The View From Here

Have you all seen the article by Mark Schaaf about  WAPDs plan to bust underage drinking parties? The program was introduced Tuesday, April 2 at the Spring Into Action event. I missed the event, so my information comes soley from Schaaf's article. If any of you attended, I'd love to hear your opinions about the program.

While I applaud the effort to keep underage drinking parties under control, it saddens me that the police end up trying to control something that parents should be handling.  Maybe it was because I wasn't part of the cool crowd in high school, but my parents taught me right from wrong and put house rules in place that, if violated, at least cost us our freedom for a few weeks. I understand times were different 25 years ago when I was 15, but why does it have to be?  Why can't the values we were raised with be taught to our children? Were our parents' ways really that bad?  When you think about all the teens who die in car wrecks caused by alcohol, the school shootings, the gang crimes...I don't remember having near the problems with these things when we were kids.  Police didn't need to "have a presence" at our school and the worst school violence we saw was a fist fight. The "bad" kids were out smoking behind the building, not killing each other because they disagreed.

There were probably always kids stealing a beer or bottle of vodka from their parents, but it was never so large an issue that we had to receive state grant money to have the police department investing valuable resources to continually drive by a home that is suspected of being the site of the next kegger.

Which brings me back to the new PARTY Patrol. Right off the bat, I've got to ask the question.  Don't you think that kids are smart enough to quickly reschedule a party to a new location if they come home from school to see the PARTY sign in their front lawn? If they were sneaky enough to plan the party in the first place, don't you think they can just as easily make a quick location change?  Or, have a Plan B in place to begin with?  The signs would seem to work against the program, not for it.  It would seem to make more sense to keep the phone call to the parents, but to do it covertly.  The sign gives the kids plenty of advanced notice that their party has been "found out" and they can easily plan a new location on the fly. Instead of signs, why not just use the information gained and show up at the party unannounced? 

I also doubted the reliability of expecting kids to tattle on each other by having them call Crime Stoppers or see the police liason in their school to help officers locate parties.  I was surprised to learn it's worked well for getting a handle on marijuana possession.  That tells me some of you are still raising your kids the way we were raised.  Good for you.

I worry about kids today.  I don't think I could ever exist in an educational environment where the police had to be called because a gang was collecting outside a school dance.  I couldn't go through metal detectors so I could get to English class.  I couldn't begin to imagine what it must feel like to have a gunman inside your school. 

I realize there isn't an easy answer for all the trouble in schools today, but I'm a firm believer that the responsibilty and punishment we hated as kids is what helped to keep us safe.  We learned discipline we've needed for our adult lives to be successful in our careers, we learned respect for others, and we learned how to lose gracefully. These days, we have parents yelling at teachers because their kids "would never do such a thing."  Open your eyes and see what's happening in front of you. No one is perfect, not me, not you and not your kids.  They need your guidance and love to navigate this world that is more scary than anything we grew up in. Teachers and police should be the back up team to help you, but they shouldn't be relied upon to do the whole job.  Stand united with them.  My parents always took the teacher's word over me and my brother's protests.  Very few teachers are out to get your child and if they are telling you something happened, it did.  Kids will try and lie to your face to get off the hook (we always did). Be strong...eventually the truth will come out and you'll be thanking the teacher or officer for helping you catch something before it becomes a problem.   

It's sad the PARTY Patrol program is even necessary.      

As with any writer, I'm constantly on the lookout for a new place to publish my words and share my stories. It's what writers do.  We can't not write and, in this ecomony, we can't NOT get paid for it.  Recently, I started writing for a couple of websites that many of you might find interesting.

Examiner.com has different versions of the site, depending on where you are accessing it from.  Entering www.examiner.com in your browser will automatically take you to the Milwaukee pages of their site. Here you can find local news, events, and local writers keeping you updated on everything going on in our fine city.  The topics are endless -- search for car repair, you'll find something.  Search for politics, you'll find something.  Search for cats and you'll find me.  Yes, I am writing about feline health, behavior, activities, etc.  You can search for me by name or by topic.  And if you have something you would like me to cover, send me an email -- I'd be happy to have any input you might have.  Bookmark the site and visit often.  All topics are updated 3-4 times a week, so there is always something new and exciting in whatever area that interests you. 

