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| July 2012 - CA, AZ |
July 30 - 31, 2012 - WI
Tuesday, July 31.. I didn't write anything on Sunday because absolutely nothing went on. We had planned on going to Stoughton again but couldn't even think about being in the car for another 2 hours. Pat thought he might take a drive up here but ended up staying home too. Dan and Sharon ended up babysitting for Reanna and Ryan, ages 6 and 4, so they made sure that we didn't sit around much. It was a nice day and we had a great dinner of grilled chicken, sweet corn, fresh tomatoes, watermelon and cantaloupe. It can't get much better than that.
Visits with Mom the last 2 days have been good. It has been cool enough that we could sit outside in the shade and visit. She has been in good spirits.
Yesterday after our visit with Mom, we went to see Ron and Becky's new house, a nice rural location, on a hill overlooking the Wisconsin River.
This afternoon, Mike's Aunt Joan and cousin Louie came up for a visit. Again, we were able to sit out in the back yard under the shade tree and enjoy a really nice visit. We hadn't planned anything for dinner so we went to the Friendly Tavern for a pizza on the recommendation of a neighbor. She was right - it was quite tasty.
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July 23-29, 2012 - NE, IA, WI
Wednesday, July 25 - WI. The last 2 days have been pretty uneventful without a lot of change in scenery as we drove through mostly flat fields of corn and soybeans, all of which are darned dry and scorched from the extended drought. Weather reports are showing some rain for the area but it keeps dissipating or changing direction.
Today's drive through eastern Iowa and southwestern Wisconsin were gorgeous as usual. It can't get much prettier than this, in spite of the drought. It looks quite green to us. We arrived at Dan and Sharon's house on Portage about 1:30 and it sure was nice to feel Dan's hug again. We went over to see Mom and she sure lit up when she saw us, exclaiming, "you really made my day"! She's looking real healthy but her hearing is more impaired and her memory isn't good at all.
Sharon was home from work when we got back and Chad and his family came over tis evening. Their kids, Cody and Brianna are sure growing quickly.
Thursday, July 26 - WI. Some much needed rain fell here last night and the streets were wet this morning. The 72 degrees felt really good on my walk this morning and we crossed paths with a couple of Sandhill Cranes. The car got a good bath after that.
After our visit with Mom, Pat and Roger came up and not long after that, Tom and Karen joined us. The afternoon was beautiful and we sat in the shade of the tree and felt the nice, cool breeze. Ron, Becky, Brooke and Elizabeth came by and we had a caravan going to Pizza Ranch for dinner. Their fried chicken was some yummy stuff and the rest was all good too. It sure is nice to see family and friends again - I'm looking forward to seeing Patrick again too.
Friday, July 27 - WI.. Mom was in good spirits this morning and we had a nice visit sitting outdoors - a cool 75 degree morning. Everyone is so happy with the weather change and the recent rain, about 1.5 inches overnight.
Pat and Rog came by in their Miata and we took a drive along the back roads to Devil's Lake State Park. We were surprised to get in free with our National Park pass. We chose a picnic table along the lake shore and had a nice lunch of cheese curds, elk sausage, crackers, and a bottle of Napa Valley wine. Before we finished it started raining and the guys ran to put the tops up while Pat and I put the food away. We no more than got back to the cars and the rain had stopped so we finished off the wine and then had a nice walk along the beach.
From there, we drove more back roads to Cimarolli's restaurant in Briggsville. Their old fashioneds are only $2.00 for a good strong drink. Chris and Norm met us there for dinner and Norm was surprised when he bought a round of drinks for the 6 of us for $15.00. The fish fry was yummy and also affordable at $6.95 - welcome back to small town Wisconsin.
What a nice day!
Saturday, July 28.. Another nice day in Wisconsin and this one was special because we got to see Pat and Tracey again. It was only a few minutes and it had felt like it was only yesterday when we were together last. Pat's garden is doing well and I grazed on tomatoes and some cucumbers. Frisco also enjoyed hanging out in their huge back yard, chasing the squirrels and bunnies that tormented and teased him from the other side of the fence.
