Like many Tosa homeowners, I have several of these on the sidewalk outside my house:

I have had these X's for several weeks. Neither my neighbors nor I are sure what they mean. I think I know, but here is my mailbox:

As you can see, my mailbox is empty. The city has yet to send me anything to tell me what these X's mean. Unfortunately, I think it means something that will cost me money. Upon a quick search on the city's website, I found this item. However, it's pretty old.

So, do you have these same pretty X's in front of your house? Has anybody told you what they mean?

 

The other day was garbage day. I went through my usual routine – picking up garbage throughout the house and bringing it out to our garbage can. And then, because it was recycling week, I made extra sure to find all of the used magazines and papers and cans and bottles that needed to be recycled.

 

And then a funny thing happened. Just as I was about to roll my garbage and recycling carts to the curb, I looked into them one last time. At that moment I realized that my garbage cart was only half-full and my recycling cart was absolutely packed.

 

Imagine that. Even here, in our house, where we seem to generate more garbage per person than the average household, recycling works. Who knew?

 

OK, this part is not about trash (or maybe you’ll think it is.) It’s just sort of a fun little “bonus” to this post. Here’s a music video of a song written by a Tosa college kid. (Yeah, it’s that one.) It will take you exactly 3 minutes and 23 seconds to decide whether it’s trash. I know, I’m shameless.

 

(Oh, and no, that's not that kid in the video.)

 

 

So, pretty impressive, isn’t it? My name, right above Oprah’s face. Yeah, let’s just say I’ve got friends in high places…or not.

 

In case you can’t see it, it says: “Karen Waldkirch, if Oprah gave you a bunch of money, but you had to give it all away, what would you do?” Oh and there are probably at least several hundred other Tosa residents that got the exact same message in their issue of People Magazine. Oh snap.

 

The idea is to promote Oprah's new show called "The Big Give" which premieres Sunday, March 2nd on ABC. The premise is obvious and the idea intriguing. No doubt it'll be another tear-jerking blockbuster, a la "Extreme Home Makeover."

 

But it made me think…locally, rather than globally. If that Ms. W. gave this Mrs. W. a bunch of money, what would I do? After the obligatory mani and pedi, of course. (Hey, a girl’s gotta look good on the local news, right?)

 

But seriously, if I could only spend the money right here in Tosa, what would I do? Listen in while I daydream….

 

First, I’d bring back Drew’s…only better. How could I make Drew’s better except to have it come back in all its quirky glory? Well, I’d add a big old-fashioned Soda Fountain! Wouldn’t that just be the best?! I can see it now. Walking in on a hot summer day (remember what hot used to feel like?!), sliding up to a padded spinning stool and ordering a basket of fries and a chocolate malt. Pure bliss.

 

Secondly, I’d extend the bike path on the parkways from one end of Tosa to the other. No more jumping up on the curb to save your life once you hit Swan Boulevard.

 

Thirdly, how about a big, fat paving budget to eliminate the craters and sinkholes on our roadways? While we’re at it, more salt than the dead sea and more plows than Fairbanks, Alaska?! And along with the plows, there’d be a virtual SWAT team of “snow technicians” to jump out and dig out the sidewalks, driveways and front walks that get buried by the plows.

 

I’m sure I could go on, but why not let you, the readers, in on the fun? That’s why we have the snazzy comment feature. If my BFF (best friend forever, for the alphabetically-challenged), Oprah, gave you a bunch of money, how would YOU spend it in Tosa? And while we’re at it, maybe that’s a good question for our mayoral candidates!

 

Speak to me people!

Talk to anybody around Tosa and they’ve got one thing on their mind: Jeez, those new recycling carts are ugly!

 

Yeah, it’s funny. Everyone seems pretty focused on the aesthetics of the carts rather than the new system itself.

 

People are resistant to change, but also complain a fair amount when an existing system is expensive, out-of-date or no longer works. Or, apparently, when it doesn’t look attractive next to their house.

 

Since I’ve lived in Tosa, I’ve become well-acquainted with the blue bag recycling system. It was a simple system. Fill the bags with recyclables and put them out with the garbage. But problems arose when you ran out of the blue bags. Plus, they were unbelievably expensive. (Which made it particularly irritating when the handle ties would break - grrr.)

