OK …… SIX Days!

Ummmmm……..maybe we've been transported to the coast of Maine??? Still no lake…..no city.

Five Days - But Who's Counting???

We live just south of the city and on a nice day have the best view of downtown. The lake stretches toward the art museum, the office buildings tower over smaller structures, church steeples are in evidence. Walking along the path at the side of the Lake Michigan gives one a real appreciation of our small-but-terrific city.

Until the last five days. Here's the morning-into-afternoon-and-maybe-evening view we get now:

What lake? What city? What marina? What boats?

Our local meteorologists explain that since we had such a long, cold winter the lake water is still very cold, especially toward the center. When we get a breeze from the east the air cools crossing the water, hits the slightly warmer air at the shoreline and voila - no lake, no city. Even driving into the city, up over the bridge across the Milwaukee River, you see no buildings until you get really close. It's other-worldly. Like something swallowed Milwaukee.

If you look closely you might see the water and a few boats in this one:

Frankly I feel like we all went to sleep in Milwaukee one night…..woke up transported to somewhere near Seattle by morning.

Fenway's Point of View - Episode One

My humans love to read Julie Zickefoose's blog about her Boston terrier, Chet Baker. He even has his own Facebook page. They laugh whenever she posts a picture or a blog about Chet. Hmpf…..he's not so special. Just because he lives on a farm in Ohio and gets to go running and exploring nature with his humans isn't such a big deal.

I do most of the same fun stuff. I walk every day, to check to see if Lake Michigan is still there. And I run at the dog parks so I can stay in shape. I love to "process" cardboard boxes so that they end up a collection of very small pieces. My humans have yet to find a toy that my strong jaws can't destroy. Especially any toy that squeaks - it must be de-squeaked immediately!

I hide treats and toys (especially rawhide stuff) that I find "unacceptable" but I won't tell them why they are unacceptable. That way they get to spend more money on me.  It's fun to hide stuff in mom's shoe, and at the back of dad's closet, under their pillows or to drop things down the heater vent in the hall. I figure it makes housecleaning more of an adventure for the humans who live in my house. (When I go to visit my big cousin Sadie I hide all of her bones in secret places so she can have fun for days trying to find them after I leave.)

I am the boss of all other dogs I meet - no matter how big. In fact, the bigger the better. I go right up to them, stare them down and let them know "You are not the boss of me!"Then I run away but they can never catch me! One time this big man they called Todd came to visit. He said I had a "battleship personality in a rowboat body".  Not sure what that means….but I am in charge! I bark at any dogs who dare to walk down MY sidewalk on the other side of the fence. That Milwaukee sidewalk is MINE!

Sadly I can't be quite as brave when we have thunderstorms. I quiver when thunder comes by. But if I jump up in the bed next to my mom and she covers me with a pillow and tells me "Fenway - that's OK….shhhhh" then her bed stops vibrating and she can go back to sleep. I just don't like thunder. And what's with that stuff called fireworks? I don't like those things either.

I sing "Happy Birthday" and I sing it beautifully if I do say so myself.  Sad to say it is the only song in my repertoire.

I get to sleep on the furniture. (But at night I sleep in my own bed unless it's stormy outside.) It's only right that I should get to sleep on the sofas and the chairs and be covered with blankets whenever I want. What else is that furniture for?

I've been known to race across the back yard to catch and kill a chipmunk. I shake them, break their necks quickly….but then don't know what to do with my catch. This activity proves I am a hunter, but is met with some disgust on the part of my humans.

When that Zickefoose person wrote that her Chet was "…a solid dark polished ebony chunk of love" she could have been talking about me!

Maybe I need a Facebook page too.  

Those Dancing Muscles…..

Ouch - everything "hurts". I have a blister on one toe, my hips are sore, my calf muscles screaming and my thighs complaining. It's been a long time since we danced until midnight - and I'm discovering muscles that I forgot I had.

But what a fun reason for all this discomfort! Our nephew got married in Chicago on Saturday and it was such a lovely event. The venue at the Chicago Art Museum was beautiful, the ceremony was very personal, the bride and groom couldn't have been happier.

Then the reception! What food! What music - a great multi-piece dance band with terrific singers! The wine, the cake, the toasts. Every piece of what you'd hope to see as you plan a "perfect" wedding was in place…..even the rain held off until everyone was seated for the ceremony. When bolts of lightning sounded we took it as a good sign from "above".  :-)

But the day after I really "felt" it. Everything ached. Happily a couple of aspirin helped….and Dave and I vowed to not let that many years go by again before hitting a dance floor somewhere. It was fun! And we still clean up pretty good!  

Lake View ....... ?

This is a special weekend....we are in Chicago for my nephew's wedding. Last night was the rehearsal dinner and it was such fun! Conversation, laughter, delicious meal and a host of touching/funny/loving toasts to the young couple.

We are lucky enough to be staying at my sister and brother-in-law's condo overlooking Lake Michigan for two nights. A real treat.

I woke up early this morning, wandered into the kitchen to find the coffee fixings and turned to enjoy the view. Hmmmmmm......heavy fog alert until later this morning. Oh well....I know it's out there. I'll just have to wait a bit.

Sunday with a Good Book…...

I've always loved to read - at least for as long as I can remember. The Park Ridge Library was a favorite haunt when I was growing up. School libraries too. Books made perfect gifts for birthday or Christmas. I loved getting lost in a book.

Books were friends when none of mine were around. Books provided escape when I needed to pretend to be elsewhere for awhile. Books offered comfort when I needed it.

