Bucca's! Bucca's! Bucca's!

This is how Buca's started off for Mike, Peg, Don, Cheryl, Rod and myself! Actually, it started off with Peg and I enjoying a glass of wine before dinner! So the waitress comes by and asks us if we want something to drink........either a 1.5 liter or 3.0 liter of wine! Not a tough call to make....of course Mike orders the 3.0! Yummy, yum, yum! As we finish our meal (& wine!), I tell my lovely lady friends that I'm making lemoncello, just like Bucca's! Well, Peg and Cheryl will have nothing to compare my lemoncello against unless we order some! It was delicious to say the least, but we'll have to wait until mine is done brewing for the final taste test. (it takes 80 days!) Now let's move to dessert.......














Peg wanted dessert but only would order it if everyone would try it......some triple chocolate cake with some kind of booze in it! It was huge and came with a big spoon! It was very moist and quite delectable!




















Peg was a bit embarrassed about how big this piece of cake was. She looked coyly away, because she'd never seen such a big piece of cake!




















In a matter of minutes she grabbed hold of that big spoon and started scooping that boozy sauce on top of the cake! Look at her go! She was showing that cake who was in charge! We had so much fun that night! Who could ask for anything better.....good food, good wine, good conversation, good friends! Life is good............

Fish Fry Wisconsin Style!

Ahhhhhhh! Can you smell the perch? You know it's Lent when Mike is breading the fish for an old fashioned Wisconsin fish fry! (actually, I had to "guide" him through the steps!) Along with those fish we had some homemade potato pancakes! It took Mike and I 1 1/2 hours to make the meal and about 10 minutes for Mitch and Nick to eat it!















Yum! They are already for the fryer! It was a delicious meal! So delicious that Joan called and could smell it in Chicago! Now that's a good fish fry! 

The newest addtion to the family.....Powl the Owl!

I'd like to introduce to you Peg and Don's (actually it's really Peggy's) newest baby........Powl the Owl! Here's the story of Peg and her owl......

For a few years Mike and I have have been invited to attend Peg's dinner/auction for her church. It's always very nice and they have many, many items you can silently bid on. For instance, baskets of body products, tools, handmade items, and of course we can't forget hand carved items as well.

Mike and I were "eyeing" a couple of things......a couple of shirts for the boys and some tools. (which we won) Peg on the other hand "eyes" lots and lots of things. But the one thing that caught her eye was this hand carved owl! So you understand the bidding process......each table "closes" at a certain time during the evening. When they announce, for instance that table 1 is closing, people make a dash for that table to see if they been outbid. Well, let me tell you.....Peg and another person kept outbidding each other on this owl! And if any of you REALLY know Peg, she WILL NOT be outbid for something she really wants. When all was said and done....Peg won the owl! The look on Don's face was priceless! Peg kept telling us about her adoration for this owl, which by the way has cloven claws! But you're probably asking yourself....why the name Powl? Then let's continue with the story......

So we get back from the auction, our bellies filled with wine (except for Don, he was driving) and we play some cards at Peg and Don's. With the owl standing watch in the kitchen, we decide it needs to have a name.......then I suggest "Why don't we call it Powl?" "It's a combination of the word Peg and Owl!" So there you have it........that's why he's called Powl!

Therefore my big shout out of the week is to............

Peg and Powl!

May Powl bring you years of joy!

God Bless Peg!

God Bless Powl!

Honor's Breakfast!

What an honor! Nick's school had an Honor's breakfast for those students who maintained an A average for the semester! Mike and I are so proud of him! He's pictured with his principal and you can tell how happy she is for Nick. He works hard at school , so it was great to see him recognized for his academic achievement. He's really enjoying middle school this year and loves not having the "kindergartners" around! He certainly is growing up fast!

Both boys have caught "spring fever"! Just because it's 40 degrees outside, they both think they don't need to wear winter coats to school! Mike and I are constantly telling them every morning to put some winter clothes on! Phew! These guys are killing me!

This weekend we are attending Peg's church auction! I'm really looking forward to getting out of the house and hanging out with Peg and Don. Last time we went I won a DVD player! Gotta love those Catholics! It will be nice to dress up, enjoy some wine and make Mike nervous by bidding on stuff! Peg and I can usually find something to buy!

Mitch got some great news this week...... he's finally reaching the home stretch of his braces! The doc said probably one more appointment and then they come off! He can't wait to eat a carmel apple! I promised him the day he had them put on, that I would treat him to a gourmet carmel apple in Cedarburg!

I'm continuing with the Transformation Of Tracy....or T.O.T.! Mike says he notices that my body is changing, but I think he's only saying that to be a nice guy! I try to work out 45 minutes 6 days a week at a heart rate of 144. The only thing that keeps me motivated is recording PROJECT RUNWAY! I love that show! I can't get enough of it! Tonight's the final episode and I have to bowl.....so I record it and the first thing I'll do tomorrow is jump on that bike and watch it! I hope that Santino wins! There are some people out there that can stand the guy.....but....I think he's the most original of the two Daniel and Chloe! It gets even better......then I find out that it's been renewed for next season! Yeah!

Well, as Heidi Klum would say.......Auf Weidersehen!