Half Mast……

Fenway and I went for a walk earlier today and I noticed a local TV station news van pull in and park in front of the American Legion building next door, two people left the van and went into the hall.  This evening we took another walk. As I passed the Yacht Club at the lakefront I noticed that the flag was flying at half-mast. So was the one in front of the American Legion, the one at the water purification plant and another down toward the marina. I began to wonder….why? Had I missed something.

Then, coming up in the elevator, I remembered hearing a quick report about a soldier from Port Washington who died during a training exercise earlier this month. So I put the pieces together.
After searching on line I think I've figured it out. There it was….information about a young soldier who died during a training exercise. The photo in the paper showed him in uniform cradling his baby in his arms.

This young man, 27, who served his country in both Iraq and Afghanistan was one of 11 killed in a Black Hawk helicopter crash during exercises off the coast of Florida. He graduated from Port Washington High School and as a senior was voted the class member "with the best laugh". He leaves behind his wife, a young child and other family members and friends who now have a huge hole in their hearts. As do ten other families across the country.

Out of respect to the family, and because I don't know them, I won't use the young man's name. Apparently his body was escorted from the airport back to Port Washington today. Services and goodbyes will be held later in the week. I won't go…..that would not be appropriate. I didn't know him.   I would not want to intrude in any way.

But this little blog gives me a way to say I am thinking of him, of his family…..of the service he provided for his country….for all of us. I have a son, I have four grandsons. I can only begin to imagine the grief that is enveloping his family today. But thank you to him….thank you to his wife, to his young child who will never know him, to his parents. I hope they know that even strangers noticed those flags at half mast and thought  of him.

I hope, once the grief begins to fade, they remember that laugh.

She's Not in Office……

Yesterday I saw a news release scroll across my internet feed…..security was being increased at Princeton University because President Obama's niece (who plays on the women's basketball team) received some kind of threat.

Really? This is what it means to serve your country in 2015? I'm no fool and I understand that candidates walk into our election process with eyes wide open, and their immediate family better be on board. At the Presidential level, the winner gives up his/her privacy and most attempts at normalcy. (Mrs. Obama recently said she was looking forward to being able to ride in a car with a window open - she had not been able to do that for seven years. That small statement really hit me - no windows open, nowhere, no drive even if down a deserted country road???) The winner also accepts the reality that somewhere near 50% of the country's electorate will be mad and against him/her from the beginning of his/her term until the end. The winner accepts the fact that he/she will age quickly under the pressure.

But frankly this specific story made me mad. A young woman, intelligent enough to be accepted at Princeton and talented enough to make the basketball team is being threatened because someone doesn't like her uncle's political policies and decisions? Just how is this her "fault"….does The President call and talk to her for advice before meeting his advisors?

We hope to attract the best and the brightest to lead our country. But frankly, if they are the best and the brightest they may decide to run the other way - away from service, away from public office. There are other ways to make a difference. If any of my grown children, or growing grandchildren came and said "Grams I want to run for office and someday be President of the United States" my reaction would probably be anything but excited

His niece, her teammates, really? How pathetic.

Pre-Grief......

I'm trying to remember what I learned during the years I worked for hospice. I keep thinking that my professional background should help with coping with a coming loss in my own family. But somehow it's not working........

My dear cousin has been fighting cancer for several years now. We thought she was in the clear....but about a year ago the damn disease showed up again.....in her bones this time. So a round of chemo and radiation....and a good year. Travel, time with family including a new grandson, time with friends, time at home. Good time.

But it's back......I don't know the details, but Dave and I just spent good time with her and her husband last week. Good, good time.

I knew it was back.....she'd had some tests the week before we came and was scheduled to see her doctor just after we left for home. So I knew. And my brain knew.....and we all knew that the end result of bone cancer is never good. So my brain was ready for today's phone call....but somehow my heart was not.

Another round of chemo......holding off the inevitable. Hoping and planning for more good time, at home, with family, with grandkids, with husband, with friends. More good time.....please.

Pre-grief...or whatever it's called. My brain seems to be coping.......my heart is breaking.....and my tear ducts are working overtime. Crap....she is younger than I am. Just so unfair......just so unfair.

The Threads of a Friendship…..

When our son was born we were just out of college and living in Evanston, Illinois. My mom lived about 15 miles away and was very helpful, but I wanted to be "independent" and do it (the mothering thing) my way!

