MoInk

St. Paul's Cathedral, London

2011-11-04T13:19:00.000-05:00

What a delight! Having been to many churches, cathedrals, chapels, etc in Europe for somewhere to really stick out for me it has to be extra special. First, the free audio/video guide is top-notch. The touch-screen multi-media guide is easy, fun, informative and has maps you can 'pinch' to enlarge - wow factor of +10.
There were a couple of architecture students sketching (quite well) the interior. That's the first time I've seen that inside a building and the reason is obvious, even to a layperson (of architecture) like me. St. Paul's design is breathtakingly perfect. The awesome mosaics on the ceilings above the quire were added later and the combination with the unadorned main aisle is a perfect balance. It was great learning about all the ceremonial things held here like coronations and royal weddings. My favorite fun fact is that during the women's suffragette movement, a fire was lit under the bishop's chair. I thought that went well with the Occupy London protesters camped outside St. Paul's. The down side to that was no tours on the upper floors. Our tickets are good for a year, so hopefully we'll get back to visit the rest of St. Paul's. You can take a virtual tour here.

But the Number ONE thing I loved about St. Paul's was the American Monument Chapel. From the website:

At the east end of the Cathedral behind the High Altar is the American Memorial Chapel. The Chapel is also known as the Jesus Chapel, as the space was known prior to World War II.
This part of the building was destroyed during the Blitz and as part of the post-war restoration it was decided that the people of Britain should commemorate the 28,000 Americans who were killed on their way to, or stationed in, the UK during the Second World War. Their names are recorded in the 500-page roll of honour encased behind the high altar. This was presented by General Eisenhower in 1951 and a page of the book is turned every day.

Teen who made encouraging video on bullying commits suicide

2011-10-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

It is difficult to know what to do when someone you love is struggling with depression. This story reminded me that we should always watch out for others. Even though we cannot control their thoughts and actions; cannot prevent tragedy - we can do some things and perhaps it will help. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

Approach, don't stay away.
Ask: how do you feel emotionally? Ask: can you tell me a thought that seems to run through your head? Ask: have you talked to a doctor? Ask: what, if anything, seems to help?
Advise someone who is deeply depressed and/or suicidal to call their doctor. If they are already being treated, urge them to call their doctor to give them an update. If they don't have a doctor, see if they will call a helpline or let you call for them and find out how to get a doctor.

Especially for teens, acknowledge the reluctance to get help. Explain that it is necessary the same way that getting treated for a broken bone is necessary. Make sure they have access to a hotline. Have them put a post-it note on their computer. They can write the number backwards and say it is a password.

SAFETY: Someone who is having thoughts of suicide should be taken to the hospital. Someone who is having suicidal thoughts should not be left alone. Those who are suicidal don't get over it quickly - it takes time to treat depression. Medication and counseling can and will help but not overnight so remain vigilant.

Note: I am not a mental illness professional! Please seek help from your doctor, pastor, school counselor or other professional whether you are the depressed person or someone who is concerned and wants to help.

Budget Trip to Prague

2011-08-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

Our latest trip to Prague was enhanced by some money savers!

We flew WizzAir from Charleroi airport in Belgium. Discount airlines do not use our local airport Findel. Total cost for both of us round trip = 133.96 euros
To get to Charleroi from Luxembourg, we took the Flibco shuttle bus. Cost 5 euro pp each way = 20 eur
Since our flight left early (budget airline schedules often don't fly every day), we stayed at Charleroi Airport the night before our flight. Hotel for 55 euros
We belong to the A|Club and stayed at the Ibis Praha Wenceslas Square for 4 nights (no breakfast, which was 11 euros extra) Total price = 253.11 euros
On our way home, we spent the night before at the Marriot for 45.94 euros which I thought was a great price for the Marriot!

So not including our daily expenses for food, metro and touristy stuff our cost for the trip: 373.35 euros

My Cr-48

2011-07-23T02:28:00.000-05:00

My Cr-48 arrived in December

When it came in the mail and I saw this box, I thought someone had shipped a Christmas present for one of the grandkids. My son was there when I opened it and said ~~you suck~~ "How did you get that?" Well, you have to be hanging out on the internet instead of playing WoW all the time and jump on this kind of thing. It's like getting a G+ invite.

