Saturday was the great "bake-off". Grasshoppers No.1 and No.2 joined your Mom in an afternoon to bake Christmas cookies. They were armed with spatulas, spoons, and measuring cups. It was a glorious, nostalgic return to yester-year. There were sweet smells everywhere. Flour. Sugar. Butter. Chocolate.
The idea was to bake enough cookies to satisfy the Christmas demand. Each of the bakers was going to take cookies home and ration them out through the holidays.
I kept checking on the baking effort throughout the afternoon. The cookies kept disappearing. I think the idea was to hide them from me as quick as they baked them. Damn!
These cookies were different. There were no calories or carbohydrates. They are baked with love and are guaranteed to be good for you.
And then it was over. The baking was done. The kitchen was cleaned up. The cookie jars were full.
But wait. I went to our cookie jar and it was empty. It seems the "bakers" made a pact to hide the cookies and ration them out slowly over the holidays. So one third of the cookies went home with No.1 and one third with No.2. The remaining cookies stay here but in a hidden location.
I think they call it a "buzz-kill" or anti-climatic". I was anticipating a week-end of over indulgence of great treats and all I got was a few nostalgic smells.
Trust me, I don't give up easily. I have a "nose" for hidden treasures. If those cookies are any where near by, I will find them.
I'm told there was one mistake. It happened to a "gooey-mushy" sampling of chocolate cookies. The recipe called for a measure of butterscotch. The baker (who remains nameless) read the butter part but the word scotch was on the next page. So the cookies got lots of butter and the scotch part was missed. Afterward the baker drank scotch to make up for the error.
The effort was valiant. The chefs were tired. Cookies were plentiful. There will be a lot of happy faces as family and friends indulge over the holidays. Enjoy.
Stay warm.
Love,
Dad
The Packers are 11-0. It is the most consecutive wins to start a season for the Pack, ever! Savor the moment. My one share of stock must be increasing in value.
Grandson Tommy turns 11 Sunday. He got his birthday present early because his birthday blends into Thanksgiving and his Mom and Dad try to separate the two occasions. I found out that an Apple iPod makes birthday boys smile. The cost of an iPod? Don't ask. The smile on a kids face! Priceless. Happy birthday Tommy.
Grandson Grant has stretched to 6 ft.4 inches in height. His brother Mitchell has got to be around 6 foot tall. Their Mom is like a Munchkin among tall trees.
I understand that Grant now has his drivers license. The good news is that he can save is Mom a lot time on short trips to basketball practice and the store. The bad news is that Mom's insurance costs are going to go up.
Thanksgiving interrupts my daily exercise routine. My exercise club is closed on turkey day. It turns out the following "black Friday" brings a record number of crazy shoppers to the club. I refuse to fight the crowds. I had to resort to outside exercise for a couple of days. Actually the weather has been very cooperative.
Turkey day came and went. I hope you and yours enjoyed the special day. There are so many food choices. The only thing I need is dressing and gravy. All the rest of the foods are diversions to fill you up. Of course, home baked cherry pie with ice cream isn't bad either.
Here we go. The Christmas season begins.
Love,
Dad
The Packers play on Thanksgiving. 11:30 AM.
They go to Detroit with a 10-0 record. They are the only unbeaten team in the National Football League. The Pack will attempt to extend the winning streak against a pretty good Lions team.
They have done this before. It was 1962. Grandpa George, Nana, your Mom and I watched the game on a new color TV at the Steger homestead. Lombardi was in his fourth year as a coach. His legend was just beginning. The Packers had won the NFL championship the previous year (there was no Super Bowl yet). They opened '62 with a 10-0 record. It seemed like they were unbeatable. They headed for Detroit for a Thanksgiving day celebration. Detroit in '62 had a really lousy team. The rest is history. The Packers got "smoked". Quarterback Bart Starr got sacked 10 times. Detroit led 23-0 at half time. The Pack adjusted at half time but could not overcome the deficit. Final score? 26-14. The Packers left Detroit with a 10-1 record. They finished the regular season 13-1. Later that year, Lombardi guided them to a second straight NFL championship. Detroit tarnished what could have been a perfect season.
