EARLY STORM IN THE GULF?

12z GFS continuing to indicate the possibility of an early season Tropical Storm in the Gulf of Mexico in 6-10 days pic.twitter.com/XYhSgn6W2y
— 28storms.com (@28storms) May 31, 2014

Half of La Crosse County was at Riverside Park today.



The day was too nice to stay inside.  The La Crosse Queen left the dock with a full crowd.

The gulls lined up in a row with one eye on the water in case a tasty fish should swim by.

 

 

And, a special note to Donnie:

 I can do the "selfie" thing too.



Isn't this a beauty!

It's a wax eye or silvereye bird.  You won't find them in your back yard, in the USA, but you will find them in Australia and New Zealand.

 

Now I've seen everything

DONNIE DOES A SELFIE!

Here he is, driving the golf cart while a friend of his, in town for a couple of days, tee's off.

While today is Hug your Cat Day, I also want to remember the dogs.

I found this beautiful piece on what we can learn from a dog that will give us a happier life.  It's a beautiful thought.

READ IT HERE

I'm thinking of my little guy, today, and wishing he was still here so I could give him a hug.

For those of you still lucky enough to have a cat in the house, give them a BIG hug from me today!

No word from Rita and Roger since their phone call, from the car, yesterday.

I'm guessing they're, safely, in South Dakota this morning.

 

They're there for a sad occasion this time.  It's the funeral for one of Rogers close friends, Pete, who passed away recently.  Pete had lived in La Crescent for years but was, originally from Mitchell.  I met Pete and, like all folks from South Dakota, he was the best.

I don't know, exactly, where Rita and Roger are staying but there has been quite a bit of rain between Mitchell and Sioux Falls early this morning.  It was all moving toward the northeast.  No chance for any of it reaching La Crosse today.

A big thanks to Jacob for hooking up my new Charter TV modem yesterday.

I wouldn't have been able to figure it out in a million years.  I knew this was a job better left to a college graduate.  Even though this kid graduated, from the University, this spring, he's going back for another class this summer.  He just can't get enough of that learning!

 

Let me tell you, I don't think anyone with less than a college education could figure out how to hook this new Charter Cable converter box up.  The cable offices were PACKED with customers, yesterday, and not a single one of them was smiling.  None of the cable employees were smiling either.

 

I think they could have used a "smarty pants", like Jacob, to come up with a better plan for switching to their new "all HD" service.

 

The good news is that I've figured out enough of this big, bulky, heavy, ugly remote clicker, with more buttons on it than they have on one of the Blue Angels jets, to watch "Cops" and "Cheaters" tonight.  (That's the kind of stuff NON-COLLEGE GRADUATES watch).

I think Charter needs some "new blood" in their "customer relations" department.  I see a lot of tweets like this, this morning.
 

Made me do it.. finally shot video of some of #chartercable s LOUSY service. Great with bills.. lousy with service https://t.co/yk8m7cMYcP
— David Beach (@thedavidbeach) April 28, 2014

It looks like a great day ahead.

With lots of sun and temperatures in the low 80's, today, it will be too nice, outside, to stay inside.  I think I'll walk down to the park and watch the air show in the sky this afternoon.

 

#BlueAngels are getting the jets show ready! See you at Deke Slayton Airfest this weekend. #USNavy #USMC pic.twitter.com/KpTWc2VYq9
— Blue Angels (@BlueAngels) May 30, 2014

Rita called from the car.

At 1:30 they were about 80 miles from South Dakota.  Making good time and the weather was good.

Carl was surfing the internet, trying to find out where babies come from and he came across this.

Our great weather is soon coming to an end.

OK! Figure this out. I'll bet you've never seen anything like this before!!

Here's a question for you (and the answer).

What do you all a grizzly bear caught in the rain?


A drizzly bear.

Please give!

3 days left in Pet Cancer Awareness Month & we’ve raised $2 million...but let's keep going! http://t.co/DLyjQ4QJr7 pic.twitter.com/6Jrt9dqrHj
— Blue Buffalo (@bluebuffalo) May 30, 2014

Contrary to popular belief, I am not the oldest living thing on the planet.

