Just checked the weather for Sunday and it looks great! The boat is clean and in the water, full of gas, and the deck is newly stained. Bridget has been cleaning the house, so we should be ready by Sat. night for our Denver travelers. We just hope Ruby doesn't walk in and do her thing! Just kidding, Michele and David! Our carpets have already been baptized more than once.

My beloved boss's last day was today so I stopped at a Burlington bar for a farewell gathering. I will really miss him, as will my ot her two counterparts. We decided today we would try to meet regularly to support each other and we will have to spend alot of time together doing the budget over the next couple months. I like both of them alot so that helps. Evil psychologist is still throwing his weight around, and I am trying to take it day by day. There is enough other crap happening that is keeping me busy so I don't have to deal with him much.

Great to see the graduation pics and wish we had heard about Little Women-one of my all time favorite books. Somehow I missed that. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday and having the week off! I don't think any of us will be available for much of a bike ride, but we can talk about it. I just got a new report on my knee and the Dr. insisted I look at the Xrays which show bone spurs protruding from every part of the joint. He said it would be bad for an 80 year old. I got a cortisone shot which helps some, and biking really doesn't bother it much, but I don't think I should be pushing it too much. The doc said if I make it two more years before I get it replaced he thinks I will be lucky. My master plan is to take medical leave if Evil Psychologist gets too pesky and spend my 8 weeks of recuperation figuring out what to do next.

Looking forward to seeing you all Sunday. Hopefully, not everyone on Potters Lake will be having a party so we will have some parking. Could be a wild weekend at the lake. Susan

Following Mark!!

A quick one this AM because we're off to Stevens Point in a few minutes.

Could only skim what Mark wrote--but we saw Domino in Little Women last Friday and it was a hit in every way. Domino is a gem! Glad we will have Calvin and Capri to observe doing great things in Ft. A. in the coming years. Great pictures!!

Glad for Michele and David's news and doings. No time to comment or question now, but we'll be glad for
first hand news in a day or two.

Found a picture of David's new bike on the web. Can see whe there is room only for Finn.

Will be glad to learn more about Declan's new wheels, too.

We will be at Holiday Inn, SP 1001 Amber Ave,east of I-39 and just north of US 10 715 344 0200. Will leave there early Friday afternoon.

Love and prayers for everyone especially us travelers...

Mom and Dad

lagging behind

Hi everyone,

I feel like it's been months since I looked in here. It's great to hear about everyone's adventures! June has been flying by but every day just seems to bring better and better things to all of us, so I'm not complaining! I've been jamming on a script that I need to get out to LA before we go on vacation, so most of my free time is devoted to that. Needless to say, the basement project is still not quite finished as a result, but we've been enjoying the sunporch so much lately it hardly matters.

Domi stayed home from the Gehred family vacation this week, so we're having some rare one-on-one time, which has been really nice. She did well in "Little Women" over the weekend and will be an extra tomorrow in a low budget movie in West Allis. A friend of mine from the screenwriters' group (The Algonquin Cheese Table) is acting in the movie, so she'll be able to help Domi out if need be.

Calvin is celebrating his 15th today in Arkansas, where he says they've been swimming and spelunking. It's such a kick to be able to buy him cds like "Who's Next" for his birthday and know he'll really dig it!

I'm going to post one or two graduation pics here... Enjoy!

Can't wait to see everyone on the 1st! And Michele, I'd love to have you and David out to the manor anytime you can swing it!

Love to all,
Mark

scooter

http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/sachs_madass_50_2007.php. Here's the scooter I got.

good morning tuesday

Good morning everyone. I can't figure out how to increase type size. I also can't figure out how to add pix. I'm doomed.


Anyway things are pretty good up here in Sheboygan. We're getting into our summer groove. Finn is in the reading program

at the library and has already scored a free book after 3 hours of reading in the first 2 days! Ellis is back in his golf league

on Tuesdays at Town & Country. Charlie is signed up for Lake Owen- a skateboarding camp. Cooper is working and he and

Charlie are playing out once a month or so. Susan is busy cranking for summer sales. No Madison again this summer but

Kohler and Morning Glory are on.