It is now 49 years later. The cast of players have changed. The similarities are erie. The current Packers are last year's Super Bowl Champs! They have same 10-0 record! There is talk of an unbeaten season!
Will history repeat itself? You need to tune in Thursday to find out. Will Aaron Rodgers get sacked 10 times? Will Detroit score a lot of points in the first half of the game?
Relax. Even if the Packers lose, they will go on to complete a spectacular season and win their second straight Super Bowl. It is pre-ordained by history. I've lived through this scenerio before.
I hope your Turkey day is a winner. In the end, gathering with family and friends around the TV to cheer on Wisconsin's favorite team is what it is all about. Hug the person next to you. And the next! and the next!
Love,
Dad
Your Mom and I went to see the play "Les Miserables" at the PAC last night. It is about the French in the early 1800's. The citizens were oppressed and always fighting. They are still fighting. The story was told in operatic style. I didn't know I was going to the Opera. An opera is akin to a root canal. It is steady pain. I made it through the whole play waiting for the "fat lady" to sing. An opera always ends with the fat lady singing. She never sang. Finally there was a break and we left the theater. I didn't know if it was over or not. I wasn't going to go back and find out. There was no traditional song. (note from mom: "we stayed until the end").
There has been a strong wind blowing this morning. It is the result of 600,000 deer hunters headed north. The insanity has begun. For the first time in my life I wished (just for a moment) I was a deer hunter. Then I would have had an excuse to miss Les Miserables.
I have found out what "Les Miserables" means in french. It means "make the audience miserable".
I usually don't pay attention to obituaries. In fact, years ago I swore I would never read obituaries. Alas, I do peak. I noticed that a lady named Miss Julie, 92 had passed away. It happened to be the matriarch of the family who owned the dance school Grasshopper No.5 attended from second grade through high school. There were times that I thought No. 5 might have been adopted into their personal family. Next in line is "Miss Julie's" daughter, Marcia (hence the name Marcia's School of Dance). And then there is Marcia's daughter, always called "Miss Juliana". Grasshopper No. 5 did a smashing dance routine with her at their annual dance recital 2 years in a row. Also, Grasshopper No. 5 won 1st place in Chicago for several years at a dance competition sponsored by the Nat'l Assoc. of Dance Masters she attended with her teachers, Marcia and Juliana. So, you see, they were very instrumental in a small way to No. 5's development. I personally witnessed No. 5 grow as her confidence in dancing grew. Most people don't know No. 5 is a really good dancer. I mean really good. So,to the family of Miss Julie, my deepest sympathy.
Stay warm,
Love,
Dad
Over the last 10 years, I have tried to pry family history information out of my Uncle Bob (my Dad's brother). For a few years, Bob was reading my blogs and if I picked topics that he knew, he would send me an e-mail. Subjects like his Grandparents farm in Waukesha, Wis., portrayal of my Dad, and the City Club would tweak his interest. I did obtain a little bit of information about our family Medical history. As I read some of the old e-mails, there is a pattern of "sensitive stomach" issues.
My Great Grandpa Elmer had a nervous stomach. His daughter-in-law, Myrna would describe Elmer as being very "loose". Her description was that after eating, he "sh-- like a goose". I always thought that Myrna's description of Elmer was just a funny story.
Elmer's son (my Grandpa Chalk) was hospitalized several times for bleeding ulcers. My Uncle Bob attributed the ulcers to stress. Hmmmm?
My Dad must have inherited the sensitive stomach from his Dad (Chalk). My Dad was hospitalized for bleeding ulcers during the 1950's.
My uncle Bob acknowledged stomach issues of his own over the years but kept problems under control with "Tums and antacid medication".
I have been know to have a "sensitive stomach". I have found that what I eat plays a big role in my stomach issues. Greasy foods including gravy bother me. Spicy food additives including salad dressings (such as olive oil) are a "no-no". I try to avoid milk products. Cheese needs to be eaten in moderation. Like my Uncle Bob, "Tums" seem to work. The truth is I can eat almost anything as along as I do it in moderation. Daaaa!
