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Friday, January 20, 2023

I AM NOT A WISCONSIN NATIVE-HERE IS WHAT I LEARNED THE HARD WAY

 

When we got married and moved to
WISCONSIN (from Florida)
MyHero told me that there was 
NO PLACE QUITE LIKE WI!
Lord love us, he was right!
It is one of the few times in our 
married life when he was
(unquestionably) right.

ON WISCONSIN
is the state song...
that's good-

Here are a few WI facts for you.
I will start out on the positive-

Wisconsin does have
some pretty farms & great people
and we have Door County-
one of the prettiest places on earth-bar none-

BUT-
We also have Milwaukee.
Milwaukee's claim to fame is the 
highest number of alcoholics per capita 
of any city in the states.
Congratulations! Great Win!!
No- these are NOT relatives-
thanks for asking.

Where else (in a retail store) 
have you ever seen
a sign giving away
You have to wonder about the
dummies that took them~

And-
How 'bout those Packers?
You can throw that sentence
 out any time of year-
no need to wait for football season--
and the "discussion" is on!
Apparently, there is only ONE PACKER
everyone talks about.
If you know WHO he is you are 
IN FOR THE WIN
in the conversation.

Only in Wisconsin is a water fountain
called a "bubbler". 
It's true I am NOT making this up.
The first time someone asked me
where the bubbler was located 
I thought they were talking about the
kid down the street that blew
snot bubbles out his nose.

State Animal?
A badger! 
That's right- the meanest rodent
God ever put on earth and
Wisconsin claimed him as its own
to honor and adore.
The even named him-
Bucky Badger!
Why not a nice little rabbit
 or prairie dog?
Nope!  We gotta have a badger!

It is mid January and we still have
MONTHS OF SNOW AND COLD
ahead of us.
I can't tell you how excited I am about that!
It is snowing now,
and we have MORE SNOW COMING!

I am as excited as I was the day
MyHero ran into the house with a forklift.
I can't tell you 
THAT STORY
or I will be history.....hmmm..
might be worth it....nah...

That being said-
Wisconsin is now home to me.
My kids, grandkids, hubby
and wonderful friends are here.

What else could a person ask for?
Oh...yeah...
Starbucks. 
I am going to go get one now.

Never mind-
I just looked out and there is a 
BLIZZARD happening here!
I am returning to my fireplace
and my book and dreaming about 
being somewhere else....
My body is in Wisconsin
but my heart is in Florida!

Health Update:
I am feeling much better.
Barely coughing at all and getting 
my energy back.
I spent EIGHTEEN DAYS in bed.
It gave me a whole new appreciation
for people that suffer long-term illnesses
and spend a lot of time in bed.
God bless them!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

67 comments:

  1. Welcome back, Diana! I've never been to Wisconsin, but maybe I should come visit sometime. I hear you have great cheese there as well! LOL. Oh, I never knew anything about Aaron Rodgers until just recently someone told me he looked like my son Scott. So then I had to look him up, and sure enough, he's almost as good looking as my son Scott! I asked Scott if anyone had ever told him that before, and he said yeah, all the time. But then again, when he was younger, he also could have been the stunt double for Tom Cruise, until my Scott grew taller and better looking. LOL. I'm not at all prejudiced, of course! And then again, I've also had people come knock on our door asking if the wrestler Scott Steiner really lived there...well...what could I say? Of course he does! He wrestles his brothers and father all the time! LOL. So I have my own claim to fame and I don't even live in Wisconsin like you! See? I must have missed you...I've been saving all this up just so I could leave you a lONG comment! LOL. Have a blessed day, and stay warm!! Don't go out in any blizzards to get Starbucks. It's not worth it! LOL.

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  2. Wisconsin is a beautiful state, but I would just visit...not live there....we experienced plenty of long winters in Maine...again, a beautiful state but we chose not to stay.....we lived in Florida for eight years.....wouldn't live there either....there is no place like Texas...at least for us. Eighteen days in bed? Bless your heart...SO happy to know you feel better...please stay well....really enjoyed your funny and darling post today!

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  3. SO glad you're feeling better! Boy, you are so right about feeling for those who suffer with long-term illnesses. Just being sick for as long as you have been would be scary enough.
    Anyone who can endure the winters of the upper Midwest are Champs in my hook, but especially a native Floridian!

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  4. Yep, we do sometimes end up in the weirdest places due to our husbands! I've been in that situation a few times myself. But, we love 'em so what the heck are we to do? Just make the best of it, make it home and keep loving.

