The Wreckroom Rejuvinated

Our "Rec Room" was so dated. It had dark paneling, nice expensive paneling, but very dark. The ceiling was atrocious, all one large expanse and very difficult if not impossible to paint. You could always see your paint lines.


The Pella windows were from the 60's but not thermal pane. In order to close all of them you needed two people. One to crank the window from the inside and one to go outside to push on the window in order to lock it. Not a pleasant endeavor in the rain!

Thus the imaginative mind of Tony set to work. It is now our favorite room and we spend most evenings there. The replacement windows and skylights are Pella triple glazed thermal panes. The heat loss diminished and the room is toasty warm always-even during the frigid winters of 2008 & 2009. The room is much brighter and with the sky-lights you can enjoy the sky view, often you can read the paper without electricity. It's a great place for taking naps when the sun streams in through the large south window. The air conditioner still worked but I'm sure it was not very efficient. It had an installation date of July 1967 marked on top when we tore it out, so we replaced that as well. It is so quiet you don't even know it is running. We have huge trees that shade the whole south side of the house, so we hardly use air conditioning, another perk for Wisconsin! It is wonderful to have a handyman in the house!!!

Risk Assessment

We work out three times weekly but still can not seem to lose weight. I guess we will have to start writing down everything we eat in order to take off the pounds. Once the weather improves, we will start biking to the health club. That should help. Bellinhealth has a heart attack risk assessment program for only $40.00. We plan to schedule appointments to identify and control certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
I went to the doctor today because I had an eye problem, it was all red due to broken blood vessels. It is fine now but scared me half to death. Sorry kids, I'm still kicking, you'll have to wait for your inheritance. The doctor reassured me that the condition had nothing to do with high blood pressure but my blood pressure is too high, 132/80. I was sure I was in trouble because once the blood started to disappear, the white of my eye turned brownish-yellow. Yuck, scary and gruesome. Now, if I could control that look for Halloween..........


The rainy season has begun, it has rained most of the night and all day so far. Really cold and dreary but we need the rain..
This is nothing compared to the people who live by the Red River. Our hearts go out to them with their flooding problems.




I volunteered to assist with a home remodel/landscaping today. We have an ex Marine who has severe disabilities due to three experiences in the Persian Gulf, Somalia, and Iraq. Many area businesses are donating services, products, and labor for his home remodel. He is only 36 and has purchased a large older home that he is now unable to remodel. I figure I can do pick up duty, painting, donate many of my perennials,. whatever they need........ There must be something a little old lady can do, maybe I could babysit their kids so they could enjoy an evening out.

SNOW! NO MORE SNOW!

We woke up this morning to more snow. Yesterday was the first day of spring and the last day of work prior to spring break! Spring-the word is spring, flowers budding, green grass, warm temperatures, bike riding, walking without fear of falling on the ice, washing the car.........
NO MORE SNOW! OK, Now I have that hissy-fit out of the way.

Today is a special day for Tony, he has become one of the sage members of society and is now at the milestone of the grand age of 65. You would have known this date was coming due to the abnormal amount of junk mail relative to health care insurance we have been receiving for the last 6 months. I am sure we have surpassed the national average of 13,000 pieces of junk mail per year per family.

I have decided to begin reading non-fiction, finally, and have found that my desire for this non-fiction has become an insatiable thirst. I have moved from the likes of Piccoult, Sparks, Evans, Crichton, to the realm of O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck, and Huckebee. I am amazed at the lull or I should say, the vacuum I have been entrenched in. A black hole more or less even though I pride myself on not watching the shallow content on TV.

Please pray for my grandchildren, especially one lost soul who we are desperately trying to salvage. The world is such a beautiful place but there are so many temptations.

Tomato Harvesting

It was wonderful having a screen porch.
We had cherry tomatoes well into November and enjoyed many salads with fresh tomatoes! Barry and Margaret came to visit prior to Thanksgiving and they brought CJ, better known as the "Tomato Harvestor", with them! We had so much fun watching him select and pick every tomato on the plants. I can hardly wait until next year when he helps us harvest again!

Heaven on Earth-45th.Wedding Anniversary

We have been together a long time,celebrating our 45th. wedding anniversary! I feel more love with each passing day. I appreciate all your skills, there has never been a project or a problem that you were unable to solve. I'm lucky to have you. In this uncertain and everchanging world, you have brought caring and warmth.
You understand my faults and still love me! We have experienced laughter, joy, and sorrow and traveled through the best and worst of times. There are many shared memories and future plans. What a history we have together! I ask nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you! You are indeed my best friend, my greatest desire. Love always,

Where Does The Time Go???

I can't believe it's Friday tomorrow, the days fly by. Remember when you were a kid and you wished your life away? It seemed like you couldn't wait for kindergarten, middle school and then high school. Wow, to be 16 and be able to drive, and then 18, going off to college or on your own, finding your own way.

Live and love each day, life is short. I went to a wake this week for one of my former students. She was one of those "peach" students, straight A and just a honey. I guess God likes a few of those around him too. She was far too young, 37, stage 4 cancer, that insidious disease.
I shall never get over being robbed of my mom at the ripe old age of 20. She was only 46 and Penny was a pre-schooler. It was hard to never have a mom to confide in and share in my children's lives.

It is so uplifting to read about CJ. What a cutie, I love the way mom is teaching him to measure pretzels. It brings us joy to see all the pictures of the grandkids on the blog sites-way to go Margaret and Carol.

I Could Get Used to This

Another day off! I can't remember the last time we had two days off for cold weather but I am enjoying every minute of it.(the time off, not the bitter cold) It was -17 with a wind chill of 32-40 below. I am trying to remember why I like Wisconsin. Tonight it is supposed to be -25 and on Saturday 3-6 inches of snow.

Girl scouts started selling cookies today so spring must be just around the corner.


When it's still dark on the drive to work and dark when one leaves work, it is definitely woodworking season in the toasty warm basement. This is the start of our new desk, total disaster. (wife's opinion) She could not imagine the finished project.
Never judge a project until it's completed. The desk was the the final touch on the remodel of our rec. room. We needed a place to put the computer other than the dining room table.

My winter hobby starts in the fall and goes through the end of May. It moves from furniture building to home improvements. I look at woodworking and home improvement projects as entertainment, not work. It sure beats looking at the "tube" every night even if it's only for an hour or so.

The desk was a brain child after we remodeled our kitchen. We liked the granite counter top in the kitchen and decided to use it on the desk top.
Thus the finished product, almost, the next step will be adding some type of book shelves above the desk. The final design hasn't been determined yet, still in the planning stages.

Pat admits that the desk did turn out classy! One needs much patience, putting it together was like figuring out a large jigsaw puzzle.