Point Made

06/11/2016 Yes, it's true, from the shores of Lake Michigan to the shallows of Lake Maria the air temperature is hovering around 90 degrees and, more importantly, the dew point is in the upper sixties. This climate is similar to a day in Mandeville Louisiana. Hot, sweaty, clammy, pick your  adjective. The difference? Tomorrow, in Wisconsin, it will be in the seventies. The dew point will be in the fifties, at worst. In Louisiana, it will be like today, every day until September. I do miss Gordon. Ah the theater, Goodness knows I love the theater. Maria and I went to an Attic Theater performance at the University of Wisconsin, Fox Valley. Attic Theater has been an active group regional players since the 1950's. We used to go to their performances when we lived here before moving to Milwaukee. Their schedule is medium to light. Last night's offering was a comedy "Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike." Three siblings are facing the last part of their ...

Last week's post was titled, "Yes, it's legal to grow grass in Wisconsin, but no one smokes it." With my withering skills at satire and irony, I thought everyone would be able to distinguish between grass that is cultivated for ornamentation and recreation. Alas, not the case. So let me be clear, this time of the year even a poor weedy and ugly lawn in this area of Wisconsin is going to need cutting at least once a week. Later in the early weeks of July until September maybe I'll crank up the Toro every other week. As to the consumption of Cannabis, I'm sure the locally conservative population would admit to some of the "weed" being consumed, albeit illegally, for medical purposes. I hope this clears things up. It is raining today on the shores of Lakie Maria. It was hailing earlier on the downtown streets of Menasha. Today, the wind was occasionally gusty enough to blow the napkins off the outdoor dining tables. Last night, some locals lost power...

Why do weeds grow faster than grass?  Report from the War on Dandelions A hardy hello from Camp Jeff, here on the shores of Lake Maria. It's spring and what was hiding underneath a couple of year of fallen leaves, has blossomed. And it is, (Hold for a drum roll) Dandelions. Not surprised? Don't feel too smug. Anyone from the midwest would have guessed that correctly. Two thoughts here. Number one. No one is responsible for an outbreak of dandelions. Not even the Trump supporter who didn't cut his lawn until it was so long you couldn't read his little fanboy sign supporting "The Donald." Rather than cutting the blossoms while they weren't ready to promulgate, safely enclosing them in a bag for the trashman to pick up where he would deposit the seed in a landfill, he waited. He waited until the somewhat attractive dandelion blossoms turn white. These facets from these complicated dead blossoms become parachutes, which convey the dandelion seed as far as ...

All is good in the land of The Cheeseheads. Well, let me just say in any state with state government like we have, good is a thinly defined thing. Let's just say for Maria and me one of those God Light openings in the clouds opened up and shone down on us. Maria is taking the position of Executive Director The Paper Discovery Center in Appleton. Here is the humor in all of this. After over five months of searching, sending resumes, going to interviews and getting nowhere, this week she has multiple offers on the table. She accepted the best offer. Her reasons for having accepted this offer is that she has an  opportunity to work with the staff and board to get something done, the pay and benefits are where they should be, and the hours are reasonable. As the Trophy Husband, I'm looking at the wardrobe and all the other responsibilities of the arm candy part of the effort. It is worth noting that I have become involved in the jobs Maria has taken ...

While the sun is shining reluctantly on the shoreline of Lake Maria, the news from Camp Jeff is good. I can't reveal the details, but her highness is about to accept an offer of employment. The job is an excellent fit. The six-month search may be over as soon as this coming Monday. Watch this space. I can see DeForest . This Friday the primary wage earner and I hustled over to visit the mid-state branch of the family. Friday s our daughter-in-law's work from home day. Both Brogan and his brother Tate are home from day-care. Ryan gets off from work in the early afternoon. We held this family outing at their home in DeForest, Wisconsin. (Just North & East of Madison) MiMi and I always are amused and amazed at these two brothers. Brogan, the too old for his age eldest brother, who is serious about order and process. Tate, who is more like a basket of ping pong balls, emptied off the fifteenth floor of a building stairwell. Both of them are way beyond the age where they...

My friend and co-conspirator, Kerry and I exchanged emails this morning. In her's, she asked about how things were going. I answered that the weather forecast for The Tundra was that high temperatures were going to be in the sixties and lows in the forties. Further, that forecast coming true would be like the weather I was experiencing in Louisiana. Of course, I was in Lousiana in February. But envy not. They had three and one-half inches of rain in less than two hours yesterday making their total for the week five inches. The PGA golf tournament that was going on this last weekend is delayed. They hope to finish on Monday. PS: The sun came out today. Lots of joy in The Tundra, Maria bought and installed new blinds for the front windows. Kinda shows ya that life, for me, is running on the new, smooth, blacktop road.  Other high points The yard is beginning to lose its winter look. The trees are budding and strange things are growing here and there i...

Many of you know my philosophy on life. Don't grow old it's a waste of time I don't doubt the existence of God, but his line is always busy, and his voice mail is full. At least they are when I call. If there is a God, his only commandment was, "I'm giving you this planet with all of its possibilities and assets. Don't fuck it up." All of the problems in the world are caused by 5% of the people. Depending on the problem you may be counted in the 5%. Some problems are caused by groups that defy my 5% rule but don't blame my math, blame reality TV. Remember Donald Trump didn't invent himself. He had parents and odds are somehow, someway they were dysfunctional. We don't fix anything anymore. There are potholes galore in every street in America. We have bridges falling, and we still don't fix the ones that are standing, no matter how many are killed when they fall. We are afraid of everything. We became that way when we began to be...