Mom takes a computer lesson.

Whoa.  Mom hasn't used a computer since she lived in WI the first time, almost 10 years ago.  She's forgotten the little she once knew, so we had to start from scratch.  And I mean scratch -- she doesn't even remember how to left-click and has never used a touch pad.  Next time you navigate a web page, think of how it would be to try to describe your actions.  It's like trying to tell a non-English-speaking neighbor how to troubleshoot his car's electric system.  Mom doesn't even have the basic vocabulary, so everything has to be translated to begin with.  Double click?  Task bar?  What do you mean, click on the email I want to read?  What email?  Where do I click?  Sigh.

It's raining again, but at least it seems to be solidly springtime.  The sun has even actually come out on a few occasions.  When that happens, we run outside and quick do a few things that need to have dry ground to get done.  Here, Mom works at cutting down brush in front of the hen house:

She just grabs her oxygen, her chair and her little red wagon full of tools and works a little at at time.  It's great to see her doing what she loves again!

Today we go to Wausau so I can go to the pain clinic.  That will kill most of the day and all of my energy reserves, but it will be over for another month.

This IS May, right?

Sigh.  Ice on the horses' water again this morning.  Janette says it got down to mid-20s last night.  When we lived in IL we used to say not to plant the garden until after Memorial Day; up here it must be after Flag Day...

Still, the sun is shining and it's going to be a nice day to work outside.  We're clearing out some more long-standing weed and grass overgrowth by the hen house and I hope to get the hen house soffit replaced today.  Then, I'll do a quick course in chainsaw 101 and notch out the two poles we had the fence guys pound in the ground last year  for clothesline poles.  Bolt a couple of cross beams into the notches, string some rope and, taa daa!, we'll be able to save ourselves a big hunk of electricity. 

What a fascinating life, no?

Mother's Day Surprises

We had a few surprises over Mother's Day weekend--first, we found a porcupine up in the willow tree at the corner of the barnyard.  He was apparently either having a nap or a snack, and has since disappeared.  But while he was here he provided some entertainment and a little concern (I wasn't crazy about the thought of pulling quills out of Hadjo's mouth).

Then, Amy and Lorrie showed up to surprise Mom.  I was sure I'd slipped up and let on that they were coming a couple of times, but apparently Mom was clueless until they showed up at the back door.  She already knew that Michael was coming and was looking forward to that, and to have all of the girls here as well was a real treat for her.  It really seemed to perk her up.

We had a great time; it's always interesting when we get so many smart asses in one small place...  We had our first meal at the Extra Innings Bar in downtown Ogema, which was not bad, and breakfast at the Taylor County Humane Society Mother's Day Breakfast in Medford.  That was just as nice a meal as any restaurant could provide, and the total check went to the humane society, too.  That about exhausted the Greater Metropolitan Ogema area's offerings.  Everyone left about 3 weeks too soon, but otherwise it was a nice break in the routine.  I look forward to seeing everyone more often now that Mom is well enough so I can travel a bit and we are close enough so at least a couple of the sibs can make it up here from time to time.

May. Sort of.

OK, it's 32 degrees out.  At least it's been warming up to the 50s this week and it's been relatively dry so some of our swampland is solidifying.  I was able to move some of the mountain of winter manure out of the barn (memo to self--have stalls finished and bedding down by next winter so frozen poop won't be an issue) while Mom worked on the south barn door.  It's good to be outside again and moving around.  I tacked on a few pounds over the winter and I'd better be moving quite a bit now!

Osama is dead.  I think Chris Bonine said it nicely:   "To Osama:  Well...Bye." 

Let's move on now and while we're at it, let's try to remember that we can't legislate a safe world; bad things happen occasionally.  All the "patriot acts" in the world won't stop that.  I'd rather take my freedoms and my chances, thank you very much.


 

A Night On the Town

Last night Mom, Janette and I spent the evening in downtown Ogema, having a blast!  We started out at the Rail Trail Cafe, the new restaurant in town.  Mom had a huge grilled chicken salad, Janette an equally huge club sandwich plate.  I had the cheeseburger which was a little underdone but good.  Plenty of food for a little money.  There's a bar across the street called The Extra Inning that is supposed to have really good food, but we'll wait for a weeknight before we try that.  Many bars up here are family affairs, not just drinking joints, but I'll still feel better not having our first time be a Saturday night.

After dinner we walked over to the town hall to catch a performance of  "Ogema's Got Talent," a musical comedy written and directed by a local woman and cast from local talent.  It really was a hoot and was very well attended for such a small-town event.  The audience wasn't all senior citizens, either.  It was good to see who our neighbors are.  And I haven't been to a small town gathering like that since I left home as a teenager.  The town I grew up in had a population of 3000 when I left; it's virtually unrecognizable now.  I prefer the smaller version.  Ogema, now, has a population of about 800, though there are probably a couple thousand in the surrounding countryside.   There is a feeling connected to being in a small town that can't be duplicated by any big city block party or neighborhood association.  I like it alot.  Of course, I enjoyed years of suburban living before getting to the point where small town living didn't sound boring as hell.  It's nice to have come full circle, though.  There's a lot to be said for small town life.

Today is cool and cloudy again.  This extended raw weather season has been a bit hard on my emotional equilibrium but eventually it'll be sunny and warmer again.  I hope.

Mike is coming up for Mother's day.  Mom knows about that, but doesn't know that Amy and Lorrie are coming too.  It'll be nice to see the three of them.  Hell, it'll be nice to see anyone at all...