Scotland

Mom and I took a trip to the Highlands of Scotland from August 3rd-15th. We spent two days in Edinburgh before meeting our Tour guide and group. We rented a car and drove to St Andrews to visit the golf course(s) and meet one of the pros who signed a scorecard from the Old Course for Dad and Bud. We just couldn't imagine being that close to the historic St Andrews and not going.

Once we joined out tour group we traveled north through the ghostly Scottish mist hanging over the lush green hills on our way to Inverness. We saw the grassy hills changed almost automatically to steep, enormous rocky crags. After stopping at a few of the places (Beauly Priory, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield) mentioned in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander book, we headed to Castle Stuart outside of Nairn to meet and dine with Diana and her husband, Doug. They were lovely, gracious people. Diana signed all 7 of my Outlander books. We drove along Loch Ness and saw the gigantic hills of Glenshiel and Glencoe. Next we took a ferry to the Isle of Skye, listened to a Highland storyteller, visited Dunvegan and Eilean Donan Castles and stayed in a historic harbor hotel (where one of my most stunning pictures of the trip was taken). We saw the cairn marking where Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) raised his standard and later escaped to France after the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

We made our way back south to Edinburgh to visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse and shop the Royal Mile. We celebrated our wonderful tour with a farewell dinner at the hotel looking directly up at Edinburgh Castle at sunset. We drank champagne and even toasted my 21st wedding anniversary. Mom and I enjoyed our last two days in Edinburgh shopping, attending the impressive Edinburgh Military Tattoo and taking in a show from the Edinburgh International Festival.

Every day of the trip was amazing, our tour guide, Alastair, was phenomenal (full of insights and a wealth of Scottish history), the weather was uncharacteristically sunny and we were left wanting more, more, more! I guess I will have to plan a return trip in the future since I know I left part of my heart in the Highlands.

2009-2010 Swim Season

It's winter in Wisconsin and that means it's swim season for the Lindau boys. Grayson is swimming for Marshall Middle School as a 7th grader and Logan (a sophomore) is swimming for Craig High School.

Grayson finished his season by taking 14 seconds off his personal best in the 200 Individual Medley. He is showing sparks of what is to come in the next few years. Within a week of the conclusion of his swim season, Grayson was back in the pool joining the South Central Swim Team.

Logan's biggest meet of the season was in Middleton in early January. He chipped away at his best times earning 'letter times' in both the 50 Free and the 100 Free. He qualified for the Big Eight Conference Meet and swam personal bests in all three events of his events (200 Medley Relay, 100 Free, and the 400 Free Relay). Logan really pushed himself to a new level this season and we're looking forward to even more success next season.

Vegas Baby!

Al and I took a long weekend trip to Vegas to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We had been to Vegas once a few years ago, so we had a much better idea of what to see and do and how to get around. The weather was perfect in late October (not like the OVEN we were in in August the last time we went). We saw an AWESOME show, Le Re've, at the Wynn. It was a circular theater and the entire stage was water! We were also in the audience for The Price is Right. Of course, we had great food at all the buffets and enjoyed relaxing as much as all the sight seeing.

Fall means Football

The start of school always asks the question: ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? Grayson plays for the Vikings in the JV Youth FB League, we got season tickets to the Badger games, and we took my dad to see the Packers play the Bears at Lambeau Field. Much to my surprise, he had never been to Lambeau. We arrived early, shopped at the 2-story pro shop, ate at Curly's Pub, visited the Packers Hall of Fame, enjoyed awesome seats, and topped it all off with a division-rival win. The game was one for the ages (with a special thanks to Jay Cutler for his colorblindness, throwing to the wrong colored jerseys all night). My Dad had the time of his life!

Summer @ the Lake

Summer started with a real BANG for Logan. After months of looking, he got a new 'fishing boat.' Well, at least that was the original intention. He ended up with very powerful 140 horsepower Four Winns Freedom. It has the horsepower of a Mack truck! Needless to say, he loves it! He spends hours and hours fishing (and keeps the local bait shops in business). He even supplied us with enough fish for an enormous homemade fish fry. Leftover fish? Eww! Not so. Thanks to a hearty supply of tartar sauce, by the time we were full the pan was almost empty! Logan's other new addition this summer was a JOB! He worked at the Hayward National Golf Course for both the course pro and the groundskeeper. They loved having him and Logan enjoyed the opportunity to make money being outside, driving a golf cart, changing pin locations, and countless other odd jobs. It was perfect for him.

