Bluegrass, Banjo, and Mighty Fine Food

What it means to be 50

2012-01-31T13:36:00.003-06:00

Spring is a great time for any kind of new beginning. This spring I'm celebrating my 50's. Although for the most part I don't regret my past, I wouldn't want to do it over again. I was told in my 30's by a wonderful, older mentor that the 50's bring a release from caring or concern over what others think. Indeed this has happened. While I may entertain myself by listening to opinions of others, I sure don't feel the need to do any philosophical bending. I have formed many opinions of my own, and reformed them, and yet again formed them. The years have passed, memories fade, the future becomes less about career and money and more about recapping, and seeing how everything fits in the bigger picture. It's about smiling more, observing more, trying, crying, forgiving, moving on, and dealing with life graciously. It's not about wearing masks or carefully chosen identities. It's not about needs but rather about needing less. The 50's afford me the opportunity to laugh at what others consider so important, even if it means laughing at myself. I have 8 more years of 50 bliss, if I'm given the opportunity. Maybe the hair will get a little grayer, the mind a little fuzzier, the body a little more challenging, but I intend to investigate the 50's with a light heart and maybe dance into the 60's a little more self assured. To anyone in their 20's and 30's, my advise is not to fear growing older. Time will be more enjoyable, food will be tastier, wine wil be sweeter, the sun will shine even when it's raining. I'm almost "over the hill" and the view is amazing!

Pass It On

2011-07-29T23:21:00.014-05:00

Every family has family momentos: pictures, keepsakes, rings...We pass these things along through the generations. Pictures with no names. Who is this? Don't have a clue. So we pass these pictures from generation to generation. Sons and daughters have to pack and repack items that meant something to someone. They ritually keep these items bouncing around in the family. If you're lucky like me, you'll have a geneologist in the family to keep historical documents.
It so happened that my grandma and grandpa came from Poland before the war. They were lost in a time machine. Poland would see many changes during the years of their absence. The family was displaced. Great Grandma and my grandma's sister ended up in Siberia (not for tourist reasons either!)They took the wrong direction to the Ukraine to start a new future. Not the wisest of choices. They were never heard from again.
Grandpa's little town outside Warsaw somehow allowed his family survival for the most part. It was only recently that opened documents from Oswieciem answered questions of one brother's disappearance. With open communications to the West when The Wall fell, came the emergence of family from Famulki (outside of Sochaczew). Envelopes and letters from the old country proved beyond a doubt that we were in the right family.
Years of e-mailing went on. My daughter went to visit her Dad's mother in Sedzieszow. Her Dad is also Polish born. From there they went to establish contact with the Dobrzynski's of Warsaw. For me to see this generation meeting the family from the past was moving. At the airport I realized it was not long ago when I made my first trip over, even though it was past twenty years. To see her going brought tears in my eyes knowing that she will join a heritage of both her mother and her father. In Poland we are there as family members who belong. To be a part of a family with kids who are her own age was more than fortunate. It was more interesting how she saw her own likeness in her Polish cousin - they looked like twins! The connection was priceless.
After a few weeks it was time to return to the US. When I caught sight of her coming out of customs at the airport, I started to get all choked up with emotion. I noticed how she fit right in with all the Poles. I noticed how Polish she really was. I saw generations in her. When she came through the door, I started to cry. I envisioned Grandma, Grandpa, and her own father coming through the gates of their new futures as well.
Next my son would make the same journey. This trip was also very special. It included a trip to the very land that the Dobrzynski's established when they made their way from Lithuania. The entrance to the farm cellar was still standing. Back in the 1700's there was a village called Dobrzyn. Adam Mickiewicz writes his national epic, Pan Tadeusz, and in there describes "our" family. My son went on a time travel through family history. He got to see the forests where mushrooms were picked. He got to see the church of the village where Chopin would play. He spoke to neighbors who remembered those Dobrzynski dwellers. The spirit of the family was still alive in these parts and now after all this time one more journey led back to the old country - our country!
Although our relatives lived the end of their lives here, they were still very much sons and daughters of that part of the world - Poland. Knowing who we are and from where we came is a value far greater than anything else that could have been passed down. Niech Zyje Polska!

Railroad Louie

2011-07-29T06:02:00.006-05:00

It's time for a visit to see the folks in Milwaukee. Ok, and I have to admit I am a little excited to go visit Mel's Dad because he lives close to a store that sells any kind of scotch for the lowest prices! My Mom and Dad, however, don't live too far away from one of my other passions - Dunkin' Doughnuts! Add a coffee cake from Grebes Bakery and a visit to Uhle's Pipe shop downtown and the trip to Milwaukee is a success! Also, I will "need" to go to the Polish Deli on Lincoln Ave (AJ's) for some lip-smackin', need another vodka please, kielbasas.

But back to the topic...Railroad Louie. Louie is my dad. I think he'd have made a great hobo. He just rides the rails these days by paying for a ticket. He loves trains. There's a reason for the call of the whistle that always manages to catch his attention.

The "homestead", as our home is known as, is on a railroad line. Some people would sneer at a piece of real estate on the Milwaukee Road line, but not us. The neighborhood Dad grew up in (the same one I grew up in) was a very ethnic one. We lived flanked by my Polish relatives (yes, everybody knew everything with or without a phone),and with an interesting European mix around us. We had Italians, Serbians, Armenians, Italians, and even a lady from France. Everyone spoke their own language and would disappear for a few weeks in the summer for a trip to their native countries. They all had cool ethnic names, and as kids we played with other kids who didn't speak the same language. We had a chunk of land used for a cow, horse, and some chickens in my Dad's time. Our land was next to a barn that my dad's Polish aunt owned. She had a rooming house for men who just came from Poland to work, and a very lazy shepherd dog(Sheeba) who would roam into our yard to sit in the sun. Her barn was my play yard when the Polish guys weren't sitting under the grape-vines singing Polish songs--- with the help of a bottle in a brown bag! The most exciting place to be was down by the lumberyard only a few steps away. A lumberyard on the trainline that actually had the trains stop to deliver lumber! This was way cool. The smells of lumber and diesel fuel, to this day, make me want to jump on the trains that were left behind. It was the place for me to go when the lumberyard closed. These days when a lumberyard closes there are locks and gates and security cameras, but back then...I got to visit the yard when everyone else went home. I found my own ways of jumping from the unloaded trains through the lumber sheds and into the inner sanctum of wood heaven. My jungle gym was the cabooses and flat cars left on the spur track. The push me, pull me's were always there tempting me to ride into town just the way my dad would!