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  5. I'm glad you feel better. Is it possible to live in Wisconsin long enough to say you're a cheese head or is that status limited to the native born? Do you have the accent, or do you have it to the point that you deny there is an accent? I avoid any knowledge of football, so I have no idea who the players are. I really want to hear that fork lift story. It must be a good one.

    Love,
    Janie

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  6. I'm so glad you are better. That's a long time for you to have to be still and rest. I hope you'll take it easy now though. Drink lots of hot coffee! It's nice down here in FL but I won't say any more and rub it in. I know you live in a beautiful part of the country there too! Lots of hugs, Diane

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  7. I’m SO glad you’re doing better! Eighteen days…long time!
    Hugs
    Donna��

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  8. Great post! Funny and witty as usual. Glad to hear you are feeling like your old self again....not that you're old :-) Never been to Wisconsin but I would visit only to see you!

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  9. What a fun post! Girl, you can make anyone laugh! I'm so glad you're feeling better. I know my bout with whatever kept me in bed for 2 weeks solid and tired for over a month so I do feel for what you've been through. You and I aren't good stuck in bed I know that!
    Thanks for the laughs this morning and the insight to your home away from home state.
    Love you Dolly

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  10. I hope you learned the history behind “bubbler” and the “Badger.” Take a trip up “nort” and enjoy the beauty of our forests and smaller lakes.

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  11. I would have no clue what a bubbler was if I had been asked either. What is the stat bird? A Buzzard?

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  12. Girl, you need to move south! We lived in WI when I was little. My mom said it would start snowing in September and last until April. It was so cold that she'd have to bundle us up to take a walk for some fresh air and by the time she finished, we could barely move! "I can't put my arms down!" Rings familiar! I don't think I could live there now. I don't watch football, badgers are ornery but snow is pretty, from a distance. Cheese. Cheese is good. Nope! I think I'll stick with the warmer weather! Very glad you're getting better! Hugs!

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  13. Happy Friday sweet friend. You just crack me up. Love this post for Friday. Glad you are feeling better.
    Hugs. Kris

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  14. I'm so excited to hear you're feeling better! Scruffy needs his mom to be able to run around in the snow with him!

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  15. That was one long illness, Diana, so glad you are better. All I know about Wisconsin is that it has tons of dairy farms and excellent cheeses!

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  16. Glad you're feeling better, Diana. Wisconsin sounds like an interesting place. I've never been there but if I ever visit, I'll be sure to ask where the bubbler is!

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  17. Going from Florida to Wisconsin was an extreme move. Glad you adjusted so well. We too have more snow coming our way. February is usually our snowiest month. Hope you are soon up and about and no longer in bed there. You really never miss something until you don't have it. Having just returned from Florida, I can say, I love Florida in the winter ! Take good care and keep warm !

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  18. Glad you are back and feeling better. I have never been to Wisconsin so I will have to take your word for it… I love their cheeses and never heard of a bubbler. Interesting. I hope you have a great weekend and continue to feel better. Love

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  19. So glad you are back to your humorous self.

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  20. You have the best (wicked in the best way) sense of humor and know how to bring it out in your posts. Good to hear you're feeling better. Now don't get up and going and take a slide backwards by doing too much too soon!

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  21. ...after Floridah, any place would be an improvement!

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  22. Ha Ha!
    I am glad to hear my Wisconsin blog buddy is feeling better.

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  23. Oh, I've heard many good things about Wisconsin. Not sure I mentioned to you, but that's where my father-in-law was from before he moved to California. And he loved the Packers. We get the snow here, which I love, but I hear Wisconsin gets lots of it. The state animal I'm not too fond of, as you know I have a fear of the rodents haha. But all in all, your state is really one of the prettiest of the states I've heard. No Starbucks drive through here, so I'm having it at home.....and thinking of you, cause you love it too. So glad you are feeling better, Diana.

    ~Sheri

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  24. So glad you're feeling better. If I visit the USA you've sold Wisconsin to me Diana, especially the lighthouse and Cave Point Park. I think I've heard the name Packer.

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  25. The 'bubbler'? Color me RFLMAO!
    My parents loved Wisconsin, but I've few memories. I'm just thankful their cheese is exported and available here in the South.
    Glad to hear you're on the mend!

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  26. LOL! You are so funny! I could never live somewhere that gets a lot of snow. Here in Oregon City, OR we hardly ever get snow and not a lot when we do and only for s few days. I was born in MO but grew up in S Calif and it was way too hot and lacked greenery there. Moving to Oregon in 1998 was a dream come true and I do not regret it even though no family lived here. It is gorgeous and inspirational here for me.