 

Thanks to a fire at the recycling center last fall, our recycling program had to be restarted and revamped. Thus, the birth of the black and yellow beauties.

 

Right off the bat, it seems like people are not understanding the new program. (Perhaps because many of us didn’t get schedules or instructions with the cart.) Driving around my neighborhood, I saw lots of recycling carts sitting out next to garbage carts. Two problems: First, the first pickup is every other week, with the weeks alternating depending on where you live. Secondly, the recycling carts need to be THREE FEET away from the garbage carts so the automated truck can properly retrieve it and empty the contents.

 

The other challenge is re-thinking the recycling collection in our houses. For the past 10 years, we’ve had a couple of blue-bag-lined garbage cans to collect glass and aluminum. Although I can use a regular garbage bag to collect them, I can’t put the bag in the new cart. My solution is to put paper grocery bags in those garbage cans. When we fill them up, we can put the paper bags and the contents right in the new recycling cart.

 

So here we sit, with these bee-themed behemoths gracing our property. Many people have told me that they’re looking for ways to hide them when they’re not sitting curbside, awaiting pickup.

 

This makes me think of just one thing: Since when did we care how pretty our garbage carts were? I mean, really. They’re for garbage, not decoration. I don’t think the current carts are anything to display prominently either, but what do I know?

 

I think we need to give these black and yellow babies a chance. Look up your scheduled pickup here and make sure the cart is three feet away from the other carts when it’s your pickup day. I think we can do this, no matter how ugly it is.

 

OK, fine! It’s time – go ahead and bask in the glow of holiday excess! Listen to Christmas music 24 hours a day. Sleep to the sounds of WMYX. Soak it in and indulge.

 

In fact, despite my recently revealed Scrooginess, I’ll share with you several of my favorite things during the Christmas season. Maybe you won't think I’m completely green with Grinch-i-tude:

 

Christmas movies – I’m very particular and there are only a few that I can stand to watch. Of course I love It’s a Wonderful Life, but I always save that one for Christmas Eve. I’m very partial to A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sims. Nobody does it better…nobody. But for a more contemporary take, here are just a few more recent seasonal flicks that I love: Home Alone 1 and 2 (I can’t decide which is better), The Family Stone (funny, sad, quirky – too much to love). Hands down, my absolute favorite Christmas movie ever is…Elf. If you watch this and don’t smile and laugh, well, then there’s something wrong with you. And yes, you can watch it with the kids.

 

Christmas music – It might suprise you to know that I actually love Christmas music and have a few favorite albums: “Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas” (classic, simply classic.) “David Lanz – Christmas Eve” (gently beautiful) and the soundtrack from, you guessed it – “Elf.” (If you don’t fall in love with the Leon Redbone/Zoey Deschanel duet of “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” then you’re cold inside!) Then there are a few holiday nuggets on an old Billboard Christmas album, including “We Need a Little Christmas,” “Riu Chiu” and “Welcome Christmas” from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

 

Christmas food – Egg nog. My mother-in-law’s recipe for egg nog should be illegal. It’s so good you need a spoon to get every last drop. Sugar cookies – as long as they’re thin and crispy, then they are like a slice of heaven. Beef Wellington – my mom’s recipe is surprisingly easy and amazingly delicious. It’s become our little Christmas tradition.

 

Christmas gifts – well, I don’t know about you, but I got my first one today in the form of a brand-new recyclable cart. I have only once minor complaint. Isn’t this promotion of “The Bee Movie” going a little far?

 

 

Now that our brand-spankin’ new recycling program is about to debut, some of us will be left with a few extra Tosa Blue Recycling Bags. The question is, what to do with these high-priced, indestructible, indigo sacks?

 

I spent a few minutes thinking (yes, that’s what that noise was this morning) and here’s what I’ve come up with:

 

A Sleeping Bag Bag – If your kids use their sleeping bags for sleepovers, inevitably, the bags get lost. Not the sleeping bags – no, the outer bags. I’ve tried large trash bags, but they tend to rip easily. Tosa Blue Bags are perfect for this task.

