A Walk in the Woods

Lucy: A Once In A Lifetime Companion

2006-11-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

Lucy Lou Lange

May 18, 1996 - October 12, 2006

You can have many pets in your lifetime, but if you're really, really, really blessed you can have one that touches the very bottom of your soul. That was my Lucy.

Her death left a huge, black hole. I hope God thought I was a good mommy to her, because she earned the right to be loved like no other.

Right now, Lucy's at Rainbow Bridge playing in the poseys with her buddy, Macey. I picture her restored to youth: no cataracts, no arthritis pain. Only perpetual glee.

We'll be by in time to get you, sweet girl. You and Macey. Meanwhile, be mommy's "Happy Skippy" girl and I'll keep you close in my heart for the rest of my days.

Once in a lifetime epiphanies!

2006-03-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

We are driving to Big Powderhorn in the UP to join kids and grandkids for a weekend of skiing (Louie) and hiking/snowshoeing (Beanie). It is a gorgeous Wisconsin winter's day: warm spring sun shining high in the sky; fresh white show making the countryside pristine; surrounded by tall pines that stretch forever into the bluest sky you can ever witness.

Closing in on Minocqua, our favorite place in the world, we first notice a huge shadow overhead, then something gently floating in the sky. Epiphany #1: A Bald Eagle. Gliding into the morning sun making his white head and tail more noticeable. A bird so magnificent it brings tears to your eyes.

Heading north out of Minocqua toward Boulder Junction is a small lake that Louie and I discovered years back on a trout fishing expedition. The lake is part of a national forest and is surrounded by beautiful pines and birch, way off the beaten path. We call it Endless Lake. It is where Louie and I saw an osprey sitting in the morning mist on a birch above our canoe, watching intently. It is where Louie proposed to me. Epiphany #2: Louie does a detour to Endless Lake to surprise me. As we gaze at the winter wonderland he says, "Endless Lake. We named it that because it's endless, like our love...." and he proposes all over again. Right then and there. More tears.

We journey farther north and spot what we think are snow geese on the snowy banks of Manitowish River's open water. Thinking it would be a great photo opportunity since they are a rare sighting, we do a U-turn and head back to the bridge for a longer look.

It was the best U-turn we ever made! We saw -- and heard -- an epiphany that will never, ever happen to us again. A once-in-a-lifetime epiphany!

Trumpeter Swans. Eleven of them. We open car windows to hear them as long as we possibly can. A sound and sighting we thought we'd never hear or see; one we can only pray our grandchildren will in their lifetimes. Trumpets. Big, brass horns playing a wildlife symphony. Truly the most awesome epiphany of both our lives.

And, yes, we cry like babies.

All by myself....

2006-02-21T17:28:00.000-08:00

...and wanna be. Little girl in the big city of Minneapolis.

It's a treat to have a hotel room all to myself, paid for by someone else. I'm client-side for three days. By Thursday, I'll be so homesick I can't talk without crying....

...but, for now? It's 7 p.m. and I'm sprawled out on the bed in my pajamas eating junk food, drinking a glass of Pinot Grigio and watching a stupid show I wouldn't normally watch with my hubby in the room.

Woo hoo! No bathrooms to clean. No dishes to wash. No pets to feed. Nobody telling me what to do...hehehehe, you have to be married to a general to know THAT feeling!

For now, I'm marketing "expert" with a briefcase, many miles past 50 from home. I will function as an adult, I will give great advice, I will build a successful strategic plan and marketing campaign. And, I will feel like a little kid inside.

That is, until Thursday.

PS: A Board Director from a former employer once told me her definition of "expert". I've never forgotten it....

An "ex" is a has-been.

A "pert" is a drip under pressure.

So, I'm happy to be only a consultant...and to leave the experts to their own opinions.

A Bevy of Beauties!

2006-02-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

Finally downloaded the rest of the photos from Louie's camera. Here's more from DivaFest06!

Top photo: Lizzie Boo, Beanie, Amanda and Keri. We all had our bras on at the same time!

Unfortunately, the best photo of Keri and Lizzie Boo was taken after I apparently had too much Pinot Grigio.

Look how skinny our Miss Keri is!!! All that running for Relay for Life has paid big dividends for her as well as all of those she has been raising funds for through the American Cancer Society!

