Put on Your Fraggin' Shoes and Frag the Night Away

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Come on everybody!!!  Put on your fraggin' shoes and let's frag the night away!!!

You know, frags are those fragments that have been twisting around in your brain and you just need to get them out and share them with someone in blogland.

Well, let them twist no more - - - Mrs. 4444 has given us Friday Fragments for JUST such a time as this.  Why don't you join in?

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Isn't this just the sweetest picture of our tiny ballerina, Piper?   I was planning to use it in a whole ballet post, but since I haven't gotten that done yet, I think I'll share it with you now.

You're welcome.

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This is sweet Aunt Mary, my dad's sister.   A few weeks ago she passed away.

She and my dad were two of 13 siblings.  Only five of them are still living.  I don't like this phase of life where the generation before us takes their final bow on this earth.

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School's out for the summer!!!!  At least for our grans down in Indiana.

I don't think there's any question about How Mackinley feels about THAT!!!

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Now there's time for IMPORTANT things like reading books in the shade of a big old oak tree, (don't you LOVE those flip flops?)

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And "watching" big brother play baseball.

Pretty soon it will be time to come to 'Consin for Kamma Kamp!!!" 

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"Tweet Treats"

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I've started tweeting, @KeethaB.  I'm discovering unexpected blessings and surprises from Twitter!

Today the gal on the right, who is a client of our stylist daughter Korie on the left, tweeted me this picture while she was getting her hair done by Korie!

TWEET!!!

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My former students in Indiana who are growing up and graduating have found me on Twitter.    These three were in my Freshman Biology class the last year I taught, the last our school was open.

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When our school closed, the students were scattered to 4 different county schools.  Last week they all met back at good old LCS to have their picture taken together one last time.

Such bitter sweet memories.

I am so proud of all of them, and so glad they tweeted out these photos.

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And LAUGH while you do it - - - that's what I say.

Hehehehehe.

Sorry - - - just couldn't help myself.

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"Memorial Day Fun"

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As already reported on this blog, I spent MUCH of my Memorial Day weekend sick, even ending up in the ER Saturday evening.

By Monday morning, I had "pulled myself together" enough to meet Claudia, one of my high school classmates who was in town from Iowa.

One of the joys of coming back home is being here to meet up with old friends like this when they pass through.

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Monday evening we grilled and ate steaks with our friends Bill and Eloise (yep, pronounced E-Lois)

Eloise had made a very festive red, white, and blue Memorial Day table.

A great time was had by all.

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I'm getting excited about Badger Football season - - - which starts the first weekend in September.

BUT, I'm trying not to get TOO excited yet 'cause I don't want to wish away the whole summer!!!

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Perhaps the government would be better - - - they rarely "let" themselves get arrested.

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And that's all the fraggin' I'm doing today,

Even WITH my fraggin shoes on. 

Please hurry over to Mrs. 4444's place

Where you will see LOTS of other frags

Why not put on  your own fraggin' shoes
And frag the night away?!

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Two Bright Shiny Apples That Fell Right Below the Tree

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When I am working in the kitchen - - - or by ANY counter for that matter - - - I often stand like this.  Right foot planted straight down and left foot pointed out to the side with just the toe touching down.

If I need to lean the other way for some reason, the feet positions switch.

I don't know why I stand this way - - - I wasn't even aware that I did it until my kids got old enough to notice.

Oh there was laughter.

There was chortling.

The was outright make-fun-of-mother-ing.

I kid you not.

Then several years ago, oldest daughter Keri confessed to me, with shamed face I might add, that her hubby had pointed out to her that she was standing the EXACT SAME WAY at her kitchen counter.

"Comfortable, isn't it!?"  I chided.

Actually I believe I rubbed it in good and proper.

It's not often a mother gets to do that, ya know.
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Here she is, applying her make-up.  This time it's her right toe pointing out, probably because of that being more comfortable for the side of her face she was workin' on.

Then, just a few days ago, our youngest SIL texted me this shot:
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He said, "I asked Korie why she was standing that way to chop vegetables.  She said, tweet it to mom, but I have no idea why."

Oh - - - I HAVE AN IDEA WHY!!!!!
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Genetic pay-back is a cruel slave master.

Now who gets the last laugh, girls????

