Friday, December 6, 2024
Brad and Janice were already at 127 Clover Street in Williams Bay when Claude and I arrived shortly after 3:00 p.m. The house looks deceivingly small on the outside but spacious inside. We should be quite comfortable with one bedroom and a theater in the lower level and three bedrooms on the upper level. The kitchen is adequately furnished with plenty of room. Laura left Shorewood after her school day so arrived later, due to heavier traffic.
Brad and Janice wasted no time trying out the hot tub in 27-degree weather.
Janice provide a baked potato bar with a lot of fixings - -very delicious and satisfying.
Saturday, December 7.
I texted Corie (property owner) that the toilet seat in the king bathroom is broken. She said she'd get a new one today.
Janice outdid herself with breakfast: hash browns from scratch with a hint of shallot, pancakes, fresh fruit flavored with fresh orange juice, fresh vanilla bean and mint. I brought bagels, cream cheese and lox; Brad made delicious coffee.
Our plan for this morning was a walking tour of downtown Lake Geneva and a search for a caramel corn shop, that I was sure was on a side street from the main street. Laura and I walked up one side of Main Street, then on the other side. Along the way, I bought a salt and pepper set, Laura found a puzzle to replace the puzzle they started that wasn't much fun, I bought another set of salt and pepper shakers that I liked better, Laura found some warm slip-ons, and at last we found a caramel corn shop; I bought two bags. When we met the others at the car, Claude said that he bought a bag of caramel corn from a different shop. So I have three large bags of caramel corn!
We had a light lunch and sorted pieces of the new puzzle.
A shuttle trolley took us from Williams Bay High School to our 2:30 p.m. tour of Yerkes Observatory On the way a man told us about the origin of the glass tree from Champagne, Illinois to Yerkes.https://worldstallestglasstree.com/Our group gathered in the Yerkes library and our guide gave us an abbreviated description and history of Yerkes.
https://yerkesobservatory.org/
We climbed some very steep steps for a look at the world's largest refractive telescope while our guide gave us a lot of information about the mechanics of how this giant contraption works-quite a feat of engineering.
Before leaving, our guide pointed out numerous sculptures of Charles Tyson Yerkes, a major donor for whom the observatory is named. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Yerkes
He walked around the a world's tallest glass tree that is under construction with more molten glass getting added; visitors pay to add more glass.
There was a tent with a variety of goods, including some items made with glass from last year's tree.
It took longer to get to the Chop House in the Grand Geneva than we allowed, due to the traffic going to the Christmas parade. We got seated promptly. Laura, Janice and I had soft drink cocktails; Brad and Claude had beers. Everyone enjoyed their meals: Janice, her vegan choice; Laura and Brad, filets; Claude, salmon; and I, scallops.
Service was most attentive and we were very satisfied. Afterward, Claude drove through the Grand Geneva Resort to enjoy all the lights, gorgeous on this clear evening.
Sunday, December 8
Janice and Claude continued working on the puzzle, but Laura will have to finish it at home.
The house is just as we found it. Everyone was out of the house at 10:00 a.m. The day is sunny and mild; it should be fine for going wherever we have to go: Laura to meet Jay at Rubicon to pick up a tree; Brad and Janice to Cedarburg; Claude and I to St. Francis de Sales Church for the 10:30 a.m. mass.
After Claude picked up batteries for me a Walmart, we were on our way at 11:52 a.m. and got to St. Rita Square at about 12:30 p.m.
We discovered a tiny set of lights that are part of the tree gift from Laura, so Claude worked to untangle the wires and got it working.
He also mounted my atomic clock that he fixed.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MsZRAsFzBCUJyA9Y7
