Coyote Sky Homestead

Visit to Ridgeland

What a Full Day:

Today I had a lot of fun!  First we went to the bank to cash some checks from my mom ($35 worth).

Then we headed west to Rice Lake.  I stopped at a grocery store to get all the stuff I needed to make the soup jars for teacher gifts.  Also got some pickled herring and a box of cheap cereal the girls like.  It came to $20 and some odd cents, I think.  (didn't use my cash, of course)

Then we went to Grandma's (my MIL's) and she was so kind to drive us.  We had to drive my dh's son to his work and drop him off.  Then she drove us to the Barron Community center where we dropped my oldest dd off (she had a friend's birthday party there and they were to swim, 'sauna' and hot tub for three hours).  This was quite a drive, so I told her bringing her was also part of her birthday present, which is the day before x-mas Eve. The gift to her friend was a stationary box--it had stamps, envelopes, stickers--geared towards girls; had an angel on the cover--got it at Walmart for $9; then she had a turning 10 card and inside were horse stickers.

Next we went to Dallas (just MIL, myself and youngest dd) to pick up my SIL.  I got to see her new bathroom tub and decor and her new washer and dryer (hers broke after 17 years); also her new stairway, in oak and pine, and her new furnace and the furnace room walls--which had been in just lath and that old stuff--redone in, I think, dry wall with textured paint, it looked like.

We all headed out in MIL's car to Ridgeland to a little cafe and boutique type place called On Golden Pond.  There is a selection of what you can have on any given day==soup and sandwhich.  I had chili and tuna croissant.  My SIL had a spicy chicken soup with chicken croissant; dd had a grilled cheese with chips and MIL had just a chicken salad sandwich.  For dessert, I had a cherry filled turnover, frosted, and dd had a cookie dough ice cream cone and SIL had a maple nut ice cream cone.  MIL was too full.  She eats like a bird.  Well, I ate like a queen, as I told them I don't do this often!  I've been dieting and fasting a lot, so I have lost weight.

Anyway, it was a grand time and I really enjoyed this.  Then at two thirty we left and went back to SIL's to make cards.  SIL has a craft store, but has yet to open it.  It is a marvelous little area in her home (used to be the living room.)  I can't wait for it to open, so I can go and buy something!  Maybe she will have a grand opening sometime.  (She has had quite a time as her son has been in and out of the hospital with a rare disease and her son in law also has health issues at times.  And her cousin, dh's cousin, too, is dying from pancreatic caner--only has a few months now as he can no longer stand the chemo). . .

So, we made pretty cards.  She has a machine that makes them all bumpy with designs.  You stick half the card in and pull a lever down, then put in the other half and pull the lever down.  It comes out looking so fancy!  Then we take a clothes puncher used to put plastic tags on clothes to put on a little decoration that hangs from the front.  I will maybe have to post a picture of the ones we made.  It's hard to describe them.  (I still haven't done the photoshop thing, though)  [Dec. is really busy]

Time flew by and and we had to go a little before four to pick up oldest dd.  Was great to hear all the fun she had. 

We drove home (almost 30 miles) as the sun was setting; it didn't take long before it was DARK.  It was only five-ish when we got home and it felt like midnight.  I'm not used to driving so late, I guess.

I am so happy to have been blessed with such a beautiful day.  The weather was perfect (and for WI--that is saying a lot).  The temps were really warm, felt like it was near 40? and the sun was out. 

Deck Railing:

Meanwhile, dh was working outside and dug some holes for the deck and put in two beams?  Don't know what you call them, but he said it was hard digging there as the deck was in the way and he had some frost to dig through.

And then he filled in some cracks in the ground where a few days of rain had been soaking the ground.  I will look at all this better tomorrow in the daylight.