Hehehehehehe

And Korie - - - feed those weens, they are BEGGING!!  Don't make ME come down there and do it.
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Sunday Tour of Weyauwega and Other Minor Issues

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Sunday is upon us and I have somehow managed to squander away two entire weeks without making even one tiny blog post.

Some of you have contacted me with concern and worry over my state of being.  I thank you so much for 1) noticing I was in absentia and 2) caring.

There are many reasons for my bloggy absence - - - but the bottom line is when life is pressing deadlines upon me making a blog post begins to feel like yet another deadline and I have a propensity for turning into an ostrich and sticking my head in the sand.

There you have it.  I have bared my bloggy soul.

Let's move on to more pleasant things, shall we?
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This man has been teasing and tormenting me now for 38 blissful years of marriage.

You know him as Fisherhubby.

Today was the day we celebrated those 38 years - - - though to get to today I forced us to take a detour AWAY from celebrating last weekend, as originally planned, because - - -
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Instead of going OUT to eat, I decided I'd rather go IN to the ER and drink this lovely beverage.  Actually, I drank two of these beauties.

Fun times.

But not to worry - - - THIS time, and trust me in my case this next phrase is nearly a miracle it is so unusual, they WERE able to figure out a diagnosis for me.  It is simply amazing how much BETTER one can feel when the root of their problem has been dealth with.

OK - - - so maybe they didn't deal with the root of my MENTAL problems, but physically I'm feeling better than I have in years.
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Feeling better than I have in years freed us up to go on a little Anniversary outing.
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We drove pretty much straight east across the state to Grand Chute. (fancy name for several Wisconsin towns like Appleton and Neenah all lumped together.)

In Grand Chute we stopped at Gander Mountain so Fisherhubby could browse and buy in the, wait for it, FISHING department.

After that we ate a scrumptious meal at Red Lobster.

If you are not a fan of Red Lobster, I feel so sorry for you.
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On our way to Grand Chute, just outside of the tiny town of Weyauwega (Y U Wee Gah) I spied the cutest little row of shops made to look like an old wild west town.

Well, I guess once Wisconsin WAS a bit of the wild west.

If not TOTALLY west then it was part of the wild central.
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Unfortunately this little row of picturesque shops came upon us too fast for me to pull in while we were on our way to the Big Apple (which of course in these here parts is Appleton.)
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But on the return trip we stopped for a photo shoot.
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Such a cute little "strip mall" yet it was literally a ghost town.

Nary a shop was open.

There were no shoppers.

I don't see how they can stay in business that way, no matter how cute they are.
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I loved this old Texaco sign.  Who remembers the TV ditty?

Sing with me:

"You can trust your car to the man who wears the star, the big red Texaco star!!"

And now there are no more Texaco's for us to trust our cars to, at least not round these here wild central parts.   No more cute little men in red stars who run out to fill up our gas tanks, wash our windshields, and check our oil.

I guess they've gone the way this village appears to be going - - -
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And they way the horses, carriages, and stable boys went before them.

Sigh.

Some parts of progress I'm not so fond of.
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For one last sight seeing stop before heading on home, we pulled into Weyauwega.

Mostly 'cause I needed to visit the little girls room.

But also because these church spires had been calling to us for miles and miles out on the highway.
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It's Saint Peter's Lutheran church of Weyauwega.

There was a major remodeling project going on around both sides of the church, but I was so glad that at least for now, this historical facade remains intact.
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And these spires!!  

I hope they keep pointing to the sky for years to come and calling weary travelers in off of highway 10 that these days passes Weyauwega right by.
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I'm joining Unknown Mami

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

What's happening in other cities around blogland.
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Sunday at the River

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The Wisconsin River makes its presence fully known in our city - - - bisecting it north to south.
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Its waters, sometimes placid and sometimes angry, separate this town in to an east side and a west side.

We live on the east side.
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Now that spring has finally sprung the river is completely free of ice for the first time in many many months.
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It is a magnet, drawing winter weary souls to its shores like bears emerging from hibernation.
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It is this city's best feature.  
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Its shores are lined with parks and trees.
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Ducks swim and fish in its waters.

Fisherhubbies do too.
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It boasts shoreline walkways that are popular with walkers, bikers, and skaters.
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Stately homes embellish its banks.

