Small Town Bakery

As you probably know by now, Scott and I live in a small town.  Downtown Stoughton is quaint and charming.  I haven't explored the downtown shops as much as I would like to, but hope to do so once spring weather arrives.  One place I have already checked out, though, is Fosdal Bakery.

Fosdal is a Stoughton staple.  We love this small town bakery.  The confections they make are so mouth-watering good.  It ain't much to look at on the inside, but the breads and pastries are out of this world.

The doughnuts....oh, the doughnuts......

I read in a magazine that Fosdal sells 400 dozen doughnuts each day.  That's a lot of doughnuts.  At that quantity, they are obviously selling/delivering outside of Stoughton.  At least I hope this small town of 12,000 people isn't eating 400 dozen doughnuts a day.  Geesh.   

As I mentioned, it ain't much to look at on the inside and it sure won't win any decorating awards on HGTV shows.  When we were waiting to pay for our purchase this past Saturday, I noticed these saucers on the counter.  Recognize these?  I think they are the very first pattern of Corelle dinnerware from the 70's.

They have a variety of delicious breads at Fosdal.  Right after we moved to our house here, the next door neighbor came over to introduce herself and brought us some rolls from there.  We loved them---- them as in the rolls----immediately.  The jury is still out on the neighbors.

The display isn't fancy, but the breads and rolls are amazing.  Atkins Diet be damned.

And let's not forget the yummy cookies.  They had a big display of brightly decorated cookies, but I couldn't get a picture because while we were there a little kid was standing in front of it, hands on the display case glass, staring wide-eyed and longingly at all the sweet options.

Scott and I got an absolutely sinful mini-chocolate cake with a cream layer and chocolate icing.  Kind of like a really good, big, homemade Hostess Ho-Ho.  I don't know what it was exactly.  All I do know is that once we got it home, it was gone quickly.  So quickly, in fact, that I didn't even get a picture of it.

So, there you have it.  Fosdal-- a small town bakery.  As I'm wrapping up this post, it occurred to me the only two places downtown I have scoped out are a pub and a bakery.  Figures.

We Had Company!

Two weekends ago, Scott and I had (local) company to our  house for the first time.  We were both excited and a bit nervous.  I love to entertain, so it felt good to get the house cleaned up, prepare food, get out my party dishes, platters, etc.  That was the excitement part.  Getting ready was actually fun.  I love the way the house looks, feels, and smells when it's white-glove clean and I enjoyed getting food and drinks ready because my party 'stuff' is more accessible here since we have so much storage.  I can actually get to things I want with ease.  How nice.  The nervousness came from having people over that we don't know very well; my friend, Kori, from work and her husband.  I guess I know Kori pretty well from working with her for the past year, but I had only met her husband in passing.  Scott didn't know either one of them.

Scott and I spent pretty much the whole day cleaning the house and getting ready.  (Scott cleaned all the bathrooms.  What a great guy.)  We had the house looking pretty good.  Candles going.  Big, roaring fire in the fireplace.  Lights dimmed.  This is a great house for entertaining.

After the house and the fixin's were ready, we waited nervously for Kori and her husband to arrive.  Admittedly, I kept thinking that I wished my friends from "home" were coming over-- people I know, have a history with, can relax around.  It had been a long, long time since I had anyone to my home that I didn't already know pretty well (unless a "new" person came to a party at our house in Columbus with someone I already knew, which is a different scenario.)

Turns out, we had a great time!  Kori and her husband are loads of fun.  We thoroughly enjoyed spending time with both of them.  We ate.  We drank.  We laughed.

They brought over a game called Catch Phrase.  I had never played this game before.  I don't think we exactly followed the rules, but the way we played it was so much fun.  I'm going to have to buy the game for myself to have on hand for future gatherings. 

