THUNDER SAW NO HUMOR IN THIS AT ALL

How to bathe a cat ---

This was simply too much of a time saver not to share it with you.

1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet
shampoo to the water in the bowl.

2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him
towards the bathroom.

3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and
close the lid. You may need to stand on the lid.

4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never
Mind the noises that comes from the toilet, the cat is
actually enjoying this.

5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a
'power-wash' and 'rinse'.

6. Have someone open the front door of your home.
Be sure that there are no people between the
bathroom and the front door.

7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly
lift the lid.

8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the
bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off.

9. Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean.

Sincerely,
The Dog

NOT A KID ANYMORE

Rita reminded me that today was TERREL'S 21st BIRTHDAY!  21.  I don't even remember 21.  In fact, it all went so fast I, sometimes, think I went straight from baby to old.

SALT, PEPPER AND GRACKLE

A picture by Donnie I just came across.

A grackle is a somewhat larger version of a blackbird.  They're a terrible Texas nuisance and the can destroy an orange or grapefruit grove in no time at all.  I've seen it happen in the Rio Grande Valley.

I DON'T KNOW MY GRACKLES

DONNIE CORRECTS ME:

"Your observations on the grackle are accurate....except this is a pigeon."

DONNIE AND LINDA WILL BE TOASTY TODAY

The weatherman says Austin will have near record highs this afternoon.  That would be in the upper 90's.

THE RICH GET RICHER

Queen Elizabeth made $361 million rental income, this year, on the property she owns.  THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 9,400% during her 60 year reign.

That should buy a lot of those goofy hats the royal ladies wear.

By the way, it was 60 years ago today that Princess Elizabeth became Queen.  I remember that because we were in Waterloo for David's graduation from high school.  I can't remember what time I got up this morning but I can remember where I was 60 years ago today.

An old mind, with the computer chips burning out, is a frustrating thing to have.  I spend 50% of my day running around the apartment looking for things I just laid down.

I got a kick out of Zoe Timmers, tweeting on Twitter, saying it will be "rubbish weather" tomorrow when they have the big river pageant (with the queen sitting on her barge).  Zoe says, "watch presenters and celebrities getting soaked on the Thames".

The more pretentious the royals get, the funnier they get.

WARMEST SPRING EVER!

I've been complaining about the cold spring.  How soon I forgot how warm it was in March!  It was March that broke the warm record for us.

The National Weather Service reports THIS HAS BEEN THE WARMEST SPRING EVER IN LA CROSSE SINCE THEY STARTED KEEPING RECORDS.

This spring also came in with the 5th least snowfall ever recorded.

PERFECT SPRING WEATHER THIS WEEKEND

This looks like a great weekend to be outside.  Today's forecast is for a sunny sky with a high of 71 and tomorrow were looking at a sunny high of 77.



ONLY IN WISCONSIN

JUNE DAIRY DAYS

PARADE

12:00 NOON TODAY

WEST SALEM

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

At first glance, you might think this was a field of dandelions but Donnie assures me this is a field of Texas wildflowers on a neighbor's land.

I'VE PUT NOON TUNES ON MY CALENDAR

Something new in La Crosse.  NOON TUNES, a free concert series will be held in RIVERSIDE PARK every Thursday from 11:30am to 1:30pm BEGINNING JUNE 14 WITH EMMY AWARD WINNER BILL MILLER.  The concerts will run through September.  I'm looking foreword to it.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

DONNIE AND LINDA were entertaining company from North Carolina this week.  Donnie said, "Wednesday we were on the road 13 hours.  A 440 mile trip around central Texas.  We went to Brakettville to visit Alamo Village, built in 1958-60 as the 'worlds largest outdoor set' for John Waynes epic film.  When we got there we discovered the tourist attraction closed in 2010.  We also went to Utopia to play golf.  Utopia and the golf course are the setting for another film, a recent one, starring Robert Duval."

