Jamie Janosz

Milt and I have been married for 20 years now, but all it takes is a weekend away - just the two of us - for us to remember why we love being together. This past Friday, we escaped to our favorite spot - Door County, WI - for a little r&r and uninterrupted conversations. No commuting to Chicago, no helping my daughter with Geometry homework that I can no longer remember how to do, no letting the dog out and in, no deciphering shopping lists from my mother-in-law... It was just the two of us - just the way it all started. I love the fall - and it is definitely fall in Wisconsin - pumpkins everywhere. I loved the opalescent pink pumpkins outside a little boutique. Plus, these little animal ones were adorable. Friday boasted crisp beautiful weather, so we roamed through the orchards and gift shops, snagged some fudge, and even took in a classic Wisconsin fish boil. Here, we did a little self-portrait as we watched the sunset. Ahhh...the romance is still alive ...

Every two years, the tiny Wisconsin town of Monroe holds a cheese festival. Known as the "Swiss Cheese Capital" of the United States, the town (population of approx. 10,000) is crowded with an influx of 100,000 party goers, standing in block-long lines to eat fried cheese curds We were invited to Cheese Days by our good friends, Marty and Sue, who always dress in cheesey costumes. Hosted by their gracious cousins, Betsey and Larry, our festooned group walked past blocks of Victorian homes to the center of the town square and plunged into the festivities. Marty and Sue set the standards high for Cheese Days garb, so we joined in the general craziness. We dressed as our favorite types of cheeses: French Brie, String Cheese, and Aged Cheddar. I know. Pretty cheesey, right? One of my friends says we looked "gouda." OK - no more cheese puns. Cheese Days began in 1914 when local businessman attended a neighboring town's "Sauerkraut Days" ...