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  27. Now I know why I have the state of Wisconsin and have the state of Michigan is down here in Florida for 6 months out of the year that would be the only way I could live in Wisconsin because it would be nice to be up there when it's cooler although my friend that lived in Wisconsin they ate the last few years were really hot almost as hot as Florida and a few times hotter than Florida I guess there's no absolutely perfect place to be

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  28. So happy you are feeling better. That is a long time to be sick in bed. A bubbler, who knew? I could not live in a state that is freezing and tons of snow. This post comics does tickle my funny bone. xoxo

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  29. Where I grew up in New England, we called those fountains bubblers too. :) Glad you're feeling better. Take care and have a great weekend.

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  30. Glad you are feeling better, Diana. As for Wisconsin - you left out the cheese and the cheese heads! LOL. I loved Wisconsin, yes, even the long winters. But, I moved from there to Florida and on to California. Now, I think those winters will be a bit too much for me.

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  31. So glad you're feeling better! Might as well still hibernate because there's a lot of winter left.
    Brenda

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  32. So thankful to hear you're feeling better, so many days in bed is not fun! We have a lot of winter left here too. Interesting all the things you learned in Wisconsin - bubblers - interesting! And how sad about Milwaukee. I hope you get to take a visit to Florida to soak up some vitamin D soon :) Blessings to you!

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  33. I'm so glad you're feeling better, Diana. Moving from Florida to Wisconsin would be a shock to the system! I had fun reading these little tidbits!

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  34. So glad to hear you're feeling better!! Geez, that was a long one...and I'm with you, the cold is not my friend. I live in NY (trust me, it's not prize either...the cons outweigh the pros) and it snows here until late April, early May some years. However, the summers are divine. The beaches are gorgeous and my family is here. So...I'm stuck!! I wouldn't turn down a nice Florida getaway every now and then though - but only if I can drive!! xoxo

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  35. Glad to hear you are feeling better.
    I've never been to Wisconsin.
    Yes, it would be a shock moving there from Florida.
    I wouldn't want to live in Florida though, I like having all the seasons.

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  36. As you know, I'm just right over the border in IL - I think only a couple of hours away from you. So I could relate to everything you said, although I refuse to root for the Packers. ;-)

    No snow here right now, though how I wish I were somewhere warm and sunny. The entire month here has been nothing but gray, dreary, and damp. Sooo depressing.

    Glad to hear you are finally better!

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  37. Glad you're feeling better!

    Wisconsin is a beautiful place, but I couldn't take that cold! Hang in there. Summer is only months away.

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  38. Oh girl.....we both need to move to Florida, don't we? :) We are beach bums and salt water runs through our veins. We need our sunshine and sandy toes! I'm so glad that you're feeling better, though, sweetie. That was a hard run for you for sure. Well, at least we can look forward to Spring in what.....60 some days? Glory be, Lord ---- please bless us all with an early one!

    xoxo Laurie

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  39. My late father-in-law met an old gal online about 20 years ago when he was in his early 80s and was from Dousman Wisconsin. She flew out to California to meet him - then met and married and he moved to Wisconsin. He liked it. I never went back but my husband went to visit and took many photos of the countryside.

    I could never live there - I love California it's in my DNA.

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  40. I have always heard that it is CoLd there.....brrr....I think I would take Fla. over WI. My body does not do cold well at all. Since I can't have Fla. I will settle for TN!! lol....Thanks for the info though. That is neat to learn about diff states.

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  41. I am so glad to read that you are finally feeling better, Diana! Having been in Florida now for almost 34 years, I can't imagine living up in the frozen tundra now! I also can't imagine 18 days in bed. Bless your heart. Keeping you in my prayers!! xo

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  42. glad to hear you're feeling better, that really kicked you!

    And.. I know you know the term snowbird... I'm surprised you haven't become one!

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  43. Glad to hear you are feeling better.
    I've lived in the same state all my life. If I had to guess, I would say that everywhere I've lived is all within a 50 mile radius.

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  44. When we lived there we were never fortunate enough to enjoy these delights. Glad you are doing better ... healing hugs sweetie

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  45. Jay and I visited Wisconsin in the summertime for a fly in event in Oshkosh. I don’t remember much about it. I cannot imagine living with snow like that for so long. I grew up in Oklahoma and lived in Texas for 50 years, so winter was never too bad. I’m glad you’re feeling better and I appreciate your comment on my blog after so long. I’m wondering how your husband is. It’s been so long since I have been online other than Facebook, and the news, I haven’t kept up with everybody.

