Sat 24 Jun

One more hour and we'll be on the road (hopefully). Busy getting last-minute things packed and organized. Remembering things like not to have my Munich-Fussen train tickets zipped in an inner pocket of my suitcase so I have to open the case completely to get at them. Lord, please keep us safe and able to do the things we hope to do. Keep our families and home safe in our absence. Amen. Food: 6:30 am 1/2 c TJs Maple Pecan Crunch cereal, 1/2 c skim milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Fri 23 Jun

In the middle of the night, I realized I can't carry any bags or other things that don't fit in my suitcase on the plane or I will have to carry them in my backpack when I hike. We can only have the one suitcase transferred, so I need to repack today to fit everything in there. I'll try the compression bags, and if they aren't enough, I'll pare down the underwear, socks, and clothes to make more room. These new suitcases really don't hold anywhere near as much as the old ones. It's the price of wheels. Food: 7:50 am Honey bear, 103 g blackberries, coffee

Thurs 22 Jun

The hot weather continues. Hopefully once we're in the Alps, we'll get a little break. It would be difficult to walk long distances with elevation changes in this kind of heat. Bootstrap today without Kathy or Maggie or Ann; hopefully Melissa has scheduled some subs. Food: 8:00 am 3/4 c TJs Maple Pecan Crunch cereal, 1/2 c skim milk, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Wed 21 Jun

Nasty night last night. A beetle crawled on him and he instinctively batted it away, right at me. It whirred its wings and landed near my left shoulder as I was on my back. I yelled and batted it away and it apparently went inside the neck of my pajama top and got quiet for awhile. 10-20 min later, I turned over and felt it in my right armpit/boob area. I tried to grab it and toss it, but apparently missed and it went quiet again for awhile. Another 10-20 min later, I felt it again and successfully grabbed it and tossed it on the bed after taking off my pajama top and shaking it out thoroughly. For quite a while thereafter, I felt phantom creepy crawlies all over. Not a restful situation. Food: 7:45 am Bear claw, 84 g blackberries, coffee

Tues 20 Jun

Had a long period of wakefulness in the middle of the night last night thinking about trip issues, etc. Finally took ibuprofen to relax back into sleep. Hoping to get a pedicure this afternoon to get my feet in best shape for hiking and sandals. Food: 8:00 am 3/4 c TJs Maple Pecan Crunch cereal, 1/2 c skim milk, 99 g blackberries, coffee

Mon 19 Jun

Had a very nice cook-in with Michael and Taylor last night. Planned to cook out veggie burgers on the grill, but the grill ran out of gas. Michael was used to cooking the burgers on a cast iron skillet, so we proceeded in that way. Food: 8:00 am Cherry danish, 103 g blackberries, coffee

Sun 18 Jun

Father's Day and Michael's birthday, all rolled into one. Cooking out with Michael and Taylor this evening to celebrate. Got to bake a vegan chocolate cake right after Mass so it cools in time to frost it. Food: 8:00 am Blueberry danish, 104 g blackberries, coffee

Sat 17 Jun

Getting warm again. Shed my jacket halfway down to the Farmers' Market, and am sweating on the return. Good to have David's pastries this week before vacation, though we've been limiting ourselves to 5 days. Nothing like a fresh Antwerp square with huge berries on a Saturday morning. Food: 8:55 am Antwerp square, 104 g blackberries, coffee

Fri 16 Jun

Bob thinks he might be free to hike at Rib this afternoon, so I'll try to move laundry along quickly. Only one more week before we leave for Europe, and it's getting tight. I'm worried that I won't be able to fit everything, including my hiking poles into the new suitcase. I'd like to try a test pack this weekend. Food: 7:50 am Swedish coffee cake, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Thurs 15 Jun

Hopefully a little less humid today than yesterday, though it wasn't awful. Slowly chipping away at trip planning. Bob did a chunk of his yesterday as he didn't work. Food: 7:55 am Costco cherry cheese pastry, 103 g blackberries, coffee

Wed 14 June

Supposed to get a bit warmer again today, and the sun is shining. Didn't sleep very well last night, so I'm feeling a little groggy. Hopefully I'll get my energy groove in time for Body Pump. Food: 8:00 am 3/4 c TJs Maple Pecan Crunch cereal, 100 g blackberries, coffee