I bought a cool little moped for commuting and last week had to fill the tank for the first

time--$2.58. It has foot pegs for a rider but Finn's butt is the only one little enough to stay on safely so he and I

occasionally tool around the neighborhood. If I could figure out the picture thing I'd send a picture.


Michele and Matt there is an Ice Age Trail administrator job open in Madison. the Director of our environmental station here

in SHeboygan got it and then quit because he had second thoughts about moving to Madison.


We're looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend. Kevin and I were talking about riding on the following weekend sat/sun? Maybe a Madison overnight up the drumlin trail and back? not sure yet about destination or route. Mark and few of the kids may be interested. Anyone else?

hello everyone--it looks like once a month is about my speed lately for getting on this blog. i was so glad to read that Mark and company will be there while we are there! hopefully, we can come and see your house--maybe have dinner in that restaurant hanging over the water again.
we'll leave here sometime friday afternoon, june 29. will arrive sometime on saturday. and then leave either friday night 7/6 or early 7/7.
we went to dillon yesterday and met outr friends phil and beth for dinner, and got some outlet shopping in. phil and beth are moving to california! beth has gotten the pacific crest trail coordinator job in the regional office for the forest service, in vallejo, ca. and phil got a job in the region 5 fire center in sacramento. it will be quite a switch for them cuz they have been in eagle, on the white river nf for about 20 years! we had a great visit, and have been giving them moving advice. we will really mixx them, but will just have to either go to CA, or find a great place in the middle to meet them.
david and i played a bunch of tennis with his sister demaris and wayne when they stayed here last weekend. we bought new rackets--cuz ours were from the newcastle days. not quite wooden, but close. so now we're hoping to get some more tennis in on week nights. david is riding today up in the mountains--and he should be nice and cool. it is in the 90s today--we've been breaking all sorts of heart records--and i actually have the AC on today. something i rarely do.
we also have invested in gold clubs for both of us. david went out and hit a bucket of balls this week. he is constantly being asked by clients and co workers to play, and we always play with S and J--so we made the big plunge. we'll bring them home with us, and see if we can play a couple of times at alpine. i've been gettin gout with the dogs early morings, and some later weeknights. the grass continues to hide them both in the green space.
the picture of parfreys was wonderful, great green volvo, and cool swimming pool. maybe freya can teach ruby how to swim!
we actually were camping with our neighbors a few weeks ago at wellington lake, and had a great time. we got some hiking in, and ruby actually jumped in a stream and ran back and forth a million times with no cozaxing. so she might be over her phobia. link, of course continues to love the water and swim for pleasure--even if theere isn't a stick bein g thrown. no more jumping off the pier for him though--he's too old. i think he'll be walking in from here on in!
my cortizone shopts continue to be helping--and it has been 2 months. so i am a happy camper.
we'll see you guys in 1 week!
anything anyone wants from CO?
love--michele, david and the dogs

Declan's MySpace Music Site

http://myspace.com/declananan

Hi everybody! Declan's first summer project...

Give a listen when you have 10 minutes, especially "Moses Supposes", Grandma!

A Run-up to Fathers' Day

As we begin this evening the music background from the Melka FD greeting is playing. Hope I can type fast enough to keep up with the swinging rhythm.!!

Appreciated all the good wishes, calls and cards which reached us today. At lunch at Potters lake with the LO'Cs learned that neither Bridget or Colin were able to caddy today which is frustrating after rising early.
Thanks to each of you for the greetings.

Learned in a phone message that Mark had his gang biking in Madison. David and all the boys competed with go-carts at a track near Fond du Lac. Michele and David played a lot of tennis with David's sister and her husband. Kevin and Declan were selling frisbees to support the Ultimate team at a street stand in Maplewood. Matt left an early message that they hoped to do some biking, but when he called they decided to do some mountain area hiking north of town and that Freya did quite well on her own feet on
gravel and paths which weren't too steep.

Didn't think to ask Matt whether the mystery of the dead prey in the privy has been solved.

Both Maura and Susan's recent blog items may have elements of some great movie or TV special, Mark.
Some of David's job frustrations could add another twist.

Our day at Mark's last Saturday for Domino's party seemed to be very relaxed for everyone and it was great to be able to share in her excitement and success. Any gathering which features 10 of our grandchildren (and Scout) on one afternoon has to be a winner! Pleased that Maura and Tim were able to bring both Alex and Nemo from Madison. Only Stephen and Cooper were missing from the WI families. A number hadn't seen all the progress Mark has made with the house and they were impressed.
Thanks, Mark, for all your preparation!