Enter "Rairoad Louie." Dad loved big band music. Into Cudahy and Milwaukee on the weekends would come bands like Vaughn Monroe's. To this day Dad will sit through 90 degree heat in the sun to listen to the sound of the big bands. Back then he had to be creative to get to these places. Dad usually ended-up hopping the closest open transportation he had - the rails. Why not? The steam train started to slow down enough to pull into the station in our town and was free if you knew how to jump on a box car fast enough! Dad mastered these jumps weekend after weekend. He knew where his stops were without the help of a conductor. The departure wasn't always so smooth though. His buddies will laugh to this day as each would propel themselves from the moving train. The speed of the train dictated the number of rolls and bounces each would take. Dad said when he bounced he only felt one thump even if he rolled several times. Sometimes they would get "chicken" if the train picked up speed and then they'd have to ride to the downtown yards. Now that was "public" transportation!

Living on the line also has some other adventures. We lived in the historic section on the line called "Bums Jungle." This was the underworld's private train stop. In all seasons this section was alive with campfires for the over-nighters who would catch another train the next day (or two). Sometimes these guests would wander, like bears from the woods, looking for food. It happened one day that Grandma Nellie had such a visit when Grandpa Jan (Yan) was at work. Grandma Nellie had the unwelcomed visitor on the doorstep and in her broken English she called "Yan, get up and bring your gun." I guess the guy flew faster than a slow-rolling train back to the bums jungle.

As kids we had a very large boulder in the field next to the line. When we heard the train whistle we all flew to "the rock." We climbed it's "shelves" and stood there to wave at the conductors and if it had passengers - we'd wave to them too! This went on for years and years. The rock started to get known as "the place the kids flock to greet the trains". (The Welcome Wagon of our kind) The conductor and passengers would wave back like royalty. The rock was actually purchased as a piece of the line's history and sits in a post office today somewhere in Chicago with a plaque about us. Look out box car children!!

Excitement grew in the neighborhood as a big trucking company moved in. We had steam shovels and dump trucks to add to our familiar sounds. The air was filled with diesel fuel! To this day I love that smell. As time went on "Grandpa Louie" would take his grandson, (my son!) who grew up in the same Polish house (ironically with a Dad just come from Poland as well!) and those two would get lost for hours watching trains and talking to the guys with the trucks. The front window-sills of our house, once sprinkled with violets, had lines of little trains and trucks spread out to greet the early morning crews.

So to all those who think property on the train line is devalued- guess again! I wouldn't trade a house on the North Shore for the scenery we have in Bums Jungle.
Long live hobos! Long live the railroad. (No thanks to Governor Walker)

What are those kids up to now?

2011-07-25T16:23:00.003-05:00

When the kids were growing up I always wondered what they'd be like when they were in college- when they were out of college...I waited and watched as each year passed. How far they came from diapers, Sesame Street, and Little Tyke Toys! I never realized that I was growing too! (although I was the kid that never grew up according to my folks) I see my own kids now in the same period of time I somehow froze myself in. In some ways I look to them for advice on today's world. They took over where I wanted to leave off. Traveling, studying, working, and having a good time or two along the way.

Enter the oldest: Andrew born in the mid-80s. Where is he today?...he's doing that part of having a good time. Andrew loves to travel. From the top of the Matterhorn in Switzerland, to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, to the place where Andrew came to be (Poland). Andy is in Cancun, Mexico observing resort life and hot sand-- with all inclusive food and drink! He has earned this vacation since his promotion to Network Engineer in the banking world. No Engineer's vacation would be complete without some technology, so we will get to see Andy in the sand with, no doubt, a Cuban cigar and a complimentary drink(s). Andy will be able to say (quoting Sarah Palin)"I can see Cuba from my house!"

Jessie (enter as the little sister) is studying and working this summer. The travel bug already sent her to Poland and Israel. This summer she has come a long way in nursing. She prepares for her state boards in the empty corners of the university library. She has experienced clinicals in some intense areas. It has been amazing to watch this sensitive young lady grow in compassion along the way. Her humor is her survival. Only Jessie could encounter a social world from the other side as "spirits" visit her patients in the nursing home where she works! It's a right of passage after having worked in the same nursing home for 7 years. It helps that her Great Grandma Nellie from Poland drops in for a visit from time to time (she's been dead since 1976) and her late Great Aunt Lynn watches over her as well. It's our family culture to acknowledge the activity of the spirit world. The legacy of our gypsy heritage also gives her a proclivity to the psychic world through Tarot.
As my gypsy grandpa PJ would say: "My wealth is in my children." (He had 12) Everyday I am always entertained by the roads my kids travel- sometimes even by the "gutters they fall in."

Maybe they too will decide, like me, to "never grow up."

...anything but vanilla please!

2010-03-23T08:34:00.008-05:00

Once upon a time, back before anyone let the horse out of the barn, there was vanilla sex. It was only the Genesis of sexuality but then ...there was light! This is where slavery isn't something to flee from! (Appropriate topic for Passover.)

While taking shortcuts to get to the "meat and potatoes" might be a way of life for some, it usually comes as no surprise that anyone with creativity (or Attention Deficit) cannot do the vanilla thing. So, what goes on in the bedroom (why stop here?), stays in the bedroom? ...especially if there's a few mooring cleats around an 8 foot window in the bedroom. In this position, creativity would be needed to be vanilla. Water paint and a shower curtain can be the canvas to complete the memory.

But what about those who just cannot conform to society or social norms, and make sexual taboos a way of life? Polyamory and am bisexuality and an array of other "disorders" may not be a comfortable lifestyle for "the majority" but the minority are thriving among their own kind.

It takes a community to raise a kid and so the children within these arrangements are loved, nurtured, and cared for far beyond the "normal" family unit. The typical family unit in the USA has managed to put walls and fences up to protect those within and their material possessions. This group becomes isolated with an occasional outing to the country club, church or mall. Not so the children raised within the creative family unit. There is a definite foster of sensitivity to the needs of others, consideration beyond the "me-go" world, and open-mindedness as a core value.

I have been fortunate to have made the acquaintance of of one individual who had the intelligence to be among the first to have completed the LSAT with no errors. After scoring his law degree from UC-Berkley, he went on to become one of the few who would facilitate legal services to the "tranny" community. Arguing cases before the Supreme Court and establishing a law office in Hawaii which proclaims its'own message of freedom from "the establishment." His complex sexuality followed in the same nontraditional patterns. For many, being his companion would require a different sort of logic, a logic that detours from the mainstream in both philosophy and activity. For myself it was a fine-tuned intuition which allowed me to enjoy fully his personality. If I had been a conformist a "merging of the minds" would never have been possible. It's certain that not many could come to an understanding of this social language as it is something very difficult to learn without having a predisposition. In other words if you have to learn "it," you won't be living "it" in its' natural state. By seeking to define, you've missed the whole point.

And so the rest of the world can only sneer and insinuate their path is hell bound. This is not the lifestyle for the rank-and-file soldier of an established ethos.

Looking from the cleat-studded window, I view a world that others may never know. I'm content on this side of the window and feel a cold pity for those "others" within the landscape below. If only for a blink of an eye, you could sense this world!