By 6:00 we were exhausted and headed back to Portage. The 50 mile drive seemed so much longer going home. During the drive, we decided that we just couldn't do it again tomorrow - we need a break from the road.
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July 16 - 22, 2012 - AZ
Monday, July 16. It was a busy morning around here. After my walk with Frisco, I headed to the pool for water exercise class and then Mike met me there when class was finished. The pool is so nice at 10:00 in the morning - it's a perfect time to be there.
When we got back home, Mike got ready for a dentist appointment and I got the Little Green Machine out and shampooed our recliners. Boy, the dust sure does build up around here - the water was looking pretty gross by the time I finished.
Wednesday, July 18. Mike had his teeth cleaned yesterday and I had mine done today - check - another item off the "to do" list. Mike ended up with a treatment plan to have a few fillings done and also to take care of the empty space in his mouth that he will have after the oral surgery to remove a broken tooth and an impacted wisdom tooth that is scheduled for September. I know he's not looking forward to that. My only treatment plan is for future cleanings but I am considering a bridge to replace a tooth I had pulled a couple of years ago.
We are both very satisfied with our treatment at the Dental school - they are so thorough and I felt better after this cleaning than any recent treatment. I will continue being a guinea pig for them and support the students learning process and getting the added advantage of more affordable care.
It has been real noisy around here this week as the tree trimming crew is cleaning up the palm trees. A man on a bucket truck takes care of the tall trees (they must be 40 feet tall) and the ground crew does the shorter ones that are unreachable by the bucket (in between the houses). They trim off all of the fronds that are arching downward toward the trunk and also remove all of the fruit and other debris, leaving a few straight fronds reaching for the sky. It looks kind of silly until they fill out again. All of the streets are lined with fronds that will be picked up when the cutting is done.
We had Connie over for dinner last night and had a really enjoyable evening; talking, *bleep*tails, listening to good country music, grilled salmon and salad for dinner - a great time and we caught up on lost time as we were on opposite coasts for a while - she in New York and we were in San Francisco.
Saturday, July 21. Frisco was walked, the car was loaded, and we hit the road before 8:00 and we did it topless! The trunk is loaded with 2 duffle bags, 2 ditty bags (couldn't come up with another word for bathroom stuff), a small backpack for Frisco, extra dog food and water bottles and our tennis shoes. Behind the seat rides Frisco and a small cooler - and it doesn't seem crowded at all. We are keeping Frisco's harness on him and his leash is under the person in the passenger seat, so we can restrain him if he jumps. I don't think he would do that but he doesn't think right if he sees a critter.
We headed in a northeast direction through the Salt River Canyon and Show Low. As we got in the higher elevations, the air really cooled down and was just right. We had expected to just keep driving but as we got closer to Show Low, we needed a break so called to see if Jan and Jim were around. Unfortunately they weren't, so we stopped for a snack at a picnic table next to a gas station before hitting the road again.
We drove through beautiful country, putting the top up after about 4 hours of sun and wind. When we started out this morning, we thought about 8 hours of driving would be long enough but it ended up being more like 10 hours with several stops along the way. About an hour before we got to Farmington, NM, I made a reservation at America's Best - one of the few pet friendly places and it wasn't the nicest spot in town, but it was clean and quiet so we got a good night of sleep. Lesson learned - it is best to make reservations directly with the hotel, as we paid about $30 more than we would have.
Sunday, July 22. The room was so dark and quiet, I was surprised when I saw it was 7:00 when I woke up. We got dressed, grabbed coffee and breakfast bars and headed down the road - topless! What a beautiful drive it was between Farmington and Chama, through the Carson National Forest and he Chama Valley. We stopped for breakfast at the Haystack where they had an outdoor patio so Frisco could be with us. He was really well behaved, other guests didn't even realize he was there.
It wasn't long and we were in Colorado and had more beautiful cool air and gorgeous scenery to enjoy, but then we we out of the mountains and back on flat land and hot, hot weather. Along the road today we saw deer, lots of cattle where there was open grazing, several prairie dogs running across the road, and a few vultures.
