Gregg and Mary, Zack and Vinnie

Motherly Instincts

2011-12-29T17:51:00.000-06:00

This morning, when I reached for the paper towel to dry my hands, I noticed that the edges of the roll were all frayed. Next to the roll was a mound of shredded toweling. Aha, we've got mice again! I was going to run out to get some d-CON but then my motherly instincts kicked in . . . our visiting mouse is a mother (like me) who is just trying to make a warm home for her babies; how can I terminate her?

Later I came to my senses by remembering all the 'presents' that Zack and Vinnie brought me during mousing season -- in my bed, on the diningroom table, on my lap, etc. and decided that I'll make a stop at Walgreens afterall.

The Ugly Duckling err CHICKEN

2010-08-17T23:05:00.000-05:00

When Anne asked me to partner with her in raising chickens at first I thought she was fooling with me. Why would she think that I would want to do this? I didn't think she knew me that well! It didn't take long for me to think about a response. Being in the company of animals has always given me an innate sense of peace. Perhaps it's that farmer gene that Dad gave me. He never talked much about his life on the farm and as I learned more about the pain he underwent, growing up in a time when mental illness was a disgrace, I understood why. But it still left a kind of 'Country Living' romantic twang inside my heart. When I was a young school girl my best friend, Lori Kunde, and I would sit on the playground and dream of what our house would look like when we grew up. I was sure that I'd live in a converted barn.

Like Langston Hughes said, this was a 'dream deferred.' For some reason God saw to it that I'd be able to experience a slice of that dream by connecting me with Anne and bringing The First Ladies to us. They were adorable to hold and watch grow (front row: Dolly Madison; back row: Maime Eisenhower, Eleanor Roosevelt, LBJ).

Dolly was the smallest one but worked to keep up with the other ladies just doing what chickens do (eat and poop). She was the first one to greet me in the morning when they camped out in my garage while Anne was on vacation. As she grew we noticed that her beak was becoming more and more twisted.

We checked various websites, where we met backyard chicken keepers that were much more obsessed with this hobby than us, and no one had a chick that had lived to adulthood with a crossed beak. We saw that her conformity wasn't bothering her or the other ladies, and she was growing at relatively the same pace as the others so putting her down was out of the question.

On Friday, August 13th I checked their nesting spots and saw my FIRST EGG! Gregg didn't believe me and was just about as surprised as I to see the beauty just laying there. The ladies had left the coop for the fresh water we'd brought them so we didn't know who the 'mom' was. At first I thought that it was Maime as she was screaming at me for taking the egg, and being the largest -- I just assumed that she was the one. The next morning I found another one; same color as the first. I remembered Anne talking about the different breeds that we have (Americuna and Wyandotte) and that they laid colored eggs but couldn't remember who was who and which did what. As soon as I got home from my chicken duty I hit the web, trying to learn more about these beauties. It's now obvious that Maime is the Americuna, as she has these weird sideburns sticking out the sides of her cheeks. Americunas lay green / gray eggs; so it wasn't her. I next checked the Wyandottes and sure enough! They lay the brown eggs; so that left Dolly and Eleanor, although I don't really think that Elenor is a Wyandotte as she's a red color . . . I was perplexed.

Anne was awakened by the most unusual sound (for someone who's not used to the sound that chickens make when they're laying eggs) and ran outside to see what was the matter with the Ladies -- only to find DOLLY sitting on the nest as proud as could be! Anne was so proud of her and told her to talk the other ladies into laying. Before Anne left on vacation she commented on Dolly has become the most beautiful and thought that she'd lead from behind -- little did she know!

What a learning experience this has been, in so many ways:
- The Ladies never cared that Dolly was different than them
- Dolly learned to do with what she had
- They each have their position within the hen house; Maime was the head chick, Eleanor the one who dug
up the bugs, and Dolly the leader
- They are a team, and when one wandered out of their enclosure the others talked them back in
- When we took Dolly's eggs out of the nest it was Maime who screamed at us the loudest, knowing how
much those eggs meant to Dolly (I did feel guilty for a bit)
- Dust baths can be shared
- There's room for all of us on the roost
- It's wonderful to have friends and I'm so glad that you're mine!

North of the Tension Line

2010-08-03T20:52:00.000-05:00

Took my traveling buddy (aka Manny) back up to Door County this weekend for the FOPPI Annual Volunteer Picnic. We took Christie's little Nissan instead of my Cobalt, as it's still waterlogged -- Christie's car is so little that the Ferry Line was able to squeeze it on SIDEWAYS!

I'm not sure if the captain recognized me or that he's just very accomodating to all guests, but I asked if we were going to go past the Plum Island range lights so I could get a picture of them lined up, he hadn't planned on it but offered to do it for me. So I got my 'perfect' picture.

When the range lights are aligned the mariner knows to start turning into the channel.

Manny found some floatsam from a shipwreck and I wished that I would have taken some pictures of the floatsam that I saw last month as it wasn't visible anymore. That's what I get for not charging my camera batteries the night before!

We had over 90 people at our volunteer picnic which was awesome as last year we had six! My good friend, Dan Nilsson was awarded Volunteer of the Year for his dedication to FOPPI. He highly deserved the recognition; I only wished he could have been there -- I would have loved to have seen the look on his face when his name was announced. We sold about $500 of FOPPI merchandise and are ready for a reorder! Yahoo! We'll get that Coast Guard Station painted yet!

Manny had such a great time that I only saw him when we left the boat and when we boarded it to go back to Washington Island! In between he was spotting poison ivy, running back and forth for supplies, carrying gear and being an all around awesome helper. It's a time when he can run around and just be a boy. Instead of bringing back smelly crab claws, this time he searched the beach for lake coral and found some awesome specimens.

On the way back to our cottage I stopped at School House beach to show him the neat rocks there. He tried to wade in the water but slipped and fell so ended up joining the other kids on the raft -- in his clothes!

Sunday we went to the Farm Museum, which is an open-air museum filled with neat old artifacts from days long gone on Washington Island. I enjoyed being able to experience the museum at my own pace while he explored and just called out whenever a photo op came up.

We stopped off at the Door County Maritime Museum in Gills Rock on the way back to the Ferry and he learned about the Lyle Gun, fishing tugs, and shipwrecks. And again, another photo op.

I've got a feeling he had a great time. He made note of the fact that he's had more cool experiences by the age of 13 than I had -- how'd he know?

People on the path

2010-07-25T21:02:00.000-05:00

It was a week of ups and downs here on the ranch. I'm trying REAL hard to live in the moment and am honestly finding myself less stressed and able to enjoy some of the little things that I would have normally missed. I'm getting involved in some wonderful projects and meeting the neatest people by living now instead of carrying the baggage from mistakes made in the past!!

Carrie and her family were on vacation at the beginning of the week and, while I missed them immensely, I was glad that they were able to get away and spent some time off the beaten track. The kids both called me on their way home to tell me how much fun they had 4-wheeling and going to a zoo in the UP. I asked what else that they did but whatever it was, it wasn't as memorable as those experiences. They took some wonderful pictures of the fun they had that Manny insisted I come and view as soon as they got home. I loved the ones of them 'mudding' and the look of shear joy on Manny and CeCe's faces.

I was so busy that I missed my Konner bonding time and am hoping that I'll have some time soon to make up for it. I've checked Christie FB pictures and get this really cool loving feeling in my chest whenever I see his little smiling face. What a joy it is to have this little guys in our lives. He's proof of the power of prayer, belief, and hope.

Thursday I had lunch with a woman that I met during my job hunting journey. It was weird how we met -- I thought that for sure I'd get a job right away so I sat at the far table during the workshop we attended. The people at the other tables seemed pretty engaged, but I felt pretty comfy just by myself. Cathy approached my table and asked if she could join me and we immediately shared our stories and bonded. She directed me to the Crosswalk program at Elmbrook Church where I met people who have changed my life: Wayne Breitbarth with his LinkedIn enthusiasm which led to Dick Dassow with his mission work passion. Cathy hasn't found a position yet, but has spent a great deal of time volunteering in various capacities and learning just what she wants in this next chapter of her journey. I am eager to spend time with her again -- for some reason I feel that we were supposed to meet.

After lunch I spent some quality time with CeCe, learning about all the fun she had on her vacation and going to our favorite store, JoAnn Fabrics. I picked up a 'Jennie' knitting kit for her at a rummage sale so we sorted out the yarn and got a step-by-step book on how to use this cool thing. She picked out some gorgeous yarn for her next project but at the last minute decided on some modeling clay and a bead project. So, I'm not sure if she's as excited about the 'Jennie' as I am -- it happens!

We grabbed a McD's shake, I dropped her off and went to school. I got there early and chose a spot closest to the building so I could pull out quickly. During my break I saw an odd congregation of students situated by the front door; I poked my head through the crowd to see what they were watching and was completely overwhelmed with the flood that enveloped the whole road and was rising up to the doors of the building! It occurred to me that if this area was flooded, what would the parking lot look like? I ventured out only to find my car swallowed by the stream of rushing water with my car sitting in the middle of it! I waded into the knee-deep water to see if I could move my car to higher ground but it wouldn't start. Yuck. I called Gregg at home only to find out that he was out rescuing Carrie who's car was also swallowed by the flood. He got her car started but the noise it made indicated worse problems. Gregg did make it out to school and was able to get my car started and moved -- luckily it didn't make the same noise but was quite saturated. I mopped it out at home and drove it to my breakfast meeting on Friday and to work, listening to the slushing water every time it stopped. The electrical system was so wet that the door locks and truck continued to go up and down.

My Friday meeting certainly made up for the mess the night before! I met with Pam and Karen, from Simple Hope, and Kelly from Graebel. I had this crazy idea that perhaps Graebel could help with their warehousing and shipping needs, and was surprised when Kelly thought it just might work! Pam was so excited that she was shaking when we embraced after the meeting was over.

God DOES put the right people in our paths at the right times . . . Cathy, Wayne, Dick, Pam, and Karen. I'm pretty sure if I hadn't been on my 'living in the moment' mantra I'd have missed them. It'll be interesting to see where this path will lead me, stay tuned!

Jesus TV

2010-07-18T21:38:00.011-05:00

Last year Dean Maytag and I launched a pilot program that the kids called 'Jesus TV'. The concept was to meet the kids where they are, and have them communicate their faith via technology. We used Flipcams to develop short movies on various subjects. Unfortunately, the excitement soon waned as the support system (aka-me) got distracted. Late this Spring, the AV Tech and the Sunday School committees asked if we'd be interested in doing it again. Not one to turn down an opportunity (often to my own detriment), I obliged.

Our theme this summer is missions; I spent the first day explaining what mission programs are, why we support them, and how to get people interested in learning more about the various mission programs that ECUMC supports. The kids divided up into two groups and chose the Honduras Mission program and Habitat for Humanity. I talked to the kids about making sure there was a beginning, middle, and ending and set them loose.

The HfH group got stuck on what to do so I directed them to the internet to get their inspiration, as I often do when stuck on a school paper. They viewed a couple of YouTube videos and settled on one that 'spelled' out the mission in tiles -- the kids got the awesome idea to use blocks from the nursery to spell out their mission and decided to add some music. They stayed within their time frame, worked together as a group, and truly amazed me.

The Honduras group decided to interview Anne & Bob Weiland who had recently returned from Honduras. I reminded them to have their questions organized and present them to the Weilands beforehand. Unfortunately I didn't stress their time frame and it rolled on too long to post online :-( I'm sure that even Steven Spielberg made some mistakes along the way! The Weilands were impressed with the thought that went into the questions and how the group presented themselves. Ahhh, what pride!

This month we're working on our African and VBS in the Park mission programs. Together we drew a bubble diagram identifying some of the challenges of working with Africa and why it's important that we continue our mission programs there. I brought along some of Christie's keepsakes from her trip for inspiration; the kids were enthralled with the props and even the ones that got distracted easily were able to stay with us and contribute to the group. Being the summer, many families take vacations so this series will take a bit longer to produce but I've included some pictures of our brainstorming session and inspiration table.

Toss up some prayers for us -- we have a ways to go but are surely learning from one another and hopefully teaching others about His word via technology.

Paying Attention to the Signs

2010-07-10T20:05:00.003-05:00

Awhile back I heard of a woman from Menomonee Falls that went on a mission trip to Tanzania and got stranded because of the volcano in Iceland. I thought that this was an absurd misfortune -- how could something that happened on opposite ends of the globe be related? Something (or someone) told me that I just HAD to meet this woman! I searched for her on Facebook and later we met when she spoke to the younger kids at Sunday School. I still had this feeling that I needed to learn about this woman, her journey, and what made her tick so I made a Starbucks date with her and am so, so glad that I did!

Pamela has such a familiar soul -- we could have talked for hours on how our lives have brought us to where we are today. Her story is much more interesting than mine, but she gave me some insight as to where my new-found energy is coming from. Open your heart and let him in . . . this is what I did when my life fell apart last year during that awful time of unemployment. Her journey took her from serving at the Menomonee Falls food pantry to Tanzania to starting her own non profit, sending food boxes so school kids could be nourished and able to learn; microlending and seeing to it that there is clean water to drink. Wow -- this woman just blew me away. She's also a wife, mother, daughter, friend; just a normal kind of woman that has been called to wear God in Tanzania! She also kept wondering why HER and why TANZANIA but through it all kept strong in her faith and followed his guidance. Children are now going to school and getting nourished; women are now starting their own little businesses so they can afford to send their children to school; and there are wells being dug for clean water -- all in part to the work that Pamela has done!

Is God calling me onto a different journey than I've planned? I'm not sure but he's certainly opened the doors to some wonderful opportunities and influential people! My work with Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands and Emmanuel are proof enough to me that I'm not walking this journey alone. He's brought people to me in the right time, when I've struggled and just needed a little push -- he's put me in front of dignitaries, judges, and pretty important folk. These are people that I wouldn't otherwise have gotten to know and learn from if I hadn't heeded his calling and jumped at the opportunities that he's placed in front of me. Some might say I'm jumped too much but how does one know how deep the water is unless they jump in?

I'm not saying that my life is now peachy, and neither does Pamela, but we're able to endure the crummy stuff knowing that there's better days ahead -- because we've seen them. So, when things all falling apart all around me I just have to remember where I've been and the story of how with God on Pamela's side she was able to administer an IV to her traveling companion who was severely dehydrated (yes, it really happened) and that with God's help I'll get through my current trials.

Click on this link to follow Pamela's blog: www.helpingmwika.blogspot.com

JAM Session!

2010-07-05T11:29:00.002-05:00

I've been very blessed with groups of awesome friends that are my support system and make me feel better in my own skin. I remember how lonely my mother was in her later years and vow not to let that be me. I've been considering befriending shut-ins in the area but know that I really need to give this some serious thought as I can't walk away from this when my life gets out of control. Or maybe I've gotten it under control of it now? Think . . . Think . . .

Back to my friends -- Jan and Anne are women that I've bonded with through choir. We complement each other in our voices, careers, families, hobbies and interests; they are such a joy! How God thought to connect us is beyond me but I'm so glad that he did! Jan and Anne decided to form a little singing group and THEY ASKED ME to join them! Isn't this awesome? They obviously had been rolling this around because at our first JAM (Jan, Anne, Mary -- how clever?) session they already had the music picked out and the type of music that we'd sing going forward.

We're practicing "This World is not my Own" in three-part harmony with Jan on the folk guitar. We'll continue to sing old gospel songs from Jan and Anne's collection of old Methodist hymnals. These songs remind me of the mountain music that found me years ago. See, there IS a reason for everything! I remember going to the Appalachian Homecoming in Norris TN years ago and becoming obsessed with the music of the hill folk. There is so much passion in these songs! If you're unfamiliar with what I'm talking about rent "The Songcatcher" on RedBox.

So Dad -- if you're listening, I'm finally living your dream of being part of a traveling singing group. It's not my siblings as you had wished for, but Jan and Anne are close enough.

Hello???

2010-06-29T20:20:00.005-05:00

Christie reminded me today that I've been a little lax in posting my blog -- A LITTLE? I now see that I haven't posted since January!! So, I'm going to try REAL hard to post at least once a week so my faithful followers may regain faith in me.

So, what's been happening? Alot! Where to start?

The biggest news is that Gregg is gainfully employed once again. He gave us quite a scare with hernia surgery but, as he's in self-employed, he's been able to pace his work with his healing. He's been using the cats to figure out his weight limit and this week he was able to pick up Vinnie without any discomfort so he feels he's out of the woods.

The Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands newsletter editor / board member gig has been amazingly awesome. I've attracted the attention of an experienced newsletter professional, Janet, who has asked to be on my team -- I'm learning an immense amount from her and she continues to inspire me with new ideas. The newsletter will be posted some time this week so check www.plumandpilot.org to see why I'm so excited to be working with her! Stay tuned, this is only the beginning!

A couple of weeks ago Manny and I went up to Plum Island to serve as docents for the annual Door County Lighthouse Walk. Actually, Manny assisted with me on one tour and recognized the island needed some exploration so off he went. Friends of mine showed him how to be a First Mate and allowed him to pilot the boat almost up to the dock. He was quite excited and slept like a rock! I gave a guided tour of the Lighthouse Keepers' Dwelling, the front range light, ruins of the 1848 light, and the shipwreck that's washing ashore. It was awesome to be with like-minded people eager to learn of the history that I've been researching and recording in the newsletter. We'll be conducting the tour again at the end of the month for our members, so I've been doing more research in answer to the questions that I received at the Walk . . . what type of oil did they use in the original light? What did it look like? What's the name of this flower? Who's scat is that? I've gotten to meet some influential people who have taken their lighthouse enthusiasm to greater heights and are published . . . mmmm, could that be in the stars for me?

God's been calling me to work on various committees at church; I've been on the AV Tech Group for two years and was recently asked to join the Marketing Committee. The chair of this group is absolutely awesome and enjoys a successful career in marketing in software. Does God work in wonderful ways or what? She's a woman after my own heart; quite detail-oriented and passionate about her work. I'm working on ways to bring technology into the church using social media and also taking technology out to the congregation by way of a Sunday School program that the SS students named, 'Jesus TV.' I work with the kids to present His message by way of MovieMaker, PowerPoint, etc. They've recently completed some work on two of the missions that we support that I'm very proud of. I'm hoping that they ask me to continue with this program for the fall session of Sunday School as there's so much to tell and the kids are so talented!

What else? Oh yes, work -- I'll be going full time July 1st which really just means I'll be eligible for benefits but it does sound better than saying that "I'm working part-time."

So, I'll try real hard to get back on the bandwagon with my blog . . . I will!

Family Matters

2010-01-31T14:41:00.003-06:00

I received an email from my aunt this week -- she received a wonderful gift from her granddaughter entitled “Grandma Tell Me Your Story.” This is a familiar book about family history. Unfortunately, my aunt was number 10 of 12 and by the time that her solid memories were formed, her father was in the VA hospital after suffering a stroke. Her memories of him were through a glass window, as her mother told her to wave to him. He never came back home and with a family that size, survival was their highest priority. Children married, had children, moved away and gathered together for baptisms, confirmations, and funerals. My mother's family lived in Detroit and for us, the trip was an infrequent affair.

My aunt was plagued with easy questions like what her father did for a living, when did he come here from Germany, what were his parents names? Easy questions you might think, but how often are we given the opportunity to hear their stories and miss? If I think back at my missed opportunities, I have to admit that there were very many. As usual, I was probably more concerned about what was going on now, instead of what happened way back when. However, one time, while driving through Rockfield (WI) my father remembered about the German POW's that were housed at the canning factory! What? I wished I would have asked more questions because years later I learned from my uncle that my grandfather and great-grandfather were crew chiefs for these POW's that worked in the fields. He didn't remember if my father worked with them also but did remember reading the paper (in German) to the prisoners over the fence. What a story! What a story I missed. Dad, what was it like to be so close to these people from a foreign country? Did they tell you how much they missed their families and were frightened for their safety?

Life stories live on within our traditions, thought patterns, and personalities. I know that my sense of adventure is from my father's ever inquirying mind -- he never passed a brochure without picking it up and saving for a time when he'd be able to visit the obsecure sites. My emotions -- yes, my mother. Before she became ill she was a loving woman, ready to take in any stray (two and four-legged). But what do I know about their lives, how they found strength through their struggles, how they celebrated their successes? Mom, how did you get over missing your mother?

I've pieced together some of the puzzle through Ellis Island archives and other online genealogical sources, and found that my grandfather traveled to the US in steerage with $257 in his pocket. He settled in the Detroit area and when World War I broke out he joined the US Army to secure his citizenship. How he met my grandmother is a mystery, as she arrived from Poland at the age of 2 with her mother and brother (her father had immigrated earlier) and lived in the Pittsburgh area. How did she get to Michigan and meet my grandfather?

