They All Are.....

I don't read "news" stories about most of our GOP Trumper representatives in Washington.....some of them just seem supremely unqualified and spent their time getting in front of any possible microphone to grab the attention. I'm not sure how much, if any, actual "peoples' work" they are doing. But the other day MTG was loudly proclaiming Kwannza was a "fake religion created by a psychopath" and I couldn't help it....that "ear worm" just would not leave me alone.

I kept thinking to myself "all religions are created by someone" and I'm sure that many of the people first exposed to the philosophies thought, "This is nuts!" Imagine an actual examination of the facts surrounding the birth of Jesus and the miracles attributed to him. Walking on water? Turning water into wine? Virgin birth? I mean the stories mean a lot to the people who follow the Bible....but they are stories started by someone and passed on to someone else and finally written down and re-written and re-written and still accepted as fact. And I'm sure the foundation of the Muslim religion carries it's own traditional but unproveable facts......stories accepted on faith.

And Judaism?? Same thing...traditions and stories. Hinduism? Ditto. And on and on. From my point of view all religions were started by "someone".

And then I did a little dive into Kwanzza and what it actually is. According to Wikipedia Kwanzza is "an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of Africa, including West and Southeast Africa. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966."

So Kwanzaa as a religion....that's a no. Kwanzaa as a celebration....yes. Created by a psychopath....ummmm, no. MTG actiing stupid again...for sure. 

Seems to me another celebration doesn't do anything negative in our world and perhaps, just perhaps brings a little light and understanding to our communities. So Happy Kwanzaa everyone.....and just go home MTG.

Afterwards....

2021 ended on a quite festive note.

We drove to West Bend and took off our coats.

The day spent with family was special indeed.

And this year's decorations featured the best of all trees.

Christmas Eve meant fondue with goodies and cheese.

We dipped beef, bread, broccoli, potatoes etc and ate as much as we pleased!

The traditional gingerbread house was assembled,  just a little smaller this year....

Perhaps more of a shed for a dog, donkey or deer?

An evening of games and then off to bed....

Where visions of computer games, book and new clothes danced in our heads.

Morning arrived and all first headed for caffein...

(Activities shift when no one is under 15!)

Late morning brunch was delicious and belts were tight.

No more meals required....not until night.

Then before we knew it was just early afternoon on Christmas Day.

Gifts were all opened and trash thrown away.

All the big dogs were exhausted, collapsed on the floor.

They both seemed to sense that toys had been opened there would be no more.

So back in the car and we head home to our place....

Unpack the trunk and put each gift in it's new space.

Our little dog soon disappeared....where was he, we wondered, and what did he do?

A bump under the quilt on our bed was the first clue.

Mr. Fenway's Christmas tired him out, he wanted no more...

New toys left behind on the floor.

So holiday 2021 was in the rear view mirror...

Compared to 2020 it was ever so dear!

And the Dreaded Phone Call.....

It happened on a full moon...another special person in my life died. COVID was her tipping point. She lived in Maryland and we first met her and her husband at our marina in Rock Hall. Their sailboat, Thou Swell, was directly across from ours on Blue Dock. We were all still working so sailing adventures were mostly on the weekends. I'll have to say that we soon became fast friends and really enjoyed spending time together. Sometimes it would be at a quiet anchorage up the Wye River or other Chesapeake location, sometimes it was a busy weekend trip to Annapolis or Baltimore. Wherever....we had a lot of fun and shared a lot of laughter.

Once we moved to Wisconsin our visits were less frequent, but they came to visit us once or twice and over the years we took RV trips that included a stop in their Chestertown driveway. We enjoyed a Viking River Cruise in Germany one year, and another from Boston to Montreal. They drove down to find us in Greenville, SC during February 2020 and we went east this September to meet them in Lewes, DE. My friend had been waging a brave "battle" with cancer and she did everything from stem cell replacement, to rounds of chemo. She was a part of several clinical trials and she kept her smile and positive attitude for year after year after year. She was a warrior.

She and I would talk on the phone every few weeks or so....our calls would start with a text when I asked "Is this a good time to chat?" If she responded with a thumbs up the call would go from Wisconsin to Maryland and we would catch up.

The phone call came from a mutual friend just the other morning.....she died, her husband at her side, on December 18th.....on the night of a full moon. Both my mother and my mother-in-law died with a full moon to light their way to wherever....and so did my friend. And people wonder why tears come to my eyes when I notice a full moon....it's so beautiful....but it's always like ripping off that bandaid and memories flood back. 

I sent one last text to her phone the morning after she died. I doubt that anyone will ever see it but I just had to put something in writing one more time. "Dear Heart....my last text to you and how I will miss our 'chats'! The world is a quieter place without your laugh and a grayer place without your smile. Love and miss you already. Rest in peace you warrior!"

A text sent to the universe.....who knows....maybe she was on the receiving end.

Again?

We've made it to the 2021 holiday season. Some of the past year actually felt a bit more "normal" especially after we got our vaccine and then our COVID booster shots. But the "cloud" of uncertainty always seemed to be hanging just over the horizon. We remained careful as we went into stores.....masks in place. We went to a few movies....choosing the early show where few others attended and sitting in the back row....masks in place. We took our RV out to visit Wisconsin State Parks during the summer and we even got on a plane (masked) to visit friends in Alaska in August. We ate at a few restaurants but almost always outside in the summer and inside one of the sidewalk "bubbles" as the weather got colder. We spent time with also-vaccinated family and friends. After feeling so isolated for much of 2020, we realized just how much this in-person time meant as we laughed over a game of dominoes, or shared a meal. These were things we took for granted prior to an invisible virus that spread around our world and shook everyone (well almost everyone) out of their everyday worlds.

Preparing to share holidays with family and friends we bought gifts, unpacked holiday attire and searched for those favorite traditional recipes. We attended a Christmas concert, we mailed cards and packages, we decorated our apartment. What fun to look forward to celebrating the holidays again!