Tues 13 Jun

Blessed rain today, forecast to last all day. You can almost hear the earth sigh with delight. Food: 7:50 am 3/4 c TJs Maple Pecan cereal, 1/2 c skim milk, 104 g blackberries, coffee

Mon 12 Jun

Another cool, brisk morning - one of two or three in a row predicted. Feels kind of good to put on warmer clothes again. Had a really nice hike in the cooler temps at Rib yesterday afternoon. Food: 8:05 am Costco cherry cheese pastry, 102 g blackberries, coffee

Sun 11 Jun

Very nice visit with Laura, successfully installed the cabinets in her condo, nice dinner together at Pig in a Fur Coat, Bob and I had a very nice motel at Homewood Suites by Hilton with an excellent breakfast including real oatmeal with fixings and cheese omelets. Got our shopping done at Costco/TJs/Woodmans and home reasonably early on Sat night. Need to go over the new Mass parts this morning before co-cantoring with Dave Knaapen. Food: 8:05 am Cherry/cheese danish from Costco, 103 g blackberries, coffee

Fri 9 Jun

Got up early this morning to get ready to go down to Laura's for the next couple of days. Was quite tired yesterday evening and didn't feel like packing or organizing for the mini-trip, and have spent more time thinking this week about the big vacation coming up soon. Will be nice to spend some actual time with Laura, even if most of it is she and Bob working on the shelves. Maybe I can make myself somewhat useful, and if not, I'll do Duo, read, walk the trails near her house, or otherwise amuse myself. Food: 7:00 am 3/4 c homemade muesli, 1/2 c skim milk, 114 g blackberries, coffee

Thurs 8 Jun

Seems a bit cooler today, though the frost warnings on the radio were overrated. I'm back in a long-sleeve t-shirt for now at least. Laundry this morning since we're going to Madison tomorrow for a couple of days to help Laura with her shelves in her condo. Food: 7:45 am 3/4 c homemade muesli, 1/2 c skim milk, 104 g blackberries, coffee

Wed 7 Jun

Pleasant cooler morning today, nice. Enjoyed the drawing class last night, but probably won't feel the need to do another unless the subject is something I really want. I like my Highland coo, but probably won't display him anywhere in particular. Food: 7:55 am Kouign amann, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Tues 6 Jun

Tonight I go to the Local Goat in Amherst to do a charcoal drawing of a Highland coo. Kathy was planning to be there as well, but then found that she has a training the same evening, so I may not know anyone, but I'll be busy drawing. Cooler last night and a bit so today. Food: 7:55 am Bear claw, 102 g blackberries, coffee

Mon 5 Jun

Kind of grey and feeling heavy in the air today. Felt the need for the knee sleeve this morning. Need to keep pushing on vacation prep as it's approaching quickly. Food: 7:55 am Blueberry danish, 102 g blackberries, coffee

Sun 4 Jun

Warm and sunny continues, though the temps may drop to a little more tolerable level this week. Need to start serious planning for the trip. Started a packing list yesterday and ordered new luggage with wheels so we don't have to tote everything on our backs. Means that I'll have to completely unpack my regular suitcase to make sure anything vital to take along is transferred when the new luggage arrives. Food: 7:45 am Mixed berry Antwerp square, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Sat 3 Jun

If it was still a thing, we'd be doing Walk Wisconsin today (and complaining about the heat!) Instead we walked to the Farmer's Market for pastries and one of Henry's wife's rhubarb coffee cakes. Considering going to Gayle Phillip's husband's funeral at 11. Farmshed has their Food Fair down by the river this evening. Food: 8:40 am Cherry danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Fri 2 Jun

Our 39th wedding anniversary. Would have been my parents' 78th, exactly twice as many. Had a really hard time settling in to sleep last night. I think I must have thought I'd already taken my ibuprofen but hadn't because I could not get comfortable in my knee and then my hip until halfway through the night when I took another dose. Fortunately I then was able to sleep. Food: 7:50 am Apricot danish, 101 g blackberries, coffee

Thurs 1 Jun

More hot, sunny weather. Summer, once again, has come instantly prepackaged. When it seemed that winter would flirt with spring forever, sending us back to our warmest clothes and the fireplace, all of a sudden there is abundant sunshine and temps so hot we're flagging. Welcome to Wisconsin. Bootstrap and HSP committee meeting this afternoon/evening. Food: 8:05 am Chocolate concha, 104 g blackberries, coffee