 

A Halloween Costume – Already thinking ahead to next year and wishing you had something that was “old school” and could be appreciated by both adults and children? Why not don that Bright Blue Tosa Bag and go as a…SMURF?! Yes, that’s right, you’ll be wildly popular and manage to humiliate your children at the same time.

 

New Year’s Eve Décor – Why not channel Martha Stewart and use several Tosa Blue Bags as a festive holiday tablecloth?! That’s right – take several bags, cut them open and then tape them together until you’ve adequately covered the table. Then, when the meal is all done, you can throw everything away, including the tablecloth! The brilliant blue color accents the starry, starry night. Awww…..

 

Blue is the New Luggage – Are you tired of waiting forever to get through airport security? Use your leftover Tosa Blue Bags next time you pack for a trip. There’ll be no need to x-ray your bags because they can see right through them! You’ll be first in line at the gate, as well as the center of attention in the terminal.

 

Cozy and Blue – Is your Nesco Roaster getting dusty sitting down in the basement? Does your turkey fryer have that unique smell of lawnmower gasoline from sitting in the garage? Why not display these appliances proudly in your kitchen. Use the Tosa Blue Bags as Cozies so that your roaster and your fryer can sit proudly on your countertop, year-round. What could be more attractive?

 

Project Blue Runway - You know that Vera Wang had to start somewhere. Why not be the Wauwatosa Wang (wait, that doesn't sound good) and use a Tosa Blue Bag to design the next big fashion statement?! A Tosa Blue Bag, cinched at the waist would make a darling skirt when paired with a pretty lace slip. Or how about a blue cape that can double as a rain shawl? Go ahead - think outside the bag!

 

So what will you do with your extra Tosa Blue Recycling Bags?

  

 

 

Millie (see above) and I took a walk on this splendid, picture-perfect, day. She had a lot on her mind. Here are some things that she was wondering:

 

Millie wonders why some dogs walk their owners versus the other way around. How can that be fun with all the pulling and choking going on?

 

Millie wonders why the bike path/walking path for Menomonee River Parkway begins at the Harmonee Bridge and ends prior to Swan Boulevard. Did they think that people would be too tired to continue?

 

Millie wonders why some people bike, run or walk on the left side of the path.

 

Millie wonders why parking is allowed on both sides of the parkway when soccer games are being played. It seems so dangerous with so many kids running in between cars and across the road and people getting in their cars with little regard for traffic.

 

Millie wonders why I wouldn’t let her consume the old breadstick that she found on the sidewalk.

 

Millie wonders why drivers in Tosa interpret stop signs as “slow down” signs and roll through intersections.

 

Millie wonders if the street repairs at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Wauwatosa Avenue will ever be finished.

 

Millie wonders why the Root Commons Park (area in front of Drews) is called the Root Commons Park.

 

Millie wonders if any Tosa mayoral candidates have a chance against joeythelovesponge.

 

Millie wonders if we realize how lucky we are to have Ray’s here in Tosa with its amazing wine selection and knowledgeable staff.

 

Millie wonders if that store near 92^nd and North is really called Wallpaper Wallpaper.

 

Millie wonders if the Times Cinema will ever invest in slightly more comfortable seating to match the great films and great ownership.

 

Millie wonders if The Firefly will ever expand its menu and if it will ever be open for lunch.

 

Millie wonders if and when the new recycling program will start in Tosa and if many of us will get stuck with extra blue bags when it does.

 

Millie wonders why we all can’t just have trick or treat on Halloween (a.k.a. October 31st) from now on.

 

Millie wonders whether your pet is wondering anything about Wauwatosa.....? 

 

Shhhhh....don't tell anyone, but RECYCLING IS BACK!!! (I was kidding about that not telling thing. Tell everyone you know!) I know that I was out of town a bit last week, but apparently the City of Wauwatosa has restarted its blue bag recycling program, albeit in a bit of a stealth manner. And because it took forever to get the word out that we DIDN'T have recycling, I figure that I need to do my part to tell everyone that we once again DO have recycling.

