Study in Blue and White....and Counting the Colors....

Quiet day in Port Washington. No wind so far today.....low hanging clouds, but very mild. Our morning walk took us around Rotary Park. Pacing quickly it's a mile route and let's Fenway exercise those little legs and I get to burn off some of my cereal.

Most of our trees are past the peak of the color season....and leaves are falling everywhere. (Makes cleaning up after a dog an adventure. If I don't "watch" Fenway's deposits get lost in the dead-leaf piles.)

Looking out toward Lake Michigan I was struck by the color/non-color surrounding our little lighthouse. A study in grey/white/blue....with a little bit of brownish red for contrast. Stones from the breakwater, the clouds overhead, the water and the lighthouse itself. Monocromatic morning.

Then we continue down the sidewalk along the marina...empty now with almost all of the boats gone for the winter. And there she is.....a small maple just boasting the fact that she is hanging onto her leaves and brightening up our morning. I can't even count all the beautiful colors in this one little tree.

I don't think she was planted on purpose....she seems to be the opportunistic kind, finding root in some earth between the rocks. I'm glad she sprouted here....glad she shared her beauty with us. Hope her leaves are still there tomorrow.

Good Morning Sunshine......

7:00 a.m. First walk of the morning.....Fenway at the end of his leash and we turn east toward Lake Michigan. Today I remembered to bring my cell phone. As we turned toward the lake my mouth dropped....another amazing view as the sun began to creep up through a low cloud layer. The sky was pink and blue and purple. The sun streaming up made me think of a launch at Cape Canaveral.

We walked slowly so that I could just look....and then snap a few pictures. My little cell phone camera does not do it justice....but Mother Nature put on quite the show this morning.

Fenway was busy sniffiing for perfect spots. He wasn't impressed.....but I was. Hello day!

Another Therapy Weekend.....

It's over for the year.....my annual gathering with college friends. A few days filled with laughter and conversation, a few hugs and fun memories. And we always build more new memories together.

This year we spent a few days in Door County. We rented a home in Fish Creek and explored together. The weather cooperated and we visited a few shops and galleries, sampled some hard cider, visited some very good restaurants, had a picnic lunch at Peninsula State Park and went to a performance at the Peninsula Players. We did our annual "book and movie" list so I came home with some ideas for both good reads and good films.

We had way too much food as everyone brings something to share at the house. Apples and kringle, popcorn and crab salad, a chicken dinner casserole and salad, granola and cookies, apple cake and delicious appetizers, carmel apples, wine and more wine. I'm sure there was more.....! At one point we agreed that basically we'd spent the entire three days eating.

Every year we reminisce about past gatherings....and always say something to the effect that we can't believe it's been so many years since we graduated from Ripon and went out into the adult world.

This year the "I can't believe it" conversation took on a little more meaning as 2016 is the year we all turn (or are still turning) 70. Now that really is impossible. Still......here we are......and frankly, looking pretty damn good.

Already looking forward to 2017........

It's Over......

Tuesday, October 18, 2016.  My personal election season is over. I voted early.

So now I'll just wait and see what happens in November and, with all the current negative rhetoric,  hope for a peaceful transition of power.....no matter which "side" wins.

And then I'll hope that for the following four years those we elect will look for common ground, for things they can agree on so that we can, together, build a better future for all.

I'll hope anyway.....but for me, today.....it's over.

Anticipation......

My special weekend is here! I've been anticipating the fun for months. My college friends are gathering and we're heading to Door County for another "therapy" session.

We've been gathering now for YEARS! We do a count every year and try to remember exactly how many years and somehow it always ends up in laughter. Someone had a list at one point....but I think that got lost awhile ago.

The mini-reunions all started after our 25th college reunion....when we all saw each other as a group for the first time in years, had so much fun that we decided we had to get together again...and again...and again.

At this point we've visited each other's homes all over the country, rented a B & B for a Milwaukee trip, taken advantage of one friend's access to time share units in Williamsburg and Myrtle Beach. We've had fun all over the place.

So my suitcase is packed....I'm ready to go! We'll talk, laugh, maybe cry, visit galleries, go to a play, go out to dinner, drink some wine, laugh, talk, share photos.

It's all just so good.....and I toast all of these once-a-year friends. I love you all and thank you all for knowing me way back when and for continuing to be special friends today.

Cheers!!!

Enjoying a Moment.....

Sometimes, in the morning, I watch "The View" on TV. Usually it is background noise while I work on a quilt.  I like the very last sentence or two where a host says something like "Enjoy whatever view you happen upon today." It always reminds me to pause and take a minute to look at the sky, or the lake, or Fenway's back legs as he prances down the path on our walk together.

Yesterday Dave and I walked into town for a late morning cup of coffee. It was nice enough to sit outside and enjoy the day. Almost 70 degrees, blue sky.....I'll take that any day in October!

Walking home we passed a few town flower gardens still in bloom. Fall flowers that can stand a little cooler weather. Zinnias and black-eyed Susans mostly.  And a monarch butterfly pausing in Port Washington to find some nourishment before continuing its migration south.

Beautiful flowers.....beautiful monarch.....beautiful moment.

Take a moment to enjoy your ever changing view.

So Angry That I'm Shaking.....

