December 27 through 30, 2013

Friday: Seems like the last 11 days took forever to get here leading up to the "big reveal". But alas, the day has finally arrived!
I thought we would never get to O'Wich. It was nearly 10:00 am by the time we left and I ended up driving the pick-up for the first time. I usually just pull it out of the garage but I ended up driving until we stopped for lunch. The first 45 minutes were long - got to Harlem and neither of us knew if the garage door was shut so we headed back home go find out it was! Also during this time there was the passenger assisted driving instructions...okay, seriously, I got this! We stopped at the De Kalb Oasis for gas and a snack and I continued to drive until we reached the Petro/Country Kitchen/Subway/DQ where we had a very disappointing lunch. But they did have nice decorations up!

We ran into the store portion of this multi-plex shopping mecca for a couple of things and arrived at O'Wich about 2:00 pm. There was quite a bit of snow so I got to shoveling a path to the stairs and then the stairs. Carlo checked the propane tank and was perplexed as to how we had a full tank. Then I got inside and set of the video on my phone while he checked around the cabin and closed the drain valves. Here's where things went south. First he didn't know I had been inside and gave out an "uh-oh" when he found the front door was open. When he went in he started repeating (over and over), "Who was here?" "What's going on here?" These questions started when he found the kitchen cart in the kitchen - which is not where he left it and the living room furniture was rearranged. Come to find out that someone does not like nor appreciate surprises. Who would have thought that all my excitement would end up being a balloon plus a pin: deflated? Sadly, I predicted a less extreme version of this moment and experienced a lesson well learned. Said video will not be making an appearance.

So after Carlo sees the TV on the wall, I break the news to him that he will need to tune it in and wire up whatever needs wiring to get it all working. Oh boy! Sorry for the half-gift! Then after close to 3 hours of screwing around with everything, the sound bar would only work with the blue tooth synced to my phone - nothing from the TV and the satellite picture was horrible at best. The TV in the bedroom was not well received and the new layouts "are not gonna work." After seeing the table (THAT I MADE) "it's just more stuff we don't need." So this ended the evening and the surprise will go down in the books or on the blog as an epic fail and the last surprise e.v.e.r!


Saturday: I have a fun afternoon planned - a cut and color with Connie! I spent the morning enjoying the sound bar synced to my phone. When Carlo got up he decided more wire futzing was in order. After a couple more hours he had re-directed wires and cables up and other wires and cables down. He disconnected and reconnected and then the "TA-DA" moment occurred and there was TV sound from the sound bar! Since the new configuration worked, he was going to Radio Shack for couplers and longer cables while I was at the salon.

By the time he picked me up he had replaced and reconnected cables and even started on the new doorknob for the bedroom Now all the knobs are Tuscany Bronze to match all the Tuscany Bronze faucets - it ties it all together! Carlo seems to like his gift - now that it all works!

We went to LaTolteca for dinner and each had our usual and as usual it was good. The 40+ degree temps melted all the pretty snow that looked to be close to 12" deep. The only pictures I took of the snow were of the "after" 40+ degree temps - not so pretty! When we arrived, all the pumpkins and gourds were hidden by the snow and now they're peeking through the pile of flakes!

 

Sunday: Carlo picked us up McDonald's for breakfast. It was starting to get cold as we left for our 1:00 pm visit with the neighbors. When we got to Betty's we found out Steve and Kathy were not coming and our visit with Betty lasted about an hour.

While Carlo ran to Tractor Supply, I cleared off the front porch. I was worried our next visit might be colder and wanted to get it done.














We ended up heading into town mid-evening for a quick bite from Culver's. Burgers were good...dessert was too much!
As we got back to the cabin it was already MINUS 2 degrees. It's gonna be a cold one!


Monday: It wasn't even 8:00 am and the temperature was MINUS 17 degrees. Holy arctic air, it is cold!

Carlo loaded the truck and we started to shut the cabin down when once again, water did not drain out the spigots - like it is suppose to. Now because it was much colder this time than 2 weeks ago, Carlo tried heating the pipes - this did not work. Then he attached a hose and manually drained the hot water tank and the drain lines. We kicked up the heat hoping the next time we return that there are no broken pipes. We finally got on the road by 8:45 am. What a stressful way to end the weekend!

Brrrrrrr. 

December 15 through 16, 2013

Surprise Mission – accomplished…maybe!

I had been planning a secret surprise mission for the last month and a half. I’ve been coordinating purchases and planning the time and the punch list until I was close to going mad! There were so many people involved in this and at times the planning was a bit challenging. I had to get everyone and everything together in the same place and at the same time - phew! I was so relieved that the date had finally arrived – I am so excited about giving Carlo this gift!

On Saturday the 14^th, Carlo gave me the Tahoe to use for my weekend away with Karen. I felt bad fibbing to him that we were going outlet mall shopping and that I was spending a couple of days with her because Mike was out of town – but I needed the Tahoe to get all the surprises to O’Wich! I loaded up the Tahoe before Family Zoo Day because I was leaving at 5:15 a.m. and didn’t want to have to do all of the loading in the middle of the night. So, the loaded truck waited until it was departure time!

Sunday morning at 5:15 a.m. I was on the road as planned. I needed to get going early because of all the surprises that were going to take place and I didn’t want to risk Carlo stopping by after work and seeing the surprises IN the Tahoe! I picked Karen up from her house and we were on the road. The covert mission was underway; we had all the surprises and most of the food to serve our accomplices for lunch on Monday.