As I remember it we had two baby books - one by Dr. Spock and one other that I forget. Dave and I wore those books to shreds as we looked at our little son and then read (again!) the definition of diarrhea! Happily for us, in addition to the two books and my mom, we had some very experienced parents living in the apartment below us. Lee and Emily had two little ones so she was my go-to-person. Plus we enjoyed each other's company! They were just a few years older and happy to welcome us into their social circle. Many fun evenings were spent together with babies sleeping in the middle of a large double bed and the adults sharing popcorn and beer and a movie on TV in the living room. We shared the young couples' budget.

Emily and I started a little "business" making "Emma-Linn Tote 'ems" - reversible tote bags that we sold at a few area stores. I know we sold enough so that I could buy a stroller for our then one-year-old son.

Then career opportunities for both husbands took them to California and us to New Jersey. Over the next forty years I think we saw them three or four times. Once in California, once Emily traveled to Delaware for business and stayed with us, and then after retiring the moved to Nashville and we went to see them again. The conversation picked up and the laughter and memories filled the room.

On our most recent RV expedition, we stopped to meet them for lunch in Franklin, Tennessee on our way home. It was a quick visit - but again, such fun.

Hugging Emily and Lee goodbye I spend the next few days sort of thinking about our friendship and just how much Em and I had in common. We both sold real estate for many years, we both quilt, we both are in book clubs, etc. etc. etc. I know that we have so many things in common that we would have had a terrific every-day friendship, if only we'd continued to live close enough to see each other frequently. But that didn't happen.

So it's nice to know that the connection that began in Evanston, Illinois in 1969 is still there…..only now they are moving to Florida and we are here in Wisconsin. The heartstrings will stretch….and maybe we'll visit them next winter! :-)

Something in the Dirt…..

When we have errands that take us to our area Home Depot/Target/Costco we sometimes go the back road. This is the country road that passes the pond where we watched the sandhill crane family last summer. Ever since the cranes flew south and all of the farm fields were plowed we've been able to watch turkeys as we drive down the same road.

There is one specific field, black dirt with last year's crop remnants plowed under, where we literally spot fifty at a time. Sometimes they are at the back of the field, next to the tree line….sometimes they are right up close to the road. When that's the case, and we slow for a moment, they look up and quickly start moving away. We disturb their "browsing".

Dave and I can't remember what was planted in the field last year, it doesn't look like a corn field, so we will watch to see what grows this spring. But whatever the crop, there is something "left-over" that the turkeys love. Maybe grain, maybe bugs in the dirt, maybe seed. Whatever it is they come back over and over again for more.

So traveling to our mini-mall gives us a glimpse into turkey family behavior. Maybe within the next few weeks we'll figure out what it is that they've been browsing on all winter.

Quality Time....

I admit it.....I watch "The Bachelor" on TV.....and "The Bachelorette". Sort of like watching a train wreck most of the time....but I am hooked. I always find myself rooting for the one chosen....man or woman....and hoping that this time they will actually make it to the altar and the marriage will be a happy one.

After all....I met MY husband of 47 years at a bar when we were in college. And frankly, if you were 18 you could drink beer in Wisconsin back in 1964....so the details of our first meeting are just a little blurry. But it worked out.....and here we are all these years later.

However, I can almost guarantee that I was not using words like "I need some quality alone time" when I'd describe our Saturday evening date after arriving back at the dorm. I wasn't competing with 25 other young women either...that would have been a deal breaker for sure.

So I know these reality shows are strange.....a sort of semi-reality (none of OUR dates involved jetting off to Paris or some exotic Pacific island!). But still....it appears I am hooked. I watch. Usually while I am also quilting or reading.....but I watch!! Go "Prince Farming" and Whitney.....I hope she can make the transition from working in Chicago to living on the farm in Arlington, Iowa!

And I'll see you (Chris) on "Dancing With the Stars"!!!

Ghost of A Beech Tree.....

We fled Wisconsin a few weeks ago trying to find warmer weather. I'll have to say we didn't really find wonderful weather.....but it was certainly warmer than home in Port Washington! The past two days we've been driving north on The Natchez Trace.....a lovely, slow paced "highway" from Natchez, Mississippi northeast to Nashville, Tennesee.