Too bad you can't see how glorious Lizzie Boo's skin is...just flawless and dewy, that sweet young thang!

Here's dear, sweet Amanda chatting up a storm with Divos, Louie and Peter. She just is the best person I have ever met and man, do I miss her!

By the way, Peter got a promotion while he was in Wisconsin and didn't know it until he returned to Australia! Way to go, Peter!

Lizzie Boo really missed Lulu and Gus while visiting from Austin. I bet they missed the dicken's out of her, too.

She spent a little time looking at the foo-foo outfits for dogs in the Foster&Smith pet catalog. Hmmm, would Gus look good in pink?

I still miss my girls awful hard! Can't wait to see everyone again...and I mean EVERYONE! That means Katie, KathyK., KathyC, Troodles and Colleen...you have to make it to the next one. You just HAFTA!

Pooped Puppies

2006-02-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

Finally! Had to throw umpteen tennis balls with that thrower thingie, but after a gazillion retrieves the puppy, Striker, was as pooped as the ol' girl, Lucy.

Today's epiphany: A Great Horned Owl sat above us in the trees watching us play.

I wonder what he was thinking?
1) Ah, what a succulent breakfast one of them would make!
2) Where in the hell did that woman get that hat?
3) Wish they'd get out of here so I can get some sleep!

It most likely was number 3.

DivaFest 2006

2006-02-14T07:07:00.000-08:00

I cannot think of a better way to spend a weekend then to have close, wonderful friends over. Peter and Amanda from Australia, Keri from River Falls and Liz from Austin, Tx., came to visit and the time flew by way too quickly.

Our honorary Divos: Louie and Peter went "bushing" with the dogs on Saturday at HF&D (Hunting, Fishing and Diddling), Louie's hunting club. Wished they would have pooped out the puppy, but at least Lucy got some fresh air and slept well that night.

Here's a color-coordinated photo of the group: Louie was elected to take the photo because of his green plaid shirt!

Standing: Liz, Peter and Amanda
Seated: Beanie and Keri

Hmmm, no dogs in sight. Usually, wherever you saw Keri, you saw her newest best friend, Strikey.

Strikey loves Keri...and Keri's underwear which he proudly carried around the house. LOL! (Glad your glasses weren't harmed, Keri. Sorry!)

It was so heartwarming to see Amanda!
You don't really realize how much you miss someone until you actually see them after such a long time. I just couldn't hug her enough.

And, I couldn't get over crying when she left.

It was especially hard for Louie and I when everyone left. We just couldn't get over how fast the weekend went.

But the saddest fellow was Striker. He stood in the window for the longest time waiting for
Keri to come back.

Alas, he finally gave up.

We called -- or attempted to call -- all our Diva Sisters who weren't with us. Got Katie up at 4:30 a.m. in Istanbul; left a message for Colleen in North Dakota; talked to Trudles in Nova Scotia; knew that Kathy C. was travelling to Ohio; and tried calling Kathy K. in Houston by dialing her weight stats. hehe.
(It's a long story!)

Can't wait to see everyone again. Hope it's soon!

Hiding Places...

2006-01-17T16:44:00.000-08:00

With a new, very energetic puppy in the house, our entire lives have centered around the word, "No!" Poor little guy! He thinks that No is his name. Striker was stuck in a kennel his entire puppyhood, and only now has he become a family pet.

And, he's constantly on a terror. Always moving. Always sniffing places and things he shouldn't be sniffing. Always chasing kitties. And me. And Lucy. And birds. And squirrels. I'm exhausted, although it's a good exhaustion. Ask anyone of us, and we'd all say we don't know how we ever lived without him.

Not to say we don't have pretty good hiding places. Louie hides in his car. I hide in the bathtub. Barney hides in a closet. But Trooper has the best hiding place of all! Inside the great room armoire, behind the Boston Fern. He really thinks he's hiding and can't understand why the puppy sits in front of the TV whining.

Man, I need to get out more.

Yes, we have a very exciting life!

2006-01-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

How was your New Year's Eve?

Do we have snow?

2005-12-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

Oh, yeah. We have snow!

Smitten with Kathy K.

2005-12-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, dear Kathy!

The mittens featured below were made especially for you and donated on your behalf to the Relay for Life.