Grayson started the summer by signing up with a Hayward baseball team (already three weeks into their season). Although, watching them play was like watching 'The Bad News Bears,' the team was delighted to have Grayson (a natural athlete) join the team. They only won one game (losing was a new experience for him), but he had a good time, made some new friends, and wants to do it again next summer. He also played golf in a junior program at the golf course.

We had our annual family trip to a dairy breakfast. By the time we arrived and waited in line behind over 100 cheeseheads, it was more like brunch, but we feasted on pancakes, bacon, sausage, and of course, cheese. On our way back to the car, Logan had one ice cream cone in each hand.

Both boys looked forward to the 'calm water days' so they could hit the water skiing, tubing, and wakeboarding. (This is different from the 'weekenders' who will pound the water regardless of the weather.) Logan's getting a bit more adventurous behind the boat. It's fun to watch.

After a month teaching at Gallaudet University in D.C., I made it to the lake just in time to see the start of the Tour de France (live each AM on Versus). Mom and I are admitted addicts. Nothing else would get us up at the crack of dawn for three straight weeks during summer vacation, except Lance Armstrong. It was a thrill to see him back at the Tour (and on the podium). Can't wait to see what happens with his new team in 2010! Basically, I chillaxed in my pjs drinking coffee on the deck til noon (or later), read a stack of books, drove the kids to town (or behind the boat), and of course all of this while taking scads of pictures (which requires hours on the laptop in iPhoto, Blogger, Shutterfly, Picasa, Smilebox etc...).

Al's summer could be summed up in three words, work, work, work. Well, this I guess that's what he gets for developing an incredibly successful charter school. He's 'a man in demand.' He's been doing some traveling (mostly for TAGOS) so he's been living out of a suitcase most of the summer. He did get a chance to add in some relaxation on the water during his journeys. In Rhinelander, he went on a riverboat cruise, then in Lake Geneva they took a boat tour, and he even went sailing a couple times on Lake Pepin. He has made it to the lake a few times (for a few days at a time). But, poor guy, when he gets here 'it's always somethin.' The alternator belt on the boat broke, the fish finder needs to be installed, the boat lift needs to be moved out deeper, the pier needs to be longer, the water heater broke, and on and on. Maybe when school gets started in the fall he'll be able to relax. Yeah...I doubt it.

Well, we're seeing diamonds on the lake. (The sun shines on the lake at a different angle than a couple months ago.) That's our sign that summer is almost at an end. We're counting down the days we have left at the lake and they days until football practice begins and school starts again. (Eegads! Now we have a 7th grader and a SOPHOMORE!) It's sad to think about the end of the summer, but our little wooden sign on the deck puts everything in perspective for us, "If you're lucky enough to live on the lake, you're lucky enough!"

Gallaudet & D.C.

I had the opportunity to teach at Gallaudet University again this summer. I was a national lead mentor with another bright group of participants (teachers) from Deaf schools all over the U.S. I also got to catch up with some friends I only see once a year. Each summer, I look forward to the challenge of this bilingual teaching experience and the 'perk' of spending days off in the best 'city' in all the U.S.

During the first week, Al was in D.C. for a national charter school conference so we found time to get together. After he was introduced to food and drink in China Town, we took a boat trip on the Potomac, from Alexandria, VA to Georgetown, D.C., did some shopping, went to a great steakhouse for dinner and relaxed in a trendy bar called 'Cure' in the Grand Hyatt.

On one of my days off, I started by shopping at the Eastern Market on Capitol Hill. This is one of the oldest markets in the U.S. It has been open continuously since 1873! Next, I headed to Alexandria, VA to shop on King Street. Alexandria is a historic, colonial town right on the Potomac with tons of unique shops and eateries.

When the AEBPD training moved from NMSD (New Mexico School for the Deaf) in Santa Fe, NM to Gallaudet University in D.C., I knew I would miss Santa Fe. But, D.C. is simply the BEST!

Spring Break 2009

For the fifth time, we headed south to Gulf Shores, Alabama for Spring Break. We stayed in our favorite condo, The Legacy. When we arrived, the boys jumped out of the car, changed into their new Billabong swim trunks, grabbed their skim boards and were off to the beach. We had a beautiful view of the gulf and great weather most days. On Monday night, Grayson and I had a great time at Indigo Joe's Sports Pub & Restaurant rooting on UNC as they defeated Michigan State in the NCAA Championship. In addition to a table FULL of fresh seafood, the highlight of the week was Al and Logan's deep sea fishing trip to celebrate Logan's 15th birthday on April 7th. They caught loads of red snapper and some enormous amberjack tuna. They're already planning their next fishing trip. While they were fishing, Grayson and I had a day to ourselves. We started with beach time, went souvenir shopping (at Alvin's Island, Grayson's favorite store), had lunch, and went mini golfing at Pirate's Island (Bumpa saved a coin for a free round that he won two years ago!). Gulf Shores ROCKS! As our time winds down, we hate to leave, a week never seems quite long enough. 

