Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

 That is correct!  After a Friday that was near 60 degrees...  It snowed!  We got a light dusting on Saturday and Sunday.   I was impressed that it stuck to the ground.   But it was rather cold and windy,  so I spent most of the day inside working on Origami and a few odds and ends.  

But then Monday morning....  BOOM!   The Old Man Winter dropped the hammer on Kenosha with about 8 inches of snow.  ( Check out the grill!)  

At first, I did not think it was that deep.  But then I pushed the outer door open.  

It was not the light fluffy stuff, but rather the heavy wet stuff that forms slush and will pack up under your car and get you stuck.   It also melts together and forms that slippery slushy road that makes it easy to slip.   A challenger to anyone getting out of an un-shoveled driveway. 

Unless you drive a Subaru!

Subies love the snow!  ( I might have mentioned that once or twice before...) And yes... so does a Jeep...  But I got into all kinds of trouble with my Jeep... back in the day.   Perhaps I am a little wiser now and avoid the crazy things I did in my youth;  because I have not had the same trouble with any of my Subarus  That being said... I still like to prove that the AWD system on a Subie rocks!

Monday was actually pretty cold,  but one of the best things about being cooped up in the winter is that you can enjoy some warm comfort food and a hot Chocolate. I started up a big batch of chili last night and had it for lunch at work today.   It was "Pretty good!" (My way of saying it was awesome...) I rarely make or eat chili unless the outdoor temps suggests that a bowl of warm goodness is required to weather out the storm.  And I think chili and stew do that fairly well.  

The snow is not bound to last.  it is already melting.   And the temps are predicted to rise into the 50's later.   So if you planned on building a snowman,  chances are, Monday would have been the day 

In other parts of the country...  Cheryl sent me a VERY rare phenomenon.   Northern Lights in Iowa!

And not the common greens and whites.  This one had a bold splash of red!  How crazy is that?!?

I know that there was a time last summer when you could see the northern lights here in Wisconsin over the Lake.   But I missed it.  I think they happened around midnight and I was always in bed by then.  

But Now,  I may have the opportunity!   If they ever show up again.  (And I am aware of them being visible...)  Back in the Alaska days,  I would pull off in the calm but cutting cold of the tundra and watch the Northern Lights for what seemed like hours!  

All alone...  In the cold dark.   With the rainbow of colors swirling and dancing in the sky.  

It was one of those moments where you wished you had someone to share the experience.  

But moments like that come and go.   And there will be other moments in the future.   You just have to watch out for them.  And take them in stride.   

And try to make every second count. 

The Hidden World Around Us... Lydia.

 As I sit the the darkened corner of my living room, searching for things to write about, I am reminded everyday about the things that we observe, but do not truly see.   And when I think about those topics that I notice,  it makes me want to share a bit of my life and the way I see and understand things.  

And people come to mind. 

You may remember my posts about Phil and Patty from Zebra.  I usually do not write blog posts about people who I know that  read this blog.  ( I am hesitant  to have them read some of the thoughts I write about... Except Phil... Good old Phil....) If I do write about a person... Chances are the understanding is that I will either never see them again, or I know that there is a very small chance that they will ever read my blog.  So...I can write freely. 

And so it goes that the subject of Lydia comes up.   

Lydia.    

She is an attractive, young female who works as the bartender at the Clubhouse.   (I think she may be the shift manager...)  I often try to schedule my visits to coincide with her being on duty, so she can take my order and we can exchange a few moments of small talk.  It was easy back in the days of Zebra and even Shoreland, because I worked during the day and could catch her during the "happy hours" of 3-6.  But now that I work at Haribo,  our meetings have become far less frequent.  

I believe she has been there just over two years now.   I remember first meeting her with John on one of our many "Thirsty Thursdays".  She was about to replace Brie ( spelling?) who was John's main muse, and one of the main reasons for our Thursday visits.  When Brie left, Lydia took up the reigns of Thursday Happy Hour Barkeep. And that is when we got to know her.   

It is difficult to write about her without outsiders thinking that there is an ulterior motive behind my   observations.   True.   She is young and attractive.   But if superficial beauty is all you see and think about,  then you would miss the true gem that resides within her.   There is more there than just a "pretty face."  

When I watch her at work,   she is always smiling.   You may say that that is part of the job, but I assure you,   there are many barkeeps who do not smile. ( Brie being one of them.... Sorry John.) 