So this notebook is not a computer - you need an internet connection. It is easy as pie to startup. All you have to do is open it. Shut down? Close it. The new tab has apps you can use and a link to the web store. As far as I can tell apps=links and an extension runs on the operating system. But don't take my word for it - I am not a geek, I'm a grandma. Perusing the message boards for interesting conversations about the Cr-48 I quickly find that the geeks are installing Ubuntu and I don't even know what Ubuntu is. Developers were talking their techie talk and I am at the side of the road.

So I download some apps that show up as icons on the new tab and some extensions that hide under the wrench icon in the upper right corner under tools. Google urges you to use their products in place of Microsoft products. Docs instead of Word for example. I use my Cr-48 more than my Windows laptop because it is simple and fast and usually I'm just surfing the web. But for things I already know how to do in Windows and to use programs like Skype, Slingbox and Second Life I need to use my laptop.

When the Chromebook was released for sale to the public, it was a flop because people don't need something to surf the web if they already have another device that does. If I were going to pay for a device that only allows downloading apps, I would get something smaller and more portable.

Top 10 Things I Love about our house in Luxembourg

2011-07-20T02:00:00.000-05:00

10. I have a gas stove.
9. There is a garbage disposal in the sink, apparently rare in Luxembourg.
8. The cricket and rugby fields across the street where games are played often and when they're not, I've gotten some nice views of wildlife.
7. Rose bushes. Lots of them. Roses grow like weeds here.
6. My fridge has water and ice in the door - score!
5. The spa/fitness center is a 3 minute walk.
4. Two bathrooms
3. Heat on the 1st floor is the floor.
2. There is a nice, big oval bathtub in the upstairs bathroom.

And the #1 thing I love about our house in Luxembourg is....

that it is in Luxembourg!

Cucumber Salad- Gürken Salat | German Blog

2011-03-20T11:23:00.000-05:00

This salad sounds good for our first dinner in our new house. Still have to come up with an entree and dessert.

First you will need two firm medium sized cucumbers and slice them very thin almost like paper, ( Papier) you will need some fresh curly parsley a lemon, salt, ( Salz) sugar and pepper.
Once you sliced the cucumbers, do leave the skin on, just make sure to wash it. Into a bowl, add half a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of sugar and half a lemon ( Zitrone) squeezed. With pepper, you will need to use your hands (Please wash them first) to mix the ingredients- do not overdo this, ones this is done you add the chopped parsley a hand full and mix again. Refrigerate this in a glass bowl and make sure you cover this for one-hour before serving and enjoy!

Soon to be an Expatriate

2011-01-05T19:40:00.000-05:00

expatriate

1768, from Fr. expatrier "banish," from ex- "out of" + patrie "native land," from L. patria "one's native country," from pater (gen. patris ) "father." Related: Expatriated ; expatriating ;expatriation . The noun is from 1818, "one who has been banished;" main modern sense of "one who chooses to live abroad"is 1902.

(from Dictionary.com)

Yes, that's right - I am going to be an expat "choosing to live abroad." The preparations are being made; it will be a month or so before we are actually in Luxembourg. In the meantime - Berlitz language training!!

I Love my Coffee!

2010-11-18T06:59:00.000-05:00

Have I found a deal! Did you know that Amazon sells food and all kinds of other stuff? Every Friday they have a Friday sale? That you can subscribe to receive shipments of stuff on a regular basis? No? Well then let me tell you about the deal I found!

Since going to Europe, American coffee is like brown water to me. My step-son bought us a Tassimo coffee maker for Christmas one year. This thing has lasted for a long time and we use it to make numerous cups every morning. Even though it makes espresso, cappuccino, tea, hot chocolate and you can even get Starbucks coffee pods, we use regular old Maxwell House pods because they are the cheapest. Not all stores carry the pods and a pack of 16 is $5.99 at Giant Eagle and Target.

Now for the deal: A pack of 5 packages on Amazon is $26.13 which is $5.22/pack. The subscription price is $22.21 which is $4.42/pack for a savings of $1.57 per pack. I ordered 2 of the 5-packs to be delivered once/month. No shipping, no sales tax and I've saved $15.70 AND they are delivered to my house! So for $44.20 I get 10 packages that would have cost me $59.90 plus tax.