MOTHER SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NEW YORKER

A TRAVEL AND LEISURE POLL finds the nations worst dressed people in Anchorage and the best dressed in New York.  I remember getting a lecture from Mother, years ago, because I wasn't dressed properly to walk downtown in West Salem.  I don't think West Salem ever had a dress code but Mother did and it was strict.

It was in New York that I had my first experience not being allowed in a restaurant because I wasn't wearing a jacket and tie.  It didn't take long to figure out that the food vendors on the street didn't care if you had anything on as long as you had money.

HOLD THAT TIGER!!

YOU HAVE TO FEEL YOUR WAY THIS MORNING

THE CATHEDRAL IS NEARLY LOST IN THE EARLY MORNING FOG.

I'D RATHER BE IN WORLAND

79 today, 86 tomorrow, 88 on Sunday.  That's what I call good weather.  I hope RICK AND ANGELA send some of that our way.

CELEBRATIONS

ERIC AND BERT were married on June first.  Same day, different year....MARILYN MONROE was born in 1926.  While we're on the subject of birthdays, ANDY GRIFFITH is 86 today and PAT BOONE is 78.

MY BODY NEEDS A COMPLETE OVERHAUL

I was sitting on the floor, yesterday, playing solitaire and twisted around to get my coffee.  Bad move.  The PAIN IN MY BACK has, pretty much, stopped me from moving much.  I'm OK if I stand or sit but getting from one position to the other is agony.

This isn't the first time I've had this.  It goes back to my days in Rapid City and that's so long ago the dinosaurs were still around.  It will hang around a few days and then be gone.  In the meantime, I will be a very unhappy camper.

ONLY IN WISCONSIN

CORN HOLE TOURNAMENT

6:30 TONIGHT

JUNE DAIRY DAYS

WEST SALEM

ROGERS WORK IS NEVER DONE

This is a spectacular new project.  A room for his parakeets in the basement.  If the birds don't like it, I might move in!

WHERE'S THE BEST PLACE TO GO FOR FAST FOOD????

You're going to have to do some traveling to eat at a really good fast food restaurant.  TRAVEL AND LEISURE LISTS THE BEST FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS HERE and McDonalds ain't one of them.

THIS MAKES MY DAY

I may be older than you but I smell better.  READ THE PROOF RIGHT HERE.

THE END OF MAY

The end of May.  I've lived through 72 of them and I still say it's the best month of the year.  What was the best thing about THIS May?  The best thing was that I'VE LIVED THROUGH 72 OF THEM.

MOST SCENIC ROAD

A poll, in the Huffington Post, has picked our very own GREAT RIVER ROAD the most scenic highway in the USA.  READ THE STORY IN THE LA CROSSE TRIBUNE.

OOPS

So, Kathy Lee Gifford said something stupid on TV....again.  How does this flake keep getting these TV gigs?  If you haven't seen the story, READ IT HERE

JUST GOT BACK FROM CO-OP

Too cool, for me, to walk any further today.  I'll make it up some other day.

Don't tell the doctor, I bought six chocolate cupcakes.  They make a BUTTER CREAM FROSTING that's just too good to give up!

THE PET CORNER

Here's and interesting article from GOOD MORNING AMERICA on TRAVELING WITH YOUR PET. READ IT HERE  In the end, she decides it's too much hassle for her.  I can understand that but, more important, it's too much hassle for the dog.  After she described what the dog went through, you don't even have to be an animal lover to know he would have much rather stayed at home.

SOUNDS LIKE SOUTH DAKOTA IS CHILLY TOO

DUANE SAYS
"Overcast and CHILLY.  The furnace is running.  It's a good day to stay inside.  No improvement in the weather until Saturday."

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I just saw this on TWITTER:  "A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame someone else."  I don't know who said it but it should be tattooed on the forehead of every politician.

HOLY COW!!!!!!

