Awesome October

This month turned topsy-turvy early on and became a winner! Mark’s big trial in southern Missouri was delayed from October to next June (yes, it will be hot then ), which allowed him to take off three days in the absolute best weather…beautiful sun-drenched days with warm temps and fantastic colors in the trees. We did things around the house and yard, then went to the range one morning and out to Sherwood Lake and the county forest out there for a fine walk. After the past three months of lots of deadlines and pressure for Mark, he really relaxed.

All through the month, I felt better and better and finally got back to lots of energy and worked on getting fall harvesting and cleaning done. We gathered in an enormous yield of squash and pumpkin and throughout the month shared them with family and friends and took about 30 squash to St. Paul’s School. I began enjoying the pumpkin baking: pies, breads, and those melt-in-your- mouth orange blossom sweet rolls, which I made for the crafts ladies. I enjoy having them out very much…on those seventh Thursdays when there is no taekwondo.

The postponement of the trial allowed Mark and me to be here for the October taekwondo testing, always a good gathering and celebration of the progress of students. I also had election training, attended a conference on the redistricting coming in spring, and the last meeting of the board of Aging & Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin as a two county agency. Starting November 1, the ADRC CW will serve four counties---Marathon, Wood, Lincoln and Langlade. It will be exciting to chair meetings of such a large group and watch the expansion happen.

At the end of the month, a buyer showed up for Hazel’s house in Rice Lake, so Mark and I took the trailer over and retrieved the other pieces of furniture to be cherished by the grandchildren. Of course, until they have room, the bed, chest, desk and low dresser will be here. That trip on the 22nd of October was not only the last day of really nice weather, it began with this full moon setting just at dawn over Rudolph. Very nice!

As nice as the beginning weather was, allowing lots of outside detail work, the final week of October featured two days of very high winds and some of the lowest barometric pressures ever recorded inland (not from a hurricane) The wind did damage in several areas, but mostly, made it hard to sleep and concentrate…it felt like an attack! Further north, power was out for several days and schools closed.

We don’t have a lot of spooks and goblins out here for Halloween, but we did get to skype with Jim and Kayme….they are fine and nearing the time for the new arrival in the family. We are all counting down the days.

September Summation

September is always a transitional month, but this month was not a smooth transition, ups and down, floods and trips, sickness and celebrations all combined!

We did have a warmer period to start off the month which helped the later produce finish and ripen---tomatoes were the focus for Hilde with lots of stewed tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato sauce and tomato soup put up and squirreled away for the dark months. The first cool, wet weather coincided with John and Evie’s corn roast and congratulations here on the 3rd. It is amazing how a small gathering seems large when crammed indoors with four healthy and energetic preschoolers bouncing around. It was a fun start for the Labor Day weekend! Mark and John did the annual remove rust and weld on the pathfinder, but that may be the last year for that. From three pathfinders, we are down to only one 1995, and it is putting on lots of miles between Chicago and Madison. Evie’s parents came through and got to see Rudolph in the ‘green’ mode, so the Labor Day weekend was social and great.

The rest of the month was a muffled one, as Hilde got a very nasty bug which left her ears blocked up and her energy levels just above zero. We were also praying constantly for the relief from pain and reconstruction of nephew Adam’s knee---he had a very comprehensive football injury. Thank God for skilled doctors and a full-time mom/nurse/chauffeur for him. We hope he will be on his feet before Christmas.

September 9th was the 60th wedding anniversary of Hilde’s parents, Ray and Arlene. Some 35 Bormann family and friends gathered in Oconomowoc to celebrate, with Jim and Kayme, John and Evie, and Hilde’s brother Steve joining by skype, thanks to Terri’s wireless card. It was a special day with shared memories and photos, great food, a lovely house (thanks for hosting, Laure!), and even unexpected ‘entertainment’ with a brief dogfight in the middle!

Mark is in the intense, pre-trial mode and flew to Springfield Missouri for a court appearance, being gone during THE rain event of September 21 & 22 and 23, when Rudolph received at least 6 inches (overfilled the rain gauge!) and Pittsville nearly washed away. He returned to find detours and roads closed as the water gathered and over-flowed almost everywhere in Wood County, where 50 roads were closed at one point. The Henkel home, being on one of the highest points in the county, had no damage, but so many folks did!

Other assorted incidents included the dryer deceasing after more than 20 years hard use, the garage door opener breaking again, Hilde winning a raffle of a beautiful Amish quilt, and the raspberries and lawn continuing productive. Despite all this busyness, Hilde has begun to update and outline the family lines from her genealogy records, so relatives are going to be getting questions and draft outlines to add to, update and embellish. She also wrote up some early Bormann memories to share with her parents and siblings and during those long dark months of winter hopes to continue on that. Now on to October, to pumpkins and long trials, to frosts and prepping for winter. The view down the hill here is absolutely lovely!