You Know You Are Getting Old When.......

It was inevitable, everybody gets old right? No, not everyone, not us, we are not old….. Well there were signs…..my arms are almost too short to read a menu, we are offered the senior discount without asking, our mails consists of more AARP material than anything else, our biggest decision of the day is whether to have peanut butter or honey on our English muffins and yes, I have worn socks and sandals. But the sad truth really hit home this week. It occurred to us the other day as we walked hand in hand into our doctor appointments, followed by our joint visits to the dentist office but it really occurred to us as we were walking into Walgreens together to pick up our prescriptions. OMG, we are an old couple!!!! Oh well, getting old beats the alternative…..

We arrived to the Balsam Lake area late on a Tuesday and the first thing we did was order a pizza from our favorite pizza place, in fact we ordered it on our way into Wisconsin and picked it up as we passed by. JJ’s has the best pizza ever!

We arrived at our friend Kevin’s place and set up next to the horse barn. Since we arrived a day early we had no plans for the next day so we spent the day cleaning the rig. The dust, mud and snow of South Dakota had done a number on the outside, throw in a couple of dogs dragging that dirt inside the rig and you can imagine what the inside of it looked like.

The Filip's Estate

Our home for the week!

We had a full week of visiting planned and first on our list was  my sister Judy and her husband Mike. We met them at our old hangout The Thirsty Otter for all you can eat rib night. The ribs were as good as remembered them yet they too were a sign we are getting old. You know you are getting old when all you can eat ribs consists of one serving…… It was great to see Judy and Mike.

Next up was our friends Joe and Pam who we met at Waterside restaurant just outside of Amery. Since it was Friday of course I had to go with the all you can eat fish fry! (again one serving). We followed that up with a visit to a new taproom in the area. Amery Ale Works is in the bottom of a converted dairy barn and well worth the stop.

Kevin, Pam, Joe, Barb and I

Saturday was a big day as we had planned a family reunion of sorts. Three of my sisters and both my brothers along with some of their spouses all got together at Kevin’s for a get-together. Kevin slow cooked a 14# prime rib on his pellet grill and it was delicious!!!! We also had killer bean bag toss tournament which was won by none other than yours truly with my brother Bob as a partner!

My brother Rod, his wife Beth and my sisters Becky and Carol

Barb showing my sister Judy and sister-in-law Greta our house plans

Greta and Barb watching Dakota swim

My brother Bob and brother-in-law Mike doing a little shooting

Sunday consisted of a trip over to the Somerset area where we had a great lunch with good friends Doug and Connie. We also threw up some “For Sale” signs our property in the area. We are hoping to sell this within the next year to fund our house building project in South Dakota. So if you know anyone looking to buy some property in Wisconsin, send them our way!

We also swung by Hack’s Bar in Milltown to see our favorite bartender. Julie who used to house/dog sit for us when we lived here. Then it was back to the Thirsty Otter for bingo night! Who plays bingo you ask? Old people….old people play bingo, and we play bingo because we are evidently old…. Prizes consisted of free meals, drink tokens, packages of meat and cash. We were within one square several time…close but no bingo. I finally got bingo but so did someone else so we shook dice to break the tie. I lost and took the walk of shame back to my bar stool without my package of meat. Barb finally broke the ice on the very last game of the night where everyone throws in $5 for a cash game. She won $160!!!!!!

Thursday and Friday Barb went to make some money at her old workplace where she still does some contract work. I on the other hand spent money getting the trailer tire fixed and went over to my brother Bob’s house where we spent the day making birdhouses. There a lot of bluebirds on the South Dakota property so I am sure they need some houses!

Check out the hematoma on that tire!

My brother Bob cutting some side panels

3 of the 8 finished houses

Speaking of South Dakota, our friend Kevin is going to be our neighbor! Well 15 minutes away but close enough to be considered a neighbor as he bought a 15 acre horse property adjacent to the National Forest just outside of Pringle. It is a beautiful site with water, power and a spectacular view and bonus…it has elk right on the property!

Friday night we drove an hour over to Hudson Wisconsin to have dinner with our old lake neighbors Brian and Chelle. They took us to Postmark Grille a newer restaurant in the old post office building. We followed that up with drinks at Madison Ave. Wine and Spirits. It could not have been a better night, great food, great drinks with great friends.

The downside of moochdocking at the house of a contractor/horse owner is that there is always so much to do. So while we were there we mucked stalls, mowed the grass, unloaded various construction materials and power washed the deck. There is never a lack of things to do!

Off loading some timbers for an upcoming house

One interesting off load involved some prebuilt walls that were too big to unload with one skid loader so what do you do? Get another one and lift up the pallets, have the truck drive out from under them and slowly move the skid loaders in unison.

Truck pulling forward

Drop this and it will cost a few thousand dollars

Our Wisconsin adventure cumulated with a two day visit to our good friends the Anderson family in Spring Valley. We look forward to seeing them whenever we are in the area. They were nice enough to let us crash their Mother's Day celebration.

Barb chatting with Rachel and Ronda

Gloria making banana splits!

We were not able to see everyone we wanted to see but it was a great week of visiting and there is more that I could write about but it is 4:30 and if we are going to catch the early bird special at the buffet and be home in time to be in bed by 7:30 we need to get moving!