Seriously, I'm not sure why they're keeping this such a deep, dark secret, but it shouldn't be, so tell your friends and your neighbors.

Here's the scoop, directly from the city website - www.wauwatosa.net:

"Curbside Blue Bag recycling has restarted again on your normal pick-up day.

Please place City Approved blue recycling bags inside your cart again if there is room. An unlimited number of blue bags will be picked up through March 23rd; after that only 5 extra will be picked up outside your cart."

I have just one more thing to say: YAY!!!!!

I finally did it. I loaded all of my blue bags into my car and took them to the recycling drop-off center at the Pick & Save on 70th and State. As you can see, I had quite a few. In fact, this is what 6 weeks of recycling from our house looks like. I know, I know, I could have been just throwing it away with the garbage, giving myself a free pass because our recycling center was not functional. But I couldn’t.
 
You see, I’ve been blogging about the blue bag blues and how many people didn’t realize that their blue bag efforts were for naught. (They still are for a while, people!) So it would have been hypocritical of me to toss it into the regular trash, right?. And so, I did what I tend to do in these situations. I procrastinated…for a long, long time. I piled the blue bags in my garage and waited until the motivation kicked in. It finally did today.

I guess what got me going was reading today’s News Times front page story about recycling coming back soon – hallelujah! But then I thought about burdening our garbage men with 6 weeks of recycling and decided they wouldn’t appreciate it. Since I was already in my workout clothes and the weather was cold enough that my car probably wouldn’t get too smelly, I figured it was today or never.

So I did it, and I have to tell you, I’m feeling really good about it. If you’re so inclined, it’s really easy. If you go to the Pick & Save site, there are gigantic dark green dumpsters in the northwest corner of the parking lot. You simply throw your recyclables in there. You don’t even have to use the blue bags – that’s just a habit for me. Go ahead, give it a try. You’ll feel good too. And I’m pretty sure that you won’t have nearly as much to unload as I did.

I never thought I’d say this, but thank goodness it’s garbage day! Based on chats with neighbors and friends, I’m not alone in this trashy attitude. Thanks to a not-so-timely aligning of holidays and weekends, we have been up to our eyeballs in trash bags. And to add to our filthy fun, we have some rather bold squirrels and raccoons near our house. So, in order to avoid our garbage being shredded about on our street, the piles of trash have been kept inside the garage. In any case, I’ve never missed those beautiful white garbage trucks more than I have these past two weeks. Now, if I would only do something with my piles of blue bags….

I’m generally not much of a bragger. OK, I was pretty excited about guessing the correct attendance while at last week’s Packer game, but can you blame me? And, of course, there are my kids. Well, don’t get me started. I think they’re pretty great.

Anyway….today, I had a fabulous twist on Murphy’s Law. I grabbed my checkbook, my newest book club selection and headed over to City Hall to pay our property taxes. I had made the silent assumption that I would be standing there in line, with lots and lots of other Tosans…possibly for quite a while. It was about 2:30 pm on December 28th. My fate seemed sealed.

Lo and behold, I arrived to find exactly ONE person in line ahead of me. I waited an agonizing 30 seconds before I stepped up to the window in the Treasurer’s Office. I could not believe it. Maybe everyone else is either extraordinarily organized or holding on to those last few precious pennies of interest and waiting until tomorrow, but I avoided the long lines that have become a painful annual ritual. The staff is well-prepared, with a large TV programmed to CNN to entertain the late-comers, but it really wasn’t needed. At least not today, at 2:30 pm. So here’s my boastful moment: WAHOO! OK, I’m finished now.

Back on December 4th, I bemoaned the fact that the Menomonee River Parkway was unlit at night. I still haven’t heard why, but I do know that the parkway lights work. How do I know this? Because I’ve seen them on during the day! Yes, some not so bright (pardon the pun) person decided to flip the switch and shine those lights in the bright daylight. Now there’s a great use of tax dollars!

I’ll give the county the benefit of the doubt. They’ve only had since October 29th when daylight savings time took effect (i.e. 6 weeks) to adjust the timers on the parkway lights. Maybe I’m just being a little impatient.

