You'll Shoot Your Eye Out and Other Bits and Pieces

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I think I'm back in blogland in full force.   But the reason for that will come later in the post.
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Some of my bloggy fans have asked "where exactly are you in Wisconsin?"  Well, if you tried to put your finger down right in the middle of the state,  you would probably hit me right on top of the head.

No, I am NOT worried that you are a serial killer and that you are going to come across the world to find me and do away with me.  I'm far more worried about the crazies down the street, so to speak, than I am of crazies on the other side of the globe just waitin' for me to post my location so that out of all the wold population they can rush to Wisconsin and do away with me.
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On Thursday evening these two, Natasha and Adrian, spent HOURS with Fisherhubby and me helping us get a bunch of new technology.

They were WONDERFUL and we thank them.
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Here is my new lappy.  True, he is not the gorgeous Badger Red of my old lappy, but he works and works well which is a definite advantage over a dead lappy.

Besides, perhaps one day I will get him a shiny Badger Red skin, if he is a very good boy and deserves it.
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He has moved onto my computer desk and I am already busy learning all about his inner workings.  

I'm already able to put pictures on him, edit them, and post them to my blog.

He's already MILES AHEAD of Mr. Mac in that regard.

But he is NOT the only new technology I acquired on our weekend jaunt to parts north of here.

No siree bob, he is not.
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I decided it was time to surrender the old dinosaur who couldn't even take a picture and who was YEARS past being due for an upgrade and move up in the world - - -
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To a tablet smart phone.

Meet Mr. Galaxy Note II.   

The learning curve of the switch has been made a lot easier due to the fact that I've been using a Galaxy Tablet (not a phone, just a tablet) for a year and a half now.

HOWEVER - - - there was still a major glitch.

When Adrian synced my phone numbers from the dinosaur onto the Note II, A LOT more than just phone numbers transferred over.

I opened my phone contacts back at the hotel only to discover that EVERY STINKIN' ONE OF MY Yahoo e-mail contacts were in the phone contact list along with the desired phone contacts.

I betook myself back to B _ _ _  B _ _ and asked a savvy little gal what to do.  She kindly showed me how to HIDE the e-mail contacts from the phone list.

I spent more than an hour, reclined on the hotel bed, hiding e-mail contacts from my phone.

Then I tried to send an e-mail to someone - - - possibly one of YOU my dear bloggy friends, one of you who may have left me a comment on my blog, I don't rightly remember - - - only to discover that ALL BUT 3 of my email contacts were GONE out of my Yahoo account.

No, don't bother to TELL me that this cannot happen because Yahoo email STORES the contacts on the web and not on my phone.

They were gone.   Gone I tell you, GONE.

I tried, to no avail, everything I could think of to get them back - - - including googling "how to unhide phone contacts."

To absolutely NO AVAIL.

I went back to B _ _ _  B _ _ and the same little savvy gal couldn't find them either.

She scratched her head and said, "This shouldn't have happened."

Well, I KNEW that much and I can just tell you I felt pretty "sunk" to hear her say it.  If SHE didn't know how to get them back, I was afraid all was lost.

Well, it took her about an hour - - - but she got them back.  Should this ever happen to you, look for a folder in the settings of your yahoo e-mail account that says  "Deleted Contacts" open it and click the option to restore them.

My only issue now is I have unsynced my yahoo from my phone in an effort to NOT have this happen again so now I have no e-mail addresses on my phone when I open my yahoo email, and that isn't optimal either.

Sigh.

Why does technology have to be so much smarter than me?
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This is one of the first pictures I took using my new phone.  Our son, Kyle, upon receiving this as a text message from me, said his dad looks like a northerner who embraces winter.

Truer words were hardly ever spoken.
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On Sunday afternoon as we returned to the hotel from FH's cross country ski and my snowshoe romp across frozen Hayward Lake, I noticed this icicle hanging over our heads.

"You'll shoot your eye out!"  I said, thinking that was a ginormous icicle.
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 Until I noticed THIS icicle on the other side of the door which is capable of shooting out MANY MORE eyes than was the first.

And that's all there is to this report of our weekend activities in the northwoods.  There will be a bit more news to come later.

TTFN
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Sunday at the Birkie

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This edition of Sunday in My City is coming to you live from Downtown Hayward and the 40th annual American Birkebeiner Race.

Well, actually the race was yesterday, but I'm still live and in person in Hayward to tell you all about it.
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Imagine if you will a cross country ski race 30+ miles long with 10,000 racers which finishes on Main Street of a tiny little berg of just over 2,600 people. 

Can you imagine it?

Well, I'm here to SHOW it to you. 

As the skiers round the corner heading for the finish line they pass this Olympic style torch.
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From there they ski right up Main Street.

These are some of the early finishers - - - you know - - - the ones that weigh about 90 pounds soaking wet and have been racing in these things since they were 3.

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With the finish line in sight they ski past 30,000 or so spectators, lining both sides of the street,  all cheering wildly, and ringing their cow bells.

There's even a jumbo-tron for those too deep in the crowd to see the real deal.