It's too late to ask them questions now, in any form other than in prayer but perhaps for those of you that are reading this, you'll be inspired to ask your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles what was life like when they were growing up.

Social Networking

2010-01-17T19:45:00.004-06:00

When I grew up we would often visit my father's aunts and uncles on their farms after church on Sundays. Dad would be sure that we'd arrive in time to help with the chores (we were young enough to think that was fun) and then we'd wash up for a good old farm meal with more varieties of fresh vegetables than you'd see at the grocery store, and a yummy dessert that was promised to us once we cleared our plates. After dinner the women-folk would begin the dishes, the kids would turn on "Lassie" and my dad would head out on the porch for some farm talk with one of his uncles. Often times I'd sneak out to the porch and listen to the news they shared of the pig prices and new calfs; who bought a new tractor and who's selling out; how well this year's harvest was and what's going in the fields the next year; which farm family is doing well and which one is struggling. This was his link to the community of farmers that he'd grown up with. I think Dad really missed that link, and Sunday was the day that he got his "farm fix."

Dad left the farm shortly before he met my mother and they purchased a home nearby the manufacturing company that he worked for. If he needed assistance with something at the house he'd call up one of his relatives and they'd soon arrive with the perfect tool or someone that they knew who could handle the repair. That was his network -- the farm community.

Thanks in part to my daughter, this is my network: Blogging, Facebook, and Goodreads. I've reconnected with school friends, gleamed strength from their encouragement, and followed others through their journeys. I've had the opportunity to watch my nephew grow through pictures and comments made on his mother's FB page; I've met new friends and learned more about my current friends. So, one could say that my Blog, FB, and Goodreads have become the 'porch' to my community.

Before Christmas I received an email from a man in Scotland who had read the reviews I'd written for the Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands newsletter. He'd noticed that I'd read books of his contemporaries and asked if I'd review his self-published book. Well, of course I accepted the challenge, not thinking that he'd actually send it! I was quite surprised when it arrived and I eagerly read the memories he wrote of being a lighthouse keeper on the lights of Scotland. The book was wonderful, other than some grammatical errors that he's in the process of correcting. So, think of it . . . here's this keeper in Scotland that connects via social networking to little old me in Wisconsin -- how cool is that?? I now have a 'friend' in Scotland that thinks my life in Wisconsin is quite interesting.

So, as Dad pursued his social network out on the porch, I'm pursuing mine -- on the computer. Come to think of it, thanks to my wireless router I could be sitting on the porch too . . . when it warms up!

Out with Old -- In with the New!

2009-12-31T11:56:00.002-06:00

Whew! what a year this has been! I'm guessing that many people are thinking the same. What will we remember of 2009? Record unemployment, foreclosures, new terrorist threats, bailouts, Michael Jackson . . . ? If someone had told me that our family would be touched by this recession I would have argued with them wholeheartedly otherwise. At the beginning of the year Gregg and I had great jobs and our companies relied heavily on us. However, the recession trumped loyalty and we quickly learned how to get by on much (much) less out of shear necessity. It's crazy, and almost embarassing, when we look at our savings account and see it larger than when my unemployment began! Were we really spending like there was no tomorrow? Evidentally, yes. Inspite of all the tears I shed, I look upon 2009 as being a year of extreme learning that I would not have submitted to, if not out of necessity. What did I learn?

- Living with less isn't all that bad
- Homecooked meals are best
- I CAN cook
- Thrift shops making shopping a fun experience
- I want to become more involved in ministry
- Two cats are better than one
- I can quilt!
- Journaling keeps one's mind focused
- Social networking is here to stay
- One is never too old to learn new stuff, or old stuff in the case of my Eng Comp class!
- I missed singing in choir and performing in the choir dinner show
- God is continuing to place people in my path that are to help me along in my journey
- Live in the moment
- It's not a contest
- Caffeinated coffee gives me the shakes
- I have alot to be proud of
- KLOVE radio station
- My family is the most loving and supportive one could ask for
- I'm ready for 2010!!

FRAUD ALERT - Phishing Scam Alert!

2009-12-13T13:26:00.002-06:00

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has received reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program for H1N1. The messages request that users create a personal H1N1 (swine flu) Vaccination Profile on the CDC.gov website.

Users that click on the embedded link in the email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system. CDC reminds users to take the following steps to reduce the risk of being a victim of a phishing attack:

* Do not open or respond to unsolicited email messages.
* Do not click links embedded in emails from unknown senders.
* Use caution when entering personal information online.
* Regularly update anti-virus, spyware, firewall, and anti-spam software

Despite recirculating email, it is still not necessary to Register Cell Phones to avoid annoying telemarketing calls

As the number of phone numbers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry surpassed 139 million, the Federal Trade Commission has reiterated that despite the claims made in emails circulating on the internet, consumers should not be concerned that their cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketers at any time in the near future. In addition, according to the agency, it is not necessary to register cell phone numbers on the DNC Registry to be protected from most telemarketing calls to cell phones.

Victim Hotline Available to File Claims

FTC has announced the MoneyGram International has agreed to pay $18 million to the Federal Trade Commission to settle charges that it knowingly allowed con artists to use its operation to swindle consumers out of millions of dollars. The money will go directly provide relief to victims. If you were a victum, call 202-326-3755 for information on how to submit a claim.

For more information on frauds and scams, go to www.aarpfraudfighters.org

Dependent on the Grid

2009-12-10T08:20:00.003-06:00

Yesterday morning I awoke to a gorgeous snowfall -- it was one of those Currier & Ives paintings kind of one. My camera was at Carrie's house so unfortunately you'll just have to believe me. Gregg was eager to try out his new snowblower so he bundled up and himself aligned with the other snowblowing men. The snow was so deep that his cute John Deere had a real hard time chugging through it. Within minutes of him leaving the garage the electricity went out. I crawled back into bed and thought I'd tackle some of my homework that could be handwritten; I was just a little concerned that I hadn't finished my paper that's due on this evening but felt that the power would come back in time.

Gregg finished the snow blowing took a shower and decided to take a nap thinking that the power would be back on soon. I tried to think of everything I could do 'unplugged' . . . addressed my Christmas cards (no letter yet), folded my FOPPI newsletters (no labels yet), and wrapped the Christmas gifts. That filled a couple of hours and still no electricity. Now I was starting to get concerned. I knew I should have backed my report to my flash drive!!!

Gregg always says to have a backup plan . . . I could haul my desktop over to Carrie's (which is 10 minutes away WITH power) and at least get it on my flash drive so I could use the laptop's two hours of power. So I disconnected everything bundled up and got ready to go and as we were pulling out of the driveway the porch light went on. Hooray!! We have power!!

I gathered all the missing connections and plugged them in but the keyboard's end wouldn't stay in place. Geez, I must have twisted it when I disconnected it. I tried every which way to get that thing to stay put and connect with no luck. After a frustrated half an hour Gregg decided that we should go out and get another one so I could get my report done.

We bundled back up again and grabbed the faulty keyboard and when we pulled out of the driveway we saw a flash and all the lights on our block went out! We decided to continue our quest for a keyboard once we were sure that Don would be OK (he insisted that he didn't want to go to anyone else's house, that he'd be fine). Evidentally my three-year-old keyboard is obsolete but they had these wonderful wireless ones on sale which came with a wireless mouse (bonus)! Got that all taken care of an hurried home hoping the electricity was back on.

No power. We grabbed all the blankets in and snuggled in . . . at 6:00 pm!! I tried to pretend I was camping and tried reading by the flashlight but it just didn't cut it. I feel asleep too.

I awoke to hearing the furnace kick in -- hooray!! I connected my new wireless devices and am feeling much more connected. Just gotta get that paper done!!

Yes, I did back it up to my flash drive!

Am I really that smart?

2009-12-05T10:04:00.002-06:00

In Thursday's class we had to make appointments for our 'fifteen minutes of fame' with our instructor to go over our term paper (which I can't figure out what to write about). He thought that the only 'fair' way to choose was to have the student with the highest grade get first pick. Guess who was first? ME!! No, way -- how could I be the SMARTEST in the class? I've read the papers of my fellow classmates and don't feel that my writing is any bit better than there's. My teacher thinks so . . .

I'm enjoying this class immensely and realize how much I really do like to write and evidentally I'm kind of good at it. I need to find a way to clear up all the excess clutter in my life so that I can focus on writing. Lofty goal. But doable.

I registered for my next class: African American Literature. Sounds interesting. Stay tuned.

Tons of Thanks

2009-11-27T17:54:00.002-06:00

Yes, I know -- it's been a long time since I've updated my blog. We're still working to adjust to the change in our lives due to Gregg's position being eliminated. No need to worry though; we're doing great, just working on making yet more changes in our lives.

Yesterday's Thanksgiving dinner hit both of us -- in the past we hosted the entire meal but this year we found it necessary to ask everyone to bring something. It felt weird, like we were giving up. Strange thing though, we noticed that everyone ENJOYED bringing a dish to pass -- even Manny and CeCe. So perhaps all along we were taking the joy way from our guests by doing it all. At times I can be my own worst enemy. Thanksgiving is a time for sharing and that's exactly what we did yesterday; shared the preparation, the meal, our lives. I had time to visit with my guests and learn what's been happening in their lives. My older niece and nephew are both back in college and doing quite well. My younger niece and nephew joined us for the first time this year; it was wonderful to recall memories of when Manny & CeCe were that young and to look forward to LP (Christie's baby's nickname) next year. My daughters are a constant source of pride and Kent challenged Manny & CeCe to some tough chess matches. He was quite surprised how much they have learned from his coaching. It was a different kind of Thanksgiving but I think I like this model.

Sometimes we're running so fast that we miss all the great stuff happening right in front of us.

So, we're clipping coupons and experimenting with different foods than we would have in the past. We're eating at home more and enjoying great conversation amongst the three of us (Gregg, Don, and myself). I borrow movies from the library and am working on reading all those books in my library that I've collected throughout the years. We're watching sales and even braved Black Friday and saved almost twice as much as we spent.

Sometimes we're running so fast that we can't slow down enough to think of a better way.

Christmas will be different too and I think it's going to be OK, just different.

No, This Can't Be Happening

2009-11-05T23:17:00.002-06:00

Gregg came home today around noon, I thought he was stopping in to see how CeCe was feeling. But then he delivered the awful news that he'd been let go; his position as dispatcher was eliminated. At first I thought he was kidding, but no -- it's real -- after 34 years with the same company he's out the door. Those that know us know the name of the company and those that don't -- sorry, I'm not going to foreclose as I don't want any hard feelings between us and the company -- I know that it wasn't an easy or personal decision.

The company has been a big part of Gregg's life; he'd wake up in the middle of the night after figuring out a problem, shower and head on out regardless of the time. He was devoted to a fault. Being the great guy that he is, felt that he was responsible for making sure the customer received the best service possible and that his drivers were taken care of. Sometimes I felt as though his job was much like his mistress, as often 'she' did came first and I was a close second.

That was then, this is now -- life as we knew it has suddenly changed. The conversation at the dinner table won't start out with work stories; he and won't be telling Don about the people that he ran into that remembered Don over the years; no stopping in to make sure everything's OK while we're in the neighborhood; no calls at all hours of the night from his drivers . . . he's even going to have to change his wardrobe! No company tshirts, wow!

Gregg started working with his Dad before he got out of high school. He bought his first semi before he was old enough to have a CDL license and for a year paid a driver to drive for him. He drove both short haul and long haul; owned a small fleet of trucks; was a contract packer and dispatcher. He made some wonderful friends along the way that were shocked to hear the news. We're still receiving emails from co-workers across the country expressing their dismay at the decision.

How does someone who's spent more years working at the same company than anyone else I know (except my father) suddenly adapt to working someplace else? I'm not sure how this is all going to shake out but I am sure of one thing -- it happened for a reason. As I found out with my job elimination, he'll more than likely go through some serious soul searching and realize what he's really good at and find a position where he feels he fits. When that might be is anyone's guess.

Stay tuned -- this is going to be one interesting ride!

Beginnings

2009-10-29T22:30:00.002-05:00

This afternoon I was invited to hear the heartbeat of Christie & Kent's baby. I tried real hard to hold back the tears. My baby's having a baby!! The heartbeat was real strong and the look in Kent's eyes was shear amazement -- there's a living being in there!

Christie is doing well and being the methodical person she is, brought along a list of questions. Geez, how did she get to be so smart?? Both of my pregnancies were so different, as I wasn't married for either of them, and I couldn't enjoy those precious moments in the same way that she and Kent are.

Afterward I stopped at the library for their annual book sale -- 5 books for $1.00! Now, that's the kind of shopping I can afford. I got a couple of books and some lullaby CD's for the baby. I'm already feeling all grandmotherly and gooshy. Will this chapter of grandparenting be different than with Manny & CeCe? I certainly learned alot about love by being involved in their lives. Not having a grandparent to pattern after I just cared for Manny & CeCe as though they were my own; Carrie didn't seem to mind, and perhaps was relieved at times to have another 'parent' to assist her. This child's circumstances are different -- what will my place be? Will I measure up to it? One thing's for sure, Christie will let me know.

SCAM ALERT - FDIC Email

2009-10-29T09:56:00.000-05:00

We have been alerted by the U.S Treasury that there are significant numbers of fraudulent email claiming to be from the FDIC. Please consider forwarding this alert to employees of your organization. The email asks you to down load a file to verify FDIC insurance. The unsuspecting recipient will in fact be downloading malicious software. As always you should never click on links or download software from unsolicited email. If you do receive email as described above it should be forwarded to:

FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section alert@fdic.gov.

To learn more about the alert please read below. Thanks all.

The FDIC issued Special Alert (SA-183-2009 <http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2009/sa09183.html> ) today regarding a fraudulent e-mail claiming to be from the FDIC.

The Giving Cure

2009-10-17T15:03:00.002-05:00

This is the first weekend that I haven't spent with my face stuck in my International Economics textbook -- Thursday is my final exam, whew! This class was a tough one but I certainly learned alot and know what the NPR guy is talking about when he mentions the IMF. So, I'm spending the weekend refreshing my soul, reading, journaling, enjoying the peace of my home and a couple of cats. I read the most interesting article in November edition of Body & Soul, The Giving Soul.

The story is about a woman who learned soon after she married her dream guy that she was suffering from MS; she sunk into depression (understandably so) and didn't know how to get out of it. For some reason she reached out to a neighbor who suggested that she spend 29 days giving away 29 things. Kind of a 'pay it forward' thing . . . she did, and felt stronger -- from the inside. Her illness still has a hold on her but she is now able to compensate for what the illness is doing to her body much better by being inwardly stronger. I often wonder if that's what my father did to keep going after receiving his Parkinson's diagnoses.

I don't have MS or Parkinson's or any dibilatating illness, but I do believe that I need some inner strength to help move me along this journey that God has placed me on. So, I'm going to take the 29 day challenge, want to come along?

From the magazine, here's 6 secrets to giving:

1. Start with gratitude
Write down what you're most thankful for and make a point to share at least one item from your list.

2. Keep it simple
Small gestures often make the biggest impact. Smile at a stranger, offer a coworker a sincere compliment, or buy someone lunch for no reason.

3. Give up expectations
Let go of judgments about how your gift will be put to use. Once you've given it, your gift will take care of itself.

4. Receive graciously
Giving without receiving will deplete your energy. Remember to be receptive to what others are eager to share.

5. Wing it
Resist the urge to plan all 29 gifts in one sitting. Stay open to the gift-giving opportunities that occur naturally throughout any given day.

6. Challenge yourself
What are you hesitant to give? Your time? Unconditional love? Ask yourself why and try to let those hang-ups go.

So, here I go ------------------

Angels in Passing

2009-10-03T23:01:00.002-05:00

Today we went to a heart-warming and tearful funeral for my Uncle David's mother-in-law who lived a full life of 94 years. Her grandson gave the most wonderful eulogy; even if you didn't know Miriam very well when you walked into the church you did once you left. She left quite a legacy of love and commitment for her family and her faith.

We ran home, switched a load of laundry, finished my homework and then ran off to Christie and Kent's house for a thank you dinner with his parents for helping them move into their new house. Jane (Kent's mom) and I were given a scroll tied with a pink and blue ribbon . . . I started reading it and then looked at Jane and knew that what we've been thinking and hoping is true! Christie and Kent are expecting their first child in April!! Jane cried, I cried, Christie cried. Oh, so wonderful. Here's what she had printed for us:

I do not have a face to see, or put inside a frame.

I do not have soft cheeks to kiss, I don't yet have a name.

You can't yet hold my tiny hands, nor whisper in my ear.

It's still too soon to sing a song, or cuddle me so near.

But all will change come April 25th, 2010 it's true.

That's when they say I'm due.

I'm your new grandson or granddaughter, I can't wait to meet you.

All I ask between now and then, is your patience while I grow.

I promise I'll be worth the wait, because of all the love we'll know.

So what I have to give you now, is a wish to you from me.

I cannot wait to be part of this wonderful family.

Love, Baby K.

They've told us that they want to be surprised by the sex of the baby but they do have names chosen and will share them with us when the baby comes. Grrrrr, patience, patience, patience.

Birthday Celebration

2009-09-26T20:34:00.005-05:00

Gregg feels that I'm getting to the point where surprising me with a birthday gift is getting too tough -- am I really that picky, or is it just that he doesn't know where to find that perfect gift? So, this year he decided to take me on a roadtrip to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan (along with Uncle David) -- this WAS the perfect gift!! The scenery was gorgeous as the asters by the side of the road are a brilliant purple in color and the trees are beginning to turn; soon our countryside will be a quilt of red, orange, yellow, and brown.

The Kohler Arts Center is currently hosting a tramp art exhibit created by Adolph Vandertie. Vandertie was born in 1911 near Lena WI. As a boy, Vandertie learned the intricate carving and whittling skills associated with the hobos from his grandfather, who had learned many of the techniques while a prisoner of war during the Civil War.

I learned from Vandertie that there's a difference between a hobo and a tramp . . . 'Like the hobo, the tramp was a wanderer, but unlike the hobo he was not a worker. Most tramps lived by their wits, some by petty thievery and begging, some by robbery and murder. The hobo feared the tramp and was contemptuous of him as a loafer, while the tramp despised the hobo as a sucker for working.' The caste was not clearly drawn and many hobos met up with tramps in the same camp where they told stories around the campfire, sang, and carved or whittled in the distinct styles associated with their respective groups. See, one can learn something new at an Art Museum!

Hobo art was traded for food, shelter, or as an exchange between fellow hobos; tramp art was made by chip carving thin strips of wood from cigar boxes to form boxes, pictures frames, and furniture. Vandertie practiced both hobo and tramp styles of woodworking. One of his personal masterpieces is a 217-foot-long carved chain that looks to be made of a single piece of wood. My Uncle Harold has one that my great-grandfather (his grandfather) carved, oh how I wish I knew the story behind that! Perhaps hobos or tramps visited the farm looking for work and taught him a bit of their craft??

Hobo Art

Tramp Art

I've always been fascinated by tramp / hobo art and have purchased a few pieces online but nothing I own is as beautiful as those Vandertie created -- one really needs to see them! The primary body of Vandertie's work is at the Kohler Art Museum and additional works are housed at the Ashwaubenenon County Historical Society in Green Bay.

When you go to the Art Museum you MUST stop in and view the restrooms (these are the only rooms where you can take pictures) -- remember, this is an ART museum and is sponsored by Kohler . . .

On our way home we stopped at the James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden in Wilson. This was an amazing place! Tellen created multiple statues and vinettes from concrete -- after he turned 60!! The property is maintained and conserved by the Kohler Foundation also.

The Native Americans meet you at the road and as you enter the property you're met by a life-size sculpture of an American Cowboy, Abraham Lincoln, and religious sculptures to name a few.

This place and the art museum are free -- but the memories are priceless.

Today - Women's Day

2009-09-22T19:37:00.003-05:00

I read this in one of my LinkedIn group pages and wanted to share it with you . . .

Women of Strength

This is an email from a friend in South Africa. She is preparing a talk to some ladies in Somerset West tomorrow (in celebration for Women's Day today), and she will be sharing this with them.

A Strong Woman vs. A Woman Of Strength

A strong woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape…
But a woman of strength builds relationships to keep her soul in shape

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything…
But a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the better of her…
But a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…
A woman of strength realises life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings, and capitalises on them.