But yesterday the drum beat of warnings began to get louder.....the new Omicron variant was much more contagious than the previous two COVID versions......and it was spreading faster. A concert in Australia was considered a super spreader event. Businesses and schools started to shut down again. Broadway lights went out. Hospital wards were filling up and medical staff was exhausted. The warning came that if you were going to be sharing a meal or a day inside with family and friends you should wear masks, open windows for ventilation and maybe....just maybe re-think your plans.

I find myself sort of operating at "half mast"....feeling discouraged and sad and also really furious at all of the US citizens who absolutely refuse this "government interference" and won't get vaccinated. I realize some people, a very small percentage, cannot take the vaccine due to health conditions. However, most of these fools do not have any reason other than "You can't MAKE me!" So the hospitalizations and deaths continue....and in my today-frustration I think that this new variant will continue to thin "their" herd. Maybe someday we'll reach herd immunity just because so many of the deniers are dead. Not a very Christmas-y sentiment....but it is the way I feel.

Bah humbug to everyone who refuses to get the vaccine.

Christmas At the Castle…..

We moved to Eastcastle Place just about two months ago and are pretty well settled in now. Our furniture is all in place, art is on the walls! We’ve had friends come for visits to share meals in our apartment and play games. We had a holiday open house with about twenty of our new fourth floor neighbors and that was really fun. To be honest we already do feel at home here and really love the neighborhood.

We’ve learned that, traditionally, December is “Christmas At the Castle”.There are beautiful decorations everywhere. During the month we enjoyed an amazing Sunday brunch, a silent auction and other fundraising efforts to support the Castle’s staff scholarship fund as well as additional special events. There are big donation boxes at the front desk when people can drop off toy or warm clothing donations….the staff has had to empty the boxes three or four times so far!

Last night really was very special. After dinner we went downstairs to Lindsay Hall for the in-house choir’s Christmas concert. The residents and staff members who make up the choir did a wonderful job and the accompanying musicians were in top form. 

The program included many familiar offerings and the sing-along-section brought back past holidays as the words just moved from my memory to my mouth....my voice wasn't in top form, but it was fun to contribute to the beautiful noise.

One song in particular, "A Grown Up Christmas List" brought tears to my eyes. In today's world the lyrics just really seemed to hit. After the concert I went up to the computer and found other renditions on Youtube. I will probably play it again tomorrow and the day after......it's what I wish for my family, friends and the world. 

"A Grown Up Christmas List".....if only....

Familiar Faces.....New Places....

I really can't remember when Dave and I started our Santa Claus collection. I know we bought a special one each Christmas while we lived in Freeport, Illinois so that was in the early 1980’s. We probably had a few before that but certainly since Freeport our collection has grown. It's the way we “Christmatize” our home. Our houses, the sailboat boat (a few!), apartments and the condo. Each space gave us new places to organize and display our red guys. 

As we decorated this new apartment at Eastcastle it was fun to mix them up, putting new groups together, moving them around. They always add a bright touch to every December, and they always seem to fit. No fireplace mantle anymore means a few more end up on the dining room table or the living room cabinet. 

The bookcase in the TV room was, once again, home to many.  

A small shelf outside our entry door? Perfect opportunity to place one to wave at the neighbors!

All I know is that this collection makes me smile and seems to make us both brighten up as days get a bit colder and the sun sets earlier. 

Good ol' Santa Claus.....our collection….familiar faces in new places. Christmas 2021!

At Least No Cling......

I have no real excuse. It was just a move-too-fast silly mistake. Getting ready for the day this morning I reached under my bathroom sink to get my hairspray. I was listening to a podcast so might have been "slightly" distracted but still....

One spray and I knew I goofed...but at least my hair won't cling to my hat when I go out to walk Fenway.

$11.00 and Black Friday.....

Our television "news" shows and commercials are all full of "information" about sales on Black Friday. I'm not sure how many years ago this American "tradition" started and stores offered deep discounts on the most sought after gifts. Dave and I watch (sort of) and say to each other "There is not one thing they are advertising that we want or need." Part of our thought process probably has to do with not having any young grandsons who enjoy toys anymore....the four of them are much more interested in gift cards so they can do their own shopping. And gift cards are easy and boring to wrap but lightweight to send through the mail.

The onslaught of Black Friday ads made me remember several Christmases at our farm house in Nashotah when the kids were young. Todd was in fifth grade and Megan was in kindergarden....so of course there were letterrs to Santa (even if Todd was doing it with good humor to please his little sister). Dave and I would make our purchases trying to satisfy a few of the top requests and then, in the mail, I would get a letter from my grandparents from Appleton. Gramma would send a cute note and include a check asking me to shop for something for each of us. The check was always for $11.00. Thinking of it just now and it brings a lump to my throat....$11.00 was what they could afford and they wanted each of us to have a gift to open on Christmas morning. Something wrapped and under the tree.

At that time there were no Dollar Stores, but I would add their request to my shopping list, deposit the check and search. 

I don't remember any of the little gifts I got...something for Dave, for me, for Todd and for Megan. Something with a tag that said Merry Christmas from Great Gramma and Grampa. I knew the love wrapped up in those little boxes was worth much more than whatever the item inside.

$11.00......four gifts.....all before Black Friday was invented. 

Hard To Ignore......

I don't remember when we bought this banner....but I know it was while the "kids" were still at home. So if Todd is 52 I'm sure we've had this for about 40 years. And there is 40 years worth of tape on the edgest to prove it. Now that it is just the two of us, the banner goes up in the middle of the night either on Dave's bathroom mirror or mine. So the first greeting you get on your birthday is a big, colorful

In my case I got up in the middle of the night and with the nightlight in my bathroom I could not ignore the fact that I was "facing" my 75th birthday. Aaaggghhhh!!! Once again I look in the mirror and wonder "Who IS that grey haired woman and how did she get in my apartment?"

