Month: September 2025

Just a short blog today before I leave for Elizabeth and Stu’s wedding party at the Urban Ecology Center. They were actually married on April 24th in Door County at Elizabeth’s brother’s house. I chose to redo their gift, thinking the third time would be the charm. It wasn’t. The spacing got squished toward the bottom, but it’s giftable.

I was out for three lunches this week: One with Anita whom I met at Señor Tomas. Then she decided to meet again the next day at Cafe de Art with our Coffee Sangha – Kathy Starck, Eileen Langyel and Peggy Bull. Anita was the surprise guest. We were all members at one time of the sangha that met at the UU Church in Waukesha. It has since disbanded.

I took lunch to Mickey yesterday. Unfortunately, the ribs were not fall-off-the-bone delicious, but she has enough leftovers for another lunch with friends, and she can have them baked a bit longer.

Stephanie Tsoris came for dinner and a sleepover on Friday. I made for her one of my favorite vegetarian dishes: black beans with corncakes. I also served the green and red tomatoes I had roasted earlier. Yes, those are peaches. The recipe calls for mangoes, but there were none to be found. The peaches worked perfectly – maybe even better.

We watched the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. Part action film, part bad dream, very chaotic, but apparently with the deep message that kindness, love and connection heal us. Thanks AI.

Pedro and his crew came on Saturday and completed my to-do list. So, we’re all set for fall/winter. After my lunch with Anita in Hartland on Wednesday, I stopped over at Bambi’s. She told me she needed to thin out her strawberries, and I was happy to be the recipient of her thinning. Cesar, one of Pedro’s crew, created this lovely bed. It’s about 10 x 10. Now I have to get some netting. I don’t need to contribute to the chipmunks’ diet.

And look at this late bloomer. It didn’t really start to show any promise until a couple of weeks ago, and then it really took off.

Still no news from the literary agent. I co-wrote this article today with AI and submitted it to Substack. I see Trump as a virus that is challenging our immune system. So he will either kill us or make us stronger.

Here is a revised essay in a style suitable for Substack, with all sources cited at the end. Posting such content on Substack is acceptable as long as the work is original, provides proper attribution, and avoids violating the platform’s general and legal content guidelines.

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Viral Politics: Trump and the Immune System of Society

Just as a human body must continually respond to viral threats at a cellular level, a society must face disruptive challenges at the political level. Both systems—biological and social—demonstrate how a single invasive force can provoke powerful, sometimes transformative, responses.

On a cellular level, when a virus invades, immune cells detect and react to foreign proteins. Cytotoxic T cells target and destroy infected cells, while helper T cells coordinate defense, activating more responders and releasing messengers that amplify the alarm. From this interaction emerges a vigorous immune response: the host’s entire system organizes to isolate, neutralize, and remember the invader for the future.

In the political “body,” Donald Trump can be compared to a virus entering a host. His influence rapidly spreads through media and social channels, carrying messages that stimulate strong reactions—loyal support from some, fierce opposition from others. As with a virus, Trump’s disruptive energy reveals vulnerabilities in the system. Long-simmering grievances, mistrust, and divisions quickly surface, much as a virus exposes weaknesses in a body’s immunity.

Society’s “immune response” to Trump has been complex and adaptive. Grassroots activism, new forms of resistance, and civil discourse act as antibodies, defending core democratic values and striving for societal balance. In some cases, these responses have strengthened the body social, fostering new alliances and a more alert, resilient public consciousness—much like immunological memory prevents future illness.

Yet, just as some viruses are neither wholly destructive nor entirely evil—they drive adaptation and evolutionary leaps—Trump’s impact is double-edged. While causing turmoil and polarization, his presence also exposes hidden faults and propels collective self-examination. In this way, he is both a symptom of pre-existing conditions (economic, cultural anxieties) and a catalytic cause of new responses, adaptation, and, potentially, growth.

Okay, that’s it. I have a party to go to.

I dropped Dan off at Goerke’s Corners this morning to catch the Wisconsin Coach Lines bus to O’Hare for his flight to France to begin his eighth Camino. At the end of his walk he will be going to Alicante (I think) and then on to Greece before he returns home on Nov. 4. Jolene and I leave for our Camino on Oct. 10 and return on Nov. 9. Everyone will then be home until the snow starts to fall, and Dan will head north. I leave for Panama on Dec. 1. I just started looking for a place there. It’s getting harder because many rentals are now long term, which does not mean four months. The plan is to stay in Panama for three months and then spend my final month (Mar.) in Colombia with Barbara. I haven’t secured lodgings in Boquete yet, but I did rent this in Jardín Colombia:

If I continue to have difficulty finding a place in Boquete, I may just spend my entire time at this place. We’ll see.