Here's some really, really, really old stuff I'll bet you didn't know about.

TEXAS SIGN

I got a job for you. How hard can biotechnology be?

#JobSearch Biotechnology laboratory technician - Land O 'Lakes, Inc. - West Salem, WI Find this Job & More http://t.co/OjVpsBPFPd
— La Crosse Wisconsin (@LaCrosse_Buzz) May 30, 2014

Bars VS Grocery Stores...you be the judge.

A "Google Places" report show that Wisconsin has 2.7 times more bars than grocery stores in the state.  So, what's their point, I ask.  Isn't that the way it should be?

Have a happy MINT JULEP DAY!

This months Funny River Forest fire has been a tragic one except for four babies.

These are wolf cubs who were rescued by firefighters after they heard them crying for help from the fire.  They're making a new home at the Alaska Zoo.

This is going to be my next apartment.

ZOOM!!

@packers @OfficialAJHawk was pumped for his flight today! He flew with #7BA. We hope you had fun A.J.! #BlueAngels pic.twitter.com/VvKQ4Hd4lE
— Blue Angels (@BlueAngels) May 28, 2014

The Black Hills are hot hills today!

At 3:30 PM (MDT) the temperature hit 90 in Rapid City this afternoon.

Downtown La Crosse shuddered from the roar of the Blue Angels jets as they crossed the sky, back and forth, making practice runs this morning.

I'm sure we'll see and hear more of it tomorrow.  It was fun to see all the people walking along the sidewalk with their heads back, searching the sky for the planes.

You hear the roar of the jet engines long before you see the planes and, traveling at a top speed of 700 miles per hour you don't see them for long!  Here on minute, in Minneapolis the next!

I'm ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille.

Behold the world's first elephant selfie. http://t.co/9nzCZXY7jB pic.twitter.com/bG20pjwqFL
— Gawker (@Gawker) May 29, 2014

This is from Carl and it's just too funny for words......that is, if you're old enough to understand why it's funny.

What a great photo!!! That's me on the right.

#TBT @DeadwoodSD in 1877. Find more fun photos of historic Deadwood on Pinterest: http://t.co/tC64Q5id50 pic.twitter.com/phVR3r56YG
— South Dakota Tourism (@southdakota) May 29, 2014

AIN'T THIS THE TRUTH???? Car VS bike....YOU DECIDE!!!

Culvers is OK in my book!

I noticed this article in the Wisconsin State Journal, this morning.  I haven't eaten at "Graze" in Madison but I'll remember that if I ever get back.

I have eaten at Culver's a few times and have to agree with the Journal on that one. I'm not a "fast food" fan but, if you have to "eat fast" Culver's is the best I've tasted.

Restaurant review: Culver's, Graze both grill up outstanding burgers http://t.co/6fDIFcGc7m pic.twitter.com/ArljMQVeZ8
— Wis. State Journal (@WiStateJournal) May 29, 2014

The late Maya Angelou wrote.....

"You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot..it's all there.  Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive."

Maya would have been quite unhappy with me because this Charter change to all digital has been about as non-positive as anything can be.

Hopefully, with Jakes help, tomorrow, I'll have everything I need to get hooked up correctly.

Carl got the cable part hooked up just fine but the modem that connects  the cable to the internet is not compatible with the HD transmission so I have to go back to the Charter office and get the new modem and come home and hook it up.

I could care less if the TV part ever works but if you screw with my internet I'm gonna get very unpleasant and I sure as hell won't be "positive".

Wisconsin became a state 166 years ago today.

Two PERFECT days ahead

The forecast for today is sunny with a high of 80.  Tomorrow we'll see a sunny sky with a high of 82.

I was just looking through the list of FORBES MOST POWERFUL WOMEN IN THE WORLD.

Whoever made up the list has, obviously, never spent a day with Rita.

Poor Duane has an exciting time coming up in June.

He reports, "4400 National Guard from 12 states here for training.  The Guard training fields are right behind my house.  Gunfire, explosions.....Shit!!!"

Donnie and Linda are still getting visits from the hummingbirds in the city.

Donnie has private parking.

On the road again.

