I sincerely hope the Austin (Texas) Christian pastor who threw the neighbors cat in the river, killing it, because the cat walked on to his property, will spend the year of jail time he's facing re-reading, over and over and over again The teachings of Jesus concerning love, forgiveness and loving thy neighbor.

HEY! CHECK THIS OUT: Here are some snack ideas I'll bet you haven't tried!

I FOUND A WHOLE BUNCH OF NEW WRINKLES TODAY

It's a small, small world!  Donnie writes, "The house nearest us has been on the market for a year.  It has, finally, been purchased.  The new neighbors are named Don and Linda."

HATS OFF TO THE USAIR PILOT who brought his aircraft in on its belly after the landing gear failed, last night, on a flight into Newark.  All the passengers and crew got off safe and sound thanks to a great crew.

 

You can see the plane coming in and the sparks flying as it hits the runway on its belly.

 

Willard found this fascinating website VIKING ANSWER LADY that covers everything you ever wanted to know about the Vikings.  In fact, it covers, probably, MORE than you ever wanted to know about the Vikings.  In any event, you'll find it interesting.

BOTHERED BY BUGS? Here's a new one on me.  Did you know they make "Bugs Away" clothing?  I wonder if it actually works?

I CAME ACROSS THIS WEBSITE  and I noticed they also have "bugs away" hats.  They look like something Donnie would wear.



TODAY'S

HIGH WIND MAP

Happy Birthday George Strait.  He's 61 today.  I love this song.

$600 MILLION jackpot tonight.  If you win it, don't forget about my birthday next week.

They say it will be toasty warm today with a high near 80.  There's just a slight chance for a thunderstorm this afternoon.

My skin is crawling after reading about the new CRAZY ANTS tthat have invaded south Texas.  They say they're far worse than Fire Ants.

 

I had a run-in with fire ants.  I lived to tell the tale but it was a hideous experience.  To make a long story short, I stepped on a fire ant hill, without seeing it, and within seconds my legs started to burn and itch.  There were, at least thousands, if not millions, of the little beasts covering me before I knew what was happening.

 

Now the Crazy Ants have appeared, first in Houston,  and they're attacking everything...everywhere!  READ THE FULL STORY HERE

I think I'm about ready for a museum....not as a visitor but as an artifact.

Now I lay me down to sleep...

I'm sure Rita remembers.  She remembers everything.  Donnie writes,

"I just saw, on the news, that Dick Trickle killed himself.  I hope Rita will remember, it's one of my few youthful recollections.  She and I went to the dirt speedway in Onalaska in the 1960's to see Dick Trickle race.  He could not have been much more than a teenager.

He became a racing legend, more for his name and wild personality than for his record.  He didn't win many races.  Even Jon Steward once mentioned him to get a laugh off of that unforgettable name."

If you get to the big city to do some shopping, remember to keep aware of everything going on around you!

A 69 year old woman was robbed of jewelry and cash worth $200,000 right in front of a store on North Michigan Avenue.  Police are looking.

 

I think if I had $200,000 worth of jewels and dollars to carry around on the streets I'd hire a bodyguard to walk around with me!

Donnie sent a picture
"Linda's stone circle planter, with all the rain, is looking nice.

NOT VERY GOOD BIRTHDAY WEATHER NEXT WEEK.

A LARGE STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE DAKOTAS ON SUNDAY AND WILL THEN STALL OUT.

WARM AND VERY MOIST AIR WILL SURGE INTO THE AREA AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM RESULTING IN STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, ESPECIALLY FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND PERHAPS AGAIN ON MONDAY.

LARGE HAIL, DAMAGING WINDS, LOCALIZED FLOODING AND EVEN A FEW TORNADOES ARE ALL POSSIBLE.

THE STORM WILL MOVE VERY, VERY SLOWLY ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST FINALLY REACHING WISCONSIN ON WEDNESDAY AND THE GREAT LAKES REGION BY THURSDAY.

THIS WILL KEEP A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK.

WHILE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED THE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL DURING THIS TIMEFRAME MAY RESULT IN SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING PROBLEMS.

Here's something the airlines should have done a long time ago.  American Airlines has announced that if you have just one carry on that will fit under the seat (no rolling luggage) you will be allowed to board before most of the other passengers.  This should help speed up departures considerably. 