A strong woman wears a look of confidence on her face…
But a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…
But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

Caroline -Ireland Celebrating all you women of strength! Love Doreen

FRAUD ALERT

2009-09-12T19:53:00.002-05:00

I received this disturbing email from a friend of mine:

I believe you said you were working with senior fraud for AARP? Well, let me tell you what happened to my father-in-law yesterday. He's home minding his own business when a man knocks on the door and says he's from James Joels Asphalt and they were working in the neighborhood and had some leftover product and would do his driveway for $26 !!! That price is crazy. I wonder if he misheard $2600??? Anyway, he agrees. They show up with the big machine and a bunch of guys and proceed to do the back half of his driveway and then they stop. A young kid (claiming to be the son of the owner or the guy who knocked on the door originally) comes to the door and says he needs Leroy to sign a contract, but the price on the contract is $4,400! Leroy says "What kind of scam are you trying to run here?" The kid claims its not a scam and asks Leroy how much he thinks the job would be worth. Leroy says $200 (which is totally unrealistic), but the kids says the best he can do is $2,600 or he offered to leave with half the job done. I have no idea how much he would have asked for half the job, because my father-in-law agreed to pay $2,600. Now, it seems he probably paid a pretty fair price for what he got (we haven't gone over to see it yet, but Leroy is happy.) What we object to is the strong arm approach they used, in this case on an 87 year old man. I don't know what you can do and we should probably also call the better business bureau, but I hate to think of how many other old people they will hit with this scam. My father-in-law was not in the market for a driveway when he woke up that day and was totally befuddled by the outlandishly great deal he thought he was going to get. He's pretty defensive right now because both his sones got on his case pretty hard.

Name of the company:
James Joel's Asphalt
6508 S 27th St, Suite 916
Oak Creek WI
414-688-6865 866-577-3568

I reported this to my connections at AARP and yes, (unfortunately) they have heard of this ploy before. We contacted the WI Office Of Privacy Protection (OPP); OPP is a part of the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. They have filed a report and will proceed with an investigation. Stay tuned . . .

Thought you all should know about this -- there's some shady people lurking behind the bushes out there, be careful.

Learn to Recognize, Resist, and Report fraud.

New Beginnings

2009-09-07T20:46:00.005-05:00

Today is the last day of my unemployment sabbatical; tomorrow I'll once again be gainfully employed, contributing to the economy, packing my lunch, feeling whole once more.

My sabbatical was quite the learning experience -- I revisited the grief process and although I didn't have anyone to plan a funeral for, I felt as though I went through the same stages as in losing a loved one. There was the denial and isolation emotion (this really isn't happening), anger (how could they do this to me), bargaining (what if I offered them a 50% salary decrease), depression (boo hoo), and then finally the acceptance (it's done). Like the loss of my parents, I was surrounded by a caring network of family and friends who made sure that I didn't spend too much time grieving over that which was gone.

I learned alot about myself during this time and know that I wouldn't have been able to get in touch with my soul had this not happened. I discovered new talents, stepped out of my comfort zone, got involved in some great projects, met some new wonderful people, read, sewed, gardened, got creative, cooked, spent time with my family, and generally kept busy while at the same time searching out that 'perfect' job -- which finally found me.

Not that I'd EVER want to go through this again, but perhaps this is the reason why European countries offer 40 days of 'holiday'. The AARP organization requires employees who have been with them for seven years to take three months off -- unplugged. They actually request their electronic equipment and deactivate email accounts for that period. This way they come back to their jobs refreshed and filled with new exciting ideas to present.

I'm ready to hit the work force again . . . world . . . watch out!

Quilting, Gee's Bend, Friends & Fiber, and Me

2009-08-27T21:20:00.013-05:00

The quilt pictured above is from a group of women down in Gee's Bend, AL who have created what the New York Times has called “some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.” Before these women were 'discovered' they were working on a plantation, raising their children, and trying to keep warm by making quilts from scraps of material and worn clothing -- living the simple life. The local tradition of quilting was taught to young girls who then would pass it on to their daughters, through four generations. The practice of quilt making in the area has begun to slow down and there are no longer any quilt makers working on a regular basis. What a shame but also, what a legacy they left us!

My Aunt Lil is a quilter and made my mother a gorgeous quilt before she passed away. The quilt will always be a memory to me of the love between sisters. I made CeCe's 'double love' quilt for her all important 'two-digit' birthday and I hope that she treasures it as I do the sister-love one that Aunt Lil made. I'm in the process of making another quilt and it too will have stories (and cat hair) attached to it . . . stories of where I found the fabric, the friends I met along the way and the new 'me' that's emerging out of this forced sabbatical I've been on.

Mensie Lee Pettway, one of the Gee's Bend quilters said: 'A lot of people make quilts just for your bed for to keep you warm. But a quilt is more. It represents safekeeping, it represents beauty, and you could say it represents family history.' So true!

Tonight I met a group of wonderful women at the library for our first meeting of 'Friends & Fiber'. Realize that 'fiber' can mean anything from cross stitching to crocheting to knitting to quilting; of the 15 women present, two of us are quilters (as I now consider myself). Many of the women brought their projects along with them and quietly knitted while we discussed our joy of working with 'fiber.' They commented how therapeutic it is; one woman told of how knitting and crocheting helped her regain her health and stamina; another told of a project where they are teaching incarcerated men to knit baby booties for the relaxation and sense of giving back to the community. I also learned of a movement called 'Knitting for Peace' where knitters across the country concentrate on peace while clicking their needles. At church we have a group that is cleverly called 'KNITWITS' which is an acronym for 'Knit with Intention to Serve'; this group makes combines prayer and fiber to create blankets that are gifted to newly baptized babies and prayer shawls for those in need. I gave a prayer shawl to my friend, Deb, who is battling cancer and she feels that it has some magic calming effect for her. I tried knitting and crocheting in high school and it just didn't grab me; my sister is an awesome crocheter so I'll let her carry that craft throughout our genes. I'm going to quilt.

At the meeting I met a wonderful woman, Julia, who has made quilts for her sons out of old blue jeans that she's saved throughout the years. She asked what type of quilting I'm interested in and I told her the story of CeCe's double-love quilt; she was delighted that I'm a folk art quilter too. I am? Yes, I guess so. I don't have a fancy sewing machine, just the one that I bought with the first tax return I received when I was 16. I don't have a fancy cutter; I use a 4x4 square that my Uncle Harold made me and a pair of scissors. Yes, my squares aren't perfect but neither is life. But like life, it's the color that is sewn into the quilt that matters.

Visit to Green Gables

2009-08-24T23:36:00.003-05:00

Saturday morning I picked up Uncle David and headed over to 'Green Gables' in Whitewater for a 'Wild Ones' guest tour of Richard Ehrenberg's gorgeous (8/10 of an acre) garden. Ehrenberg's abode is within the city limits but is disguised by a landscape designed with nature in mind. Natural landscaping leaves room for surprises; Ehrenberg commented to us how each trip along the path is met with something he hadn't seen on his previous trip. This type of gardening leaves room for volunteer plantings and allows itself to mature and reinvent itself year after year. The front of his yard is planted in a deciduous forest to provide a vegetative screen between the house and the city street.

The above picture is of a 'prairie rose'. The size of the rose is eight feet tall by eithteen feet wide. Its hundreds of blooms with single pink petals and yellow centers are at their peak on July 4th; quite appropriate for a Midwestern native. I've put this one on my Christmas list (hint, hint).

This type of landscaping feels like, evolves like, and smells like nature. It's alive with the seasonal changes and the activity of its wild creatures.

The back yard is a prairie-plant community of species adapted to well-drained, fertile soil. He mentioned that in the beginning he fought the invasive plants that ventured in but once the natives took hold they out ranked the invasives.

The gardens provide nectar for honeybees, hummingbirds and butterflies.

Ehrenberg put ALOT of planning and thought into his landscape. He designed multiple activity zones for viewing and experiencing nature, visiting with family and friends by the lake, bird and bat houses, a tree swing, a vegetable / flower garden, fruit trees, and multiple inter-locking paths. He made sure that both humans and nature could co-exist in this space.

Think Gregg will go for this? Sure, Richard has 29 years of professional landscaping in his credentials but I've got at least 29 more years to enhance my garden . . . it's doable :-)

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

2009-08-22T09:13:00.003-05:00

This month's book club selection was The Story of Edgar Sawtelle; the group had mixed emotions about the book but the majority of readers gave it a 5 (I gave it a 2). Following are the questions that I used that created quite a lively discussion:

1. The author had a way of putting you into the characters’ skin; how did you feel about that?

2. Which character’s skin did you feel most comfortable in? Edgar, Gar, Trudy, Claude, Page, Glen, Henry, the dogs?

3. While you were in your character’s skin, how did you feel when Gar died?

4. Do you think it was necessary for the author to make Edgar mute? How did this add to the storyline?

5. Edgar was considered ‘less than perfect’ but his mother didn’t coddle or expect anything less of him. She mentioned that we all have those flaws, just like everyone else, but they aren’t in important places . . . do you think Edgar’s flaw could have been considered a gift?

6. What did you think about the hauntings? Were they necessary to the storyline? For example: the vision of Edgar’s father and the old farmer in the barn? What other types of hauntings did the characters endure?

7. What about the other strange characters like Ida Paine and the woman who mysteriously arrived to teach Trudy to sign?

8. What did you think the problem was between Claude and Gar?

9. Do you think it was Claude in the Prologue?

10. Was it clear to you right away that Claude killed Gar?

11. What did you think of the quick courtship between Trudy and Claude?

12. What was significant about the letters between Edgar’s grandfather and Alvin Brooks? What do you think the grandfather’s experiment was? Complex choices?

13. What lessons did Edgar learn while on the run?

14. The ending was drawn out and then ran out of pages; what do you think happened after Essay sent all the dogs to Forte?

15. What did you think of Wroblewski’s imagery; was he able to transport you to Mellen and the areas near Ashland?

16. What did you learn from reading the book?

17. The book is said to be a retelling of Hamlet – do you agree?

18. Rate the book on a scale of 1 to 5.

19. Would you read another book by this author?

20. Did the book merit the praise that Oprah reaped on it?

Ministry Partnership - The Church has left the building!

2009-08-16T21:48:00.006-05:00

On Saturday our Ministry Partnership Program participated in the Upsilon M Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc's 12th Annual Family Fun Day at Albright United Methodist Church in Milwaukee. We (Emmanuel Community United Methodist Church, Menomonee Falls) set up an arts and crafts table and offered computer workshops throughout the day.

Alpha Kappa Alpha is a 120-year-old national sorority that empowers communities through exemplary service initiatives and progressive programs. The fair hosted vendors from the community, the US Army, the public library, Milwaukee Sheriff's and Fire Departments for the sorority alumni and surrounding community. I'd say that at any given time there must have been well over 100 people in attendance.

I'm working with the TechConnect branch of this partnership program . . . our mission is to share the gifts of education and technology literacy with others. We began this program about a year ago and have since taught technology-related workshops in basic computer skills, setting up an email account, basic word processing, Ebay, and online game playing to members of Albright and the community. We've seen great successes in the students who have returned week after week to learn technology skills to impress their friends and family with.

We were invited to present job-related workshops such as how to answer an online application and build an effective resume. We also offered to assist with setting up an email account and asked each participant to answer a couple of questions in the form of an online survey. After no one came to our first (and second) workshop we decided to bring the workshops to the public. We set up a table outside (in the shade), connected to the WIFI and started to get some traffic . . . from the kids. We then decided to hand out our business cards to trigger some interest and WALA -- we were able to connect with a quite a few people who are interested in enhancing their computer skills. Aha -- TAKE THE MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE -- isn't that what God wants us to do everyday? How often do we miss an opportunity because we're caught up in the traditional way of doing stuff?

So, stop on by or tell a friend about our Fall Classes (held at Albright Church):

Call (414) 442-8540 to register

Class 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Open Computer lab 7:30 p.m.

September 9th - Email Basics
September 16 - Surfing the Net

September 23 - Word Processing Skills

IndependenceFirst

2009-08-13T13:23:00.002-05:00

Today I gathered up a bunch old computers from church and dropped them off at IndependenceFirst; they'll clean them up and find new owners (with disabilities) for them. Individuals receiving computers are offered basic computer training as well as instruction on accessing and using the Internet. I'm feeling real, real good about this.

IndependenceFirst's is a non-profit 501(c)3 Independent Living Center (ILC) directed and controlled by persons with disabilities, primarily serving the four county metropolitan Milwaukee area. Their mission is to effectively facilitate empowerment of individuals with disabilities through:

Education
Advocacy
Independent Living Services
Coalition Building

I am immensely impressed with their facilities, their program, and their vision. Check them out for yourself: http://www.independencefirst.org/home/

What can we do for them? Volunteer!! If you're a reader of my blogs you may have recognized that I'm a bit tapped out right now but think about it -- you could be just what they need to continue or enhance their programs!

Volunteering is a healthy habit because it:

Brings satisfaction in helping others
Stimulates the mind and moves the heart
Promotes camaraderie
Imparts knowledge
Is self-rewarding
Encourages teamwork
Helps the community
Allows one to serve others
Develops new friendships
Broadens experience
Utilizes skills and talents
Creates a sense of well-being
Is stress relieving
Keeps one active and involved
Brings joy to others
Gives one purpose
Keeps you young
Gets you out and in the thick of life
And so very much more!
Celebrate by volunteering! It's easy and fun

From the IndependenceFirst's website.

Dr. Barwig's Three Rules to Success

2009-08-11T09:49:00.002-05:00

1. What is your greatest fear?

2. Where is your greatest joy?

3. How much time to you want to put forth?

These are the three rules to success that my doctor has followed to bring her immense joy and happiness in her career. Dr. Barwig is the most compassionate, emphathetic, knowledgeable doctor and leader that I know. She told me that before she decided to become a doctor she was in a very bad point in her life and knew that she needed to make some drastic changes in order to provide for her daughters the education and future they deserved. I'm not sure of the middle part of the story but she did go to France to study medicine and is now an esteemed professional in her field of gynecology (yes, there's more that goes on during a yearly visit than the obvious).

She cited a examples of friends of hers that have followed THE THREE and have become very successful and happy. That's the main point -- you need to answer and follow all three of them otherwise you won't find true happiness.

OK, so here it goes:
1. What is my greatest fear? Being broke and lonely.
2. What is my greatest joy? Seeing the eyes of someone after I've enlightened their life.
3. How much time? Oh, tough one . . . while I've been off I've had the grand opportunity to expand my horizons ten-fold . . . I've met the most wonderful people on my journey and have been involved in projects that I could never do otherwise . . . do I want to give this up? . . . can I still continue on this adventure while working? . . . Perhaps that's the key -- can I work at a job that fulfills me and continue my exploration into the unknown??

So my friends, stay tuned -- the adventure continues . . .

Academy Awards -- Here we come!!

2009-08-09T18:50:00.002-05:00

On Friday night and Saturday afternoon our CeCe (first one on the left, in red) performed on stage before a packed audience. The production, 'Alice in Wonderland', with the Missoula Childrens' Theatre was an uber awesome performance, and not just because CeCe was in it, but because it was professionally directed, choreographed, and written. And it was cute! CeCe played a rapping daisy who Alice meets along the way. She played the keyboard, sang a cute little song, and danced her way through the set.

Of course, Carrie cried with pride throughout the show and when the lights went up she had frog eyes and no more makeup. I'm thinking that Ben got a little choked up too as they watched their little girl up there. They both beamed with such pride and rightfully so, they're raising a strong, gifted child in a world that's a mess. She has such a bright future ahead of her and I promise to see to it that she has all the opportunities to use her gifts. Who knows how far she might go? Community Theatre, Hollywood, New York, Chicago, or just stay right here with her Gee?? Regardless, Hooray for CeCe!!

The photographer from AARP came today . . . evidentally I'm going to be the ON THE FRONT PAGE of the AARP Foundation magazine!! I'm not sure how this one differs from the regular AARP one but will soon find out. Here's the address:

http://aarp1.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=4701.0&dlv_id=9361

He took a couple of shots but due to the rain he felt it would be best to come back tomorrow. Sure, just when I had a good hair day! Stay tuned . . .

AARP -- Health Care Reform

2009-08-05T21:07:00.002-05:00

I recently finished up an interview with AARP regarding how their awesome program 'Prepare to Care' assisted me when I was tasked with taking care of my mother once my father was once again placed in the nursing home. I thought it was just going to be a true / false answer-thing but when I received the list of questions I realized that I'd signed onto a much larger mission; one that I couldn't easily slip out of. Soon I found out that they're sending over a PHOTOGRAPHER! I promise to sign copies for all my fans (LOL).

So, now that I'm in the AARP loop I'm privy to other kinds of stuff that I want to share with my fan base such as where they (we?) fall in supporting the health care reform issues. I received this email that helps debunk many of the myths that are flying around:

FACT #1: Medicare will not be ended, and no benefits or services will be cut.

Your services will not be ended, nor will your benefits be cut. AARP's position on this could not be clearer. And we have sent this message loud and clear to Congress. While the current proposals include savings in Medicare by cutting out fraud, abuse, waste, and inefficiency, we're standing up and making sure benefits for Medicare recipients are not only fully protected, but are improved.1

FACT #2: No legislation currently in Congress would mandate the rationing of care. Period.

Our staff has read all of the legislation circulating in Congress and there are no provisions in these bills that would ration care for our members. None. If any ever did, we would vigorously fight to stop that legislation.2

FACT #3: There is no provision of any piece of legislation that would promote euthanasia of any kind.

The rumors out there are flat out lies. Right now Medicare does not cover counseling for end-of-life care. The portion of the bill in question would simply provide coverage for optional end-of-life consultations with doctors, so that the patient can be aware of all of the treatment options on the table. It is not mandatory and it has nothing to do with euthanasia.3

FACT #4: We have not endorsed President Obama's plan.

In fact, we haven't endorsed any plan. We are supporting reform of our health care system, something that AARP has pushed for many years. We're working closely with Republican and Democratic members of Congress to lower health care costs and to ensure quality affordable coverage for older Americans – and we want reform legislation passed and signed by the president this year.4

So what is AARP fighting for in health reform?

* Stopping insurance companies from charging older Americans unaffordable premiums because of their age.
* Ending the practice of excluding people from insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
* Holding down health costs and making insurance coverage more affordable for all Americans.
* Making prescription drugs more affordable by narrowing the Medicare doughnut hole, bringing generics to market faster, and allowing Medicare to negotiate better drug prices.

Aren't these great objectives? I completely support AARP and hope you do too. You can find out more and take action at HealthActionNow.org.

CeCe in Wonderland -- with Alice

2009-08-03T22:51:00.006-05:00

Today I took Manny & CeCe to the Schauer Arts and Activities Center in Hartford (WI) to audition for a role in the Missoula Children's Theatre production of Alice in Wonderland. There were one of 99 kids auditioning!! They ranged in grades 1st through 12th and competed for roles of Alice (at three sizes), the Cheshire Cat, flowers, lobsters, the Queen, etc. I had never been to an audition and was immensely impressed with the courage all of these kids mustered up to do this! The selection process was really difficult as each of the kids were quite talented and I'm not just bragging about my grandchildren, although I have been known to do that from time to time.

One of the lines that CeCe's age group had to recite was 'Ladies and Gentlemen . . . The Queen' as though she were underwater! Manny's age group had to say 'What are you looking at, girl?' with conviction and drama. Then they sang a couple of choruses of 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat.' The younger kids just had to be cute. From this the two 'veteran' actors from MCT chose each role quite carefully -- what a task for them!

CeCe was awarded the role as a flower!! Wow, was she excited! She held it back pretty well (although she was just about jumping out of her skin), as there weren't that many roles in Manny's age group and he wasn't selected. He handled it remarkably well and I am so proud of both of them!!

You can catch CeCe's performance this Friday night at 7:00 and Saturday at 2:00. The address is 147 Rural Street; it's right off of highway 60 in Hartford. You can get your tickets at the door or buy them online at schauercenter.org.

Hope to see you there!

Thursday Gee Time - Part III

2009-07-30T22:03:00.002-05:00

The word has gotten out that I'm great at fixing things on computers -- not sure where that came from but I welcome the challenge! So today I met with a wonderful friend of mine (who hosted last month's book club), to work on her computer. I fixed the easy stuff but am getting an odd message from her virus protection software (Trend Micro Internet Security) that I can't quite figure out but will tackle next week. Anyway, she made a point of telling me that she received several calls from the book club women thanking her for such a great time and raving about the enlightening discussion that pursued from my book review questions. She said that I should work for a book store or book seller . . . BARNES & NOBLE ARE YOU LISTENING??

Afterward I picked up the kids and took them over to the Jackson Historical Society. We toured this with the Zarlings after the reunion and I wanted to show the kids some of their heritage. It looks like the Zarlings weren't members here but they may have attended services as it was nearby the homestead and relatives were married (and buried) here. JHS is a wonderful grassroots historical society that is only open during their Raspberry Festival (in September) and by appointment. They consist of the historic church, schoolhouse, and a log home. The cemetery is still in operation and not owned by the historical society. The church is a wonderful cream city brick building with wonderful acoustics; they're thinking of having some type of a chamber music festival in the fall. I tried to convince them to have an old German Christmas program but I'm not sure I was persuasive enough (yet).