The other site is www.suite101.com.  Here again, you can search by author or by subject, making it easy to find anything you might need.  This site isn't necessarily location specific -- more general information -- but still a good place to learn about everything from birth control to financing your next vehicle purchase. 

If you like what you see, by all means, share the links with everyone on your contact list. Both websites are great to bookmark and visit regularly -- if for no other reason than to support your local freelancer whose income is dependent upon clicks on her articles.  :) 

But seriously, there's a lot of great information on both sites and, particularly at Examiner, you'll be helping to support local writers. Keep on clickin'!

Does anyone know how warm is warm enough to fix potholes?  Whew, there are some bad ones around town -- not just in West Allis.  I noticed a couple communities have started, but there are plenty more where that came from.  My little car is going to fall in one and never find its way out again.

Have you all read this article about wind turbines?  We are now able to "mount a small wind turbine either on the ground or on the roof of their garages or houses."  Sounds great, but it can't be any closer than 1 times it's height to the lot lines, power lines, roads or alleys.  So a 40 foot tall turbine (which the article mentions is an ideal size because it's high enough to pick up a strong, consistent wind) wouldn't work for most of us on our average West Allis lots. 

We are allowed to install smaller ones, and I'd be interested in putting one in to save on my energy costs, but first, I have questions.

If 40 feet tall is optimal, how short can you go before they become nothing more than hood ornaments for our roofs?

What would be the expected entergy savings for installing a turbine?  Any guestimates?

Would it disturb the neighbors -- and in the same vein, would the neighbor's turbine keep me from hearing my TV?  The article says they cannot be louder than 50 decibels (normal conversation) as measured from property lines.  That would seem to be pretty noisy.  Imagine listening to your neighbor stand in his front yard talking on a cell phone 24-7.  It might not even seem that loud during the day, but what about in the middle of the night when I'm trying to sleep and good ole' John Doe is standing out in his yard yapping on his cell phone? 

How much do wind turbines even cost?  Where do you purchase them?  I don't remember seeing any at Menards the last time I was there.

If anyone knows more about this, I'd love to hear from you. 

Today is the day when men around the country buy flowers to stay out of the doghouse.  No seriously...

On this Hallmark driven holiday, I thought it might be fun to share a little bit of trivia I found.

• 110 million roses, mostly red, will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period.
• 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
• About 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged each year.
• More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine's Day.

Check out the link for more interesting Valentine trivia.

Honestly, I've been on and off the fan list for Valentine's Day over the years.  Naturally, I liked it better when I had someone to share it with.  When I didn't, being single might not have bothered me any other day of the year, but Valentine's Day always managed to make me feel more alone than ever.  I would always get so angry with myself for letting something as silly as an ingenious marketing plan by a greeting card company get the best of my self-esteem.

I've gotten over it.  Or maybe I've just covered up the sore with a husband with whom I can share the holiday.  Either way, I get a kick out of surprising my husband with small tokens of my love.  Last year I sent balloons and a stuffed animal to his job -- he works in retail, so it was quite a surprise.  Probably embarrassing too, as his staff (and maybe some of the customers) teased him about the two stuffed bees with their arms around each other. 

This year, I went back to basics with a card...can't try to surprise him every year or he'll start to expect it, sucking the fun right out of it.  Have to keep him on his toes.  Now I've got a whole year to plan the next big surprise.    

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!          

I know, I know...I've been AWOL again for a few weeks.  I never intend to have these lapses in posts, but I keep adding new activities.  My latest distraction is Facebook.  I assume most of you are familar with the networking site.  My husband's friend and his wife were talking about it while we waited for the comedy show to begin at Giggles.

(Which, by the way, was an awesome show.  My only complaints would be not enough parking and the entry area to the club is quite narrow (stuffed into a strip mall), so it was tough moving around.)

Anyway, they were talking about how addicted they now were to Facebook.  I had always thought of Facebook, Myspace and other sites like them as something for young people.  Teens and twenties.  Boy, was I wrong.  Shows how out of touch I've become as I've gotten old.  hehe.

So my husband and I came home and created Facebook accounts.  He's been able to keep the whole thing in perspective, but I've gotten a little obsessive about it.  I have to check it every night, post on my wall, on friends' walls, send Green patch and blue cove requests (got to save the rainforest by collecting/sending plants and fish), ismile and kidnap friends, become a fan of Kringles and Gordon Ramsey, and just generally see what's up with my friends on any given day. 