Skin deep or You can't judge a book by it's cover

2010-03-20T09:57:00.013-05:00

Misunderstood. You might hear this comment from a teenager. You might even hear this from someone with unclear motives or intentions. Exit down gender dysphoria street with me and you'll see even a therapist would need a therapist to figure this one out!

Being gay is well, black and white. You are or you aren't. If your door swings both ways, you're "bi" which is no longer as black and white as being just "gay." And while being bi "can" be a lifestyle for an opportunist (but not always) this does not usually describe the the life and times of those who are gay. If it is still true that only 10% of us are gay, than I conclude that our "opportunities" are indeed rare.

Enter the topic of gender dysphoria. Ready? Climb out of the box that society has put you in to get a look at some of the dimensions (not to be confused with dementia)of this interesting personality. This is not a lifestyle. It is not chosen. Being gay is not chosen either, but living the "lifestyle" is a matter of choice. Some believe living the gay life is a political choice, others make a choice not to live it based on some hallucination that God or Jesus told them not to. (A deity that tells you to love one another but makes a bunch of moral laws directing us toward hatred and discrimination?...a little "smelly" of a convenient man-made religion for gains of power and politics-- and a little gold too,..."earrings for the next golden calf please!")

Back to gender dysphoria. It really isn't dysphoria at all to those who "get it." The state of dysphoria vanishes upon awareness. It takes a few years to figure things out but eventually the light goes on. It is then a matter of living in the light or ripping the light out down to the fixture, wiring, and even the fuse box! (Denial, denial, denial!)

Our lovely Mel, my lovely Mel that is, has helped me understand what no therapist could. And although Mel is not a cheap date (partner) she does not come with all those billing statements and co-pays! She does have all the requirements of a girly-girl. I have a few magazine subscriptions to prove this (Redbook, Oprah, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple and other various Martha subscriptions). Basically Mel says she sees pink daisies in her head but since she is 6' tall, built like a brick-shit-house, and "well grounded" with a size 13 in MEN'S shoes, everyone else sees hammers and basketballs dancing over her head. If she had a dollar for everyone that accidentally called her SIR she could retire! ...for example...the bathroom brawl in a restaurant in Door County. Despite her "C" cup bra, the old ladies in line to use the toilet insisted she was in the wrong bathroom.
They caused quite a stir to this potential "Sir" and all she wanted to do was pee and get the hell out of there! Even though she politely corrected them, they would not let it go. Of course I couldn't resist throwing a "tsk-tsk shame on you at the old ladies who were let out of the group home for the day (literally). I also had the pleasure of telling them that they should all be ashamed of themselves for acting this way in public! They were brutal....

Our same Mel was asked to pose for a picture at a drag show. It didn't help that we had just come from a Purim costume party ("Jew-fest" as one of our friends called it- and if you don't really know what Purim is - google it.) Mel is probably on someone's Facebook page tagged as the "Queen of all the drag queens of Wausau" that night. She told me that she had two choices-- #1- smile for the camera Or #2- explain that she indeed had a vagina at birth. She opted for option #1. She said it was "easier".

By the way, Mel and I are book ends because of our gender issues. Although by appearance she wears the pants of the house...she really wears the sundresses. I have the collection of suspenders, ties, can tie a bowtie, likes pipes, and even likes to dress-up in a tux! Georgia O'Keefe look out!

I do require Mel to use her "guerrilla paws" to help in automotive maintenance but she really would rather not be under a truck/car. She does look cute with a little grease on her though. So, this is just another twist in our road. Something to think about if you meet us and say, "How do you do?" (Do what exactly?)

Life's a Drag!

2010-03-16T21:05:00.008-05:00

Life's a Drag!

There are some guys who make better women than, let's face it, most women! While I may not be an expert on what makes up a drop-dead gorgeous woman, I can tell you what makes me pause and say...WOW! Saturday night was a treat for us. While I was asked by a few friends to take them to a drag queen show, I never thought I was could find anything close to a show like the ones in Milwaukee or Madison. I was wrong. The Oz had quite a night. We saw ample queens. They are talented. I wouldn't hesitate to say they are even amazing.

Blur the lines with me for a moment. Put aside what generations have handed you. Why do we repeat social patterns and call anyone else "thinkers outside the box?" No box to start with - men have to be GI Joes, gals have to wear sundresses and love to shop. He puts a dress on ....oh, oh ....he's sick. She looks like a boy...woof!

Really? We can't get beyond some very archaic social norms? It's ok that we "dress" little boys and grown men in gowns for some churches...and I contend that most of them are not cloistered but closeted. I won't start "pontificating" about the psychosis of this social group. If we all just questioned what is handed down to us and did not accept anything before we gave it a lot of consideration, we would see a different society with less hatred. All you out there who are so busy pointing what you think is right and wrong have followed your own misguided translations. No man has the direct pipeline to the heavens. Sorry. So, these queens are as much an image of the beauty of God as anyone else - but more so! Go Girls!!

And to the very good looking dykes who make better men than men, I also say: Go Girls!! And trust me, there's no need for Viagra in those bedrooms. The sensitivity and intelligence of a woman can take you to heights that a man just can't unless he's a queen or gay himself.

Saturday night showed me that central WI supported diversity. A good mix was present. For the most part, I am surprised how Stevens Point and Wausau can show that different communities can live with each other peacefully. With the exception of a few misguided crusaders, our cities can offer acceptance to those who hold different views on life.

Peep Art

2010-03-16T17:34:00.010-05:00

Peeps!

That could mean a lot of things to many "peeps" but to us it means what to do with those sticky, gooey, marshmallow candies that some actually eat. We create with them...and I couldn't stand to think of eating one! While they may look like they can play well with others, peeps are a difficult medium to work with. They do work well with hot glue though. It helps that they come in all sorts of colors... blue, yellow, orange, brown, green, and pink. They also like to dress-up and wear foamy paint make-up. It really is convenient that I work at a craft store. I get so much inspiration. My co-workers have a ton of ideas. I hope they join the fun next year. Some of their thoughts are so off-the-wall that it really will be amusing for everyone.

This year the final selections that we submitted were Peep Pod, Line-up, Tepeep. and Peepsville. We decided to enter the show a week before the entries were due. Any more time and it could have been an unhealthy obsession. It turned into an addiction to keep creating and adding on. It really does take over the house-- at least the mess does.
It has been a fun week. We have so many ideas for shows to come. The show will be starting on this Saturday and runs for two weeks here in the guggenheim of central WI - Stevens Point.

Only on Tuesdays (my day off)

2010-03-09T22:10:00.007-06:00

Garland is not just a Christmas decoration. The door needed something and I had these garlands and spools of ribbon, a few spring trinkets and wheat...I still have a few more pieces that I'm working on to add. I never know what it will turn into.

I've also converted old hardware nuts and bolts containers into spice drawers.

A few peg-boards also gave extra space for the kitchen as well as easy access. It's hard to leave work at work. I frequently "re-planogram," use labels when I can, hooks, peg-board and sometimes do inventory! We even have a shopping cart!

