APOLOGIES! Getting Back On Track

Here we are again...

Big apologies for not posting for the last couple of months. Some things just kept getting in the way and it just became another task on an ever-growing list to take care of. I kept thinking of things to write and taking photos. But then other things kept coming up in the way! I think I was becoming overwhelmed...

We are trying to keep warm and stay cozy in our home as the temperatures are dropping. I thought I would get around to putting this together tonight...

Once we got home from Alaska, we had discovered two different roof leaks with water intrusion inside of our home. Steve checked things out and it was much more than we could tackle ourselves. If it were 10 years ago, we would have done it. We've done a couple roofs ourselves, but we just don't have it in us anymore.

Then it was the task of getting various bids from some uncooperative roofing contractors. We tried five different ones to get a good idea of what we were facing. 

The first guy that contacted us came in with the best bid, and the other ones that straggled in for weeks afterwards might have been cheaper, but they were also not reliable in any form of communication or response in returning the bids they promised, nor in the time frame they promised. 

So we went with the most responsive and professional roofer. He arrived with a clear plan of attack, a clear idea of what was going on and gave us various options to choose in the forms of repairs. He had written contracts, brochures of the exact products that we could choose from in style, color, and warranty level. He also supplied insurance binders, and took care of the building permit with the city. 

It was really hard for Steve to put the project in the hands of someone else rather than doing it ourselves. And of course, the cost of paying someone else to do it! 

The work went well, and we are very satisfied with the job that they did. 

They worked very hard and got it done completely stripped down and replaced in 2 days. 

They had all the proper equipment and took care of things in a very professional manner. The work crew of seven men did a fantastic job. We kept them supplied with fresh coffee and donuts in the morning, snacks throughout the day, and plenty of bottled water and soft drinks and juices throughout. At the end, Steve thanked each worker and gave them a cash tip.

We knew there were bad boards underneath across the front porch and in some of the valleys. We had a lot more sheeting replaced than we originally expected, but now it's done correctly.

We were fortunate to have two great days with no rain to get the roof done. The temperature is also cooperated with very little frost in the early morning hours on the roof surfaces.

These guys worked hard from the very first moment of sunup to the darkest of sundown to finish the job.

Multiple layers of roof came off and the underneath layers just crumbled into nothing! The newest rough layer put on before we bought the house was nailed over totally crumbling rotted shingles. They should have been stripped off back then... Oh well, it's done correctly now.

One of the worst areas was a section of rubber roof where the two portions of our house meet together. 

Everything was removed and replaced correctly now with confidence. One part of our house is from the late 1800s and the other part is from the early 1900s and they were joined together. This little part of flat roof (which was covered with a sheet of rubber) is actually over our bathroom! 

When the work was all done, every shingle and piece of debris removed, every stray nail pulled up by magnets rolled over the lawn... Now it was time for Steve to get up on his own ladder and inspect the job. Lol!

Here is a video of the process: 

So in between all of that, we took care of a lot of extra items we needed to catch up on once we got home from our summer away in Alaska. 

We did sneak away for a few short excursions for a few days to get some camping in after the roof was done.

Here are a few YouTubes of our camping: 

We had family situations come up that needed some attention as well as some health issues for both of us. 

We did get in a nice Halloween celebration with family, which included our oldest daughters in-laws from Oklahoma, as well as celebrating my birthday. 

Steve went to a Packer game along with our son-in-law and his father and nephew. They had a really great time! We women stayed home and had a "gals day" while the guys were at the game. 

Thanksgiving came and went with a traditional gathering in our own home with our own family, and then a later postponed Thanksgiving gathering with Steve's family due to the weather. 

Christmas was upon us in no time and we had a wonderful celebration with the children and grandchildren right here in our own home. We celebrated the weekend in between Christmas and New Years, which worked out for everyone. 

We got all of the decorations up before it got too snowy.

The grandkids came over and helped decorate the inside of the house for us.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Oodles and oodles of sugar cookies were decorated by the grandchildren. 

We had a marvelous feast with tons of food and plenty of leftovers to send home. 

We sure enjoy feeling the house full of family and laughter and love. I like it when everybody gathers around the island in the kitchen and fills their plates. 

We spread out in the dining room and enjoy our dinner together, sharing stories and talking about memories as well as dreams of the future. 

The kids have their table with their mischief and silliness. But later on they end up coming in to hang out with the grown-ups to see what's going on. 

Here's a little video of our Christmas together: 

Before we knew it it was January---

Last weekend we held our "Epic Bowling Event" where we take all of our kids and grandkids out for a Mexican meal and then off to bowling at the good place in Oconto. A lot of fun was had by everyone! 

Now

~~~~ On to our 2026 Winter Getaway~~~~

We've been planning and making lists and graphing out on our maps of some places to go to for the rest of the winter. The temperatures are dropping quickly and we thought we would be able to escape after our dental appointments on the 19th of January.

So we've been planning and gathering and packing anything in rows in bins in the house that cannot go out in the motorhome because they would freeze. 

But then we've got a medical snag in our plans. Some of our lab work revealed some potential problems. We have to stick around longer and get some additional attention and medications and test again for better results by February 9th. So we won't be hitting the road till at least after February 9th. 

All in all, looking at the weather with this polar vortex descending upon us in the next day or so, it looks like it's going to be a horribly cold next 10 days to 2 weeks anyhow. We checked the weather down along our intended route through Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas and into Texas Gulf Coast and over into the Texas Hill Country. Everything for the next two weeks looks absolutely horrible and frozen! 

So now I'm not quite so disappointed about not leaving, because the weather is definitely not going to be cooperating. That is no place to be in an RV and boondocking and taking chances of broken water lines or freezing equipment. 

We will stay home and stay warm and finish all of our medical and dental commitments. Hopefully everything will get balanced out properly with medications and things will be back on track for both of us.

Poor Steve...

We got all the Christmas decorations taken down outside, so we can be ready to leave whenever the doctors let us! 

It's so cold out that Nick keeps popping all of his little play balls in the backyard. Even the heavier rubber ones don't hold up to this Sub-Zero weather.

Don't feel too sad for us, 

 it's still very pretty

 in Wisconsin in the winter

We just hope to get out before the snow gets too deep...

Even had a special visitor one night come to check out the bird feeders. 

And that long licky licky tongue of his cleared out the entire bird feeder in one evening!

For now, I will curl up in my she shed and work on my newest quilt. Looking out at the snow and waiting for the days on the calendar to pass. Hopefully we will be on the road soon...

Thanks for following along. I hope to have some better blog posts in the future about our winter getaway down south.