 

I worked for the airlines long enough to know that a lot of the late departures, passengers are always complaining about, are caused by the passengers, themselves, trying to stuff most of their worldly possessions into the overhead compartments and taking their time about it while getting on and off the aircraft.

THIS COMES FROM DONNIE

HELP!

THE RAIN HAS ME

STUCK IN THE APARTMENT

AND I CAN'T GET OUT!



This is a classic.  You'll want to send it to every Viking you know!

Pretty expensive getting out of Dodge, these days, with gas prices the way they are.  In Menomonie, folks were paying $4.24 a gallen to fill 'er up yesterday.  It was still $3.93 in La Crosse, on Thursday, but it's expected to go over $4.00 in the next few days.

 

Isn't it convenient when it comes just in time for vacation travel?

#Wisconsin: home to the World’s Largest @bratfest*. May 24-27 in Madison: bit.ly/143NXmz (*napkins included) twitter.com/TravelWI/statu…
— Travel Wisconsin (@TravelWI) May 16, 2013

THINK LUTEFISK

IT'S NORWEGIAN

INDEPENDENCE DAY



Lawrence Welk died 21 years ago today.

Light rain falling, this morning, Just like the forecast said it would.

 

Speaking of the forecast, it looks like we're in for a long stretch of rain, off and on, through Wednesday.  The only severe weather could come in the form of gusty winds and hail Sunday afternoon into Monday as a warm front moves into the area.

 

 

The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.

~Socrates~

Before we know it Bert will be running around in diapers again!!

"Hey Doug, I am not going to be a year older, after having surgery on Feb 7 I feel 20 years younger so I think I will start subtracting years Ha Ha! BERT "

An article in TIME MAGAZINE reports that 32.4 million people were forced out of their homes last year and 98% of it was due to severe weather.  That's almost double what it was in 2011.

JOAN OF ARC was named a saint on this date in 1920.

The fisherman wasn't Norwegian but the fish was. A 103 pound cod fish caught off the coast of Norwegian Island Soroya.  Don't they use cod to make lutefisk?  Can you imagine a world record cod turned into 103 pounds of stink?

A Highway Patrol officer stops a Harley for traveling faster than the posted speed limit, so he asks the biker his name.

'Fred,' he replies. 'Fred what?' the officer asks. 'Just Fred,' the man responds.

The officer is in a good mood, thinks he might just give the biker a break, and write him out a warning instead of a ticket. The officer then presses him for the last name.

The man tells him that he used to have a last name but lost it. The officer thinks that he has a nut case on his hands but plays along with it.

'Tell me, Fred, how did you lose your last name?' The biker replies, "It's a long story, so stay with me.' I was born Fred Johnson. I studied hard and got good grades. When I got older, I realized that I wanted to be a doctor. I went through college, medical school, internship, residency, and finally got my degree, so I was Fred Johnson, MD.

After a while I got bored being a doctor, so I decided to go back to school. Dentistry was my dream! Got all the way through School, got my degree, so then I was Fred Johnson, MD, DDS. Got bored doing dentistry, so I started fooling around with my assistant and she gave me VD, so now I was Fred Johnson, MD, DDS, with VD.

Well, the ADA found out about the VD, so they took away my DDS. Then I was Fred Johnson, MD, with VD.

Then the AMA found out about the ADA taking away my DDS because of the VD, so they took away my MD leaving me as Fred Johnson with VD.

Then the VD took away my Johnson, so now I am Just Fred."

ONLY THE OLD CAN RELATE

Just a friendly reminder that you only have 7 more shopping days until Bert and I celebrate our birthdays.

Bert will be another year older.  I have decided to keep the same age this year that I had last year.  If Jack Benny could do it so can I.

This is one of the funniest Benny routines I've ever seen.
 

According to an article in the La Crosse Tribune, this morning, tourists spent $200 million in La Crosse last year.  That was a 5.79% increase over the previous year.

A note from Donnie

Every now and then I listen to Bob & Ray tapes in the car. On a couple occasions they used a music bit by an old-time radio crooner as a sign-off. It goes "Good-by, good-bye, I wish you all a last good bye," etc., and is sung with great theatrical melodrama, very funny. 