I will be working on painting Polish folk art on the woodwork when we can open the windows. It's always been my dream to feel like I'm back in the Polish countrysides. I may have to forget the thatched roof. Storks don't like our winters here anyway!

A new perspective...

2010-03-07T20:02:00.002-06:00

To begin again. This time a different perspective. Mine. Mel is going to focus her blogging on our new site about freezer foods. Sounds simple? It's a lifestyle that pays back in time and delicious meals when you're on the fly. So, you've got me now. Here goes to our future together!

Starting with the most recent, Mel and I attended a small event which was quite moving on Friday night. Our little town has a historical landmark that was a shul. No, not a school. A small house of prayer for local Jews. Not as grand as big city temples, this little rural synagogue last had services in the 1980's. Friday night it was once again full of prayer and song. The gathering of a few original members who were children back then along with members of Mount Sinai in Wausau made this event happen. It was moving to see the now older children kiss the mezzuzah on the shul's door. The door that they opened when they attended Hebrew classes or celebrated their bar mitzvah's, now years and years later opens the door of their memories. Moved to tears, they hear the same Hebrew prayers once again. I had the honor of taking the Torah among the members during the service. It marks a few changes to contrast with a different past. Back then a woman would not do this. As I walked with the Torah in my arms, I saw the faces of those who reverently touched the Torah with their prayerbook and then mindfully kiss their siddur (prayerbook.) It was almost as if I could see the faces of those who made the shul come alive so many years ago. Our cantor, our very own Melanie, led us through some fitting Hebrew melodies. Rabbi Dan, a rebbe tonight, read the parashat for the first time facing the ark, not facing the congregation as is done now. A change that we could only reflect on by seeing the rabbi's back as he read.

It's Summertime...and the Livin' is easy.....

2009-06-11T20:27:00.006-05:00

Well, again we've neglected the blog. You'll see why shortly. It's been a very busy spring, and we've expanded the yard. Melanie thinks that we'll have to move pretty soon because we've entirely run out of yard. Lorie has planted a garden in the FRONT yard consisting of a strawberry and raspberry patch. The backyard continues to be a jungle. Melanie has her 2, 8'x4' square foot garden plots. This year there's brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, beets, carrots, leeks, onions, parsley, mint, chives, thyme, basil, peas, beans, cauliflower, peppers of many varieties, eggplant, radishes and probably other things that Melanie has forgotten. We also have a patio tomato plant and two, topsy-turvy tomato planters with upside down cherry and early girl tomato plants. Another addition was the corn! We dug up yet another section of yard for the corn "patch". There's also pumpkins in the backyard- one promises to be over 100 pounds! The backyard is a little more groomed. There's lots of vines, LOTS of bird feeders/houses and some beautiful perennial gardens. Lorie has really worked hard to get everything looking wonderful back there! You could definitely pick our yard out in the neighborhood. Our neighbors have very plain, grass filled yards and then BOOM!-- there's this strange house that looks like a jungle! Lorie's son said that he needed a safari hat just to find his way back to the fire pit.

As the garden continues to green up and develop wonderful summer colors, we'll introduce you to other areas. Also, we'll soon be eating from the garden! (tonight, we had baked potato with sour cream and chives grown in our very own garden! It was the first official harvest of the year) Lorie wanted me to add that she's looking forward to harvesting the hops. Yes, we grow our own hops! Our hops is even used in a local home-brewer's recipe-- he even includes a "shout out" to us on the label of the beer bottle by saying "Now featuring locally grown hops!" How fun!

Sing it with me!!! Matzo-Matzo Man!!

2009-03-15T21:35:00.009-05:00

Today was the day that Melanie and Lorie prepared for Passover. We drove into Milwaukee, and we immediately went to the Kosher Meat Klub. Despite it's name, it is not exclusively meat. Melanie was warned by our Rabbi that we could find the prices a bit high at this supermarket, but we were delighted at not only the prices but also the selection! This place was a DREAM! (I mean-- as much as you can dream about Matzo Meal, I suppose!!) We normally would go to Madison, and we would spend much too much on only a portion of what we needed. This year, we spent much too much, but we walked away with about two to three times more than we normally get for about the same price! It was splendid! Look at our haul---

We also had a chance to visit a bit with Lorie's parents and Melanie's dad.... of course, these visits included us showering our parents in gifts! Lorie's parents got newspapers (her mom was sick, so we thought that she'd need some reading material) as well as donuts, cherry juice concentrate, and fish oil! (YUM!-- just take a shot of fish oil followed by a chaser of Cherry Juice! It's a new kind of martini for old people!) Melanie's dad got some shirts and a whole bunch of food from the Polish store including bread, sausage and liverwurst. (I know, I know.. yuck.... and not kosher, right?) We also went over to visit Lorie's sister. We figured that we shouldn't deprive Lorie's sister with the chance to have a nice, surprise visit with all the family showing up at her door! (just in time for Gizmo, Lorie's sister's dog, to poop on the floor.) Lorie's sister made fresh cookies for us and then told us stories about nail fungus and foot corns.

All in all, today was a strange, yet very nice day.

Purim Pigs and Plants

2009-03-08T16:10:00.006-05:00

Today was the annual Purim Carnival up in Wausau. For those of you that aren't Jewish, Purim is a Jewish Holiday that celebrates the failure of Haman's plot to destroy the Jews. (Scroll of Esther) Everyone is supposed to be in costume and drink a LOT! Many were in costume, but there was no drinking. (this is a family event folks!) Melanie was lucky enough to win first place in the adult costume division. She went as a pig (already ironic at a Jewish Temple, no?) in lipstick with a "Miss Alaska" sash on... can you guess who she was? (Hint: I got all "Maverick-y"

Also, here's a HINT of Spring... typically, when Purim rolls around, we know that it's time for the spring thaw. One would never know this by looking out the window (we have a winter storm warning right now...), but we do have a hint of spring to show to you---- SEEDLINGS!!!!!!

We're amazed at how well the grow lights are working. Lorie had a brilliant idea to install this lighting system in our spare bedroom. This will save a LOT of money because we can now start everything from seed. Melanie practices a form of gardening called "Square Foot Gardening", and for those of you that don't know about it, you should learn it! It's amazing! It's very little work, and the crop yield is fantastic. You'll certainly get more pictures as the sprouts develop and reach to the sky! Spring has Sprung!

Mucus and Music

2009-02-19T20:03:00.005-06:00

Nice blog title, eh? It's sad when you sit back and try to think of something exciting that you've done lately... and then you hear the crickets..... yep. Not much going on here. Lorie and Melanie both had a cold, and it's not just a little cold. It's a "knock your socks off, wanna crawl in bed and stay there" kind of cold. Hopefully, this will pass soon.

