Land of Enchantment

Mid-January
We arrived in Farmington, New Mexico without licenses to practice PT, but we were allowed to start orientation, thus saving us from losing our medical benefits. Our 100 year old adobe house makes us feel like we are living in a different country. No screens or insulated windows....

Meg started cooking it up right away. Good things come from small kitchens. Goose knows what is up. Queso.

This is a rest stop sign on the border of Arizona and New Mexico. We herded Goose back into the car.

Road Trip Part IV

End of December to New Years
We forgot to take any pictures over Christmas I have realized... Chicago was great to spend with both our families, and new & old friends. One night we hung with Chris and Megan from Washington state and our PT classmate Dr. Apu (the legend). The night was a blur and so is this picture. It was the shizzle!

We set off for our destination of the Insight Bowl where KU trounced Minnesota. Our first stop was Lawrence, Kansas, Megan's alma mater. Here's Goose and Meg @ the union.

Two more days of driving brought us through Oklahoma, Texas & New Mexico to the warmth of Arizona. We met up with Nany, Boppy, Meg's cousin Aaron and his wife Margo, and the infamous Jordan. Pre-game we got tans and BBQ'd with the band and Crimson Girls. The bassline was serious. Check out those burns! Sick!

Meg and Nan-Bop, enjoying the lead.

Warm ups. Briscoe had a great game in a beating Minnesota won't soon forget. Long drive home to think about it too.





Smelling, tasting and feeling victory. Two bowls in two years with wins. Were any basketball players on the roster?

So the next job we had lined up was in Farmington, New Mexico and we did not have licenses in that state. We killed sweet time in paradise playing some golf, finding breweries and checking out Saguaro National Park with Nanny and Boppy.

We missed the Midwest cold after a week or so, so we drove 3 hours north to Arizona Snowbowl in Flagstaff. It was a great way to start the ski season.

Mustard is free @ ski resorts... And water. Eat it while it is still free.

The peak of Snowbowl is @ 11,500 feet . This sign says, "Highest toilet in Arizona." It was closed....

Cheeseland

December 19th, 2008

We'll miss living in Waupaca and working with such an awesome crew in New London. We made the most out of our final weeks in Wisconsin. Here is our Charlie Brown Christmas Tree as advertised roadside for $7. I pushed the cash through snow on a wooden lock box. Smaller IS better.

Spencer Lake now frozen... mostly. Goose and I are contemplating our earlier canoe voyages.

Meg trying to keep warm at the Packers vs. Texans. Game time temp was 7* F.

Our last night in Wisconsin we found the Iola Winter Sports Club. This 100 year old club has aa 30m and 60m ski jump that was being groomed. We opted for their cross country skiing trails that were lit up. They had not groomed since the recent snow storm, so Goose was allowed (to hunt).

Thanksgiving 2008

Meg's whole family including grandparents, uncle, aunt, cousin + boyfriend, sisters and son-in-laws (Josh, you're in no matter what Joe says) and my whole family including parents, bro, sister, husband, and niece & nephew (aka "the shorties") all got together in Libertyville. One turkey was baked, one smoked and ours was fried.




Nancy had her doubts, but she forgot Megan has perfect form when squatting.... even squatting while dipping a 15 pound bird in the deep fryer.

Joe stood by to protect his investments.... His home and his daughter.

We finished the night with Rockband. Our band was almost as large as Parliment with George Clinton.

Cole kicked it on the drums. The crazy thing is he finished with a score of 22%, beating out Joe's score of 19%.

Behind Enemy Lines

Bears vs. Packers Part I
My bro came up to Cheeseland and we headed to Green Bay to tailgate for the game. It was very cold, so we met some nice ladies to keep us warm at "The Bar" right across the street from Lambeau Field.

We all wore our Bears gear (Goose had her hankie made by Grandma Nancy, aka Fancy). I have to say the Green Bay fans were very cool and we hung out with several of them, drinking Wisconsin's finest.

Unfortunately the Bears got spanked. Fortunately we were not sore losers.

St. Paul, Minnesota

November 8th
Meg's birthday present was what she had been saying for a while. "I want to go see Prairie Home Companion live before Garrison Keillor dies." No offense Garrison. Your fellow English Major loves you. It was an enlightening and satisfying evening (I'm a Biology major). As we were walking up to the Fitzgerald Theater, Garrison was in the street, on his cell phone.

Note the audience members on stage and on the front porch of the home. Mickey's Diner, where Garrison hangs out when his wife is out of town is two blocks away.

Wisconsin Autumn

October & November 2008

We were blessed with unseasonably warm weather beyond Election Day, and enjoyed it fully. Here is a shot of the sunrise at the boat launch at the middle of our morning walk with Goose.

We went to Washington Island for our anniversary. This is Jackson Harbor. Natural and minimally inhabited at this time of year.

Old tractors and farm animals are everywhere.

Biking down a country road on Washington Island contemplating real estate.

We just made our ferry back to the mainland, literally. That gate should be vertical. We then sailed through the passage called "Death's Door."

Golden Eagle eating a squirrel off the side of the road. One less squirrel for Goose to chase. She was sad.