I believe we will be sorry to have complained about the weather once we get home - heard it's gonna be a hot one!

** Departure day is always busy as we pack it up and shut it down. You can never count on the weather or when we can return so we divide and conquer the chores to keep our nirvana safe from rain or shine, snow or sleet! Just like the USPS!

Until next time!