I know that Grasshopper No.3 doesn't handle some foods very well. The cooking oils at Hu-Hot cause havoc. I'm not sure stress is involved (he always looks in control). No.3 would have to share his eating sensitivities. Maybe he carries the stress inside?
And then there is Grasshopper No.5. She seems to have "drawn the short straw" when it comes to stomach sensitivity. I think she is finding that food plays a major role in managing the stomach and system. Maybe she'll solve the family stomach sensitivity issues and write a book.
My reason for chronicling generational stomach issues is so that maybe you can use the information. If you seem to be sensitive to digestive problems, maybe it is something you inherited.
It has dawned on me that maybe we just eat too much food? Too much wrong food? No!
Love,
Dad
My "sources" tell me that Grasshopper No.1 lost her little kitten. The little darling somehow slipped out a door and disappeared. The story has a good ending. 24 hours later, our son-in-law used his super hearing ability and heard a feeble "meow" from under the bushes in front of the house. The kitty is okay. Aawwwww. So all is well that ends well. Tigger is safe (or maybe it's name is Tufu or Tiger or something like that)! Fortunate!
Today is 11/11/11. The only thing significant about the date is that the same number array will not appear for 100 years. Maybe it will create lucky circumstances for someone.
Yesterday was 11/10/11. My Dad died on that date 54 years ago.
Today is Veterans Day. My personal thanks go out to all that have served and to those that have lost loved ones in all the Wars. My Dad's brother, Robert Jack (my Uncle Bob, 87) served in World War II as I have chronicled in the past. Today Uncle Bob is in a nursing home in Sarasota, Florida with dimentia. It is hard for me to believe that this fun-loving, vibrant war hero, commercial airline pilot and all-around good guy is in need of constant care. My thoughts go out to Bob on this day. He is indeed a member of the "greatest generation".
Everybody can rest easy. No more snow for awhile. I put my snow tires on Thursday and it never snows when I am ready. I also changed the oil in my snowblower along with a new spark plug. Now if I can just get your Mom to run the machine. Yeah, right.
Next week the Packers start selling stocking stuffers. For about $250, you can buy one share of stock in the Green and Gold. It has no resale value and the most you can say is that you are a booster and stockholder. Otherwise, the stock certificate might look good in your trophy case. of course I can think of a lot better uses of $250. Inflation has set in. In the mid-1990's I paid $200 for one share. I'm going to leave it to my 5 kids. Lets see you divide that sucker up 5 ways.
Packers play Monday night. Lambeau. Minnesota Vikings. MNF on ESPN. Does it get any better?
Love
Dad
I had predicted the Packers would lose their first NFL game in San Diego. The Pack eecked out a 45-38 victory sealed with a late game interception. I was wrong with my prediction. All the news channels are discussing how lousey the defense is. You'd think the Packers had lost. They are 8-0 people! They've yet to lose. Lighten up.
Today around 5:00 PM, an asteroid (the size of an aircraft carrier) passes closer to the earth than the moon. It is supposed to be a non-event. Supposedly if the asteroid had run into the earth and hit an island in the Pacific Ocean, it would have produced the equivalent of a 7.0 earthquake and generated a 70 foot high tsunami wave. Now I can sleep tonight and not have to worry about it.
I have mentioned that our motion sensing light over our back porch has been constantly lighting up our back yard. It is supposed to sense people and critters. I have seen one rabbit moving around. My conclusion was that the sensing light was faulty, but it was already replaced once. I am sometimes slow to get the message. Some animal or multiple animals are setting off our light. Little bastards. Now I've got to figure out a way to adjust the light or get rid of the critters. Maybe I should borrow Grasshopper No.3's dog, Willow, and turn him loose. Could someone lend me a cat (do cats attack rabbits?)?