Another Suicidal Message

2010-10-01T16:47:00.000-05:00

A few Facebook posts today got my attention: a video on YouTube of the Vega Choir from Sweden doing Radiohead's Creep and a video posted by Ellen DeGeneres. I've written about suicide before here, here, here, also here and here. If you're interested, take a look. Any discussion or questions are welcome.

The 'radical' fringe that disapproves of Obama seems to have gotten a lot bigger

2010-05-02T09:36:00.000-05:00

You get used to hearing it in the not-so-mainstream press. Those nasty tea-partiers, the birthers, the stooges for the drug companies - you know, all those that don't like what Obama is doing. We are characterized as the 'radical right', full of 'hate', too dumb to know what is good for us. Always described as a 'small' fringe group.

Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the Politburo.

Seems that the American people are not enthralled with President Impostor anymore. Not that anyone in the press cares. They are convinced that we are gullible and getting fooled by the banks, insurance companies, and lobbyists.

Folks, November cannot get here soon enough

American Military Cemetery

2010-03-14T13:04:00.002-05:00

Unbeknownst to many Americans, there are 22 military cemeteries in foreign countries. General George Patton is buried in the American military cemetery in Luxembourg. The Battle of the Bulge was fought in Luxembourg as well as Belgium. All over Europe there are memorials and monuments to the soldiers of our country for their service in both World Wars.

At the American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg, remains of 5,076 soldiers are buried, 101 of which are unknown. My favorite inscription surrounds the mosaic on the ceiling of the chapel and reads:

IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THOSE MEN OF THE ARMED SERVICES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WHO IN THIS REGION AND IN THE SKIES ABOVE IT ENDURED ALL AND GAVE ALL THAT JUSTICE AMONG NATIONS MIGHT PREVAIL AND THAT MANKIND MIGHT ENJOY FREEDOM AND INHERIT PEACE.

Also an inscription set in the granite paving at the center of the memorial terrace from Eisenhower’s dedication speech:

ALL WHO SHALL HEREAFTER LIVE IN FREEDOM WILL BE HERE REMINDED THAT TO THESE MEN AND THEIR COMRADES WE OWE A DEBT TO BE PAID WITH GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR SACRIFICE AND WITH THE HIGH RESOLVE THAT THE CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY DIED SHALL LIVE ETERNALLY.

So on Memorial Day this year, please gratefully remember their sacrifice and resolve that the cause for which they died shall live eternally.

Luxembourg City market

2010-03-14T12:38:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning was the Luxembourg City market. In the old part of town at Place Guillaume, we bought flowers for our hostess that evening, olives, fruit, sausages and a baguette. There were also cheeses, homemade jams and honey, fish, and lots of beautiful vegetables.

Versailles

2010-03-09T02:26:00.000-05:00

Versailles at one time was as big as present day Paris. It is still really really big. The palace is big. The garden is big. The park is big. Some day I will see more of it, but one day is not enough. The hall of mirrors was undergoing rennovation last time we were here and so we made a beeline for it.

Travails

2010-03-09T01:41:00.000-05:00

Ahhh Travels - some of our most memorable times have been the mishaps of getting to where we're going. Usually I turn the wrong way from the start and spend a LOT of time trying to get either where I'm going or at least where I've come from. This past weekend in Paris, I didn't bring the hotel address or map or directions, so we wandered in the direction I thought it was, asked a few times and finally made it.

Also, when planning the return trip every leg of the journey should be thought through. Make no assumptions. Here the bus and train schedules are reduced on Sunday, so on the way home from Paris we missed the last bus home in addition to missing one of our stops because the train made an extremely quick stop and the exit door in our car was out of order. Even so, we still would have missed the last bus home. Luckily, an innocent driver pulled into the gas station and was cornered and persuaded to drive us home. People here are very accomodating. Think about it - would the first stranger you saw at night be willing to drive out of his way to take a couple foreigners home?

It's Positively Medieval!

2010-03-01T13:07:00.000-05:00

In the US, we have Rennaisance Fairs. Well, that's just too modern for Europe. They need to get Medieval! We went to the Medieval Market in Trier over the weekend and saw an owl, lots of soldiers, artisans, musicians and of course had some lager/beer/ale.

