Brat Fest and Memorial Day weekend to do lists!

Well if you are anything like me - there is a LIST of things that need to get done on Memorial Day weekend.  In addition to the unofficial start of summer - there is "stuff" to get ready.  

vegie gardens to plant 

flowers to plant 

boats to clean, inside and out 

shop for new carpet

jet skies to clean

houses to clean 

walls to paint

rides to bike 

paths to run and 

brats to be eaten.  

Here in Madison . . .  let me re-phrase that . . .  here in Wisconsin we LOVE Brats . . .  oh and especially when eaten while enjoying a beer.  Trust me - nothing tastes better than a beer and a brat, especially when the brat is first simmered in beer and onions!  yum.   
In Madison we have a annual Brat Fest, which was started by a local grocer, and is now billed as the World's Largest Brat Fest, with much of the proceeds going to local charities.  This year because of the political turmoil in Madison and Wisconsin, the Brat Fest not only is being "protested" or boycotted by many local individuals, including many of my Facebook friends.  One of the PRIMARY reasons that the "Official" brat fest is being boycotted is that the Brats are provided FREE to the event by Johnsonville Brat's . . .  

Political Involvement and Controversy

The Johnsonville company and its owners have a reputation for political involvement, and are widely known as supporters of conservative causes. ^[1] In 2010, members of the Stayer family figured prominently as contributors to the successful Wisconsin gubernatorial campaign of Republican candidate Scott Walker. ^[2]As a result, in 2011, opponents of Walker and his policies have called for a boycott of Johnsonville products.

As a result of this boycott, there are at least 4 alternative Brat fests which are set up around the city this weekend, with most of these proceeds also going to charities.  So we are a city with Brat's coming out of our ears!   

We decided after a day of planting the vegie garden, planting more flowers, carpet shopping, painting, cleaning the inside of the boat, we needed to eat some Brat's.  So we road our bikes to Brat Fest, figuring that the exercise would help offset the calories of the brats and beer.  Round trip was 18 miles.  Best part was that when we got to Brat Fest, which is held at a local venue situated on a parcel of land with water all around it (think moat) - bikes were allowed on the island and had a special valet area.  There is a huge parking lot - but getting to bike on the island was great.  We hopped off the bikes, walked a few short steps - I got a couple of beers, while my son and hubby picked up the brats.  We then sat and ate them while listening to a band.  Music, beer, brats - charity event . . .  great way to spend chillaxicating time on Memorial Day.  

Johnsonville Brats

Local volunteers, cooking up the brats - this goes on Friday - Monday so it takes many many volunteers.

On today's agenda - paint (already done), clean house, three bathrooms already cleaned ;-), three loads of laundry already finished, we are now waiting for the rain to stop so that we can wash the outside of boat let it dry and get it waxed.  Oh and we will probably be stopping at Brat Fest again to enjoy a brat and beer (or 2)  . . . we have to do our part to help the local charities!  

On the running front - I took yesterday and today off - my ankle is still swollen and quite stiff after I sit for any period of time, not that I have been sitting around much this weekend, but  . . . . good news is that it feels much better today.  I noticed that it wasn't nearly as stiff when I got out of bed this morning.  I was thinking about running - but decided I would give it another day of rest.  I should have probably not been running on it this past week, instead of getting better during the week, it seemed to be getting more swollen and stiffer - that is why I decided to take these last couple of days off.  I think it needed to be rested.  

Hoping for another bike ride, maybe to Brat fest again and then a 6 mile run tomorrow morning.  Then about the only thing on tomorrows agenda will be to take the clean boat out for the day!  Temp's tomorrow are supposed to hit 89 - currently it is raining and 61.  brrrrrrrr