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  46. Fabulous post!
    You are an artist with your words/sharing.

    Born in Wisconsin, have lived the cold, skated the ice,
    attended elementary, some high school, all college,
    married, lived in Milwaukee, (survived the alcohol, no addiction)
    taught school there, follow and followed The Packers,
    know of Aron Rodgers, Bart Star(sp name?) and more.
    And loved the snow and cold for many a year.

    Living in Michigan now since 1975 . . .
    Usually more snow here than Wisconsin.
    Not this year . . . one big snowfall Christmas Eve.
    Shut everyone down!
    It all melted In a week.
    Only dusty snow since . . .

    Happy & Thankful you are feeling better.
    With the cough gone too!
    You need 18 days of being treated royally!

    Enjoy this NEW YEAR! 🌸🌸🌸

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  47. I still say, “the bubbler”
    Also Wisconsinites say SODA, Michiganders refer to it as POP.

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  48. After just a few sentences of this post I could tell you are feeling so much better!!---so glad for that! I've never been to Wisconsin so liked learning about it! Hope you have a great weekend and so glad you stopped by to see me! Hugs!

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  49. So good to see your post. Have no clue what Wisconsin is like so it's good to know. I do know Aaron Roders, at least who he is!! so Im good there.

    Nonie

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  50. Dear Diana, first I’m so thankful you are feeling better! There were things you shared about your state that I didn’t know-thank you. Of course we love the a packers too. We’ve had more snow here since No ember than since we moved here. More coming Monday. I’m ready for nice warm weather too and counting the months til we are in the Islands. Hugs to you and yours!
    Noreen

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  51. So glad you are on the mend. This was a great post with no doubt, hard earned wisdom in every sentence. How about those Packers, huh? Pretty cool... Take care of yourself.

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  52. So pleased that you are feeling better :)
    Wisconsin is well known for cheeses to I think!?

    All the best Jan

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  53. I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling better, Diana! I'm sure it will take some time to get all of your strength back. When I was in 5th grade, our teacher taught us "On Wisconsin" so I'm probably one of just a few New Jerseyans who actually know the words! I got a good chuckle out of the bubbler!

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  54. You're so funny! I bet you are thinking of Florida! Our daughter and her family just got back from three weeks there. Now they are back to Freezeland. I'm having a hard time hoisting myself off my heated throw.

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  55. I'm happy to hear that you are feeling better Diana. I enjoyed learning more about Wisconsin. It sounds like you are getting a lot of snow. I hope you stay nice and cozy in your house.

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  56. I'm glad you're feeling better. But months of cold and snow ahead of you?? I think I'd crawl back under the covers!

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  57. OK first off, I'm pretty sure that in Massachusetts they call a water fountain a bubbler. So sorry to burst your bubble but not ONLY in Wisconsin, haaahaha! About being sick for so long: My mother used to say "There is a great gulf fixed between the sick and the well" and she was right because when you are sick you just have to take the time to get well while everyone else goes about their business without you. When I was sick at the first of the year, I felt so isolated but there was no remedy except to wait. I'm so glad you are feeling better now and I don't want to hear about any relapses! I would love to visit Door County! xoxo

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  58. There is good in every state! And badgers!! *wink
    Snow? Not for me. Even cold...I'm a big wuss.

    That last image will put ANYone in a dream mode.

    Glad to hear you're better (didn't know you were I'll.)

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  59. I seldom comment but read every time you post. I am not sure I have seen a blog with so many commenters. Love it

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  60. I've never been to Wisconsin but always wanted to visit. I had two girlfriends from Eau Claire when I lived in Tucson and they always talked about how much they missed it, except in the winter. Funny state trivia - especially the badger :) Hopefully you will fall in love with it again this summer when everything is beautiful and green. Anyplace that's known for its cheese is o.k. in my book! x K

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  61. Oh, I also want to say how glad I am that you are feeling better, my dear. Sending hugs xo

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  62. Glad your up and about. Thanks for all the Wisconsin facts.

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  63. So happy to hear you're feeling better Diana! Oh all I can think of when anyone mentions Wisconsin is CHEESE!!! ☺☺

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  64. I'm so glad you are finally feeling better. Being sick is the pits.

    I'll stay on this side of the Rockies, thank you very much! Snowy and cold, but sunny too. No bubblers though, alas!

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  65. I have not been to Wisconsin but I might just visit one of these days:). The cold weather might be a problem though:) Enjoy your day dear friend, BIG HUGS!

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  66. One of my blog friends who has since passed away lived in Green Bay. I always meant to fly up to see her, Mario, and her husband Don.

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