I received these photos recently from Maria del Mar. Such a beautiful family. They will be headed for Abu Dhabi after the birth of the baby. This is part of the family (minus Maria del Mar’s parents, Fredy and Ana). Dan will be visiting them all in Alicante after his Camino, before heading to Greece.

I took Sara to the Commodore last night for her birthday dinner. It is quie a dining experience. It was our second year doing this. I let Sara order whatever she wanted. She ordered the beef Wellington for 2. It was deliciou$:

Last weekend Kathy, Michele and I drove to Marinette for a sisters’ weekend. We stayed at The Island Casino. Michele knew of it, and we thought it would be fun. It was an opportunity for me to do a solo (aka without Dan) trip with the Spaceship. It was a mostly fun weekend if you don’t count almonst running out of battery and having to sleep in the tub.

On Sunday morning Michele suggested we drive to the charging station and get that out of the way. We did that. I couldn’t get the charger to work. I even questioned a Tesla driver next to me who seemed to be very familiar with the technology, and he couldn’t figure it out. With only 18 miles left, and nearly two hours later, we decided to make a run for the nearest chargerer, which was 14 miles away. We made it! I am thankful that both Michele and Kathy are very even tempered (for the most part) and didn’t give me a hard time. Turns out I was using the wrong adapter. We have two. I didn’t even look at the second one because the one I used said Tesla on the box. Who knew?? Apparently not I.

Then the bathtub adventure. When we got to our very small room, we discovered only two double beds. We were hoping for queens. In any event, we drew straws, and I won…in theory. Before the evening was through, Kathy decided she couldn’t sleep in the same bed with Michele. She crawled in with me, fell asleep instantly and started to snore. It was so assertive that it was vibrating through the mattress, my pillow AND my earplugs. That’s when I opted for the tub. I laid down all the available towels and pillows and made the best of it. I will confess that I took an Ambien to make it easier. I’ve been off the Ambien since my birthday (July 11) and am feeling very relieved by that, but I allow myself judicious use in an emergency. So, I deemed this an emergency executive order to my brain.

It is still always fun. We just miss Mary Pat. At one point we were in the hot tub and chatting with a few other guests. When one guy discovered we were sisters, he insisted on taking a picture.

The latest in calligraphy: The first two are for a friend, Anita, a member of my Soul Matters class. I will be meeting her for lunch on Sept. 17, so I’ll give it to her then. It is a favorite quote she share in a class. The last one is a botched job from yesterday. I’m using a new ink, and I didn’t realize it took extra long to dry. I smeared it when I started to erase the pencil marks. That’s okay. I didn’t like a number of things about it, so I’ll get a do-over. Their party is Sept. 24, so I have a little time.

I had Cordelia and Marie recently. I loved this conversation:

Me: So how’s camp going?

Cordelia: B-o-r-i-n-g.

Me: Really? I thought you liked it there.

Cordelia: No, we’re not at Good Times anymore. They closed for the summer. Now we’re at Day Spring Church. All they talk about is Jesus and the Bible.

Me: Really?!? (Surprised becaue I do not know Sara or Chris to be philosophically Christian.)

Cordelia: I believe that there was a person named Jesus who died on a cross, but the rest of the stuff just doesn’t make sense.

Marie: C’mon, he walked on water?

Me: Well, there’s a story to explain that…

Cordelia and Marie in unison: LA, la, la, la, la, la, la…. We don’t want to hear it.

They are 8 and 6. I cannot imagine thinking like that at their age. I bought the whole myth, hook, line and sinker. And I’m quite sure it would not have gone very well if I hadn’t.

Jolene surprised me with these yesterday, and she gave Dan a card that made him cry (doesn’t take much).

So, now it’s just us for a while. I have Pepper because Kathy and Dan are on a cruise through Canada. Kathy just texted that her sheets stink – oh, oh. Pepper loves Penny. I found him crying outside her bedroom door this morning.

So, I’ve had two big signs of relief recently: the publisher releasing me from the contract, and an email from the church board saying that two people volunteered to take over the auction. Yay!! Of course I will help with the transition, but the weight lifted is a big one. So, now my only real responsibility is facilitating the Soul Matters class. And even that is a lighter load as Lynne has agreed to co-facilitate, since I can’t do the October class. It’s going to be a good couple of months.

I’m visiting Connie on Monday, lunch with Anita and Lynne on Wednesday, Coffee Sangha on Thursday, Stephanie overnight on Friday and working in the garden with Pedro on Saturday. Stay tuned.

Dan left this morning for his six-day bike ride with his buddies: Ben Guido, Steve Berg and Joe Stuber. I’m not sure of their route. I think it is around northern Wisconsin. I’m sure he has told me a number of times, but I’m geographically challened, and that kind of information just doesn’t stick. Yesterday he said he was in Mineral Point.

