This is what is left of Lake Delton, the actual lake is gone. I find that to be amazing. (Tribune photo by E. Jason Wambsgans / June 10, 2008)



If you have seen any news you have seen this house falling in the lake and washing away, I imagine watching that happen is like watching tv and seeing your house burn in a forest fire. (Tribune photo by E. Jason Wambsgans / June 10, 2008



This one makes me sad. Fish are struggling to survive this nasty mess that Mother Nature has created. (Tribune photo by E. Jason Wambsgans / June 10, 2008)





The Chicago Tribune has many more photos that tell the story.

You can read the whole story here.

Here in New Smyrna Beach and in most other states in the south we NEED the rain desperately, and it won't stop in areas where they are literally drowning in it. It has to make you wonder....

No Words~Wordless Wednesday

More here

Gift for the Mountain Man

Fireplace Screen w/ Two Deer (Rustic Metal Art)




I am trying to contain my excitement! Mountain Man who is my brother...has some serious deficiencies in decorating his new house in the WOODS of Wisconsin. So I am committed to help him! I assure you he is thrilled by this assistance. He is quivering with anticipation at the treasures I will uncover!

The first one is above. I love it! IT is from Black Mountain Decor, I am going to try and find some chilling dead animal wall art for him as well. He really wants a dead animal head for the wall but in the meantime I will make it my mission to find him something appropriate!!!

Snow!

I am sitting in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Madison, WI watching Girl Child swim in the indoor pool. We are both greatly anticipating our 415am wakeup call, so we can make our 630am flight back to sunny Florida. She had a great time in the snow, but told me today she was ready to go home. It is too cold for her here and messy, that is her word, she does not like slush. Amen Sister!

Yes, Christmas in Wisconsin

OK, so I would have posted yesterday but I was enjoying the Atlanta Airport, I was enjoying it with all of my new friends, the ones headed to Hilton Head, the ones headed to Greensboro, the ones headed to Chicago and the ones headed to Milwaukee, I got to make lots of friends at the three gates I sat at while awaiting my flight to Madison, WI for 7 hours. At least I made it at midnight last night, my Milwaukee friends were cancelled as I was leaving...but the Atlanta Airport has wonderful amenities I now know, they have bathroom attendants, they have wireless internet for the bargain basement price of $7.95 per day...let me tell you when you break that down by the 420 minutes I was there with an 8 year old child who wanted to play Webkinz, it was priceless. That girl child sat on the floor on her coat in that airport and never complained, whined or said are we there yet once. She is amazing....Webkinz helped!

The fun does not end there however, as we were preparing to board, the lovely gate agent asks for a head count of those traveling with children that have a ticket. there were 2, why does this matter I and all my new friends wondered? Well because the weather in Madison was so bad, they had to bring extra FUEL in case we had to fly on to the "alternate destination". I am still not sure where that mystery location is, but I can tell you that at that moment I was hoping it was the Bahamas.

Extra fuel means weight and balance issues, which mean plane too heavy, which means drop like a rock with a little ice. I LOVE WINTER! Well somehow they worked that all out not sure whose luggage they left behind, but since I did not have any I did not care!! I was fresh out of compassion for my fellow man by this point!

You are thinking I am done with this happy Christmas travel tale...but no there is more, we arrive and I will not even go into the landing or the fact that I have never wished more for a reason to be wearing a Depends Undergarment....I will move right on to the ride from Madison airport to the community that is sitting just this side of the gates of hell that my brother lives in. It is an hour ride in clear weather, well can you say ICE and SNOW and trailer trucks driving the normal speed? We saw 12 and yes I did COUNT THEM, 12 cars, SUV's, and minivans on their ROOF. Yes upside down, we even got the pleasure of seeing one careening into the ditch in front of us.....you can read about the storm here.

But we made it in one piece, I have peeked my head outside once today, it is clear and snowy and refreshingly beautiful for this Florida girl, but the high is 32 so I have not ventured out.

SO, here we are. Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas in Wisconsin~Maybe?

Well, my mother the eternal queen of DOOM & Gloom has called to tell me that they are awaiting a blizzard at my destination tomorrow. She is hoping we make it. Ever the optimist she anticipates that my daughter and I will spend Christmas with 2 million of our closest friends in Atlanta! Joy of Joys....falalalala! I cannot wait.

I have been glued to the flight delays on FlightStats all day. If you are traveling by air it is great!