Gotcha!!

So, for a long time now I have been wanting one of those neat grabber things, with a little squeezy handle and the ability to pick up anything without having to bend over. Even a threaded needle, as I have been catching up on my mending (PUN!). E-Z Grabber. I fully endorse this product, even though my insurance did not cover it.

Well, I finally got myself one. Look how cheerfully yellow it is too! What a happy color for grabbing. Usually I want something for a long time before finally breaking down and buying it, and since my body broke down first, and then I reached my breaking point (oh do all these whiny puns SLAY ME!) I bought one from the always-helpful Ye Olde Pharmacy. It didn't break the bank. I love that place (and puns). They sell things no one else seems to have (for instance, I also got a non-aluminum deodorant crystal thing. Honest people in my life can help me test it out.) I mean it.



Speaking of sensory issues, my PT gave me some interesting advice: use sensory pleasures, such as funny pictures, petting the cat (yes, Jinxxx is in my lap right now, "helping" me type), and pleasant smells to trick yourself help the brain release chemicals that will alleviate pain. So, after getting the grabber thing, I went to Penzey's and bought allspice and cloves- two of my favorite and most pungent spices.- The clerk there was so helpful. She was an older lady. She saw me open the door with my cane and was imediately at my side, found exactly what I wanted justlikethat, put it all in her pockets to carry it for me, and was just incredibly kind (another glowing endorsement, I know). The store was a bit quiet and I told her my rationale for extra spice use. She told me she knew all about pain- indicating to me what I had already noticed- the ravages of rheumatoid arthritis- and yet she was so kind, so helpful, so pleasant.


So I made an amazing hot beverage (recipe: hot water, allspice, cloves, pinch of brown sugar, tsp vanilla). It did seem to help. It certainly was tasty.


And I can't wait to use my grabber to clean up trash in Lincoln Park this summer, the original reason I wanted it in the first place. Look out, chip bags. Get out of town, blunt wrappers. I'm coming to get you.

Butterflies land en masse in Shorewood

Butterflies seem to have landed everywhere in Shorewood!

Andy Haas Schneider's butterfly on display at Tim Hart Dentistry, 1720 E. Lake Blvd. I loved the juxtaposition with the bikes.

According to Shorewood Now, there are thirty hand-decorated butterflies gracing Shorewood's shopping district, which I first noticed incidentally while on Oakland Avenue.

Detail of Schneider's butterfly design: the colors flow together so smoothly. Photos simply do not do it justice.

I haven't been able to explore them all, but the idea is just so colorful and fun. All of the artists are from Shorewood or are otherwise local or regional (the two farthest-away artists are from our neighbor state to the south). I love public art, I love butterflies, and I love Shorewood (it's a well-planned community; a walkable and compact first-ring suburb; and convenient to downtown and UWM, with good schools and plenty of rental availability (convenient for elderly residents)- something Glendale, with its distaste for anything to do with rental property, could well learn from - but that's another issue, and I can't afford to move to Shorewood anyway.

I can, however, afford to bike or park in one spot there and walk to everything I need to do: work out at the Community Fitness Center (what a concept!), read at the library, buy groceries, get a cup of coffee, window shop, mail a letter, go to the bank, and now look at some really cool butterflies to boot.

Kathleen Hoffman's butterfly at Gilded Edge Lakeshore, 4401 N. Oakland.

The art is on display until August 23rd, after which they will be auctioned off. Besides on and near Oakland Ave, they are also on display at the Police Department, the Library, the Village Hall, and the Fitness Center. Brochures are available too with all the addresses and thumbnail photos. I hope you enjoy them!

Weed bouquet

Today is the 11th anniversary of my marriage to Brain. He doesn't get me flowers, ever, using his half-Vulcan logic: "You have flowers," broadly indicating the yard. This year, though, all I have are weeds. And a fairly good excuse to not have gotten rid of them. (Though I had eradicated the evil garlic mustard previously, at least). I missed the peonies' bloom- pushing aside the taller-than-myself weeds revealed only shriveled brown. I had hoped to snip a bouquet for myself, at the very least.

Since many of my neighbors care meticulously about their own lawn appearances, particularly those directly next door in either direction, this is especially frustrating.

So today, Brain, ever the practical pragmatist, weeded the front flowerbeds for me. Ah, mature love. That, and the perfectly cooked steak he has been making for me.

ESL love and hate- amor y odio

I just read yet another vitriolic post on the always-vitriolic blog, Ichabod, the Glory has Departed. The author lives in Arizona, but he regularly bashes many of the Milwaukee churches at which I have worshipped over the years, and their pastors, and their coffee. I don't know what happened to this man to make him so hateful, but his writings always make me think of how Hitler got rejected by a Jewish art school.