And then my second thought is "Aren't I lucky to be celebrating another year around the sun." And then my thought is "I hope I can get back to sleep!"

Zzzzzzz....I did.....

Peek A Boo......

It's getting colder in Wisconsin and most trees have already dropped their leaves. When I walk Fenway out of the building we pass this low shrub along the sidewalk. I don't know what it is or if it will keep any leaves all winter. But what I do know is that lately, as we walk by, it is a very noisy bush. As we approach there is are rustling and dry-leaf shuffling noises emanating from inside and under the bush. Is it one of the rabbits that live on the property? A squirrel or chipmunk? Something taking refuge in the thicket?

As we get closer there is a flurry of activity as small birds come out of hiding and take wing. There are dozens of them and the zip by so quickly it’s really hard for me to grab a photo. So I stand quietly for a few minutes and watch as a few begin to come back to the gone-by hydrangeas and down into their hiding places.

Sparrows? I’m not sure….but it is a quick and fun Mother Nature moment and I have to wonder if they will be greeting me all winter?

My Priviledge.....

I was born in Chicago. When I was five my parents bought their first small house in Park Ridge, Illinois. It was in a neighborhood of similar two-story "square" houses all with manicured lawns and flower gardens in the summer. Our neighbors were nice and there were enough kids on the block to have plenty of fun...sledding nearby in the winter, games of kick-the-can in the summer. We got on our bikes on Saturday mornings to roam nearby new construction sites, build tree forts in nearby apple trees....it was sort of a "Leave It To Beaver" existence. I walked five blocks to Carpenter Elementary School and came home for lunch.

My parents bought a bigger home across town when I was in seventh grade and I made new neighborhood friends while keeping up with the ones from my old neighborhood because we all went to the same junior high school. I went to Ripon College in 1964 and graduated four years later without student loans to burden my future.

Dave and I got married and followed his insurance career from the midwest to the mid-Atlantic states and back again....several times. We parented two kids, had nice houses and lived in communities with good schools. Our progress through the years was what it was "supposed" to be.

Once again, after yesterday's verdict in Kenosha, I am reminded that my life progressed the way it did by starting with a lucky chance....which sperm met which egg, where I was raised, the support from my parents, the opportunities presented and taken. 

When I sit and think about others who live in America where things are "supposed" to be equal under the law and who do not enjoy anything close to the open doors that I've walked through over my 74+ years it is a sad shock to my system. I feel so deflated today....or some feeling I can't really identify. I am angry and frustrated and in a state of disbelief. Not guilty on all counts.....ridiculous. And I don't believe for one moment that the jury chosen would have reached the same conclusion if the defendant sobbing on the stand had been a person of color.

I refuse to mention his name.....I wish, instead of surely becoming a "hero" to the far right and showing up on every FOX interview show in the coming weeks he would just fade away and face some sort of justice somewhere down the road. Maybe the next time he decides to "help" a community by taking a loaded gun to patrol the streets as a "medic" he will, once again, kill people but then be held accountable. I hope this haunts him for the rest of his life....as it will haunt the families who lost someone to his violent actions.

Equal justice under the law.....give me a break.

Pondering A Dry Spell.....

I write my little blog mostly because I enjoy putting thoughts to paper....usually nothing of great importance, but just something that I've been thinking about. Sometimes a book will prompt a memory or a topic to share. Sometimes it's something I see outside while walking Fenway. Sometimes it's a paragraph or two in response to something in the news.

For about a week I've been walking around thinking "I am dry! There is nothing I want to put down on paper." These dry spells have hit before and always seem to just go away on their own and I feel back in the swing. 

So I'll just wait it out....at some point I will think of something that prompts some pondering and then a blog entry. Something.....someday.....soon I hope! 

The Last Time.....

Monday, November 8th.....2:30 p.m......Milwaukee Wisconsin.....64 degrees!

I am sitting on our little deck reading a book in the sunshine. No jacket needed.....just a light sweater. Fenway basking at my feet. Will we "pay" for this in January?

Probably.....

Pretty In Pink.....

Sunday, November 7th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it is sunny and 64 degrees. This is probably the last gasp weekend for this kind of warm weather before the colder temperatures settle in and are followed by snow.

Fenway and I walked three blocks to the park overlooking Lake Michigan this morning. I sat on a bench and listened to waves washing ashore on Bradford Beach at the bottom of the bluff. A favorite sound and an absolutely beautiful day.

Walking home I note the trees have dropped more of their leaves but some are still hanging on. A few maple (I think) leaves caught my eye on the sidewalk because of a sort of unexpected color pallette. I'm not sure I've seen such pink leaves before.

Pretty in pink......wishing this could last!

3/4.......

Somehow this fraction seems to change meaning depending on the context. 3/4 cup of flour for a recipe....I've got that. 3/4 cup of sugar.....maybe I'll cut that back just a little. 3/4 of the way home from a trip....the end is in sight. 3/4 of the population favors a certain candidate or movement....that's a strong majority. Trim my hair 3/4 of an inch....just right. Do water aerobics for 3/4 of an hour.....feels good but later I will be need of a nap.

3/4 of a century.....75 YEARS.....now that seems OLD when it's candles on a birthday cake. Dave just stepped over this line and I am right behind him. We look at each other and wonder "How did this happen? Where have the years gone?"

The meaning of 3/4......depends on context. 

Bruce Wayne?

We've been in our new apartment for just over two weeks and are feeling pretty well settled. Our parking spot in the garage is way at the end but that's OK. It's heated and just a short walk to the elevator....no  complaints!

Everytime I go down to drive anywhere I notice once specific car just a few spaces down from ours. It's a bit of a mystery.

My imagination and memory kicks into overdrive...Batman??? Is "Bruce Wayne" one of our new neighbors?? If I see Robin walking around the lobby my suspicions will be confirmed.