She knows her customers!   And many of the people who walk through the door she knows by name.   And has their order ready before they sit down. And that is something that is rather refreshing to people.   She knows who to ask; what to ask; and who to "just give them their favorite beer..."   She flirts with the older men and laughs at their jokes without being offended.  In short,   She is a good sport  and a pro when it comes to  serving the regulars and newcomers.. 

Of course you might say that that is all "part of the Job."   And it is.  But try to think back to a special waitress or server or bartender who knew your order and was helpful when your day did not go as planned.   Or was simply kind on one of those days when you needed a moment of Zen and quiet.   I have worked the food service before and can assure you that there is a knack to understanding people and what they   are looking for at any given moment in a restaurant or bar .   A warm meal,   a cold beer,  a quiet space...   Maybe even a sympathetic ear to listen to their day.   (A tradition that dates back hundreds of years, I'm sure...) 

And Lydia does this job very well.  She is a sympathetic ear when someone is having a bad day.   She is a refreshing smile when people enter the establishment.   Often calling out their names for everyone to hear and welcoming them to a seat at the bar.  A place where "Everyone knows your Name"  ( Cheer's reference.)   Maybe not everyone...  but at least one of the bartenders does.

We live in a world now where people do not see much past the exterior of anyone.  I am amused when people don't understand that beauty is more than just "hair and make-up."   It is personality. 

 Personality is everything.   

I find this at my job  as well.   People with a pleasant personality are more fun to work with than people who may be "good at their job" but SUCK on the humanity spectrum.  (Jerks are rather difficult to work with)     I'm sure you can conjure up an example somewhere in your life of those who "just wanted a paycheck." 

But every now and then, you  find a person who is more.   Someone who genuinely LIKES their job.  Even if it is a low pay, long hours type of job.   Someone who does their best and tries to make everyone around them feel a little better for having the opportunity to work together.   It is a rare talent.   A Gift!   

And to the untrained eye... It probably looks Magical.

So when I visit the Clubhouse in Kenosha.   And I watch and listen to Lydia as she runs around and works her magic with customers;  I  see a person who enjoys her job.   Enjoys her fellow employees.  And enjoys her customers.   I can only assume that it is because she has a number of older brothers in her family.   Or that she comes from an Italian family. ( Don't get me started on the importance of family for raising the next generation!) Whatever it is,  She is a unique find for the Clubhouse.   And ultimately she brings a little bit of peace and light to those she encounters.  

I know there was more that I wanted to write about, but as always, many of the eloquent points that I had created in my mind have now vanished.  Such is that way of a writer.   (Am I a writer?)  I guess I could carry around a small recording device where ever I go, but that seems tiresome.   And besides,   this post is long enough as it is.  

So I'm glad you got to meet Lydia.   At least briefly...  In an obscure blog post.  If you want to meet her for real,  Visit  the Clubhouse Pub and Grill.  If you are lucky,   you might catch her on a Thursday,  when their chicken wings are on sale and their beer is a dollar off between the hours of 3-6. 

If you show up a second time,  she will know your order.    

If you show up a third time,   She will know your name.   

After that....  You're family.

Silent Lucidity

 So the Dream goes like this: 

I am at a gathering with a bunch of people.We are talking about many things when the topic comes up about a hidden city in the jungle nearby.   Machu Picchu like...   But it is hidden from all but the locals. 

This  piqued my curiosity  and I ask how would I go about finding this place.  And someone tells me that the path is easy to follow.   In fact, it leads right through a dozen homes and villages near by.   All you have to do is stay on the path... No matter what!   No matter where it takes you. 

This sounds fairly easy to me..   So I head out.  

I am suddenly transported to a path through the jungle.   A well groomed path with tile on the ground that changes to rock, then asphalt.  Then dirt.  The path changes often... Until I come to a door.

I open the door and the path continues.  Only now it is covered with linen.  Similar to a red carpet or banner that is rolled out on the ground.   I step on it and continue.  

Like the road before,  the linen changes color and type, over and over again.  And as I walk over these textiles,  I continue to enter rooms of houses.   Almost as if I'm in one continues house rather than a jungle.   But the "House" is more like a shanty town and continues to get more and more primitive while remaining "civilized."  

At one point, the "path" becomes Sushi wrap seaweed paper!  It is very fragile and narrow.  And I have to be careful walking on it.  It reminds me of the part in "Kung Fu" where the Shaolin  Monks are walking on rice paper to pass a test of skill. 