Grasshopper No.4 and family were at Camp Randall on Saturday to witness Badgers blow out Purdue. Badgers have won all home games. They only lose "on-the-road". I'm thinking about buying tickets up in Minneapolis this weekend and attending the Badger/Gopher game. Maybe if I'm there to cheer them on, they will finally produce a road victory
Snow tires go on Thursday.
Love,
Dad.
This weekend everybody gains an extra hour of frivolity. Set your clocks back an hour on Sunday morning.
There are now 7 billion people on Planet Earth. The Earth resources do get distributed to more and more people everyday. Looking into my crystal ball, I predict that water quality (and availability) will eventually become more valuable than oil or gas.
Granddaughter Keely had a farewell party before leaving for Cleveland. Nobody moves to Cleveland! It is on the south shore of Lake Erie and it gets lots and lots of snow. She will be counseling needy people on financial matters. I had never heard of Americorp but apparently it is similar in nature to the Peace Corps except it is a "stateside venture". It sounds like a "cool" endeavor. Maybe we will get a new TV sitcom "Keely in Cleveland".
I handled the "trick or treat" effort Monday night. We had over 100 ghosts and goblins come to the door. It started with neighborhood kids. By night's end, we saw many vans and SUV's pull up at the end of the block and 6-7 kids poured out. They hit every home on the block and then jumped back into the vans and drove off to other neighborhoods. I needed to sample all the different types of candy. I think I experienced a "sugar hangover" the next morning.
When I marry again, I'm going to give the Kim Kardashian sytem a try. I kind of like the concept. Get married. Make it an extravaganza. Maximize TV and magazine coverage. Oh yeah, include your betrothed (new husband Kris). 72 days later, Kim gets to decide this marriage thing isn't working. File for divorce. How can you make 72 days more exciting? I really think this is a blatant case of a self-serving bitch victimizing a poor unsuspecting bastard.
Then again, maybe it was a brilliant publicity stunt pulled off by two terrific actors?
This weekend, football again takes center stage. My predictions are that the Badgers (back home in Madison) will beat Purdue. The Packers journey to San Diego and will they will lose for the first time this year. Their defense will get picked apart by Phillip Rivers. You didn't think the Packers would go undefeated did you?
Enjoy the weekend!
Love,
Dad
Years ago when I was growing up, the "mink business" around Plymouth was a big deal. Weasel looking little critters called mink were worth a fortune for their pelts. The mink craze lasted 10-15 years. Their were several families that made a fortune at the height of the fad. One of those families was headed by Orlando Thiel. My Dad, who had an independent accounting business, did the "books" for the Thiels. I remember one Christmas where my Mother got a mink neck wrap that came from the Thiel farms.
When I met your Mom in the mid 1950's, they lived in this huge mansion with a terrific front porch that circled half the home. Grandpa George and Nana had bought the house from Orlando Thiel, the mink rancher. The Thiel children went to Plymouth high school.
Your Mom and I ended up in Sheboygan from 1967-85. In 1970, Diane, the daughter of Orlando Thiel (along with her husband Carl) purchased Nino's Steak House on Memorial Drive. The restaurant was close to where I worked. I remember many, many noon business lunches at Nino's. Diane and the Nino crew always took good care of my business buddies and me. In fact, we had one booth that they always held open in case we showed up late for lunch.
In 1982, your Mom and I bought our second cottage at Crystal Lake. Lo and behold, our neighbor was Floyd Thiel, a brother to Orlando Thiel. Floyd would actually go out to the Thiel farms to help bale hay. Floyd ended up being a neighbor from hell. He had an ornery streak that just made things miserable. Maybe Floyd was the blacksheep of the clan.
It is now 2011. Nino's closed last week after 41 years. I think it was the last Nino's in the State of Wisconsin to close. As far as I know, it was still owned by the Thiel family. I guess all good things end. For me, Nino's will always be a special spot in Sheboygan.
I will cross paths with the Thiel extended family again. I'm sure of it.
Nov.1 today. The new "conceal and carry" gun law goes into effect. I've got run off and get my gun permit this morning. Now I'll just wait for some assh--- to "go ahead and make my day"!
Love,
Dad