Music. This is a good thing. If you're a loyal blog reader, you know that Lorie has been taking banjo lessons. Well, Melanie has now decided to join her in music lessons. She is going to be starting guitar lessons. She's already taken lessons as a child, so she knows a bit about how to play. No, we're not forming a bluegrass band. Melanie is hoping to work on her songleading skills. Well, maybe we could have a bluegrass band, too-- we just have to convince Lorie's daughter to dust off her fiddle. Now THAT would be fun!

The doldrums of winter have taken over.....

2009-01-22T19:37:00.006-06:00

We are terribly embarrassed because we haven't done a blog entry since August of 2008! It's been almost half a year since we've logged into the blog. It has been quite busy! Robert went off to Poland for the semester, and we both were extremely focused on the kids. Melanie also became completely obsessed with baking loaves and loaves of Challot. Isn't it beautiful? This was the challah at our New Year's dinner, and it was Melanie's first attempt at challah. It was amazing! She is now the weekly supplier for the Congregation in Wausau.

After Challah came winter. It's been a long, cold, snowy winter. I don't think that anyone thought it could get worse than last winter, but it did. Melanie has commented over and over that a "nice Jewish retirement home in Boca is looking better and better each year!"

Lorie tried to keep sane by starting banjo lessons in Wisconsin Rapids. Her teacher is "Banjo Bob". She's actually learning Jewish music on Banjo! We're hoping that she can elevate the not-so-popular form of music called "Jewgrass". I think there'd be a nice following....

Well, we promise that there will be more to come.... don't quit on us yet. We'll have lots of stories to tell this year... we promise!

Our first Bluegrass Festival of the year!

2008-08-23T18:58:00.003-05:00

Bluegrass has always been a love of ours, but we've been unable to get to any good festivals or shows this year-- that is, until last night! We attended the 9th annual Northland Ballroom Bluegrass Festival. Here's a peak at what we heard.

That clip is Art Stevenson and High Water, and they're playing a bluegrass favorite- "Orange Blossom Special" Unfortunately, some moron started his motorcycle about halfway through, so you will hear some non-bluegrass noises. Lorie and Melanie are HUGE High Water fans. Stephanie's voice is beautiful. This next clip doesn't do her singing justice, but here's a preview of her--

We only were able to hear the grass from about 8pm until Midnight. They are holding the second day of the festival today, but Lorie is working. We'll make sure to ask off of work next year! The good news is that in three weeks, we are going to the East Troy Bluegrass Festival. I'm not sure who is playing there, but I'm sure the grass will be blue.

June is busting out all over!

2008-06-16T07:26:00.007-05:00

Okay--- so the musical, "Carousel", isn't a favorite, but the song title from the show definitely refelcts how we feel about our yard! As promised, here's a brief tour of the back with special focus on peonies!

In another few days, all of our peony plants should be in full bloom! We were probably most excited about our peony tree this year. (see blog post several posts down) The yard is finally taking shape for how we dreamed it could be! Eventually, (next year?) we'll be able to put down some stepping stones for form a nice path through the yard that leads to the fire pit, and then we can mulch or put stones on the rest. It'd be so nice to not have to mow grass in the backyard. The front yard has taken shape nicely. Here's the small piece of landscaping that we did in front.

Melanie also attended an event at the Stevens Point Temple. Temple Beth Israel was officially entered into the National Registry of Historical Places. It's the third oldest Temple in Wisconsin, and it has the oldest original sanctuary in the whole state. Lots of history! Unfortunately, the community scattered and disbanded in 1989. Guess it's hard to hold services when you can't get a minyan togther. The inside was nice, and it was sad to think about the community that could have been so close to where we live! For now, we continue to drive over 100 miles for our community.

Time for a recipe!- Iron Chef RADISH!

2008-06-14T22:58:00.006-05:00

Today, Melanie and Lorie decided it was time for a harvest. The garden is becoming quite impressive, and we are in the danger zone for having our lettuce bolt and starting seeding. After that, it's too bitter to eat. So, salads are being eaten at many meals. A large bag of lettuce was delivered to a friend. Also, we went into "harvest all the radishes" mode. After poking around in the garden, Melanie realized that the radishes were HUGE! We'd never seen radishes this big. We picked enough to make three recipes worth, and it also will allow room for some of the smaller radish plants to spread and grow a bit more. The problem was simple-- what to do with the radish tops. Melanie dug around and found a recipe for radish top soup. It tastes pretty good. It's not as "radishy" as one would think. It almost tastes like a potato leek soup. We substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth and used half and half instead of heavy whipping cream.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
2 medium potatoes, sliced
4 cups raw radish greens 4 cups veggie broth
1/3 cup half and half
5 radishes, sliced

DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and saute until tender. Mix in the potatoes and radish greens, coating them with the butter. Pour in veggie broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Allow the soup mixture to cool slightly, and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Mix in the half and half. Cook and stir until well blended. Serve with radish slices.

After this, Melanie decided to move to step two in Operation Radish. Out came the cream cheese, and the radish dip was created! SOOOooooooooooo delicious! If you like garlic, this is the recipe for you! Let's just say that even the cats don't want to sleep near Melanie's breath this evening.

INGREDIENTS:
4 cloves garlic, peeled
6 radishes, quartered
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place garlic in the container of a food processor, and pulse until finely minced. Add radishes, and mince. Add cream cheese, and mix until well blended. Transfer to a serving dish, and chill until serving.

As for the rest of the garden, Lorie is enjoying all the beautiful flowers! While Melanie was really charged with making the veggies happen, Lorie is the flower queen, and has quite a knack for picking out some beautiful perennials. Look at this gorgeous iris!

Tomorrow, we'll have more updates. There is another blog-garden tour planned as well as a Radish Coleslaw recipe in the works. In the meantime, Melanie's going to de-vampire the county with her dragon garlic/radish breath.

Water water EVERYWHERE!

2008-06-09T22:47:00.008-05:00

This weekend turned out to be a little less then we expected. Since the weather was supposed to be a bit wet, we decided to drive to Milwaukee to visit family. Melanie managed to get another one of her fabulous hotel deals-- Hyatt Regency in Downtown Milwaukee for only $42! Check out the view from the 17th floor. We loved the hotel, and we really didn't want to leave! After a few hours of outlet shopping (can you say Eddie Bauer pants for $8!) we went to Melanie's neck of the woods. What was supposed to be a nice dinner turned into all three of us huddling in the basement waiting for the tornado to pass. Milwaukee County can thank Melanie for no tornado. She was the ONLY one that wanted to go to the basement, and because she forced Lorie and her dad downstairs, the whole county was safe! After the threat of tornados passed, the flooding began. The sky opened up, and the roads flooded. Trees came down and cars got stalled out. It was quite scary. Lorie's sister had her basement flood. Our lunch date with Lorie's niece was postponed (understandable!) and we were left wandering the streets of Milwaukee with Melanie's dad. We forced him to drive downtown with us to dine on some delicious George Webb. Then, we took a walk down the River Walk. After loading up our "Green Machine" (Ford Focus) with our newly inherited garden decorations, we headed back up-north. The sky was ominous. We snapped a few pictures between gawking at the flooding. What a site! When we arrived back home, we emailed a few of the photos to the local news station as they accept viewer photos. We were broadcast! Lorie's son emailed and exclaimed that they showed our picture and educated the listeners about "shelf clouds" and storms. Very neat-- here are those pictures.

