Winter is coming….

   I had to chuckle today when I was in Costco.  As I stood by tables piled with thick winter coats and boots, an employee asked if I was finding everything I need.  To clarify- I just happened to be standing by the mounds of winter gear- I was NOT shopping for those items since it was well over 80 degrees and the high 90's are approaching again soon. I asked him where the charcoal was located since the grill master in our house said we were almost out of briquets. He said, in a shocked tone, "Those are seasonal and winter is coming!" Seriously??!!  We used to grill out all winter long Wisconsin except for blizzardy days and below zero wind chills.  So now we live in the land of nearly endless summer, have a gorgeous patio, tropical plants and  grilling season is over??? Needless to say, when I found charcoal at Target I bought 4 huge bags because OUR grilling season is far from over….I suppose when the snow gets knee deep around the palm trees we will call it winter :) Or when our nose hairs freeze and frostbite sets in on our cheeks…. The days are getting shorter and the nights a little cooler but no frost in the forecast! I still slather on the sunscreen daily!
    Fall means football so we went to a college game. Complimentary seats 4 rows from the field- I of course wished I had brought my crocheting.  Football is not my thing especially when I didn't care who won! It was a beautiful day and the marching bands were entertaining anyway.

 This is what fall looks like here….

 The canna lilies are thriving and have doubled in size- I may have a forest soon!

Love these buds that will be these flowers tomorrow...

Limes are growing

Lemons are ripening

Vines are creeping

Bushes are blooming again. 

New palms are flourishing

Fountain is flowing

Skies are a brilliant blue

Dragon fruit are ripe

The flesh tastes like kiwi/pear combo

Strawberries are as yummy as ever

Dave has taken up flying- this is the practice plane- the larger one is being shipped!

Typical sight every evening- dining outside with our feet up on the fire pit.   Living the good life!!!

From Kansas to California- home is where the heart is...

Tristan has a very nice park by his apartment. I love the contrast of the old log cabin and the water park!

    "Home is where the heart is." Since this appears to be a true statement, my heart is in three pieces. I left part in WI, part in KS (who would ever have thought part of my heart would be in KS!) and the rest of that divided organ is in CA!  I had a week with each of the boys/girl and those weeks flew by but it seemed like I was away a long time from Dave and CA. When I landed in Milwaukee I felt like I was home.  When I landed in San Diego I felt like I was home. I guess that is a good thing just very confusing! When I meet people and they ask where I am from I can't just say "San Diego" but I add " originally from WI." I guess that is part of my identity.

Beautiful fall days and late roses.

Fountain in the park

Not sure who this big guy is with his wicked looking farm tool.

Where Tristan is living until his next job move.

We raised a gardener- his herb garden.

Tristan on the job at Kansas State

He gave me a full tour and explained what all goes into a project .  Piles of rebar.

One of two tower cranes- you have to be crazy to operate one of these.  You also have to be physically fit to climb up these every day. Tristan kindly offered to let me climb up to see the view.  NOT happening!!!

The big hole that is the basement

Proud of our Architect son that is doing such a complex job as an ICC (Integrated Construction Coordinator)  

New friends Suzette and Gabriel- an absolute cutie!

    My mother's heart is satisfied because I know that my children are happy, healthy, gainfully employed and making wise choices.  Although I wish there weren't so many miles between us I will survive because they are doing well. As my new friend Suzette said, " I am raising him( little Gabe) to leave me." If we do our jobs as parents our children do leave us and flourish in their own places. But how come it feels so lonely sometimes????

From Wisconsin to Kansas

Dining on the rooftop of Shane and Nikelle's "penthouse"

Sunset over Berlin

Lana and Vanessa

There were so many special people I would have liked to have seen in WI.... This trip my main desire was to spend as much time as possible with my children.  I did meet up with a few others. Lana and Vanessa came to the mall to meet us.  Lana and Jess used to live near us and go to our meeting in Waukesha. Of course that was 1 1/2 children ago! Very special memories.  Also had lunch with my sister-in-law Ruth.  It is hard that all of our family members are so far away now.

Nikelle and Ruth

Living room of the penthouse

Dined at Norton's on Green Lake my last night in Berlin

My sister and her adorable grand daughter

My special friend Linda doing her humble job at convention! Sorry Linda but I just happened to have my camera with me!

I feel privileged to have one day at Wisconsin Dells Convention.  I have  going there all of my life- carried in my parents arms as a baby. Very thankful for wise parents who had right priorites. Many special memories from this place.

Sisters- miss my sister!

Sunset in Kansas. Heading to Tristan's home in Manhattan.

So hard to leave the kids in Wisconsin but so excited to get to Kansas to see Tristan! Only a 1 hour fight to Kansas City, MO. It was a 2 hour drive for Tristan to pick me up.

I am now in the land of the Wildcats! 

This is the scenic drive Tristan took on the way to convention! Pretty much a tractor path!  I got to 2 conventions  in 3 days. Beautiful smaller Marysville Convention.

Tristan and his mommy!

One of Tristan's room mates- Scrubs.

His other roomie- Chewy

Beautiful Wisconsin!

Ahhhh...... fall in my home state is beautiful! A little fall color mixed in with the green, vivid blue skies with fluffy white clouds.  Firstborn special boy Shane and his lovely wife Nikelle have settled in rural Wisconsin. They were each raised in country type suburbs of larger cities so this is a change for them. I am constantly amazed at their adaptability to new locales and situations. One of my double first cousins, Marilyn picked me up at the Milwaukee airport and delivered me 2 hours away to their doorstep in Berlin.

Celebrated Wayne and Marilyn's birthdays together since they are 1 day different.

More cousins and good friends Jamie and Meredith who live nearby.   We spent many a weekend and vacation with them when our kids were young.

The hospital in Berlin where Shane spends most of his work hours.

Rain and the afternoon "traffic jam" in downtown Berlin! It was kind of fun to see rain twice since I arrived!

Cute building in Berlin

Local Sat AM market.... gotta love the creativity of the camper remodel.... and check out the Packer motif!

When Nikelle said, " I have never seen 5X t-shirts!" in a tone of awe and horror I had to snap a photo! And the belly in the photo is a bonus!

Nikelle outside their apartment building.

Their apartment is right on the Fox River.

There are some beautiful older homes in this town.

Country church

And then there is this....

Season is changing

You can take me out of Wisconsin but you can't destroy my love of cheese curds!

Crashed a wedding reception and saw Tina! A friend from the home area.  

My buddy Oscar waiting for me to join him on the pier.  A beautiful Sunday  on Spring Lake- Jamie and Meredith's home.

Shane going native with his Berlin sweatshirt.

Jamie

A man and his dog feeding hot dogs to the fish!

I love this girl who lets her MIL come to visit for a week and is such a gracious hostess.  I  am so blessed to have grown children who welcome me into their homes even after we deserted them and moved to California. Missing my husband  and my California friends but soaking up as much of WI as I can in a week!