After reading this story (click here) I have decided, if you have to live in Wisconsin, you're better off being a cow.  Waterbeds and back rubs?  Classical music in your stall?  I could live with that!

IT AIN'T SUMMER YET!

That cold front that went through has really cooled things down.  After enjoying 95 degree weather just a few days ago, look at us now.

TODAY: SUNNY 60
TONIGHT: SHOWERS 47
TOMORROW: SHOWERS 58

With June right around the corner, this is too cold for me.  When you get this far north, winter doesn't give up easy!  On the bright side, it saves on the A/C.

JUNE DAIRY DAYS

START FRIDAY IN

WEST SALEM

SEE SCHEDULE HERE

WHAT A FUNNY BOOK!

I started reading a new book, today, and by the time I got to page 2 I was laughing so hard the tears were running down my cheeks.  I suppose I found it funnier than most would because of my years with the airline.

"Situations Matter" by Sam Sommers is, actually, a book about understanding how the context of a situation you're in affects how you react.

In the first instance, he's talking about arriving at the gate just moments after the aircraft door has been closed and locked and the gate agent won't re-open it for him, to board, even though there's still 10 minutes left before departure.

As Mr. Sommers points out, "Because, as we all know, once they close that door, there's no going back.  No, that's nonnegotiable and irreversible.  To reopen that door--the modern incarnation of Pandora's Box--would be unthinkable.  Doing so would undermine the very fabric that holds our society together, not to mention disrupt the space-time continuum as we know it."  and it get's funnier from there.

If you want to have a good laugh and learn a few neat things besides, pick up a copy of Sam Sommers "Situations Matter".

I WONDER IF AUNT WILDA'S EARS WERE RINGING?

We decided we have to figure out a time when we can grab Uncle Bob and take a trip up to Viroqua to see Aunt Wilda this summer.  Of course, that's not easy because she dosen't stay home long enough so we can catch her!

I don't expect to make 95 but, if I do, I hope I can still move around as good as she can.  I'm 23 years younger than she is and I have a hard time moving from the bedroom to the kitchen when I first get up in the morning.

On the other hand, once I get moving, I do pretty well.  I walked 2 1/2 miles on Labor Day.  I know younger folks who have had enough after walking 2 1/2 blocks!

SURPRISE LUNCH

Nice surprise today!  RITA had to come to town so ROGER came along and we joined Carl and Kathy at the Arterial for lunch.

Rita and Roger brought back a T-shirt for me from Mackinac.

WHICH WILL DISAPPEAR FIRST?

Did you know that MEXICO CITY is sinking 10 times faster than VENICE?  That's what happens when you build a city on a lake bed and then pump the water out.

IT'S ALMOST TOO TRAGIC TO THINK ABOUT

I remember Bob Tremain saying you could never get anywhere without a college education.

This morning, I read in the paper, that for the first time in history, there are more unemployed Americans who attended, at least, some college than people who graduated high school or dropped out of high school.  But, I see here in town, we're spending millions and millions to build more parking lots for college students.  Parking is NOT our problem, folks.

I HAVE TO GO TO FESTIVAL THIS MORNING

The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.
Erma Bombeck

SIDEWALKS NEED MOWING TOO

Love the guy in Jackson, Wisconsin who drove his lawn tractor off the grass, onto to sidewalk, the into the street before parking in Walgreen's parking lot.  Blood alcohol content: more than 2 1/2 times the legal limit for drunk mowing.

NO A/C TODAY!

SUNNY, BREEZY AND 66 IN

LACROSSE

TODAY

Logo Design by FlamingText.com WISCONSIN OFFICIALLY BECAME A STATE ON MAY 29, 1848.