The one-room schoolhouse taught grades 1st through 6th. It was neat to see the old books and maps. Russ (the docent) and I tried to figure out what the new names of the Middle Eastern countries are; he was much better at it than I. By this time Manny & CeCe were time-traveled out and were ready to leave but I had so many more questions to ask and kept trying to peak their interests (which I wasn't too successful at). Russ was wonderful, supportive and patient!

Finally Manny couldn't wait any longer and made it imperative that he had to GO. Unfortunately it was raining real hard and standing in the woods just wasn't all that appealing to him. Russ then showed him the last part of the tour -- Manny was desparate enough to give it a go but let us know that he's so glad that he's born in a time with a handle and sink to wash his hands! Russ later told him that was the girls' outhouse and that was it -- no more time traveling for him! From now on he wants to know EXACTLY what we're doing on our Gee Time adventures and then he'll make the decision to join CeCe and me. Russ reminded him that he's made history and he exclaimed that it's history he won't soon forget!

Can it get any better than this?

2009-07-27T22:41:00.006-05:00

The time always seems to stand still up in Door County . . . I remember having dinner at Fred & Fuzzy's, going to the American Folklore Theatre to see 'Cheeseheads the Musical', hitting a couple of bookstores and parks but the highlight of the weekend was the FOPPI Annual Meeting. I was unanimously elected to a three-year term on the Friends of Plum and Pilot Board of Directors!! My newsletter is beginning to get a following and will soon be plastered about DC as my friends Karen Tews and Cindy Schmidt begin marketing FOPPI to the masses.

After the annual meeting a group of us headed out to Plum Island to see if we could find the remains of the 1848 lighthouse. Dick Purinton (with me in the picture), the author of 'Words on Water', joined us and shared his love of history while we trudged through the rain-soaked wildflowers, weeds, and poison ivy. He brought his grandson, Atlas, along and he became my little buddy. He reminded me so much of Manny at that age; so curious and a collector of unique objects like clam shells, rocks, birch bark, a stag horn, old piece of fishing rope, etc. Being braver than the adults he wanted to climb the front range light but needed an adult to accompany him -- believe me, I wouldn't have gotten up there had he not needed a chaperone! But once I did the view was amazing. (If you look closely at the picture you can see the rear range light in the distance.)

Mine and Dick's main objective was to locate the remains of the 1848 lighthouse and we believe that we've found it; we'll need to do some more research before we place a commemorative plaque but I'm certain that's it.

I also found remains of an old shipwreck and am hoping my relative from Michigan, Dave Zarling, will come out this way and dive on the wrecks for a future FOPPI Forum article.

The team of folk that I'm working with on this project are simply amazing; they are all so dedicated and are willing to go the extra mile to see to it that the historic buildings on Plum and Pilot are preserved and restored for future generations. Someday my great grandchildren will set forth on the island with pride knowing that their Gee was instrumental in saving these historical monuments for those who ventured out in icy waters to rescue the crew from shipwrecks, trim the wicks, and sound the fog horns.

What's next?

2009-07-23T09:13:00.002-05:00

I thought that I would start adding some thoughts daily to this blog and that just didn't happen, sorry. My week just seemed to be filled with too much to do and not enough time. I'll give you snapshot of what's been going on though and let you fill in the blanks.

Saturday -- Family reunion was a major success. Still getting calls and receiving notes from folk telling me what a wonderful time that they had. Check out the Zarling Heritage Facebook page (see link on the right side) to view all the wonderful pictures. Theres still more coming so check in from time to time.

Sunday -- Met Christie & Kent and Kent's folks at Maxwell Street Days in Cedarburg. Oh how I love browsing through the booths and purchasing needless necessities at a bargain price. We hit our regular antique shops in Cedarburg and then headed home for a nap . . . for Gregg of course, I had a zillion boxes to unpack from the reunion.

Monday -- Had an informational interview with a wonderful company, 'Energy Doctor'. The company's product line and Christian approach make this quite the intriguing proposition. However, it's 100% commission and their marketing model is not one that I'm comfortable with so I've decided to file it away. Met with a great friend and former employer of mine, Bridget Lazlow, for lunch. We've kept in touch since we both left Pilot and she now owns her own business with a couple of partners -- we talked and I'm thinking this might be that magic job offer that I've been searching for. Right now it's just part time but I can concentrate on school and my non profit work and still earn a descent living doing what I'm really good at -- consulting.

Tuesday -- Dug through the mess of unfinished projects that is crying for my attention and got a pretty good handle on them. Finished my homework and started to prepare for my mid term exam. This eight-week class schedule rocks.

Wednesday -- Registered for next term (Internal Economics -- yikes), ran various errands, listened to Dick Purinton's radio interview, took the kids to Lime Kiln Park, met up with Carrie, dropped off kids, packed for DC (Door County) and was in bed by 8:30! I wonder if Dick 'recognized' my voice when I called into the radio show to ask him to relate the Robert Nobel story --- mmm, how many 'Mary of Menomonee Falls' could there possibly be?

Today -- As soon as my laundry is done I'm heading up to the Door for some R&R, great friends, FOPPI picnic, and FOPPI annual meeting. I've learned of a real cool quilt shop in Sturgeon Bay and want to stop at the Flying Pig in Algoma -- perhaps I'll get there before Karen falls asleep?

Next Adventure

2009-07-19T22:02:00.002-05:00

I've got all the reunion boxes packed away but the memories will stay alive for quite a long time. It was so wonderful to meet some family members that Dad talked about; I need to find the Heckendorf family -- Dad had such fond memories of Anna and I want them to know that. He didn't talk much about his life, and I'm not exactly sure why, but I learn something new about him each time I visit with my uncles and other relation. In the long run I learn more about myself and hopefully who Dad would have wanted me to be had he not gotten sick.

Tomorrow I have an informational interview with a company called 'Energy Doctors'. The company sounds interesting (it's energy-saving add-ons for homeowners) but I'm not so sure of their business model . . . from the discussion with John, the man I'm meeting tomorrow, they gather leads at the State Fair and are mainly franchised. Not sure about this one right now . . .

I certainly don't have to worry about not being busy if this opportunity doesn't pan out though! Here's a sample of the projects that I've got going on right now:

- Friends of Lime Kiln Park: I'm writing their newsletter and assisting with community outreach
- AARP Fraud Fighters: I need to begin marketing myself and then I think this program will really take off. I've prepared a wonderful presentation and just need the audience to deliver my message to . . . interested?
- Church Ministry Partnership: We're working on ways to bring technology to the folks that reside in the area of Albright Church; we have a huge program scheduled for August 15th in which I'll be teaching a class on how to create an effective resume (yikes!)
- Emmanuel: Pastor Claudia asked me if I'd set up a church Facebook page and help members set up their FB profile.
- Book Club: The women asked if I'd coordinate a trip to Chicago to visit the sites mentioned in the 'Devil in the White City' book that we read. Karen, Sue, and I did that last year and it was VERY cool (and creepy)
- Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands: I'm working on an article on Robert Noble along with my friend, Dick Purinton of the Washington Island Ferry. The fall edition should be out some time in September.

So, add school to this mix and you wonder when I'll find time to work?? NO PROBLEM!!

Zarling Heritage Family Reunion

2009-07-19T00:40:00.002-05:00

What a wonderful event!! I learned this year to delegate and am doubly blessed to have Judy Ish, Rhonda DeFord, Ardie Zarling, and my gorgeous daughter Carrie to assist me. I learned an enormous amount just watching them do their thing; it gave me a chance to mingle and connect with people I have only 'met' in cyberspace. However I need to figure out how to be in two places at one time as there were so many conversations that I started and didn't get a chance to finish before being requested by another.

I find it interesting that the reunion format is a moving target. I started with pure genealogy and live music then starting adding some flair like the silent auction. Others mentioned that they weren't so interested in the genealogy so I found a venue that allowed me to separate the two and that seemed to work. Then I added workshops and that seemed to go over quite well. This year I skipped the music in lieu of workshops but found that the family really was more interested in the genealogy and sitting and chatting with each other! I added a book exchange and toys from our youth -- perhaps because there were only four kids (Manny & CeCe being two of them) the toy idea went bust but some people did bring and exchange a book with another so I think that idea might be included in the next reunion's agenda. Not sure of the workshops though . . . gotta ponder on that one a bit more. Got three years to toss it around.

Book Club - Between Sundays

2009-07-17T22:37:00.002-05:00

THREE months ago the retired women from church asked me to join them at their book club; I told them that I'd tentatively attend as I was sure I'd have a job by then . . . so here I am, getting ready to read BOOK #4!! I'm no longer putting off opportunities with hopes that I'll find a job. Not that I've given up on my job search mind you, just that I need to work on my faith and trust issues and develop a stronger tolerance to patience. All assure me that the job is out there for me, I'm just not ready for it yet.

I've certainly been blessed being in the presence of these wonderful, worldly women -- they are quite the inspiration to me. Others have told me that I need to learn to live in the moment more, and these women are my teachers. Each brings a unique perspective to the table gained by their life experiences; they respect others' opinions and encourage debate. I'm learning the sense of community that these women offer and am taking this lesson with me on my journey.

This month's book was 'Between Sundays' by Karen Kingsbury -- it wasn't my favorite; however others in the group pulled inspiration from Kingsbury's characters. I was asked to create the discussion questions once again and forgot that I had leant the book out. I searched for the book at the library and they were out also, so I scanned the internet and created the questions from memory. This worked out quite well as our discussion was quite lively. Here's what I came up with:

1. On a scale of 1 to 5 where would you rate this book?
2. What is the book’s theme? Was it carried throughout the book? How important was it?
3. What stood out about the plot? Did it keep your attention?
4. What about the subplots? Were they necessary?
· Megan’s history
· Derrick’s son’s accident
· Amy’s rape
5. Could you relate to the characters? What were their stories? Did they come to life? Do they remind you of anyone you know? Would you want to meet any of them?
· Aaron Hill, Pro 49ers quarterback
· Megan Gunn, Foster mom
· Amy, Corey’s mother
· Corey
· Derrick Anderson
· Minor characters: Coach, other players, Derrick’s family
6. Were the actions / decisions / struggles of the characters realistic? If the characters’ decisions were different how would this have affected the outcome?
· Aaron – paternity test results
· Derrick’s promise
7. How did the characters grow throughout the book? Were you surprised in the direction the author took them?
8. Did you learn anything new by reading this book? Football? Foster care?
9. Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way? Did this lead to a new understanding or awareness of some aspect of your life you might not have thought about before?
10. Did the book end the way you thought it would?
11. If you were writing the story how would you have changed it?
12. If there were a sequel, what would happen?
13. In what ways do the events in the book reveal evidence of the author's world view?
14. If you were to have Kingsbury over for coffee what would you ask her?
15. Would you like to read any more books by this author?

Thinking in retrospect, I wish I would have engaged the people that enjoyed the book to encourage them to bring us naysayers over to their side; given the chance again I certainly will do this! However, next month's book is The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and from what I hear from others there will be a good chance we'll all enjoy it.

Thursday Gee Time - Part II

2009-07-16T23:21:00.010-05:00

Today we renewed our scavenger hunt for lighthouses and ventured south to Kenosha. The first light that we saw was the 1866 Southport lighthouse. It is located on Simmons Island overlooking the shore of Lake Michigan. At the time the lighthouse was built, the island was known as Washington Island.

The light was originally designed as a coast and harbor light; it provided the first navigational light a mariner would see upon entering Wisconsin from the south. On a clear day one can see the Chicago Sears (now Willis) tower from the light and vice versa.

There were 73 steps to get to the top and the view was certainly well worth the climb. CeCe was a bit scared at first to go all the way up into the tower but Manny reminded her how proud he felt when he climbed the light in Racine. She did make it to the top and had all kinds of questions for the guide. She was a proud as a peacock when we were finished with our tour.

Afterward we walked over to the FREE Kenosha Historical Museum and saw a wonderful display of old Nash cars and vignettes of old Kenosha. Manny was intrigued by the wire rope exhibit and made a point of asking the woman at the front desk whether the display was real or just a prop. She explained how wire rope is actually made and where he could see an example of it -- sure wish she would have thought of a closer place than the Golden Gate Bridge because now Manny's sure he has to see a real one!

We then walked on down to the Pierhead light and watched the young fearless kids jump from the pier into the frigid Lake Michigan water. CeCe had asked if I ever did stuff like that as a kid -- seeing as a grandmother cannot lie to her grandchild I had to tell her the truth -- yes, I did WATCH my friends do stupid things like that (well . . . that was part of the truth)!

I gave them an option -- either we could go out for ice cream or go to the museum that we saw across the harbor; they chose the museum!! I was kind of hoping to get by cheaper by going to Culvers than the cost of admission to the museum but when we found out it was FREE that made the excursion even better. The Kenosha Public Museum has wonderful exhibits from the time of the dinosaurs to the explorers and an art museum on the upper floor. And it was FREE. We spent quite a bit of time here with plans to return and also take in the FREE Civil War Museum next time.

I learned how genetically ingrained our Zarling curiosity gene is in these kids -- Manny stopped at the brochure display and brought back at least one of every place that he'd like to go to. My Dad would have been proud.

Milwaukee JobCamp2

2009-07-09T21:20:00.003-05:00

The Byrds sang it best: 'To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.' I only wish I knew how to interpret the purpose of my exhaustive job search!

Today I went to the simply amazing program, JobCamp2 -- there were at least 1,000 people in attendance! This may seem like a success to the planners; but to me and my fellow job seekers, it was rather daunting -- these are the folks that are competing alongside of (and perhaps with) me for a job. However, I felt a tremendous level of excitement from the group. All were quite friendly; afterall we were here to network. It took me a bit to get into the swing of things but a simple question like 'how long have you been out?' served as the icebreaker. I was surprised to meet people from all different career paths from healthcare finance managers to mechanical and electrical engineers. This recession left nothing sacred.

The program was wonderfully planned and organized. It was held at the Potawatami Casino so one could sit in on the workshops or try their luck at bingo or the tables. I chose the workshops and wish I would have arrived earlier! The first one that I attended was 'Conquering the Personal Side of Job Transition' by Christine McMahon. Christine is the host of ASK CHRISTINE, a weekly free tele-seminar series designed to help people in job transition understand and manage the human side of what it means to lose a job. She helped me realize that there's something along this continuum that is just meant to be; she's a firm believer in purpose and also feels that each one of us is in this place to give insight to someone else. Imagine that -- it's not just about me!! This is all happening for a reason and that reason won't be revealed until long after the purpose has been realized. She also mentioned that the greatest lessons are those that are learned with conviction. Oh so true!

I met with master LinkedIn guru, Wayne Breitbarth, and he critqued my LinkedIn profile. He thought it was pretty good and only suggested some minor tweaks. He's hosting additional seminars to teach more about social networking that I definitely plan to attend.

My second workshop happened to be hosted by a former colleague of mine, Jim Trainor. Jim used to be an owner in Trainor / Salick & Associates where I first got involved in technology. He recently resurfaced onto my radar as a member of Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands. Jim gave an awesome program on the truth about the job search. He was the second one to tell me not to waste my time on with the job boards -- I've been applying to between four and ten jobs a week and haven't been getting anywhere; now I know why -- the employers are passing the resume through a program to scan for certain keywords and whoever gets the most hits get the interview. I don't want to exaggerate my skillset just to get an interview; that just wouldn't be fair. Jim said that the job we're going to get is the one that we find through networking. Yes, I've heard that before also. Sometimes it just takes awhile for things to sink into this hard head of mine.

So new approach:

Concentrate on my network
Do one thing every day to nurture my soul
Spend time with nature
Be kind to myself and others
Resist the urge to play the victim

There is a purpose, I'll find it.

Assembly Bill 261 -- ready for Congress?

2009-07-01T19:20:00.008-05:00

What an experience! Today I testified before State Representatives Meyer, Lothian, Roys, Spanbauer, Hixon, Pope-Richards, and Soletski; the Committee Clerk, Chairman Hintz, and the Legislative Council in favor of Assembly Bill 261 on behalf of AARP (the reason for the red shirts) at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Surprisingly I wasn't nervous (much) and considered this to be less daunting than reading the liturgy in church -- at least there weren't any funky names of people or towns!

Assembly Bill 261 relates to soliciting purchases of goods or services using unsolicited checks or money orders. You may have received one of these in the mail. At first glance, the check looks like a good deal -- might even say that it's a REAL check but in a smaller font it instructs you to turn the paper over to read the fine print. What many people don't realize is that by endorsing the check, you are also agreeing to purchase a particular product or sign up for some kind of service. AARP (and myself) believe that this is a blatantly misleading business practice that is meant to confuse consumers.

The Assembly agreed with my statement and conviction; or at least they understood it, as there were no questions from the floor. I was followed by members of the banking industry who spoke against the bill. They felt that there is ample text describing this as a loan . . . on the back of the 'check'. The problem is that too many people get the 'check' in their hands and don't bother to read the small print on the back, cash the check, and may be too embarassed to admit that they made a mistake.

I showed an example of the check to my father-in-law and he agreed that if he hadn't heard my testimony beforehand he may have thought the check was real. This is Don, the man that doubts everything! How easy it must be for others that are desparate for cash or aren't able to read the small print? I could certainly use $1,519.89 (the amount the check was made out for), couldn't you? But certainly not at 33.16% interest!! Yikes!

So, if I was convincing enough we just might see this bill go to Congress -- hooray!! We can follow the progress by clicking on this link:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/AB261hst.html

What a day to sport a stress zit :-(

Thursday Gee Time

2009-06-25T21:20:00.004-05:00

When I told CeCe that I lost my job she thought that was pretty cool because now we could spend some more time together. Yes, I suppose that's one way of looking at the bright side of it. So today was our first day to spend some quality time together with the stipulation that it didn't involve money. Manny called it a scavenger hunt for lighthouses. The first one that we visited was Wind Point in Racine. This one is pretty cool as it's 108 feet tall and is the tallest and oldest lighthouse still operating on the Great Lakes. We weren't able to climb the tower (it's only open on Sundays) but the kids still found the history quite interesting and got to blow the flog horn. They ventured into the lake and decided that it would be best to keep their flip flops on but soon learned how difficult it was to walk in them.

The next one that we visited was the Racine North Breakwater. It took a bit of navigating to figure out how to get to this one but once we did it was sure worth it. This one is no longer active but the locals consider it a landmark. We didn't see any 'no tresspassing' signs so Manny decided to figure out how to climb it. I didn't want to do my freakoid Grandma thing so I just said a couple of prayers that he'd be safe and watched him figure out the best way to straddle the beams and inch his way over to the staircase which was about 6 feet from the ground, surrounded by a prickly bush.

He felt so proud of himself for combating his fears and walked with a bit more confidence after that. He's decided that he'll wear tennies next time as flip flops just aren't the best for boy stuff.

The kids spent the rest of the afternoon at the sandy beach near this light so no more worries about floating flip flops. One could build a sand castle in the back seat of my car now and I think I'll leave it that way for a bit to relish the memory of a wonderful afternoon with the kids.

Afterward we met up with Christie and went to a performance of the ACROCATS -- it was a hilarious show put on by trained cats. Yes, TRAINED cats!! The performer has trained these cats using a clicker and whistle - of course the kids are now going to try and train their cat, Tansy as they're sure that my cats are beyond hope. The cats even played in a band!

Next week we're going to try and see the other two lights in Racine and I promised Carrie not to subject her children to danger again. Freakoid mom!

Relay for Life -- what an event!!

2009-06-21T23:24:00.007-05:00

My friend, Jack Stratmeyer, warned me about this event -- he told me that it will be a most moving experience -- only that I believe he was underestimating sappy old me. When Carrie walked past me on the survivors' lap I cried like a baby. How different my life would be without her in it!! Thank you God for gracing us with her for a bit longer.

We decorated our 'campsite' with ribbons of hope . . . my friends Joyce and Bob Hillmer constructed the flags based on my brainy idea and I think it turned out quite nice.

We also made some small pins with the colors of cancer. My niece Tena, Manny and CeCe staked out a table near the track to sell them and once they felt that the sales weren't going strong enough, they ventured out onto the track and ended up selling $60 worth of them!!!

It started to storm around 7:30 so they announced that we all had to go into the cafeteria until the storm passed. They opened a part of the gym so we could continue walking. We were all quite happy when they announced that we could once again go back out. They quickly placed the luminarias around the track, turned off all the lights and lite them. The scene was enormously moving and I felt my Mother's spirit right there with me.

Unfortunately it started to rain once more but with my soul refreshed I donned my rain gear and Ipod and together with Krista Tippett (NPR-Speaking of Faith) I walked through the night until I was freezing. I went back to the campsite but found that all three of the tents were soaked so I decided cuddle up by the campfire in the only dry blanket I could find. I can imagine the sight I must of looked like when Ron May came to claim me the next morning for breakfast!!

