Girls Just Want To Have Fun (and Relax)

By Renee Wahlen Tillema

It is one weekend out of the year that is just for the girls. It is a weekend to celebrate friendships and leave the daily chores behind. It is a weekend where the dad's take over the childcare duties at home and the mom's have time to relax and do something just for themselves.

For over 15 years, a group of moms from the Waupun/Brownsville area have packed up and headed out of town for a girls-only weekend. The current group of ladies includes Chris Haas, Carla Wojahn and Sharon Ball, all from Waupun; and Rosie Wucherer from Brownsville. All four are outdoor enthusiasts, and they head for some of the most beautiful destinations in Wisconsin. Past weekends have been celebrated in Montello, Devil's Lake, Wild Rose, Princeton, Bass Lake, Red Granite and St. Cloud.

"It really started about 26 years ago," Rosie said. "We weren't the ones to start it; the first one was a group going to Apple River. Of the four of us now, I was the first that started going on the weekends."

The four women became friends through area softball leagues, and while they do get together and see each other during the week, this yearly weekend is something special.

"We start meeting already in June to plan for the weekend," Carla explained. "It's the best four months out of the year. Two months planning and then another two months spent laughing about the weekend and talking about it."

Sharon explained that in years past, there were up to ten women who took part in the weekends. But because of family commitments, people moving out of the area or other reasons, the other women stopped participating. Chris, Sharon, Carla and Rosie have made these weekends a priority.

"We have done a lot of camping, a lot with the outdoors, that's what we like," Rosie said. "Camping is a lot of fun, but, as we are getting older we don't want the hassle of the set-up, so now we get a cabin and drop our bags."

The date is always the same, the weekend after Labor Day, and the four ladies agreed that setting a consistent date is the key to the long-term success of their special weekend. That date goes on the calendar and not much that happens would make them change their plans. One year, Carla's brother planned his wedding for that weekend. Carla missed the Friday of her vacation to attend the wedding and Rosie, Chris and Sharon were there to pick her up as soon as the celebration was over.

"We have a lot of stories to tell," Chris said. "What's nice about that time of year is that it's so secluded, there are not a lot of people that are going to bother us, and we don't want to be bothering anyone else either. We can get loud, but it's laughing loud."

There have been many laughs shared about the Jet Ski years, the Packer decorated golf cart, the year of the tornado and the scary raccoons that visited camp. Each year has a special memory.

"We sit around and talk, there are a lot of cards, and we reminisce about the years before," Carla said.

One of the highlights of the weekend is the rule that there will be no cleaning and no cooking. They all get enough of those chores in everyday life; the weekend is designed to relax. They stock up on ready-made foods and stop Friday morning for a big breakfast on the way to their destination.

While activities such as horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, swimming or heading to the flea market are available, there is no pressure to participate in any of the planned events. Decisions are based on each individual and what they feel like doing for the weekend.

"To each his own," Sharon said. "There are times two of will go off for a walk, or three go horseback riding. It's whatever you want. You can do something, or do nothing, there's no pressure."

Each year they travel to a new area in the state, different campgrounds, cabins or cottages. They have found in recent years that they like staying closer to home so there is not as much drive time involved. Each year they leave early on Friday and come home on Sunday. The weekends are usually wrapped up with a Green Bay Packers game.

"Life is too short not to, it's a time to get away and relax," Carla said. "It keeps us close as friends and it's good for our peace of minds just to get away and regroup."

It's not just their own attitudes that benefit from a weekend away, they also believe the weekend is good for their marriage and for the children, because dad's get to spend some quality time with the kids. They all come home with a positive feeling towards their jobs and families and appreciate what they have in their lives.

"It's all about laughing and having no responsibilities," Chris added. "There is so much laughing. It's so cool because it's so simple, there's not a whole lot of prep, otherwise for vacations there is so much planning."

When asked to sum up the weekend, words like priceless, unforgettable and awesome were used. Carla said the weekends help to keep them all young, both spiritually and emotionally. They can't remember a bad year in the bunch, no arguments or disagreements to mar the memories.

"We have realized how important it is to take the time for yourself and friends," Chris said. "For 362 days a year it's all about other people, this weekend is all about us. It's very healthy. Friends are a wonderful gift."