Wisconsin was full of surprises.

I grew up eating pasties. I didn’t really think anyone else did. Near Vicki’s house, they actually have a store devoted to them!

ps. check out my flickr page to see the menu!

I spent a wonderful weekend in Wisconsin with Vicki and her family. If you ever thought to yourself as you read Vicki’s blog, ‘wow, her house looks really cool, she seems so nice, her girls are gorgeous, her husband’s easy on the eyes too, and I wonder if she has a dog?’ The answer is a resounding Yes!!

Go to Vicki’s site to get the details on all the classes we took. She sums up our Cat Bordhi experience perfectly! The whole weekend was a delight, but the Houdini sock class was the cherry on top.

But really, which would you rather hear about all I learned in class or what Vicki is really like?

that’s what I thought, so let’s get right to it.

first off, her house. She really does live in a big old Victorian right on the edge of a ravine. She is so much on the edge of a ravine that she actually uses the ravine to help her hang her sheets on the clothesline. I witnessed her shaking her wet sheets and towels off of the edge of the cliff before she hung them on the line. The entire state of Wisconsin appears as flat as a pancake, except for the one ravine with a house on the edge of it where Vicki lives.

She is an excellent photographer, but her pictures don’t do it justice. Imagine a big, rambling Victorian house, filled with cool nooks and crannies, with so, so charming details. And then imagine that all updates that have been put in have been done by a tribe of talented craftsman with artistic vision and very good luck at finding the perfect antique piece for every possible spot. And that is Vicki’s house.

Nice? Vicki is as nice as she seems – nicer. She is cool, funny, laid back and wry.

Husband, girls? the family is loaded with talent – everyone’s art is everywhere and it’s all really, really good. Unbelievable – there isn’t a dud in the bunch. They are all so busy fulfilling all the godgiven talent and being busy with the business of living that none of them watch TV. And if that isn’t enough to send you over the edge of the ravine, Rusty cooks. And bakes pie. Have you had enough? does it make a difference if I tell you how flaky the crust was???

and as far as the dog Mickey? I slept with Vicki’s dog and I liked it!

Four years ago today Vicki, Vicki’s sister, Flair and I all quit smoking.  It is hard to believe it has been that long.  It is also hard to believe how much I miss it even after all this time.

I am so proud of us!  Look at all that time we have saved – look at all the $$ not spent (and that figure is based on the price of cigs four years ago)!  Here are our stats:

My Quit

My Stats: Your Quit Date is: 3/17/2005 11:15:00 PM

Time Smoke-Free: 1460 days, 10 hours, 53 minutes and 39 seconds

Cigarettes NOT smoked: 29209
Lifetime Saved: 7 months, 13 days, 2 hours
Money Saved: $7,889.4

[ stats generated by QuitNet , an online support service]