And We're Off! Day 1

And We're Off! 

Day 

September 14, 2019                  

We were able to head out of Verona at around 7am. Milwaukee Brewer fans will understand when I report that we took a Kwik Trip To The Mound on the way out of town for hot beverages, since everything we had on hand had been either poured out, tossed out or packed up for the trip. 

We drove about an hour north and stopped for a real breakfast at Walker's Coffee Shop in Beaver Dam. Let me tell you, every quilter worth her fabric stash knows her way around that town because of Nancy's Notions. But now, since the retail shop has closed you have another reason to keep going there. Listen, This restaurant is a kickback to the 60's the minute you walk through the door. They have the old Formica horseshoe counter set-up in the middle of the dining room with a waitress working the inside well. Naturally, as expected there were kids spinning in the seats next to moms and dads around the counter, too!  The rest of the place is filled with booths and tables like any family restaurant. But, what makes this place unique are the great selections. The food is yummy and the prices are very family friendly. So, stop by next time you are in town. It's right off US 151 across from McDonald's. You'll be glad you did. And that's my small town-eat local plug for today.

Since we don't have to be at the lighthouse until Tuesday, today was spent traveling and documenting lighthouses for ourselves as tourists. We scoured out six more today in Kewaunee, Algoma, Bailey's Harbor and Sturgeon Bay areas in WI . It was rather exhausting and by 5 pm I was DONE, but now we have a few more to check off our list. 

I should explain a small detail about what I consider a lighthouse and what Mr. Quilter Cook considers a lighthouse. My qualifications include genuine cottages and towers where families lived and there's history to be told. Mr. Quilter Cook will take pictures of anything resembling a tower like structure that is labeled as a lighthouse or range light in a book or brochure. I tend to get a bit agitated sometimes when I find we have to drive forty miles out of our way to see a rusty empty shell of a tower stuck in the mud next to a lake. Really, it about drives me crazy. But, that's how it goes. I deal with it by doing crossword puzzles or I sit in the KIA and read in the car while he takes photos.My passive aggressive quiet attitude says it all. I mean really, why get out? 

Today was fine, but a bit low on scenic entertainment. It was what I like to call A Shower of Towers Day. However, I did especially enjoy the one in Kewaunee. It's way out in the water connected only by a long pier. Light keepers and families really lived out there in the water and were basically stranded in the lighthouse itself for months at a time. I can't imagine the winters. You couldn't go outside. You'd have the windows boarded all up from the weather on the outside. No contact with your family. Living on meager supplies. What if there was a fire or you froze the door shut with you outside and slipped on the ice on the walk around and slipped over the railing? Lord have mercy! You'd fall onto the ice and into Lake Michigan! You'd have no chance. You'd be frozen on the ice and frozen in the snow and not discovered until Spring-IF you were discovered at all.

Now, give me a lighthouse in the water and I can make up a story to go with it...that's the kind of thing that I like about these lighthouses. There's always a story to tell.

Tonight, we are in our hotel in Oconto, WI, north of Green Bay. The Packers play the Vikings tomorrow afternoon at 1pm Central time. The hotel is about an hour north of Green Bay and is packed with fans on both sides. We met a kid about 12 or 13 dressed in Packer garb at the front desk who had just come from Lambeau Field after having a personal tour with Antonio Freeman. Yep. He was pretty excited and was looking forward to getting up and heading back for the game tomorrow afternoon. You know what they say....train up a child...

Mr. Quilter Cook and I will no doubt be up early in the morning too, but for a different reason. We have to get to Mackinaw City, MI by 1pm Eastern Time, so he can find a bar with the game on. It's our next overnight destination. No lighthouses tomorrow. Just the game in the afternoon and I will confess that I will NOT be watching the game, but shopping instead. We stayed a week there in 2017 and visited Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City extensively. It was fabulous! I love the area. Who doesn't? But this time around we are just there overnight, so no ferry trips or Grand Hotel tour. We have a room at hotel on the water. I'm crossing my fingers our room is lakeside! If not, hey I can walk down to the shore anyway.  Oh, in case you think I'm spelling Mackinaw City incorrectly --I am not. The city and the island are spelled differently. Look up why they are spelled differently. It's a fun factoid to put under your hat!

So, I'll close for now. I'm going to get back to one of my vacation reads while Mr. Quilter Cook writes his own blog and watches the Milwaukee Brewer game on tv. 

Lights Out....The Quilter Cook