THE ELVIS CRYPT UP FOR AUCTION STORY IS A BIT TOO CREEPY FOR ME

TALKIN' T's

GQ has a bit about what T-shirts you should be wearing this summer.  Now that I'm retired, I wear T-shirts about 98% of the time so I thought I'd look it over.  (CLICK HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO LOOK IT OVER)

I took one look and it was all over.  The first T-shirt I saw was a plain gray T-shirt.  No graphics.  No writing.  No nothing.  It's just a PLAIN GRAY T-SHIRT WITH A $1O2.00 PRICE TAG.

I don't care how much money you have.  If you're walking around in a $102.00 T-shirt I'm not impressed.  I've already met enough stupid people to last a lifetime.

To be fair, however, GQ DOES HAVE AN ARTICLE I JUST LOVE.  It's called, 50 THINGS A MAN DOES NOT HAVE TO DO BEFORE HE DIES.  (READ IT HERE)

One of the things on the list (Donnie will love this one) that you don't have to do is BLOG.  The author says, "Your audience at the company cafeteria is bigger than what you'll have on the internet."

GOOD EATS FROM THE 1920'S

I sure would like to be in LANESBORO just long enough to eat at the SPUD BOY LUNCH DINER.  It's a dining cart like they had back in the '20's and there's a real old fashioned 1920's menu to choose from too.  READ THE STORY AND SEE THE PICTURES IN THE LA CROSSE TRIBUNE.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THIS BBQ SAUCE?

YAHOO! has a neat article on some of the best Barbecue sauces around the country (READ ARTICLE) and the first one they show is BIG BUTZ BBQ SAUCE FROM WISCONSIN.  How can it be from Wisconsin and I've never seen nor heard of it?

I WALKED A BLOCK TO SEE THE PARADE.

A COLORFUL MORNING



WEATHER

Our high hit 91 YESTERDAY.  I, actually, had the A/C on for a little while.

WILLARD ISN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH A BIRTHDAY TODAY

One of my all time favorite rock bands was CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVIAL.  A member of the band, JOHN FOGERTY, is celebrating his 67th birthday today.

John is still performing.  You may have seen him on AMERICAN IDOL on May 23.  He's, also, currently on tour but, unfortunately, has no dates coming up in the midwest.

WEATHER

I don't remember it ever being so windy, so much, as it has been this year.  During a thunderstorm, that moved through Trempealeau County yesterday, a semi-tractor trailer was blown over, closing highway 93 between La Crosse and Eau Claire.  The driver only had minor injuries.

Today, there's a 30 % chance for thunderstorms this afternoon with the possibility of damaging winds.

FROM THE "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT" DEPARTMENT

I CAN'T KEEP UP ANYMORE

Now that my drinking days are over I miss all the fun new stuff.  I just read about PUCKER VODKA.  Has anybody tried it?

AUNT WILDA CALLED THIS AFTERNOON

She sounded so good.  Dawn is coming for a few days so she's planning to go back to Bob and Lynne's.

Donnie and Linda sent her flowers for her birthday.  She said they were beautiful.

RITA JUST CALLED:

She's dog sitting for the neighbors who are out of town.  Roger is mowing the lawn.

THE ARTS IN THE BLACK HILLS

Nice article in the RAPID CITY JOURNAL about the arts movement in Hill City.

THIS WEEK

• MONDAY~WILLARDS BIRTHDAY
• FRIDAY~ERIC AND BERTS ANNIVERSARY
• SATURDAY~TERREL'S BIRTHDAY

WILLARD STARTS HIS DAY

"The only excitement, so far, Buddy wanted to go out to throw up."

I've had days that started like that too.

SCENES OF RITA, ROGER, CARL AND KATHY'S MACKINAC TRIP

Their Bed and Breakfast

Their buggy ride

Below click on "Mackinac Island" to see a great map of the area.

A MAN GOES TO SEE HIS PRIEST......

"Father, I think my wife is trying to poison me."

"Let me talk to her and we'll talk afterward", says the priest.

Several days later, the man and priest get together again.  The priest says, "I had a long, long, long, long, long talk with your wife last Thursday.  Take the poison."