As the evening wore on and the drinks kept flowing, we really got to laughing about a whole host of things.  Let me back up for a minute here.  A friend of mine was previously, briefly married to a guy from the Dominican Republic.  This guy owned a souvenir shop there.  My friend brought me back a number of things from the shop, including a carved, wooden statue of a penis.  This was before I met Scott.  I think the penis statue is kind of cool.  Scott hates it. 

I had just unpacked the wooden penis a couple days before Kori and her husband came over.  (yes, believe it or not, we are still unpacking)  Don't ask me how, but the wooden penis ended up coming up in conversation while Kori and James were here.  Not only did it come up in conversation, it also ended up as a center piece on a tray of treats Kori had brought over.
 

I giggle every time I look at that picture.  You know you are with some people who like to laugh and have a good time when the wooden penis statue ends up as a center piece.

It ended up being  such a great evening.  It felt so good to laugh and socialize.  I didn't realize how much I have missed doing that.  Entertaining is one of my most favorite things to do.  Having company revitalized me.  Scott felt the same way.

We definitely hope to spend more time with Kori and James.  I'm thinking once the weather breaks for spring we'll have them over for brunch.  Have a little food.  Some Mimosas.  Yeah.....that sounds nice.

Political Protest

Today I did something I have never done before.  I participated in a political protest.

Well, I'm not sure I really participated in it.  I was present for it.  That might be a better way to put it.  Scott participated.  I was present. 

It kind of happened by accident.  I don't know if you have been watching the news or not, but Wisconsin has been getting some national press lately due to a budget bill proposed by our new idiot of a Republican governor, Scott Walker.  This clown has put forth a bill that would strip unions of their collective bargaining rights for all benefits other than salary.  No collective bargaining for insurance benefits. No collective bargaining for pension.  A whole host of professions would be affected.  Teachers unions have been at the forefront.  For the past 2 days, so many teachers have called in sick that classes in Madison schools (and some other school districts in the state) have been cancelled.  Word is that classes tomorrow will be cancelled as well.

Granted, Wisconsin has a huge budget deficit that needs to be filled and, as Governor, Scott Walker has to deal with that.  Going after unions though?  Yikes.

Union issues are touchy for me.  On one hand, within my company/industry, union organizing is highly, highly, highly discouraged/frowned upon and considered detrimental to the work that we do.  On the other hand, my husband is a die-hard union man; a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers.  My Dad is a retired union man; Teamsters.  My Mom is currently in a union within the public schools.  My brother is even in a union; the FOP.

But, back to how I accidentally ended up at the protest.  Scott and I went to a new spot for an early dinner.  We went to a joint called the Avenue Bar.  It's close to downtown.  As we were leaving, Scott said he wanted to drive downtown to see the protesters that we had been hearing about on the news.  As we got close to downtown, Scott said he wanted to park and walk up to the Capitol building, which we did.

As we were walking from the parking ramp towards the Capitol, Scott found a sign someone had left laying against a building, so he picked it up and carried it.  This is the sign he picked up.

Next picture is Scott with his sign and the Capitol building in the background.

There were a lot of people downtown.  I heard on the news tonight that there were 20,000 people outside the Capitol building.

In the picture below, you can see a couple guys approaching the Capitol in their Green Bay Packers jerseys and one guy (front, right, somewhat hidden by the tree branches) has his cheesehead hat on.  Ahh... Wisconsin. 

In addition to the 20,000 people outside the building, there were another 5000 people protesting inside the Capitol building.  They were packed in the rotunda and up the stairs on all 3 levels.

Inside, people were beating drums and I heard a couple cow bells.  People were chanting:  "KILL THE BILL...KILL THE BILL....KILL THE BILL".  They also chanted, "HEY, HEY.... HO, HO....SCOTT WALKER'S GOT TO GO."

When we were outside, we saw the guy below in the red sweatshirt and black sweat pants walking around the Capitol, pushing his little kids in a stroller, yelling at the top of his lungs, "LEAVE MY KIDS ALONE."

Next photos are some of the signs we saw at the protest.  The first one is pretty basic.

This guy's sign was quite a bit more sophisticated.  And funny.  Funny in a troubling, satirical kind of way. 