Whew!  Remember when you actually had to CALL your friends on the phone?  And if they were in another state you wrote them letters and postcards because long distance was so expensive you had to take out a second mortgage to pay Ma Bell. 

 I thought email made it simple to keep in touch with everyone, but that usually requires some amount of time spent typing a few paragraphs, filling your friend in on what's been happening lately.  With one or two well-worded sentences, Facebook lets you express your feelings and activities to everyone all at the same time. 

My husband just shakes his head.  He knows how it goes.  When I start something, it's all I'm about for weeks and weeks.  Scrapbooking and writing have been neglected.  This is especially frustrating because I'm almost finished with my latest vacation scrapbook and usually when I'm this close, I'm obsessed with finishing it.  Nope, haven't touched it in a week.  Although, in my defense, I ran out of adhesive on Sunday and had to go to Michaels to get more.  My husband would point out I had adhesive on Thursday but still haven't touched it.  Smarty pants.

For something as seemingly simple, it's been fun.  I can admit, I've stumbled upon some things that could be mildly offensive to some folks, but if you stick with your friends and family, it's nothing but good, clean fun. 

And hey, if you have a Facebook account, look me up and add me to your friend list -- just let me know you read the West Allis blog.  If you don't have an account yet, I'm telling ya, you have to get one.  It's free and it's a nice way to keep in touch and have a little fun.  No matter how far away your loved ones are. 

See you on the wall!   

My husband and I are planning to see the Titanic exhibit on Monday and I was hoping some of you already had.

Is it good?  Not so good?  Worth the price of admission? 

Fill me in...

Have you all heard about the Dangerous Dog Ordinance that the Common Council is voting on sometime early this year?  It started out specifically talking about Pit Bulls but has now been revamped to be any dog deemed dangerous by a humane or law enforcement official.  The criteria includes things like, "an apparent attitude of attack" or a history of inflicting harm.

While I empathize with Sedlar about seeing her child attacked, I'm more inclined to agree with Semandel from Spirit of 76th Veterinary Clinic that it's more about the owner than the specific dog.  If the owner is neglecting or otherwise abusing the dog or training them to be aggressive, the dog is going to be more likely to reach out to others inappropriately because it's what the dog knows.

Certainly, there are breeds of dogs that have a more aggressive reputation and are, perhaps, more likely to become aggressive and bite someone.  But seriously, I've heard of folks who got pretty beat up by smaller (normally viewed as non-aggressive) dogs.  I work in property management and sometimes, I'm more intimidated by the little terriers because they come charging at you with their teeth bared.  On the flip side, I grew up with two Doberman Pinschers who were as cuddly as teddy bears. 

Owners have rights, certainly, but with those rights MUST come responsibility as well.  Everyone I have ever met at the apartment community will tell you, "Oh, he'll lick you to death before he would bite you."  Oh yeah?  How do you know that?  Because he licks you?  You're his master...you're leader of the pack.  Of course he licks YOU.  But a maintenance employee entering your apartment when you're at work during the day?  That can potentially be a completely different story.  The dog is protecting his territory and that of his master.  He doesn't understand that maintenance is coming to fix the toilet. 

And if the dog has already spent some time being teased and taunted by other neighborhood kids or the drunken bar patron stumbling towards home at closing time, he's going to become a little distrustful of people.   

What do you all think about this?

As we get ready to say goodbye to 2008 and hello 2009, I wanted to take a few minutes to thank all of you readers out there.  Thank you to all of you who surf over to the NOW sites and take time out of your busy lives to read our opinions, gripes, and ideas.  Thank you as well to those who comment regularly on our blogs to share your own ideas and opinions.  Without all of you, there wouldn't be any need for us. 

We've become a little bit more of a community through these blogs.  There are some of your logins I recognize and I KNOW I want to read your comments because I know they will give me a chuckle or cause a little scuffle.  I feel like I know some of you (even though we've never met).  I hope all the regulars stay with us in 2009 -- and I hope we have more folks join in.

Happy New Year, West Allis!     