Here is the particular post that has me in a rage right now, in which Ichabod bashes my beloved ESL (English as a Second Language) program for which I volunteer. I love this program; I have volunteered approximately weekly for over three years. It has changed my life in a deep and meaningful way. Milwaukee has always been a city of immigrants (just ask John Gurda.): German, Polish, Italian; now African, Hmong, East Indian, Russian, and especially Latino. This is huge. As a health care worker, I see the need to learn Spanish to better serve our clientele, and I see the equal need for Latinos in the US to speak fluent English. Milwaukee is, has always been, a melting pot: culturally, linguistically, religiously, politically. It wasn't always comfortable, but I think we have a greater appreciation of one another's cultures than ever before. And it's beautiful. (I also love ethnic food, which Milwaukee has in abundance.)

Since Ichabod likely will not approve my disapproving comment, I paraphrased it here.

Beth is a wonderful woman with a true heart for Christian service. She TEACHES ENGLISH to struggling immigrants. There are devotions offered (not compulsory) after class in English and Spanish by Pastors and seminarians, and the students are welcomed to Sunday services. The language lesson has no religious component, unless it comes up in the conversation practice between volunteer and student- any topic could come up, in fact: it is conversation (in addition to grammar, vocabulary, etc) like you would have with a friend. In fact, you [Ichabod] would do well to see such faith in action that the dedicated volunteers demonstrate- it is stressed at every class that we do this out of love for our brothers and sisters from around the world. This program has changed my life. It has changed many people's lives.

I encourage you, whoever may be reading this, to find a way to serve others that suits your own interests, that will help you grow, that will help Milwaukee be an even better place. Whether that means picking up garbage from a park, sharing helpful information, writing letters to our elected officials; whatever that means to you, do it.

Milwaukee mourns MJ

I for one am saddened by Michael Jackson's sudden death. This is the first time the question of "where were you when you heard that so-and-so died" will have to be "on the internet." A sign of the times, I guess.

Between 8 and 9 pm last night- usually prime fun time on a hot hot night- I was driving extensively through the 'hood last night,taking multiple sunset photos, windows down.
But I heard no rap, no boom cars- the only music I heard was Thriller and the like at respectable volume levels. And it was hot, but everyone was acting civilized. No one honked at me when I slowed down to get a photo. No one tailed me. A bicyclist smiled and waved, friendly, even though I almost nicked him making a U-turn. It was as though the community was in mourning.

Personally, I found the news shocking. This was a man who practically made it his life's work to attempt to live youthfully forever (oxygen tank, countless plastic surgeries, personal amusement park); I thought he would remain alive and perfectly preserved forever. I did grow up in the 80's and always appreciated his music (and the great roller-rink memories it will always bring back- which will live on for all time in his stead. (remember Wisconsin Skate University? "ALL SKATE- ALL SKATE!!") That, and clumsily trying to moonwalk, failing miserably every time. This is when music was "fun" to me (pre-grunge and Pearl Jam). MJ always was fun to listen to, to dance to. I particularly remember roller skating to Billy Jean and not understanding the lyrics, but I knew it was cool.

Much later I learned what a hard, abusive childhood he had had, so it is no wonder he had problems. But many brilliant artists were troubled.

RIP finally, Michael.

Keefe, Atkinson, and Milwaukee's Stonehenge

The word "Solstice" conjures up a lot of different things for different people. Astronomically, the summer solstice refers to the longest day of the year-- usually June 21st: simply the day when, in the Northern hemisphere, the day is as long as it will be all year. Some people find this to be a sad day- after all, the days will only get shorter from here on out until the winter solstice, the shortest day. Others make a spiritual celebration out of it. I certainly note its presence- I don't enjoy our Milwaukee summer heat, but I love the longer light at the end of (and even more so at the beginning of) each day.

Now, there is a place on Atkinson Avenue that I always feel is special. I think of it as Milwaukee's version of Stonehenge. Atkinson, just north of Keefe, heads in a northwesterly direction at this point- and on the summer solstice, the sun appears to set directly over the road. It is simply amazing. Maybe it is just me, but I just feel that there is something special about this phenomenon.

Here's a map below. The little "A" indicates where the photo was taken. (OK, so I was four days late. Life, and clouds, got in the way of taking it on the exact solstice. I had been planning to take this photo for two years, so four extra days- aside from not being as precise as I would have liked- mattered little.)

I hope you enjoy this post. I certainly enjoyed putting it together for you.

Oh, the Milwaukee heat!

The thermometer says 83 degrees F. My personal melting point is much lower than that. We eschew A/C as a general conservation and frugality measure, so my glass of cold sun tea and an ice pack is sufficing for now...that, and dreaming of otters joyfully sliding down icy slopes onto frozen rivers!Otter chillaxin' after a fun day of ice sliding.

Real life starts again

Kitties helped me blog while I recuperated.

I got released this morning to go back to work this week. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, it's been great to sleep when I need to- staying up till dawn, if that's when I had energy and ability to stand up; napping during the afternoon, if that's what pain and meds necessitated; eating when I wanted and needed to; and most of all, spending time writing- and I've read and written a lot, even when nearly immobile! My days got all mixed up. Time flowed funny- or not at all!- how did I spend two weeks in bed? Did that really happen, or was it a dream?

Somehow though I had a lot of creative and emotional energy, (mostly positive, surprisingly) possibly due to having no way of releasing any physical pent-up energy at all. I had some surprising inspirations for new projects and feel compelled and moved to help people in a different way than I have really felt before.

