Why I don't post on the local newspaper forum

Wednesday. The first day of the Stumpjack week...our Monday really. Lots of little and big online tasks to try to get done today (updating blogs and sending out a newsletter), along with the usual in-shop duties like making cold brewed coffee, getting groceries, making a quiche (Kim does that...mmm, mmm, good) and making gelato. Made a yummy cinnamon vanilla, peach, raspberry, and a darn hot and spicy chocolate gelato today. That one is definitely not for sissies, little children or certain online forum participants.

I continue to get asked why I no longer participate on the newspaper chat forum. I don't think I've posted anything other than a couple posts pertaining to Pato Banton's gig at Ethnic Fest last week. The simple reason is that I just don't care for the negativity and stupidity that is now so rampant on the forum. The newspaper's forum has pretty much become a cesspool of negativity largely inhabited by bitter sourpusses who seem to think they possess some special level of wisdom or insight (and worse, who also seem to believe that other people actually want to hear their grumbling dissatisfaction with the world). The forum didn't used to be that way. Of course there are/were always a few grumblers who complain about almost anything. But they have become the overwhelming majority nowadays. There used to be more of a sense of humor, some level of mutual respect and even actual dialogue between opposing views on any particular issue. No longer. Cynicism, rudeness and the desire to yell the loudest and have the last word are the order of the day on the forum now.

People hide anonymously behind screen names and snipe cowardly without accountability or any sense of courteousness. They appear to take pleasure in other people's misfortunes. Gossip has replaced genuine conversation.
I just don't care for that low level of dialogue, where precious few intellectuals are so outnumbered by ill-mannered churls. Conversations that might begin thoughtfully enough become peppered with rude and outright stupid interjection by the unwashed mass.

Thanks but no thanks. I'm generally not interested in even superficially scanning what's on there anymore. Hope that puts the question to rest now. Onto better things...

First homebrew and good news for Dad

Look at that gorgeous color! And the taste was just as great.

Cracked open my first homebrew yesterday. It was freaking great! Brought a bottle up to the cottage. Very tasty and a beautiful color. Enjoyed it with an equally tasty John Bull cigar. Both were great and doubly so because we just got a call from my Mom that my Dad qualified for insurance covered OT and speech therapy. He was happy and we we happy.

Everybody takes a taste.

We're at the cottage, about a half-hour from the hospital in Green Bay, taking care of their dog and their stuff at the cottage before going back to GB tonight to see how he's doing.

The beer and cigar were a nice way to cap the afternoon and enjoy the good news of his being able to get therapy that would be covered by the insurance. The downside is that one of his qualifiers is that he has lost some sight in his right eye.

More on that later. Kim wants to get on her laptop here and I don't want to sit in a coffeeshop too long - it's too nice outside.

Spam, one of the funniest foods on the market.

We took a day trip to Door County last week. Kim asked me to get a little something for her to munch for our drive into Peninsula State Park for a siesta. Jesse and I went into the local Piggly Wiggly and got some Spam and a little jar of Gerbers oatmeal and pears baby food for her. Needless to say she didn't partake of those treats. Jesse and I thought it was pretty funny (how can Spam not be funny!), but Kim just looked dismayed and exasperated. So I got her some cheese curds, which made her happy.

The Gerbers was actualy pretty tasty, if you ask me.

My latest favorite youtube vids

First, a funnier than hell video by Punks Not Dad doing "In Me Shed." "Stirrin' up some paint!" "Havin' a quiet fag!" "Cleaning a spark plug!" "Sortin' out me cherry jars!" "Where a bloke can be a bloke!"


This vintage cigarette commercial featuring the Flintstones is classic Americana. Too funny and too bad stuff this cool could probably not be broadcast today (you can broadcast animated cartoons swearing, engaging in vulgar talk and overt sexual naughtiness, but showing tobacco is verboten!).
"They sure work hard, don't they Barney."
"Yeah, I hate to see them work so hard."
"Yeah, me too... Eh, let's go around back, where we can't see 'em."


And this one where Jerry, of Tom and Jerry, rolls a smoke like no one else, to impress a pretty female cowgirl cat. 30 seconds of animated beauty.

Some cottage pictures from this past week.

A few pics from the July 4th extended weekend up north.
A number of Wisconsin lakes still feel like Canadian shield lakes.

Jesse and Andrea meet a camel near Lakewood.

This camel was unusually friendly.

Kim wants to take him home.

Turtle pancake...the end.

Some recent cottage visits

Still Life with Nature's Medicine

Is it really the 3rd, and almost the 4th, of July already? I mean is it really? Truly this is one of the seemingly fastest moving summers in memory. We've made up our minds that this year we are no longer going to be putting in the 85-hour work weeks, and we're going to take those days that we're closed for some hopefully quality "up north" time for ourselves. The aromas of pine, campfire and wet earth combine with the sounds of crickets, loons and bullfrogs to make us feel the way God intended human beings to feel. Sleep is more peaceful and the days more adventurous. Hell, the beer even tastes better.

Made that bench out of an three tiered branch and weathered board.

Here are a few pics from the last couple of "weekends" (weekends for us run from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday evening).

If I'd run across this old gal a month later she'd be dinner.
But it was egg laying time and out of season.

A couple of odd ducks at the Shawano Park beach.

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Another day in the pines.

Cheyenne making smores.

We hit the cottage again this past Monday and Tuesday. Even more gorgeous out than the week before. Kim worked on her mosaic mirror. I field tested the hammock. The girls did some painting and walking. We took a walk down a trail through the woods, afternoon sunlight streaming through the trees at an angle, and hundreds of shiny little black dragonflies fluttering up from the ground ahead of us as we walked, shimmering in the warm sunlight. A very cool scene.

King for a day.