So long since the last blog-- look at the garden!

2008-06-01T19:09:00.005-05:00

Sometimes life gets so busy that one can't even find time to write about it... that's where Lorie and Melanie have been for the last month. Spring sprung. There were graduations to attend. Square Foot Gardens to build. Seeds to sow. Beds to dig. Plants to plant. It's been busy..... but look at the progress of the garden since you've last seen it--- One to the most beautiful new additions to the front yard is a peony tree. We've never heard of a peony tree before. Melanie's mother gave it to us about one year ago. It was one of the last things-- if not the last thing-- she gave us before she passed away. It was neglected last year, but once it was planted, it started to come back to life. This year, once the winter covering was lifted from it, it sprouted quite quickly! It should eventually grow to be about four or five feet high and about four feet wide. The color was a surprise, and we were quite thrilled when it opened up pink. And-- the last big event lately was the graduation of Lorie's daughter! The graduation ceremony was long but lovely. The graduate was beautiful and nervous, but everything went perfectly! A BIG congratuations to the Class of 2008!!!

This is why we don't plant in April.....

2008-04-28T06:40:00.006-05:00

Today, Lorie and I are completely exhausted! This weekend was very eventful-- first we had Lorie's daughter's Prom. She was beautiful, and we should definitely provide an updated picture. That photo was taken at the house of a member of her prom party. (just so you don't think that we live in that lap of luxury!) She reported that she had a fabulous time!

Then, yesterday, Lorie and Melanie got down to business and finished their square foot garden structure. They are both completely wiped out today because all the hard labor. You would think that such a small structure would be easy to build, but acquiring all the materials was the tough part. Melanie lugged so many packets of dirt, peat, and vermiculite home, that her back is screaming! ---But-- as you can see-- the effort was well worth it!

Of course, this is very exciting! Tomorrow, I'm going to start putting in some of the cold weather seeds and crops-- well, maybe not the crops yet, but definitely some of the seeds that need a cold start. We are still four weeks away from final frost, and the growing season is pretty short. We'll have to move quickly! The first 4' x 8' plot will be for Melanie's use-- she has a plan established, and she'll show you that tomorrow. Lorie thinks that she might try her had at some corn. She is telling Melanie that there is NOTHING in the world like sweet corn picked directly off the vine. We'll provide a full report (assuming that the squirrels and racoons don't get all the corn!) in August or September. Now-- here's the depressing part. JUST when we think that Spring has Sprung, and everyone is ready to get going for the season-- we wake up to THIS!!!! What is the meaning of this!? Who ordered this? You may not be able to tell, but it still is snowing in that picture, too. We heard this morning that we're getting an inch. Yuck. At least I didn't throw any of my seedlings/crops in the garden yet. I guess it still is April in Wisconsin.

Promzilla attacks!

2008-04-26T07:44:00.008-05:00

Alright- maybe "Promzilla" isn't a fair title, but it sounds so cute! Lorie's daughter has her final high school formal dance this evening, and it's her Senior Prom. She has very cold weather to contend with-- it suddenly dropped from highs in the mid-70s to a high of 42 degrees today. There's also a chance of snow showers! Poor thing, but at least the dance won't be too warm. The main reason for this post is to show you how beautiful Lorie's daughter is- I mean--it's no surprise! She's got some good genes going in her favor, right? So amazing to think that Lorie's litle girl is going to graduate from high school soon and start college. Melanie was going through some pictures and found another picture of her dressed up -- standing in the same spot. So cute! Now that Melanie and Lorie are all verklempt, it's time for Lorie's little girl to ready for the Prom. She has appointments for hair up-dos and nails and makeup and photos and food and putting on the huge (or as she calls it, "poofy") dress and...... Wish us luck-- the legendary Promzilla is officially on the loose! ****Note: I'm sure Lorie's daughter would like all to know that the prom dress picture is only a dress picture. It does not include hair, makeup, nails, shoes, etc.... this was only a forced dress try-on for pictures. End note. ****

It's been awhile!- nothing to report

2008-04-23T20:00:00.006-05:00

Well, there's not too much to report in Melanie and Lorie land. No news is good news, right? The animals are still getting along. The winter has moved into spring. Lorie and Melanie are still working at the same places... blah blah blah. It is now Passover, so there was a seder hosted at our house. Unfortuantely, we forgot to take really nice pictures, but we'll show you one from last year. This was from a smaller seder that we did, but it was still very nice. On Sunday night, Lorie and I went to a congregational seder up north. It wasn't our own congregation, but it was still very nice.
Yesterday, Melanie cleaned out all her fat clothes. This was quite an accomplishment! She threw away about three large bags, and two bags are headed over to the resale shop. Hopefully, she's make enough money to buy a few pairs of cute Eddie Bauer jeans! Finally, Lorie and Melanie are getting ready to plant their square foot garden! Melanie's birthday is coming up fast, and she's asked a friend to help her assemble the garden. Once the raised bed is complete, she can get her seeds in or plant the four flats of young veggies that she bought from the greenhouse. We'll have some great pictures, I'm sure.

Cats and Pears and Wieners-- OH MY!

2008-03-25T22:05:00.007-05:00

First, here's an update on Izzy. All is wonderful with the kitty. Fig and Izzy fast became friends. They're cuddling and loving each other as only cats can do. There's still a little bit of fur that will fly, but for the most part, things have settled down quite a bit.

What an interesting day that Lorie and Melanie had today. Melanie had to attend a family gathering today, so Lorie and her daughter tagged along. They traveled through Madison, and made a quick stop. First, they ran to a Mexican Bakery. Good for Lorie. Bad for Melanie's diet. They got four HUGE donuts for only $3.85. This bakery just received rave reviews in the Sunday newspaper, and the store was crazy busy. We haven't eaten any of them yet, but I'm sure they'll be delicious. After that, we ran to a local grocery store to pick up our food for Passover. If we don't get the Passover food early, then there's nothing left, and we're stuck eating Matzo Ball Soup for a whole week! Matzo Ball Soup is delicious, but not for 7 days in a row! At Copps Grocery store, they had a variety of insanely large fruit. This was not fruit for sale, but fruit as decorations. Of course, Lorie's daughter insisted that she take lots of pictures. Finally, on our way out of town, we ran into the most famous car of all. Well, it's not THE most famous-- maybe the second most famous. Madison is known for its Oscar Meyer food processing plant. I know, I know... not very vegetarian, however, this is definitely part of Madison culture. Most everyone I know remembers the Wiener mobile. As I child, Melanie and Lorie remember seeing the wiener mobile at the State Fair in Milwaukee. Some kids remember the wiener mobile whistles that they'd pass out. Few ever saw the wiener mobile outside the gates of a fair.... but Madison residents see the famous vehicle quite often! Today, we got to see a spin off of the larger wiener mobile..... we saw the Lil' Link. Isn't she cute?