I often wish I lived in one of these.
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Families flock to its parks.

It is the life blood of my city.
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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's happening in other cities around blogland.
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Today is Your Fragday!!!

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Fridays are Fragdays.  Lately frags are what I seem to do best, so I'm always glad to see Friday roll around.
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Unfortunately for the purposes of this post, John Lennon used "birth" for the first syllable instead of "frag" so you'll have to make a slight correction in your mind as you enjoy this video.
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On our recent trip to Indiana I indulged in the treat of contacting my "old" (actually I'm the old one and they're all young whippersnappers) teacher friends so we could meet for lunch.

One former student heard about the party and HE decided to crash it.

Fun reminiscing times were had by all.

Well, I guess I should really only speak for myself - - - - Fun reminiscing time was had by moi.
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I'm ready to throw our internet provider OUT THE WINDOW!!!!   If I charged THEM 50 cents for every minute our internet was down they'd owe ME by the end of the month.

And I kid you NOT about that.

Just trying to make this post I've already lost count of how many times it has gone down and back up.

Grrrrrrrrrrr

I guess I SHOULD be thankful it does come back up.

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Spring is actually sprunging around here - - - as evidenced by these little tulips blooming in my front yard.

We haven't seen a snow flake or a sleet pellet since Saturday.
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Speaking of Saturday, my doorbell rang.

On the doorstep I found this box.

I tore into it and found a card that said, "I love you mom!!!!!"
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I have four children.

I kinda thought I knew which it was from, but I texted out this photo with a "THANK YOU to whichever one of you sent me these" message.  

Oldest daughter promptly replied with recriminations of guilt - - - all totally unnecessary.

Youngest daughter replied: "Did I forget to put my name on those???"

Oldest son replied:  "I don't know WHY Korie claimed she sent you MY flowers."

He also said he showed the flower pic to a co-worker and told them, "My youngest sister sent these.  My oldest sister will feel guilty, and I'm going to call my mom and say I sent them."

We didn't hear from the youngest  - - - what can you expect?   He has a new GF which is probably keeping his heart and mind fully occupied.

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You've heard of going to the dogs?  Well it appears Sister Pam and BIL Joe have gone to the frogs.
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Recently while on vacation with Joe's brother Jeff and his wife Johnna it appears that all four of them went to the frogs.

What is this world coming to???
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How fun is THIS!?!

It appeared in our former hometown news paper one day last week.  A friend texted me that it was there, then one of Fisherhubby's fishing buddies texted us this pic and finally my dad, Peepaw, snail mailed me a hard copy of it.

I was stumped about who A_Burgan was, until I searched him out on twitter and discovered his twitter moniker isn't his real name.

To say I was honored is an understatement.

EXTRA BONUS:   Tweeting with this student has put me in touch with about 20 of my former students and this week has been full of happy reminiscences.

WOOOT!!!
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This is a picture Mike Greenberg of "Mike and Mike in the Morning" fame tweeted out of himself.

Story behind it:  Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade has been wearing some outlandish suits recently, including very much like this.  Greenie didn't want to be out done.

So funny. 

Gotta love someone with that much self confidence.
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On Thursday, May 2 the northern part of Wisconsin received 17 inches of snow.  A resort in Hayward posted this picture on facebook.

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If you live here, you GOTTA find the humor in spring snow or you'll go crazy I tell ya!

Either that or try to kill off winter like Pete Maina did in this video.
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Fisherhubby e-mailed me this truism the other day.

When I say he e-mailed it to me, I do of course mean he e-mailed it from one room of our house to me in another room of the same house.

Our best form of communication.
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Maxim Magazine included this photo of Manti Te'o's girlfriend in its list of top 100 hottest women of 2012.

If you don't "get" it - - - you've been totally sports-unaware for the past 6 months and should google to figure it out.

Fortunately Manti seems to have a good sense of humor and even showed up at the Hot 100 Maxim party - - - in the company of a visible beautiful woman, at least in the picture I saw.

Learning to laugh at oneself is a virtue. 

Virtue which Fisherhubby has forced into me day after day.  ;-)
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 And that's it for my frags on Fragday.
 

Please hurry over to Mrs. 4444's place

Where you will see LOTS of other frags

Why not write your own frags and
Join this Fragday Party!!

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