Rita and Roger are traveling to South Dakota for a funeral.  They'll just be gone over the weekend.

Good weather ahead.

Blue Angels meet the Packers!

.@Packers linebacker AJ Hawk (@officialAJHawk) went flying with the @BlueAngels today in La Crosse. #BlueAngels pic.twitter.com/QInIvjwCga
— WKBT News 8 (@news8news) May 28, 2014

Oh!! What a day!!!

Carl was here most of the afternoon trying to hook up the new set top converter box that Charter Cable told me I had to have.

He spent hours on the phone with Charter.  Finally, I was getting the new digital TV service but I was NOT getting any internet.

It was many calls later that we found out the old internet modem I had is not compatible with the new digital service so I have to get the old modem back to Charter and they'll give me a new one.

In the meantime, we unhooked the old digital modem and I'm back on the old analog modem so that I can stay on the internet.  Then when I get the new modem I can, I hope, go back to the new digital system.

What I really want to do is go back to the days we had a phone screwed to the wall and we had to turn a crank and give a LIVE operator the number we wanted to talk to.

I can't live with any more "technology".

I read the first page of "THE BOHEMIANS" and was hooked.

This is great fun in a great city that just ain't never gonna be like any other city in the world!

What to folks from Britain think when they arrive at an American airport.

THIRD WORLD COMES TO MIND

If you think air travel is miserable you're probably right.  And folks from other countries are finding that it's a lot more miserable over here than it is over there.

 

YOU MAY FIND THIS ARTICLE INTERESTING

I have lived long enough to go from the out house to the "touchless toilet".

I'm thinking that's about all you can expect out of one life.

 

Those new "touchless toilets" are really something.  You just wave your hand over the sensor on top of the tank and WHOOSH!  AWAY IT GOES.  That might, almost, make going to the toilet fun!

Look what GOOGLE is up to now!!!

.@Google to launch fleet of two-seater self-driving cars http://t.co/SSqv08nqjT
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 28, 2014

Where, oh where did summer go?

After a couple of hot, sticky days, what a shocker to walk outside, this morning, and discover we're back to mid-October.  Cloudy, wet and cold.  We're back to long sleeves and coats.  It was a short summer!

A tornado recently touched down in North Dakota and some really goofy guys were there to record it.

I don't think sitting in a pickup when a tornado is moving toward you is the smartest thing to do but, hey!  This is North Dakota.  Those guys aren't afraid of anything.

Do you have any idea what it costs you working folks to get to work?

READ THIS ARTICLE and you'll be shocked and the Saudi family will be delighted.

The big eaters come from Nebraska!

It took somebody from Nebraska to win the steak eating contest at the Big Texas Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.

Molly Schuyler ate a 4 1/2 pound steak in 4 minutes 58 seconds.  That was so good, she ate another steak in 9 minutes 59 seconds.

And, get this, Molly stands 5' 7" and weighs 125 pounds.

 

I guess this shoots down the slogan, "Everything's bigger in Texas".  When it comes to big steak eaters you have to go north to Nebraska!

The BLUE ANGELS are back in town.

They flew in yesterday and will perform this weekend at the DEKE SLAYTON AIRFEST (CLICK FOR MORE INFO)

Meanwhile, they'll be flying maneuvers over the city the next couple of days. 

All the birds must be back in town.

I have never heard so much chirping as I did this morning and SO LOUD!!  They must be all rested after their long flight from down south and now they're more than ready to do whatever it is they came up here to do.

Only a 20% chance for thunderstorms around here today.

I saw a big area of rain around Bob and Lynne and Eric and Bert this morning.

Carl sent this:

Gotta love her! Gladys Knight celebrates her 70th birthday today.

Speaking about Willard's birthday, Duane said...

"I passed Willard on April 19 at 82."

I feel like such a kid at 74!!

JULIET ON THE BALCONY

Romeo took the photo.



Can you imagine trying to mow this thing?

All I can tell you is that Donnie sent this picture, saying it's a "turf car" that he saw at lunch.  I can't even begin to imagine how, or why, someone would want to do this to a car.

Let's hear it for our Senior Citizens today!