Tonight's stop was at a little town called La Junta - not much around here but Bent's Fort, a major trading post for buffalo hides back in Kit Carson's days. He was a mountain man and fur trader back in the early 1800's and traded with the Arapahoe and Cheyenne tribes. He also played a key role in John C. Fremont's expeditions through California and Oregon.
There aren't many choices for pet friendly hotels. Holiday Inn Express is one and the prices are sky high - $150 in this Podunk little town - that does include a $20 charge for the dog. The Miata is making up for the cost - it is getting 33-35 mpg - and that is fully loaded and through mountains. It's a sweet little car and we are quite pleased. Yesterday Mike suggested that we call her Nellie because she keeps wanting to go real fast, and he keeps saying, "Whoa Nellie". It might stick. Without cruise control it is a bit of a challenge to maintain speed.
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July 9-15, 2012 - AZ
Tuesday, July 10. Not much going on these last 2 days, except for grocery shopping, house cleaning, and cooking. It's been above 105 degrees and when I walk in the morning between 6 and 7am, it is still just under 90. It's going to take a while longer for my body to acclimate after the coolness of San Francisco.
Last night we went for a drive near Fort McDowell and Fountain Hills with the hopes of finding a nice Miata road. It wasn't bad although we had to turn around north of Ft. McDowell as the road became gravel before it intersected with the one we wanted to take. In Fountain Hills, we looked for the Sweet Shoppe, where we decided that ice cream would be our dinner. No luck, there was a fitness place at that address. We did find the Avenue of Fountains but the fountain that Fountain Hills is known for was not in operation. I think it is regulated for short bursts, as Mike swears that he saw it as we were coming into town.
What gorgeous views there are from just a few miles north of us. As we drove back toward Mesa, the sun was setting and the Red Mountain and other surrounding ranges were gorgeous. That is a perfect time of day to take a drive. We did find ice cream, although we had to go to the Cold Stone Creamery in Gilbert to find it.
I'm missing Charlotte, so Ben sent a photo this morning - they are visiting Jill's family in Minnesota this week and it appears that she has settled right in.
Thursday, July 12. We are preparing dinner for Nan and Monica tonight, in celebration of Monica's birthday on Saturday. Baby back ribs have been on the grill for a while and they are smelling so yummy. Baked beans, dinner rolls, and apple pie will fill out the menu. I've been so hungry for ribs lately!
I had a follow-up appointment with the Endocrinologist yesterday and all is looking good on the thyroid end - we discussed the option of discontinuing a couple of the supplements that I take and also reducing my cholesterol medication by half.
Today was my dental exam at the dental school and their only recommendation is for a cleaning next week - there were no other issues that need to be taken care of. Yippee! I'm quite impressed with that place and feel that they are quite thorough. The instructors have years of experience and are readily available to supervise and make recommendations. The only negative is that the appointments take quite a bit of time.
Another tragedy has struck the Bridge family this week. Our nephew, Chad had an accident with his Pepsi delivery truck and killed 2 17-year old boys on a motorcycle. It happened on a dangerous curve on Hwy 51 north of Madison. We are all struck with complete sadness for what he and his family are going through and also the families of the 2 young boys. It is so easy to become distracted while driving - please drive safely.
Friday, July 13. We sure got a lot done today. First of all, we had to come up with a place to store the Miata's hardtop, so we went to Home Depot, bought 3 10' boards to rest from side to side on the top of the shelves in the shed. Our old Miata didn't have a hardtop so we had never taken one off before. It was easy, weighs about 45 pounds and we managed quite well to get it on top of the boards. It is now out of the way, above our heads, and in a place where it won't get damaged.
Mike replaced the insulation on the pipe that goes from the AC unit in the back yard to the house. The insulation that was on it has deteriorated from exposure to the sun. Hopefully, this will help a bit with our AC bill that went from $91 last month to $160 this month.
Next on the list was to test the soft top on the Miata. We had trouble getting the rear window zipped up, but after several attempts and some major contortions, I got it sealed. I don't think the top has been used much, it is in perfect condition and I'm sure that it will become easier as it gets used more.
The skies were quite cloudy today and we got a little bit of rain off and on throughout the day. The temps never got over 93 degrees - what a relief that was.
