my morning latte'

Good Morning.
Drudge

• I'm glad to be in America this morning. I'll bet the Burma activist, Nay Myo Kyaw wishes he were also. This blogger gets a sentence in prison for poetry.
• You won't be able to keep your cold to yourself for long. Google is under surveillance by the govt. Don't you just LOVE being watched!
• Catholic Bishops have made a vow to fight Obama's abortion laws. Just say NO to murder.

JSOnline: I still don't like the new look at JSOnline. I need too many clicks to find where I am going and the dates are not posted on the stories. Just for whatever it's worth... Money seems to be the bottom line in the following two stories regarding our children and our elderly. Hey, if we start compromising their programs to save a buck that is then spent on social services catering to the unemployed and drug addicts coming to our town from larger cities... we are a really screwed up city!

• Money continues to be a consistent problem in our schools. The Waukesha School District is looking into different options to re-construct our children's educational system.
• Senior citizens meal programs to be consolidated.
• Chicago investors make bad on deal in Waukesha.

So as I'm reading the news today, I notice a repeating theme in some different publications. Lake County Living prints this article about food pantries. The Waukesha Freeman prints this one about donations for the Volunteer Center. So my question to you is: If donations for these services are down... let's say the food pantry for example. What will these people who use the services do as a result? Who do they serve?

" The Food Pantry serves Waukesha County residents who are unemployed, working poor, and/or underemployed; individuals with disabilities; those with health issues and related costs; the elderly; and children." The Food Pantry of Waukesha

Crime will inevitably go up, right? I mean I've worked in food pantries before. Yes a lot of the people are just going through a tough time and need a temporary crutch to get out. But the majority of folks were the chronic unemployed.

Okay, you've heard me rant about this before, don't bother complaining unless you are willing to become part of the solution. What's my solution??? We become a community with responsible accountability! There it's that simple. If my neighbor looses his job due to the liberal govt. extending loans to unqualified buyers because it looks good on their resumes'... and he (my neighbor) can't find anything else. I, as part of his community, would help. Send out the word at my place of employment, help him update his resume, offer to get together occasionally. Whatever! AND if they are struggling to put food on the table I would buy him some groceries. Isn't' that the golden rule???

Why have we gotten so caught up in our fence lines that we have lost community? Can't we go beyond our 'now established' comfort zone and create a new one that includes community? Listen, I don't want the govt. playing robin hood with my hard earned buck. But I do know what it's like to need a crutch. We need each other. I don't want the government to be our extended family. That's our neighbors job. It's just what I think.

my morning latte'

Good Morning and happy Monday! I hope your weekend was fabulous.

This morning I woke up to the thermostat kicking in and the comforting sounds of warm air blowing throughout my home. Although it was too early to see the sun, I know it would have filled the room because all of the leaves on the Maple trees out back have found the compost pile. It's the one consoling thought during the cold winter months regarding the dead looking trees surrounding our home... that now we can see the sunshine through the windows.

Breakfasts, sack lunches, showers and a pot of coffee. Kisses good morning, kisses goodbye. Have a great day. Whew. It's November again. We are already thinking of roasted turkey and pumpkin pie. (at least we are at our house)

My hands have all the tell tale sign of colder weather. I'm slathering on more lotions and cuticle creams. I've used up the rest of my Good Scents 4 Her patchouli/rose lotion and need to get more. I've had to switch to my fall/winter face care system and after examining my fall and winter wardrobe over the weekend found that I desperately needed to go some shopping to update my closet. (eeks!) I even needed to update my shampoos, finding something more moisturizing. This dry, blowing air is reeking havoc. LOL!!!

