So Proud

We have lived in Waukesha, WI for almost 5 years!!  When my Realtor (and friend)  showed me this house, there was something about it that I loved, even though it was a total fixer-upper!!  Jerry was not with us, but I called him right away and asked him if he wanted to buy a house today!!!  ”OK”  he said!!   “Don’t you want to see  it first??”  I asked!!    Anyway, that was the beginning of how we ended up in Waukesha!  

Now, anyone who knows anything about Waukesha will tell you that it is the worse place to drive!!!   The layout of this city is very confusing!!   It is difficult  NOT to get lost!!  In fact, that is the main reason I had second thoughts about living here!!   Don’t get me wrong–it is really a great little city, but you  definitely need  a GPS  (or Map Quest) to find your way around—even if you are not directionally challenged like I am!     After 5 years, I still get map quest directions for any new places that I have to go to, but now, there are many places I can actually get to and get home from without my  piece of paper to guide me!!

Last week I had to go to Waukesha Mem Hospital.  I have been there many times before, so I can now find my way there and back — usually without my directions, even though it is very tricky on the way home!!   But on this day, I was not going back home!!!  I had a few errand to run!  I started to Panic when it dawned on me that I didn’t  print out directions  from the Hospital to the Post Office, and then to my framing supply store!!  Yikes!!   There was no time to go back home to get directions since I was already running late!

After my appointment, I thought that I could just go back home, since I knew how to get there and I knew how to get to my other stops from there, so it did seem logical!!   The whole back-tracking would only take about 10 extra minutes vs. the potential amount of time I could lose if I got lost!!      You see, sometimes I would be driving around Waukesha for (what seemed like) hours, when I didn’t follow my directions!!   It took me years to figure out how to get home from the hospital without making a wrong turn!  Now I had to venture into unfamiliar territories to get to where I was going?  Pretty Scary!!!   But I sucked it up  and decided WTF!   

I not only found my way to both places — I NEVER even made one  wrong turn!!!   As I was driving around the city, feeling very proud of myself, I had a smile on my face.   Really, I don’t think I am exaggerating if I say that this was the very first time I had such a successful adventure—NOT EVEN ONE BAD TURN!!  What  a sense of accomplishment!!!  I even felt that I actually belonged to this community!!  

But  to be on the safe side—I think next time I will print out the directions–I’m just sayin!!

All Our Children

This weekend, my main man and I had the opportunity to spend a romantic weekend at the Clark Hotel in Waukesha, WI.  I could look up all kinds of facts about when this Historic Building was constructed, and throw in a little history of  how it has transformed through the years, but seriously, I never did like history, and I am really bad with dates, so let’s just say that it was built in the 1800′s, and was recently renovated.  This Landmark was turned into a high class hotel about 1 year.   OK, enough with the history—on with the (PG version) story.

We Checked into the Hotel at 3pm.  The first floor consists of the bar and “Black Tulip” restaurant only.  To check into the Hotel, it is necessary to take the elevator to the second floor.  The hotel rooms are on the second and third floor, but the elevator only goes to the second!    Since our room was on the 3rd,  there was a winding staircase to our destination.  But it was definitely worth the walk!  Our room had a wonderful view overlooking the busy downtown Main Street!  

We loved the decor–contemporary, just our style!!  The main room was not very big, but the bathroom was huge!!  I should have taken pictures, I meant to take pictures, but I forgot to do it before we messed it up–oh well!!!  But the bathroom had a whirlpool tub and large black marble vanity and a giant glassed-in shower, with not just one shower head, oh no, it had all kinds of jets of water coming out of the wall, and a totally separate detachable shower head, too.   Since I had no idea how to control all that water, I was glad that J took the first shower and then instructed me on how to use it!! LOL   It was actually pretty easy and definitely wins the price for BEST hotel showers!!!

We decided to go to the bar for a cocktail (or 2) before dinner.  The cocktails were huge–well worth the price!!  Originally we had thought that we would go somewhere else for dinner, but after looking at the menu, and totally enjoying the brochetta appetizer we had at the bar, we decided to stay right where we were!!  I had the Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, which was totally delish (yumm—I would go back for it again!) and J had Salmon.    The service was slow, but the servers were really nice!!   But I do have to mention the Carrot Cake!!!  Wow–IT OWNED!!!   It ranked right up at the top of our fav’s!!!   We ate a little bit of it cus it was so good, but I mostly ordered it to take back to our room for a little sweet treat with our morning coffee!  By the time we finally finished our meal, it was already past our bed time!!    Good thing we didn’t have far to go!  The King size bed with a clean white down quilt, pillow top mattress  and oversized pillows was the perfect end to the perfect evening.    Upon waking, we were so happy we had our sweet treat with our  first cup of coffee, followed by the continental breakfast which was served in the lobby.   We took full advantage of the late check out time of 12 noon!!  This was the best weekend “get-a-way”  EVER!!

  Dad and I would like to  say thanks to all our children.  This wonderful weekend escape was a Christmas gift from our kids, last year!!  After a busy spring, summer and fall — of bailing out the basement, yard construction, house painting  and wedding planning, we finally had this weekend available to kick back and just relax–you know, on the DL!   Thanks kids,  for a great weekend—you rock!!

I think I LIKE it!!

First of all I just want to say:   that not everyone goes to Holiday Parties every night during the month of December!!!   Some people actually stay home, and would like something halfway decent to watch on TV!!!  But now, I find out that all the good shows are “on vacation” until the holidays are over???  It was just a couple of weeks ago that I had so many recorded shows to watch, I thought I would never catch up!!   But guess what?   Not only are we all caught up, but now there aren’t any new shows to record!!  We always had a show to watch without commercials, while more were recording!!   I know, I know — sometimes we would forget to fast forward the commercials, but at least we could when we remembered!! LOL      But now, all our shows are on hold until after the Holidays???  That’s just wrong!!   I can’t even fathom!!

Yesterday I was looking for some other options to record and I came across a show on TBS at 10:00 p.m. called Lopez Tonight.    First I thought it was a show about Jennifer Lopez (I like J-Lo), but then I  remembered hearing something about George Lopez having a night talk show, so I recorded it!  I always did like George Lopez too!    This morning  I watched it , AND — I think I like it!!!  Really, I thought it was much better than  Leno,  Cohnan, or even Letterman!  Yeah, yeah, there were a few things on those shows that were funny, but mostly—NOT.   But Lopez Tonight?  What a hoot !!!   He is more like just a real person, who is not always politically correct!!  

Today I recorded the series!    At least I will have something to watch when there is nothing else on the TV this holiday season!!!    Of course, usually when I find a show that I like, it seems to disappear after 1 season–like  “Kath and Kim”!  LOL   

I do hope that there are other people that find this show entertaining.   Maybe it will stick around for a while—or better yet—get promoted to a real channel!!   Give it a try!

Where’s the Beef??

Dear Subway,

 OMG—I saw a commercial for your subs tonight and I wanted to run right out and get one—and I had just finished dinner!!!  They looked AWESOME!!  They were plumped high with meat and fixing’s and my favorite—tuna!!  

 BUT THEN I REMEMBERED WHAT THEY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE!!  The last time I was at Subway, I thought to myself:  these sandwiches just keep on getting smaller!!  But on the up side, I do believe the calories are shrinking right along with the size!!  It wouldn’t even be bad if the bread shrunk proportionately with the filling, because really, I have to take ½ of the bun off the sandwich, just so I can taste the inners!! 

 Don’t get me wrong; I am all about down sizing and cutting calories, but really—the commercial??  It is soooo—FALSE ADVERTISING!!!!  I’m just sayin’

 SHAME ON YOU!!