Cheeseless in Wisconsin

I have been keeping an eye out for squeaky cheese curds since entering the state but haven’t had any yet and it’s not looking good for my eating curds because I am not too from the Illinois state line and I plan to cross it today. 

We camped near Madison Saturday night and went into town that night to find that all the students were returning for classes and crowded downtown, greeting each other and finding out where everybody moved to. 

I liked Madison all right, for a city.  They have closed off parts of the main drag downtown, State Street, to traffic which makes it pedestrian friendly, I noticed a lot of bike lanes, and the buildings aren’t too imposing so you don’t feel starved of sunlight in the city like you might in NYC.  We went back downtown on sunday morning hoping to investigate a used bookstore I spied saturday night, but it didn’t open ’til noon (too late) and all we found were a bunch of grumpy people.  I’m not impressed with the friendliness of the folks there, but I am probably particularly sensitive to an unrequited hello right now.

Cow boat just off the university campus

Good thing I came to Lake Geneva next; it’s the perfect antidote to feeling like an unwelcome stranger.  I am staying with my friend, Ginny.  She lives in a beautiful farmhouse just a mile from the lake on just under 3 acres.  It’s very private, has gorgeous flower gardens, and IT’S FOR SALE!  You, too, could own a little bit of heaven in a small pleasant lakeside town. 

The Venetian festival was this weekend and since I arrived on sunday, Ginny took me to the boat parade and fireworks down on the lake.  The fireworks were the best I have ever seen!  The finale was incredible, perhaps because last year’s fireworks were rained out and they had twice as much?  I will be sad to leave here but fortunately I can see Ginny again back in Blacksburg, where she lives for most of the year now.  (Lucky girl.)