Saturday, July 14. Happy Birthday to my sweet niece, Monica!
The skies were cloudy all day and we had a nice cool walk this morning. I headed out to do some shopping this afternoon and when I walked out of the store around 4:00 the water was pooled up in the streets and I'm glad that I decided to head straight home. When I got home, Mike told me that there were flood warnings and they were advising people to stay off the streets. Shortly after that, the rain came down in torrents, the sky was rumbling, large pools of water were forming in the yard, and the humidity was on the rise. It was quite exciting to us. We opened the doors and enjoyed the experience.
When we went for our walk this evening, we learned that a rare, stately, Crowned Saguaro Cactus, a landmark in our community, came down in the storm. It layed there blocking the street after living 75-100 years in that spot. It's hard to believe it could be that old but they are slow growers and this one was a rare beauty and a good 25-30 feet tall. Fortunately, it fell away from the house and caused no damage to it. It has been the talk of the community and someone was saying that it could weigh up to 4 tons. I was surprised to see that the root system was so small. The hole that it left was only slightly bigger than the entire trunk and only about a foot deep - not like the huge hardwood trees that I remember falling in Wisconsin, leaving a giant cavity underneath them.
Sunday, July 15. Happy Birthday to our great-niece, Brooke!
We loaded up on water and sunscreen and headed for a drive out to Tortilla Flat with the top down on the Miata. After getting as far as Canyon Lake (about an 8-mile drive), we decided to head back. The traffic was moving slowly with lots of truck, campers, and boats on the road and it's not fun in a convertible at 90 degrees and only moving at about 30 miles per hour.
Now, we're thinking that we should probably not drive the Miata to Wisconsin next week - the weather predictions for up there are in the upper 90s and high humidity. That doesn't sound like topless weather to either of us. There will be plenty of beautiful days around here between September and May for taking Miata drives.
This evening, we were heading to Bass Pro Shop when the sky started looking pretty scary. The plan was to do a little shopping and then stop at Tia Rosa for dinner. As we passed the restaurant, I noticed that it was closed and then we got to thinking about how US-60 was flooded and shut down from the heavy rain on Saturday, so we turned around and headed back home. The ominous clouds ended up moving right out of the area and we had a gorgeous sunset to enjoy.
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July 2 - 8, 2012 - CA, AZ
Monday, July 2. Happy 10-month Birthday to Charlotte! It's hard to believe that she is growing up so quickly.
I got in touch with my friend, Marta yesterday and she and her granddaughter, Madison, came over and we walked the coastal trail, a route that she had walked before but always in the opposite direction. Near the end of the trail, we stopped at the Seal Rock Inn for some lunch and then walked Clement Street back to Ben and Jill's apartment. It was a beautiful day for a walk with a friend and we had some great conversation.
Wednesday, July 4. Happy 4th of July! The garden at Sublime was in need of some TLC as there was one dead plant and some overgrown Lavender and Mexican Sage. I volunteered to help Ben with the project and our plan was to get an early start. He decided to get in a run after getting up this morning, so our timing was a little bit off. Sloat Garden Center had a nice selection of decorative grasses to choose from and we loaded up on several and got s bag of compost to amend the soil.
After digging out the overgrown plants, we set the new ones in various places and decided on the arrangement. At that point, we realized that 2 of the plants were not the ones that we had originally decided on. So Ben headed back to the garden center and I got busy with the planting, and left spaces so we could just plop the other 2 in when he got back. Jill showed up and gave us access to the water, then took Charlotte and Ruby for a walk while Ben and I finished up. It took a little longer than we had planned but it looks great and I even got some positive feedback from folks strolling by. I will post before and after photos when I get back home. It really felt good to do a gardening project with Ben and to have it turn out so nicely.
Back home, after resting for a little while, we had a good old American 4th of July dinner of grilled burgers and sweet corn, potato salad, and beer.
Thursday, July 5. I just got off the phone with Mike after learning that he has to get 2 new tires for the Miata already. It came with a set of 3-year old tires with only a few thousand miles on them. He went for a drive and when he was turning into our carport, realized something wasn't right with one of the rear tires. He headed straight to Big O tires and they found a key had punctured one of the tires. Of all things, a key. And....you can't just replace one, you know.