My husband gave me an early Christmas present and now instead of two cats, we have three.  I've always wanted three cats...I don't really know why.  Three just seems like the perfect number for anything from decorating your home to how many children you plan to have.  Three adds a level of interest not attainable by one or two.  Maybe it's just me...

Anyway, Emma came into our lives from the PetsMart by Brookfield Square Mall.  Having two cats already, we frequent all the pet stores in a 20 miles radius of our home.  I particularly enjoy PetsMart because of the cats up for adoption, provided by Elmbrook Humane Society, right in the store.  Everytime we go to PetsMart, we will always find our way back to the cats so we can take a look and scratch lightly on the glass to get their attention.  Emma woke right up and started playing with us through the glass.

All you cat lovers out there know what happened next -- I bonded with her.  Yep, right through the plexiglass.  It's inexplicable how it happens, but in the first couple minutes with the right cat, you just know it's right.  The cat picks you and you're done for.  No escaping the spell.  I didn't even know my husband was the one that quickly.

Apparently, my husband felt it too because, SURPRISE, I come home from work one day and Emma is sequestered in the bathroom and the other two are staring at me as though this must be some sick human joke. 

Since then, we've been doing some serious cat wrangling as the three of them all get accustomed to one another (and Emma to the rules of the house).  It's been quite funny to watch because my older girl cat, Molly, has been toying with Emma.  Molly doesn't take any crap from anyone, human or feline - she's 13 pounds of take no prisoners.  But if Emma is getting out of line and Molly wants to mess with her, she will flop down on the floor between Emma and the food dishes, between Emma and the litter box, between Emma and a lot of things.  Molly stares Emma down when the little cat comes around hissing like she owns the place.  Before long, Emma is running in the other direction.  I totally understand -- Molly has stared me down once or twice.  It unhinges you a little bit to see the shadows of a person behind the eyes of a cat.  Like you know they are plotting to go for your jugular while you sleep. 

Apollo hasn't been handling the transition quite as well.  He's the oldest and, quite honestly, he's straight out of the 60's...mellow, loves everyone, and has no interest in defending his place in the pecking order.  He's having a little more difficulty dealing with the little whippersnapper (13 years his junior).

I spend a lot of time rotating rooms in the house, going from one cat to the next, spending time loving them up and moving on to the next one while I try and show them all that nothing has changed.  Mom has plenty of love to go around.  And I sure feel like a new Mom because having a 1 1/2 year old cat in the house again seems strangely like having a small child.  If I don't watch Emma every second, she's sharpening claws on the furniture or on Apollo.  She's chewing on Christmas lights (I can hardly wait to put the tree up) and bouncing plastic balls with bells in them off the kitchen cabinets at 3am.  And what the heck is that about, anyway?  I swear, no cat owner ever created those balls...it had to be a dog person.  What a terribly frightful idea to give nocturnal, house dwelling creatures a toy that will keep everyone awake until the cat finally falls asleep 15 minutes before your alarm goes off.  I'd forgotten what this is like after all these years with my two little couch potatoes. 

But I will survive and everything will sort itself out.

My dream, if money were no object, has always been to open a no-kill shelter for homeless cats.  No cat would be killed in a shelter on my watch.  Between my husband and urban rules about pet quantities per household, it remains only a dream.  But I try to adopt only cats over 6 months of age though -- kittens get scooped up quickly, while slightly older cats may be overlooked.  Slightly older cats that are perfectly lovable and healthy. 

While shelters don't encourage giving pets as gifts, I encourage you to look into your heart and see if you don't have room there for just one more.    

"Hunter Widows" Fall Open House

Sunday, November 23

12-5pm

541 N. 63rd St., Wauwatosa

(I94 to 68th St. exit, north to Bluemound Rd., east to 63rd St., north to house. Parking on right side of street only.)

Skip the mall!

Finish your holiday shopping from the comfort of "home." Shop Lia Sophia Jewelry, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Partylite Candles (this is me), Silk N More, and Tastefully Simple all in one place!  There will truly be something for everyone, from men's skincare products to candles, fashion jewelry, kitchenware, scarves...you won't believe it until you see it!

RSVP's are appreciated but walk-ins are always welcome!