So far our team raised over $1500. A special thank you to Gregg, Carrie & Ben, Manny & CeCe, Christie & Kent, Jerry, Bob & Joyce Hillmer, Jan Kohlmann, Anne Weiland, Ron & Karen May, Meg Watson and all our friends and family who supported us through the night.

Jack was right; this event was so moving -- it's been a long time since I felt close enough to 'talk' to my Mother and let her know that I love her and that I miss her.

Fraud Fighter 101

2009-06-18T21:47:00.004-05:00

Years ago a friend of Christie's was the innocent victim of an identity theft. Someone had phoned him and said that he felt guilty that he'd been using his name to purchase cell phones (must of had a 'come to Jesus moment'). It sounded so strange that we paid a visit to my brother-in-law, Rick, who is a retired policeman; he told us the ugly truth that identify theft was just beginning and that they didn't know quite how to stop it and worse yet, the usual victims are the elderly. Yuk.

Today we are equipped with more tools to identify fraud but the predators are one step ahead of us. Advances in technology make it even more easier for them to steal our identity armed with only a cell phone that takes pictures!

AARP has developed an awesome program to Recognize, Resist, and Report frauds and scams so that no one will lose their life savings to crooks. The Fraud Fighter program trains volunteers like myself to get this message out to the community so that the predators learn that we're on to them. In a half-an-hour or less I have been trained to educate the public in how to identify fraud, protect themselves against fraud, and where to report any fraudulent activities to the proper authorities.

In addition, AARP advocates lobby to pass legislation to protect the innocent such as putting a ceiling on Payday loan interest rates. The more information that we can provide to the advocates the better they'll be able to advocate on our behalf. I'm feeling REAL good about this mission and the benefit that I can offer to my community.

Let me know if your group would be interested in hearing about this program -- it's free!

http://www.aarpfraudfighters.org/

The Postcards

2009-06-13T21:07:00.006-05:00

Years ago my father gave me a box containing his father’s postcard collection which spanned the years of 1908 to 1929. I placed each card in photo album and recently realized that they are fading into infinity. I pursued this project to preserve one of the few remaining links to Hugo’s past. The cards depict events frozen in time such as one sent to Hugo by my Grandmother Elsie, writing about the ‘dress’; I can only wonder if that dress was the one she planned to wear on her wedding day? There is also one from Aunt Mamie from the Seattle World’s Fair, cousin Helmut’s new Chevrolet, and various photos made into postcards. My favorite one has Hugo sitting on the manure spreader in his Sunday best! What an event it must have been to have your photo taken back then.

A Brief Postcard History

The first American government postal cards date back to 1872 when the United States Congress authorized the 1 cent postcard. Businesses had these postcards printed with advertisements, greetings, or illustrations. In 1898, Congress put privately printed postcards, which had cost two cents (to send) on an equal footing with government-issued cards by cutting their price in half. It was the establishment of rural free delivery around the same time that made sending postcards a way of life.

Free mail delivery in cities began in 1863, and home delivery was made to residents of towns with populations of at least ten thousand, but it was not until sometime between 1896, when RFD began, and 1906, when RFD was fairly well established that farmers no longer had to travel considerable distances to the nearest post office to send or receive mail. Many had made this trip only once a week. The mail arrived every day, in cities sometimes two or three times a day, so people used the mail more often. You could send a card in the morning saying you expected someone for dinner at seven, certain in the knowledge that the dinner guest would receive the card well before seven o’clock. A penny postcard was a bargain. It was half the price of a letter and required less effort on the sender’s part. The price of the penny postcard only went up to three cents in 1958!

I've been on a quest to visit the sites pictured and capture what they look like today. Some of the places are no longer there but others haven't changed much such the Lake Park one:

I do need to get another shot showing the road and what little that you can see of the overhead bridge -- always looking for that perfect picture . . .

Mother Nature (and Aunt Bessie's) Gifts

2009-06-11T20:55:00.005-05:00

On our way back to the Falls from Albright Church on Saturday I convinced my friends to stop at Aunt Bessie and Uncle Harold's house to see Aunt Bessie's garden in bloom. As soon as we pulled up both Jan and Anne were in awe. The Iris were in bloom as well as many other parts of her garden. It was a butterfly and bee's paradise. Every once in awhile the wind would sent us the scent of these wonderful plants. Aunt Bessie's garden is an act of love and I think a bit of her therapy. For as long as I can remember she's been involved in at least two or three projects at once that brought her immense pride whether it be a gift she's making for her children, grandchildren or great grandchildren; working in her glorious garden; baking; or just sitting and being with me and my multiple problems and stories. I have been so gifted to have her in my life and hope that what I've learned from her will keep me in my mature age so that I too can be as spry and positive as she is.

My garden -- it's a start.

It takes a village . . .

2009-06-09T08:51:00.002-05:00

While I'm not a strong Hillary fan I do like the title that she (or was it her editor?) chose for one of her books. I learned the strength of the village when managing my staff at Foremost; I was fortunate to have three of the most interesting people under my supervision to pull together in support of my mission. My 'village' now has various locales and I find that I'm now fortunate to view and participate in others' villages. The learning continues . . .

On Saturday morning I met with Jan, Anne, and Jenny to work on our Technology Mission Partnership project with Albright Church. We all carry a strong passion for this project and bring different viewpoints to the table -- Jan from the business sense, Anne organization, Jenny culture, and me? I'm not sure exactly where I fit in but perhaps I offer the insight and empathy of those women struggling to change their circumstances as a former single mother. I never thought that would be an asset but I have learned that in order for one to succeed one must undergo some type of a transformation. It's like Christie's favorite children's book, The Hungry Caterpillar . . . am I in the crystalis stage now? Anyhow, we did alot of brainstorming and came up with some really wonderful ideas and plans on how we can take our program out to the community. Here we come!

Sunday I spent the most wonderful quality bonding time with Christie -- we volunteered for the Channel 10 fund drive. We had never done anything like that before and I was elated to watch Christie interact with the other volunteers and do her very best at her 'job'. Not only had either of us ever volunteered for a Channel 10 event, but neither had we volunteered at anything together (other than walking in the Menomonee Falls Christmas Parade with her beloved Pudgie but I don't think that counts)! I am certainly blessed to have a daughter with such a community-minded vision as my Christie. I'd love to take credit for that but those of you who know my Christie know that's all her -- the pure wonderment of it all. The fund drive was an orchestrated event where everyone had their marks and were 'live' at a second's notice. I was quite impressed with the level of organization that pulling something like this together required. Yes, they've done it a couple of (hundred) times but WOW! We'll certainly do this again. Here we come!

New Directions

2009-06-05T09:22:00.006-05:00

Yesterday I decided to pull back on my exhaustive job search a bit and spend time doing stuff that will feed my muse such as spending more time with my family and friends, gardening, photography, writing, sewing, genealogy, music, etc. I know that with ample prayer that perfect job and I will connect. So yesterday I grabbed my Ipod and camera and headed out to Lime Kiln Park to do research for my next project, The Friends of Lime Kiln Park Forum or something like that, I haven't quite settled on the title yet . . . any suggestions?

The Real Menonomonee Falls

Wildflower Identification . . . learn what their names are . . . the adventure's on . . .

Steps:

1. Pull out books from library . . . National Audubon's First Field Guide to Wildflowers, Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, and Peterson's Wildflowers.

2. What do I know? Colors of Blue and White, 4 Regular Petals, Long Stem, Long Leaves, Blooms Early June, Wooded Habitat.

3. Is it a Bluet? Nope, the center isn't yellow enough.

4. Common Flax? Nope, flax has 5 petals.

5. AHA I found it -- Dame's Rocket. It is often confused with Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata), and, at first glance, it is easily understood. They are similar in habit with showy clusters of white, pink and purple flowers atop erect 2’ to 4’ stems. However, dame’s rocket is a member of the mustard family or Cruciferae, and aside from arugula, her relatives include radish, wintercress, cabbage and broccoli. They all share the distinction of having flowers with 4 petals that form the shape of a cross. (Garden Phlox blooms much later in the summer and its flower has five petals.) Seeds are produced in long slender fruits called siliques; some growing as long as four inches, making for copious seed production. I've also seen it identified as Sweet Rocket, Dame's Violet, Wild Phlox, or Mother of the Evening. So, what should I call it?

OK, so now I'm more stumped . . . gotta connect up with some experts.

AARP -- Not just for old foggies!

2009-06-03T19:50:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with a most remarkable woman, Mariann Muzzi -- the Associate State Director, Community Outreach for AARP Wisconsin. It took some simple family networking to put this together ... cousin Lori asked what I was doing with all my spare time, asked what I liked best about being in the work force ... put in a plug for me with her AARP connections and wala, I'm alive again.

It didn't take long for Mariann and me to recognize that we have an extreme amount in common. We talked of our glorious grandchildren ... two for her also; animals ... she mourned the loss of her's and gave me advice on my Vinnie's awful biting habit; books ... she reads all the Pulizer Prize winners, saw 'The Long Engagement' movie and wanted so much to tell me about Edgar Sawtoole; NPR ... was excited about learning my experiences with 'Speaking of Faith'; social networking and on and on. Two hours into our meeting we realized that we were really getting together to learn about the AARP opportunities available to me! Oh how she made me feel good about where I'm at in my journey!!

As an AARP volunteer I will be able to:
- Share the benefits of your life experience
- Help achieve the goals AARP Wisconsin members care most about - health and financial security, independent living, protection from consumer and investment fraud
- Benefit from high quality training and education
- Enjoy stimulating new challenges
- Partner with others who share my commitment to improving the quality of life
- Have fun
- Know that I truly can make a difference

There are multiple ways I can get involved:
- Grassroots Advocate: influence important legislative issues the impact AARP's mission
- Fraud Fighter: educate the community about the dangers of financial and consumer fraud
- Virtual Volunteer: web-based research, data entry and e-advocacy
- Faith in Action: volunteer care-giving services to individuals who are homebound
- Long Term Care Ombudsman: protect and support nursing home residents
- Driver Safety Program: improve and maintain elder driving skills
- Tax Aide: free tax preparation
- Office Support: data entry, web research, copy collating

So, I've decided to become a FRAUD FIGHTER. In this role I'll be educating Wisconsinites about the dangers of financial and consumer fraud. Fraud Fighters are trained by AARP; the Wisconsin Department of Financial Instituions and the Office of Privacy Protection to give ducational presentations to clubs, faith-based organizations and other civic groups. Just imagine where this might lead??

I am so excited to be involved in this organization . . . Enhancing the quality of life for all as we age. Yes, that'll be me.

In my own backyard!

2009-05-26T11:17:00.005-05:00

While I was waiting for the painter to finish my livingroom (which by the way looks GORGEOUS) I ventured out on a walk to the Lime Kiln Park which I've ventured through before but having more time to kill I was able to really take it all in. It's a gorgeous park with nice paved (and non-paved) walking trails alongside the river.

This is quite the jewel for the little slice of paradise that I call home. I sat alone with my thoughts along the bank on a ridge jutting out over the river. Soon I heard the welcome sounds of children's laughter and saw three young kids trying to walk upstream, falling, sliding back to where they started, righting themselves and venturing on again. They were so filled with glee and determination that I envied them. When was the last time that I did something like that? Did I ever? Will they remember that day when they're as old as I am? I certainly hope so.

My pedometer only recorded a little more than a mile but I'm pretty sure I put on 10 or at least that's what my out-of-shape calves and back seemed to tell me this morning. I really need to do this more often!! No more excuses.

I walked to a podcast of NPR's 'Speaking of Faith'. I love listening to Krista Tippett but am often doing something that doesn't balance well with just sitting and listening, so with the help of my wonderful grandson, Manny, we figured out how to download all her programs onto my Ipod. With my earbuds gently inserted and my Ipod tuned into Krista's segment on 'Stress and the Balance Within' with Esther Sternberg:

(http://speakingoffaith.publicradio.org/programs/202008/stress/particulars.shtml)

I ventured out with no particular destination in mind (the greatest way to go). Oh how appropriate this segment was for where I'm at in my journey. Sternberg suggests that faith, family, friends, laughter can help us to be more healthy -- both emotionally and physically. Stay tuned . . .

The Memorable Outfit

2009-05-24T14:57:00.003-05:00

We've decided to hire someone to paint the livingroom this time around. Gregg feels he's just too damn old to strain his neck on the ceiling and I feel that I've got better things to do with my time. So, my friend Jan's son has offered to take on the challenge. We moved out all the furniture, found all the missing cat toys and realize how large the livingroom actually is without all the furniture! Perhaps I should declutter somemore? Nah! But I did get into that trunk that holds all the pictures (had to lighten it so we could budge it) and found this picture of Carrie at 6 weeks old -- she's wearing the outfit that I saved for the quilt I made CeCe.

Geez, I calculated when this picture was taken and it must have been back in 1977!! I can't be that old, no way!

Happy Birthday CeCe!

2009-05-23T20:34:00.006-05:00

My awesome family at CeCe's birthday party

We celebrated CeCe's 10th birthday today -- better late than never seeing as it was officially on the 11th! Wow, that means next year will be her golden birthday! We'll certainly need to begin planning that party earlier! Anyway, I got this silly frugal notion in my head that I should make her something instead of buying her something from the store . . . for some reason I saved the outfit that Carrie wore for her first photo and got the brainy idea that someday I'd make a quilt and add that to it. So, Wednesday became the day that my creative juices were overflowing and I started cutting out squares from the excess fabric that I've been collecting over the years. Uncle Harold made me a template for me awhile back and I remember him asking (a couple of times) if I didn't want it larger than 4x4" . . . after I cut out well over 250 little 4x4 pieces of fabric and sewed them together I now realize why he questioned my logic!! However, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out; there are a couple of pinches and places where the pattern didn't quite line up but I told CeCe that those mistakes were double helpings of love. She told me there weren't any mistakes that it was perfect. Awwwww.

Me and the birthday girl

The Quilt

The pieces I'm referring to are in the center of the second row -- a little cowboy and cowgirl.

Career Crossroads

2009-05-22T11:07:00.004-05:00

I went to this simply amazing workshop last night: Crossroads Career Network. It was held at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield WI (www.elmbrook.org/resources/crossroad.asp). I don't know how I've missed this resource -- it's exactly what I need. The workshop reignited the faith in myself that YES, I can actually do this -- with some help.

In Crossroads we get the opportunity to network with like individuals in different phases of their journey as well as hear from speakers who have successfully managed a career crosswords in their life, and learn about relevant topics such as resume development, interview tips, networking, changing career paths, and much more. Breakout sessions after the main presentation allow career explorers to ask questions in a small group setting and learn more about a variety of career related subjects.

Last night's workshop was on LinkedIn -- the phenomonal social networking site. The presenter was Wayne C. Breitbarth (http://www.mmmoffice.com/), he was introduced as the LinkedIn guru for Southeastern Wisconsin. I can certainly see why!! He was energetic, engaging, funny, knowledgeable, and many additional adjectives that I can't seem to come up with right now. I was impressed with myself when he asked how many in the room were on LinkedIn and I raised my hand -- along with about 75% of the attendees. OK, so maybe I'm not so much of a trend setter afterall . . . when he asked how many people have over 500 connections I quickly realized that this guy travels on a different cyberspace highway than I . . . when he asked for 100 connections about 3/4 of the LinkedIn group raised their hands . . . 50, some more. I was hoping that he'd get to my level of exposure (25) but he passed on that.

So, what did I learn?

- Cool, my profile is 100% complete (hooray)

- I should try and get at least 60+ connections to get the value of my network

- Need to review my home page often to see who's looking at my profile (build hope)

- Join some more groups and be active in them

- Research, try, research some more

So, once I figure out this whole SN thing: blog, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter I'll be on my way to being totally plugged in, right? Here I come . . .

The Cat who stole my heart -- or something like that

2009-05-19T20:44:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading this awesome book, 'Dewey - The Small Town Library Cat who Touched the World' and cried so much that I had to go into the house so the neighbors wouldn't think there was something wrong with me. Not that the book was all that sad but just that it touched a piece of my heart that has been filled with Zack and Vinnie . . . the part that has been empty for far too long.

Zackie has a way of knowing just when I need him by me to lift that burden of dispair from my heart. He'll linger around just long enough for me to regain myself and then wander off somewhere for a nap. Vinnie's still trying to figure things out but has already woven his little paws into my heart.

The author (Vickie Myron) is a relentless woman who struggled through an alcohlic husband, single motherhood, a teenage daughter, and cancer. Not sure, but after raising two daughters I could almost bet that the teenager came a close second to the cancer. Still she continued in her mission to support her small little town's library and make it a warm and safe place for everyone. She learned alot from Dewey and wrote what he taught her:

Find your place.

Be happy with what you have.

Treat everyone well.

Live a good life.

It isn't about material things; it's about love.

And you can never anticipate love.

How true that is. Someone told me a long time ago that the Eskimos have over 50 words for snow because its so important to them. I think that we have about as many if not more words for love; here's a couple of mine that come to mind:

- A gentle hand when you're down

- A smile from across the room

- A brush against your leg from your cat

- A picture of times past

- The laughter of a child

- A hug

- Lilacs

- Family

- Friends

- Memories

Add some of yours:

Family Matters

2009-05-16T21:23:00.006-05:00

My weekend has been marvelous and it's only Saturday! On Friday I picked up my cousin, Lori, and her daughter from the airport; they were flying in from DC for cousin, Chris' graduation. Once we figured out how to get Gracie's carseat safely secured in my car we were off to meet Uncle Marv and Aunt Marlene for brunch at this awesome little coffee shop in Hartford, PERK PLACE. When you go there you HAVE TO visit the bathroom -- it's quite unique. After brunch we went to their house so Uncle Marv could get his grandpa fix with little Gracie or was it his excuse to watch 'Sponge Box Square Pants'?

Saturday cousin Chris (and about 10,000 others) graduated from UW-Whitewater with his Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. We are so, so, so very proud of him!!

Then he announced to us that he asked his girlfriend, Holly, to marry him!!! We are so happy to have her join our family. Chris is one lucky guy!!

In Search of a Green Thumb

2009-05-14T21:49:00.005-05:00

I'm trying to get my internal clock back into synch with a work-day clock (just in case) and awoke shortly after Gregg left for work; did my household chores and promptly fell back to sleep on the couch but at least I gave forth the effort.

Later I went out to Uncle Harold & Aunt Bessie's for lunch and to see the beginnings of Aunt Bessie's gardens. She adds and subtracts from it each year and it's so pleasing to be on the receiving end of her subtractions! This year she's trying something new with an area where there used to be a tree. I'm sure it'll look lovely -- check back later.

Her gardens are in bloom throughout Spring, Summer and some even into the Fall.

After dinner I went to a gardening workshop at the Home Depot in the Falls. Over 20 had registered but I was the only one who showed up so I had a one-on-one seminar with this friendly, uber-talented, young girl, Amanda. That's the thing about younger kids -- it didn't phase her that no one else showed up -- I would have been a mess. Instead she held my attention, answered my questions, came up with some landscaping ideas and even taught me a few tricks. Extra bonus -- I got to take the pot home!

I agreed to not dig up any additional garden beds until I get back to work but that doesn't mean I can't dream and design . . . think I can convince Gregg to put in a Japanese maple, some heather, a rock garden, and a water feature???

Moss doesn't grow on a rolling stone

2009-05-12T20:00:00.003-05:00

I've been trying real hard to stay busy and optimistic and I've got to say, it's working. There are so many projects at home that I've wanted to do as well as assistance I can offer to my church, the community, and other groups I'm involved with. Such as:

Friends of Plum and Plum Islands -- check out our latest newsletter at www.plumandpilot.org
Albright Church -- I taught a computer game workshop last week Wednesday to a group of eight adult students. I warned them that gaming can be addictive but the other advantages far outweigh the risk; i.e., increase intelligence, exercise logic; think, focus, challenge; test motor skills and reflexes; safely interact with other players, anonymously; escape; green element; free. Check out their awesome website at http://www.albrightumc.net/. I'm teaching an Ebay selling workshop next week for them.
Relay for Life -- As a mother of a survivor and a daughter of a strong woman who lost her fight to cancer I have volunteered to be the team leader for Relay for Life. Check our site out at: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09MW?team_id=484741&pg=team&fr_id=16123&fl=en_US&et=1TpDynmcpLqyi-liPw4VmQ..&s_tafId=276106
WPTV On Air Fundraiser -- I've always wanted to do this and am delighted that Christie thought to ask me to join her; check them out at: http://www.mptvfriends.org/volunteeropportunity.html
Menomonee Falls -- I'll be helping with a great event to introduce rain barrels to our community; check out their site at: http://www.menomonee-falls.org/index.asp?NID=534

Then, last but not least is my job search. This in itself is close to a full time job but well worth it.