I finally climb some earthen stairs and open a wooden door to enter a studio where there is a woman making clay pottery.   There are jars and pots all around and she is getting up to remove her latest creation and she greets me.    I assume she is one of the local villagers and apologize for my intrusion.  

She waves it off and tells me something like this is normal.   People walk through her studio all the time because it is on the path.    

She is wearing baggy clothing.  Work attire.   And as she reaches up to put her latest urn up on a wire to dry,   her shirt lifts up... And  she exposes slightly more skin than expected.   And I turn away slightly embarrassed.  

She then changes to Keri Russel!  (The actress from Felicity)  And we begin to have a conversation.  The odd thing about this is I have never found Kerri Russel "attractive".    She usually plays characters I dislike.  But there is a civil tone in our conversation.   She is nice and helpful.   ( I don't  hate her!)  And I enjoy talking to her.  

And then  she changes to Cheryl.  

What the heck?   What are you doing here?   In the middle of a random village? In the middle of a forgotten jungle?    In a Pottery studio covered in mud and clay....  What is she doing here?  

It is like that  moment in Inception..  Where the fellow dream travelers encounter Leonardo's dead wife.   This is something that makes no sense.  ( As if everything up to the point did!)  But I ask her what she is doing here as if she could explain this unexplainable meeting.   

She tells me that she is "Dating the Pastor."   Like a missionary?  I have not met a pastor here, so I do not know who she is talking about.  But that is not important.  

The feeling I get is what I remember.   Not anger.   Not sad.     Just a resignation.  An ending.  And that was kind of sad.  I struggle to find the words to describe the feeling accurately.  But shortly after that.. I wake up.   

Many details.   Why are they there?   What is the meaning?   Is there a meaning?   Let the interpretations begin!  Because...  In the end...  

It was all just a dream.  

The Secrets That Are Revealed In A Dream

 Ever have a dream?  

 Of course you have!  Everyone has them every time you sleep.   But the problem arises in that we forget them the moment we wake up.   We have them.   Know we had them. Then lose them as they evaporate like the morning dew each morning...  

But what about those that linger?   You know the ones.   The ones we have that you have to tell someone about.   "I had the strangest dream!"   We say.   As we try to remember the details and the feelings that that dream produced.   A Strong dream that lasts longer than the morning sunrise...  A Dream with Meaning....  And you feel as if there is some one or something telling you something. 

I like the Bible's stories of dreams.   Joseph and Jacob with their dreams that seem to be about nothing...  But as they continue their story of their lives... The meaning is revealed and can be seen.   

And yes!  To the Skeptic...   Those visions do not happen "exactly" as the dream described.  But that is where the human's ability to see and translate the vision comes into play.  Right?  

I had a dream last night.   And there were things about it that made no sense.   And as I struggle to remember the details. ( which I remember!)  I try to piece the puzzle together with whatever my mind (or God) is trying to send me.   Perhaps it is nothing.   Maybe a small glimpse into a possible future.   Who knows?  But the dream is staying with me and I thought it best to write about it before it fades completely. 

I imagine what it must have been like for the Pharaoh  in Egypt.  You have a prosperous kingdom and you have these disturbing dreams that give you great anxiety.  ( It must be disturbing to see 7 skinny cows eat 7 fat cows!)   And all of the people you tell the dream to give you a reading that 'just doesn't sound right...'

And then, from a guy who "knows a guy" he met in the strangest of circumstances,   you find that missing person who has the answer.   (At least one that sounds right and makes sense to you.)   And from there,  the story changes.   Especially for the guy who was rotting in a prison!

Don't tell just anyone....Right Joseph?

But I digress...   My dream has several details that I know where only one person will understand the meaning.  And I also know that it is the sort of dream I don't want to tell "just anybody" because they may give me a translation that is "off."  

So what do I do?  

I could bury it in my mind and pretend it was "Just a dream."  But I know that I will be thinking about it and working through a translation for myself whenever I have a moment of free time.  (Which will probably happen anyway.)  

Or I could risk telling someone and having them give me a translation that does not work, but has elements that pull in the wrong direction.  

Or!  I could write about it.   Perhaps  in a blog posting or something...  Where I am able to write out the details and the understanding of the story.  Perhaps I could change the names of the people in my dream to "Protect the innocent."   ( There is nothing that "Bad" in the story.... But,  no one wants to have a character based off of actions that they never did in real life...)  And in doing so.... I could work out a meaning for myself.  Or at least a "working understanding" of the message that was sent. 