Although it may now seem nothing more than a faded memory, the November 25th fire at the Wauwatosa refuse station is still affecting Tosa residents and, more importantly, your garbage. You may not realize it, but those blue bags that you are so diligently filling with recyclables are being tossed into our landfill along with the rest of your garbage.

According to Bill Tarman-Ramcheck of the Public Works department, until further notice, anything placed curbside with the trash will be landfilled, although they are trying to change that as soon as possible. The only way to avoid that happening is to bring the recyclables to the city yard yourself.

“If you bring them (the recyclables) here you don't have to deposit the blue bags themselves, so you can empty them and reuse them to save a little cash too,” said Tarman-Ramcheck. “You save even more since we are not requiring the $10.00 annual permit to drop off blue bagged items (just City residency). We are open Tuesday through Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 11100 W. Walnut Road--just behind the Police station on 116th Street (see your tax bill insert for holiday hours).”

So, the decision is up to you. If you “blue bag” it, you must drop it off, or you’re not really blue bagging it at all.

Have you noticed? While the rest of Tosa glows brightly with holiday lights, the Menomonee River Parkway sits dark and silent on these winter nights. Is it a victim of a county budget squeezed so tightly that it has no room for providing safe and well-lit passage? Is it going the way of Hoyt Park pool, thereby requiring a "Friends Of" support group to try and revive it? Is it so much to ask to simply check the circuit breaker and make sure that somebody didn't fall asleep on the street lighting job? Tell me, fair Tosans - why is the parkway so dark at night?

Thanks to the mysterious explosion at the Department of Public Works this weekend, we'll have to do a bit more work to make sure our recyclables are truly recycled. The fire knocked out the facility where recyclables are separated and so "the city will not be picking up the recycling bags curbside until officials determine how to handle separation of the recycling matter."

In the meantime, "residents are being urged to continue their recycling efforts and are asked to bring their recyclables to the city's drop-off center, which will continue to operate on a regular schedule, and will be open weekdays and Saturday mornings." I can't help but wonder how many Tosa residents will actually take this extra step. Hmmm...

Speaking of extra effort and something that will require some extra patience, I recommend avoiding the Harmonee Bridge at all costs in the next couple of weeks. Repair work has reduced traffic to one lane each way causing huge backups and commuter delays. 68th or 70th Street may be faster alternatives until this unexpected construction project is finished. We can only hope that this project won't last as long as the repairs on Milwaukee Avenue east of 76th Street.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you which way to vote. I'm also not going to tell you which way I'm voting. It's not why I'm here. I do, however, have the opportunity and the platform to tell you one very important thing: Just vote. People have given their lives so that we can freely go to the polls on November 7th and participate in democracy. The least we can do is make a small effort to exercise our rights. Whatever you're doing on Tuesday, make time to vote. If you don't know where to vote, click here and you can easily find out. See you at the polls!

I’d like to give a shout out to the angels in our community – The Crossing Guards of Wauwatosa. Thank you. I know you’re paid for your efforts, but it can’t be much and it can’t be enough. Every day, you’re on our corners, 35 of them, jumping in front of traffic and leading our children safely across streets and through intersections. On the list of thankless and somewhat dangerous jobs, this has to be pretty high. We take you for granted. You’re just always there, regardless of weather. On the days when I’m snuggled into the heated driver’s seat of my car, holding on to a steaming cup of coffee, you’re standing outside in the rain, snow, sleet and wind, looking out for our children and probably hoping and praying that the young executive on the cell phone focuses on your raised arms and not his phone call. Despite your bright clothing, you are not well-protected. Your vest is not bullet-proof and your hat isn’t hard. And although you meticulously set up cones and signs in busy thoroughfares, none of it can keep you from injury if a vehicle failed to yield in your presence. But that’s not usually your first thought. It always seems like you’re thinking of the kids first, often brightening their day with a smile, a greeting and possibly a question to engage them before they sleepily head off to school. You don’t have to add that last part, but you just do. And some of you even take the time to wave to us, the drivers. The people that could easily put you in harm’s way if we’re not careful. I think the least we can do, all of us – kids and parents is to thank you. And as drivers we should give you a brake.