Today I was up and about, which felt good too, even straightening up a few things around the house that have- ahem- gotten out of hand. The yard and garden is a different story, and a lost cause for 2009 I think. At least I had previously gotten rid of this year's garlic mustard. Is it too late to plant a few tomatoes though? Weeds have completely taken over. Sorry, neighbors.

And, is it forgiveable if I really started to appreciate- and almost enjoy, really, having time be "mine" like that? I really do like my job, overall, but with the laptop in bed with me, and Facebook 24/7 (other nightowls were there for me too) I never got lonely. Not once.

So I want to thank anyone and everyone who helped me during my time of need, even those who will never read this. Especially Brain and also Riverwoods Urgent Care and my chiropractor.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

A parent's love

Jinxxx alerted me to the fact that another dove had babies on the windowsill (I do believe this is a different parent dove this time). It's an endless source of fascination for her. They are very prolific creatures, which is good, because cat entertainment is difficult to come by these days. They're so jaded.

I guess this post is a bit overdue, but the sight of this adult (gender unknown) bird going through such great physical exertion to feed its babies was an amazing sight to behold. It's hard work, feeding the fledgelings.
I just wanted to thank my own parents for helping me out while I've been laid up: my mom brought a homemade birthday meal with all the trimmings, my preferred cake (ok, I REALLY wanted the one from Little Anna's Mama has a Birthday, one of my favorite books as a child [I still have it!]) but she made my second-favorite, and it was amazing: the chocolate Bundt cake mentioned in my birthday post. I got some wonderful and useful gifts- a key holder for my wrist, for one (practical!) and also the Lustron DVD I so wanted (wahoo!!!). And my brother gave me a really cute Buffalo t-shirt that I promise to wear often, and not hoard for "special occasions" that, you know, never arrive.
I think I may make the Little Anna cake for her birthday, but don't tell her. I want it to be a surprise. Unless she wants something else: it's her birthday. Just like how I (usually) love my birthday, I want everyone to "have it their way" too. Mom, just let me know your cake preference. I promise not to wreck it.

Also, the next day, my dad brought over Kopps burgers for both Brain and me- and a decadent chocolate malt, which I didn't ask for- but he thought it would make me feel better. It worked! I sat up, ate, had a good conversation, and when I told him what I would buy with the gift card he gave me, he said, "Oh, I have one of those. I'll give it to you." Perfect!

So yes, this baby bird flew the nest long ago, but it's so good to know that when it comes down to it, my parents are there when I need them.

Guest post from James Brozek

Here's an open letter from James Brozek, one of our MRPA members. (I edited it for punctuation, clarity, and spelling.) It was sent to many public officials and others. He sent the photos, also.

Dear friends,

Last year the Milwaukee Riverkeeper organization stated they believe that removal of the Estabrook Dam would have the greatest positive impacts on water quality, sediment management, fish and aquatic life, terrestrial wildlife, and recreation. Here are my observations this spring of the Milwaukee River in front of my house.

As of June 6, 2009, the water level is four feet lower than its natural and historical level. I've seen a marked absence of Bluegills, Sunfish, Catfish, Bullheads, Northern, Bass, Western and Midland Painted Turtles, Common Snapping Turtle, Green Heron, Night Heron, Egrets, and Coots. But what I have seen is an abundance of hundreds of yards of mosquito-breeding puddles in front of my property. During the spring runoff, the river's currents scoured into the river gravel these wonderful, made-to-order incubators for the cute mosquito larvae wigglers. The abundance of algae covering this gravel is an exceptional food source for this Wisconsin State Insect. Can you say "West Nile Virus?" Ahhhh, did I mention the lovely aroma given off by the thin layers of ooze on the river gravel? No? Well, depending on the warmth of the day and the directness of the sun, this football field-sized area of river bottom rivals our hatched mosquitoes as the gift that keeps on giving. I've not seen anyone fishing. Where are the fishermen, now that the river is running free? Paddlers also have become an extremely rare site. I've seen a pair more drifting then paddling in the narrowed river channel. The Boys and Girls Clubs paddlers are nowhere to be found. Hikers? Nope, the river bottom is just too soggy and smelly. Long live the Lincoln Park Lagoon & Urban Wildlife Place.

Sincerely,

River Bro

Now- River Otter here again- I missed Thursday night's MRPA meeting. It sounded like it was a good one.
I'm wondering, does anyone from the MRPA ever read my blog anymore? I no longer post much about the dam or the group. It just didn't seem like a useful tool for getting out any information, as was my initial hope and inspiration for starting it. I just got lots of nasty comments from anti-dam folks, and verbal comments like "Only our enemies read it, anyway." A few nice emails came in here and there though, and informational ones like this. So, I just post (almost) whatever I feel like now. The Internet is very accommodating that way.

If any MRPA members or sympathizers still read this (or enemies, or frenemies), leave a comment. At this point, I doubt that anything could hurt my feelings any worse than they were already today, so feel free to go at it.