Things to Do around Monroe, WI

If you are looking for something to do in the upcoming week, there are some great events going on in Monroe and Green County.

~ Styles ala Carte takes place again tomorrow, Thursday, January 15. Enjoy lunch and a fashion show at Turner Hall in Monroe from 12 until 1:30.

~ This weekend in New Glarus is the annual Winter Fest Veterans Reunion. The early bird gathering is on Thursday evening, and events take place throughout Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

~ Feel like karaoke? You can warble away on Thursday starting at 8 pm at Donna's Place in Monticello or Friday starting at 8:30 at the Nest Tavern in Belleville.

~ If you would rather watch others doing the singing - or dancing or acting - then come to the annual MAC Community Showcase of Talent. It takes place at the Monroe High School Performing Arts Center on Friday, January 16 and Saturday, January 17 this year. Showtime is 7:30 pm both nights. Tickets are $10 and are available via the MAC website or at the door.

~ If green issues and sustainability are important to you, attend the upcoming webinar sponsored by UW Extension. This is the fourth in the series, and it will take place from 11:15 am until 1 pm on Tuesday, January 20. The topic is sustainability and strategic planning. You can attend in person at Yodel Hall in the Government Services Building in the Pleasant View complex just north of Monroe, and the webinar is linked to other UW Extension groups. The series continues throughout the spring, and you can view more information here.

~ The Young Professionals of Green County are having their first gathering for the New Year. They are sponsoring a Martini Tasting on January 22 starting at 5 pm. Come meet at Flanagan's Shenanigans on the south side of Monroe's Downtown Square. Luis and I will be there, so be sure to say hi if you come.

Don't let the cold winter weather force you to hibernate! Get out and enjoy the many options for entertainment available in the next week.

Is That a Lawn or a Cross Country Ski Trail?

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening.

It happened again today.

A beautiful sight,
We're happy tonight.

My buyer and I pulled up to a home in the country. The setting was wonderful - mature trees dotted the spacious yard. Such a peaceful spot. The snow stretched out in front of us, unblemished by anything more than the tracks of a few animals.

Walking in a winter wonderland.

Wait a minute. That unblemished snow covered the driveway and front walk.

We had 40 inches of snow in December, more in January. There was a thaw in between there, but there was still close to three feet of snow stretching out for about hundred yards between us and the house. Thankfully, we had an ice storm in there too, so there was enough of a crust of ice on the snow to allow us to balance on top of most of it, wading through only about six inches of powder.

If buyer cannot get to a house, they cannot fall in love with the house. If they cannot fall in love, they will not buy. An inaccessible driveway also makes the home feel difficult to care for in the winter months, a negative before they even walk in the door.

Even if a home is vacant, hire out a local service to come clear the driveway and walks. In our area, that will cost about $30 per snow in the city, $50 in the country. It is an investment in selling your home.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland is a lovely song, and a great description for yard stretching out behind a home. Just don't let it describe the sidewalk and driveway please.

Property of the Week

This week's featured property is a three bedroom home in Browntown.


Space, space and more space. Need more space for the family? How about space for the workshop and big boy toys? This three bedroom home on 1.13 acres has everything you need. The rambling ranch has a unique floor plan that includes the all the basics - living room, dining room, bathroom, bedrooms - along with an eat in kitchen and an enormous rec room that has a wet bar and half bath.

Privacy is yours when you relax on the the secluded back porch. Overlook a landscaped yard and miles of valley without seeing the neighbors.

The enormous detached garage is large enough to park two semis with room for more, so bring on the big boy toys! You are near the Cheese Country trail for riding an ATV or snowmobile and only minutes from Cadiz Springs for fishing. Trailer the boat a short drive up to Yellowstone or take the camper and spend the weekend. This garage has room to store all of these and more, more, more!

Future Forward!

Have you heard of Future Forward!? Do you want to know more?

Future Forward! is a group dedicated to improving the quality of life in Green County to help attract and retain young professionals to our area.

If you are curious about their mission or would like to help in any way, consider coming to the next meeting. Future Forward! will be meeting on Thursday, January 8 from 5:30 until 7:30 pm at Minhas Brewery. There will be a social time from 5 until 5:30 that will include a sampling of Minhas products and a light supper.

The meeting will include a workshop to list Green County's many assets for young professionals. They will also be brainstorming the gaps, things the area lacks that could help us better attract and retain local talent. First hand prospective is really appreciated, so any young professionals in the area are welcome to come and help with the thought process.

Do you have ideas of projects, programs, learning opportunities, business ideas or social events that could help improve the quality of life in the Green County area? Please consider attending.

I will be there, and I hope that you can attend too!

A Cautionary Tale

Vacant Houses + Wisconsin Winters = Potential Disaster

It seems to happen every year. A seller has a vacant home and does not get there to check on things regularly because of being busy or being out of the area. The homeowner assumes everything is fine because the furnace was running and the heat was set somewhere in the 50 degree range.

Until the unthinkable happens. A power outage takes out the electronic pilot. Something trips a circuit breaker. A weird fluke interrupts things and the furnace stops functioning. Even if the homeowner or a neighbor is checking in once a week or every few days, a home can sit in the bitter cold for days without anyone knowing.

No heat in these Wisconsin winters means one thing for a home - frozen pipes.

This does not need to happen. There is a nifty little gadget called a Freeze Alarm. It is battery operated and sits in the home, monitoring the temperature. If the temperature falls below or rises above parameters set by the homeowner, the freeze alarm will call for help.

Freeze alarms are not cheap; models can run over $400. However, a basic model can be purchased for under $100. Freeze alarms are easy to locate online, and Amazon.com offers a variety of them. You will also have to maintain a basic telephone line for the freeze alarm to call out on.

Even with those expenses, a freeze alarm can be a bargain when balanced against the cost of repairing burst pipes and the damage they can cause.

Don't be caught unaware this winter.