Vail

Logan needed a little 'encouragement' to go out for the Craig Swim Team. So, (without even mentioning it to me!) Al told him if he swam, he would take him skiing in Vail. Needless to say, after a great freshman swim season (that he thoroughly enjoyed), OFF they flew to Vail. They had an awesome time, wished they could have stayed longer, and (not surprisingly) want to make it an annual event. 

Here's a quick clip of the area (doesn't do it justice).

Christmas 2008

             

Don't ya just love the holidays? Our last day of school in 2008 was a snowday. The boys were just crushed...NOT! We headed down I94 through the wind and snow to my folks' in Aurora. That means one thing... "LET THE SHOPPING BEGIN!" We shopped at the mall. We shopped online. We shopped with my brother. We shopped til we DROPPED! Oh, NO! Now the wrapping begins! Urgh.

On Christmas Eve, we continued the tradition of going to see the lights and the REAL story of Christmas on Lenertz Avenue like my mom and her parents used to do. Christmas morning, Bud, Mirty, Emma and Holden arrived and we dug into our stockings and shared our gifts. Much (much) later we had a delicious dinner and went to the movie theater (half went to Marley & Me, half to Bedtime Stories). 

After a quick trip home to unpack and repack (and some last minute shopping), it was 'over the river and through the woods, to Al's mother's house we go.' Logan headed straight out onto the ice. The goal: WALLEYE! For days and days, he sat out on that frozen lake for hours and hours. Sadly, no walleye :( We had another great Christmas dinner and opened gifts. 

After a treacherous drive home, we looked forward to spending New Year's Eve on Cascade Mountain skiing/snowboarding. However, after riding the chiar lift up for the very first run of the day, Logan fell, broke his wrist and the rest of the day was spent in a nearby hospital. 

Happy New Year ;)

Lindaus @ Lambeau

                  

           Attending the Badgers game was just the beginning. Grayson and I couldn't get enough football. We wanted more! When Al offered to send us to a Packer game (as an early Christmas present), I was online ordering tickets and reserving a hotel room by the end of the night. 

         We stayed in Sheboygan and got up early Sunday morning. We arrived at Lambeau by 8 AM. We went to the Hall of Fame and saw unique Packer memorabilia, old photos and uniforms (from as far back as 1919), a replica of Vince Lombardi's office, and (Grayson's favorite) the Kid's Zone. Grayson did the Lambeau Leap, kicked his own field goal, attempted to throw the ball at NFL speeds, and ran through a maze of 'padded lineman' without being knocked down. We were in awe of the three Lombardi trophies in glass cases. The only sad moment was hearing Reggie White's voice talking about winning a Super Bowl with Brett Favre and the Packers. We got a real appreciation of the Packers and their long history (the longest in the NFL).            

          We found our seats (covered with a sheet of ice) and bought a travel mug of hot cocoa ($6.25). We were prepared for the cold and were pleased that the only part of us that froze was our toes. Apparently fans in 'the know' bring a thick piece of cardboard or insulation for their feet (no one told us). We did 'the wave,'  jumped to 'Jump Around' and cheered and high-fived with everyone around us when the Packers scored. The Packers didn't win the game, but the experience was a WIN/WIN for us! We enjoyed every moment and can't wait to go to our next Packer game. 

 

         

CHS Swim Team

                               

          After two successful swim seasons in 7th and 8th grade and after watching Michael Phelps earn 8 gold medals in Bejing this summer, Logan joined the Craig High School Boys Swim Team. He has just the right long, lean body (closing in on 6 feet) and his size 12 feet (like built in flippers). He practices long hours and countless laps, but is having fun doing it. His signature stroke is the freestyle. As practices began, he swam the 50 free (his favorite event) in 32 seconds, within a week he had shaved 3 seconds off that time. Now his goal is to earn a Varsity letter by shaving another 2 seconds off and swimming the 50 within 25 seconds. He is also swimming the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relays. His first 'meet' was a scrimmage with Parker and Milton where he swam a 27.90 in the 50 Free. Against Beloit, he swam a 27.86 in the 50 Free. 