Earn entries in our prize drawings:

RSVP to your consultant (just send me an email)

Attend the open house

Print and bring this blog with you

Bring some girlfriends along for the fun

Place an order or book a party

I joined Weight Watchers with my mom 9 weeks ago.  I've already lost 17.6 pounds.  The program is working so well for me that I was scolded a couple weeks ago for losing too much weight, too quickly.  (I lost an average of 4 pounds each week for two weeks, which, apparently, is a big no-no.)

My scolding not withstanding, I'm loving this!  I am back in dress pants and jeans I haven't been able to wear for over a year.  Whoo Hoo! 

I put on 30 pounds since I got married 5 years ago and when my company started a wellness program in January, I failed BMI.  I was totally off the charts!  I don't LOOK overweight, but apparently the fat is simply packing itself tightly around my organs, wreaking, I'm sure, all manor of havoc.  It was the icing on the cake for me...I knew I needed to get control now while it might still be easier to do.  My family has had problems with weight related issues as they have aged, like diabetes, and I don't want to take the same path.  Interesting that it took my favorite pair of denim with the butterflies stitched up the leg to get me on the wagon, but whatever works, right?

The other thing I did recently is register to vote.  I am, admittedly, one of the worst in terms of participating in our polticial arena.  In fact, I truly dislike the entire political machine -- I find them to be largely dishonest (regardless of party) and more inclined to beat each other up than tell the people what they TRULY believe and what their honest goals are. 

I've voted only sporatically over the years, but as I get older, I'm believing it's more important than ever to have your voice be heard.  Whether it's editorials in your local newspaper, or meetings at city hall about ordinances that effect your community, the common man and woman needs to be heard.  How can lawmakers effectively represent you if they don't know what your values are?  They go with their own values -- or worse, those of lobbyists. 

I can admit, I go into each election I've participated in with the feeling that I'm voting for, "the lesser of two evils," but we still need to do it.  Many of our ancestors came here for political and religious freedoms.  These are the basic ideals our country is founded on. 

Don't think you're small voice doesn't make a different.  All of our small voices together can create quite a loud commotion when bundled together.  There are many sites you can visit to register, Rock the Vote is but one.

Make 2008 the year you do something good for you, and something good for your country.  It's not too late!    
 

Did any of you see the article about the school districts involved in that investment debacle?  They are now suing the company who sold them the package.  Do you think this will keep the money from coming out of our pockets?

It's been a little while, I know, but I've been busy trying to soak up the last few bits of summer before we head down that all too familiar road.  The pathway through the crunching red and gold leaves isn't so bad.  It's the cooler temperatures that inevitably dead end in Wisconsin's winter wonderland that I fear the most. 

Soon I'll be packing away my flip flops and capris and pulling out boots and mittens.  It's sad.  I absolutely adore summer.  I absolutely hate winter.  OK, so maybe hate is kind of a strong word, but I think it's justified here.

I don't mind all my favorite shows beginning again -- the DVR is already set for Dancing with the Stars, Kitchen Nightmares, Lipstick Jungle, Samantha Who, and Ugly Betty.  I don't mind curling up on the sofa with a blanket, a book, and a cat.  I love hot cocoa.

I dislike the fact that for five months, no matter what I do, I can't get the chill out of my fingers and toes.  I'm not a fan of throwing my back out shoveling the sidewalk.  I find it gross when my nose runs and freezes simultaneously.

I need a plan...and fast.

I need a job where I can work from home.  Winter would be quite lovely if I didn't have to go out in it.  I thought I could write for a living and become the next Stephen King, but I haven't hit pay dirt yet. 

I suppose I could become a snow bird.  But for that, I need enough money (and time) to keep up two homes in two different parts of the country.  I can barely handle going to my parent's house to clean out the cats' litter boxes and water plants when they are away.  They live in Waukesha.  If I can't handle caring for two places in the same metropolitan area for even a few days, how will I ever handle a home in Florida?  And where would I find the cash to purchase a home in Florida and hire people to care for our home here in the next two months?

Maybe I could break my ankle and have to stay home from work all winter?  You know...by the time it heals and I go through rehab, I'd use up a couple months, right? 

Here's an idea!  Maybe winter will skip us this year!  Whoo Hoo! 

OK...I know...not happening...but I can dream.