We did a section of the Trace a few years ago.....but this time we started in Natchez and made it all the way through the state. I love it because it is so relaxing...no trucks allowed, 50 mph speed limit.....and usually NO one one the road except us. It is a very historical trip, following the original Indian paths and the steps of the 'Kaintucks who took barges full of their trade goods down the Mississippi to Natchez or New Orleans. They sold everything including the barge and walked back home! So The Trace follows their path. We stopped at many of the historic turn offs....for instance hiking into the woods find the spot where 13 unknown Confederate soldiers are buried in the trees....a peaceful and quiet spot to spend eternity.

We spotted hundreds of wild turkeys along the way......and one lone deer. And then there were a few early spring flowers and green grass.....a real change from what we left behind!

However, what caught my eye....mile after mile.....were the "ghosts" of the beech trees. The white/beige leaves were still hanging on the branches.....when all the surrounding hardwoods were bare. The white trees were in direct contrast to all of the other trees in the woods. We knew the new growth would soon be coming...but we were too early. We only saw the "ghosts".

I'd drive The Trace again.....maybe next time during spring re-birth or fall's annual extravaganza.

"Lions and tigers and bears....oh my!".....Dorothy

Well the park doesn't have a yellow brick road, but there are some nice paths cut through the dense palmetto so we were about to take a long walk and go exploring. We got our copy of the park's map and then quickly looked at their pamphlet entitled "Harmful Animals and Plants: A Visitor's Advisory for Louisiana State Parks, Historic Sites and Preservation Areas."

Hmmmm.....OK, I learned that you can distinguish between venomous and non-venomous snakes by the shape of the pupils in their eyes. Louisiana has cottonmouth, rattle snakes, coral snakes and copperheads. Excuse me, but if I see ANY kind of snake I am not sticking around to try to figure out if it has round or vertical pupils.

And then there are the black widow and brown recluse spiders. And the stinging caterpillars, wasps and fire ants. (Fenway lifted his leg on a fire ant mound earlier in the week and it was NOT fun trying to rescue him from the ants racing up his legs!) And then we might find bees, horseflies and mosquitoes. Oh....and of course the alligators and occasional wild pigs.

If we are really lucky we may also find ticks and redbugs and chiggers.....or, unintentionally brush up against poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac.

I did go for a two mile walk up the road to mail some postcards at the park office.....so I think I am going to use the very nice park facilities to do the laundry.

Then I plan to hide in the RV and read a book.

OK....So How DO We Get There From Here?

Dave and I will both admit that this RV adventure has been a bit of a mixed blessing so far. Yes....we are escaping very cold weather in Wisconsin, yes we like to travel, yes we are fortunate that we can! But frankly I've never had such a frustrating time navigating on any of our other trips. Dave calculates that we've put over 30,000 miles on the road since we purchased our little Roadtrek. So we are comfortable with using maps, the GPS, additional Internet information or any combination of the three.

But there is something about Louisiana that makes even seasoned road-trippers feel like pulling their hair (or each other's!) out. The map won't match the GPS directions. The GPS puts us on highways that are not even on the map. The print on the paper state map is so small neither of us can read it. Consequently there is much "discussion" between the driver and the navigator. Most of the comments will not be included in this blog!

We finally reached a nice campsite at Palmetto Point State Park so we can relax. We've arrived in spite of the fact that one major bridge was out so the Park Ranger emailed us directions....and forgot to include a few steps. So the GPS fought with the state map that didn't agree with the small area map we picked up while exploring Lafayette which didn't match the email directions.

So....another stop to call the park....clear up the discrepancies....and follow a LONG detour.

But we are in pace, plugged in, have enjoyed a mile-long walk and Ellen is on the TV.

Whine....whine....wine!!

My New Favorite Winter Color.....

My friend emailed to tell me that the Milwaukee News Journal recently did a story on "frozen adventures in your backyard". Apparently walking along the icy lakefront in Port Washington made the list. Good to know.....even better since we are not there to enjoy the freezing temperatures and the windchill that goes with them!

We escaped a few days ago and after a long drive, are enjoying somewhat warmer temperatures down in Louisiana. We are exploring new territory and escaping winter in Wisconsin for a few weeks. Our campsite in Grand Isle State Park was right on the Gulf of Mexico. We spent two days walking the beach, listening to the surf, bird watching (Pelicans, Ibis, Great Blue Herons and hundreds of gulls) and noticing the green! Magnolia trees, Palm trees, duckweed, azaleas in bloom, pansies in bloom....and green grass!!!

Yea green! How lucky we are to enjoy this little break from winter white!