August 16-21, 2017 Cumberland, WI

After returning to Cumberland, Dave and I drove to Amery, WI, about 30 miles south, to spend the evening visiting with sailing friends.  We met Nancy and Mike Magnine in St Mary’s, GA last summer.  They sailed from GA, to the Bahamas and down the Caribbean to Grenada and left their boat there for the summer.  We spent about 6 hours talking about their experience and our boats.  Great to see them again. 

We hung out with family Thursday and Friday.  Dave’s brother, Dean, arrived in Cumberland Thursday night.  On Friday, all of Dave’s family drove to Stone Lake, WI to eat at the Pine Ridge Fish Fry.  Every Friday night, they have a fish fry served family style.  It was delicious.  You had a choice of fried or grilled fish and a baked potato vs french fries.  That came out in baskets.  They also served fried chicken, coleslaw, fried bread and a free glass of wine.  It was about an hour’s drive from Cumberland, but worth the drive.  The family consisted of Alice, Dave’s brother Dean, sister Debbie, her “spice” Randy, her son David and his “spice” Cindy, Dave, Peter and me. 

Alice, Debbie, Randy, Cindy, Dave, Pete, Dean, David

Dave, Mary, Pete (may end up being our Christmas picture)

top-Randy, Dean, David, middle-Dave, Debbie, Cindy, bottom-Mary, Pete, Alice

Saturday was Alice’s 86th birthday.  Debbie made a white cake with red food coloring.  She put chocolate chips in the mix.  Then she frosted it with green watermelon flavored frosting.  It looked like a slice of watermelon. 

Alice's door when we arrived on her birthday

Alice and Dave with Alice's birthday present, a toaster oven.  we also brought her a conch shell horn from the Bahamas, but forgot to take any pictures or videos of her blowing it.

Debbie and Randy

David and Debbie

Pete taking requests

Alice and Debbie with her cake

 About 4:00, we left for Minneapolis.  We spent the evening with Joe and Erin Clausen.  They made pork loin for us at their home.  On Sunday, we met our niece, Dena and 2 of her kids, Malachi and Julianna, at 3rd Lair, a skate board park.  Malachi will be competing at the state fair on his skate board and was practicing.

Malachi, Dave, Dena, Julianna, Pete

We met my brother, Jerry, and his wife, Barb, for breakfast before heading to the airport on Monday.  We watched the full eclipse of the sun on the TV at the airport. 

Mary, Pete, Dave saying good-bye

We had a great 3 weeks visiting family and friends.  Seemed strange not to go to Rapid City this summer, but we didn't miss the drive across the state of South Dakota.  And having Pete with us for 10 days made it a special vacation.