No reason...

I don't have anything to say right now, but I wanted to post this nice picture of Mark and our good friend Craig (Ingrid's new husband) taken this summer on the Wisconsin River Cruise. I'll write more in a few days....

Goodbye Bill!

Mark and I were lucky to spend some time with Bill before he began his newest chapter in life: teaching English in France for 7 months. Mom and dad drove with him from Rhinelander last Friday afternoon and we were able to have a nice dinner with my brother, John, and his partner, Jim (yes, carry-out cod from the restaurant because Lulu can only make spaghetti and they had that the last time they were here).

There were some long faces Saturday when "goodbyes" were said...

I had my own long face Sunday afternoon when Mark and I had to say goodbye too (just not at this moment in this picture)....We love you Bill!

Elephant Consumes Mr. Britches

Britches was not very pleased when I had him don this silly cat hat. I haven't tried putting it on Miss Fanny yet, mostly because I'm afraid she will kill me, but I imagine I'll attempt it while she is taking a nap.

I guess the big news this week is Roxy's encounter with a skunk. Mark was running her, Mingo, and our good friend Marko's dogs (he has 3) with a 4-wheeler on Marko's land. Roxy's powerful sniffer picked up the scent of something too tempting, and off she ran. "Coming" is still not her strong suit (at all), so she totally ignored Mark's commands, and came bounding back to him when her curiousity was satisfied...and when she reeked like Pepe le Pew. To make matters worse, as Mark was driving the dogs home, the odor drifted onto Mingo and we ended up with 2 stinky dogs. I believe Mark used 8 large cans of tomato juice to bathe the hounds (this all occured Friday morning, so I was already at school). Although there is a little smell left on Mingo's muzzle, I can't really notice any lingering stink. (Roxy is pictured)

We also had a very brief visit from Mom, Dad and Bill Monday night as they flew back into Madison from their stay in Arkansas (this is where my oldest brother, Don, and his wife, Hope, live with their 3 children). My brother, John, picked them up at the airport and drove them to our house where they had left their car. We ordered some yummy Falbo Brothers pizza and pigged out. They did not spend the night as they wanted to get home and to make sure everything was okay with my mom's 2 cats (the cats were fine). We will actually be seeing them again this coming Friday as they drive Bill down for a weekend stay before he heads off to Chicago to fly to his teaching job in France. Below is a picture of Bill (he's the youngest of the "kids").

I also have been taking some photos for the restaurant's new website. I actually have found that I rather enjoy taking of food. Maybe because I get to eat some of it after I'm done taking the pictures.Caesar Salad

crab cakes cheese and sausage platter

The Boys

I really have nothing to say, but I wanted to post this picture taken at Ingrid and Craig's wedding in Rhinelander because I love it. Have a good weekend. (pictured are Jim, Mark and Jon)

Time for school!

Today was the first day of school and the first day for me at a new school and a new job. The above photograph was taken this morning before I left for my big day. This year I am at Elm Lawn Elementary in Middleton (we are the Eagles, I guess) as an educational assistant working in the library, a kindergarten, and monitoring a few recesses as well. If you are wondering why I am at a new school, I will be extremely brief and say it is about seniority and allocation of both money and students. I will miss the students and staff I worked with last year at Sunset Ridge, but I look forward to working at Elm Lawn too; I really liked this school when I was subbing 2 years ago.

Mark and I are looking forward to a visit by mom, dad, and Bill this coming Thursday. They are spending the night before flying out of Madison to Little Rock, Arkansas for the baptism of my new nephew Stephen. Mark and I are planning on spending Christmas in Arkansas this year, but fortunately we don't have to wait until then to see the new baby---Don and Hope, Inc.. will be coming in October for a fun-filled evening in Cross Plains!

I have been instructed by Mark to write about Roxy's continued hardheadedness. It is really amazing how different she is from her brother, Mingo. We love her dearly, but she can be very trying. This morning she rousted a few unsuspecting turkeys from our back yard, making such a commotion, I thought she'd wake our neighbors. This evening I let her out to do her duty, but instead she decided to run up the hill behind our house (I call her back), she sniffed around for those turkeys she toremented earlier (more calling), and then she ran to our neighbor's yard (screaming).

Well, I better get going. The pictures below were also taken in Rhinelander from my last visit. I'm including the paper birch picture especially for dad...who can't believe that those trees survived after 6 little Bragg kids group up around them (they're the trees you see right outside the living room windows next to mom's flower garden).