Burning the Cross

2010-02-28T15:05:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday on the way home from Bruges, we got to see a burning of the cross. It seems to have worked; it is warmer this week.
From wikipedia:
The Burning Castle (Luxembourgish Buergbrennen) is a tradition in Luxembourg and the adjoining German borderlands, where the first Sunday (after Carnival the first Sunday of Lent) to make a big fire. It symbolically represents the burning of the winter away.

Bruges

2010-02-26T02:50:00.000-05:00

In Bruges, we saw:
Church of Our Lady – Michelangelo's Madonna and Child – absolutely stunning. It is such a great honor to see such a sculpture.
Basilica of the Holy Blood – Christian relics are everywhere in Europe
Groeninge Museum which contains many works by the Flemish masters. One I found most interesting was Bosch’s Last Judgment:
Apocalyptic themes were popular, but the freaky symbolism fascinated me – and we think modern art can be weird.
We stayed at the B & B Marieke. A few pics from our room:
Lace toilet paper holder – Lace is big in Bruges. A tiny robe hanging on a peg.
At the Bistro De Schaar I had a dom blanche (chocolate sundae) which was beautiful. The waiter said “you can take a picture.” But I didn’t – it was delicious, though.
We will be returning in March to see many more museums, monuments and churches. We already have our reservations at the Marieke.

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

2010-02-19T02:55:00.000-05:00

Here are the sheep on the farm:

Ice cream

2010-02-18T10:29:00.001-05:00

Checking out the aftermath of the parade in Diekirch, I discovered an ice cream shop. So I stopped and had an ice cream creation. Took me a while to decide what I thought I wanted from the Luxembourgish menu with pictures. Then I ordered something, but they were thankfully out of the coconut ice cream – didn’t see that one coming. So I opted for chocolate chip ice cream with chocolate syrup & whipped cream. And creme de menthe. And 3 wafer thin candies – like peppermint patties but very thin – sticking out of the whipped cream. All in a sundae bowl that looked like a fancy martini glass – only five times bigger. It was really to die for. Really.

Diekirch carnival parade

2010-02-15T02:05:00.000-05:00

A parade should have floats, bands, baton twirling, candy and beer. Huge double decker floats being pulled by giant tractors. Bands of friends – not high school bands. One baton twirling group. Candy throwing…and passing out cups of beer from the floats. Yes – every parade should have that. And everyone in costume, mostly cow costumes. And the floats should have huge speakers mounted on them playing the latest hugely popular pop songs and big cannons that shoot out confetti and a theme and be able to be rocked back and forth without overturning crushing the crowd below.

Tips for Packing

2010-02-13T04:25:00.001-05:00

Having gone a few places for various amounts of time I have a short list of things to pack:

Sunglasses – because you will have to buy them if you really need them if you don’t bring them.

Sunscreen – no matter what the weather, a sunburn hurts and will ruin your trip.

Tylenol – or whatever you take for soreness, headache, toothache, cramps, etc.

Binoculars – I always forget these and am always sorry. Even a small cheap pair would do.

Very good walking shoes.

Comfy clothing – do not pack items that are fancy, that you’ve never worn or are not practical. If you think you’ll need something nice, bring a dress or slacks and nice top. The problem I always have with this is shoes – now I have to pack dress shoes – and in the end, don’t wear any of it. Think of items like coats and computers on the bus, plane and anywhere you will have to carry them around for any period of time. Lugging crap around sucks. I wish I would have brought stuff I wear at home all the time – the sleep shirt or jammy pants, the worn jeans, warm slippers and old sweatshirt.

Most times we try to travel light – meaning carry-on only so we never have to go to the baggage claim or lug crap around (see above). This means one each: walking shoes, jeans, pants (eg. dress or khakis), sweater or sweatshirt. Two short sleeve t-shirts. Three pair undies and socks. Medicine, deodorant, toothbrush and paste, contacts/glasses. Hotels and the like usually have soap, shampoo and lotion. Optional: long sleeve t-shirt, a couple coffee or tea bags, camera, small collapsible umbrella, pen or pencil .

Now – pack and then take out 1/2 the stuff you packed. Remember some of the clothes you are taking, you are wearing. Things that seem like a good idea sometimes aren’t. Ask yourself if you could do without it in a pinch.