What I DO know is that I am pretty much alone for the next six days. Ahhh… I say “pretty much” because I’m not really alone:

This is Penny. Penny is Jolene’s dog. After a three-year experiment, Jolene decided to move back to Wisconsin from Tennessee. She will be staying in our house until Dan and I return in the spring. And now, she and I will be able to fly together to Madrid for our Camino. We leave October 10th. Coming up fast. I feel prepared.

The book continues to be a challenge. They said that they didn’t have to give me any money back because they already invested so much time in it. I don’t believe that. In any event, there’s not much I can do about it. I told them that I wasn’t going to contest the money; I just want to be released from the contract so I can move on. My next step will be to appeal to their humanity and just explain that we’re not a good match. We’ll see.

On August 13th, we went for a pontoon ride on the Milwaukee River. It is such a great way to see the “back door” of the riverfront properties. The passenger list included Dan and Kathy; Russ and Mary; Dan’s sister, Denise, and her husband, Randy; Dan and me. It was a beautiful day.

After our boat ride, we headed over to Bay View to have dinner at Ni Burmese. They were not open yet, so we spent our free half hour at a bar across the street watching the end of yet another fabulous Brewer’s game.

This is the second time I have eaten at Ni Burmese. My first experience, with Timmy, Tom and Kathy was great. That time I had the lunch special, and I don’t recall being asked for a heat level. This time, I chose the lamb curry and asked for a level 3 spice – thinking Mexican, which I can usually handle. I ate one bite, and my mouth of was fire. Others ordered a level 1, and theirs were plenty hot. I took my leftovers home, and even after adding a lot of yogurt, I couldn’t eat it. But that was on me. The food and the ambience are beautiful. I experienced a new taste sensation in the salad with tea leaves. Very good. I will definitely go back.

We spent the last few days of Denise and Randy’s visit with Dan’s family: one night a dinner at Tom and Sandy’s and one at Johnny Pizzas in Oconomowoc. The dinner at Johnny Pizzas was preceded by a BIG game of cards. Or should I say a game of BIG cards.

I love these birds that are in a glass cage at Mickey’s residence, Shorehaven. At first I thought they were fake. They are so unique.

On August 30th, we had dinner here for “the two Sues,” two friends I worked with as medical transcriptionists. This was our second attempt at a get-together. The first time we had to cancel because Boskoe (of Sue Nikolic) was having heart issues, and then this second time, we had to semi-cancel because Jim (of Sue Mostowik) tested positive for Covid. I came up with four happy volunteers to fill in: Tim and Ana and Jay and Ann. And I especially made roasted mushrooms for you, Jim! Maybe next time.

On the 1st Kathy and Dan hosted a birthday party for Sara, Marie and Wesley. I took the opportunity to give the girls their sweaters, and they gave their mom the pine-cone flower project.

Sara sent me this text a couple days after the party: “Cordelia transcribed a letter to one of Marie’s former teachers. Here’s what it said.”

That’s a keeper.

On the 2nd Dan and I drove to Kaukauna for one last visit with my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Jim, beore we leave on our Caminos. My cousin, Peggy, initiated the visit and asked us to come along. We were joined by my other cousins Mary (Bonnie’s daughter) and Sara (Jim’s daughter). It is always nice visiting “up North.”

We had a cherry tree go down recently. Dan cut it in slices, which we will use for a footpath in the birdhouse flower bed to the left.

Here are a couple of videos of our yard that I made to send to my friend, Elaine, in Escalon, CA.

Elaine’s 85th birthday was September 1. I made her this, which is the same quote as the one I did for Mary’s birthday.

And that brings me back to today. About an hour ago, I received an email from Austin-Macauley that they released me from the contract!!

Yesterday I sent them this email:

“I am writing to follow up on my previous email dated August 25, in which I shared my sincere wish to be released from our publishing contract. I want to clarify again that I am not pursuing a refund or seeking further compensation of any sort.

Having reflected on our entire correspondence, the editing process, and the numerous amendments and concerns I’ve raised over these past months, I feel it is apparent to both sides that our editorial approaches and overall vision for my book simply do not align. While I respect your company’s standards and methods, it has become clear to me—both professionally and personally—that we are not the right match for this project.

I am simply asking, human to human, for your understanding. Publishing a book is such a personal and vulnerable experience, and trust in the process is essential. My trust in this collaboration has understandably eroded over time, and I would be grateful for the opportunity to move forward elsewhere.

Please consider releasing me from my contract, so I can start anew with my manuscript. I am not seeking to lay blame or escalate matters—just to graciously part ways.

Thank you for your understanding and consideration.”

Today they sent me the Release document. I am SO happy. Now I can move on to try and get picked up by Authors Equity. It’s a long shot, but…you never know.