The week she turned 89-years old, I caught our neighbor out cutting her grass. She gave me a hearty wave as I snapped a quick cellphone picture.
“Just tidying up!” she yelled.
We call her the Cookie Lady, and we’ve written about her before. Self-described as “Irish, Catholic and Senile,” Connie remains as quick-witted, friendly and flirty as ever.
From her front porch throne she presides over Circle Street, knitting stockings and spinning yarns.
Friday, we surprised her with a birthday cake and, as is her style, she one-upped us with a fresh pizza pie.
Between us, though, we had a great little party.
Flowers from the steadily arriving birthday bouquets filled the kitchen, “They should probably bury me now,” she said cheerfully. “We’ve got enough flowers.”
A gift bag waiting to be filled with frozen hit fudge sundaes for the pizza delivery person sat on Connie’s kitchen counter. It read “Life is a Special Occasion,” which could be Connie’s life motto.
She’s quick with a greeting card, generous with treats, and talented with knitting needles. To date, she has knitted and doled out 1,200 giant personalized Christmas stockings. They hang on hearths throughout Wisconsin, much, I’m sure, to the consternation of Old St. Nick, who has been tasked with filling them.
What a lovely legacy, though, and how amazing that every year 1,200 people will hang their stockings at Christmas and bless our neighbor, the beautiful Connie Loescher.
You really need to see this spunky lady in action to get a full appreciation for her. Here’s a short video that captures a little of that Irish wit…
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