Disclaimer: these tips may not be complete or fit your situation. They are not for specialty trips such as business, backpacking or long-term travel. Try to think about things that may wriggle open and spill on your clothes.

Have fun!

The market debacle

2010-02-13T03:10:00.001-05:00

So the bus ride was timed for a leisurely coffee until the Tourist Office opened. They directed me to the post office practically across the street from where I had my coffee. In my defense, no big post office sign was visible. Postcard stamps to the US are .90 Euros (over a dollar each) Now to the market with my list! A clerk spoke enough English to answer my question: “Do you take American Express?” and weigh a few pieces of fruit. Into the basket went spaghetti & sauce, applesauce, yoghurt, lemon tea, orange juice, a few other things and of course, a baguette! Checking out, I whip out my ecologically correct bag just as she asks if I have one. Ah – hah! Aren’t I clever – less than a week and I’m almost in the groove. But wait! The market DOES NOT take American Express and I am shamed into spending all my Euros on only the fruit and baguette. Certain that I was a few Euros short, I am thankful the clerk took what I had. Hey – wait a minute! Wasn’t she the one that said they took American Express??

Of course, the bus that stops is not the right one, but I hop on then off at the next stop so I can hop on the correct bus. The driver & another driver buddy were making fun of me (I think).

Living and learning in Luxembourg.

The wallet incident

2010-02-12T09:30:00.001-05:00

This morning I wash some clothes and hang them around the radiators to dry (no dryer) then head into Vianden to get a few groceries. Vianden is 3 K from Bettel and takes 5 minutes on the bus, so I will be going there often. I spied a market there yesterday and want to stop and the butcher shop. Of course, the store is closed from 12-2 like all the businesses except for the restaurants. And of course I am there at 12:05 so I go to have lunch at the Pizzeria. The Hawaiian pizza sounds good since this is the kind Rob got earlier this week at lunchtime. And a coffee, of course (which comes with a little cookie wafer thing). For good measure, I order a dame blanche (hot fudge sundae). I haven’t had ice cream since we left “the states.”

Since I still have at least an hour before the market opens, I write out postcards and then get my wallet out for ….. omg! Where the hell is my wallet!! I had it to get on the bus with my bus pass showing through the handy clear pocket in the front. The waitress said they took American Express – the first thing I asked so as to make sure. Sooo…I look in my coat pockets, my bag, my seat – my coat pockets again, empty my bag, go to the door to look out to the street. It is gone and now I have to tell the waitress. The embarrassment! What do they do to people here who can’t pay their bill? How am I going to get back without a bus pass? It takes me an hour to: explain to the waitress, call Rob’s cell from the owner’s cell to get his Amex card # hoping I can pay with that – oops wrong code have to call back for the other code. In the meantime, Rob is calling me the same time I’m calling him. He is able to call the bus station and see if my wallet is on bus 570 – and it is!! I call my landlady here on the farm and she can come get me! Still no credit card resolution and they take my word that I will be back later to pay. Chantel (landlady) speaks fluently to them and I feel better even if they could be making fun of me and I wouldn’t know it.

Pointing out that I’m having a bad day so early in the trip, Chantel drops me off at the apartment and goes back to her son’s school where they are having a Halloween type costume/candy parade since it is the beginning of Carnival (Lent). Rob comes home with my wallet that they went to the bus station to get and a box of chocolates for Chantel. We now have no food for dinner and go out to a convenient store after going to pay at the resteraunt. We have a bit of food now – and beer. One beer down…

On the farm

2010-02-12T01:17:00.002-05:00

The apartment is one bedroom, a nice size kitchen/dining area, a living room with a nice sized TV and a bathroom. There is a bed that comes down from a cupboard and an extra cot, so if we have guests visit, there will be room. It is dark when we arrive about 7 pm and we snack on a baguette with cheese with a couple Diekirch beers. Betten, the village where we are staying is a couple miles from Diekirch, which has a brewery. Most people in the area drink Diekirch in order to support this local business. The owners of the farm have arranged to the wi-fi to be moved closer to the apartment, but we cannot get online and will need to wait for Monday. So much for calling the kids to say we’ve arrived safely.
When it is light out the next morning, I step out for a smoke and look around. One of the herding dogs was laying outside the door and went off when I came out. Looking around, the only modern items in sight are a kids Little Tikes style slide, a small tractor with a load of firewood on the trailer, and a basketball hoop in the driveway. That must be for the two school aged boys that live here. On the farm.
Looking around, it reminds me of The Princess Bride when the farm boy would say “as you wish”. Or Everafter with Cinderella walking down the lane and being noticed by the prince. If it weren’t for the slide, tractor and hoop – it would be so. In Bettel or Diekirch it is easy to picture Belle shopping for books.
We slept for 14 hours after our 24 hour+ day of travel. Ready to settle in! On the farm.