          Look for more updates as the season progresses. 

On WISCONSIN!

                                

In November, we had an opportunity to go to a couple UW Badger games at Camp Randall with Kristen and Jerry Moisson. On the 15th, Al and I saw Wisconsin retain 'The AXE' in an exciting overtime game against long time rival Minnesota. On the 22nd, Logan and Grayson had their first experience at a live college game. We all enjoyed watching Wisconsin come from behind to beat a really tough Cal-Poly team in another overtime thriller. In addition to the thrill of seeing a game up close, our favorite part was when the entire stadium got to their feet to 'Jump Around.' It was fun to see the players get into it too. The Badgers sideline, the players on the field, the officials, and even the opposing players were jamming to the music, jumping up and down. 

APPLEFEST 2008

The first weekend in October is a Lindau family tradition. This was our 15th year taking in the sights, sounds and smells of Apple Festival in Bayfield. We began going the year before Logan was born and (eeek!) now he is in high school. 

Our trip begins on Friday with a 6 hour drive from Janesville to Bayfield and a warm, relaxing stay in (Als' Aunt and Uncle) Shirl & Hans' loft. Saturday we head downtown for shopping and family pictures on the pier. My first purchase each year is an Applefest coffee mug from Eckles'. (I have 12 of them in my classroom.)We eat every variety of apple you can imagine in every form you can imagine, from carmel apples and apple pie, to apple sundaes, apple chai and even the infamous 'Apple Orgasm!' In the evening we watch all the college football games and this year rooted for the ill-fated Cubs, White Sox, and Brewers as well. 

Sunday we head off to the orchards to climb in trees and pick apples. We bought apples and apple cider donuts at Erickson's and two cases of wine from Hausers'.  We returned to downtown for some last minute shopping and to get our usual seats to watch the big Apple Fest parade. 

After the parade, we head back up to Hans & Shirl's place, and enjoy some delicious chicken and dumpling soup (and one more apple dumpling) before starting our trip back home and counting the days until we return. 

Football Season

    

This is Grayson's second year playing football with Janesville's Youth Football League. He couldn't wait to get back on the field. He was a bit uneasy though, when he found out he had been drafted by the Vikings. Not sure if he was more concerned that he would be playing for the Packers' NFC North rival, or if it was because he would be wearing purple! 

He has played a few different positions during practice, but for now he's playing center while he's on offense and either linebacker or defensive end on defense. 

The Vikings had a four-team scrimmage, providing an opportunity to see some of their competition as well as providing some idea of how the guys will respond in a 'game time' situation. 

Their first game was against the Lions. The Lions' players were much bigger than the Vikings and Bumpa said it looked like a 'Father - Son' game. There was one constant throughout the game...rain. We called it the 'Gustov Game.' (The remnants of Hurricane Gustov had made their way up north.) The field was like a swamp. The ball was wet, the boys were soaked, there were frequent fumbles and dozens of dropped balls. The Lions capitalized on a Vikings fumble and scored, but did not make their extra point attempt. Eventually, the Vikings ran for a touchdown and their extra point attempt was GOOD! That made the difference in the final score. Vikings 7, Lions 6. Mark down that purple "W!"

The second game was against the Cardinals. They, too, were BIG. They had two guys that were about 5' 9". This is 6th & 7th grade! One of the Cardinal dad's bragged that their team had scored four touchdowns in the first half of their first game. The Vikings worked their way down the field in the first quarter and scored, twice! Then, time after time, the defense stopped the Cardinals from scoring. They did it! The Vikings scored again in the fourth quarter and were very happy when time ran out and the refs blew the whistles, GAME OVER! Vikings 18, Cardinals 0! Mark down that purple "W!"

The Vikings third game was against the Saints. The Vikings recovered two fumbles in the game and intercepted a pass in the first half which led to the Vikings lone touchdown. A forced fumble on a Saints fourth-and-eight at the 10-yard line with 34 seconds to go sealed the third win for the Vikings. Vikings 6, Saints 0.

The next game was against the Eagles. The Vikings scored a passing touchdown (Plutchak to Reynolds), but missed their extra point. The Eagles eventually scored and converted. That was the difference in the game. Saints 7, Vikings 6. The Vikings suffered their first loss and DID NOT like the feeling.

The Vikings came back BIG against the Bears two days later. The Vikings scored twice in the first half and once again in the second have, while giving up a touchdown late in the game. When the whistle blew the score was Vikings 19, Bears 6. 