The drive was fun and a bit stressful in avoiding Carlo’s questions and calls. Sorry honey! We stopped for a few things we needed and for breakfast…gotta feed the hungry! We arrived at O’Wich around 10:00 a.m. and already I think the snow on the ground could be a reason for ruining the surprise. This is one time I am praying it snows – after – we leave to fill in all the footprints and tire marks. I got the cabin opened, got the water running – which was a surprise to me since the days surrounding the stove delivery I had asked Carlo to remind me how to open the cabin and he said, “don’t worry about it since you won’t be opening it up by yourself” - ergh! I was excited to see the stove, the fridge and shelf moved and the additional outlet strip in the kitchen. We got the heat going, vacuumed up the hibernating flies and looked for mice. All good!

We started immediately on getting the surprises going – Karen made a bow for me and kept her toes toasty with the help of Carlo’s slippers! Who brings flips flops to the country in the middle of the winter? Oh, that would be Karen!

  

We bundled up the extra wood slats and stored them under the bed, we moved the TV and the chair and then I washed the window so I could hang the first surprise…the new blind. Not really part of the gift, but it needed replacing and it’s just an inexpensive, quick fix – and besides, the window was dirty! Then we brought in the next surprise…the sofa table THAT I MADE to go behind the couch. 

This also is not really part of the gift, but we neededsomething near the couch to set a beverage or a remote control (or three) on. I just want to mention that as far as things go one would think I have a crystal ball – again, that would be Karen! But I did prove to her that I have a slight ability to foresee the future!!! Then we placed the couch in front of the sofa table THAT I MADE and added a lamp and a vase of yellow flowers (yes they are fake, of course!) 

Then we spent a lot of time vacuuming and re-vacuuming just so everything would be perfect. 

    

  

That pretty much ended the prep portion of mission for Sunday. It was time to run out for dinner. We fueled up at Kwik Trip, picked up some bread for Monday and enjoyed an absolutely delicious steak dinner at Suzy’s. I’ve never been there before and wanted to try it for quite some time so I am very happy that we went. It sure beat a burger after our laborious day. We just kicked back for a couple of hours before going to bed. Our wait to complete the mission was almost over and all that we needed to do was to wait for our cohorts to arrive at 8:30 a.m. in the morning!

Monday: We moved the TV stand/dresser into the bedroom along with the TV. Garry and Bernie were right on time and assessed the installation. I am very happy they were able to help me with this surprise! Karen and I decided to run out to shop a little. One, to get out of their way and two, I was supposed to be shopping and really did need some last minute Christmas things. During our excursion, someone couldn't find her sunglasses and was getting quite testy about it. "Hmmmm, I believe they're on your head!" And that my friends, would be Karen!

While we were out they hung the mount (using the paper template made by moi!) – oh, if you haven’t guessed it yet…they were hanging a flat screen TV and sound bar – SURPRISE!!! 

  

Next they put in a new outlet behind the TV and rewired the satellite cable. Then the TV and sound bar went up and it looks great!

  

  

We broke for lunch around 12:30 p.m. and enjoyed delicious home-made potato salad (thanks to Karen) and a baked (in my new oven) canned ham. After lunch the rest of the surprise mission punch list got pretty easy. They ran an antenna cable from the maintenance room into the bedroom and viola, TV in the bedroom! Just think about a three room cabin with two TV’s!!! Crazy! Yes, absolutely crazy, since we go there to get away…but Carlo does enjoy watching TV – and sometimes (I’ll admit it) I do too! 

My cohorts wanted to reveal their hard work! Thank you Garry and Bernie for your help!

   

I cleaned up the install mess and Karen cleaned up the kitchen, sliced the rest of the ham and placed it in the freezer. I packed up some of what is no longer needed at the cabin, such as the toaster oven and other things that I just have no room for. I wrapped the TV and added the bow. 

Of course, Carlo will know what it is but I believe the fact that it’s already installed will be a big surprise! The picture will need some tweaking and I need to get a longer cable for the sound bar but overall I think it will be a great surprise and one I hope Carlo likes. After all the planning leading up to this day I can only hope he is not disappointed! I really – really – really hope Carlo enjoys his gifts!

♥  Surprise – Surprise – Surprise – I love you and happy many special years of us!  ♥

A big thank you goes out to Karen for all of her help. Mission accomplished!!! We did it! And here I am with KAREN!

We decided to get on the road because of the snow that was already falling with a forecast that was not good. I shut the cabin down, drained and added anti-freeze. Shut the fans off, locked the doors, shut the lights off, lowered the heat…oh my goodness…I hope I didn’t forget anything. I thought water was supposed to drain out of the front of the cabin but for some reason it did not. I opted for leaving the heat higher than normal – at 60 degrees – and ordered a tank of fuel, just in case. With the pending snow forecast, my worries of the footprints in the snow were no longer of a concern. On the ride home we found ourselves in the midst of an unexpected snow storm that dropped almost 3 - 5 inches of snow over the Madison area. The snow was a major problem for the commute. Temperatures were just in the low teens, which I heard were too cold for the salt treatments to work on the roads. Consequently the roads were not only quickly covered with snow but slippery as well. We seen three auto accidents and four spins outs and these mishaps didn’t help with the already slow moving rush-hour traffic. This storm caused our three hour ride from O’Wich to Karen’s house to be closer to four and a half hours. I was pretty stressed during the drive since the three lane areas were down to two and the two lane roads were pretty scary to drive upon! The cold temps didn’t help much for the windshield either as the wiper blades kept freezing up. Thank goodness we made it home safe and that the planning and the mission are over. Now to wait until the 27^th of December!