The graduation the following day was a very orderly and impressive ceremony. The streets and homes had to have been completely empty in the vicinity as the gym was full and the whole campus was a parking lot--and the weather was great, too. We all found one another for some pictures after the closing. Calvin had an offical role with this trombone, too!

Despite the heat this past week, work progresses in the yard. We've had to water a couple of days. Weeds really got a head start so there has been a lot of attention to them, particularly in the flower area we are encouraging along the back lot line. Another day or two should have that area pretty well "creeping charlie"--the major culprit, cleaned up. Hope to get at
putting new rings of chips around the bases of all the trees using all the load we salvaged from the basswood tree which blew down last fall.

Looking forward to seeing our NJ and CO family members in a few days.

Had hoped to use a prize we won at last years Kohler Art Fair during next week. It was a cruise on the Sheboygan harbor ship. Called during the week and learned that the vessel's engine had blown-up so a trip to the ship yard in Manitowoc was needed. Our coupon was to expire 6/30, so they have added a month--so it looks like it will be a July event!


Past bed time! Love and prayers, Mom and Dad

Fathers Day and Birthdays

Hi everyone and Happy Fathers Day to all the pops. Most of us have had a chance to chat with Grandma and Grandpa over the last couple of days, so we have caught up with some WI news.

Declan celebrated his birthday by passing his driving test and getting his license @ 9AM, then breaking his finger @ 4PM torqueing a shock absorber bolt on the pictured vintage Volvo, which has joined our crowded driveway. We've been saying Bassmobile, but the rough Swedish translation is "Basslastvagn". This pristine example was purchased for a song a week ago after a Craigslist search. The hope is that it will free up some time for Lyn and myself this summer by eliminating more than a few round trips for basscamp and gigs.

Great picture of Freya and Matt. I remember coming home from work in Jersey City and having Magda delightedly pouring water over my head as I sat in our little blue pool. I wish that I still had somone around to do that.

We're all busy, but looking forward to our WI trip. Dec and I will be in on the 29th, Lyn and Mag on the 3rd.

See y'all! Signing off to talk to Uncle Matt and Aunt Casey...

Happy Father's Day!

Matt spent Father's Day Eve in the pool with a hot babe in a teeny little swimsuit. We know how to treat Dad right around here!


We just enjoyed a nice brunch with my dad and Elaine. We had quiche, fruit salad and some danishes. Freya provided the entertainment. I hope everyone has a great Father's Day. One of Matt's gifts was having the neighbor kid come mow the lawn so he didn't have to deal with that this weekend. That's like not having to vacuum!

Freya has been in swimming lessons this past week. The first night was apocalyptic. She did not like being in the new environment, and cried and cried for Daddy to come rescue her. The next night, Matt got in the water with us and things went a little bit better. She's shown a nightly improvement, and now we can pass her back and forth between us, pantomiming swimming. She's the youngest kid in the class by several months, so I think by this time next year she'll be dunking and kicking and all of that.

She starts a Montessori daycare program this coming week. Her regular caregiver is on vacation, so Freya will be in this new place while she's gone. The caregiver wants to do some different things starting in August, and Freya will then switch to the Montessori school 3.5 days a week. Matt and I will still do some working from home during the week and will have her with us then. I'm excited about the new school, and I think she'll really enjoy it a lot after she has a chance to adjust to it.

Work continues well for both of us. Matt has his name in a pool of candidates for District Conservation Officer positions. No place that we want to move to is available for transfer right now, but there are enough higher level vacancies coming that the right area could open up. It doesn't look like there will be a promotion opportunity in the Boise area, at least not at this time. So maybe we'll have a change in the future; maybe not.