Introducing VINNIE!!

2009-05-10T22:22:00.007-05:00

Ever since we got Zackie I've been wanting to find another bundle of bliss disguised in the form of a cat. Gregg finally got sick of the me trying to convince him (with help from my wonderful daughters) that he caved in on Saturday. I've been searching PetFinder for the last couple of months and found a Manx that looked similar to Zackie but he was in Illinois and Gregg just wasn't going to drive 2-1/2 hours for a cat . . . so plan B . . . we took a look at the Waukesha Humane Society and the cat I had in mind for him to look at left an hour before we arrived; the Wisconsin Humane Society has an outreach at Southridge Shopping center so we headed out there but they closed a 1/2 hour before we arrived there; so we rushed out to the Wisconsin Humane Society and looked at all the cats there but didn't find anything on our first run through. We missed one in the corner as there were others looking at him so Gregg suggested we take a look at that one before we left (little did I know that he already had sneaked a peak). When I saw him my heart melted -- even though he wasn't a Manx he had the same colors as Zackie!!

Don't you just love his little pink nose?

Recognizing that this was 'the moment' Manny immediately went to get a counselor and as soon as I held him in my arms he snuggled up (I guess they train them to do that) and melted my heart. Manny held him and he did the same thing. Gregg knew there was no way we were going to go home without him and went out to the car to get the cage.

The little guy did quite well with all the excitement and even slept with the kids. Zackie's still a bit leary about him but there's no hissing or cat fights . . . yet.

As you can see, he's a bit smaller than Zackie (about half his size) but is 2 years older. He was named 'Lucky' but I wanted to have a 'V' name and Carrie thought of 'Vinnie' -- I tried it on him and yes, it works!! So, Lucky Vinnie -- you've found a forever home, and a 'little' brother!

Vinnie

Zackie

Folk Art

2009-05-04T10:56:00.008-05:00

Unfortunately I didn't get the dream job that I was so hoping for :-( But, I wish the person who did land the job the best of success as I know how hard she worked for it -- just a bit harder than I did and that's saying alot!

So, when I awoke I decided that I'm not going to feel sorry for myself and got up, threw a load of laundry in the washer, showered and went outside to plant the sedum that I got at the fantastic gardening workshop that I went to on Saturday at Albright with my friend Jan, her husband Rick and son Daniel. As I went to put the weeds I'd gathered into my new compost bin I walked past the pieces of wood that I pulled from Jan and Rick's wood pile . . .

My creativity started to kick in . . .

Yes, I probably should have removed the red scraps of material that Jan and I tied to the long pieces that stuck out of the truck bed! Perhaps the birds will help me remove them . . .

Ta Da! I planted some bird house gourd and sweet pea seeds so it should look quite interesting a bit later in the season -- stay tuned!

Family Literacy Night

2009-04-29T22:12:00.004-05:00

Last night was 'Family Literacy Night' at CeCe's school (Riverside Elementary). She was so excited to read her poetry and practiced quite a few times with her mom, Manny, and me. Four other schools were also in attendance which made it a bit chaotic at times but the kids, being the resilient beings they are, didn't mind. Each school had the floor for 15 minutes; when you tapped a girl's knee (that's what the sign says she's wearing around her neck) or a boy's elbow then they read their poems to you. CeCe's favorite was 'I knew an old woman who swallowed a fly' -- remember that one? CeCe read with great expression, clarity, and confidence; I was quite proud of her :-)

Tonight was her cheerleading class through the Rec Department. She's really enjoying this and is so excited to demonstrate what she learned to Gregg and I.

Perhaps she'll get a scholarship to UW as a cheerleader / poet?? Do grandparents get into the games at a reduced cost?

Meeting Abigail Adams

2009-04-27T22:11:00.003-05:00

Tonight I met up with my girlfriends, Sue and Karen, for dinner at Fazoli's (oh, they don't walk around handing out breadsticks anymore -- you have to go up and get them yourself!) It was great to see the surprised look on Sue and Karen's faces when I arrived earlier than them (as opposed to being the late one due to my propensity of getting lost)! After we caught up with each others' busy lives we headed over to the New Berlin Library in a color-coordinated order . . . Sue just bought a blue Pacifica and lead the team; Karen has this gorgeous Malibu and I followed up in the rear with my cute blue Cobalt.

The New Berlin Historical Society hosted another program with Jessica Michna. Jessica invokes the identity of prominent women from history like Mary Todd Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Abigail Adams (she's currently working on a Dolly Madison performance). She begins with music of the era to get you in the right frame of mind and then appears to the crowd as though she's inviting you into her livingroom. She's so convincing that you feel her pain as well as delight in her joys. Abigail Adams talked much about the letters that she sent to her wonderful husband, John, and his responses. I've heard these letters identified as the greatest love story of that time. After the performance she opens the floor to questions and answers them in character when needed. Oh, it was so wonderful!! I want to learn more about her . . . ahh, so many books to read, so little time . . .

Perhaps I can get her booked at the Menomonee Falls Historical Society; good excuse to renew my membership!

In case you're interested in talking to her (or her alter egos); here's her contact info:
Jessica Michna - marytodd1880@yahoo.com

Random Acts of Kindness

2009-04-26T20:38:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Christie and I awoke at the crack of dawn (or at least it seemed like that to me) and made it to church (Emmanuel Community United Methodist Church, Menomonee Falls) a couple of minutes before 7 am for our annual rummage sale (Christie brought extra caffeine). Now, you might be asking yourself 'what fool would go to a rummage sale that early?' My answer: ALOT of people. When we got there the line stretched from the back door all the way to the side door; I'm guessing over 100 people were queued up anxiously awaiting the doors to open. I had scoped out the merchandise on Thursday evening at choir so I had an idea of which room to hit first. See, this is the most organized sale one could think of. Each type of rummage is sorted, tested, priced and displayed in its specific room; i.e., books, kitchen, holiday, toys, clothes. The books were even sorted by type (mystery, history, travel, childrens) and then alphabetized within each category. The clothes were sorted by size and then once again by color! The clothes were sold by bag -- as much as you could shove into a bag for $6.00 (excluding baby clothes). Christie made a haul with books for her classroom and non-gender specific baby clothes (you know what a planner Christie is). I filled my GREEN canvas bag to the brim with all kinds of needless necessities and spent a whole $12.00 which included a coupon for bringing in some non-perishable food items for the food pantry. Carrie and her family went later and spent two hours there. The totals weren't completely tallied up by this morning but it was thought that we passed last year's total which was $11,000 -- yes, that's right folks -- eleven thousand dollars! Proceeds from a rummage sale!! The church uses this for outreach services. It's felt that the rummage sale itself is a type of outreach; it brings people into our church from all over the community and we gently show them what types of services that we have to offer. I'm not sure if they've kept track of the number of people who have joined our church by getting to know it by this type of outreach -- wouldn't that be an interesting statistic?

Last week two people from our congregation offered to pump gas at the local Witlin's gas station AND give the customer a $5.00 bill as a random act of kindness. How many people do you think would have gone to that particular station on a rainy Sunday afternoon between the hours of 12 and 1? Three? Seven? Twelve? Actually they pumped gas for SEVENTY customers! Wow!!!

So, rather than bringing people into church by guilt (as churches that I belonged to in the past were known to do), Emmanuel brings them in by through the back door. I think that's quite creative. Know what? It works!

Family Matters

2009-04-25T22:56:00.002-05:00

I was entertaining myself tonight at my own private pity party when low and behold, Uncle Marvin called me out of the blue -- he'd been thinking of me. When I whined to him about losing my job he did the Zarling 'ach' thing and told me that he lost his job too, a couple of times already. Oh, there goes my idea of being at the center of the universe! I asked him what he was going to do now, he said that we're going to 'go fishing' . . . About a half hour after that Uncle David called -- yes, you've got, he was thinking of me too. Telepathy or just chance? I like to think it was my Dad tapping on my relatives' shoulders from the heavens. Dad? It worked.

Family . . . I've heard that in some mystical way we actually choose the family we're teleported into. I picked the best. I have to admit it took me a long time to admit or appreciate it but I certainly have been graced with an awesome lineage!

Yesterday I met a 'first cousin, once removed' who is simply amazing. Sharon and her husband, Carl, raised 5 children (one a set of twins) and then decided to open their home to special needs children. They adopted 4 children that continuously bring joy into their lives; two of them have Down's syndrome, one is deaf, and the other is wheelchair bound. These two love and nurture these angels that God brought to them inspite of their challenges. Sharon told me that when she was a young girl her grandfather would take her on picnics at the childrens' home which left a lasting impression of the lonely children left behind the window shades. It was her lifelong dream to be able to provide a home for children that were less fortunate than her biological children. Sharon and Carl traveling extensively with their children to build memories for not only the children but for others whose lives are touched by these special children. She has books and books of photo albums that the children page through from time to time to relive those memories.

This afternoon Uncle Harold and Aunt Bessie invited us to lunch. They're both in their mid-80's but are still active in their creative pursuits. Aunt Bessie always amazes me with all the projects that she has going and all the ideas that she has for the next project down the line. Uncle Harold is like a slow moving deep river; he always keeps me on my toes with current events and often adds a little nudge along the way. They have always been an inspiration to me -- Aunt Bessie taught me to sew and Uncle Harold opened my creativity.

It's said that you can choose your friends but you can't choose your relatives. No problem for me!

Coaching Mature Workers

2009-04-23T22:06:00.002-05:00

Today's workshop was quite inspiring and reignited my job search focus. The woman who moderated the workshop, Jean Bunke, was AWESOME . . . she spoke to us as though we were sitting down for coffee; not over our heads or beneath us, just plain stuff. She in our age bracket (mature) and feels our pain. The job search of today is not what is was five years ago or even a year ago. We need to market and sell ourselves just to get in the door and this mainly done using nothing more than technology -- if we fit their perfect profile then we've got a chance. However, she told us not to dismiss those job descriptions in which we don't fit all the qualifications. She told us to think about if we were looking for the perfect mate; what are our chances of finding him or her? If I'm looking for someone who's tall, dark, handsome, rich, fun to be with, witty, etc. would I settle for fun to be with and witty? Probably (mmm, I think I did). Anyway, employers are much the same -- they want the perfect match but will settle for someone close to ideal. So, back to Marketing 101 -- get a foot in the door and wow them with how wonderful I am.

So with this new bit of knowledge under my belt, next week I'm going to concentrate on:

Revamping my resume . . . use more action words . . . emphasize my awesome work ethic . . . all the computer programs I'm proficient in . . . my success rates, etc.
Studying open positions and modify my resume to best fit each position (I've been blasting the openings with my generic one)
Doing same for my cover letter
Updating my Linkedin profile
Getting out and walking to clear my head, energize, and build focus

Wish me luck :-)

Networking for Boomers

2009-04-22T22:48:00.002-05:00

Today I sat in on a networking session at the Workforce Development Center -- I am finding that I'm more focused and refreshed after going out there. Perhaps it's because everyone I meet is on the same mission as I am -- to become gainfully employed. Anyway, I was joined by about 30 other like boomers at this workshop. We spent an hour going around the room and introducing ourselves, discussing where we're at in our job search and what our strategies we're using to stay positive and focused. I'm one of the newbies; some have been at this since the beginning of the year! Yes, now I AM getting a bit scared. But, even so, the veterans are involved in continuous learning to enhance their job skills and are confident that this awful economy will turn around. It surprised me to meet so many displaced workers that were in manufacturing -- or maybe I shouldn't have been so surprised. Is manufacturing dead? Or will it come back with gusto to support the GREEN tech boom?

We learned about creating a JIST card -- it's like a business card with our top accomplishments to hand out informally. The workshop moderator suggested that we paste it on grocery bulletin boards, car windshields, the library, etc. I'm not quite that desparate -- YET. One woman in our mini group suggested that this would be perfect to give to 'warm' groups such as your circle of friends, people you know at church, relatives, etc. That way if they hear of anything they can give the potential employer your JIST card as an introduction. I'm not too sure about this yet but will give it some thought.

We also talked about what IS working in our job search -- I'm feeling pretty good because some of the suggestions I'm already following:
- Keep a To Do list and mark off your accomplishments
- Schedule something significant to do each day
- Continue to meet and network with people on a regular basis
- Follow up on your applications (this one I need to work on)
- Laugh, take time for yourself

So, this has indeed been a learning experience. The process for getting a new job is so different now than when I last searched for a job. When was that again? 1987?? Geez am I really that old?

U/C and the Grammar Police

2009-04-20T21:40:00.002-05:00

Week one of unemployment moved along quite swiftly. I tried to keep myself on track by getting up at (or close to) my normal work hours and following a to do list. I only wish that the darn refrigerator wasn't so close! I applied for two jobs each day, followed up on the ones from the previous day, made friends with the folk at Workforce Development, finished up my Friends of Plum and Pilot newsletter, organized my bookshelves, cleaned out closets and carted stuff over to church for this weekend's rummage sale. Zackie and my father-in-law hope that this unemployment status will be short lived as I'm getting them both off schedule. Zackie now thinks that he should sit right on my desk to keep me company -- it's hilarious to watch him climb up my office chair, balance on the back and then jump over to the desk -- I have no idea why he doesn't just jump from the floor!

OK, so this morning I checked in for U/C and it wasn't as intimidating as I thought it would be. They ask that you apply for two jobs per week, not per day as I've been doing so I guess I've got some in reserve should I decide to spend some time out in the garden if it should ever stop raining. I received my U/C determination statement today and was surprised to see typos on this government form!!

'. . . the employe earned.' Ahh, they forgot the extra 'e' in employee. Then in the next sentence:
'As of the week ending 04/18/09, the employe has satisfied . . .' Again, missing that last 'e'!

One would think that with all of these notices being mailed that SOMEONE would catch the typos and have them corrected. But then I got to thinking: what if maybe, just maybe I might be wrong? Sure enough! I checked the dictionary and indeed employe is the correct spelling -- dahhhh!

Employee is the usual American English spelling, but employe is a Standard variant used especially by some corporate house organs and business publications.

OK, so U/C documents are considered either a corporate house organ (whatever that is) or a business publication . . . there's a chance for continuous learning even in my sweats and slippers!

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-18T20:23:00.003-05:00

Today my niece, Tena, and I joined in on the Menomonee River Cleanup Event which was organized by the Milwaukee Riverkeepers in honor of Earth Day. We met at Rotary Park at 9:00, got our assignments and returned back to the park at noon for a lunch sponsored by area restaurants, mmm good. One of the restaurants was the new Cheesecake Bakery that's opening this month - yummm. Tena and I were given the area along the river out by the doggie park to patrol with our Hefty garbage bags and gardening gloves. The picture shows Tena's stash that we hauled off the river bank. Mainly we found styrofoam and plastic bags along with many, many plastic bottles. Tena found a coconut, wagon wheel, and about 3 mismatched pair of flip-flops. I found a garbage can cover, multiple Bic lighters, snuff containers, and balls that rolled down from the dog park. We met a wonderfully enthusiast woman (that I wish I would have gotten her email address from --- grrrrr) that found a fox skull, rubber ducky, and a container with some money -- lucky her! (That's not the reason why I wanted to get her email address.) My back is sore, my arms are all scratched up, and my nose is sunburnt but I feel really, really good about these 'battle scars'! We did something for the ecology! We made a difference! And I vow never to buy one of those stupid, cheap styrofoam coolers again!

What did you do to celebrate Earth Day?

Book Club Rooky

2009-04-17T20:44:00.003-05:00

Learning that I have all this free time on my hands, the 'mature' ladies in my choir invited me to join them for their book club meeting. Now, I've never been to a book club and had this idea in my head that I had to read the book and take notes so I'd be prepared to answer questions if called upon in the group. So, I read the book with intent and hit the website; printed out the book club questions and studied them, thinking that this is what everyone else would do . . .

We met this afternoon at charming Meg Watson's home, we ate our bag lunches and Meg passed around some veggies and these uber wonderful chips served on her best china! She made tea and even kept it warm under tea cozzies (I gotta get me some of those!). Once we were done Meg asked if I would be the moderator - yikes! But it went quite well. The group is quite diverse and each had a comment to add to the conversation; keeping them on track was a bit of a challenge but I was able to get through all the recommended questions in the time that they usually alot for the group. Guess I did OK as they invited me back again :-)

The book we read was 'The Last Lecture' about this young man who learned his cancer was incurable and that he only had a couple of months to live so he prepared the legacy he wanted to leave for his wife and children in the form of a lecture. Yes, I cried through a good part of the book -- what type of a legacy would I leave to Gregg, the girls and kids? I hope that I don't have to think about that for a long, long, long time but in case God should come to call me sooner than expected I would want to leave them knowing how much I loved them and how each of them holds a small slice of me in their hearts that will live on forever. Each of them have done things in their lives that I have been fortunate enough to live vicariously through; what a blessing my family has been to me! (OK Christie, you can stop crying now)

Continuous Learning

2009-04-15T14:08:00.003-05:00

Congressman Tom Petri

One of my goals during my forced sabbatical is to keep a schedule similar to that of being gainfully employed, remain engaged, and learn new stuff. Today I went to a Town Hall Meeting to learn about the current economic state of affairs in our community. I had never done this and felt like I've been living under a rock! I fully intend to be more aware from this day going forward.

Congressman Tom Petri was quite delightful considering that he was standing up in front of a group of people who each felt that their agenda was the one that he should bring back to Congress and get resolved. He opened the floor for the constituents and was immediately battered but he managed to keep his calm and educate us all on what he's been learning throughout his Town Hall Meetings and work in DC.

Here's just a few of the comments raised by the group:

The Global Warming Tax -- couldn't this be resolved in a different way? We exported thousands of jobs overseas and pay a huge price (energy and otherwsie) to get them shipped back here for us to purchase. Let's bring manufacturing back home. Petri told us that the Global Warming Tax could adversely affect us in WI and Upper MI as we import a good percentage of our energy. Wind is bringing that reliance down but we don't currently have a way to store the unused energy that is produced . . . more later.
No Child Left Behind -- what about the gifted children? Isn't there a level of disparity between those that need extra help and those that don't? Parents are pulling their children out of the community schools and home schooling them. Please vote for the reform of the No Child Left Behind program. He agreed that there is much room for discussion in regards to this program.
Domestic / Eco Terrorism -- Wisconsin is one of the largest centers of animal and plant-based research in the US (bet you didn't know that!); we rank right behind Oxford. Eco terrorists are now part of a national network that make it difficult to track but once we do these people are being prosecuted. A constituent asked him to review the bill for reopening domestic slaughterhouses so we can monitor the humane treatment of horses being sent overseas for slaughter. She also suggested that the 'wild' ponies being held in goverment pens should either be released or slaughtered rather than use our tax paying dollars to feed them - have them feed us!
War Efforts -- A consituent's son is on his 3rd tour of Iraq; he's been in combat for 3 of his 6 years in the service. In previous war efforts a soldier only saw 12 months. The men and women that are returning need a better way to be reintroduced into the system than what's been happening. Petri told us that finally there is a system that allows the VA's records to communicate directly with the Pentagon. I was surprised to hear that this is still a problem in the age of technology; he seemed a bit embarassed also.
Priorities -- When there are people losing their homes how can he consiously vote for such flagrant programs such as studying honeybees, blueberries, and pig farts? Aren't we spending money on the wrong things? He tried to explain that it takes a long time to put a program into place and used the example of a naval destroyer -- why do we need 15 of them when certainly 10 should do? OK, I didn't completely follow his way of thinking with this analogy but then a woman farmer stood up and explained how studying the honey bees helps the farmer to pollinate his fields without using commercial fertilizers and excess fuel for farm equipment . . . mmmm, this makes sense now.
Job Loses -- What is the government doing about them? People need income not more debt. Wind Energy does completely solve the problem as we have no reliable way to store power when the demand is down or what to do when it's not windy? Petri reported that there is a new electric car technology being developed in Milwaukee, Israel, Hawaii, and Denmark that would use the energy from the cars that are plugged in during the non-peak hours. These new cars would use a battery pack that could be easily exchanged in a refueling station. Mmmmm sounds interesting! However, we are looking at a potential .08 to .10 increase in gas and heating fuel in the not-too-distant future.
Bank Money / Regulation -- Yes, the bailout is given in the form of a loan with interest. All those frauding the system will be prosecuted to the extent of the law.

You're welcome to join me for the next one or perhaps a cup of coffee to discuss the facts and see what each one of us can do to make this world a better place for ourselves, our children, and grandchildren.

What's a little cat hair?