Moods.....

My daughter shared a post from her friend Jennifer Wright and I've been thinking about it all day....for several reasons.

"People talk about caterpillars becoming butterflies as though they just go into a cocoon, slap on wings, and are good to go. Caterpillars have to dissolve into a disgusting pile of goo to become butterflies. So if you're a mess wrapped up in blankets right now, keep going." These few sentences resonate with me today.

Yesterday I had lunch with two friends....something we try to do every couple months or so...and usually we call it our "laugh therapy sessions". We did have a really good visit at a nearby restaurant and heard about the ones son's wedding and got to see some of the pictures. It was a beautiful day! We usually find time to share book titles, or movies to rent and discuss some current affairs, or recent travel experiences....but yesterday we just wandered through more random thoughts and that lovely wedding day.

Walking back along the sidewalk to get to our apartments my one friend said she was still just feeling kind of "off kilter" and "out of sorts" and we two agreed. Even after we hope to have gotten through the worse of the COVID-time, we all realize that this virus is now a forever part of our world and is still "tainting" the way we look at almost everything. I find myself second-guessing all of my plans. Should we go to that restaurant now? Will most people at the movie matinee be wearing masks? Can we really plan a big trip for a few months from now and feel secure in booking plane tickets? It's just a sort of greyness that moves through the day with all three of us.....in different ways.

I'm not feeling like a pile of goo and I am not wrapped up in blankets.....but I also sense I am a long way from ever feeling like a butterfly. Dave and I got our booster shots yesterday and while my arm is a little sore, maybe by spring my wings will spread and I'll feel more like "my old self". In the meantime I will enjoy our occasional laugh therapy lunches and meeting new friends in our apartment building and exploring the Eastside  neighborhood of Milwaukee.

Here's a toast to butterflies! May they get through the caterpillar and goo stages and emerge with colorful, strong wings....and all my friends and me too.

A Small Irritation.....

Everyone has them…..little things that really get under your skin and just make you feel irritated. For some it's the slow driver in the fast lane. For some it's when you're watching a favorite television show and the service goes out. For some it's searching for one-half of your pair of walking shoes for twenty minutes and then finding it just under the edge of the bed.

One of my every-day-irritations is safety packaging. I understand the necessity but as a 74 almost 75 year old adult some of the shrink wrapped things I need to buy make me nuts. We get Fenway his favorite chew toys and the hard, thick clear plastic that surrounds these chew rings almost defeats my scissors, nevermind my hand!

And then there is some of the daily medications I take. Each damn pill is individually wrapped in semi-hard foil. The pill won't "pop" out when you push on it. You can try to prick each individual case with the tip of a sharp knife but that's not the safest way to handle it and a tweezers won’t break through the foil.

It only took me years to figure out that if I used my kitchen scissors to cut along the line of pills I can then, individually, push each one out and put them in the little plastic pill jar that I keep refilling for easier access.

On a scale of one-to-ten of world “problems” I realize this is nowhere on the list. Sigh. Safety packaging is just one of my small irritations….maybe I’ll get over it.

 

Classy Reminder......

So now we walk unfamiliar sidewalks on the eastside of Milwaukee. Our new apartment is four blocks from Lake Michigan and around the corner from a wonderful independent bookstore, two coffee shops, a grocery store, movie theater and pharmacy plus several restaurants. If we walk in another direction I can get to my doctors' offices, more restaurants, another movie theater and Whole Foods.....plus more.

The neighborhood is filled with block  after block of lovely historic homes (some mansions!) and brick apartment buildings. Mature shade trees line each sidewalk. Fenway is having a terrific time christening "his" city territory. And I amuse myself by sometimes looking down at the sidewalk blocks. The dates they were put in place varies from the early 1900's to 2020. Different mixtures of concrete make each stretch slightly individual and it's just interesting (to me) to notice the companies involved with Milwaukee's infastructure. I used to do the same thing when we lived in Bay View.

Coming back into the building last week I  noticed one of the sewer drains right in front of the entryway along the circular driveway.

A classy reminder that what goes in here leads to our precious lake! 

Step By Step…

Seasons bring change…..to our landscape and this year to our location. The move came up quite suddenly…but we felt it was a great opportunity to spend the next years of our lives as city folk. While living in Bayview we spent a lot of time in downtown Milwaukee. We enjoyed the theater, outdoor summer concerts, the museums and the energy. Moving to Port Washington gave us other opportunities and we so enjoyed our seven plus years overlooking Lake Michigan and life in a small town. Our vertical condo neighborhood was filled with nice people and we made some good friends there.

But after listing and selling the condo step one was having the movers come to pack our belongings.

Step two was cleaning up the condo after Dave and the movers headed to the city. Vacuum, dust, wipe out cabinets…..all why thinking and remembering the good memories made in this space.

Step three was the most exhausting. Until now the movers did the hard work….now it is the two of us trying to figure out what goes where and how will it fit?

All I know is it will be weeks or months before I get to my sewing machine in my new quilting room!

Just A Touch…..

For over seven years we’ve enjoyed the view north from our Port Washington condo. As the seasons change we watch. As the deer come to browse in the park in front of the bandshell we watch. As Lake Michigan changes hour by hour and day by day, we watch. As bikers and dog walkers go up and down the bike path we watch. Our view offered us an ever changing look at the neighborhood. 

Yesterday I glanced out to see one of the first notices that autumn is in the air. A beautiful tree frosted gold, seemingly overnight.

Mother Nature is busy with her paint brush and this tree glowed in the sun. I wish this kind of weather would stick around for at least two months…..but I know that won’t happen, so I will enjoy each day as it comes. Maybe a few extra back road drives for any errands….just to catch the color.

Enjoy it while we can….white will replace the gold soon!

Fenway Needs A Job.....