I have always wondered who sang it, so in January I wrote to the president of the Bob & Ray fan club and the web site manager, himself a famous old radio producer named Larry Josephson. He is responsible for collecting and producing the extensive collection of Bob & Ray tapes that preserves the boys for posterity.

I used a Gmail account that I rarely look at, and it was only in April that I checked and discovered Larry had written back the same day, saying he didn't know the answer, but would ask Bob himself, who turned 90 in March. 

Imagine my delight to receive today an old-fashoned typewritten letter from Bob Elliott himself, a very cordial message in which he answers my question in considerable detail, evidence that he is still very alert, though his signature is shaky. (A good sense of humor will keep you young!) 

I must send a reply, telling him how much I admire his work. And now I have a wonderful keepsake autograph, personalized to me!"
 

What a great day to be in La Crosse!  This is the simplest forecast we've had in a long time.  SUNNY WITH A HIGH OF 80.  That's it.  No rain, No snow, No wind, no clouds.  Just a sunny, warm day.  Better get out and enjoy.  This doesn't happen very often!



Did you evere see a Sea Monkey swimming?

Here's a fact I'll bet you didn't know.  When a sea monkey is born, it has only one eye right in the middle of its head.  As they grow, two more eyes appear on either side of their little heads.  Once the two eyes are fully formed the middle eye disappears.

 

Remember that.  It will be on the test.

The birdies beat me up this morning!  They were already singing their hearts out when I woke up around 4:15.

I love having the windows open overnight again!

Lynne filled me in on Aunt Wilda's birthday.  Sounds like she had quite a day.

"We had a great time with Mom last Saturday. We went with Jon, Daniel, Derrick, Jennifer and Sandy. We took her home for a few hours. Sandy was a complete surprise to her. It was fun seeing the surprised look on her face!

Dawn is hoping to get home this summer for a visit. Just too far to come for a weekend.

We brought coconut cream pie and apple pie to have with coffee. We bought ice cream when we got to Viroqua.

Just a great day and she was feeling quite well."

I think THE ALMA NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT might be a good day trip next time Donnie and Linda come to visit.

TO BE OLD AND WISE

YOU MUST FIRST BE

YOUNG AND STUPID

SPRING ON

THE BLACK RIVER

 

It's spring and the squirrels are frisky!

An elderly man goes into a brothel and tells the madam he would like a young girl for the night. Surprised, she looks at the ancient man and asks how old he is. "I'm 90 years old," he says. "Ninety!" replies the woman. "Don't you realize you've had it?" "Oh, sorry," says the old man. "How much do I owe you?"

Donnie got an estimate of $8,500 to put an air conditioner in the garage.  Texas ain't cheap!

 

I'll bet Roger would do it for $5,000.

The difference between the Supreme Court and the Ku Klux Klan

is that the members of the Supreme Court

wear black robes and scare white people.

My horoscope, for today, says I need to fire up the ignition on my big plan.  I've already completed my big plan.

At my age the biggest plan I have is getting out of bed in the morning.

Once a cat makes up his mind........

Light rain and thunderstorms around Dripping Springs this morning.  That should make Donnie happy.

There's something new and exciting coming to Riverfest this year.  Mayo Clinic is sponsoring a Dragon Boat Race on the last day of Riverfest, July 6.  Up to 20 dragon decorated boats, 40 to 50 feet long, each with 18 paddlers and a drummer, on the Mississippi, is going to be pretty spectacular to see.  They expect to have boats from across the country.

Oh, yes!  Take it from a former all star drinker.  This is the bottom line!

If you've never showered fully clothed in the fetal position, crying with a drink in your hand, don't talk to me about your "Alcoholism"

— Rob Elliott Sr.(@RobElliottComic) May 14, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRINI LOPEZ He's 76 today.

Here's just what I need.  A 500 square foot house that's just the cutest thing I ever saw.

 

After our first 90 degree day of the season, yesterday, we're back to more normal temps today with a high around 75 under a mix of sun and clouds and, maybe a quick shower.

Oh, what a night!  I had one of those awful dreams where nothing goes right.  I got a job at the airport and Lynne was going to give me a ride out there.

 

The weather was terrible.  It was snowing and slippery and we couldn't get up a hill.  I was late for work on my first day and couldn't get there.