Anyway, have a wonderful day everyone, and a special Happy Father's Day to you dads!
Love,
Casey, Matt & Freya

Update

Hi Everyone! Sounds like a big day in Boise for Fish and Game. Are you their official spokesperson, Matt? Having a pretty eventful week here. My boss set up and invited me to a meeting with one of the VPs of Aurora, my new boss, the Regional Medical Director and him for next Monday. Additionally, he is requesting that one of the Employee and Organizational Development Directors, a woman that I have worked with on other issues, serve as a mediator/facilitator between me and the evil psychologist after she meets with us individually. They also got the corporate head of HR involved because I mentioned that Don was creating a hostile work environment. Its starting to feel like the organization is going to support me strongly and not him get away with his ongoing torture of anyone who gets in his way. So, stay tuned! I feel alot better about things. I gave Mike a four page description of my meeting with Don at our meeting on Monday and he has sent that around to all the principals, with my permission, so I can use that as a springboard for the hour that I have on Monday. Otherwise, the weather has been so great and we've gotten some work done around the yard and we've even been able to swim. Hopefully, the boat goes in this weekend if we can get the boat lift in.
Amy Haines Norquist had a baby boy yesterday. He was over 9 lbs and is named Kjell, Norwiegan for Charles. Pat wonders why they didn't name him Charles. It is pronounced Chell. Hope everyone is doing well! Love, Susan

Oops, He Did it Again!

Famous Amos hit the news again last night. Fish & Game's favorite son was on the local channels to talk about a bunch of dead birds and a squirrel found dead in an outhouse inside a newly-developing subdivision.

There isn't any video up yet, but you can read the transcript here: http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-jun1007-portapotty.356f0e6e.html.

Wow am I behind! What beautiful pictures! Sad to say we haven't been to Parfrey's since the flood and its our back yard. The Ireland trip sounds so cool, and how fun to have so much travel advice from within the family!

We are really looking forward to seeing most of you at Domi's party and again around the 4th. Pls keep us posted on schedules.

We are wild here. Another atty is down for the count, one of my former bosses, a liitle glitch with not reporting his ongoing continuing education credits ( despite a couple of notices last fall to report and we're guessing three increasingly strident letters from the Office of Lawyer Responsibility when he didn't report) Simple. 30 credits, every other year, carry over 15 if you have a surplus during any period, 3 creidts must be ethics. We all have to do it from our 2nd year of practice in WI. Kinda hard to overlook. We all also go thru the last minute scramble of the idiotds who failed to plan ahead and are now cramming 30 credits of anything under the sun, regardless, into Decedmber of your reporting year (I have to cancel this case, I have to cram more credits in... ) I really cannot spell, can I?

So, we're all helping to cover his 200 odd cases. Unfortunately, he has a major different OLR case pending and he continued to appear in court AFTER this recent suspension started.

I am so looking forward to a day off at Domi's party. What shall we bring?


Freya's helmut is very cool, lucky for all of you that the molars were no problem. Mountain biking already? We were so happy to see the Matt had a Mother in the latest magazine. Both our boys got to see a Matt column with the family picture insert. Pretty cool. Stephen and Maureen were here for a few days, then Alex and Steph were up this week. I really am not ready for this empty nest stuff. It is still way too quiet, so we really enjoy the visits.

The whole yard is in bloom, the spring bloom only rose bushes are just about in full flush, the first of the old english varieties are popping and the real workhorses, multiple shrubs from the "Canadian Explorer" series, are covered in hundreds of blooms. I've run out of vases from taking big batches to the courthouses and spd offices I work in- and a few to family and friends. I'll bring some more down Sat.
Got the first veggie box from the farm coop today. Tim was thrilled that it included "mescaline." Salad for dinner. Time to get Tim some reading glasses.

Puppies need an outing. Seamus is turning out to be Ferdinad the Bull- he eats flowers. I understand the violets but running around with a daisy in his teeth is silly. Gliffy tries to imitate him, unsuccessfully. But Gliffy has outsmarted Seamus again in the escape department, figured out how to open another gate. We willNOT bring them Sat. I need to
get them out before they chew out of the metal cages.

Happy late Anniversary, Birthdays and achievments. It is great to read about all the wonderful activities and accomplishments.

June Begins

Glad to find some new entries since we last wrote, including the pictures. Not sure whether we know enough to include them at this point.

Congrats to Declan for the action photo and all the actions which helped his team do so well in Ohio and winning a state championship. Hope the tips are solid for Magdalena and that she can get some rest in between to prepare her for that busy summer schedule. Looking forward to having so many of us together soon after the NJ family and the Arvada crew arrive.