Here is a close up of the sign:  Scott Walker's face on evil Mini Me's body.

A couple more signs.  There were so many.

The next picture didn't turn out very good.  The sign reads:  I removed a dictator in Iraq only to find one when I got home.

If they were giving out prizes, the guy below might have won for the most original.

There were  people of all ages protesting.  The girl holding the sign below was probably in her early teens.

This might have been one of the youngest protesters at the rally.  She was right up in the mix inside the Capitol building.  She even has on a hippy knit cap.  So cute.  So young.  So political.

More signs.  The ones below were inside the Capitol.  The one immediately below:  What's disgusting?  Union busting.

Another good one.

We saw the sign below outside.  It's one of my favorites. Protest like an Egyptian.

Our jackass clown of a Republican Governor in Wisconsin doesn't have a college degree.  Of course, the teacher's union members and supporters are all over that.  The picture below isn't good, so I'll interpret the sign.  It reads:  Walker- Pretend you went to college- drop out.

Another sign taking a dig at Walker.

Below is another young protester at the rally. 

One of the comments Scott Walker has made is that he wants the tax-payers voices to be heard too, in addition to the protesters.  What?  The protesters aren't tax-payers??   The girl in the picture above has a sign that speaks to that.

When Scott and I were in the Capitol, the place erupted in cheers over the signs below, showing solidarity with Wisconsin from New York and North Carolina.

Outside there were speakers set up. Music was piping through.  I heard the song "Power to the People".  Perfect for a political rally.

There was a lot of media coverage there.  I noticed earlier tonight that the story out of Madison was on the front page of the CNN website.

The latest tonight is that the Democratic leaders have left the state so that law enforcement can't force them to respond to the call to come to the Capitol.  Without the Democrats, there aren't enough representatives  for a vote on the bill to occur, which stalls it indefinitely.  The Democratic leaders are camped out at a hotel in Illinois tonight.

The political protest is Madison at its best.  It's Madison being what Madison is:  Political.  Liberal.  Active.  It was interesting to be a part of/witness to the protest.  The solidarity of people coming together for a common cause is an amazingly powerful experience. 

2010- Year in Review- Part 6

June 2010

As mentioned in the previous post (the one before last), Scott had been in Madison visiting at the end of May.  He left on June 1, the day my friend, Cathy, arrived.  Cathy and I work for the same company.  She came to town on business, but we found time to have a little bit of fun, too.  First stop on her first evening here was Eno Vino, which I have written about in previous posts.  I love Eno Vino.  Swanky.  Just how I like it. 



Cathy is a creative person.  One of her creative outlets is quilting.  Before she came to Madison, she looked on-line and found a quilting store she wanted to visit:  Stitcher's Crossing.  Cute little place on the outside.

I don't quilt, but I wish I did.  I have a deep love of fabric.  Stitcher's Crossing was a fabric lover's dream.

I appreciate traditional quilts, but prefer a bit more contemporary styles.  Like the one below.  Isn't that quilt amazing?  It was hanging up on display in Stitcher's Crossing.  I wish I could make something like that.

Cathy and I hit a few other spots:  a scrapbook store, Savoir Faire (one of my favorite shops), and a happy hour spot (or two).  I thoroughly enjoyed our time together.  It was nourishment for my soul.

June was also the month when I traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin for the first time.  The company I work for has an office there.  La Crosse is located on the western side of the state, on the border of Minnesota.  It's a haul to get there.  On the way back, I traveled the scenic route.  Absolutely beautiful, rolling countryside.  Wisconsin is pretty state.  No arguing about that.

Scott came to visit again in June, mostly so we could do some aggressive house-hunting in Madison.  It was also his birthday on June 22.  We went to Johnny Del Monico's for (an expensive) dinner.  This is Scott looking in his card, trying to figure out where the birthday money is.  Uh....yeah.... the birthday money is going to pay for the $50.00 steak he ordered.

