Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins

This afternoon we went to the pumpkin farm with some kids from church. The farm had a rainbow play yard, some cute billy goats (CeCe's favorite), some bounces, a corn maze and of course the pumpkin field. It was interesting to see how the kids exercised their blossoming leadership skills in trying to find our way through the maze. Manny and Loren (I think she was about the same age as him) appointed themselves as leaders and would often stop and discuss the direction to go based on each others' interpretation of the map. The younger ones would follow them like the pied piper and after awhile they realized that in addition to getting us out of the maze they had to make sure we were all together so would often stop to check to make sure that Gee (aka, me) was pulling up the end of the group. I was quite proud of Manny (as always).

We've been practicing for this year's choir dinner show. This year's theme is broadway musicals and I'll be singing in a couple of group numbers including 'Beauty School Dropout'. We'll be wearing a towel on our heads and a beauty shop apron! So as well as looking foolish by my costume I also have some considerable dance steps to add to my repretoire -- oh and remembering the music is yet an additional challenge for uncoordinated old me. It'll be fun though. This is the third time that I've participated in the choir dinner show; I made it through the last two without falling flat on my face and have a good feeling I'll make it through this one unscathed.

In case I haven't twisted your arm to purchase tickets they can be acquired by calling the church office and reserving your seat for the 11/1, 11/2, 11/7, 11/8, or 11/9 show. The phone number is 262-251-3830. Ticket prices are $30 and include a three-course meal.

Fall!

Hello All --

This morning's ride into work was a photographer's paradise; unfortunately THIS photographer opted to stay in bed a couple of minutes longer until Zackie had enough of my laziness and urged me to climb out from under the covers and feed him. The fall colors are in their prime now . . . the tree across the street is a vibrant red and ours is colors of golden orange and yellow. The fields along my route are tinted brown and one can almost smell Fall in the air. I caught the sun setting from my office window and smelled my favorite fall scent -- wood burning fire places. Ahhh, I love it! I wonder if there's a definite change in one's perspective without the dramatic season change?? Brother John moved out to Arizona a few years ago and vows never to return (except for visits) -- he feels that if he grows lonesome for snow he can run up to the mountains in the morning and be back in time to take a dip in his backyard pool. Not me, I'm a Wisconsin girl through and through; however, I could convince myself that Vermont is just as nice if need be. Gregg and I snow-shoed up in the Green Mountains over Christmas / New Year's a couple of years ago and I fell in love with the scenary, people, slower pace, no drive-through McD's or big box stores. That was one of the things that stole the romance from Germany . . . here we were in towns that were a couple of centuries old and on the corner was a MCDONALD'S. Yuck! It was almost blasphemous.

OK, off my soapbox.

While I was on vacation one of the partners in my company decided to take an early retirement so I was offered his responsibilities. YIKES! I thought about it for a bit and discussed my idea of supporting the revenue-producing units (instead of directing them as the past CFO did) with the other two remaining partners. They liked my idea and came up with a new title, 'Administrative Manager'. In this role I still do all my controller-type duties (creating the financial statements, administering HR, managing the IT processes, etc.) but do it in such a way to help the sales and production team leaders do their jobs with assistance from me and my team. My team is awesome and have alot of experience in the industry for me to learn from. So, stay tuned, this latest challenge is proving to be quite the ride.

Mother Nature's Magic

Yesterday I finally got a chance to get back out to the garden and had tears in my eyes when I retrieved the sunflower heads for the squirrels and chipmunks. Manny 'helped' me plant my sunflowers this year; he decided that we should just scatter them instead of the boring row that I've planted them in the past. So, this year I had seven growing in various spots in one of my plots and one smack dab in the center of another. He loved it, I wanted to pull them out and transplant them in the rows where they belonged. In the end his creativity won out and I guess that may be the reason for the shape; mother nature's laughing at me for being so rigid.

Home Sweet Home

I'm caught up on my sleep, the laundry, sorting through the piles of mail, answering emails and feel about ready to take on what's been waiting for me while I've been globe trotting. Of everyone that missed me I think it was hardest on my Zackie. When I came home he didn't even come to greet me at the door as he always does; Gregg went downstairs to get him and as soon as he put him down Zackie dashed back downstairs. Later on in the evening he once again ventured upstairs and when I called him he then dashed to me and wouldn't leave my side even to go to the bathroom. He's now like my shadow. Ahhh, creature comforts -- gotta love it.

I was thinking this morning about all that I learned on my trip; the culture, history, and resilience of the German people. I can sense that neat, orderly German culture that Dad tried to instill in me from little on -- it was what he learned from his parents and they from theirs, etc. My generation is the first of our clan that doesn't speak German; it would be a shame to lose any of the other qualities of our heritage. How then to preserve them? The family reunion is one way. Perhaps I need to get more in touch with my inner German and investigate what makes us tick.

The palace at Steinhofel (where I spent my 50th birthday, see picture) keeps intriguing me -- is it the gorgeous surroundings, quaint village, and proximity to the homeland of my ancestors that is so alluring? I don't think it was the summer palace for the King and Queen but probably for one of his cabinet members -- I have emailed the Schloss and am hoping that they'll be able to fill in the missing pieces to the puzzle. I believe that it was God's plan, or fate, which arranged for me to be there on that special day. Why? Was this a trailer to the next chapter in my life story?

I foresee the next chapters in my life being filled with challenges, rewards, and memories. With God's help I think it'll be quite the ride.