My oldest cat, Apollo, is on a twice yearly schedule for trips to the veterinarian.  He’s 14 years old (geriatric).  Seriously, the vet (or his assistant, I can’t remember which) called him geriatric a few years ago when they decided Apollo needs to come in more often than once a year.  It could be a clever marketing ploy, but I’m a softie when it comes to my babies.

One of the problems Apollo has regularly is tartar & Plaque buildup.  Twice in the last couple of years, he has gone under anesthesia to have his teeth cleaned.  After paying $200 (each time) for this procedure, they have now decided Molly could use a brushing or two as well.  Perfect. 

So my husband and I tried brushing their teeth at home.  Trust me, if you didn’t start that as a kitten, don’t bother.  Molly would just as soon bite you as look at the toothbrush and Apollo was only interested if he could lick the toothpaste off the brush and enjoy it like candy.

We went back to the drawing board.  Wandering through the pet store, we found cat chew treats that promised “Great for Teeth and Gums.”  What luck!  That’s got to work better than a toothbrush!  Chicken flavored and everything!  Well, Apollo and Molly enjoyed them for about 10 seconds before they pushed the kitty chew toy under the sofa.  They never did chew on them, just licked them a few times and batted them around until they joined the rest of the cat toys under one of several pieces of furniture that double as cat toy storage.

We’ve always given them tartar control treats, but as it turns out, treats alone can’t do the job.  This is especially true for Apollo who rarely chews anything, preferring to swallow it whole.  This works great when we are trying to give him medicine, but when we want him to get tartar off his teeth, it’s frustrating.  The vet gave us some Feline T/D Science Diet.  He said to give it as treats to help scrub away plaque.  The pieces are bigger, so there is some hope that Apollo will actually chew them (although it’s still about 50/50).  If I remember correctly, T/D Science Diet can be fed as regular dry food, but my cats already have a special diet for urinary tract health.  Long story…Apollo is again the culprit.

Walking through the pet store once again, we stumbled upon Dental Fresh.  It’s a green liquid you add to your pet’s water (good for dogs too) and it promises to remove plaque & tartar, freshen breath and brighten teeth.  We had nothing to lose and gave it a try. 

The cats love it – they think it’s some kind of treat water.  I make up a bowl of it every morning and by the next morning, it’s completely gone.

But the real test would be in the vet’s office.  Interestingly, it seems to be helping.  When we went in for their latest appointment, I mentioned Dental Fresh to the vet.  He wasn’t familiar with it, but found the tartar and plaque to be loosened on his teeth.  Perhaps Dental Fresh mixed with the T/D treats will be the knockout punch we’ve been looking for.  The older my babies get, the less I want to put them under anesthesia.  I don’t want them to get sick or lose teeth.  I needed another option.

If you didn’t start your dog or cat on tooth brushing when they were young, Dental Fresh might be a way to keep your pet’s dental health in check.    

My husband and I were at the State Fair yesterday -- it was a perfect day...maybe a little warm, but we had a great time.  My husband was a little miffed about the turn lanes blocked off and parking was a bit tricky, but that was the only dark cloud on the day. 

We have certain things on our MUST DO list every year.  I have to see the horse and pig barns, the pig races (did you see the racing ducks?  How cute!), ride on the Sky Glider, and we always go through the pavillion.  On our food list is always deep fried cheese and cream puffs.  It's like a ritual.  I can't go on the rides because they make me sick to my stomach which is a bit of a bummer for my husband, but vomiting in front of hundreds of people is not really my idea of a good time.

What about all of you?  Do you go to the fair?  Why or why not?  What's on your MUST DO list?  

I recently read an article about the creation of new bike trails in West Allis.  I can't seem to get my hands on the article, so I'm going by memory.  Please forgive me if I get some of the details wrong.  If any of you saw it and can send me the link, I'd appreciate it.

The long and the short of it seemed to be that the City was having a disagreement with the railroad company about the proposed location of a brand new bike trail.

Maybe instead of fighting this battle, we could begin with fixing the trails we already have.  I live in the neighborhood of the Underwood Creek Parkway which runs toward Poblocki Paving off I94.  Have any of you driven that road lately?  Between the rocks that could choke a buffalo and the potholes that could swallow up a small bus, you're almost taking your life in your hands when you walk or bike through Underwood Creek.  This is to say nothing of the discarded framed pictures, empty fireworks shells, and fast food bags from one end of the parkway to the other.  I've also noticed one disrespectful individual took their vehicle and tore up about a 20' section of grass that is now a landmind of tire indentions and mounds of dried mud hills.  This is to say nothing of the graffiti under the expressway, but I know that's another whole issue West Allis is dealing with.