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Most of the skiers finish the race as if they'd just walked to the corner store and back - - - but we did see one who collapsed as he crossed the line.

They'd have to send ski patrol way back near the start line to scrape me up off the snow if I ever was fool hearty enough to attempt this race!
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Fisherhubby says he's going to enter next year.

He said that last year too, and you see how THAT worked out.

I think he's too old and feeble to BEGIN this at 60.
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Every skier wears a bib, and on every bib is a number, and every number identifies that skier and his belongings.

We'll get to the belongings later.
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Buses wait to haul skiers back to Cable where the race began if that is where they need to go to get to their cars and hotels.
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During the race skiers' belongings are stored in these bags, all labeled with the ski bib number.
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There are folks who work all day to "fill up"  skiers AND spectators.

Fisherhubby and I imbibed in brats from these guys and they were juicy and delicious - - - especially standing out in the snow.

The brats were juicy and delicious, I'll let you make your own conclusion about the guys.

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All around the side streets are stations to "empty" the crowd once they are "filled up."

You gotta go when you gotta go. 
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There were eyes in the sky checking all day long on the progress below.
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Main Street Hayward is a "balcony zone"

Some, like this one, were used to give invited guests a birds eye view of the race.
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Others provided free bill board space.
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Our friend Kevin, whom we met peddling his wares at last year's Birkie, was back with Elvis and a new improved line of merchandise.

Fisherhubby got a Birkie hat just like Elvis'.
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The Birkie Trolls were happy to meet Kevin and Elvis.
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We need to take a moment to highlight Birkie spectator fashion.

Footwear is MOST important - - - the foot that stays warm keeps the whole body warm. 

A nice light-weight ski jacket is also a must. 
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And let's not forget to cover our heads!

Meet Lynn in a fox fur cap - - - he said it was actually too hot for the day.
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When your head gets too hot, you simply loosen the chin straps and let 'em flap.
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After a long hard day skiing or spectating, what could be better than a nice warm coffee shop with free wi fi?

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Especially when that coffee shop also has muffins like these!

That's all I have for this special Birkie edition of SIMC.  Please click below to join the party and see what's going on in other cities all over this globe.
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I'm joining Unknown Mami

For Sunday in My City.

My city today is Hayward, Wisconsin

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I Am Only One Frag - - -

But I am ONE!!

This bad boy is coming home with me today!

I am so excited.

And there is another surprise too!!!

Now let's see if I can link this post to FFs.
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A Little Nostalgia in My City

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Yesterday Fisherhubby e-mailed me a link to this photo on Pinterest.

He pins, I do not.  

He often talks to me through e-mails rather than live and in person.

It's all good,  e-mail is one of my "love languages."

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The message from Fisherhubby to go with the photo was:

"Hay, will you marry me?"

That made me smile.

For you see, on a fall afternoon in 1974 while Fisherhubby and I were in his grandparents' hay mow he popped the question.

Of course, he wasn't YET Fisherhubby - - - he was Tennisguy or Surferdude then.

I said yes, and the rest is history.

Only thing, I don't remember all those sun diamonds shining through the chinks in the barn wall.

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Photo Credit: Originally pinned by Agne K on Country Girl

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Today I'm joining Unknown Mami

For Sundays in My City.
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My city is Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
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Please hurry over to Unknown Mami's to see

What others are sharing from their cities.

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More Winter Perspective

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I've talked about our winter weather ad nauseum.

But winter weather is all the "news"  we've got here in Central Wisconsin, so I'm talking about it again.

We've got snow piled high in our yards - - -
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Our mailboxes are playing hide-and-go-seek with the postmen - - -
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Ice fishing shanty towns have sprung up all over our frozen lakes - - -
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And Fisherhubby is spending all his spare time drilling holes in the ice and then pulling crappie out of those holes.

Yesterday when it was about 15 or 18 degrees, I saw a man, who was even older than me, walking by in his gym shorts and tennis shoes, his bare legs catching the breeze - - - I think he thought it was a spring day.

So imagine how I CHUCKLED to receive a weather communique from my sister - - -
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Who having grown up here on the frozen tundra of Central Wisconsin - - -
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Now lives in the tropical clime of Marco Island, Florida in sunny Collier County where - - -
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The beach is never far away - - -
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And flowers abound year around.

Here is said communique:

Per Weather Channel:  Severe Alert  Wind Chill Advisory for Coastal Collier county in effect from 2 am Sun until 9 am Sun.  a NW wind between 10 and 15 MPH along with temperatures around 40 to mid 40s will result in wind chill readings of 28 to 34 degrees for several hours. ...Precautionary/Preparedness Actions:  If you MUST venture outdoors, make sure you wear a hat and gloves!

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I added the bold print and underlines for your reading pleasure.

When it's 40 degrees 'round "these here parts" folks start pulling their bathing suits and flip flops out of moth balls!!

And I kid you NOT one bit about that.
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Why, folks 'round here line up OUTSIDE in February, right next to snow piles, to get their DQs just as SOON as it opens for the season.

Come on up, y'all - - - we're a HARDY bunch 'round here.
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Absolute Frags

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Welcome to Keepie's world of Absolute Frags.