LET'S EVERYBODY SING ALONG.  I THOUGHT THIS WAS A MORE APPROPRIATE SONG THAN SINGING "HAPPY BIRTHDAY".

 

Save the elephants!

One killed every 15 minutes @RyanGosling Sign/RT http://t.co/caovXGiRYF to ban ivory trade in US. pic.twitter.com/XdRQN68Um9 #IvoryTradeKills
— The Eyes of Thailand (@eyesofthailand) May 28, 2014

Although there was no damage, a tornado was reported, this afternoon, in the Black Hills.

The tornado was near Silver City and the storm produced golf ball size hail around Keystone, Hill City and Pactola.

Skip the eggs and have pancakes instead!

Maple Syrup actually contains anti-oxidants and 54 beneficial compounds than can help you fight cancer.
— Google Facts (@TheGoogleFactz) May 27, 2014

It's a sticky day.

Back, a short time ago, I bet Rita that, once the cold spring weather (that we were bitching about) left us it would turn hot and humid (which we would bitch about).

Guess what.  The hot and humid is here.  Spring just skipped over us this year.

I made it to the grocery, and back, before any thunderstorms came through.

Good News!

El Niño event will reduce the number of Atlantic storms http://t.co/AGUNTPZYCA
— National Geographic (@NatGeo) May 27, 2014

A special reminder to our Texas friends.

You think you've had bad service at a restaurant? Think again!

One of the great San Francisco legends was Edsel Ford Fong who was known as "THE WORST WAITER IN HISTORY".  CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY 

I may have overslept but I'm staying on schedule.

I had clothes in the wash machine by 6:00 AM.  My motto is, "when you're out of underwear, you'd better wash a load."

A BIT OF HISTORY

Hubert Humphrey was born on May 27, 1911 in Wallace, South Dakota.  Where is Wallace, you ask.  It's between Aberdeen and Watertown in the northeast part of the state.  About as far from anyplace as you can get.

RAIN DAY

I see a lot of rain north of us, this morning, but there's none coming towards us.  The weatherman says our rain will, most likely, come this afternoon.

OVERSLEPT AGAIN

I was an old sleepyhead this morning.  Didn't wake up until 5:00 AM.  Some people would call that beauty sleep but I look in the mirror.  No beauty sleep here.'

 

Sleeping is good only if it completes requirement... But when its overdone it's worst thing. #idon't #oversleep
— Rakesh Singh (@coolguysmiling) May 23, 2014

WHAT'S A FLOPPY DISK?

GOOD ADVICE

"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died." - Erma Bombeck
— Social N Houston (@SocialInHouston) May 26, 2014

HEY! HERE'S A DEAL!

Come enjoy La Crosse's Happiest Happy Hour! 4-7pm, $9.99 for one hour all you can drink!
— Shenanigans (@ShenanigansFun) May 26, 2014

EARLY TO BED

People make fun of me for going to bed so early but who has the last laugh now?

The best time to sleep ~ pic.twitter.com/OyiMqKGkK2
— Do It Yourself! (@DIYourselfx) May 20, 2014

NEED A QUICK LUBE? WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

SOME INTERESTING TV HISTORY

What Frasier almost looked like. 27 Insane (But True) Early Versions of Famous Characters - http://t.co/FAc0VNQfe0 | pic.twitter.com/Xl1JpizW5a
— Cracked.com (@cracked) May 26, 2014

PRETTY BIRD IN WISCONSIN

American Redstart at Fox River Sanctuary in #Waukesha #Wisconsin photographed May 13-18, 2014 http://t.co/Y6xqgRCXZb pic.twitter.com/THmsRYmxz4
— Window to Wildlife (@Window2Wildlife) May 24, 2014

9:42 AM: NICE SHOWER IN LA CROSSE

I'm sure the rain has washed out the Memorial Day parade for this year.  We're getting a pretty good shower here but it's very localized.  Looks like it's just missing Rita and Roger and Holmen is completely rain free.

I'm sure everyone will get some before this latest round of wet weather is finished.

Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon and evening with small hail, gusty winds and brief heavy downpours.

More storms are possible tomorrow into early Wednesday.