2009-04-11T22:17:00.003-05:00

I found this AWESOME little tool for trying to get ahead of Zackie's shedding. It's called the BAMBOO cat de-shedding tool. Basically it's a fine tooth comb designed to get at the undergrowth that I can't seem to reach with his slicker brush. They show a picture on the packaging of a cat surrounded by mounds of fur -- if he would have sat still long enough to get his picture taken I would have sent it in to the company. He filled a small plastic grocery bag with his fur!! No wonder everything I touch is laden with cat fur! He wasn't real wild about it at first and moaned alot but once he got used to it he was fine. Next time though I certainly will wear something different than my fleece pj's! I have enough fur on me to knit a sweater (OK, so I'm exaggerating a bit). According to the advertisement if I brush him regularly the shedding should decrease dramatically. Gosh, I hope so because I'm finding cat hair in places where there's no cat, like my dresser drawers. I found it at PetCo but I checked online and it's available all over the place. They make a similar one for dogs and have posted a video on UTUBE so you can see how easy it is. I wish I would have found this when we had Pudgie!

Only God Knows the Truth

2009-03-25T16:04:00.005-05:00

For those of you who have missed my inspirational blog (LOL) . . . I apologize . . . recently I learned that I'll be soon joining one of the masses of unemployed. Yes, my dream job has been eliminated due to the economy. It's taken me a bit to get used to the fact that I will soon be included in those numbers that you hear on the nightly news: 'Unemployment has reached an all time high' . . . I know that everything happens for a reason but honestly I'm frightened sick of the unknown. I keep practicing my 'elevator speech' and who knows, perhaps McDonald's will be the lucky winner of my undying dedication and dynamic work ethic!! So, I was thinking about that and the numerous other things that are rattling around in my head on the way into work this morning - when I pulled into traffic from my neighborhood I found myself behind a huge dump truck with this inspirational phrase painted on its lift gate in huge lettering:

ONLY GOD KNOW'S THE TRUTH

So at first I thought that God was trying to get my attention (as it's easily diverted these days) and then I chuckled . . . KNOW'S??? . . . why didn't anyone catch the typo (knows - plural)? I'm thinking that someone had to come up with the awesome idea then propose it to the boss and then to the sign company and along the way no one caught the error? Or, just maybe it was intentional so that it would stick in one's brain for a long, long time like those awful songs that just won't quit? Bye, Bye Miss American Pie . . .

OK, so here's some other signage errors that bug me:

We Rent Harley's . . . they rent Harley's what? His house, his dog, what?
Adult Video's . . . now granted, those that frequent those stores probably don't care about
grammar but??

So, I'm on a quest now -- the self ordained grammar police. Let me know if you find any to add to my collection :-)

Save the Date! -- Zarling Heritage Family Reunion

2009-03-14T15:28:00.002-05:00

Whew! I just finished addressing the last 'Save the Date' postcard for the reunion. I thought it would be a great idea to get these cute postcards so people could start planning months before the reunion . . . however, I didn't count on having to manually write the invitation and address information on each one! And, the fact that my favorite Pilot Precise V5 smeared too easily on the cards was quite disappointing. Which accounted to a level of frustration equal to 400 cards!! So, I did it like a game . . . address 10 and then rewarded myself with something more fun than addressing postcards (folding laundry, doing the dishes, anything!) . . . address 10 more and I earned an Easter Peep . . . address 10 more and I'd be done for the day. I certainly won't do this again!

The reunion is scheduled for July 18th at our church in Menomonee Falls. The rental cost ($25) and location (2 blocks away from the house) and the fact that there's plenty of room to spread out for various workshops made this choice quite appealing. We have always had some family members that are interested in genealogy and some that are not and n're the two should meet kind of stuff going on . . . cousin Dale puts on a great fire safety program and this year we're going to teach the kids the games and toys that we played with as kids -- no batteries included. I've got some more ideas formulating and am looking forward to pulling it all together so stayed tuned!

Cats! Cats! Cats!

2009-03-02T20:33:00.004-06:00

Christie and Kent surprised Kent's mother, Jane, and myself to see the musical, 'Cats' on Saturday afternoon. The show was magnificent!! I would gladly see it again (hint, hint). Christie wouldn't go down with me to meet the cast but I cut out the picture of the cat that I wanted to take home with me (ha ha) and put it on my inspiration board in my office. There is quite the story line that goes along with the musical and now after reading up on it I think I'll enjoy the show even more (hint, hint).

Afterward Christie and Kent treated Jane and me to dinner at their favorite Ethopian restaurant downtown. Eating Ethopian food is certainly an experience; no utensils, no salt & pepper, just fine food, surrounded by a great authentic atmosphere.

Later I enjoyed a cup of coffee at their house while listening to Kent's new record player. For Christmas I bought him the albums that were mine and Gregg's most favorite when we were young -- Gregg's was the Carpenters, Close to Me and mine was The Who, Who's Next . . . what's that they say about opposites attracting? It was wonderful to sit back and chill to some great music while watching their three unique cats romp through the house. Little Stewie is a riot -- always checking stuff out and picking on old Mac. Mac stands his ground though and lets Stewie know that he doesn't appreciate being nipped at when he walks by; Stewie takes it all in and then tries it again. Buster comes out when he thinks that Stewie isn't around to bug him and bingo! Stewie jumps at him from behind the couch, they wrestle on the ground and then Buster runs back for cover. Christie has her own 'Jellicle Cat' tribe alright!

Manny's 12th Birthday!

2009-03-01T20:58:00.005-06:00

Manny and his 'dirt cake' that our uber creative Christie made for him -- it came complete with worms (gummy ones). He loved it!

My uber talented son-in-law, Kent, drew Manny this awesome card for his birthday. Christie and Kent found some of his favorites: a Simpson's tshirt (similar to the picture of all the characters that Kent drew and has displayed in their diningroom), a knight and a dragon. As he described it, 'SWEET'!

Wow, twelve years! How fast that time has gone by; how many memories have filled those days! Manny often asks me to tell him the story of the day that he was born. Gma Zarling was his mom's coach, I was the chief photographer, Gregg and Christie waited in the hall, and Juan (his dad) was there to be the first to welcome him into the world. We spent the night in the hospital on chairs; I'm not really sure that we slept at all. It was the most magnificent sight to see the glory of God's blessing (rather than being the participant)! Juan cut the cord and then held him in his arms and cried with such joy and amazement. We all immediately fell in love with this little guy and had no idea what an impact on our lives that he would have.

Manny is an artistically gifted child; he sees the world differently, in a visual sense. Seeing the world through the eyes of an artist has provided me the opportunity to see things differently also. So in that way I've been doubly blessed. Manny just doesn't look at the colors of a sunset; he gives them life. Playing pictionary with him has always been a challenge as my stick animals are completely oblivious to him and his depictions of something takes longer than the egg timer permits. His tremendous gift has at times been difficult for him as his thought patterns aren't the same as other kids his age and as often times happens with gifted children, he exhibits ADHD tendencies. His mother has searched for the best doctors, best therapists, best treatments and with her tenacity he's now doing remarkably well. The weird thing about ADHD is that it's a constant moving target so once Carrie feels that she's got it under control he'll have a growth spurt or some other challenge enters his already busy brain and she has to go back to the drawing board. I've heard that once he passes through puberty this constant change won't be as apparent and I pray that will be a smooth transition! For now though, we have learned to detect the signs of an imminent melt-down and attempt to redirect him to more positive feelings.

Do I wish that things were different for him? Yes, and no. He leads a very rich life in ways that are difficult to describe. I am blessed with the fact that God chose to give him to US.

BOW Weekend

2009-02-22T20:32:00.006-06:00

My fellow classmates and our animal tracks we cast.

The woman holding the bottle of wine was awarded this for

identifying the most tracks on our test.

Yes, even at this age I can't get away from test taking!

I spent the most wonderful weekend with 90+ inspirational women at the annual BOW (Becoming and Outdoorswoman) winter workshop. This is the 4th time that I've attended one of these workshops and each time I can't wait for the next one. I decided to be less outdoorsy this time but still learned an ENORMOUS amount.

My first workshop on Friday was astronomy -- I can now successfully locate the North Star, Orion, Venus, and many others thanks to my handy-dandy constellation wheel. The two women who taught this class are quite passionate about their hobby and brought their telecopes with them that were larger than some of the women in our class (not me of course)! We learned astronomy etiquette also -- did you know that when you go to a 'Star Gazing Party' you're not allowed to carry a white flashlight? Red is the correct color so that your eyes can best adjust to the stars. We were up in Tomahawk so the evening sky was like being in a planetarium. Once the clouds came in we attended a program presented by a fellow BOW member who got a chance to work with the 2008 Team Deshka Iditarod (http://alaskafrontier.net/Idtarod_08.html). Wow, what an experience!!

The next day was fun packed from the time that I woke for breakfast until I collapsed in bed. Our first session was animal tracking and again our instructor was AWESOME. We learned tips on how to identify animal tracks based on their prints and yes, scat-ology. I can't wait to teach Manny & CeCe what I learned! It snowed in the morning so the instructor wasn't sure that we'd find any tracks but low and behold, we saw deer, mouse, rabbit and a grouse. We were so surprised to see the grouse that we spooked it and it flew away but as it was trying to reach altitude it left 'angel' wings from its takeoff. Wouldn't you know it, I didn't keep my camera in my pocket and the battery froze. Grrrrrr. I'm hoping that another (more intelligent) BOW groupie can send me a picture of God's nature pallette. In the afternoon I learned to use power tools and made an awesome little box that I cut and put together complete with counter-sunk holes!

That evening we had the most moving presentation from one of the first all-woman non-sponsored team to make it to the North Pole in 2001, Frida Waara (http://www.fridawaara.com/about.html). Wow! What a woman!! I was so moved by her presentation that I had tears in my eyes when the program ended. There were so many questions I had for her . . . how did she keep her head when there was so much at stake? I kept thinking of her all night; not that I have any interest in skiing to the North Pole but geez, if this woman can do something of this grand scale I surely should be able to overcome the tiny obstacles in my mundane life -- right? This morning as I went in the bathroom to brush my teeth who should be standing next to me at the sink in her PJ's?? Frida!! I thought about asking her my questions but I was so starstruck I just smiled and wished her a good day. What a woos I am!! OK, Frida -- if I ever meet up with you in the bathroom again I'll be sure to have my head screwed on straight and realize that even though you're a goddess, you're just a woman . . . yea right 'just' a woman? Who am I kidding??

After I regained my composure I met up with two of my roommates for breakfast and then off to our last class, nature wreath making. I'm pretty impressed with my attempt to be 'Nature Woman' as Manny calls me when we donn our alter egos and become part of the night-time story around the summer campfire. I'm not so sure that I'm ready for sleeping in a hut made of snow and pine bows, hunter safety, or the rifle range but I would like to sharpen my ice fishing, tracking, and snow showing skills next year. Want to join me?

Talent Show

2009-02-07T20:33:00.008-06:00

Nose kazoos Pastor Claudia and Pastor Carly; aka Ethel and Lucy at the Candy Factory

Tonight my uber-talented grandchildren participated in our church talent show. CeCe and her friend Sam did a number from the Chipmunks with their hoola hoops and Manny did a number from High School Musical, 'Bet on It'. Not that I'm bias, but they were simply AWESOME!!!! To have the courage to get up in front of a group of strangers and singularly perform is beyond any amount of courage that I have. I was, and am, quite proud of them :-)

Gary Morgan, one of my friends from choir, gave out nose kazoos -- yes, really -- they had to play a song from their nose. It took a bit of practice but the kids were able to play 'God Bless America' with their new instruments. He didn't ask for them back so now Carrie can be serenaded by this new-found talent until the novelty wears off.

Two of our pastors, Claudia and Carly did the 'I Love Lucy' skit -- the one where they worked in the candy factory. It was hilarious!

Maybe, just maybe, I'll think of doing something next year . . . or, maybe not.

Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands

2009-02-01T19:33:00.003-06:00

Pilot Island

I got my third newsletter out for the Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands (FOPPI) this week. This is becoming quite the interesting volunteer activity for me . . . mix a passion for history, restoration and preservation with that of lighthouses and wala -- a full obsession.

This all started with a quick trip over to Rock Island two summers ago with my friends, Karen and Sue. While on the ferry Karen pointed out Pilot Island and noted that the cormorants were deforesting the island, leaving the lighthouse to the elements. You know how you learn something new and then within a few days you learn another thing new that's related to the first thing but you never would have linked the two together? Well, that's exactly how this happened . . . after returning from the wonderful girl weekend (albeit bitten in every inch of my being by horseflies), I stumbled on an article about a successful experiment where the Chicago suburb of Barrington used recycled Christmas trees and discarded utility poles to entice the cormorants to roost on these instead of the trees. It worked and soon the foliage returned. I shared this with Karen and she did some research to try and find the right person to forward my article to. So, at the same time as I was being the self-proclaimed cormorant researcher the Friends of Plum and Pilot Island was being formed with the direction of Tim Sweet who worked to restore the historic lighthouse on Rock Island. So of course we quickly sent in our dues and became one of the FOPPI followers. We quickly learned that the cormorant problem isn't as easy as was written in the Barrington story . . . the Fish and Wildlife Department respect these awesome animals and encourage us to do the same. No problem, we can still work our magic on Plum Island (along with a bunch of money). So, in a weak moment I volunteered to edit the newsletter until Tim found someone else. I get the feeling he's not really looking . . . not that I mind though; this has turned out to be a wonderful activity.

I 'edit' (aka publish) four newsletters a year and have set up various feature sections such as Island Inspirations where I write about people who have lived or worked on the islands; Light Lessons - learn something about the lights or lighthouses in general; Nature Notebook - what else is on and around the island; Beacons - things to take notice of; and a book review of lighthouse-related books. Pretty cool, hey?

In future editions I plan to write up some material on the Fresnel lens that's in the Plum Island light, shipwrecks around Pilot, and more on the history of the light. I'm on the hunt for material and have been feverishly reading back editions of 'Lighthouse Digest' and books that I've found (cheap) on Ebay. Of course, additional inspiration from my friends is greatly appreciated!

Carrie's birthday present -- stitched with love

2009-01-25T17:30:00.007-06:00

CeCe strategically pinning the pattern to the fabric

At first she was frightened that she'd stitch her fingers to the pillowcase but I assured her I be able to free them with my seam ripper.

She wanted to personalize it for her mom

Ta Da! The finished project

Last weekend CeCe and I had a 'girl day' where no boys were allowed to disturb us. We spent a considerable amount of time in the fabric store picking out the perfect fabric for her mother's birthday present. She chose this gorgeous blue color with dragon flies as blue is her mom's favorite color and dragon flies are a girl's magical friend -- according to CeCe. She was so proud of her efforts and asked lots of questions about how long I've been sewing and how I learned. I told her that when I went to school the girls took Home Economics and the boys took Shop classes. Aunt Bessie tutored me with techniques she learned through the years but I still can't sew a button hole for the life of me. However, I did see that my friend from choir (Ellen Follmann) 'cheats' and uses alot of velcro . . . mmmm I can do that!

When I got my first tax return my father suggested that I purchase something practical so of course I bought a sewing machine! I still have that beauty but it's resting in the closet now that I got Gregg's mother's machine in a cabinet. Her's is a real work horse and it'll probably be awhile before it dies but then I'll be on the search for a cabinet for mine. There's something about being organized while you're being creative that resting a machine on the diningroom table just doesn't seem to complete.

We went sledding with the church youth group afterward. I convinced CeCe that the photographer is supposed to stay up at the top of the hill to take pictures and she didn't quite buy it; she continued to try and persuade me until one of the mothers came hobbling up the hill with a twisted knee. She went up and down 'Killer Hill' so many times that she was exhausted by the time we were ready to leave.

All in all it was a PERFECT girl day. I'm looking forward to the next one :-)

Musical Muse

2009-01-18T19:18:00.000-06:00

Mom, Great Uncle Chester and Dad

Music has always been one of my joys -- perhaps it was from growing up in a musical family; Dad played the concertina and Mom had this heavenly voice with a perfect pitch and range. Dad always hoped that we would be one of these traveling families like the Osmonds but us kids just weren't as much into polka music as he and mom were. Even so, they instilled in us a love of great music. My musical interests varied over the years from the K-Tel hits of the 60's and 70's (remember those 45 rpm's?) and to hard rock during my rebellious years and country in my 'trying to figure it out years' to folk and world music now. I still like rockin' to Neil Young when in my funk moods but my radio is mainly tuned to the XM-folk station nowadays.

When I went through my clinical depression, music rescued me from the darkness and dispair. One song that got alot of airplay at that time was 'The Only Way' by Ellis Paul. It goes something like this:

I'm gonna love

I'm gonna believe

I'm gonna dream

I'm gonna roll up my sleeves

And give everything until I've nothing left to give

That's the only way that I know how to live

Whenever I heard that song I felt just a little bit stronger until finally the meds kicked in and the depression started to release me. Years later Ellis was performing in Madison and I convinced Gregg to take me. Realize that Gregg is no folk-fan and had NEVER been to a live musical performance before that day. Those that know my wonderful hubby know how difficult it is for him to step out of his comfort zone but he knew how important this was for me and acquiesed. He watched for a time when I could meet Ellis to tell him my story. Ellis looked at me with a tear in his eye (perhaps because he saw mine) and told me how pleased he was that his message helped me. Even if you're not a dyed-in-the-wool folk fan, try on some of Ellis' music! He writes from the heart and is just as much an accomplished musician and singer as composer. Oh, and he's also a huge Woody Guthrie fan but that's another blog.

Click on this link for an intro to his latest album (which I helped to sponsor): The Day After Everything Changed and let me know how you liked it.

Boys and their toys

2009-01-11T20:57:00.000-06:00

Finally got Manny's attention away from his DS

Gregg's golf swing

Rock Star Manny

Manny the Monopoly King

It was game night tonight at the Volmer arcade . . . Manny kicked my butt in a game of Monopoly. The game just isn't the same as I the one grew up with -- instead of the multi-colored dollars we now use a debit card!! Guess the game manufacturers are just keeping up with the times but I think we're missing a strong link to the game and life studies . . . how is a kid to learn to give change if everything's being done electronically? However, Manny did do some quick Math when I passed go and landed on one of his properties with a hotel -- but slipping in my debit card just wasn't the same as counting up those Monopoly dollars of old :-(

They best not mess with CandyLand!

Manny found that the Tyco folk have released a new WebKin dragon that he just HAS to have. The previous dragon was pink so she married the frog WebKin and they had a couple of little WebKins. Now that the new dragon's on the block he's decided that the pink dragon (Helen) is going to divorce the frog so she can marry the new, cool dragon. Mmmmm, life studies??

Gregg finally pulled the Wii that I got him for Christmas out of the box. Manny showed him how to play the basic games (and beat his butt in bowling!) -- Gregg's officially hooked now. He even invited brother Jerry over for a bit of competition. Score: Jerry's still the bowling king while Gregg's the golf king. Don holds his own. It's been awhile since I've heard Don laughing and enjoying himself -- I'm feeling good about this purchase.

So, I'm now looking for the best price on a Wii Fitness for me . . .

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T23:10:00.001-06:00

We celebrated the last of our Christmas gatherings, the tree is out by the road, and Gregg's got all the Christmas storage tubs relabeled. So, I'm guessing it's officially done and I can concentrate on my New Year's goals (not necessarily in order of importance):

1. Spend more time with Gregg
2. Cook more often for Gregg and Don (Thanksgiving and Christmas don't count)
3. Get in touch with my creative self
4. Take more time to read
5. Take more time to write
6. Lose weight
7. Become more environmentally conscious at home and at work
8. Go back to school
9. Learn more about ADHD to help Manny and others understand him
10. Spend more one-on-one time with Manny and CeCe
11. Get more in touch with nature
12. Hone my photography skills
13. Guide my company to success
14. Figure out how to keep pace with Gregg on the golf course
15. Get in touch with my spiritual side

How's this for a start?

The Joy of Giving

2009-01-03T18:16:00.000-06:00

Cigar Box Label

Design copywrited in 1907 by O Zarling, Milwaukee Wisconsin

I received a phone call the other day from a distant relative thanking me for his Christmas gift; I could feel the emotion in his voice as he recalled fond memories of his father from something as simple as a couple of cigar box labels that I found on Ebay. His father, Otto Zarling, made the Shackelford 9370 cigars on a rolltop desk in the upper floor of a barn on the south side of Milwaukee - I think it was 13th and Cherry or someplace where the neighborhood has dramatically changed. Ron Zarling told me that his brother has the desk and an invoice from Otto's business venture. As he told me these stories I could almost imagine Otto retreating to his makeshift office each day to create his craft and then load up his horse to deliver these fine cigars to the area stores. The label was copywrited so obviously he was pretty good at this.