I must have mentioned the fact that Mr. Fenway Underfoot Woodard was not "up to par" the last night of our trip.....and many of my friends have responded with a little "worry" about him.

Let's just say that we dog (and cat) lovers are very sensitive to when our four-footed-family-members start to act sick. For Fenway that started the last night of our RV trip when (in the dark) I got up at 11:30 pm and stepped in something "interesting". After cleaning up what Fenway tossed up we went back to sleep....until 2:30 a.m. Sunday when we woke to another and much more "extensive" lose-your-lunch-adventure. Small space, dog bed a mess, clean up as best you can, make a new bed out of folded towels or whatever you can find and fall back into bed. 

We woke Sunday morning to head for home around Chicago and he still wasn't feeling well....no interest in breakfast and every time he drank even a little water it "came up" within about two minutes. So add to the traffic and the bumps the worry about the little guy in the back who feels sick and just contributed his last water to the blanket on my bed.

Things did not improve after getting home. We confined him to our bedroom with tarps and towels all over the carpeting.....and he just lay on the floor and shivered. Every time he would have even two or three licks of water....up it came. So about 6:00 p.m. we decided to take him to the emergency vet nearby. Two hours later we were home. The doctor gave Fenway a shot for nausea, a shot for pain in his stomach and subcutaneous fluid injection for hydration. The office gave us a bill for $240+. (Thus he needs a job!)

We all slept all night....Fenway acting like he was "tripping" on the drugs. Today he seems better and is keeping everything in his stomach where it should be. Our regular vet called to say we should watch him for a few days and keep him posted. Maybe he ate something wierd while we were not watching (I don't see how) or maybe the nausea is a symptom of something "else". Hmmmmm.....

Anyway - I appreciate my friends who read this littlel blog expressing their concern. Mr. Fenway is a huge part of our family and even though he just turned 12 we are hoping for more years of laughter-due-to-dog-silliness ahead.

Dog lovers (and cat) will understand.....

Two Weeks and Two Hundred Miles.....

September is usually the month when we take off in the RV. This year we planned a trip east to see friends and family we haven't seen in two years or more. Gee....I wonder why?

Our route took us to Athens, Ohio where we visited a grandson just starting his freshman year at Ohio University. It was wonderful to see him in his new surroundings, explore a little of the campus, share a lunch on a bench in the shade and just talk. He is so happy with his choice of school and that makes us happy too!

We then moved on to Lewes, Delaware where we connected with sailing friends from Maryland. They rented a house on the beach and we were in Henlopen State Park about a mile away....together during the day we talked, played cards, explored the town, talked and just generally enjoyed each other's company. Leaving Lewes we moved up to Old New Castle, Delaware to see a best friend. We'd met him and his wife when we lived in our historic home before our sailing adventure. This was a bittersweet visit because my best friend, his wife, died during COVID and walking into their house and not hearing her laughter or seeing that broad smile was a heartache. But seeing him was wonderful.

We drove north through New Jersey trying (unsuccessfully) to avoid NYC traffic and found a lovely state park just across the Vermont line. We happily pulled into our site and just collapsed. There is nothing relaxing about driving anywhere near NYC in a car....even more "fun" in an RV. The next day saw us pusing east to Atkinson, New Hampshire for a long overdue gathering with Dave's brother and extended family. Hugs all around and adult kids with little kids.....activity throughout their big back yard and a deliciousl barbeque dinner!

Two days with family was relaxing and passed too quickly....but he headed a little west to Hollis, New Hampshire for two nights with "The Other Lynn and Dave".  Our long-time friendship has weathered distance and now weekly dice games on Zoom. So much better in person!

That connection meant it was time to head back home.....so into the RV for three plus days of driving. Crossed the southern edges of New Hampshire and Vermont, moved quickly across New York State and hit a little of the corner of northeast Pennsylvania. Basically it was a start-driving-about-nine-in-the-morning and stop-driving-about-three-o'clock in the afternoon part of the trip. This get-back-home-part is not my favorite section of any RV trip. This one went smoothly, though, until about the last 200 miles. 

Let's just say that there are way more semi-trucks heading on "our" route and the highways are in terrible condition. Shake, rattle and roll for hours. If I ever have to help drive from Indiana around the bottom of Chicago to head north to Wisconsin again it will be too soon. And much of our Wisconsin highway system is nothing to boast about.

Glad to be home.....Dave will be checking all the nuts, bolts and screws in every door and cabinet in our rolling "home" to be sure nothing falls out or off next time we go anywhere. A nice two weeks....but a bad 200 miles.

A Dragonfly Day.....

Last night I watched a two hour special on TV - "The Women of 911". Robin Robertson interviewed about a dozen women who shared their stories of where they were that morning and how that day affected them. Some were in the buildings, others were on the street, some were first responders. It was a sadly fascinating special and it certainly brought back memories. The moments captured by photographers as the events unfolded were heartbreaking. Everyone in my generation knows exactly where they were and what they were doing on that day. For Dave and I it was an amazingly beautiful blue-sky day spent sailing Connemara eastward across Naragansett Bay toward the East River....we planned to go down the river to the Hudson to see Manhatten from our little sailboat. We had no idea what had happened the morning of 9/11 until we dropped anchor about 3:00 and Dave went to shore in the dingy for a few provisions. He came racing back and we spent the rest of the afternoon/evening glued to our small screen TV and watched in horror the replay as the Twin Towers collapsed, that black smoke rolled through the city.

Today, almost 20 years later Fenway and I went out mid-morning for a short walk.....our route took us along the creek and into a small park. It was an absolutely beautiful, blue-sky-with-puffy-white-clouds kind of Wisconsin day. Perfect weather for another dog walk. As I moved toward the creek I began to notice dragonflies....hundreds of them as I moved along. All of them were flying, none resting on any plants in order for me to grab a photo. They were zipping this way and that for whatever reason dragonflies behave this way....eating something?? Mating ritual?? All I know is that it was fun and interesting to watch them going up and down, back and forth....filling my field of vision.

