Quick trip to Wisconsin

Greetings from the Airport in Appleton, WI.

I didn't really plan way ahead for a trip to Wisconsin.  I kind of played with the idea of visiting my sister for her birthday at the end of March.

But one day, I talked with her on the phone.  If you have been reading this blog a while, you may remember that her husband was diagnosed with dementia before George was diagnosed in 2014-2015.  

His decline has been very slow.  But now he is getting pretty wobbly and unsure in his step.  After a couple of bad falls he is supposed to use a walker,  but you can imagine how that is going.  How can you remember to use a walker when you sometimes don't know that you are sitting in your own house and not someone else's. 

After our talk on the phone, I cleared my calendar and booked a flight.  Allegiant flies a couple times a week from St. Pete, FL to Appleton, WI direct.  Perfect.

I am writing this in the airport.  I have been gone eight days and I am looking forward to hugging Steve and putting on flip flops.

Here are a few pictures from my trip.

I saw this sign while walking through a nice neighborhood in Appleton, WI.

I arrived late at night. I used Lyft for the first time, and spent the night at a La Quinta Inn.

The next morning I walked a few miles to the rental car place.

I took this picture while taking pictures of any scratches and scuffs on the rental vehicle before I headed to Rhinelander.

The afternoon I arrived, the sun was shining and it was warm enough to sit on the deck listening to the drip drip of the snow melting off the roof.

The compost bin Steve built last summer for Mary is still standing strong.

On the weekend, Mary got a caregiver in so we could escape to Wausau.  There I kept her company while she shopped for a new vehicle.  I am happy with her choice of a Ford Maverick.  After all, I like my Ford...it starts every time!

Sunday there was an ice storm.  We had a relaxing day in the motel room.  The motel had a nice fitness room I enjoyed.  I rode a Peloton for the first time.   Pretty cool and my body didn't hurt like on other stationary bikes I have ridden. 

The ice and snow broke tree limbs in Rhinelander.  The power went out.  Mary's house is on a well, so no heat, no toilet, no water for 18 hours.

I enjoyed cutting up downed tree limbs and scraping ice off the driveway.

Mary had created a room in her basement since we last visited.  It was a cozy and warm place to relax and sleep.

Thursday we went back to Wausau for some more paperwork on the car purchase and to go to the art museum where they were having a display of kimono art.

Then I got to have coffee with some friends that are on the same political page as I am.  I heard about their plans for April 5th and what activism they are doing to resist the loss of the balance of powers in the United States.

Steve made me a sign since I won't be home until late tonight and the protests are Saturday morning.

I was fortunate to be able to get away and visit Mary.   She was very appreciative and it looks like she will be getting more hours of caregiver help each week.

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