At the end of his visit, I traveled with Scott back to Ohio for his graduation from the International Union of Operating Engineers apprenticeship program.  Graduating from this program was a respectable accomplishment.  Typically it's a 4-year program.  Scott developed good working relationships with the guys in the union and also established himself as an outstanding apprentice.  As a result, the union guys were willing to work with him to allow him to graduate early so he could move to Wisconsin to be with me.  He graduated from the program in 3 years.  He had to work hard to do it.  Lots of classroom training time.  Lots of hours at job sites.  When he is focused on something, Scott has an unwaivering determination.

The graduation ceremony was a big deal.  It was held at the Hyatt on Capitol Square in downtown Columbus.  There was a nice meal.  Entertainment (comedian).  Ceremony.  Everyone got put up in rooms in the hotel for the night.  It was a classy affair and I was very proud of my husband.  Below is a picture of the graduating class and the next picture is Scott with some of his favorite instructors from the apprenticeship program.

After all the pomp and circumstance was over for the evening, Scott and I had a couple of drinks in one of the hotel bars.  The church below is right across the street from the hotel.  We could see it out the window at the bar.  What a magnificent structure.

It was strange to go home and see a 'For Sale' sign in the yard of our house.  While I knew it had to be done, I still didn't want to sell our house on Bendelow.  Part of me was screaming inside, "no!"  Looking back on it now, I still feel a sense of sadness.  We loved that house, that neighborhood, being close to family and friends.  Even though we don't live there anymore, when I think about that house, it still feels like home to me.

I had no idea when I left after that visit in June that it would be the last time I would ever be in that house, the place I consider home.  I never went back.

I feel a profound sense of sadness and homesickness as I write this.

One day at a time.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Blizzard Pics

These pictures don't do it justice, but here are a few shots from the blizzard-aftermath the week before last.

This first picture is looking over towards our next door neighbor's house.  The snow had really drifted on their deck.  It's hard to see in the picture, but it's a substantial drift.

We had a big drift on the southeast corner of our house where the garage and the house connect.

Similar to our neighbors, we had a lot of drifting on our deck too.  You can also see all the snow that stuck to the house from the wind blowing incessantly throughout the night.

The snow even blew and drifted up on our covered porch by the front door.

This is another shot of the deck out back.  The snow is so deep that it has nearly buried the chairs at the outdoor table.

I don't know how much snow we ended up getting.  It was hard to tell due to the drifting.  There were some spots that had virtually no snow and then other spots of high drifts.

Even though the weather outside was nasty during the blizzard, we stayed safe and snug inside.  We had power, heat, plenty of food.  And we kept a big, old roaring fire going in the fire place.  It was so cozy.

We love the fire place.  We actually have 2 of them in this house.  The one above, in the living room, is wood burning.  The one in the family room downstairs has gas logs.  We don't use the one downstairs since we don't have any furniture down there yet, but we use the hell out of the one in the living room.  We build a fire several evenings during the week and we keep the fire going almost all weekend long from Friday until Sunday night.  The fire place insert has a blower on it, which is nice for blowing the warm air into the room.  One of my favorite weekend things to do is take a nap on this couch...

...covered up with my faux mink throw from Private Quarters with a toasty warm fire crackling in the fire place.  It's as close to relaxing as I ever get.

I have digressed.  I do that a lot.  Back to the blizzard.....

The winter storm, which included the blizzard, happened in 2 parts but it was a fast mover.  The storm went into full effect on Tuesday afternoon and it snowed and the wind blew all night long.  But it stopped by the next morning and that afternoon it was bright, sunny and calm outside.

Last week we didn't really get any appreciable snow, but it was bitterly cold.  Temps were at or below zero every morning.  This week is supposed to be much more mild, with temps in the 40's (and rain) by the end of the week.  It's going to feel like a heat wave.

I think I have had a remarkably relaxed and positive attitude all winter long about the snow and cold.  I'm not gonna lie though.  At this point, I'm ready for spring.