Often I see a city parks employee drive down the road, and I know budgets have been cut from the parks, but am I the only one seeing the problem here?  Why are we arguing with the railroad when we could easily begin our work with existing trails and roadways?  I've ridden my bike down more than a few roads that could benefit from a shoulder where people can ride bikes.  Wouldn't that be an easier and cheaper way to begin? 

And seriously, if I'm remembering the article correctly, why on earth would you want to have a bike trail CROSS THE TRAIN TRACKS?!?!  To my memory, that's the biggest concern the railroad has about the proposed new trail.  Well, Duh!  I can name at least one place where the road was built up over the train tracks to avoid car/train accidents.  Probably you can all name an intersection with tracks that has changed because of accident potential.  We don't want a train/pedal bike crossing.  Bad idea.  

I appreciate the effort to build up the quality of life in West Allis, but to me, building a new trail is a bit like putting the proverbial cart before the horse.  What do the rest of you think?     

This will be the first year my husband and I will go to State Fair Park to see the fireworks.  Have any of you gone in years past?  Are they pretty good?

No matter, I suppose. Whether it’s the Big Bang at Summerfest or if it’s the small town, Eagle River fireworks, I know I’ll love it.  I’ve often driven around town to catch more than one fireworks display.   Often I would be downtown for the Big Bang on the 3^rd and then a local fireworks display on the 4^th.  The more I can see, the happier I am.

I’ve always loved fireworks.  I don’t know what it is about them, but there’s nothing better than lying on a blanket in the grass with fireworks exploding over your head.  The beads of light fall gently towards the earth, like a blanket surrounding you, slowly disappearing before arriving at their destination.

Maybe it’s the brilliant reds, blues and greens lighting up the darkness, clouds of smoke cling to the sky, following the direction of a breeze you hadn’t noticed. 

Maybe it’s the possible danger.  It is, after all, like playing with fire.  It wouldn’t be the first thing I’ve loved because it was dangerous.  I love sharks.   I’ve dated a few unsavory characters.  I like a little danger now and again.  More accurately, I like the idea of a little danger now and again. 

Maybe it was because it was one of the few nights we were allowed up past our bedtime.  The fireworks take me back to a simpler time when a neighborhood picnic would end with a car load of us driving over to the park to watch the fireworks.  It was the symbol of summertime to me as a kid.  School was over and fall was still a long way off.

You don’t begin to appreciate the freedom they represent until later.  Once, as a woman, I started learning about the lives of women in other cultures, wars then and now…it’s kept me loving this symbol of American freedom.

I wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday weekend.   

I spent last week in Eagle River, part of the Great Northwoods, in Northern Wisconsin.  My grandparents purchased a lakefront home on Otter Lake (part of the Eagle River chain of lakes) a couple of decades ago.  It was my grandpa's dream to retire to a home on a lake, but the dream has begun to tarnish. 

The first problem is location.  Eagle River is a 4+ hour drive from Milwaukee.  Not an easy trip if something serious would happen to one of them.  We've tried to encourage them to move closer to Milwaukee to no avail.  Sometimes they say yes.  Mom will run around, talking to retirement communities, picking up information about condos or apartments in places like Muskego, Waukesha, and Hartland.  She'll mail all the information to them only to have them change their minds.  Grandma's sight is poor and her balance is so bad, she cannot be trusted to cross the room by herself because the reality is she could fall over at any time (even with her walker).  That doesn't stop her from trying though, which makes it even worse.  Grandpa is her primary caretaker because they don't want a nurse in the house all the time.  They have a nurse who comes over twice a week for two hours each visit, but after that, Grandpa is on his own.    

Lately, Grandma's been asking us to drive up there and help her clean house.  So, for the last few years, my aunt, my parents and I have made trips to visit which were to include some amount of purging.  Usually this amounted to us going through a closet or a cabinet only for grandma to say, "OK, so now, let's put everything back in there because it's safer there.  We'll know where it is and we can get rid of it later."

