Pasta Party

First of all, I’d like to announce that we have a winner in the Name the Big Purple Plant contest, and I’m sure everyone will be shocked to learn it is Kathbert, who seriously always wins these contests, but that is because she always has the best entries. She submitted Bahama Mama, which is a red drink and pays homage to Bahama Bob the steel drum player, the plant’s previous owner, AND Ma Hat. Way to tie it all together, Kathbert! What does she win? Bragging rights, I guess. I will try to think of an appropriate prize at some point.

Travalon and I won $25 worth of fresh pasta at Fete de Marquette, which I forgot to mention in my previous blog post about the Fete, so last Tuesday I had to go to the Wil-Mar Center to pick it up in person. Friday we had a pasta party at Rich’s house, joined by him, Kathbert, and Catzookz. We had cheese tortellini and cayenne and garlic fettuccini. Jilly Moose had to work, and we never heard from OK Cap, but people did arrive throughout the evening, including Antoshka, Luxuli, and Prairie Man. Travalon and I didn’t stay too late, since he had to work the next day.

Saturday after Travalon got home from work, he and I took a road trip. A coworker had invited us to go camping with her friends at Kohler-Andrae State Park, but it was storming here (although beautiful there) so we didn’t feel like driving that far. We did take a ride out to the Thirsty Moose, where a duo called Burn N Bush were playing classic rock and country songs. We won a commemorative glass from them because Travalon knew a song they played was featured in the movie Animal House. We struck up a conversation with the group sitting next to us at the bar, and they recommended a restaurant called Hooker’s just down the road for their walleye. We headed there for dinner, but the walleye is served on Friday nights; on Saturdays it’s a grill-your-own-steak place. We were psyched for fish, so Travalon grilled salmon and I grilled mahi mahi, but I undercooked and overspiced it. The view from the restaurant is very beautiful, overlooking the Wisconsin River. Since it had been raining all day, I didn’t have enough steps in for the day, so when we got back to town, we went to the health club and I walked around the track while Travalon shot hoops. It was fun, and not nearly as crowded as when I usually end up going.

Yesterday a bunch of people went to brunch after Mass, including the Rosary Ladies, then Travalon and I went to an open house at Tenney Park put on by one of my coworkers. It was very hot, so after dinner at the open house, Travalon and I went swimming at Salmo Pond, but that was too cold for my taste. I thought I used to be tougher than that, but it was the coldest water I ever remember swimming in. I only stayed in a few minutes, then we walked around the pond, and then we went to the health club again. It’s so hard for me to get my steps in when it’s so hot out – it’s just as bad as the dead of winter! I walked around the track while Travalon went into the outdoor pool, and then I joined him out there. Again it was not very crowded, which made it much more pleasant. I love the health club when hardly anyone is there! No wonder some people go at 3 am. Not that I am likely to try that...

Famous Hat