Fenway and I turned for home after about 15 minutes and I watched more as we walked back to the condo.....and then I heard a plane overhead. It was probably headed in for a routine landing at the Milwaukee airport. But the sound of that jet engine above, after having just seen 9/11 re-played on television made me almost stumble.

In a flash I was thinking "that's the sound that NYC heard just before the first plane hit the first tower....and once again as plane number two made impact....and the plane that hit the Pentagon...and the one that went down in Pennsylvania."

A jet flying overhead....a pretty common background noise for many of us in many parts of the US. But today, after enjoying a beautiful dragonfly morning, the sound proved haunting. 

20 years......

Birthday Boy.....

Twelve years ago we brought this little boy home to our house in Bay View. We'd loved a wonderful boxer for almost 12 years when the kids were growing up and it broke our hearts when we had to say goodbye to Daisy. It took a long time before we were ready to get another dog, partly because of our two years afloat, but after settling in Bay View we decided the house was too quiet and we needed to add a boost of activity.

Ta da.....Mr. Fenway Underfoot Woodard moved in.

He was so small he couldn't jump up onto the sofa and we could carry him around with one arm....but he was so sweet! And for the twelve years since he's made us smile, get outside for walks, laugh and sometimes worry. He is our best buddy..... now our Frostie Bostie.

Fenway is still doing well......lots of energetic walks every day, a good appetite, playtimes and continued silliness. He's been our camping buddy for 40,000+ miles as we've explored the US and Canada in our little RV. All you have to say is "Do you want to be Camper Boy?" and his head tilts and he's ready to go. Trees to sniff and conquer in every state! He sleeps on his own bed in a corner of our room....quiet all night until the first morning walk. He loves to visit friends....especially those who have big dogs. His "social circle" includes cousins Sadie and Walter (yellow labs), River and Ember (Italian Spinones) and mixed breed Maggie, Mia the golden doodle. If we mention any of their names his head cocks once again and he's ready for the car ride!

We love our Fenway so much and sometimes look at that little greying face and think "Oh no....stop getting older!" But, for now, we sing happy birthday to him and maybe we'll be off to Starbucks for a puppachino....or the dog store to find another toy he can shred.

Mr. Fenway Underfoot Woodard.....happy birthday to you!

Just Another Morning……

Our hot humid days are in the rearview mirror for now and we are enjoying a stretch of much cooler days. This morning when Fen and I headed out at 6:45 I realized that, with the strong breeze, I should have grabbed my jeans jacket.

But we just did our normal pre-breakfast route heading toward the lakefront  and along the path. I passed several other walkers and dogs along the way….we all commented on the lovely morning!

Especially our view east……what a lovely moment.

Stopping Traffic.....

Driving along Hwy C yesterday headed toward Target for some "stuff" on my shopping list. This is a nice two lane road running past an apple orchard, some corn and soy bean fields and a few homes. I always keep my eyes roaming from right to left to watch for deer alongside getting ready to come into the road.  So looking ahead to see cars stopping in the opposite lane didn't surprise me.

As I got closer I realised it wasn't deer slowing down the traffic, it was a parade of turkeys. I didn't have my cell phone ready to take a quick shot but found this on the internet. ( It's a bigger bunch but close!) There were at least twenty birds crossing Hwy C...adults and the hatched-this-summer gang. They just made me smile....especially as the last young one rushed across to catch all the others.

I never get tired of spotting wildlife in our area.....birds and animals that have found ways to adapt to the people beginning to crowd them out. 

I will always stop for turkeys!

Not Quite Ready…..

Today’s early morning walked let me peek at the nest again. Frankly I expected it to be empty. But no….two little birds were up there peering down at me.

I wonder what is keeping them from launch day? The nest was crammed with five or six little ones a few day ago.

Now there are two…….

Elbow Room…..

This morning I overslept so Fenway and I didn’t hit the sidewalk until just after 7:00. We took our usual route east to the lake, then along the sidewalk bordering the water until turning back west at the end of the park. A quick peek inside the comfort station building to see if any birds were still in the nest.

I looked up to see three little faces quietly looking down at me.the countdown has begun…..and now there are three.

Mom! She’s Touching Me!

This morning Fenway and I took an early walk before the predicted humidity began to rise. It was a nice morning along the lake and others had the same idea. As I walked past the small building that houses bathrooms behind the bandshell I saw a man pointing his cellphone up inside the hallway next to the soda machine. I’d been noticing signs of bird activity for several days but did not bother to walk over and explore. 

I asked him what he was photographing and walked to stand next to him. Looking up I spotted the nest…..a very crowded nest!

My not-so-good photo shows three babies. There were actually two or three more crowded in the back!

All must have been waiting for mom or dad to come back with breakfast. I’m not sure what kind they are, maybe swallows?

As I looked at the little bunch all I could think of was car trips with our two in the back and one saying “Move over!” or “Mom she’s touching me!” I guess baby birds are more cooperative while sharing their small space and these little ones will probably be gone in the next few days.

Suspicious......

About two weeks ago Dave and I took off on an airplane for the first time in almost two years. With backpacks and one small carry-on each, we donned our masks and walked into O'Hare to get ready for our flight to Anchorage. The airport wasn't too crowded and we made it to the security line quickly. I took off my shoes and put my stuff into the plastic bins provided and my suitcase up on the conveyor belt so everything could be x-rayed by the TSA. My cute little colorful suitcase…..a carry-on but I picked it so that if we ever do have to check luggage for a flight it will be easy to see coming down the conveyor belt.

