Dyer, Indiana is too close to our eastern Wisconsin friends and family to pass up a chance to visit the area. (Not to mention that it’s a good excuse to bring cheese and hard rolls back to Missouri.) We visited with Ted’s brother, Gary, and while we were in Kiel, we went out on a limb and decided to try a different kind of cheese this time. We went to Henning’s Cheese Factory near Kiel, did a little cheese tasting, and spent a chunk of money. We didn’t tour the cheese museum because a tour bus arrived at the same time we did and the museum had a maximum capacity of approximately one busload of visitors. Now we have something to do on our next visit to the area.
Cheese-y, I know. Note that we are not climbing on the cow nor on the sign.
Jake, one of my brother Tom’s good friends, lives about two miles from the cheese factory (just down Henning Road, in fact), and we’ve gotten to know him through visits to Tom’s house for various events. Jake was at Brandon and Maddie’s wedding and insisted he would be very hurt if we went to Henning’s without stopping in to see him. We’re so glad we accepted his invitation, because we had a very relaxing visit.
I could get used to a view like this from my back porch.
Jake in front of his cottage. He has park-like property across from the cottage and it’s beautiful!We also spent a very nice evening with my cousin, Donna, and her husband, Jon. We had dinner at Rupp’s–a Sheboygan favorite that Ted and I haven’t been to for many years–followed by dessert and good conversation at Donna and Jon’s home. My Uncle Gibby was supposed to join us, but decided to visit his son/my cousin, Mike, in Menominee during the time we were in the area. Uncle Gibby will be 90 years old in November. Donna and Jon are planning a party to celebrate the event, but we won’t be able to attend, since my brother Tom’s other son, Kyle, is getting married in Michigan on the same day as Uncle Gibby’s party. We’ll have to get together with Uncle Gibby next time.
Settling in at Rupp’s
Driving along Highway 57 between Plymouth and Waldo, we saw a pig car. Yes, a pig car. Since our grandson, Teddy, is crazy about pigs, we had to stop to take some pictures for him.
A unique way to advertise a pig roast.
Naturally, a pig car needs a curly tail.We needed some exercise one rainy evening, so we “walked” the Wal-Mart store next door to our hotel. It took about 40 minutes to go up and down every aisle and gave us a good idea of the scope of what can be purchased at Wal-Mart. It also showed me how people get to be such die-hard Packer fans. In Wisconsin, they breed Packer fans, dressing them in green and gold beginning at birth!
Baby Packer regalia to get the little ones accustomed to wearing the green and gold–booties, bibs, caps, onesies, etc.
When the kids grow up, they can buy nearly every essential item of clothing in the green and gold they’ve learned to love. Adult Packer pj pants are hanging in the background.As long as I was picking up hard rolls in Oostburg, I took time to visit with some high school classmates. Audie and Sally met me at an Oostburg restaurant and we had a nice visit. Audie’s husband died two years ago and she is now engaged and planning a wedding for late October. She looks very happy and said she feels blessed to have been given two such wonderful men in her life. We also went through the “What are your kids and grandkids doing?” routine, which is always fun.
On our way home, we stopped in Brookfield to have lunch with my cousin Judi. Time flew by because we had so much to talk about, so we left later than we’d planned, but it was worth the time and we’re retired–we slept late the next morning. Unfortunately, I forgot to have Ted take a picture of me with Judi. I’ll have to hold that memory in my heart.
I-55 parallels the old Route 66. When we stopped for gas, we felt more like tourists than travelers in need of gas and a rest room. Jake’s, a huge store/gas station near Waggoner, Illinois, is obviously the place to stop for everything Route 66-related.
The tempting window display to attract our interest. Everything says “Route 66” somewhere on it.
Route 66-themed rest rooms.
Any Route 66 souvenir your heart desires.When we got home, we put the cheese in the refrigerator, the hard rolls in the freezer, and the luggage in the laundry room. Ted checked the rain gauge and discovered we’d had 3.2 inches of rain during the week we were gone. Now it’s back to normal life for a few weeks before we head to Grand Island, Nebraska and Kirksville, Missouri to visit with Mutzie, Glenn, Kathy, and Annette. Good times!