It is November.   And this is the month where writers are supposed to begin their 50,000 word novel writing.   A rough draft where you have 30 days to write something and a year to polish it and get it "published."  I have been inspired by lesser things.   Perhaps this is something that can prime the pump of my writer's fountain.  

 It has been rather dry for a long time.   

Or maybe it will just be an outlet for some mental clarity.   Who knows?   

But I am writing now.   In the morning....  Before Work!   Something I have never done before.   What would possess me to do such a thing?  

  Sounds like something you would do only a dream. 

A Fun Weekend.

Last week flew by!  And I decided I would try to catch things up on the weekend that I simply did not have time to do during the few free hours I had during the work days.  I actually made a list!  And it was quite long.

Mostly, I wanted to clean the house and put all of my fishing stuff away.   A little organization, packing, folding, and stowing were the name of the game.  I cleaned the house, the car, the garage ( a bit) and did my laundry!   I also shopped for my lunches and even had time to visit the Clubhouse for a beer!   All of this was done on Saturday!

That left Sunday free and clear for the pursuit of my choice. 

I went to church at 8 am and Dave suggested that it would be a wonderful day for fishing.   That put an idea in my head and I simply could not shake it.  Talk about the power of suggestion!

Of course, the reasons to not go should have been obvious:  I just cleaned up the kayaks and put them away for the season.   AND there was supposed to be rain the entire weekend.   Well, it did rain Saturday.   But the Sunday sky looked quite different from the picture the weather channel would have me believe.  And besides.... what else was I going to do?

So... I took a chance.

I sent Dave a text and offered an afternoon fishing trip to the pond.  Just in case, I brought the smaller kayak and his fishing pole.   However,  he did not make it.  

But that did not stop me!  I unfolded the new kayak and filled her up. Within a few minutes, I was in the water and had two nice bluegills on the stringer!

I fished for a couple hours and managed to catch 10 fish.   After the first two, the action was a feast or famine scenario.  At one time I had a double header, but most of the time, the fish were biting light and rather picky.   Still, the fly/wax worm combo was the bait of choice.   And most the fish were pushing 9 inches. 

I was rather excited about the success, because I had recently purchased a "cheap" electric fillet knife to see if I could improve upon my fish cleaning skills. And now I had a few fish to practice/ experiment on. 

The verdict?   I think there is potential!   Possibly with some thinner blades... and only for the parts where there are bones.   After I cut off the ribs, I would switch to a normal fillet knife to skin and remove the bones that were attached to the meat. 

Would it be faster?   

Maybe...  with a little practice and blade modification.  I'll have to see how I can improve in the coming months. 

In the mean time,  I put the fillets in the fridge with some buttermilk and I invited Dave over for some fish for lunch.  Fish and Chips on a Monday....  Who would have thought?

So now I have to clean up the back of the car again and refold the boat.  It should not take too long, and I was impressed how little time it took to go from fully stowed to inflated and on the water!  That was one of the main reasons I selected an inflatable Kayak to begin with.   And I can fit two of them, along with all of my fishing gear, in the back part of my Subaru!  How cool is that?

I had thought about doing some mushroom hunting this weekend, but I am still working on the foot issue and trying to allow it to heal as much as possible before the big Turkey Trot.  That being said, I did find some Lung Oysters on a dead tree on the bank of the pond.  I managed to harvest a couple, and Dave and I had some deep fried along with the fish this afternoon.  They were delicious!

And now, a new week begins.   I believe this is the first time I have ever fished during the month of November.  Usually, I was hunting for deer with a bow or squirrels with a gun.  And the Opening Day  was right in the  middle of the month.   No time to break out the boat and fish for anything. Not to mention the Cold! 

But now, I find fishing more relaxing.   And the inflatable Kayak makes it easy to just go whenever the mood hits you.   I think there is potential to get back into fishing like I was so many years ago.   Back when fishing was my life and identity.   It is shocking to me just how much I had drifted away from something I had loved so deeply.  

But that is life.   Things that are incredibly important in our youth, eventually fade away and are forgotten when something new replaces it.   I guess it just takes time and age to discover that for yourself.  

However,  you can always revisit those old passions.   And maybe,  if the time is right and the conditions line up,  you can start the flame anew!   And make ever remaining second count,