I watched my things move away from me and walked into the stand-on-the-yellow-feet-raise-your-arms-and-hold-still full body X-ray machine and then out the other side. I found my backpack, purse and shoes but no suitcase. It had been diverted to the other side of a plexiglass screen. The TSA agent approached, picked up my suitcase and asked “Is this your bag?” When I responded she then asked if I had anything sharp packed inside. I told her nothing that I could remember but she was free to open and search it. (Duh!) She lifted a few items of clothing to expose two suspicious plastic bags.

She looked at me and I said “Oh…those are cheese curds from Wisconsin that I am bringing to my friend!” She nodded, put my sweatshirt back and re-zipped my suitcase.

I’m still wondering why those cheese curds set off warning bells? The density? The shape of the package? Cheese curds …… who knew!

Smelling Smoke….

Fenway and I rolled out of the condo at 6:30 am and turned toward Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful, calm, cool morning with a slight on-shore breeze. Perfect! The sun was already up and posting a lovely sunbeam across the water….and a sort of soft rainbow of colors…in the hazy smoke.

It’s hard to even imagine that the many western wildfires are colorizing our sunrises and sunsets. It was disturbing to sense the slight “off color” scent in “my” air. I can only imagine what it is like for the people fighting or fleeing the raging wildfires. And I can only imagine how different many of the areas we visited out west in our RV would look now. And I can only wonder if, when the greening recovery will begin to change them back. Hundreds and hundreds of years.

……but I did see a mourning dove, robin and bright yellow goldfinch.

Collaboration With Friends!

Last fall when we were all still basically staying at home I asked a few of my quilting friends if anyone was interested in trying a “Round Robin” project. The idea is that you make your own center square….about 14-16 inches in size. When it was done you put it in a box and passed it along to the next person on our list-of-six. Each participant was tasked with adding a four to six inch border and then pass it on again.

Each member had the option of including fabric for others to use or trusting in the choices made by the rest of the Round Robin Gang! This was a fun, not-in-person project that we could do during COVID times. We could drop the box off on the porch while enjoying an ourside somewhat “distant” chat!

I started with this center square and I did pass along some of my stash with the understanding that my quilt friends could use their own fabric choices if they wanted.

The months went by….the boxes rotated through the group, and about two weeks ago I got my round robin quilt top back. I was more than pleased as I’d forgotten what fabric I’d used in the first place but this beautiful lap quilt features the best of my stash!

It is machine quilted and all done….ready for winter TV time on my lap. I’d do one of these again….but hopefully without the COVID part.

 

Morning Nap…..

Fenway and I usually luck out on our morning walks....we see something even if I have to "settle" for a cardinal or a squirrel. I haven't spotted as many fawns this year but I know they are out there because Dave and Fen spot them on their late afternoon strolls up the bike path.

But the other day as we walked past the brew pub next door and along the stream a small motion caught my eye. There was a lovely little fawn napping in the morning sun. It watched us carefully as we went past on the sidewalk, but didn't move. It was still young enough to have it's spots for camoflage. 

And then on the way back for coffee and breakfast in our condo one of the big migrating monarchs fluttered just ahead of us. It stopped to visit some wild bee balm alongside our path. I never get tired of spotting these beauties and always marvel that they are heading for Mexico for the winter! Those fragile-looking wings must be a lot sturdier than they look.

A sleepy fawn and migrating monarchs....a nice start to the day.

 

Lump in My Throat and a Few Tears....

Tuesday, July 27th - 9:00 a.m.

I followed my usual morning routine today....got up about 6:30, walked Fenway, brewed some coffee and watched GMA for awhile. I was about to turn off the TV when the hearings called to examine what happened in DC on January 6th began. There were opening statements and then a video.

Watching that video....some "familiar" footage but much that I'd never seen before was a real blow to my heart. The sound was "improved" so you could hear what the police and rioters were screaming. You could read captions highlighting the calls from on-site police to headquarters asking for help and declaring "This is a riot!" I watched, again, as insurgents used their flags or poles to smash windows and rage into the Capitol complex (while trying to carefully stay between the ropes for their peaceful "tour").  Listening to the first witnesses was just crushing..... four police officers who had been overwhelmed by an armed mob determined to get inside the building.

Anyone who says "oh this wasn't really a big deal", or "let's just move on" needs to sit in a chair and watch every second of what I watched this morning. How dare they suggest that our democracy was not at risk when these angry protestors tried to interrupt America's historic peaceful transition of power from one administration to another.

It's 9:30 and I am still listening to words like "brutal fighting", "violent attackers", "armed insurgents" "swarmed by a mob" "stripped off my badge" "get his gun" "kill him with his own gun" "I was electrocuted again, and again, and again with a taser" . These are words I never expected to hear in order to describe an event in the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers.

Never forget January 6th......follow the facts.....prosecute those who participated....do whatever it takes to insure that this can never happen to America again. 

And I still hope they never repair the one window in the Capitol's door - that should remain as a visible reminder that our democracy is not infallible.

Words Per Minute…..

I’ve always enjoyed reading for pleasure. I can’t remember too many times in my life when I didn’t have a novel with a bookmark showing me where I’d left off and where to start up again. Even when our kids were young I usually read two or more books a week…..plus all the children's books I read out loud to them.

When COVID hit and we basically stayed home I thought reading would be one way to pass the time but it turned out that I had a hard time concentrating and actually read very few books during 2020. My book club met on Zoom and, although it was nice to see other members, it just sort of got “old” after awhile.

Last week I was watching Good Morning America as I moved around the kitchen and toward the end of the show they presented their list of recommended summer reading. I half listened and then headed off to do errands. I stopped at COSTCO for a few things and as I pushed my cart past the books on display I saw one from the GMA list and decided to buy it.

Back home, after lunch, I sat down and opened it to the first page. To say it’s a thriller is putting it mildly. I finished it at 8:00 that night (with breaks for dog walks, dinner and to rest my eyeballs). This was the author's first book and she spent ten years as a flight attendant and certainly had insights on what it meant to be moving along at 30,000 feet above the ground. If you want a good summer read look for it…..but my advice is not to read it the day before you board an airplane to go off on an adventure.