Lorie also wants to mention that we are now the proud owners of a new Torah Commentary. It's a Women's Commentary, and we're very, very excited about it! During our Torah studies, we often ponder how the interpretations would differ if a woman had written out a scholarly interpretation. Now we have a brand new resource. We're one of the first owners of the book as Melanie ordered through the Temple's Sisterhood. We can't wait to crack it open!

Introducing, Izzy!

2008-03-02T18:41:00.001-06:00

YES!! It's been chaos here in the house! Anytime a new furbaby is added, a household will usually experience some sort of drama. Thankfully, no fur has flown-- just a few hisses and growling, but I think that all will work out in a few days. We don't have time to write much because we're playing with our new and existing babies-- but we will share a slideshow of our buddy! See the post below for some pictures!
We may take a poll for names, but right now we're leaning towards Izzy--- Newton, our baby that crossed the Rainbow Bridge, was named Isaac Newton. Izzy would be short for Isaac- thus a tribute to Newton. Let us know what you think!

Our new buddy, Izzy

2008-03-02T18:38:00.001-06:00

Ice Dam be Damned!

2008-02-20T19:55:00.007-06:00

Our problems are fixed-- for now. As the beautiful sun decided to come out on Tuesday, the ice dam on the roof backed up and caused water to seep into the house!!!! We're talking buckets of water (okay-- small buckets-- mini-buckets) dripped down the wall and on the floor. Actually, our front door won't open now because the hardwood floor is swollen. That night, we called our handyman, Mark.

Mark to the rescue! He came over the next day and chipped the ice dam off the roof. Note: this is NOT recommended normally. You have to weigh the options- potential roof damage from chipping OR water pouring into your home. We choose the waterless route. As of now, our roof has a LOT less snow and ice on it, and our sun room is much drier. The dripping stopped immediately, and we will deal with things in spring. For the door that won't open?--- Mark says that if we use our space heater by the door and put a fan blowing in that corner, that we should be way ahead of any wood rot or damage.

Now, Melanie works for a bank, and one of the last insurance claim check calls that she took was for an ice dam claim that was over 19 THOUSAND dollars of damage! How much did this issue cost Lorie and Melanie? 50 bucks. We are so lucky. We know that we have to do some investment in the spring with heat tape (those squiggly "ropes" you see on peoples' houses in the midwest) and some electrical updating to accomodate the heat tape, but overall-- we are two lucky ladies! This blog entry is dedicated to Mark-- our handyman hero.

Newton-- our furbaby- Rest in Peace

2008-02-07T20:13:00.000-06:00

We've been pretty silent lately. Lorie and I have been mourning the passing of our furbaby, Newton. Melanie was adopted by Newton in 1996, and Lorie was added to their family in 2001. Although their time together was too short, they were very happy. Newton enjoyed spending time with his kitty buddy, Fig. They were the best pals that kitties could ask for in life!

Newton will be missed dearly. We love you, our angel furbaby.

Delicious Oatmeal Blackstrap Molasses Cookies

2008-01-27T22:50:00.000-06:00

Tonight, one of the lovely ladies from the Veggie Board of Weight Watchers, ValerieMaha, suggested some blackstrap molasses recipes so that I can sneak some iron into Lorie's meals. Since Lorie will always eat a cookie, this was the perfect recipe, and it was very delicious!

Oatmeal Molasses Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup white unbleached flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup quick-cooking oats

Cream sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Add vanilla then stir in oatmeal. Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes, until done. Makes about 4 dozen oatmeal molasses cookies

Well, the recipe builder for Weight Watchers says 1 points per cookie-- BUT that is if you make 48 cookies. I didn't count them, but for the size that we made, we found that we made about 36 cookies and they ended up being 2 points each-- still not bad for a wonderful cookie that actually had a nutritional component to it!

Delicious Biscuits and Gravy

2008-01-25T19:24:00.000-06:00

Here is one of our promised recipes. This week, Melanie made one of her old favorites, but she did it "Vegan with a Vengeance" style. Isa Chandra Moskowitz has written a fabulous cookbook, and this is one of the recipes. It's been slightly altered to be a little more Weight Watchers friendly. The first step is to make Tempeh Sausage Crumbles. Crumble 8 oz. of Tempeh (Melanie used plain) and cover with water. Heat over medium high heat until most of the water is absorbed. Drain off the rest of the water (takes about 15 minutes+) Then add about 1 tsp of fennel seed, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp of oregano, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp dried sage, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tbsp low salt soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil (Melanie used a bit less) and juice of half a lemon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. (about 10+ minutes)

Meanwhile, drain and rinse one 15 oz. can of any kind of white bean (Melanie used white navy beans). In a blender, puree beans, 2 tbsp olive oil (Melanie used only 1 tbsp) and 1/4 low sodium vegetable broth. Blend until smooth, and combine with the Tempeh Sausage Crumbles along with salt (if you want-- Melanie didn't) and pepper.

Top this delicious mixture over your favorite baking powder biscuit.

Melanie figures that this makes seven generous servings at 7.5 points each. VERY "pointy" as Melanie would say, but HIGHLY filling. Oh-- and the biscuit is 4 points -- this makes an 11.5 point meal. Ouch, but again-- filling and delicious.

Other then that, we're expecting a tropical heatwave. It's supposed to get to a warm 38 degrees by Monday. It might even rain! Only in Wisconsin can you go from 30 below zero to almost 40 degrees in the same week. Tonight, Lorie and Melanie are stuck in the house. All Friday evening plans have been postponed due to snow. Driving conditions are near impossible this evening. At least we get a little quiet time before we both have to work this weekend.

Pileated Woodpeckers, Trees, and Tu B'Shevat

2008-01-21T20:03:00.000-06:00

Yes, these items are all related! In some twist of irony, Lorie and I have solved our tree problem. We've been told that the area we live in has a high population of pileated woodpeckers. If any of you are familiar with the most famous pecker of them all (did we just say that?), Woody Woodpecker is pileated. Picture a bird about a foot tall, and you've got our woodpecker. Scary. It's a HUGE bird. We're going to try to put up a picture of an owl or a plastic owl and hope that he goes away. We've heard that they can even destroy homes. This is not good. Here's the ironic part. Today, is the Festival of the Trees in Jewish Time. It's Tu B'Shevat! Lorie and I had a beautiful Seder tonight where we ate all different kinds of fruits! We dined on grapes, apricots, kiwi, almonds, mango, banana, raspberries, and peaches. It was delicious! We drank both white and red grape juice, and we followed a Seder (or "Order") for our meal. It was short but very meaningful. Many Jews arrange to have a tree planted in Israel for this day. We've decided to focus on our own tree this season. We'll post a few pictures of our Seder.