 

It went on and on with more problems like losing my keys, having the wrong uniform, etc. etc.  I woke up in a panic and got a charlie horse as I was trying to get out of bed so I'm limping around until the muscles loosen up.

 

Old age and goofy dreams don't mix.  What a way to start the day.

I don't have a straw hat but I'm celebrating in spirit.

I remember Dad had a straw hat.  Of course, back in those days all men wore hats.  A gentleman wasn't dressed up without a hat on.  I don't think the even sell men's hats anymore, do they?

I LOVE SPRING



We did, indeed, hit a high of 90 in La Crosse this afternoon.  Rochester tied their record high of 94.

What I want to know is, who the hell counted all of those bees?

70,000 bees found in Utah couple's bedroom wall abcn.ws/17rbwtE
— ABC News (@ABC) May 14, 2013

85 at 2 o'clock, this afternoon, and it feels mighty good to me.  I'm a mid-80's kind of guy.  Always have been.

Sioux City Sue is sweatin' today.

Sioux City set an all time high for May this afternoon hitting 106 degrees at 1:30.

Love this one.

I've been in love with the same woman for forty-one years. If my wife finds out, she'll kill me. ~ Henny Youngman
— Georg Grey (@Georg_Grey) May 14, 2013

I made my first trip to the park this morning.  That makes spring official.

Newman makes a good point.

Newman: "Tuesday has no feel. Monday has a feel, Friday has a feel, Sunday has a feel."
— Seinfeld Quotes (@seinlanguage) May 14, 2013

I hate to bring this up on "Dance Like a Chicken Day" but an article in the NEW YORK TIMES indicates there has been an increase in the amount of arsenic found in chicken.  Another cancer risk to think about.

ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES: Don't even bother applying for entrance to Cambridge for your college years.  They have officially banned the long time tradition of Bikini Wrestling.

On May 14, 1942 Lincoln Portrait by Aaron Copeland was first performed.

Today is DANCE LIKE A CHICKEN DAY!

(I think I'll sit this one out)

 



I WONDER IF DONNIE WOULD AGREE.  According to the Miss Travel Website, 13,000 American men were polled and asked which country had the most beautiful women.  Most of them agreed.  The country is Colombia.  Then they polled 30,000 American women who said Great Britain has the sexiest men.

 

Man or woman, I'm thinking that if you speak Spanish with a British accent you can't lose.

Our first HOT DAY of the season has arrived.  With lots of sun the temperature will get close to 90 this afternoon.  The rest of the week will cool off with afternoon highs in the 70's.  Do you suppose those miserable Canadian cold fronts are finally gone until fall?

I posted one high speed train video yesterday and I have another one today.  This is an excellent video showing what it's like to ride on a high speed train.  It looks amazing and, I have to say, it makes our public transportation look very third world.

Here's something to put on the grill that, I'll bet, Roger would like.  GRILLED SAUSAGE WITH MARINATED SHRIMP, ONIONS AND PEPPERS

They call it the most beatuiful train in the world.  I wonder what Uncle Jim would think of this?!

88 in Rapid City at 2PM.  That's an example of what we can expect tomorrow.

One of Rita and Roger's favorite hangouts.

Get a large, 2 topping pizza for just $10, every Monday! What's your favorite topping combination? ow.ly/i/26CE6
— Features Sports Bar(@FeaturesWS) May 13, 2013

THE BLACK RIVER
It's pretty nice to see views like this right in the middle of the city.

TULIP TIME

Want to move to Rhododendron?

Search for #Rhododendron #Oregon #realestate on #MtHood: search.mthoodrealestate.net/i/9189/Rhodode…
— Mt. Hood Real Estate (@mt_hood_oregon) May 13, 2013

Speaking of names, I noticed that someone from Rhododendron, Oregon visited my blog yesterday.  I had never heard of Rhododendron, Oregon before so I looked it up and discovered that it's an unincorporated community on U.S. route 26 which takes you to Mt. Hood.  You can't miss it.  It's right between Government Camp and Zig Zag!!  I'll say one thing.  You guys have some interesting names up there!

Seems as though Rhododendron folks had a hard time deciding on a name.  The community was first called "Rowe" in 1909 in honor of the mayor of Portland.  Then they changed the name to "Zig Zag" in 1919.  Then another little community, down the road, took the name "Zig Zag" and the old "Zig Zag" became Rhododendron because of all the Rhododendron's that grow in the area.

