Traveling North

It was interesting. Jen and I went to St. Louis last weekend. Had a great time. We stayed with friends who wine and dine and pamper ...

Friday was quiet. We actually got there around 1:00 in the afternoon, but Kev was involved with saving a deal that was imploding and Pam had previously agreed to take a woman from church to the doctor as she has some significant eye problems (which result from other problems). The appointment was at 1:30, so we saw Pam briefly and made plans for a couple of hours later. The doctor didn't even see them until 5:30. I appreciate that sometimes things run late, but that is ridiculous.

Kevin and I had run to the store and picked up groceries for dinner. Apparently the important things were wine and shrimp and potato chips since I believe that is all we ended up eating. We had originally intended great things, but, by the time Pam made it home, a glass or two of wine were had, and the patio fire started, shrimp on the fire seemed like the logical meal. Dr. Oz would not approve.

We stayed Saturday and Sunday and left about 8:50 Monday morning. Driving home was interesting. I usually do most of the driving and this trip I did all. I really wanted to see how the car would perform on a trip like this. It's not every day you get to drive for 20 hours in a $675 Mercedes, and, while I believed we would have no problems, the social programing that cost equals quality is a hard one to shake. Great little car by the way and I'll tell its story some other time.

The real point is that Sunday hit 89 in St. Louis. When we left the next morning it was in the 60's. As we drove north it slowly got colder. By the time we hit Beaver Dam we started seeing snow on the north side of the heavier woodlots. Oshkosh saw the first ice on water, not on the drainage ways, but back on the mini-bays of Lake Butte des Morts. By the time we reached Green Bay the south section of the bay was open, ice was visible and largely solid beyond the point of Dyckesville, and snow was scattered around without regard to sun's angle. Valmy brought the most snow on the ground and the harbor hear is still punky but full of rotten ice. Spring is coming and, for my taste, can't come too soon.