Charlotte had a horrible time getting to sleep at nap time this afternoon. She was relaxed and smiling when I put her down and as soon as I closed the door, she started screaming - and it went on for 30 minutes. Comforting her doesn't work, it starts all over again, so I resisted. Not that I didn't want to just go in there and rock her. On Tuesday, she laid in her bed jabbering for 20 minutes, but today she is mad. The same thing happened at bedtime.
Friday, July 6. Once again, my stay in SF is winding down and I will be heading back home tomorrow. Time sure flies when your days are filled with the activity of following a little one around. We are all tired as she had a rough night and woke up around 3:30, fell back asleep and then woke again around 4:30, this time she wasn't about to go back to sleep. I got up a little before 6:00 and took her so they could get a little more rest before their long work days.
We had a good day that included a nice walk and a stop at the playground for a swing and to watch the other kids playing, which she likes almost as much as the swing. It was a quiet evening and Ben and I took Ruby for a nice walk before bed. We were headed up the hill on Clement St. When we noticed the smell of skunk, so we changed direction at the next corner. After several more blocks, Ben spotted one scurrying up ahead of us. If he hadn't pointed it out to me, I would have missed it. I'm going to miss the nice, cool walking conditions and being able to walk a couple of miles without getting overheated. I don't really think I will miss the hills, though.
Saturday, July 7.. Here I sit at the Oakland airport after a pretty busy morning. I wanted to wash the bedding and get Ben and Jill's bed made before I left. I didn't want them to have to bother with it, as they are busy preparing for a vacation to the Midwest tomorrow. Busy, busy, busy.
We did get in a nice walk to Angelina's for a sandwich for lunch. As we were walking back home with the intentions of stopping at the park so Charlotte could play for a while, we realized that Jill had the car with the car seat in it. So Ben had to drive to the salon to get the car seat before we could head to the airport. I stayed back and played with Charlotte and gave her a bottle, hoping that she would nap in the car - she did and I got to the airport in plenty of time.
All is good, I'm looking forward to seeing Mike and Frisco and to sleeping in my own bed again. The trip went well, I'm glad I could help them out, and I loved hanging out with my sweet little granddaughter.
Sunday, July 8. At 4:00 this morning, I awoke to realize that our power was out and the fan wasn't running. I looked outside and it appeared that it was our entire neighborhood, no streetlights or porch lights were on but there were lights on the other side of Val Vista Dr. I fell back asleep and didn't wake up again until almost 9:00 - that just doesn't happen with me. It sure did feel good except for having to take Frisco for his walk when it was already 92 degrees.
I just uploaded all of the photos from my trip, so check it out.
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July 1, 2012
If you are wondering why I haven't posted any photos lately, it's because I am unable to do so with my iPad. Ben is working to get my website exported to Wordpress, a more user-friendly blogging format and I will have more flexibility for managing photos. The format will be changing when this major project all comes together and then I will have to learn something new.
When I went to bed last night, I told Ben and Jill to bring Charlotte in to me after her early morning feeding and they could go back to sleep, so my morning started at about 6:00 and they got a rare chance to sleep an extra hour. She is such a cuddle bug in the morning and was quite content to play quietly with her soft toys and I enjoyed every minute.
When she went down for her nap, Jill and I walked the coastal trail with Ruby. The fog has rolled in and I had to stop to dry off my glasses a few times, although the temps of mid-60s have been quite comfortable. What a change from the weather back home in Arizona. Then when we got home, Ben took off for a run, so we all got our exercise today - not that Charlotte doesn't keep us all in shape on a daily basis. It's like a tag team operation the entire time she is awake. I'm not saying that I don't get tired, but I never get tired of her.
I'm starting to miss Mike and Frisco and look forward to getting back home. It's nice to get away, but will be really nice to be back home. Then we have got to get serious about planning our next trip, to visit family in Wisconsin.
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Created on 07/01/2012 09:26 PM by bridge
Updated on 08/20/2012 09:17 PM by bridge
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