Madeline Island 2022 - Slow Sunday

Sunday, July 31, 2022

Slow and easy morning. Coffee and some ancestry work. 

A cigar around 11:00 a.m.

Dale and I had salads for lunch at the Beach Club around 12:30. Dale had chicken on his and I had fish on mine. We then took the ferry to the mainland. We had to return two vans to Ashland. Josh and Tom each drove a van over and we followed them so they could ride back to the Island with us. Before leaving Ashland we stopped at Super One to pick up some supplies. 

Dinner around 6 p.m. at The Pub. I had linguine with muscles and Dale had whitefish. I love the view of the lake from their dining room.

Madeline 2021 - First Trip: Walks, Cocktails, and More! (Friday)

Friday, June 25, 2021

Totally lazy day. Didn’t sleep well last night. So nice to wake up to Dale being around. Did lots reading today but also lots of walking. 

Got hungry around noon so I headed to Island Grocery to see if they had a sandwich but they didn’t so I stopped by Grandpa Tony’s and ordered a BLT to go. It was delicious. 

Lots more reading and walking this afternoon. I took a nap around 4 p.m. due to not sleeping well at all last night. 

Dale got home from work around 5 p.m. and we went to the Pub for dinner. Lots of the restaurants on the Island are open limited hours and seem to be trying to get their sea legs back after the pandemic. I ordered a brandy Old Fashioned but they made it with bourbon. I didn’t make waves due to them being short staffed and somewhat frazzled. 

We took a nice walk after dinner. The house pictured above has been in the remodeling stage since at least 2014. I usually refer to it as the red house since that’s what it used to look like (see picture below from 2014).

Otherwise not an exciting day but restful none-the-less. Also, it’s great having Dale around. We’d been separated for 3 weeks. 

Island 2018 - Second Trip Fourth Day: Last Full Day

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Last full day on the Island for the summer. Great trip and will miss having such easy access to Dale!

Island 2017 - 2nd Trip Day 7: The Pub

Thursday, July 6, 2017

Dinner at The Pub tonight with Brenda and Irv. So nice to spend time with them on Madeline. I don't think they've been up since 2004 and I'm so glad they were able to make it this year.

Island 2017 - Day 1: Arrival

Monday, June 19, 2017

I made it up to the Island today for the first time this season only to discover that I forgot to load my suitcase in the car! Needless to say, I only arrived with the very clothes on my back. Did I discover this mistake when I was stopping for gas only an hour outside the Twin Cities? NO! I realized it when I went to grab my sweater from my suitcase in the trunk while parked first in line waiting for the ferry in Bayfield. Dale informed me yesterday that it's supposed to be on the cool side up her for the week so thankfully I threw my biker jacket in the trunk as it was to big to fit in my suitcase. At least I had that for the chill.

Not only were my clothes in the suitcase, but my toiletries, meds, AND Athena's meds were in it too. With a Walmart and a Walgreens in Ashland my clothes and meds were the least of my worries. Athena's incontinent and I was worried about her peeing in the apartment while in her sleep. Thankfully Dale's landlord gave us the name of his vet in Ashland. With a fax of the prescription from our vet he told us he'd replace her meds. I can get everything taken care of tomorrow in Ashland.

Anyway, Dale and I had a fantastic dinner of whitefish at The Pub. We then took Athena for a nice walk afterward.

Island 2016 - Second Trip Day 5: Cigar Time

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Cigar time on Dale's deck this afternoon. Enjoyed the view. Dinner at The Pub after Dale came home from work. I ordered crab and that turned out to be quite the adventure due to it being in the shell. Our waiter, Mitch, asked me after I finished how I did. I told him I felt i was successful considering the whole thing was WAY outside my comfort zone. I really had to work to get to the meat.

Island 2016 - First Trip Day 1: Settling In

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Athena and I were both excited to see Dale. We all embarked on a walk so Athena could get the lay of the land with her sniffer. Photos are of some sights on the walk. Shortly after, Dale took me to dinner at The Pub. Had to satisfy my whitefish jones.

Madeline Island 2015: First Trip Day 1 - Departure and Arrival

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Left today to visit Dale Up North. Had meant to be out of the house by noon but was on the road by 1:45. Coulda done worse, I suppose. I only stopped once between Minneapolis and Bayfield which was pretty good. 

Fran and Charlie are coming up tomorrow for the weekend which is why Athena is in the kennel. Dale thought she might be a little overwhelming for them. 

Made the 7:00 p.m. ferry so I was on the Island by about 7:25. Dale's thinking that by tomorrow they'll be running the ferries pretty much nonstop as it gets pretty crazy up here for the 4th of July holiday.

Dale and I went to the Pub for dinner. We both had the whitefish and it was delicious. I ordered and old fashioned for a cocktail. Our server asked if I wanted brandy in it (the Wisconsin version) but I told her I better start with the familiar and go the bourbon route. For my second one I told her I'd go with brandy. When we left I told her I liked the brandy version better. "See," she said, "You must have just enough Wisconsin in you."

Island 2014: Second Trip - Dinner Time

Monday, July 7, 2014

Dinner on my own tonight. Where else but The Pub.

Island 2014: Second Trip - The Pub

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Dinner at The Pub. Yet again. What would we do without this place. Photo with Dale on the dock afterward.

Island 2014: Second Trip - Dinner at The Pub

Friday, July 4, 2014

Dinner at The Pub. Again. After dinner Ellis found a feather near the beach. He and Dale threw it around like a dart for a while. Ellis squealed with delight. 

Island 2014: Second Trip - Alyn and Ellis

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Alyn and Ellis arrived around 4 p.m.  We all went to The Pub for dinner and then to Grandpa Tony's for ice cream.

Madeline 2013 - 2nd Trip: La Pointe

The ferry got us to La Pointe yesterday shortly before 7:30 p.m.  We unpacked the groceries Dale had picked up in Duluth, got Athena on a quick walk, and then headed to The Pub for dinner.  I had the prime rib and Dale had the whitefish.

Madeline Island 2013 - First Visit: View at the Pub

We had a window table when we ate at The Pub on Wednesday June 12.  This was our view of the setting sun.

Madeline Island 2013 - First Visit: Joe and Dale

I took this photo of the two of us after having dinner at The Pub on Wednesday June 12. Dale had the whitefish and I had the prime rib.

Madeline Island 2013 - First Visit: A Lovely Day

Athena got lots of walks today and I got in lots of studying. When Dale got home from work I impressed him with a magic card trick. Boy, did I have him stumped. Cocktails and dinner at the Pub. I had prime rib and Dale had the whitefish. Very delicious.

Third Visit 2012 Day 1 - Happy Hour & Dinner

Warren, Gary, Dale, had cocktails at home and then dinner at The Pub. We sat at a table by the window. The view of the lake is lovely even at dusk.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 1 Part 2: Dinner at The Pub

We had a lovely dinner at The Pub tonight. Afterward we spent some time skipping stones while bathed in the glorious setting sun. Anyone who thinks paradise can't be found this far north is wrong. The bottom photo is of Dale.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 4: The Pub

Dale, Alyn, Chris, Ellis, and I had dinner tonight at The Pub. I started out with a Tanquerey martini and then had the maple glazed trout with shrimp. We had a little discussion about the pronunciation of Wisconsin. Alyn, a native, said that non-natives pretty much say it like it's spelled while natives tend to go with "W'scansin" leaning toward a short a.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 3: Evening Sun

Top photo taken from Dale's deck at 6:43 p.m.  Middle photo taken from inside The Pub at 7:07 p.m.  Bottom photo taken from outside The Pub at 8:45 p.m.