This, almost, makes me want to go to Oregon and visit these folks.  I have a hunch they have some other interesting stories to tell.

Willard wanted to know, "Is the photo, at the top of your blog, the La Crosse Stonehenge?"

Something like that.  A couple of summers ago Donnie and I were driving up toward Fountain City and spotted this ruin alongside the road.  We had to stop and check it out.

This years Social Security list of most popular baby names has Sophia and Jacob at the top of the list again.  The most interesting boys name on the list is Major and it's the fasted rising name as a favorite for boys.  Somehow, to me, that sounds more like a great name for a dog....but what do I know.

If you're going to name the kid Major, why not go right to the top and name him General?

One of Donnie's friends, Dale Gough, who Rita and I met in Panama (in fact, Rita stayed with them) sent this.  I love it!

 

85 tomorrow?  I think I'll plan on taking my first spring walk to the park.

Happy Birthday Stephen Colbert.  He's 59 today.

It was 36 at 4 A.M. so, I think, La Crosse will stay above freezing this morning.  Folks in Sparta, however, are pretty iced up with a 4 A.M. temperature of 26.

There is some good weather news after we get done with this morning, however.  We're going to start a warm-up.  Temperatures will be close to 85 tomorrow and 75 on Wednesday.

If you know someone looking for a job, send them this website, THE LOCAL BUZZ NETWORK  They can get a list of the latest job openings, around La Crosse, in their email box, every morning.  This morning, for instance, I see an opening for a truck driver.  I think I might check that one out.

TODAY IS NATIONAL APPLE PIE DAY

Apple pie recipes go back as far as 1381 at least.  There was no sugar in the recipe because sugar was hard to find and very expensive.

 

 

In 1620, when the English arrived, the only apples they could find were crab apples.  Those were the only apples native to America.  By the way, the colonists didn't call them apples.  They called them "winter bananas".  Figure that one out!

 

When we were kids we always had ice cream on our apple pie.  The idea of apple pie and ice cream came from the Dutch.  That's how they ate it in the Netherlands.  The Dutch apple pie also, usually, includes cinnamon and lemon juice.  I don't recall that Grandma Terp added lemon juice but I know she added cinnamon.

Wisconsin senior citizens (who I like to call old farts) are being hit with a new phone scam involving a medical alert device.  READ THE STORY HERE IN THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINAL and don't say I didn't warn you!

YOGI BERRA QUOTES:
YOU GOTTA LOVE HIM
"Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical."

"A nickle ain't worth a dime anymore."

"The future ain't what it used to be."

"If you come to a fork in the road....take it."

"You can observe a lot by just watching."

"If you don't know where you're going you might wind up someplace else."

"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia.  Let them walk to school like I did."

BASEBALL LEGEND YOGI BERRA CELEBRATES HIS 88TH BIRTHDAY TODAY.

In my next life, I want to be a duck.

Interesting story on THE YAHOO! FINANCIALLY FIT PAGE about the best airline for cashing in those frequent flyer miles.  Not surprising that it's UNITED AIRLINES

 

With the United/Continental merger, United got the Contintental One-Pass know how which frequent flyers have considered the best program for years.  And, that's not surprising considering the fact that both Willard and I worked at One-Pass!

KIDS LOVE THEIR MOM!

No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you – life. #mothersday
— Tengku Putri Najuwa (@PutriNajuwa) May 12, 2013

If you love everything "south of the border" like I do or you love motorcycles like Eric and Bert do or if you love travel like most of us do or if you just like a neat video, this is for you.

It's a modern day "motorcycle diaries" from the far north to the southern tip of SOUTH AMERICA.

Better get the electric blanket out again.  While everybody else is uptight about closing the Mexican border, I'm much more concerned about closing the Canadian border to stop, what I consider, the illegal cold air from coming in.

 

Way too much of it is moving down toward us for a parka weather morning tomorrow.

 

Temperatures will fall into the mid 20's to lower 30's tonight resulting in frost or freeze conditions after midnight.

Better pull a blanket out for the tender vegetation and another one for yourself.

Remember when the TONIGHT SHOW was really funny?