For those of you who wonder, and even for those who don't, "Keepie" was what my cousin Lynn called me when we were very young children and he couldn't pronounce my real name.  As I've gotten older I have embraced the Keepie in me and love to use it from time to time.

Now back to our frags.

Notice I did NOT say absolute truth.  My frags are the truth as perceived by moi, and that's all I will say to verify their authenticity.

If you have never heard of a "frag" before (someone told me that last week) it is short for a fragment, and in THIS scenario a fragment represents  bits and pieces of the week which may or may not be worthy of a post all their own.  Should you have some loose fragments, absolute or otherwise, that you would wish to lasso, tie down, and report please hurry over to Mrs. 4444's place and join the party.  You will find several links to do so at the end of this post.

And now, without further ado or introduction I give you my Absolute Frags of this week:
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* * * * * * * * * * * * 

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Here lies dear Lappy, all dead, forlorn, and alone.  

Lappy, you are NOT forgotten.  My love for you is as strong as ever, I only wish you would rise from the ashes like a Phoenix and restore yourself unto me.

Sigh.
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This impostor - Mr. Mac - has taken your place on my desktop.  

He is not kind.  He is not considerate.  He is not helpful to me in my blogging quest.

Why today, just to make this fraggy post, I have been FORCED to e-mail myself photos from my tablet, or download them from the big wide internet.  That is the ONLY way I have been able to "trick" Mr. Mac into supplying photos for my blogging penchant.

He won't edit said photos for me either, so I am forced to present them to my bloggy "fans" in a less than stellar form.

Deep sigh.


He isn't as handsome as you either Lappy - - - being a dull silver and not your luscious candy-apple Bucky Badger Red.
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I did attempt to "snazz" him up a bit with some Badger Bling - - - but he is still woefully short of your gorgeous standard.

Several Very Deep Sighs.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * 

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Next weekend Fisherhubby and I will be going to Hayward in the Wisconsin Northwoods to stand on Main Street and ring cow bells as the Birkebeiner racers cross the finish line.

The Birkebeiner, known to one and all as the Birkie, is a 30+ mile cross country sky race named after historic Norwegian Soldiers who rescued the infant king by skiing him away from his would be assassigns.   They were called Birkebeiners because of the birch bark leggings they wore.
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The American Birkebeiner (there is a Norwegian one too I believe) begins in Cable and ends up on Main Street of Hayward.  Last year there were 9,000 participants, causing more than 40,000 people to descend upon the little village of Hayward, population 2,600.

It is one awesome event to observe.

Fisherhubby wants to participate as a racer next year.  The farthest he's ever gone at one time on his cross country skis is about 2 miles.

He's lost his mind.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * 

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I know some of you are just "hanging on" waiting to hear a February snow update from moi.

After several snowfalls of three or more inches, followed by some rain then sunshine and meltage, followed by still more snow - - - THIS is the state of snowy affairs 'round here.
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This is all good because it keeps our soil from freezing soooo deeply AND ensures we WILL have a spring time release of all that stored moisture - - - which is a VERY good thing for these "here" parts.
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Our mail boxes are only visible 'cause Fisherhubby makes sure their little faces are still peeping out when he snow blows the driveway.

As you know, all this snow cover makes me a very happy girl.  THIS is what winter is SUPPOSED to be, don't'cha know?
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Sad Savannah Ellie.  His tusk broke off again this week.  He is not yet "African Elephant Down," because he is waiting for me to put him in hospital and repair his tusk.

Poor baby.
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Having been married for more than 37 years, Fisherhubby and I do not always "do anything" special for Valentine's day.

This year, I thought it would be fun to do a little something-something for him, but also knew he would not take it very kindly if he didn't know ahead of time to do something for me too.

So, I got the little something-something and put it in this bag which I set right out in the open in the dining room hoping it would give him a hint.
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He got the hint admirably and picked up these delectable treats for me - - - which he presented to me in a Santa-tine bag.

And a fun time was had by all two of us.
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Speaking of Fisherhubby, this is how he spends his time when he isn't all "cleaned up and professional" for the ER OR out on the ice fishing.

Notice, besides having the remote control at his elbow, he is dressed in his camo so he'll be ready to blend into nature at a moment's notice.

He is NOTHING if not prepared.
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For those of you who have been encouraging me to give Mr. Mac try after try, I just want you to know I HAVE done so.

However, the above picture is when I will actually LOVE Mr. Mac.

In the meantime - - - I plan to get a new Lappy next weekend on our way to the Brikie when we spend a couple of nights in Eau Claire where there is a Be_ _ B_ _ which will hopefully be chock full of bright, shiny, candy-apple-Badger red lappies from which to choose.
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That's it for today folks.

That's all the absolute frags I've got.

Please hurry over to Mrs. 4444's place

Where you will see frags from other people 

AND where you can "frag-up" yourself

Should you so choose.

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Photo credits:

Historic Birkie - bergans-shop-rosenheim.de
Hayward Birkie fishish - travelwisconsin.com
Hell freezing over - ironline.com
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