Lasting Memories
It is a strange feeling to say, “this is the last time we’ll do…or see this…” During the last several months, we’ve enjoyed seeing people and places we may not get the chance to see in quite some time. We will cherish the memories and look back fondly on these events during the last several months living in and around Madison, Wisconsin.
Parmesan Cheeseheads
First off, Wisconsin is known for its cheese. It is the dairy state. Whenever our son, Nathan, would come to visit us from San Francisco, he would always make it a point to stop in at the Willy Street Food Co-op and bring back some Wisconsin cheese, especially cheese curds, to share with his roommates and friends.
And, that actually was the inspiration in naming this blog, Parmesan Cheeseheads. It merges the concept of us being “cheeseheads” from Wisconsin with our new life in Parma, which is known for its parmesan cheese.
Here’s a summary of some of our activities during the last several months.
Family Time in Florida
In May 2016, we went to Florida to visit my parents and their spouses to say “ciao” to them. My two sisters (one from Wisconsin and the other one from Massachusetts) joined us there. Needless to say, we had a delightful time. And even though my brother was about to go surfing in Rhode Island, he was able to join us by FaceTime when we celebrated my Mom’s birthday.
Enjoying Being Alumni One Last Time
On June 19, 2016, we canoed one last time on Lake Mendota. Then, we enjoyed Babcock ice cream with Door County cherries at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Memorial Union. We finished our afternoon by relaxing in the UW-Madison Allen Gardens after strolling along the lake shore path.
We went back to the Memorial Union our last Saturday evening in town, July 9, 2016. This time we went with our roommates, Eve and Ken, and were joined by our good friends, Joel and Terry, and Ken’s good friends, Ester and Tom, and their good friends, Elaine and Dave. It was a beautiful evening, and what better way to end our stay in Madison than by eating popcorn and drinking pitchers on beer on the Union Terrace with friends, watching the boats sail by on Lake Mendota.
And of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a photo of us sitting in the oversized Memorial Union Chair!
To end the evening, we all met up with more good friends, Jeff and Leslie, for an excellent dinner at Fugu, a Chinese restaurant off of State Street in Madison. Jeff was also one of our roommates when Eve, Ken and I lived together during our grad school days.
Celebrating Family Milestones
On June 20, 2016, we enjoyed the day with my sister and her family celebrating her son, Joe’s birthday, graduation and new job. We “saved” two pieces of cake for our family members who were not able to connect with us from San Francisco. Afterwards, we all had an excellent dinner at Banzo’s. They have the best falafels and hummus in Madison!
Last Canoe Trip
On June 23, 2016, we took our last canoe trip before we stored our canoe with my sister and her husband. Wondering where to go, we decided to stop at Venice Beach Road (how appropriate!!) and check out the Lower Lake Nemahbin near Delafield, Wisconsin.
Birthday Celebration with Family
On June 27, 2016, we celebrated Larry’s birthday twice. First, we went to his mom’s apartment and celebrated with leftover cake from our Buon Viaggio party.
Birthday Celebration at Ishnala
Later that evening, we went to Ishnala, a supper club overlooking Mirror Lake, Wisconsin, to continue celebrating Larry’s birthday. This was an extra special day because our son, Nathan, was able to be with us. He lives in San Francisco and we don’t often get the chance to spend part of the summer together in Wisconsin. It was a beautiful evening and a memorable way to spend some family time together. After the meal, we went on a passeggiata (walk) on the trails and then headed back to Mirror Lake. The air was still and so was the water, with Mirror Lake living up to its name!