Mom's phone visits with Susan this week have supplemented
the news she found time to post. Think they are with Colin wherever he is in the golf tournament today.

Guess we can get help from Mark on getting photos into the blog.
the Parfrey Glen photo does bring back some memories. Thanks.
Thanks, too, to Mark for his invitation to join him for good seats on Friday evening at Ft. Atkinson High School for a music potporri which was entitled "Jazz di Zert". It was a marathon of music vignettes featuring students in a variety of groupings offering both vocal and instrumental numbers. Domino and a classmate, Jack Schuknecht, sang a duet, "The Prayer" very effectively. Later she did a solo, "I Can't Say No" from Oklahoma. This was a real hit as she moved from the stage to the aisles and back to the stage for the conclusion. The applause was the most intense all evening, and of course, we thought she was BEST.................

After a cheese cake dessert intermission, the program resumed with 2 jazz bands, the first featuring Calvin with a number of
trombone solos. Then Domino was back with the show choir and
they did the show that the group did for competition around the state and in Branson. A very polished performance to top off the evening, and we did have a chance for a quick visit with our stars,
and Capri and Beth, before heading home. Luckily, a big thunder storm began jsut after we arrived at the school at 5:20 PM but it was all gone for the return trip to Big Bend. The very full evening resulting in our getting home about midnight--a very big night....

Mark did have a copy of the local paper featuring the honors and scholarships the graduating seniors had received. Domino was was the champ and her picture was on the front page. We'll have it here when you come and we'll send it on to Boise, if Mark hasn't done so.

Sorry we missed Matt's call last night but were pleased to have his message and found the blog blurb and the back yard picture with the helmeted Freya with her Mom. The information both messages about the temps made us happy to see that the grass still looked quite green and hope that the produce in the squares with whatever now might shade them will survive! Wonder, particularly, about the rhubarb.

We picked all ours this week and we are working away on a big cooker of sause. This weekend Prairie Home Companion did the show from a little town in SE Minnesota, called Lanesboro, where they are having a Rhubarb Festival. Lots of rhubarb jokes and references in the skits, etc. I will forward the preview e-mail to all of you and you can hear it, if you wish, on your computer or I-pod. We now get the program on Saturday at 5, and Sunday at 10 AM and again at noon, so it is easy to hear it all in one way or another.....

We hope Matt has not tried to call again during the time this is being composed on Sunday morning--now almost 12:30 PM. We were out having a 56th anniversary dinner at Olive Garden--a
place Grandma chose--but we would like to have enjoyed an
Italian meal in the South Orange area and have Magdalena wait on us. We had gone to 5 PM mass (Dad's usher night) and left for the Greenfield OG so Mom could stop at Boston Store before we came home. A big sale day... Thanks for all the anniversary good wishes.

Things are looking better today in our garden squares and flower beds because we had .7" of rain overnignt 5/31-6/1 and about 1.7"
from the storm we had while we were at Jazz di Zert.

MY turn ---We still have our ticket for a free harbor ride in Sheboygan that we won last year at the art fair and it expires at the end of this month. Are the boys having any concerts or programs that we could combine with a trip to take the boat ride?
We found the schedule on the web.

Susan-- Hope that your rock search was successful, even though it turned out to be cold.

A busy week coming up, with a aretirement dinner on Thursday night for my old boss, Fran Wagner, a luncheon on Friday for dad's retired educators, and Domi's party and graduation on the week-end. Speaking of Domi, with all of the musicians in the family now, could we have some music for our family picnic? i know that the instruments take up a lot of room, but we can bring a lot of extension cords.

A belated happy birthday for Tim, and looking ahead to the summer, happy birthdays for all of you anticipating the big day.

Susan O'C, can you work out a menu for us, and Mark, what can people bring to help you out on Saturday. I know you have me down for a salad--what else do you need?

Happy anniversary, Grandma & Grandpa!

We tried calling Big Bend, but you two must be out gallivanting around somewhere in celebration.

It's a hot day in Boise--the weather website says it is 96 degrees. Too darned hot, that's for sure. We're hoping our garden can handle it.

Not much else to report. Lots of love to all from Idaho, and again, Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad! We hope to talk to you soon.

Matt, Casey & Freya