I hope you find them to be as beautiful as I believe you to be. These I took as much time knitting as I could because I didn't want to stop remembering how much you've added to my life. Thank you for being my friend.

You are simply magnificent!

Let me tell you about your mittens. Talk about a hodgepodge of colors, textures and surprises all tossed together in a delightful way!

The warm chocolate brown reflects how reserved, quiet and unassuming you appear to be in a crowded room. (Boy, if people only knew!!!! LOL!)

The purple shows what a true lady you are...in all senses of the word: regal, fresh, vibrant, crisp. The yellow lace trim surrounding the mittens is the sunshine and joy you bring to your diva sisters and those around you.

And then there's the surprise on top: fun, playful, foo-foo flowers that sprout electricity and laughter everywhere.

Just like you.

Did I mention that I'm proud to be your friend? I have learned so much from you about the Johnson Space Center and the United States' shuttle missions because of your passion for your job. At a party or event, it's fun to toss out lines like "Well, according to my friend, Kathy, based in Houston and working with the shuttle mission...." and follow with some insider perspective I learned from you.

I am proud of your strength, resolve and caring: for what you had to endure when the Challenger exploded in the sky and you immediately changed hats from that of celebration to one of recovery without being able to grieve over the loss of your astronaut friends; and soon after that, losing your father to cancer. In one brief moment, your life forever changed.

They say that God does not give someone too much for them to bear. What you were thrown -- not even mentioning your health or having to leave your home behind in a hurricane -- would have most people crumbling under the weight.

But, not my Steel Magnolia.

Instead, you faced everything head on, dealing with work pressures, school, health, home and family one solid step at a time. You're a true role model.

Kathy, I love what you and George have in a marriage. George is much more than your soulmate; he's your spiritual twin and it's wonderful that you found each other in childhood. I am so happy that he's around to help you through life and that he loves you unconditionally.

Happiest of holidays to you, dear friend. May you find delight in the new year. I love you!

Smitten with Troodles

2005-12-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

Trudi, special mittens were handknitted just for you and donated to the Relay for Life in your honor. I hope you like them for they are different than any others I've done.

Just as you are different from any other person in the world. I find you to be special, caring, beautiful and joyfully coming into your own.

Your mittens are textured instead of smoothly knit to represent the many textures of your personality, the ups and downs, the ins and outs, the beauty of each cell of your being.

They started out as a blank canvas and became a work in progress, just as you are...a work in progress.

The flowers are unfolding and starting the climb up from a deep sleep...a little sunshine, a lot of joy and the support of friends and family make the flowers sprout and grow...stretching up and up and up.

Where they will end on top in a blaze of beauty.

Just like you.

Trudi, I am so blessed to have been entrusted with your inner most thoughts and feelings. You are such a sweet, wonderful spirit. When you suffer, so do I, wanting to be there with you, give you a hug, make you tea and tell you what a blessing you are to all of us.

When you are strong and full of hope, it is with joy that you share your ideas, talent and wonderfulness with the world. Joy shared with all of us diva sisters. You are now allowing yourself to dream ...daring yourself to try new things and showing your great talent to the world. I always knew you had it in you and it's such a kick to have you know it, too.

Merry, merry Christmas, dear friend Trudi. Thank you for making room in your life for me. I love you.

I Get By With the Help From My Friends....

2005-12-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a real friend of the heart, a long-lasting friend who knows us sometimes better than we know ourselves. I am blessed with real friends...even though we are scattered throughout the globe, my diva sisters bring such comfort and joy to my life each and every day.

A quote I saw recently by Dinah Mulock, echoes very well how I feel about these special women: "Oh, the comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are -- chaff and grain together -- certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away."

Even though we've only seen each other once in many, many years...and in one case with Trudi, not at all, we are true friends. We are there for each other unconditionally. Never do we question, but always offer support no matter what the circumstances may be. To me, these women are among the best experiences life has to offer. I am so very blessed.

In knitting mittens for them this holiday season, the treasure was in remembering the beauty within each person -- Keri in Northern Wisconsin; Amanda in Australia; Kathy K. in Houston, Texas; Kathy C. in Central Wisconsin; Katie in Istanbul, Turkey; Trudi in Nova Scotia; Colleen in North Dakota; and Liz in Austin, Texas. I'd like to share my thoughts over the next few days as my Everyday Epiphanies. (To my visiting Diva sisters, please post your thoughts of each person, as well.)