I just took Fenway for a really fast walk around behind the bandshell, next to Lake Michigan and back home again. Nice evening.....skies blue with whispy clouds overhead. A breeze. Nice night.

But I am shaking with emotion. I am so mad I just don't know what to do with this one. And I don't plan to post this episode on Facebook.....at least not now, because they probably would not appreciate my language.

This has been a very difficult political election.....and I said the same thing both four and eight years ago....but this year is just beyond anything I could ever have imagined.

And yes, I will agree that we have two flawed candidates....but today's leaked video of Donald Trump on a bus going to an appearance on a soap opera in 2005 pushed me over the edge. I am a woman. I have a daughter. Anyone who is a woman (or a man), who has a daughter, a granddaughter, a niece, a partner, a friend....anyone who values women in any way needs to really listen to and think about what this man said just a short time after marrying his third wife.

The video is on the national news tonight and was originally leaked by the Washington Post.....so Trump supporters will scream "it's rigged". But listen to the words. The man who would occupy the Oval Office and lead America talks about grabbing women "by the pussy".....he talks about trying to "fuck" a married woman but couldn't quite get that to work out. He goes on and on and on.

Now Donald has issued an apology, to anyone he "might" have offended. He's also stated something like what he said was "locker room talk" and nothing worse than Bill Clinton said to him once on a golf course.

What part of this doesn't he understand.....Bill Clinton is not running for public office. What went on or goes on in is his marriage is between him and his wife. And he offended every woman in the world.

Now imagine....here is a current list of "women in charge" across the world. (According to Time Magazine as of September.) Some from smaller countries than others, some who may be ending terms. I don't know. But here's the list. And then think of any of these leaders coming into a room and sitting down at a negotiating table across from Donald Trump knowing that he is first judging their boobs, and their kissability, and their pussies. And then expect them to look at him, and therefore the United States, with any degree of respect.

I wish I could be in the audience at the next debate.....the one where candidates take questions from the voters. I'd love to ask The Donald a few choice questions.

I can only hope, as President Gerald Ford once said, that soon "Our long national nightmare is over."

I'm going to vote early and pray. This is not the Party of Lincoln.....I don't usually vote a straight ticket. I like to think of myself as "independent" and try to judge individuals (especially those running for very important offices on their merits). But this time I can only hope that my staunch Republican-only friends seriously think about splitting their vote. Go ahead and keep control of the Congress.....do not let this man lead as President.

And frankly, Melania should kick him to the curb.

Women in Charge

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Prime Minister of Denmark

Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany

Theresa May, Prime Minister of the UK

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President of Argentina

Dilma Rousseff, President of Brazil

Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia

 Sheik Hasina Wajed, Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Johanna Sigurdardottir, Prime Minister of Iceland

Laura Chinchilla, President of Costa Rica

Tarja Halonen, President of Finland

Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Lithuania

Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago

Muscle Memory and Wind from the South....

Lake Michigan changes every day.....her movement and her colors. Usually our Wisconsin weather moves from west to east and our Port Washington shoreline is pretty quiet. But we have a small beach just across the park from us....one that we walk past with Fenway many times each week. If the wind shifts and comes at us from the south or southeast we get wonderful surf crashing onto our small sand/stone beach. It sounds just like being at an ocean beach.

And every time I hear it I can feel it in my muscles. I can feel our two years spent living aboard Connemara.....feel the movement of the water against the hull when we sailed her. Feel the movement as we rocked to sleep in the cradle of our v-berth in a peaceful anchorage.

Small muscle adjustments....I can feel them whenever I hear the sounds of surf. How lucky we were to have had such an adventure. And how I miss it still....sixteen years later, those muscle memories are at work today.

Angry and Awake.....

Yesterday was a nice Friday. Busy around the condo for most of the time and then ended the day with a fun Final Friday Frolic gathering in the building. These informal parties started about six months ago and it gives us all a nice chance to get to know one another and see each other aside from in the garage or the elevator.

We came home and I had time to read a few chapters in a book before getting ready for bed. It was while in the bedroom, about 10:15, with the local news in the background that I heard a quick story. Few details.

A four year old boy shot dead in his home with a gun someone kept in his home. Further details would be provided as the story develops. I glanced up to see a photograph of a darling little boy.

My thoughts immediately flew to our four grandsons....and what fun they were as little guys. Four year olds.....doing four year old things. Still interested in Match Box cars, Play Doh, play dates and ice cream. Sleep-overs at our house. Pancakes for breakfast. Cuddling up for a story. Watching cartoons on television.

Four year old stuff.

So yes.....let's all talk again about the sadness and violence in our cities. Let's all argue again about what the framers of our Constitution meant when they decided citizens should form a "well armed militia" and had the right to carry guns. Yes...let's all just keep talking.

We visted Iceland two weeks ago. A very interesting trip and very informative. I had no idea about its history or culture or fascinating geology. On a city-walking tour our guide was very informative and at one point explained that we would not see policemen or police cars in the streets of Reykjavik. If we wanted to see armed guards of any kind we could walk over to the United States Embassy. They weren't needed on the streets of the city because basically there is no crime. The police are there when called....but they don't have to patrol anywhere. Imagine that.

So yes....let's all talk. Really. FOUR YEARS OLD.

Dead.

I tossed and turned for hours.