Side Trips

So, I should be packing or sleeping, but I realized when I pulled my camera out that I hadn't taken pictures off of it from a couple of little side trips. So here I am updating the blog instead! See what I I give up to keep you up to date?? ;-)

We had quite a day today. . . poor Erik came home from work and as he started to get ready for bed I discovered that we had a flat tire and our freezer was defrosting. No rest for the weary. :-/ It was a morning of phone calls and errands, but we're all squared away now. Did you know that freezers have heaters? Well ours was broken. New heater, full-sized spare tire fully installed. . . and a long day. BUT, better they both happened while we were at home and not on a trip! And. . . AND when the repairman was working, he found that part of the ice-maker-thingy was disconnected, which is why we couldn't get decent ice cubes! So he put some screws in and it WORKS! Woo hoo!!!

Other than that, things are pretty much back to normal around here. Our munchkins are growing and tussling and spending a lot of time being cute and a little time being naughty. Pippin (and we) start Dog Obedience next week!And now. . . the side trips. Wow, can you tell I'm tired?
The Wednesday before last I met Ben in Santa Clarita for lunch (and to take him my old video card)--he's finally building that Dream Computer!! The graphics card WILL be replaced when the dream is Fully Realized, but it's standing in at the moment. Anyhow, it was great to see him and to have some time to just chat and hang out. Miss having that.And the second little trip was last Monday! Erik needed a replacement Retired Military ID card (and I got one as a spouse), so we took a little trip down to China Lake. These are our visitor passes, cuz I'm a big geek and it was kind of exciting. ;-)Erik drove us through Red Rock Canyon to show me some new landscape. . . kind of a weird and wonderful place.We're off again tomorrow! I'll tell you more about it when we get back. Sam thinks he ought to go along, but he'll be staying at the house while we're gone. . .. . . and Pippin doesn't know it yet, but he's going to stay with the vet! Hopefully it will go ok.More updates on our little adventures next week! Happy Labor Day, everyone. :-)

Trip to Wisconsin--Addendum!!

With the unanticipated JOY of receiving CDs of pictures from both Mom and Warren this past week, I bring you. . . a few select pictures I had to add (but was too lazy to go back and fit them into old posts--besides, who would see them then??) :-D

Calvin enjoying the bay at the picnic--the water was beautiful!Pei was invited to swim too. . . Brigid about to topple over behind the castle made with Collin, Calvin & MeganSisters :-DThe beautiful Ingrid at Cave PointThe Swede posing as a Norwegian to ingratiate himself. . . and cuz it's fun ;-)The afore-mentioned Erik-on-raft-thingy-at-Schoolhouse picture (you are now publicly vindicated, Mother)Enjoying our Swedish Chocolate at SunsetThanks for the many wonderful pictures, Mom & Warren!!

Trip to Wisconsin--Final Installment (VII)

Already it seems so long ago. . .

Mom & Noelle came up for a day and played at Schoolhouse (I was going to post the fun picture Mom took of Erik on his little floaty raft, but she hasn't SENT it yet). And we got to go out for Friday night fish fry with the Schmidts! Noelle took this gorgeous picture of the sunset (actually all the photos to this point in this post, to give credit). We also got to hear the Hagen/Nehlsen/Swan clan at the Red Barn before they had to go. And to cap off Erik's Island Adventure, Saturday night was the Scandinavian Dance Festival! I was so excited at our timing! Erik kept whispering, "Did you ever do THIS dance?" I had fun remembering the music and the dances, and seeing lots of familiar faces (though not many of the young ones anymore).We said quick goodbyes and left on the late boat after the fest, stopping in Sturgeon Bay for the night. We headed to Green Bay after church the next day and, after lunch with Dad & Jackie, I drove Erik to the airport in Appleton. The next morning Dad & Jackie drove me to the airport in the pouring rain. The rest, as they say, is history!

I'm ending with this cool picture that Noelle took of one of the ferry boats looking like it's sailing off the edge of the world . . . May your adventures take you to wonderful places!!

Trip to Wisconsin--Installment VII

We spent a good part of Thursday on Rock Island, which is always a cool way to spend a day! We took the beautiful walk up through meadow and woods to the lighthouse.The lighthouse was cleaned up and restored by volunteers a few years ago. It's amazing to see the before and after pictures of all the work they did!!! It was basically abandoned years ago when an automated light was installed, and trashed by vandals. Now you can take a free tour of the old lighthouse as it might have looked in the early 1900s, and learn all kinds of cool things! They even have a replica of the Fresnel lens that was in the tower when it closed, which you can see when you climb up into the tiny light tower. Erik also got the chance to work a pump--the likes of which he had never seen before!Then we went back down to the old boathouse next to the dock. The Icelandic architecture and furnishings are always fascinating.And last, but not least, we found a nice spot on the shore to have a picnic of string cheese, cheese curds, cherries and other regular stuff ;-) But we didn't have that until AFTER we swam--the water was lovely!This was also the week of the EAA Convention in Oshkosh, so there were planes all over the place. One crazy pilot landed on a tiny strip of land between the islands and his friends kept buzzing him! That's the railing from the Karfi in the bottom of the picture, as we rode back from Rock Island.Then we RELAXED. . . spent some time laying in the backyard reading, watching the bugs. . . just chilling out. . . . . . until the sky started to change and we heard thunder! Then we went up to the tower and watched a storm roll in. :-D It sprinkled a tiny little bit, but mostly zoomed around the island and out over the water. We stopped at Schoolhouse on the way back home to see how the waves and sky looked.And THEN we went to the Alby and Erik had his first Wisconsin-fried cheese curd!Oy vey, but I miss the CHEEEEESE!!!!

In other recent, crappy news, someone is messing with our mail. We're waiting to hear back from the Postmaster to see what options we have. :-/

Trip to Wisconsin--Installment VI

It was good to be up on Washington Island. :-)

Our first day was a busy one. We spent most of it getting the house cleaned up and in order--it's been a little while since someone stayed there! And we were tired after all the fun of the picnic and running around the county, so we also took a LOOOONG nap!

The next day, Sally invited us to a picnic at the eastside. It was so good to see lots of old friends and cute kiddos.

Erika & Andy, Erik, Anita, Kari, Sally & MaggieIan, Ray, Morgan & WillaSteve & MaggieCongrats to Anita & Rob who got engaged shortly after we returned to California!!!!!Maggie (Sal & Steve Schmidt)
Ray & Willa (Kari & Steve Heil)Ray with Morgan (Andy & Erika Roberts)--her brother Ian was there too, but didn't stay still long enough for a close-up!Then we did a little driving around the island. Erik got to see a bit of everything. We also stopped to walk to the Stavkirk (see Erik peeking out?)After dinner at Karly's, we went out to Helen & Allen's to visit with them, Sally & Maggie. We ate ice cream and watched a beautiful (as always) sunset over the lake.The next day, Erik was introduced to my favorite beach in the whole world. . .More to come!