Too often we underestimate the power of a kind word, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring. Let this be the best part of Christmas!

Smitten with Amanda....

The mittens pictured above were made for you, Amanda, and donated on your behalf to Relay for Life. I chose the warmth of orange to depict your warm nature and gentle ways; the green, because of your love of traveling and the outdoors; the circles for the many times you and Peter have left Australia to circle the globe...and how wonderful it was to be enveloped in your hug in Chicago. You have a very feminine side, which the lace around the cuffs show.

You were my first email friend, coming through my PC over 10 years ago. We posted on the same bulletin board and felt a real connection. Soon, we added our Judy Kay and stories of her "fru-fru", the deaf kitty, and the excitement of your coming to the United States to work for the Australian Embassy. The three of us were blessed to have the others join us in rapid fire.

Amanda, to me you are the epitome of a strong woman. You are somewhat reserved on the outside, but warm and giving on the inside. The glimpses we have into your life make us fall in love with you over and over again. We get to live vicariously through all your adventures! I love what you and Peter have...it's wonderful knowing that he is a person that loves you and wants the best for you.

Thank you for making room for me in your life, even when your life is crowded and busy. May you have a most wonderful Christmas.

Smitten by mittens...and epiphanies!

2005-11-25T22:17:00.000-08:00

I picked up the knitting needles one day after deciding I was going to make mittens as Christmas presents. I love to knit, even though it's been awhile...my kitty, Macey, who was my knitting apprentice died recently, and it was too lonely to go it alone.

To ease the feeling of loneliness, I thought mittens would be a great way of gently returning to the hobby. I made a list of the women in my life whom I wanted to do something special for this holiday, picked out colors and "foo-foo" yarn and special embellishments just for her. As I knit, I thought of the recipient...why she was so special to me, how grateful I was to have her in my life, what life lessons I have learned from her, what I can do to bring her joy.

So many women. So many friends. So many times being blessed! Included were women from the area in which I live, my sister in Arizona, my step-daughters and all my diva sisters. Many of these women have battled cancer or lost someone close to cancer or volunteer their precious time ministering to those in hospice care. We diva sisters even lost one of our own this year, one who was too good, too full of life, too young to be yanked from us. She's now watching over us, cheering us on to continue the good fight on her behalf.

That's when it hit me. The true meaning of Christmas is not in the giving of things to others, but in the remembrance of others who have touched our lives.

I am donating all the handmade mittens in honor of the ladies on my list, knowing that they will approve, because that's the kind of people they are. Thank you to family members Cheri, Chrissy, Anne, Buffy, Colleen and Sarah; my diva sisters Keri, Kathy K., Kathy C., Katie, Colleen, Amanda, Trudi, Liz; and my nearby-yet-far away-friends Marta, Kathy C., Kathy K., Sue, Barbara, Anne, Ewa and Patty.

A dozen pair will be sold at Relay of Life's holiday craft fair with the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.

Another batch (which were not done in time for the craft fair), will be donated to a local fundraising effort, again to benefit cancer research.

And, then we'll start all over again for next year. That goal is 75 pairs. Hopefully, they'll fetch $1,500 for cancer research. Memories? Priceless.

Oh, yeah, my epiphany?

We adopted Barney from the Humane Society a couple of months ago to keep Trooper, our despondent kitty, socializing and interested again since the death of Macey.

Turns out that Barney (also known as Flying Dragon Crashing Cat) loves to play with yarn and "help" knit, just as Macey had done for so many years. So I had company after all.

Barney and I will pick up the needles again tomorrow.

Over the River and Through the Woods....

2005-11-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

We got snow this morning, but not exactly what was promised. A couple of inches came in a flash and immediately began melting. Lucy and I managed to get our first-of-the-season snow angel made, but I went home with a pretty soggy butt.

Today's epiphany: Busy day at the grocery store with people picking up last minute delights for Thanksgiving dinner. All five check-out lanes were filled with tired, frazzled folks. I mean tired. I mean frazzled. All crabby lookin' people. Push and shove. No "excuse me's.""

