Respect the lake...

On Sunday, we had an unusually beautiful day here in Kenosha. The temps reached the 80's and people were outside in droves. Whenever the temperature rises that way, the lake front becomes a hot bed of activity. Sunday was no exception. So the lake became a place for families and friends to get together and hang out and enjoy the day. It also became the scene of our first drowning tragedy of the year. A 13 year old girl jumped into Lake Michigan, off the north pier, near the lighthouse. The strong undercurrent grabbed her and pulled her out, under and away from shore. Her friends stood in horror at the place where she jumped in. When she did not emerge within minutes, they called for help. It was too late.

I've lived within 10 miles of Lake Michigan my whole entire life. Even when I lived in Chicago, I was in walking distance of the lake. As a kid, I was a block away and spent many hot summer days at the beach. Today, I am less then 100 yards from the lake. In fact, I can hear the lake right now. In my lifetime, I've known of at least 6 people who have drowned or been injured by the power of Lake Michigan. She is not something to be toyed with.

Lake Michigan never really gets to what I would consider a "swimmable" temperature. She is tolerable around Labor Day and then only for very short periods of time. Mostly, if you do dare to wade in, you are stricken with the realization that your circulation from the knees down shuts off very easily and it's strange how you simply cannot feel anything at all. Yes, she is that cold. Also, there are a couple of designated swimming areas (no lifeguards though) but even then that term is used loosely. The shore of Lake Michigan changes all the time because she is such a volatile beast. If you wade in you may be able to walk a few feet but then you might hit a big drop off of 4 -5 feet. The sudden feeling of their being no earth below your feet is a tad scary to say the least.

Along the lake front, where there is no swimming, the lake is shouldered by enormous rocks which are to keep the lake at bay. The depths of the lake are tricky. It may seem like a good idea to jump off those rocks but beneath that blue surface are more rocks. Years and years worth and they hurt..a lot...if you hit them.

When I was a kid, another kid on our neighborhood jumped into the small boat harbor when he dropped a toy into the water. He never came back up.

When I was a teen ager, another teenager jumped off the rocks on a hot summer's day, he went down, hit his head and got his leg caught between two larger rocks beneath the surface. When they got him out, they managed to revive him but he had a brain injury from lack of oxygen and was unable to walk, talk, or do anything for himself ever again.

When I was in my 20's, a friend of mine from New York thought jumped off the rocks was going to be fun despite my rather loud protests. Luckily, he did not drown. However, his shin hit another rock beneath the surface and he ended up needing 24 stitches.

A couple of years ago, two fisherman were fishing at the mouth of Pike's Creek which opens into the lake. It looks very shallow there but it has possibly the worst undertow there. One of them decided to walk across the creek area. The current pulled him down, into the mouth of the lake, filling his hip waders. He didn't make it back.

Last year, a distraught woman drove her car off the North Pier. They have yet to find her body.

For those who've never seen Lake Michigan it is a daunting sight. Most people think she's an ocean. You cannot see across her shores but rather you see blue for as far as your eye can take it. She moves with the wind, up and down. In the winter, I can hear her roar all night long. She's been known to spout her waves 15 - 20 feet over her shores leaving majestic ice sculptures along her land line and covering the road. In summer, she shines in the sun with a million sparkles like diamonds. She looks inviting, enticing but dangerous. In the moonlight, she is the back drop for a thousand romances. She is, all at once, the most beautiful, alluring sight and she harbors the most deadly secrets.

I love this lake. I'm drawn to this location and it's hard to think about living away from her. But I also know, she demands respect and is not to be taken lightly. I'm sorry that the girl who drowned this week was not made aware of the lake awesome power before she decided to jump in. I hope that her passing will teach others to respect the great lady that is Lake Michigan. She will let you enjoy her waters but never, ever take her for granted.

Same Lake, Different Day....

My house is located four houses away from Lake Michigan. I've lived my entire life right next to this wonderful lake. During cold winter nights, I can hear her waves roaring like lions and bashing against the rocks. In summer, on a calm day, her surface is clear blue. So blue it's hard to tell where the water ends and meets the sky. She looks like glass. I've walked along her shores and dove into her cold, cold water. Lake Michigan has been like an old friend to me. I can't really explain the pull the lake has on me. All I know is, everyday, when I leave my house for work in the morning, I look down the street to see how she has adorned herself that day. Sunny or grey, clear skies or rain, she is always a sight to behold!

