Christmas Planning 2011

Trying this again this year.... starting the Christmas planning early because I find if I don't figure things out now then I tend to miss out on some neat opportunities. 

So here is the consolidated list of possible activities and events for me for December 2011

Sat, Dec 3
3:30 pm Badgers vs Marquette at Kohl's Center
7pm Big Ten Football Championship in Indy
 Free Day at Milwaukee Zoo

Sat/Sun, Dec 3/4  - Madison Hoofers Ski Resale  -http://hoofersns.org/resale
   9am to 5pm (Sat) / 3pm (Sun)

Sat, Dec 10 - Cookie Bake at Barb T's



Sun, Dec 11, 3pm  - Bel Canto - Christmas in the Basilica, Basilica of St. Josaphat
        http://www.belcanto.org/dnav/6/page.htm

Tue, Dec 13, 7pm  - Badgers vs UWM Panthers at U.S. Cellular Arena

Sat, Dec  17/ Sun, Dec 18 - Model Trains at Discovery World - http://programs.discoveryworld.org/archives/2170
   try to combine with a winter lakefront walk?, holiday lights?, tea?, etc

Dates not yet set:
Chicago Botantical Garden - Winter Wonderland
http://www.chicagobotanic.org/wonderland/


Milwaukee Holiday Lights - walk thru or take the jingle bus
http://www.milwaukeedowntown.com/categories/14-holidaylightsfestival

High Tea - a couple of options
 Pfister 23rd floor  - every Fri - Sun from 3 - 4:30 during Nov and Dec - link
 George Watts tea shop - http://www.wattsteashop.com/index.html

M&I Holiday Display - quick walkthru when you're already down town
http://www.micorp.com/mibank/solutions.cfm?ObjectID=00095BA4-9D4A-1F70-901180C8FE5A0000&


Olbrich's Holiday Express - December 3 - 31
http://www.olbrich.org/events/holidayexpress.cfm

Germantown's Enchantment in the Park, Nov 25 - Dec 29
The Live Nativity Scene (a few dates)  may be interesting - idea to take Dad and Uncle Herman
http://enchantmentpark.org/

Breakthrough!

It's really not that big of a deal but I think it may have a big impact on how I'm able to keep the house as I want it and in general to be able to better keep up on things.

This week for the first time I was able to put the dog to bed in his crate for the night and still be able to work in the family room and kitchen.  This may not sound like a lot,  but normally once I put Zeus in his crate for the night, I've always felt like I needed to vacated that side of the house and limited myself to the master bedroom.  I could watch TV or read, and sometimes I took the laptop in there with me.   But overall it limited me from getting things done and organized and it seamed like so much was piling up and not getting done. Which added a lot of stress to my life.

So far both nights have been where Zeus was at the Doggy Office during the day and extremely tired those nights.  I'm not sure how well this will work on regular nights when he is not in a deep sleep.

This change helps 'integrate' Zeus into my life, rather than being an 'imposition'; which as much as I love him I often felt that he was a imposition because he takes sooo much more time and energy than Wally ever did.  Wally was an energy boost for me; Zeus is often an energy drain for me.  I do think this will change as he leaves the puppy stage and is a well trained dog.  But for now, often it is hard and this breakthrough helps me see light at the end of the tunnel!

September 11

Today is the 10th anniversary of the terrorism attacks on America. 

I'm impressed with the memorial they have created at Ground Zero.  It's beautiful in both its simplicity and magnitude.  I personally have been profoundly affected by the events of September 11 and find myself already feeling the need to see the new memorial - although I do feel the need to wait until its attached museum is completed (planned for 2012) and the newly planted trees are bigger. 

In 2008 I took a trip to New York City to see a baseball game at the old Yankee Stadium before the new Yankee Stadium opened.  We did a bunch of NYC tourism stuff including visiting Ground Zero and St Paul's Church.  St Paul's is a small church about a block away from Ground Zero, and it became the refugee for the first responders as they took much needed rest breaks.   It was highly emotional and a must see spot for anyone visiting NYC.

On a personal level, September 11 brings back memories of my beloved cat Wally.   Earlier that summer I had to put down my beloved cat Tibers who I had since my college days in Madison.  After September 11, we  were all reminded that life is short and with that realization I knew I needed to have a pet back in my life and my home.   So 9/11 was the impetus for me adopting Wally.

I love you Wally, I miss you Wally, and I will never forget you Wally.

Glad for indecision

I'm not sure it really was indecision, but I'm awfully glad I did not do what I had thought about doing!!

Wally loved the flowers off of the patio; and I had thought it could be a nice final resting place for his ashes, but I wanted a stone or some-sort of memorial for it and I still have not found one that I like and reminds me of Wally. 

Today I'm having landscaping work done and one of the areas they cleared out was his patio flower bed.  Its down the dirt - and if Wally's ashes has been there they would no longer be there.

Now I'm torn, I do still think this may be a good resting place for Wally, especially if the end result is beautiful but then again it will be an area new to him.  

I know they say cats would rather stay with the house than the owner, but I don't believe any of my pets would have chosen the house over me.  We had too deep a bond.  And I know this home is not long for me either.  I'm guessing I will have moved out within the next 10 years. 

I found out a a friend of mine's family buried their cats in a "undisclosed" location in Mitchell Park.  In the park at an area that was near the river stream and it's a place they can always visit no matter what happens to their family home.   Its not a bad idea to consider - I can see options of spreading Wally and Tibers ashes (yes, I still have Tibers' ashes because I could not bury them at the condo since I knew I would be leaving there within a year or two) at either Laphem Peak State Park (my most frequent hiking trails) or at Nashotah Park (my favorite trail running park).

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm very thankful I didn't yet spread his ashes in his favorite flower bed.

Midterm Milestone reach

Today is Onederful! - BL

Keep going - you're doing great!

Time to figure out some new rewards to help keep you motivated!!

Shuttle pictures

Ok - this old news, but I finally got a chance to check out the NASA employee web site that Cindy passed along to us.  The NASA employees can upload their personal pictures from the launch -- and they have some terrific pictures!!

 Top picture is the basic view we would have had if the shuttle went up as planned

Prayers for Wally

It's a bit unorthodox but it still felt right to me.  I added my beloved cat, Wally's name to the list of Memorial Day memorials at my church.  I miss Wally.  He was a good and loving cat and it feels right to have people pray that he has a happy afterlife.  I pray he does.  I pray its true we get reunited with our pets in heaven.   I love Wally and he will always have a space in my heart.