I was standing in line behind a harried mom who was unloading a cart filled to overflowing. As she was digging out her wallet, one of her two blonde pigtailed daughters pointed to the cover of a "news"paper (I use the term loosely. We've all seen them...they entertain us with stories of Hollywood stars being kidnapped by aliens. I wish...)

One of the little girls started giggling, trying to be quiet so she wouldn't get reprimanded by her mom. Her little body was shaking...and it started an eruption with the second daughter. They both giggled and giggled and giggled. Softly at first...and then with a laugh that can only start at the tips of their toes.

Their giggles were contagious. Before you know it, everyone in every check-out lane started to laugh. The laughs got louder and louder. A woman behind me said that she was about to wet her pants and a kind gentleman two aisles away handed her a roll of paper toweling from his cart, causing more spontaneous laughter.

Those two littles girls dropped the stress level of every shopper and, I'm sure, made the day for the overworked, underpaid clerks. I know that my stress level plummeted. My hope is that momma realizes what joy her daughters brought to others...a true Thanksgiving gift.

Meet Lucy, today's epiphany!

2005-11-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

Meet Lucy. She's a 10-year-old Golden Retriever (a/k/a teddy bear with a heartbeat) who is about as needy as they come.

It's a good thing. I love to feel needed, so we make a great team.

She's posing today at the pond. It's water level is very low...lowest I've ever seen. You can actually see tree stumps in the muck. Yuck to muck!

It's also very lonely without our geese crabbing at the dog and me.

One of the gifts the geese left behind is green poop. Lots and lots of it. And Lucy, being a dog, loves to roll in things that smell dead.

Here's my epiphany: a half-blind, old, arthritic dog rolling in goose poop, playing like a puppy.

Man, did she enjoy herself.

After a warm washcloth bath, we proceeded to get out our winter outwear in anticipation of the big snowstorm expected tonight.

Of course, being the divas that we are, we have matching boots.

Bring it on!

Tomorrow I'll join Lucy in rolling on the tundra. For another winter, she and I will make angels in the snow.

Don't know how many winters she and I have left together, so we'll make the most of this one.

One day and one snowfall at a time.

A Walk in the Woods

2005-11-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, Keri doll, you win! Here's Beanie. Beanie blogging. Oh, man, one more thing to do. LOL!

The good looking guy on the left is my soulmate and kindred spirit, Louie. He's the love of my life and the one who keeps me laughing all day long.

He has five adult kids that I have adopted as my best friends. Our 10th grandchild is on the way. Can you believe it? That's what I get for marrying a really old fart. Yet, he's younger than many people I know who are half his age.

I digress. A Walk in the Woods is going to be about my everyday epiphanies -- 10 second snippets that, literally, help me to stop and smell the roses -- from which happiness and health are built. Everyday epiphanies remind me of why it's great to be alive; it gives me a moment to be thankful for everything that is right with the world.

My walking companion, Lucy, is a 10-year-old golden retriever who thrives on our walks together. She's the one who is quick to point out where we find many of our epiphanies with perked ears, wagging tail that goes in 360 degee motion, growls, barks or hiding behind my legs. If you want to find something really cool, just keep an eye on my dog.

Louie, Lucy and I live with two hooligans called cats, in a log cabin in the woods, nestled in the rolling hills of the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine in Wisconsin. Our cabin is located on top of a Kame (coniferous phen) created by sediment falling through the cracks of melting glaciers millions of years ago. Many visitors from the woods have come to see us at the cabin: whitetail deer, fox, coyote, skunk, possum, Badger, woodchucks, and our closest neighbors, raccoons...not to mention the usual gray, black and red squirrels, moles, chipmunks, etc.

Our pond is surrounded by weeping willows that are hundred of years old and each year the pond is home to newly-hatched yellow fluffballs, called Giant Canadian Geese. Lucy and I watch the babies grow on our daily walks and are both saddened when the inevitable comes...winter and the babies fly away with the parents, hundreds and hundreds of miles away.

With digital binoculars/camera in hand, our epiphanies will appear here. Some, of course, cannot be explained, so a camera is needed. Others just can't be given justice with a one-dimensional photo, so I'll try my best to describe. There will also be some that go directly to my heart and will stay there because explaining them will somehow demean their significance.

So, here we go. Thanks for coming along. Lucy and I are grateful for your company.