I've read so many good books over the years that I can't even begin to count them. I wish, now, that I'd kept some kind of list with titles, authors and a few comments. But never mind - too late to start now. I've been known to re-read books (and not on purpose) going along, chapter after chapter, with an itch that says "this seems very familiar but I just can't quite remember what happens"…..so I continue on to the end.

We stopped for a quick visit with my sister and her husband on our way back from Indiana last week. (Stopping outside Chicago saves us from having to "push through" that last stretch where muscles are cramping and we just want OUT OF THE CAR. Plus it's always nice to spend time together.)

Before we left on Thursday morning Susan gave me a book. I finished it while sitting out in the yard this afternoon. I closed the cover with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. I love when a book does that to me. When the characters pull you in….when the story won't let you go. When you just have to keep reading even though your "to-do-list" is waiting. When sentences or paragraphs make enough of an impression that you just have to re-read them.

I am going to pass this book on to a special friend - I think she will have a similar reaction…..and then she can pass it along to someone else.

Thank you Susan….I never would have discovered The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin without you. One reviewer's comment is as follows: "A wonderful, moving, endearing story of redemption and transformation that will sing in your heart for a very, very long time." I know its notes will sing in mine.

The novel takes place in a small bookstore on a small island off the coast of New England. The store's motto is "No Man is An Island; Every Book is A World".

I loved this world.

Missing Buffalo...

We visited Jackson Hole and Yellowstone for the first time in 2012 - taking our small RV on the road to explore some of the National Parks. After Yellowstone we hit Glacier and then circled back down through Oregon to Crater Lake. In 2013 we were back in Jackson Hole for a family reunion - really fun to share the wonderful area with our "kids" and their kids. After the get-together Dave and I continued back through South Dakota to Custer National Park and other stops along the way.

These western adventures provided my first opportunity to view buffalo in the wild…..not in a zoo….but on the plains, or walking through a campground, or moving down the road blocking traffic as they went. Each time I was fascinated - they are huge, impressive animals. They own the road if they feel like crossing - or walking right down the center line. Last summer we watched family groups take turns walking down to a pond for their evening drink - one group waiting patiently for another to finish. The huge bulls, the moms and their calves. Family groups. We watched a bull protect his mate from another big guy, we watched another rolling in the dust….we sat and just watched.

I really can't get enough of them. I imagine what it was like to see/hear hundreds….no thousands…..stampeding across the prairie. Thunder on the hoof. I imagine Native Americans hunting them and then using the meat, the hide, the bones - every part of this animal to support their families.

This year we are sticking closer to home - and it makes me sort of sad to think that I won't see buffalo. I want to go back - west - to open spaces - to see them in their natural habitat. I miss buffalo. Why is that? Why has this animal made such an impression on me? Don't know - but I will miss buffalo this summer.

Maybe next year.

Down on the Farm…..

We just spent a couple days at my cousin's farm down in Southern Indiana on the banks of the Ohio River. A complete change from Milwaukee's "city life". It's a long drive, but when we arrived we were met with warm hugs, snacks and a glass of wine….so it was worth it! Never mind that internet connection is very "tenuous" - being on the farm helps anyone "unplug" for awhile.

My cousin and her husband have a big spread including a huge vegetable garden, a small herd of cattle, flowers blooming everywhere, a pond with turtles and bullfrogs, birds racing to the bird feeders, two dogs roaming the property, a swimming pool heated by the sun, two big barns, a chicken coop with three hens busily laying eggs, a barn cat in charge of keeping the mice out of their motor home, trails to wander through the woods….all kinds of fun things to explore.

Or not - it's just fun to sit and talk, to watch the birds, to watch the dogs playing, to watch barges plying the Ohio River, to be together. The original plan was that Dave would be able to drive a tractor (a big boy toy!) and help Rob bring in the hay. But wet weather on-and-off made that impossible. So that meant more time to talk! I finished a quilt, Claudia worked on a painting and we talked….and laughed….and ate….and talked.

Fenway had a great time playing with their coon hound and their German shepherd - he loves to play with the BIG guys and show them who's boss. He fell in the pond, dug in the mud, barked at the bull in the field, explored on our two mile morning walks and just generally enjoyed dog heaven.

Thank you to two special people for sharing their spread with us. We love them both! And does this look like the face of a man who would "kick" my dog???? But then….that's another story! :-)

30 Year Friendships…..

Last weekend I went to a bridal shower in Chicago - my nephew is getting married later this month. It was such fun!

This party was at a cute little restaurant in a neighborhood west of down town Chicago - about 20 guests (including the bride-to-be and some of her attendants of course). The conversation and laughter flowed, the food was delicious and the bride received some very nice gifts. Her warm and enthusiastic response to each gift made the whole afternoon even more fun.

The shower was hosted by two of my sister's very best friends. At the end one of her friends, Bridget, gave a lovely toast. She thanked us all for coming, toasted the bride and then turned to my sister. I don't recall her exact words….but she was toasting Susan for 30 years of friendship. Their 30 year history of shared experiences, fun, support during difficult times and all the good times they'd spent together.

The toast brought tears to my eyes - but for a rather selfish reason. As I listened I felt "bad" realizing that I would never have this kind of experience and I "envied" my sister. We've moved so many times, always making good friends wherever we lived, but then leaving them behind and starting all over. The few friends who've known me for 30 years now live very far away. We talk on the phone sometimes, email and Facebook but very rarely get to see each other in person.

I have connections from New Hampshire to North Carolina, Florida to Alaska, Delaware to Wisconsin. And I value and love my friends - but I sure wish I could see them more often. I sure wish they lived close by. I sure wish my "Bridgets" were in the neighborhood.