The Slow Show

Life often goes far too fast for my taste. At heart, I am a slow moving person. I might appear at times to be a flurry of activity, but really, going fast just stresses me out and makes me anxious. Vacation offered me the chance to see my life in slow motion again. All those things that sometimes we are just moving too fast to notice or notice too much because we are moving too fast and stopping to notice seems like an annoyance. Instead of the Puppy Uppers, I took the Doggy Downers this last week and realized that I definitely like it better that way.

I took the time to appreciate the Wisconsin clouds and sky, the ferns that grow large and lush on the floor of the woods with sunlight dappling them, the sound of our trusty rowboat bumping up against the pier, and the wonders that are my children. They possibly had the best time of all. Removed from the pressures of school and the influences of the world we have to live in, they found joy in nature and rushed to greet it every day.

Life has a tendency to be too complicated. We rush through days forgetting who we are and who we can be in our best moments. Maybe sometimes we just need a reminder of what matters and what we love. While it certainly is never a permanent cure for the ferocity of a life lived to fast, it softens the impact at least for awhile.

Gone Loony

I know, I know. We just got back from Kauai. This time we are off for our annual family vacation to Northern Wisconsin, my favorite place on earth. While I realize it's not exotic, other than perhaps the loons, it is where I often dream of being on a regular basis. It's all tied up in childhood memories and long afternoons of nothing but peace and quiet. It is possibly the only place on earth where I cannot be reached by phone and I like it that way.

I suspect that I will probably play shuffleboard, tetherball, air hockey (if it rains), and a serious game of Monopoly or two. This will be accompanied by swimming, fishing and my favorite, laying on the dock in the sun. I'm sure that we'll catch enough fish to grill some one night and if not, we'll head up the road to a quaint supper club. This is the land that time forgot and I like it that way. Nothing has really changed all that much since I was a kid. Sure there's the new bypass around the big town of Eagle River, but other than that, really, not much has changed. As Martha would say, "It's a good thing."

Steaming Mad

Why is it that every time I bend a little further than I should for someone, I end up wanting to commit a jailable offense? You know, if this was just me involved that would be one thing, but I have a little guy whose family doesn't have much money and has been patiently waiting to start his therapy and the week he is finally supposed to start, the therapist that they hired bails. It's a good thing I don't know where she lives.

Ready to Rock

I know I've been a bit elusive lately. Busy season at work and in life. Just wanted you all to know that I am alive and kicking. In typical Ten S style, I will be heading out to R.E.M. tomorrow night and am equally excited that Modest Mouse and The National are both opening up for them. Perhaps a dose of loud music will bring me out of my semi-hibernation.

The "Squirrels" of Kauai

Within moments of being on the ground in Kauai, I noticed a strange phenomenon. Chickens. Hawaiians call them "moa." They were everywhere. At first I thought it was just a loosely guarded farm area we were going through. Then, when I had been to several places on the island, I realized they were omnipresent. Roosters were cock-a-doodle-doing at all hours of the day everywhere we went. Hens scurried along with chicks in tow. Parks were full of them. I called home one night and talked to Sweetness and told her about the rampant chickens. She said, "Are they the squirrels of Kauai?" Indeed, they are. While I am sure that the water off the coast has abundant fish, the island itself is full of chickens. I was pretty pleased.


The second day we were there we took a boat ride around the island with the hope of going snorkeling. Unfortunately, the swells were too big and they left the water churned up and full of sharks. The island was beautiful from the boat. The only word that I can think of to adequately describe the Napali coast of Kauai is mystical. There are these great huge cliffs that are green and sheer at the same time, with narrow dark canyons between them. We also visited one of the tropical botanical gardens on the island and had a fabulous time just wandering almost on our own through an Eden-like garden with wild orchids and lush foliage everywhere.


I can't say I was super excited to come home after such a lovely adventure. You know you've had a good vacation when you really want to stay. But here I am, back home with my nose stuck in my books again. A little jet lagged, but a little more relaxed than I was a week ago.

I'm Gonna Get Lei'd!

It's been far too long since I've been out and about in the world. My last vacation was last June, and needless to say, all the effects of the relaxation have worn off by now. Well, thank goodness for Mr. Ten S' company, because they are sponsoring our trip next week to Kauai. That's right. Saturday morning Mr. Ten S and I are boarding a plane and are heading to a place far far away from here where people will bring us drinks and we can lay around in the sun all day long if we feel like it.

Good thing this came around, because I am royally burned out. Too much work and school are again sucking the life right out of me. Truthfully, I plan on spending much of the time pretending I'm a sleepy cat, always looking for a good place to nap in the sun. So bring on the tiki bars and leis! I'm ready to lounge.

Keeping It Close To Home

Much like the woman in this video, I have now come close to completing the items on this checklist. Eating local has been the challenge of the year. I will admit that sometimes I fail, but more often than not, with just a little bit of extra effort, it is absolutely possible to eat local. It helps that Bink's favorite food is Whitefish, which is a fish of the Great Lakes. It helps that Sweetness' favorite snack is apples. It helps that we all have a fondness for root veggies, which kept us on track this winter. I'm looking forward to a summer of fabulous local crops, including our own. If I could keep a chicken, I'd do that too! It's all the small things that we do that will keep our beautiful earth healthy longer. And don't forget to turn out the lights!