Given the concerns us Wisconsinites lived through last year. Meaning SNOW and lots of it, I was relieved to see this headline: Winter likely to be more mild than last year's. This year we are going to be more prepared. I've already been shopping for shovels, salt, scrapers and am filling my trunk with my emergency kit. (this is a first for me)
Boomertown has left thousands in the bust. Baby boomers all over have been counting on Boomertown to help out financially. When I checked out their site it looked as though they were just re-doing their site. "An all-new boomertown.com is coming soon... In the last 8 years Internet technology and web communication have changed greatly. We see these changes as an opportunity to take our original format and re-shape a whole new site. Something even more dynamic. One which better embraces the concept of a boomertown!" But according to the article posted on JSOnline, the Better Business Bureau has received over 100 complaints regarding Boomertown.


To find the following along with other headlines check out The Waukesha Freeman:

• Sheboygan resident 9 million dollars richer today.
• 24 year old man gets himself shot and killed in Mequon
• Pike Lake hero's

Have a Fabulous Day!

my morning latte'

T.G.I.F... I say sincerely. What a week!

At this point we press a head and learn from what was left behind.


I've learned to stay involved.
We plug into our communities especially the areas we are passionate about. (no passion left? that's okay too but stay involved anyway)

• Are we complaining to our neighbors about city issues? Go to the city meetings.
• Do we have compassion for the homeless? abused? Visit social service agencies and learn more. But be wise, balance that out with other information sources as well.
• Are we seeing our schools/churches/hospitals/ etc... going in directions we love or hate? Get on the boards. Join the PTO, visit sites, volunteer.

But stay involved.

It was in my junior year D.E.C.A. class at Waukesha South when I learned this valuable lesson: Unless you are willing to become part of the solution, stop complaining about the problem. In other words either be quiet or get involved. It was a good lesson.

Drudge: We can thank Biden for the heads up. International crisis is looming over our nation to welcome Obama to his new home. Obama campaign workers are mad about not getting paid.

Fox News: Accepted offer for the White House chief of staff. Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel will fill the position

JSOnline: Former Hartland, Arrowhead student gets pleads guilty for killing his girlfriend.

Exactly what Waukesha needs right now... MORE low income housing. And we are getting it. The Waukesha County Affordable Housing Task Force announced that they are going to move forward to make more affordable housing here in Waukesha. I wonder what they are going to do with the extra crime that follows? What about the drugs? Are they going to address the maintenance of these properties down the road? Because one drive downtown to any of the Pine Point apts. or most of the Berg properties will show us that what we need is NOT more low income properties, but to clean up the properties we already have. Then maybe those respectably working low income residents will feel safe enough to inhabit them.

Lake Country Reporter: Merton schools will see a make over.

Waukesha Freeman: Short takes on developing stories: Waukesha profiled on America's most wanted, Milwuakee woman boards Brookfield bus to start fight, more on the Frame Park deal, keeping kids safe from Internet porn.

Have a FABULOUS FRIDAY!

Feed the Hungry

I am ashamed to say that not until recently, like the past 6 or 7 years, have I been aware of some of our communities services. Yeah we already know, by default, about our schools, churches, hospitals... yaada, yaada... But not necessarily other stuff.

I have been involved in social services, on several levels, for the past few years. Those experiences has forced me to learn about our Waukesha resources. While at the last Art Crawl downtown on Oct. 3rd. I asked a few people if they knew about any of them. Shelters? Clothing? Food? Most people were oblivious to our resources, just as I had been. Soooo, I would like to invite readers to learn more about our community here at Blog-Waukesha Talks. Please give them a call, check out their site, or stop by. First stop... Food!

• Organization Name: Food Pantry of Waukesha County
• Location: 215 W. North Street, Waukesha
• Phone: 262-542-5300
• Who Do they serve: "The Food Pantry serves Waukesha County residents who are unemployed, working poor, and/or underemployed; individuals with disabilities; those with health issues and related costs; the elderly; and children."
• Hours of Operation: Donation Hours: Monday-Friday: 9 am-4 pm Additional evening hours provided on Thursday: 6-8 pm Saturday: 9:30-11:30 am Pickup Hours: Monday-Wednesday: 1-3 pm Thursday: 1-3 pm 6-8 pm Friday: 1-3 pm Saturday: 9:30-11:30 am
• Website: http://www.foodpantryofwaukeshacounty.org/index.htm
• Tag Line: End Hunger
• Mission: "Hunger hurts. It denies dignity, lessens human energy and impairs the potential of people to succeed."
• Did You Know?: That the Food Pantry is not a government agency, but a freestanding, nonprofit organization that distributes food - donated and purchased food as well as surplus U.S. government food.