There is really nothing to prepare you as a homeowner to glance out your window and see your neighbor’s roof ablaze. Nothing that the Welcome Wagon brings and certainly nothing in the neighborhood directory. Still, I will always remember this jarring sight that got my husband and me leaping off the couch, dialing 911 and pounding on our neighbor’s door. And although the damage was severe, thankfully, nobody was hurt. The thought of what could have happened if the fire had started in the middle of the night is scary beyond belief.

Lessons in life are often learned as a result of someone else’s adversity. Here are the things that we learned last night: 1) If you have a fireplace, have it checked regularly. Now that the weather has turned cool, you want that crackling fire to be beautiful, warm and safe. 2) The job of a firefighter looks and is dangerous, even in our small community. 3) Those that live closest to the fire department do not always get the fastest service. 4) There is no surer way to get to know your neighbors than to stand outside on the sidewalk gazing together at some catastrophic event. 5) Put smoke detectors in your house or check their batteries if you have them.

You know it’s autumn in Wauwatosa when you see the start of leaf piles on the side of the streets. In mid-September, they’re modest little mounds, sometimes highlighted by remnants of geraniums, impatiens and other varieties of expired annuals. By the end of October, they’ve grown in girth and are topped off with a pumpkin and a gourd or two. By early November, they’re the size of a small bungalow and create challenging “street slaloms,” much like those found on the east end of North Avenue, as mentioned by fellow blogger Norm Wahn.

When I was a child, leaf piles were a seasonal joy. They were so fun and tempting to jump into. But those were the days (jeez, I sound old) when the piles were on our lawns and my dad would burn them to get rid of them. In Tosa today, we’re advised to rake or blow them to the side of the streets where they will eventually get picked up by the city. It’s a great system, until you have to drive around these mammoth piles late in the season when they’ve been combined together on narrow streets like Ludington where two cars can barely pass each other on a sunny summer day. Caution and braking are definitely in order. And if you’re new to the area (listen up, Mitch!), do not even think of parking on top of or driving through a leaf pile. I know, it’s tempting when parking is scarce and you might have to walk an extra half-block to your house. But the sight of your car bursting into flames might make that walk seem shorter. And the thought of plowing through one of those piles sounds fun, but it can be really, really dangerous.

In a community blessed with so many trees, perhaps leaf piles, although sometimes annoying, are merely our seasonal reminder that it’s time to slow down and enjoy the view. It is spectacular, after all.

Hector’s Merely Smoldering…According to one of my blogfriends, Hector’s Mexican Restaurant is not doing as well as it may have seemed during my last visit. So, that leads me to ask: What’s wrong with you people? Aren’t you hungry? Seriously, this has to be one of the most affordable restaurants in Tosa. The food is good, they have a full bar, featuring great Margaritas, and the place is very casual and extremely kid-friendly, if that’s what’s holding you back. If you ever avoided it because of smoke, now is the time to show your support and have a great meal.

Is It Possible to Catch the Bus?.....Is it just me, or does it seem like the city buses that go through Wauwatosa think they’re immune to the speeding limit? I see buses all day long on Milwaukee Avenue, where the speed limit is 25 mph and I can assure you that there’s no way they are going 25 mph. More like 40 or 45. This is a narrow street traveled by lots of kids on their way to and from school. I’d like to suggest that they park one of those cute little speeding trailers out there to give the drivers a hint, but I’m told by my friends that this is a sure way to lure more speeders or kids on bikes looking to create a mini 'Tour du Tosa' and clock their speed, sometimes resulting in crashes and injuries. (True story.) I’m all for staying on schedule, but please bus driver, give us a brake!

A Sure Sign….I know it’s Fall. Not because the temperature has dropped today, but just because the giant oak tree on the corner of Menomonee River Parkway and Charles Hart Parkway is starting to change color. This stunning tree signals the start of autumn with its golden hues and vibrant colors. It’s worth a look. You’ll find it on the northwest corner, but wait a week and it’ll really be a sight.

Don’t Look Up Now…I haven’t been able to confirm this, but someone once told me that birds are incontinent, which makes the idea of watching the birds fly south for the winter something to be done with care…and perhaps an umbrella.