GOODBYE PARKING LOT...HELLO NATURE

Hats off to DEADWOOD for coming up with a plan...not to create another parking lot but get rid of one!  If there's anything, on this planet, uglier than a parking lot I haven't seen it.

 

Deadwood has plans to turn that parking lot into walking trails along the creek, outdoor art exhibits and small pocket parks.

 

Read the story here: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/communities/lead-deadwood/creating-a-wow-factor-in-deadwood-with-a-new-vision/article_96095ee6-22a6-5669-b9b7-ab5bb961cda2.html

MEMORIAL DAY WEATHER

It's looking good for the parade this morning but there's a good chance your afternoon picnic is going to get rained on.

DEATH

I WISH I WAS FOUR AGAIN

This is a classic!  I'm in love with this kid.

PARADE DAY

The MEMORIAL DAY PARADE starts at 9:00, this morning, at 6th and King in La Crosse.

MEMORIAL DAY

SWIMMING POOL

The world's scariest hotel swimming pool? http://t.co/ZlwVM7kpZ0 #china #travel #shanghai pic.twitter.com/OxFQC3ZuO2
— A Luxury Travel Blog (@luxury__travel) May 26, 2014

ANOTHER TERPSTRA

Here's another Terpstra who, apparently, likes a "cool beverage" now and then.

Just another beautiful Memorial weekend in Northern Michigan @ShortsBrewing pic.twitter.com/G0XG9PLiIL
— Ryan Terpstra (@TerpHimself) May 25, 2014

FLOWER VASE DRINKER

Forget the news report.  Watch the guy in the background.  This strange person is drinking the water out of the flower vase!!  They say it takes all kinds.  "They" are right.

ROBINS NEST

I guess this should go in the folder with the mama duck in the flower pots photo.

RT @crookedkelly: @weathernetwork baby Robyns at my door, have to wait a while longer to take down the wreath. pic.twitter.com/DzXgFsF6lN
— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) May 25, 2014

TEXAS WEATHER

HAPPY INDY 500 DAY

TEXAS RAIN

Looks like Donnie and Linda will get some rain today.  That should make them happy.

WEATHER: Stormy weather approaching Fredericksburg. 20% chance showers/storms today. http://t.co/CbI800FjyL pic.twitter.com/t05jNsI01p
— TWC News Austin (@TWCNewsAustin) May 25, 2014

DEADWOOD PASTPORT

You gotta get a DEADWOOD PAST PORT to celebrate the summer.  It's a great deal.  http://www.blackhillsvacations.com/vacationpackages/deadwood/packagedetail.cfm?p=106&utm_content=bufferdc19f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

DEEP FRIED STRAWBERRY

Every day I discover something new and today it's DEEP FRIED STRAWBERRIES!  I've never heard of Deep Friend Strawberries until today and, beginning today, I won't be satisfied until I taste them.

GET THE RECIPE HERE: http://www.driscolls.com/recipes/view/7474/Deep-Fried-Strawberries

A WAYNES WORLD CELEBRATION

Happy Birthday to Mike Myers who turns 51 today.

MY IDEA OF A GREAT POEM

Budweiser is red, Coors is blue. It's Memorial Day Weekend, so crack a brew. Merica.
— Cloyd Rivers (@CloydRivers) May 24, 2014

RAIN ON THE WAY

One more nice day and then the rainy season returns to Wisconsin.

I LOVE FRESH ASPARAGUS



Rita and Roger gave me some FRESH ASPARAGUS from their garden and I had it with my chicken yesterday.  There's no more delicious food than fresh food right out of the garden.

A LITTLE TRASH NEVER HURT ANYONE

Everyone makes fun of me because I love watching "CHEATERS" every Saturday night.  Of course it's trash!  That's what makes it such fun.

 

I finally did a bit of research and found out that the host of the show, CLARK GABLE, is, indeed, related to the legendary star of the same name.

 

Our "Cheaters" host is the GRANDSON OF THE ORIGINAL CLARK GABLE.  Now, I know what you're going to say.  "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

WEIRD FOLKS EVERYWHERE!

Did you hear about the guy in Sparta who was caught opening packages of meat, in a supermarket, and eating the raw contents!?