We are just back from an absolutely fascinating and enjoyable vacation in which we cruised around the Baltic Sea on Regent Seven Seas. We saw several new cities/countries which added nicely to our passport stamps (Jo is trying to collect all of them). We hit Denmark (Copenhagen and Bornholm), Sweden (Gotland), Germany (Rostock and Warnemunde), Latvia (Riga), Finland (Helsinki), Russia (St. Petersburg), and Estonia (Tallinin). The seas were calm and the food copious and delicious. We both came back several pounds heavier than when we left - I personally blame the scones and clotted cream at the afternoon tea. It could also have been eating 3 large, elaborate meals a day along with the occasional afternoon snacks as well. We really enjoyed getting a small understanding of the history of each of the countries we saw and certainly seeing the changes in post-Soviet countries was interesting. I could go on for pages, but I'll end with saying we had a blast.
Just before we left we enjoyed a visit from Sheri and Bruno for a weekend. We took them to a local beer garden that opened in a nearby park (only in Wisconsin can you get beer in a public park, unless of course you are in Europe). Then we visited the Wisconsin State Fair to enjoy the animals, fried food, and desserts. While Jo and I opted for whoppie pies instead of the famous fair cream puffs - Bruno enjoyed one. We finished the weekend off watching some of the air show down along the lake. As we quickly learned there is a limited number of things an airplane can actually do in the air and didn't stay too long (which was reinforced when we saw a bit of an airshow in Riga, Latvia where they did the exact same stunts as the Wisconsin version). After lunch it was, too quickly, time to take them back to the airport.
The following day our nephew, Drew, moved in for 4 or 5 months. He is finishing his student teaching in the Milwaukee area and staying with us to save on housing costs. Of course, it does mean he has to live with a bunch of 50 year olds instead of a younger, more energetic crowd. But our place does come with food, laundry, and a few nice accouterments not typically found in a 20 year olds apartment. The upside for me is he comes with an X-Box so in theory I could see if it is something that should be on a future Christmas list - that is if I can ever get him off of it.
My last piece of news was we came home to a bumper crop of cucumbers and beans. We harvested 24 lbs of cucumbers which we quickly turned into 17 jars of pickles and still had several left over to give to friends. We also got our first summer squash which went nicely into a pasta dinner. We need to spend some serious time harvesting and freezing beans - maybe this weekend with the extra day.
We are just back from an absolutely fascinating and enjoyable vacation in which we cruised around the Baltic Sea on Regent Seven Seas. We saw several new cities/countries which added nicely to our passport stamps (Jo is trying to collect all of them). We hit Denmark (Copenhagen and Bornholm), Sweden (Gotland), Germany (Rostock and Warnemunde), Latvia (Riga), Finland (Helsinki), Russia (St. Petersburg), and Estonia (Tallinin). The seas were calm and the food copious and delicious. We both came back several pounds heavier than when we left - I personally blame the scones and clotted cream at the afternoon tea. It could also have been eating 3 large, elaborate meals a day along with the occasional afternoon snacks as well. We really enjoyed getting a small understanding of the history of each of the countries we saw and certainly seeing the changes in post-Soviet countries was interesting. I could go on for pages, but I'll end with saying we had a blast.
Just before we left we enjoyed a visit from Sheri and Bruno for a weekend. We took them to a local beer garden that opened in a nearby park (only in Wisconsin can you get beer in a public park, unless of course you are in Europe). Then we visited the Wisconsin State Fair to enjoy the animals, fried food, and desserts. While Jo and I opted for whoppie pies instead of the famous fair cream puffs - Bruno enjoyed one. We finished the weekend off watching some of the air show down along the lake. As we quickly learned there is a limited number of things an airplane can actually do in the air and didn't stay too long (which was reinforced when we saw a bit of an airshow in Riga, Latvia where they did the exact same stunts as the Wisconsin version). After lunch it was, too quickly, time to take them back to the airport.
The following day our nephew, Drew, moved in for 4 or 5 months. He is finishing his student teaching in the Milwaukee area and staying with us to save on housing costs. Of course, it does mean he has to live with a bunch of 50 year olds instead of a younger, more energetic crowd. But our place does come with food, laundry, and a few nice accouterments not typically found in a 20 year olds apartment. The upside for me is he comes with an X-Box so in theory I could see if it is something that should be on a future Christmas list - that is if I can ever get him off of it.
My last piece of news was we came home to a bumper crop of cucumbers and beans. We harvested 24 lbs of cucumbers which we quickly turned into 17 jars of pickles and still had several left over to give to friends. We also got our first summer squash which went nicely into a pasta dinner. We need to spend some serious time harvesting and freezing beans - maybe this weekend with the extra day.
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