I have many pieces of furniture from my family that also brings back warm memories from my Grandmother Miller's diningroom set to my father's confirmation certificate and Tauf-Schein (baptismal certificate), Great Uncle Walter Sachse's wicker rocking chairs, and the trunks that my Great Grandmother Lada used to store her meger belongings on her trip to the US from Poland with two young children. There are stories within these pieces that seem to spring to one's mind when they touch or view them. My Aunts told me that the only time they were allowed to eat at the diningroom table was when their mother was entertaining their schoolteacher. I remember, as a young girl, these pieces as being the most beautiful woodcarving I'd ever seen. I can't even begin to explain my joy when Uncle Raymond said that I could have 'those old pieces of junk' from his basement.

I have 'Rockfield' also saved as one of my Ebay favorites and last year a gorgeous bowl came across Ebay from the grocery store that was in the town where my father grew up. I gave it to Uncle Marvin when he had his hip replacement along with some fruit. Was he surprised when he got to the last piece of fruit and saw the label!! He too called with the fond memories; he remembered the store quite vividly and also remembered reading the local news over the fence (in German) to the German Prisoners of War at the Rockfield Cannery. My grandfather and great-grandfather were crew chiefs for these POW's that were detained to assist in the harvest during World War II. I wonder if they knew that they would one day be remembered by the important part they played for our nation.

What kind of stories will my girls and grandchildren tell their offspring about growing up with me? I sure hope they'll be good juicy ones :-)

Milwaukee Perks

2009-01-02T20:25:00.000-06:00

This piece used shadows to turn the pieces that looked like coins. If you look closely you can see my shadow taking the picture. Yes, I know . . . you're not supposed to take pictures in the Art Museum but how could I miss such a perfect picture!
CeCe making art (the blobs on the floor changed each time she moved)

Manny, Gee & CeCe by an actual piece of the Titanic's hull
Manny preparing for battle

Elizabethan CeCe

One of the many benefits of living in Menomonee Falls is how close we are to Milwaukee. In less than 45 minutes we can be at one of the many venues in the theatre district, take in a museum, or take one of the wonderful walking tours that Historic Milwaukee conducts. I'm ashamed to say though that we don't take advantage of these cultural events enough. But I'm working on changing that . . . yesterday I gave Carrie & Ben some time of peace and quiet and took the kids to the Milwaukee Art Museum and today to the Milwaukee Public Museum.

The Art Museum has a wonderful exhibit, Act/React Interactive Art, where the kids could 'experience' art rather than just looking at it. Christie and Kent joined us and together we created art with sensory assistance. They've got this really neat way for kids to appreciate the art by wearing costumes through the galleries. Manny chose the armor (of course) and CeCe chose the Elizabethan collar. They were quite the sight (as usual). CeCe's favorite piece of art is a shaggy dog that morphs into a waterfall. Manny loved everything, Kent liked the Picasso, Christie liked the interactive art, and I found a Winslow Homer that I read about in National Geographic. Maybe someday we'll see Manny's art on the walls of this gorgeous place??

Today we spent the entire day at the Milwaukee Public Museum. CeCe's school offered group-rate tickets to see the Titanic Exhibit and the Ghosts of the Abyss Imax movie along with museum admission. We got there around 9:00 and didn't leave until around 5! The kids are finally at the age where they're getting something out of the museum, whew! The Titanic was OK but I enjoyed the one that Uncle David and I saw in Chicago a couple of years ago better. This one did have some authentic artifacts though that kept the kids' attention for quite some time. We were each given a boarding pass when we entered and then later found out if our person survived. CeCe got 'The Unsinkable Mollie Brown' and I got another woman who traveled in first class and lived. Manny's guy traveled in second class and unfortunately didn't make it. The movie was AWESOME and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to keep up with the Titanic saga. James Cameron produced this documentary after his blockbuster; he taped the trip of a couple of submersibles going down to the wreckage that guided two robotic cameras into the ship. They shot pictures of the stained glass windows from within the diningroom and other areas that could not be photographed because of the depth (12,000 feet) and tight quarters. It was neat to see the kids' reactions to this event in history.

Merry Christmas!!

2008-12-25T21:24:00.000-06:00

Stewie checking out the action

Our awesome family:

Ben, CeCe, Christie, Grandpa Don, Kent, Manny & Carrie

Ahhh, the house is quiet, Zackie has finally calmed down from all the excitement and is asleep on my lap as I type. Poor guy, not only did he have to contend with a houseful of people but Christie & Kent brought their little kitten, Stewie, along. Zackie was OK to check Stewie out on his own terms but when Ben sat them down together Zackie went ballistic, growled, screamed, and couldn't hop (yes, Kent -- it was quite funny to see) away fast enough. He didn't come back upstairs for hours.

Our Christmas was wonderful; my girls are so thoughtful in their gift selections. Manny was a bit disappointed that he received 'too much fabric' (type gifts) but once he looked at all the cool shirts he got he decided that they weren't all that bad after all. I'll have to remember to balance that next year . . . shirt, toy, shirt, book, etc. Gregg counted all the gifts under the tree and calculated that we'd have to open a gift every two minutes in order to meet our deadline to sit down for brunch at 11:30, open our ornaments and get ready for my brother, sister, niece, nephew, and girlfriend to join us. Each year I give the kids an ornament that signifies something that they did during the year so that when they put them on their tree next year they can recall fond memories of years' past. Surprisingly CeCe really looked forward to it and loved the little reading owl that she received; this year she's discovered how fun that reading is and is hooked on 'Junie B. Jones' books.

I didn't get a chance to organize my parents' slides; perhaps next year :-) For the second year Carrie won the Zarling Trivia contest and is the honorary 'Zarling of the Year' and proud holder of the honored 'Z' award.

Two more celebrations (Gregg's mom and Uncle David's family) and Christmas will be over; how bittersweet that is. But, I can dream and plan for next year -- I vow to (try and) have all my planning and wrapping done by December 1st so I can take the kids to a Nutcracker performance, go caroling, take the 'Jingle Bell' bus downtown to see the lights, visit the Pabst Mansion to view the decorations, light all the Advent candles (this year I made it past the first one) -- or take it as it comes and seize the moment(s).

Christmas is in HOW MANY MORE DAYS?

2008-12-22T22:17:00.000-06:00

I started my Christmas shopping and wrapped the gifts before we went to Germany. Yes, that WAS in September . . . I thought that if I got the gifts out of the way I could enjoy the season; take in an Advent workshop, look at the lights, do more decorating, bake cookies, etc. like those that are more organized somehow find time to do. (Another reason for the early wrapping was so that the girls wouldn't peak when they came to check on Zackie while we were gone). OK, so much for great intentions. Here it is the 22nd and I still have some gifts to wrap, meal to plan, and being the procrastinator that I am -- not much incentive to finish. Perhaps I'm secretly thinking that if I get all the stuff done on my to do list Christmas day will be upon me and all the anticipation will be spent in a couple of hours. I want Christmas to last longer, like when I was a kid and watching 'Rudolph' and 'Charlie Brown's Christmas' were just the intro to the season . . . when there was time for ice skating, sledding, going to Candy Cane Lane, listening to Bing Crosby . . . never did get into that baking thing though. This year we're hauling out my parents old slides and reliving those times -- I haven't seen these in years and am anticipating some great laughs at my expense. My Dad enjoyed taking still and movie pictures; perhaps that's where I get my muse from. This time of year is never easy with both of my parents gone but we've created new traditions and memories; the 'Zarling' of the year trivia game is met with much anticipation -- the girls get to learn a bit more about their cousins and share a couple of laughs inspite of themselves. Last year we started making gifts for each family member and my brother Jerry gave each of us Pillsbury cookies, the kind that you have to bake -- obviously he didn't quite get it. Niece Tena made some gorgeous ornaments and I made a picture collage of things in nature that look like letters which spelled out my sister's family name 'KLOTZ'. I'm hoping that they like this year's bit of creativity . . . stay tuned!

Opening Night

2008-11-04T20:17:00.001-06:00

Saturday was opening night for our annual dinner show. Gregg, Jerry, Uncle Dave, and Karen came to cheer me on. We have some enormous talent in our choir and I'm blessed to be surrounded by them.

My mother had a sweet angelic voice; I'd like to think that I inherited that from her. This music gene was quite prevalent in her family and it's a joy to sit in church with my aunts and just listen. I have always enjoyed singing along to the radio in the car or doing dishes -- one of the many things I drove the girls crazy with. I know that they probably won't admit it but I've heard them each sing and they too have that Miller gene -- they just haven't tapped into it yet.

There is a song that's popping into my head -- can music save your moral soul . . . American Pie?

I look forward to my Thursday night choir rehearsals and am able to forget about all the stupid little things I fret about during the week -- did I remember to post that journal entry? How am I going to make that program work? Where am I going to find time to do all I need to do? In choir I just sit back and listen God's glory in all the voices. It gives me a tingling feeling when the pages of my music begin to vibrate from the tones.

Yes, music can save your moral soul and calm the salvage beast in each of us.

Zackie -- I rescued a human!

2008-11-01T09:37:00.000-05:00

I had never given much thought to adding a cat to our family after our beloved Pudgie left us to go to doggie heaven but after Christie found Mac my heart started to soften. My sister had a farm cat as we were growing up; he used to escape and come back home with all kinds of half-eaten treasures. Yuk, I certainly didn't want to go through that again . . . Christie had a skidish cat, Mittens, and he decided that my couch was a more convenient litter box than the one downstairs -- nope, I thought, too much maintenance. Then Christie invited us over to meet Mac and the moment that he crawled up into Gregg's lap and fell asleep we were hooked. Before the magic wore off Christie and Kent accompanied us to the Wisconsin Humane Society and as we walked in this huge, gorgeous cat met our gaze. I tried to convince Gregg to look at the other cats but he wouldn't hear of it. Even when I learned that this cat was missing something (a tail!) he still was mesmorized. So, Zackie entered our hearts and family. He was exactly what we needed with all the changes going on in our lives at that time. He listens to my sorrows, shares my joys, greets me at the door, reminds me when bedtime is, and makes sure that I keep the bird feeders full for his enjoyment (and the birds meal ticket)! We're constantly learning more and more about him and ourselves . . . he's pretty sendimentary but when something catches his fancy he'll enjoy it immensely -- Ladybug season is one of his favorites, thank goodness those little guys have wings! I cut out the pattern and fabric for one of Manny's Christmas gifts and I learned that Zackie loves the pattern paper so much I ended up sending him downstairs with Gregg and Don while I finished my project!

Gregg often mentions that Zackie has the soul of Pudgie and often times see him laying in the Pudge stance . . . front legs royally crossed one over the other. Pudgie loved bread and would come running whenever he heard the sound of the plastic bag wrapper (which we learned is a completely different sound than any other plastic bag -- Christie used to bring a loaf outside to convince him to come in but that's a whole new blog) . . . our Zackie goes crazy over ice cream. He won't flinch when I open the freezer door unless I have taken the ice cream scoop out of the drawer. He starts pacing until either I'm done with my Ben & Jerry's fix or he has his own. He does this 'kneading' type of thing whenever he's trying to get comfortable; usually it's on my stomach and poor guy -- just as soon as he's gotten comfortable I have to get up and go to the bathroom and the process starts all over. He's quite a talker and where Christie and Gregg taught Pudgie how to say his name, Gregg has taught Zackie to call out my name 'Marrrrrr'. We've thought about bringing another rescue into our family but why mess with perfection?? Now, there's still the question of the excess cat hair . . . suppose I could send all my black clothes to Goodwill . . .

Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins

2008-10-19T19:06:00.000-05:00

This afternoon we went to the pumpkin farm with some kids from church. The farm had a rainbow play yard, some cute billy goats (CeCe's favorite), some bounces, a corn maze and of course the pumpkin field. It was interesting to see how the kids exercised their blossoming leadership skills in trying to find our way through the maze. Manny and Loren (I think she was about the same age as him) appointed themselves as leaders and would often stop and discuss the direction to go based on each others' interpretation of the map. The younger ones would follow them like the pied piper and after awhile they realized that in addition to getting us out of the maze they had to make sure we were all together so would often stop to check to make sure that Gee (aka, me) was pulling up the end of the group. I was quite proud of Manny (as always).

We've been practicing for this year's choir dinner show. This year's theme is broadway musicals and I'll be singing in a couple of group numbers including 'Beauty School Dropout'. We'll be wearing a towel on our heads and a beauty shop apron! So as well as looking foolish by my costume I also have some considerable dance steps to add to my repretoire -- oh and remembering the music is yet an additional challenge for uncoordinated old me. It'll be fun though. This is the third time that I've participated in the choir dinner show; I made it through the last two without falling flat on my face and have a good feeling I'll make it through this one unscathed.

In case I haven't twisted your arm to purchase tickets they can be acquired by calling the church office and reserving your seat for the 11/1, 11/2, 11/7, 11/8, or 11/9 show. The phone number is 262-251-3830. Ticket prices are $30 and include a three-course meal.

Fall!

2008-10-14T22:19:00.000-05:00

Hello All --

This morning's ride into work was a photographer's paradise; unfortunately THIS photographer opted to stay in bed a couple of minutes longer until Zackie had enough of my laziness and urged me to climb out from under the covers and feed him. The fall colors are in their prime now . . . the tree across the street is a vibrant red and ours is colors of golden orange and yellow. The fields along my route are tinted brown and one can almost smell Fall in the air. I caught the sun setting from my office window and smelled my favorite fall scent -- wood burning fire places. Ahhh, I love it! I wonder if there's a definite change in one's perspective without the dramatic season change?? Brother John moved out to Arizona a few years ago and vows never to return (except for visits) -- he feels that if he grows lonesome for snow he can run up to the mountains in the morning and be back in time to take a dip in his backyard pool. Not me, I'm a Wisconsin girl through and through; however, I could convince myself that Vermont is just as nice if need be. Gregg and I snow-shoed up in the Green Mountains over Christmas / New Year's a couple of years ago and I fell in love with the scenary, people, slower pace, no drive-through McD's or big box stores. That was one of the things that stole the romance from Germany . . . here we were in towns that were a couple of centuries old and on the corner was a MCDONALD'S. Yuck! It was almost blasphemous.

OK, off my soapbox.

While I was on vacation one of the partners in my company decided to take an early retirement so I was offered his responsibilities. YIKES! I thought about it for a bit and discussed my idea of supporting the revenue-producing units (instead of directing them as the past CFO did) with the other two remaining partners. They liked my idea and came up with a new title, 'Administrative Manager'. In this role I still do all my controller-type duties (creating the financial statements, administering HR, managing the IT processes, etc.) but do it in such a way to help the sales and production team leaders do their jobs with assistance from me and my team. My team is awesome and have alot of experience in the industry for me to learn from. So, stay tuned, this latest challenge is proving to be quite the ride.

Mother Nature's Magic

2008-10-06T21:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I finally got a chance to get back out to the garden and had tears in my eyes when I retrieved the sunflower heads for the squirrels and chipmunks. Manny 'helped' me plant my sunflowers this year; he decided that we should just scatter them instead of the boring row that I've planted them in the past. So, this year I had seven growing in various spots in one of my plots and one smack dab in the center of another. He loved it, I wanted to pull them out and transplant them in the rows where they belonged. In the end his creativity won out and I guess that may be the reason for the shape; mother nature's laughing at me for being so rigid.

Home Sweet Home

2008-10-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

I'm caught up on my sleep, the laundry, sorting through the piles of mail, answering emails and feel about ready to take on what's been waiting for me while I've been globe trotting. Of everyone that missed me I think it was hardest on my Zackie. When I came home he didn't even come to greet me at the door as he always does; Gregg went downstairs to get him and as soon as he put him down Zackie dashed back downstairs. Later on in the evening he once again ventured upstairs and when I called him he then dashed to me and wouldn't leave my side even to go to the bathroom. He's now like my shadow. Ahhh, creature comforts -- gotta love it.

I was thinking this morning about all that I learned on my trip; the culture, history, and resilience of the German people. I can sense that neat, orderly German culture that Dad tried to instill in me from little on -- it was what he learned from his parents and they from theirs, etc. My generation is the first of our clan that doesn't speak German; it would be a shame to lose any of the other qualities of our heritage. How then to preserve them? The family reunion is one way. Perhaps I need to get more in touch with my inner German and investigate what makes us tick.

The palace at Steinhofel (where I spent my 50th birthday, see picture) keeps intriguing me -- is it the gorgeous surroundings, quaint village, and proximity to the homeland of my ancestors that is so alluring? I don't think it was the summer palace for the King and Queen but probably for one of his cabinet members -- I have emailed the Schloss and am hoping that they'll be able to fill in the missing pieces to the puzzle. I believe that it was God's plan, or fate, which arranged for me to be there on that special day. Why? Was this a trailer to the next chapter in my life story?

I foresee the next chapters in my life being filled with challenges, rewards, and memories. With God's help I think it'll be quite the ride.

Almost Over

2008-09-30T12:27:00.000-05:00

Day 11, the last stretch of our wonderful trip. We spent the last couple of days in the gorgeous town of Oberabergau at the foothills of the Alps. The town is quite quaint with cobbled streets, a church that chimed every 15 minutes -the church was built in the 1700s and had the most unique cemetery that Ive seen. We walked to Greggs namesake chapel and met some wonderful Frauleins who guided us to the chapel from their bicycles.

Today we went to the historic town of Lindau which is on an island in the Bodensee. I was surprised and elated to find the lighthouse. Its much more embellished than our DC ones but equally beautiful. We stopped at the most beautiful baroque romanesque church in Bavaria. By now all the churches are running together but this one had some unique frescos to view and look for hidden things in them like a honeybee nest and an angel holding a mirror on the ceiling.

Tomorrow will be a bittersweet day as itll be our last excursion -- a woodcarving exhibition and then off to Frankfurt to rest up for our trip home.

Ive gone through 9 rolls of film and multiple digital photos so there will be plenty of memories to share with you all.

See you soon.

-- Gregg and Mary

The Romantic Road

2008-09-27T11:06:00.000-05:00

To end my PERFECT birthday we went to a wonderful restaurant in Berlin where everyone sang happy birthday and the musicians played the Beer Barrel Polka in my honor. Gregg picked out a gorgeous ring in Cologne to complete this memorable birthday.

Yesterday we walked through the wonderful medieval town of Nuremburg and took some great pictures. Our tour guide is awesome and quite the history buff. Weve learned alot more about WW2 and Hitler, took some pictures of the places where he held the nazi rallies and understood more about how he came to power.

Today we went to two medieval towns, Rotenburg and another one that I cant remember the name of but both were charming . . . cobblestone streets, half timber houses, great food, great shopping (birkenstocks for half the price in the us!). Were spending the night in Munich and will see the sights of Munchen with a local guide and then head south through Bavaria to Oberabergau where well spend two relaxful nights with views of the Alps. Then the Black Forest and back to Frankfurt on Wednesday night.

Weve learned that the Germans are very neat people, friendly, orderly, and pleasant. I loved the small towns and could easily see myself in one of those townhouses overlooking the 13th century history. Berlin and Munich are much like Chicago. The food is wonderful but I cant get used to the mineral water, yuk.

More later!

= Gregg and Mary

Guten Tag!

2008-09-25T08:34:00.000-05:00

Hallo Alles!

We made it . . . its absolutely gorgeous. Much like Wisconsin. The city homes (or villas) are close together and those that live in the city also have a garden home where they spend weekends and holidays. We had a slight change in our schedule and due to scheduling conflicts we spent Wednesday night in an artist town in an old converted warehouse with a Paccaso motif . . . yes, Kent I took lots of pictures for you! Last night and tonight were staying the summer PALACE of Queen Luise. Yes, an actual palace with gardens and fountains!! Were near where my family came from so I got a feel for what their villages might have looked like. What a wonderful way to celebrate my 50th . . . a birthday fit for a queen (aka ME). We stopped in Cologne and lite candles for all our loved ones in the cathedral and have spent the last couple of days touring the palaces of the Prussian royalty. Ive already used up all my film and weve got another week to go. Sorry about the lack of punctuation, this a european keyboard and at 5 euros a half hour I dont want to waste time figuring it out.

Take care. More later.

Gregg and Mary

The Beginning

2008-09-14T22:21:00.000-05:00

Christie convinced me that this is the route that technology is taking so here I go!

We have alot of exciting things that we're looking forward to - the biggest being our trip to Germany! We're leaving on Saturday and Gregg's already fretting over what he'll do during the plane trip from NY to Frankfurt. He was trying to remember when the last time was he sat next to me for 9 straight hours . . . ahh, never? I'm packing some munchie food, magazines, books, etc. so hopefully he'll relax and enjoy the escape. We'll be taking in Frankfurt, Remagen, Cologne, Berlin, Leipzig, Nurenberg, Rothenberg, Munich, Oberammergau, Lindau, The Black Forest, Heidelberg, and returning to Frankfurt. Stay tuned.

My Door County sunset picture has now come back from the printer, embossed with an inspirational scripture. We're waiting for the elders to figure out how to hang it in the church's celebration hall. Believe me, I was surprised (and estatic) when they chose my picture!!