The Twins….

It’s been awhile since I spotted a fawn. This spring I never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. I did see a mother with one fawn coming down the bike path and the up the hill through the condo window. But when Fenway and went for our walks we would spot birds but no deer…..until this morning.

Today we walked north past the brew pub next door, along side the sandy volleyball court and continued along the east side of the almost dry (today) creek. It was so quiet as we entered the wooded area….no one else around and birds calling, but hidden in the trees.

We turned for home and retraced our steps. Just before the trash rack, where the stream goes under the street, I caught a movement. The twins! One on the side of the hill and one at the edge of the water…..no mom in sight and they were watching us carefully.

Morning walk, birdsong and Bambi times two…..a good walk.

Drought.....

I've enjoyed writing ever since I used to open my fifth grade pink diary and fill a page for each day.....I kept diaries all through college. Before the internet, there was letter writing to friends and family. And while living in New Castle, Delaware, after our kids were grown and gone, I had a weekly newspaper column for the small town paper. I enjoyed that space to share random thoughts.

Then, a few years ago, I started my small blog. It was just another tool that let me wander through my mind and share my ponderings. Usually I have maybe seven to ten entries per month.....but nothing is set in stone and I have a very small "following". I don't do this for any other reason other than I like to think about "things" and then put my thoughts down in black and white.

For the past two months or so I've just felt "dry".....nothing much to "say". It wasn't any kind of life change or pressure but I was feeling sort of "bad" that I had nothing to share. Today, our daughter, posted something that made me feel better. She is an artist working more than full time in her studio....and she makes some amazing pieces and is represented by some very good galleries. But today, on her instagram she shared the following: "I used to beat myself up when I didn't perform/excell....I'm changing my expectations and allowing much more grace." (I hope she doesn't mind me sharing that!)

So I've decided that I am in some kind of fallow state.....a drought of ideas if you like. I trust my brain wanderings will return, sparked by something I see while walking Fenway, or read. For now I'm just quiet.

Doing Its Job......

In August 2018 Port Washington was hit by a huge rain storm in the middle of the night. Sound asleep we woke about 2:00 a.m. to someone pounding on our front door. It was a neighbor letting us know that the parking lot was flooding and maybe we could get our car out of the lower garage. Dave threw on some clothing and ran down the steps only to find about six feet of water in our garage.....no way to save the car or the other 20 parked on that level.

We all faced about a week of clean up, several weeks with no elevator, the purchase of a new car....quite the memorable event. In the months and three years following the condo board did a lot to find out why our garage flooded and to fix the pumps and do everything they could to assure homeowners this would never happen again. And the city had its own to-do-list.

The flood was as terrible as it was because a huge tree trunk floated down the raging "stream" next to the bike path plugging the entry to the culvert that should have directed most of the water under the park and into Lake Michigan. So, after months of discussion, a company was hired to install a trash rack at the culvert so any floating trash would be directed up and water could flow freely below it and out to the lake.

I walked Fenway today and glanced down at the trash rack. We've had several days of on-and-off much needed rain....nothing like the fast and furious 2018 storm, but still our little stream is much higher than normal. Water is running over rocks and up the side of the banks....but nothing too dramatic.

And the trash rack is doing its job!

Crystal Ball......

I just finished reading another Margaret Atwood novel, The Year of the Flood. This well known Canadian author has a view of the world that is very "dystopian"????  She puts us in the not-too-distant future and weaves a tale of what our world might be like. Suffice to say her view can be very troubling....and make you think.

On page 282 I read a paragraph that really made me pause. "The next day, two bad things happened. First I turned on the news. The minor epidemic they'd been talking about earlier wasn't behaving in the usual way - a local outbreak, one they could contain. Now it was an emergency. They showed a map of the world, with the hotspots lighting up in red - Brazil, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Bombay, Paris, Berlin - it was like watching the planet being spraygunned. It was an eruptive plague, they said, and the thing was spreading fast - no, not even spreading, breaking out at the same time in cities far apart, which wasn't the normal pattern. Ordinarily the Corps would have called for lies and cover-ups, and we'd hear something like the real stories only in rumors, so the fact that all this was right out there on the news showed how serious it was - the Corps couldn't keep the lid on.

The news jockeys were trying to keep calm. The experts didn't know what the superbug was, but it was a pandemic for sure, and a lot of people were dying fast - just sort of melting. As soon as they said, 'No need for panic,' in that eerie calm tone with those glued-on smiles, I could tell it was really serious."

The story continues: " The next day the news was even worse. The plague was spreading, and there was rioting and looting, and killing gonig on, and the CorpSeCorps had just more or less vanished: they must have been dying too.

And a few days after that, there wasn't any more news."

Frankly I read those paragraphs twice. Then I went to the front of the book.

Atwood wrote the novel in 2009. 

Remedy…..

I got into bed last night just before 10:00, put my head on the pillow and started to hiccup! I can’t remember the last time this happened but these hiccups were “serious” and my head was literally bouncing with each one. I took some deep breaths….changed position but every ten seconds or so another one “hit”. I thought to myself  “ I will never fall asleep with these!” I quickly checked one site on line and it said to breathe into a paper bag……and I haven’t had a paper bag in my condo for months. I got up for a drink of water….back to bed….hiccup!

Dave told me to try some sugar water. So out of bed, down to the kitchen for a spoonful….and back to bed. Hiccup! Then Dave pulled out his phone….checked another site and told me to get some peanut butter. I was very skeptical but I had been “bouncing” for over ten minutes and I wanted to go to sleep. So back out of bed, down the hall, teaspoon out of the drawer, peanut butter out of the cabinet and I put a spoonful into my mouth.

Magic! It worked immediately! Who knew….another reason to like peanut butter.