So this time, I expected more of the same.  When Mom and I defrosted their stand alone freezer, we found tupperware bowls of soup from 1983 and butter old enough to start kindergarden.  She wanted it all saved.   "But it's frozen!"  We threw it away.  It was far past any possible date when it was still safe to eat.  Years ago, she would never have kept anything in the freezer that long.  Mom can remember Grandma cleaning out the freezer and tossing out anything older than a year or two.  A couple of years is a far cry from 1983.  Maybe she isn't connecting the time as it's passing by anymore.  

We moved on to the rest of the basement with the help of my aunt.  As we moved along, we hauled things upstairs for Grandma to look at and, to my surprise, she told us to get rid of most of the items we found.  But apparently, she hadn't discussed this with Grandpa because at one point, he was almost in tears when my aunt asked him how he was doing with all of this.  "This is our life." he told her with a wave of his hand to encompass the pile of their memories being donated to a local charity.  That was heartbreaking for all of us.  Grandma seems to be ready to let go and move on.  Grandpa isn't. 

And all of it makes you look more closely at your family and yourself.  As hard as it's been for me to get ever closer to 40, it's even harder for me to visit my grandparents and wonder if this will be the last trip to the Great Northwoods before we are all there to clean out the house for good.  My grandma used to be so full of life and now the big activity for her each day is getting to the bathroom and back to her chair in one piece.  Going to grandma's house always meant we were greeted with the smells of baking bread, pies, or cookies -- often times my brother and I pulled up a chair and "helped."  Now, we are greeted by the sounds of the TV, and the only working together in the kitchen includes grandma in a chair pointing out which cabinet to find the casserole dish in and disagreeing with us about the right way to make barbecue sauce.  She argues with Grandpa about everything.

Before my great-grandma died, Grandma always said to Mom, "Don't let me get like that."  Now it's my mom saying, "Don't let me get like that" and I'm wondering if it's a fate I won't be able to escape.  My husband and I don't have any kids, (so my nieces better watch out) but am I destined to follow the same route?  Can I outwit what seems almost to be a family curse?  It scares me to watch grandma suffer and it scares me to think Mom might end up with the same ills.  Will Mom be just as stubborn and refuse to seek assisted living or other medical care when it's necessary?   

Will I have the same battles with myself?  I hope not to, but will I have a choice?  Can I be one of those older ladies who has so much energy I can outrun a 16-year-old track star?  Can I please keep my sight because reading is my favorite way to relax?  Will exercise help keep me in tip top shape or will it just not matter?  Will my mind stay sharp?        

If it doesn't...how will I even know?  That's the scariest part. 

In between bouts of pouring rain on Sunday (what is up with all this rain, by the way?!?), I made a quick trip to the grocery store.  If nothing else, my employer’s wellness program has got me thinking about my not- so-great grocery purchases over the years. 

I usually eat frozen dinners for lunch during the work week.  I know they are full of salt and preservatives, but they are so darn easy.  Then there is my unquenchable sweet tooth requesting chocolate on a daily basis and, well, food that is good for you is downright expensive!  This has become even truer lately as the economy fumbles.

Anyway, I walked into the produce section of Pick n’ Save looking only for broccoli to make a pasta dish my husband and I discovered on The Food Channel.  We love The Food Channel -- especially Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis.  She also does a travel program called Weekend Getaway. 

So I’m surrounded by produce e (broccoli is along the back wall, of course).   I notice green grapes are on sale for 99 cents a pound.  What a deal!  Hey, at this rate, I can afford to eat a little healthier this week.  Next I stumble upon bananas for 57 cents a pound.  Good, because then my husband can eat a little healthier too.  And strawberries are two for five dollars!  Whoo Hoo!  This can be the start of us eating right and living to be 100.  Perfect!

I continue through the store and pick up applesauce, mandarin oranges, yogurt, soy milk, and cereal with dried fruit already in the package.  Pretty soon I’m in the beverage aisle picking up a liter of diet white tea with raspberry and a 16oz. bottle of green tea.  That’s all supposed to be good for you too, right?

I gather the rest of the ingredients for the pasta dish (which is what I came in for in the first place) and hit the check out where I watch in horror as my healthy eating kick just gobbled up $70.

It would have been so much easier to pick up a three dollar bag of M&Ms.