A View of the Valley

by Linda Schwanke I saw a chart that showed the percentage of the population of people who live in the state they were born in. The upper Midwest comes in high up the list (Louisiana was the highest at 78.1 percent) with Wisconsinites at 71.2 percent of us living in the state we born. Nevada at 26.7 percent and Florida at 35.8 percent were the lowest. The discussion about it said that people in the Midwest stay in the state they were born because who would want to live here? They said its cold and rural and the economy isn’t booming the way it is in other places and blah, blah, blah.  If people move here and learn what a great place this is great, but if they don’t get it, that’s ok. Because what anyone who doesn’t live doesn’t know – what we’ve managed to keep secret – is that the reason so many who are born here stay here is because Wisconsin is a special place to live. Especially the Valley. It gets really cold in the winter but that’s a bonding thing. It gives us a chance to stand around visiting and be proud of ourselves for braving the cold. We can tell each other to put on a hat and gloves because what’s wrong with you going out with a wet head in this weather? We shovel each other’s snow and help when cars get stuck and it’s nice to know we have each other’s back. It gets really hot in the summer but that, too, gives us something to bitch and bond about. Mosquitoes are not nice but at least we don’t have giant cockroaches.  I was reminded of why I live in the state I was born when I got my booster last Friday night. I was kind of nervous about it because getting a shot is not my favorite thing to do. I felt kind of rotten after my first two vaccines, too, so I wasn’t looking forward to that either. On the bright side, son Bill had scheduled his booster at the same time so we got to see each other in person for a little while, which was really, really nice. Also really, really nice and not to be underestimated is the kindness of the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and volunteers at the Spring Green Fire Station. It can be hard to recognize people behind masks and, to some extent, with longer hair trending. But I knew all of them and recognized more people than I expected. I also was comforted in a very special way by Jamie Radtke, who gave me my booster. I teasingly told her that my granddaughter Mildred said the people getting shots should get stickers. Mildred always gets stickers when she gets a shot so it makes sense to her. Jamie laughed and understood completely. She even came up with a treat. They don’t have stickers but I got a sucker, which I gave to Mildred. Major win for Mildred who got the sucker, not an everyday treat in her life, and when I got home she gave me one of her stickers. Earlier in the day, Gwen gave blood at the Spring Green blood drive. She explained to her nurse, who isn’t from here, part of what makes this place so special. She’s known the two blood drive coordinators, Barb Louis and Barb Baxter, for years and years. Barb Louis was our backyard neighbor when Gwen was growing up. (Her son lives there now.) Barb Baxter was her sixth grade teacher. The guy on the next table sent his kids to the same daycare as Mildred until they started school. We’re all, for better or worse whether we want to be or not, connected. Barb and Barb, when Gwen turned down a cookie after she donated, gave her cheese. Because its Wisconsin. Its cheese. Of course. (We have a drawer in our fridge just for cheese – all kinds. We even have some American sliced cheese type product but it isn’t in the drawer, it’s on the highest shelf of the door, hidden away in embarrassment behind some weird mustard Jim likes.) Everyone in my family has lived in other places at one time or another and liked them well enough but there is no place like home. In Wisconsin, that’s more true than most places. Even more so, it’s true of the Valley. Now if we can solve our housing shortages, more people who were born here could live here. It’s a project worth pursuing.  Stay in touch. My phone number is (608) 574-3159 – call or text me anytime. You can also email me at homenewseditor@newspubinc.com or write to me at the Home News, P.O. Box 39, Spring Green WI 53588.  Visit our website at homenewsrv.com Get in touch with Gwen for sports or features at homenewssports@newspubinc.com. If you need a display ad, Dave Pronold can be reached at homenewssales@newspubinc.com or by calling him on his cell at 588-4777. Display ads, or ads that are in boxes, are due by 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. The classified ad deadline is noon Thursdays the week prior to publication for both the Buyer’s Guide and Home News. Classified rates are $13 for the first 10 words, then 30¢ per word for each additional word. Call (608) 767-3655 or email classifieds@newspubinc.com  Legal notices are due by 2 p.m. on Fridays, email them to legals@newspubinc.com Call the NewsPub central office at (608) 767-3655 for subscriptions and all other information Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, although afternoon hours can vary. Closed Fridays.