The blue in my neighborhood...

I live right on Lake Michigan. On days like today, when the weather is crisp but not cold, I like to walk along the lake in my neighborhood. I've lived near this lake my whole life and I respect it's power and it's beauty. There's nothing like sitting on the shore and staring into the big blue to put everything into perspective. Enjoy!

Here and there and everywhere...

I took a little time today to take a quick walk in the middle of the afternoon. That's the coolest part about working where I work. They almost encourage me to go out and take a breather whenever I need it. So, after a two and half hour training class on Heart Math (interesting subject...part two comes next week). I bundled up against the lake wind and took off. I think I mentioned how much I love living this close to Lake Michigan. The seasons changing on the lake front really is amazing. The colors have long since peaked and almost all of the trees are bare now. But the lake against the blue sky is always a completely beautiful sight.


Never seems to look the same way twice. I went all the way past the harbor to the old light keeper's house and back again. The light keeper's house and old light house are historical places in my home town. There are rumors that the house is haunted but I've never been inside it so I don't know. I know someone who used to live in it though and he always claimed there were voices and foot steps in the night. I started back and realized after crossing the harbor bridge that the wind chill was likely to peel my face off. Not pleasant. So I went up to Harbor Park and took the trolley back to work. It stops right across the street from my office so it was convenient, cheap and WARM!



I got an email from my friend Tim Sanders last night. He's a Dallas Cowboys fan. I am a devout Cheesehead and worship the ground the Packers walk on. Cowboys/Pack game is tomorrow night. Both teams are 10-1 for the season. Being fairly confident in Brett Favre's ability I made a wager with Tim on the game. If the Pack loses, I have to write a song extolling the godlike wonders of the Dallas Cowboys. Damn, Favre better come through. Of course, Romo was born and raised in Burlington, WI so we all know he is a Cheesehead at heart. You can take the boy out of the cheese but you can never take the cheddar out of the boy!

I got caught in a moment of nothingness and ended up watching Project Runway tonight. I was wondering why I never learned to sew properly. It looks fun. Then I remembered taking a sewing class when I was 12 and the total disaster that was the pair of Kelly green corduroy pants I made. It all came back to me - the pin sticks in my finger tips, the mis-measured fabric that I had to buy twice, the one leg that was shorter than the other, and the constant haranguing from Sister Floricita who was not patient enough to try to teach sewing to 12 year old girls. Not to mention that Kelly green corduroys should not be warn by anyone, ever. Not even if you're a leprechaun.

Sleeeeepy.....

For reasons unbeknownst to me, I have at least one sleepless night each month. I don't know what the heck that is all about but, damn, does it make getting up in the morning a pisser. Last night, I was feeling tired when I went to bed around 12:30 but the minute I laid down I was wide awake with no hope of falling to sleep. It would make sense if there was something in particular that was keeping me awake but there really wasn't. I wasn't stressed. I wasn't thinking about anything. I was just getting more and more peeved that I could not fall asleep. The last time I looked at the alarm before FINALLY nodding off, it said "3:00 AM". Then the alarm went off at 5:30AM and it was game on.

I went for a lovely but extremely chilly walk today during my lunch break. There are a couple of women here who have decided to join me on my walks and it makes for good conversation and company while I walk. The only problem was the wind chill factor is at about -5 degrees here today so while walking with the wind was pleasant, walking against it sort of felt like getting a chemical peel without the chemicals (or the anesthetic!) Still, it was a bright blue, not a cloud in the sky kind of day and I'll take those no matter how cold it gets. Being right on the shores of Lake Michigan definitely has it's benefits. I love those days when the blue of the lake meets the blue of the sky and it's hard to tell where one begins and one ends. I live a few houses away from the shoreline and I work one block from the harbor so I get to be near this incredibly beautiful body of water day in and day out.

I kind of piddled the rest of the day away at work. I was looking at kitties here - http://safeharborhumane.com/ I really, really, really want to get a kitty. Safe Harbor Humane is the local no-kill animal shelter here. I've been working on my land lord (who is also my sister) to allow me to have a cat. She's a hard sell. I'm thinking appealing to her sentimental side might work. I'm going to tell her that a kitty would be the very bestest Christmas present she could ever, ever get me and that she would always be my favorite sister in the whole wide world. Desperate? Who em? Any suggestions on the best ways to suck up to your sister to get what you want would be most appreciated!