A little about the Food Pantry of Waukesha County. According to their web-site the pantry 'serves approximately 5,752 people each month from all parts of the county.'

Special Events:

• What: Celebrating A Community That Cares:The Food Pantry of Waukesha County’s30th Anniversary Event
• Invitation Reply Card
• When & Where: Sunday, October 26th, 3:00 p.m.Country Springs Hotel & Resort

Here is a copy of their newsletter from Summer/Fall 2008

If you are involved with a non-profit in Waukesha that you would like to see featured here, please e-mail us at: waukeshablogger@gmail.com. All posted information from this post was found at: http://www.foodpantryofwaukeshacounty.org/index.htm

Scarecrows

The Scarecrow worked. Well sort of. The truth is it scared the ba gee bees out of me this morning. I thought this would entertain you.

I woke up at 5:30 to get breakfast made and lunches ready for all...not to mention getting the java going. Still dark outside and me being half awake I thought I saw something outside when I walked past the window. Just my imagination... too dark to see anything.

Considering the day ahead, a doctor apt. that needs to be made, appointments that need to be kept, bills to be paid... yaada, yaada, yaada phone calls, letters, e-mails... I'm in my own little world putting mayo on the turkey sandwiches and carefully splitting apart the 'fork split' english muffins for the egg sandwiches my oldest would certainly want for breakfast. (what does 'fork split mean anyway??? I ALWAYS need to cut the thing open)

Then I saw it again. Something.

I need to let the dogs out. We don't want a mess on the floor. I send them out the other door. Not the one that might be by something. I don't think I want to know.

Back to my morning coffee pot and deli meat... the 'something' outside was forgotten about. Children are up now, I hear them. Radios on, shower's going, toilets flushing. I hear the dogs bark. Great. Let's wake up the neighbors too.

I rush to THAT door, forgetting that something is out there. AND EEEKKKSSS!!!! It's still there, but now it's light enough to see the shadows of movement. EEEKKKSSS again!!!! The dogs are barking at it too. It IS something. I flip on the light. Its the stinkn' scarecrow that I got at Retzners two weekends ago by some mom & pop crafter. (I don't usually get into crafts but this guy was cute in the full sun on the Sat. afternoon I bought him)

Big breath. I walk outside, pick him up, and move him away from the window. I changed his shirt to a green packer sweatshirt that has become too beat up. Certainly the green will be a bit less shocking for the next victim.

We don't have a crow problem anyway. That thing is a Scarepeople, not a Scarecrow.

Inconsistantly, consistant!

Should parents be leery of the new Kettle Moraine High School schedule?
After all, it does sound as though the school board has spent considerable time planning to "innovate, and improve education." It's called: “Learning Without Boundaries.”

What has some parents concerned is the random feeling schedule. (Yes, I know most kids have no problem adjusting to craziness. However, what about those common children who are already struggling to make assignments, get to class on time, etc???)
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday offer 51 minute classes with 30 minute lunch and 5 minute passing. Tuesday, however, offers 41 minute classes, 25 minute lunches and 5 minute passing.

The result is an early release on Tuesdays. (That's the other thing most parents are concerned with.)

The school board says that this schedule will enable teacher an opportunity to work together-improving their teaching. Students will have the option to stay later and work with other students or use the library. (I fear that only a select few will use that opportunity, the same few who would normally use it and the ones who have the invitation to leave, will.)

I guess time will tell. The school board says this will help consistency, but I'm having a hard time believing that. I have been wrong before. Hope I am this time too.
http://ms.kmsd.edu/Highschool.cfm?subpage=107025