Lorie jinxes the Packer Game and HOLY CRAP it's COLD!

2008-01-20T21:04:00.000-06:00

Tonight's post will be brief. I'm all alone at the computer tonight because Lorie is watching the Packers play in overtime right now. I refuse to watch it. Lorie still doesn't realize that every time we're watching the game, the Packers are playing poorly, and everytime we turn it off, the Packers do well. I hold her personally responsible for whatever happens to the Packers this evening. I refuse to jinx our boys. Lorie doesn't even know anything about football and suddenly she has to be the one to watch "history being made."

Anyway, I'm going to go off and try to find something that will distract me for the next few minutes. I did want to post a picture of the thermometer in the Saturn this morning. I have never in my entire life experienced weather this bitterly cold. It was so cold that I had to take a picture of the temperature read-out because I didn't think that anyone would believe us. So, this is how I'm going to end the evening-- with this lone picture.

*****breaking news***-- The Packers lost in Overtime. I guess it's harsh to hold Lorie or me personally responsible for the loss. It's still sad. Favre and that interception.... OY! We're both going to cry ourselves to sleep now. At least we know the Giants will get crushed by the Patriots. (the Packers would have been crushed, too-- so I guess that's the bright side)

So far this weekend, we have three new friends...

2008-01-19T22:13:00.000-06:00

This weekend has turned out to be an exciting one so far. To give a little background, our recent drama started with a few "crumbs" below our front yard tree. Now this tree in front of our house is very large. Our home is an 100+ year old duplex that we've converted into single family housing. (We did try to rent to tenants-- unsuccessfully. After the second tenant tried to barter for rent instead of paying cash, we decided that the landlord business was not our thing and quickly converted it into a larger home for us! It's now a home that has two of everything-- perfect for keeping kosher!) Anyway, back to the tree. Half of our house is two stories. This tree is easily taller then the second story. A few weeks ago, we noticed bark starting to fall off a major branch of the tree. Then, nothing.... then a week ago, more bark. Then, the next morning, more bark. Before we knew it, we had a HUGE hole in this major branch!! We can't find any tracks below or on the branches of this tree, so we have no clue what kind of animal it might be. We're posting a picture. If there's any wildlife experts out there, we'd appreciate any input. Please! Any more tree parts that go missing will seriously compromise the integrity of this extremely large- happens to dangle over our house and our power lines-- tree. So-- that is friend number one for the weekend.

Friend number two happens to be on our "good" list instead of the "you know what" list. His name is Mr. Cole. Okay, we really don't know if his name is Cole, but he works for and owns Cole Music. I think we're correct in assuming his name is Cole-something-er-other. Anyway, Mr. Cole is a very friendly man that keeps a music repair store on the main drag in Marshfield, Wisconsin. As mentioned in a previous post, Lorie's banjo has been mighty twangy. On a whim, Lorie and I stopped at this store. We had actually gone to Marshfield to look for a different store that's subsequently closed, and we stumbled on Cole Music. When we walked in, we looked around and saw the glorious sight of all sorts of stringed instruments in various stages of repair. We asked if him repaired banjos, as there were a few of them on the wall. He said, "Four string or Five string?" (leaving off, of course, the dreaded six string banjo that's not a banjo, but, rather, tuned to a guitar-style tuning for those that aren't brave enough to learn real bluegrass!) We knew immediately that this was our man! Lorie sent me to get the banjo from the car, and we lovingly unpacked it from its gig bag. In a matter of 20 minutes, Mr. Cole has the thing singing like a hillbilly in the blue fog of the Kentucky mountains on a crisp, fall morning. (yes, that's GOOD) Lorie loves the sound of the newly filed, tuned, and strung banjo! Lorie said it was like "baby's first haircut" as this was banjo's first time in a "real" repair shop.

The final friend of the weekend is Old Man Winter. Again, we ask ourselves, which of our dumb relatives came to this state, stayed for a single winter, and actually stayed for more punishment! Lorie would like everyone to know that she is 50% gypsy, and she's not quite sure why that half of her family didn't pack the caravan up and move on out like any normal gypsy would... but no.... they stayed. We are going to post one more photo just to prove how ridiculous this is-- this was taken in Stevens Point at about 3pm. Keep in mind that the temperatures are expected to dip another 10 to 15 degrees for the evening lows. Again, we ask ourselves, "why do we stay in this blasted state?"

Wandering through the world of technology.........

2008-01-17T19:53:00.000-06:00

Lorie and I still aren't sure about this whole blogging thing. There's probably going to be a lot of mistakes, so we thank you for your patience. This weekend, the cold has definitely put a damper on our outdoor plans. We will probably drive to Madison on Sunday so that I can meet with the Rabbi. We'll then make a trip to Trader Joe and Old Navy. We might also stop off and have Lorie's banjo looked at, as the 5th string (G) is making a funny twangy noise. (from a banjo? Twangy noise?! Noooo!) Okay-- twangier then normal. Anyway, our weekend plans could have been cross country skiing or even snowshoeing (my new found love!), but I'll probably go outside to let the dog out, and that's about it. I took a picture of the deck. Keep in mind that this is AFTER we shoveled! Lorie asked me tonight why we are living in Wisconsin? I'm really not sure. I can't trace my ancestry back far enough to find out which one of my stupid relatives moved here. Lorie can thank her Grandma and Grandpa from Poland.

Oh-- our rules of engagement for blogging. Lorie and I will blog at night-- together-- UNLESS she is working until the store closes. Tonight she closes- which is why Melanie is blogging now. Tomorrow, you'll hear from both of us. She's much more eloquent. You'll see.

Welcome to our first blog entry

2008-01-16T13:51:00.000-06:00

Well, Lorie and Melanie are proudly going where no banjo playing vegetarian has gone before! Lorie decided that we needed to start keeping track of all of our wonderful adventures and good food. Hence, this blog! I might add that this was all because of the gnocchi epiphany that we had last evening after Melanie cooked a pesto and cheese filled gnocchi with low-fat alfredo sauce meal. This was accompanied with homemade rosemary shallot toast and fresh caesar salad. (all me@t free, of course!) We didn't get any pictures, but starting today, any amazing and wonderful meals will be featured with pictures and recipes. Also, as an added bonus, these meals will also feature Weight Watchers points values! Melanie has been on Weight Watchers for a little over a year now, and she's lost over 65 pounds! (Lorie has managed to find some of her lost weight, but that's okay-- she needed to put some flesh on that skeleton of hers)

In this blog, we'll also share details about our travels-- including camping and bluegrass festivals! Our first trip might be this weekend-- of course, we won't be camping as it's going to be about 6 degrees, but we'll still find some adventures to talk about-- we always do!