The Vikings entered their game with the Buccaneers with a record of 5-1. They knew the Bucs were a big, tough team. Again, the Vikings defense came up big and held the Bucs from scoring at the end of the game. Vikings 12, Buccaneers 9. Vikings move to a record of 6-1!

Then came the Redskins. They handed the Vikings their second loss 18-8 making their record for the season 6-2. 

Cut the Mustard, Whiskey!

Al remembers a childhood neighbor (called 'Dirty Ernie') who encouraged his dog to run around and chase his tail by saying, "Cut the mustard, Whiskey!" Over the years, the saying has stuck and the kids always yell, "Cut the mustard, Whiskey!" to the boat driver when they're ready to GO! 

Logan and Grayson pound the water every chance they get. Whether it's skiing, tubing, wakeboarding or kneeboarding, they're always asking for their runs to be longer, faster and full of bigger waves! At the end of a long, bumpy run on the tube, we head back towards the dock with the boys yelling, "AGAIN! AGAIN!"

                                            

Dog Days of Summer

Lanci and Luke will go through a month of depression when we return home from the lake. They have as much fun (and relaxation) at the lake as we do. 

When the boys are down playing in the lake, the dogs sit on the deck with sad puppy dog faces, longing to be down there with them. 

When only one dog is down in the water, the other one sits up on the deck and 'cries.' 

When one of the boys calls to let them out of the house, they get so excited they nearly break through the screen doors. Once the door is opened, all we can see is one brownish-orange and one black STREAK bolting toward the lake. 

They love the water; dunking their heads under water to find big rocks, chasing the boys, swimming behind the paddle boat, and (their favorite thing) walking over to 'say Hello' to Gama (who is quietly reading & sunbathing) then proceding to shake sand and water off ALL OVER HER. 

4th of July in DC

I had the opportunity to teach at Gallaudet in D.C. again this summer. Toward the end of my stay, mom and the boys flew out to spend the Fourth of July weekend with me. Al surprised us by flying out too. 

When mom and the boys arrived, we drove straight to Gravelly Park to see the airplanes fly overhead. They were so close, it felt like we could reach out and touch them. 

We spent the morning of the 4th at Mount Vernon (15 miles outside of D.C. up the Potomac River, just south of Alexandria, Virginia) where we gained a new respect for George Washington's brilliance and humility. It was hard to believe we were standing in the same home, on the same land, where the our first President (who preferred to be remembered as a farmer) was born, lived and died. 

We returned to D.C., made our way downtown where we 'copped a squat,' on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and waited for HOURS to see the fireworks (it rained at least three times). At last, we cheered and "Ooo"ed and "Ahh"ed as the bright, booming blasts lit up the sky above the Washington Monument. 

We had a rental card for the weekend, but we had fun using the great D.C. Metro (rail) as well. We visited all the typical tourist attractions, the White House, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the Vietnam 'Wall', the National Cathedral, and Arlington National Cemetery. There was so much to see and learn at Arlington. I've been twice now and I'd still love to go back. While the fact that Arlington is an active cemetery (holding 25-30 funerals everyday) is humbling, the land and the lore still hold so much wonder. 

On Sunday, mom and I got up early to shop at the famous Easter Market (est. 1873) and Georgetown while Al took the boys to the National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival. The boys said they could have stayed in the Air & Space Museum all day. 

Our celebrated our last evening together with a big meal Washington D.C.'s award winning Legal Seafood in Chinatown. Logan and Grayson both ordered Alaskan King Crab Legs and savored every bite. By the time we got back to the Carlin Hall (Gally dorm) each evening, we were pooped! We packed everything we could into the long weekend and will treaure our memories of the Fourth of July in our nations capital. 

The Fisherman

Logan has always enjoyed fishing. Last summer, the day he had been waiting for finally arrived. He was able to remove the inches of dust covering his great-grandfather's 1962 5 & 1/2 horse motor and drive his own boat. His interest in fishing progressed to a new level that day. He has since had some of his fish mounted (ick) and has learned the 'clean' them by himself (eww). He can sit in his aluminum boat and fish for HOURS! We know Grandpa Lindau is smiling. 

July at the Lake

Welcome! 

This is Sand Lake at about 8:30 pm. The little waves are from Logan's boat returning after an evening of fishing. On the deck of the lakehouse, there is a wooden plaque that reads,  

'If you're lucky enough to live at the lake, 

you're lucky enough!'  

That about sums it up for us in the summer. 

Much more to come!