February 2011 - The Yellow Year
Amazing how time passes. I think we all have those same thoughts.
Here it is February 2011 and I am just now getting around to updating for the first time since last April, and this time I have no excuse!
As most of you know, in 2009 I published my first book, Saratoga Sands. It went up for sale in June. I had the first book signing at the Farmhouse, AKA Whetstone's Antiques, the home place where I grew up and that my brother Cal now owns. The books are still for sale there, and at the Saratoga Township website. I am pleased that the books continue to sell.
I now have some of my stories on the Town of Saratoga website, on the history page as well.
This was to be the year that I published the stories from my childhood and anecdotes about my dad, but I have been laid up since November 4th with severe pain from ruptured neck discs. I am lucky to be online ten minutes a day for the most part.
I spent a good deal of time early summer 2010 writing the Wakely (Historic Point Basse) Whodunit that was performed the end of July. It was an interactive mystery and great fun for all involved. This was the second one I have done. It again was a hit!
This is year three of my column in the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune! It is called Rhonda's View Rendezvous, and features stories from the area's past, but with my own personal view on them, since the column format allows me to write first person, add humor, and a variety of other things not allowed in a standard newspaper feature story. Since it is the personal touch that others like in my stories, this is a good thing! Makes them easier to write as well. The column appears twice a month--at least. If you do not get the Trib, you can find it online at www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com. Just put my name in the search box on the top of the page and you will find my stories. I just love this aspect of my life.
In 2010, I also started writing the same sort of historical column for the Marshfield News Herald. It is called "Back to the North Wood," being that Marshfield is in northern Wood County.
This might be a good time to mention that you can find pages for both of my newspaper columns on Facebook. The Rapids Trib column is under Mostly Rhonda's Rendezvous and the News Herald column under Back to the North Wood. If you click to LIKE them, you will be notified when the new columns are published. My personal FB page is under my name, and there is another page for friends and family called Rhonda's Reindeer Games which is just a place to put up Christmas photos.
You can also follow me on Twitter.
I am still speaking to local clubs too. I meet so many new people that way, and even get more stories for my columns.
I turned 63 last year, which seems nearly impossible, as does the fact that grandson Alex just turned 18. Where do those years go?
As for other family updates, youngest daughter Chrystique is still in Michigan, where she runs her own graphic arts business. You can keep up with her on her blog site at www.chrystique.blogspot.com She still has her regular website too at www.cqgraphicdesign.com where you can check out other of her latest endeavors. Her main clients, Wilk's publications and 3ABN Television, keep her more than busy. She has been doing some major website work, and layout of some impressive books as well.
Mystique and Peter and kids are fine--just busy, as we all are. Last year they leased the White Sands Mini Golf course and plan to do the same this year. It was a fun endeavor, made even more exciting by the "black light pirate nights" and "black light fright nights!" I even got in on helping out for those.
Elizabeth turned 12 in October and she is in 6th grade. She keeps busy in the summer with the community plays, and is also in piano and plays sax. Nick is now 14 and a freshman and Alex is completing his senior year at Lincoln! Time speeds on by.
Randy has had some slow work times recently and applied for social security too now.
Other than day trips, an over-nighter with the grandkids, one short stay in the fall with Chrystique in MI and another with Anita in Minocqua, I have not traveled much. I had hoped to get to Pennsylvania in the late fall or early winter, but the neck problem prevented that. I can barely drive five miles to Rapids.
October also was my 45th class reunion, which I attended. I was happy to reconnect with a couple people, especially friend Pat Beuhler Ruting.
Thanks for stopping by. Come back again. Leave a note in the guest book so I know you were here.
As Ever, Rhonda
Side Notes: Sister Anita was the one to pick the color for 2011 and she chose yellow, so it seems we went from Mood Indigo to Mellow Yellow!
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If you have not been here for a bit, you will also note a new page HERE.
I have posted a bunch of .exe (executable) files of fun things, some for kids. The emailing of harmful viruses and malware has caused the ISPs to stop allowing .exe files to be sent, so this (or a CD) were the only ways I could share with you. Please know that all these files are safe and I have had them and used them for years. Please check out the "Fun Page" link (on this page and some others, at the very bottom, but on the main page, along the side) and let me know what you think.