Up before the rooster crowed

2010-02-11T12:37:00.002-05:00

The rooster on the farm across the road started crowing as I was drinking my first cup of coffee this morning. The temperature here is not freezing cold. There is no frost on the windows or snow on the ground. The sky is grey, which is typical. Today I will see about buying a pass for the public transportation which will allow me to ride the bus and the train anywhere in the country. I hope to walk into town (over the hill and around the bend) after checking out the farm. The wi-fi hopefully gets working today. I hope the kids are not worried about our arrival.

And a baguette

2010-02-10T12:25:00.002-05:00

Having only water to drink and trail mix left from snacking on the plane, we have to go out for lunch and groceries. We have omelets with ham and cheese, frites (fries) and small salad. Coffee comes with a small candy or cookie here. We get caramel on a thin cookie wafer covered in white chocolate. I think it would be nice to save these to take home to share since they can have different treats at each cafe. Of course that would be impossible, but it’s a nice thought. Rob didn’t care for his, so gave it to me(bonus!). If I wouldn’t have already eaten mine that could have been the extra to take home. Or not. Hey – it’s still a nice thought. Now the search for an open grocery store. It is Sunday and having been told by our friend which one may be open we find they are all closed Luckily the shop at the gas station has enough and we get eggs, cream, sugar, coffee, cheese, bread and of course, a baguette. Tomorrow will be a trip to pick up what other things we made need from the grocery store. I will most likely find a market to pick up dinner every day or so. And a baguette.
I’m also going to try to find a baking or pastry class.

A Day of Travel

2010-02-09T07:44:00.002-05:00

We left from our local airport late in the afternoon on Friday. A big storm was coming through and our flight was delayed for de-icing. It looked like we were getting out of town just in time. Already people were unable to get to their destinations because of the weather. We changed flights in Detroit with a 3-4 hour layover. By the time we got a meal that would have been a lot better had it been warmer at Chili’s, went to the bathroom and got to our gate, the plane was already boarding. That is perfect timing. As is common on some international flights, the plane was not full and so we were able to take turns laying down in the center 4-seat wide section to sleep. Before my turn I was able to watch the movie Up. Well, actually I saw the little 7 or 8-year old girl across the aisle from me watching it, so brought it up on my TV unit. I noticed a bit later that the young woman behind the little girl had started to watch Up also! I wonder if the Up-idemic spread. Another 4 hour layover in Amsterdam one gate down from the smoking area. Now it is late in the afternoon in Europe. After a city-hopper flight to Luxembourg, we arrive! A co-worker was kind enough to pick us up on a Saturday afternoon and take us to pick up the company car. Oh my! A Mercedes! I don’t think I’ve ever been in one! We then followed him to our apartment in a farmhouse. On a farm.

Welcome Back!

2009-12-23T22:32:00.000-05:00

Not to you - to me! Climbing out of my shell, maybe - just maybe - I will blog again. Got another new template. We'll see how it works - getting very rusty on my skills. Basically, this post is a test to see how it looks. Hopefully the next post will have something of substance.

Freshen Up!

2008-07-01T16:53:00.001-05:00

Through one of my blogging buddies blogs (see the mini pics on the left), I found a contest to win a new Blogger Template! I'm hoping to update my blog site to be a bit brighter and lighter and have some nice features. Wish me luck - it's a random drawing, so I'm crossing my fingers. Some of the templates I like are:

What do you think?

My Bike

2008-06-27T11:43:00.001-05:00

Today I picked up my bike from Marty's Bike Shop. Two unfortunate incidents occurred last year that put the bike out of commission: flattening of the tires and an attempt to steal it. When it was stolen, it was ridden down the block and then dumped in a neighbor's yard because the tires were flat. Now there is a new wheel and it's tuned up and ready to go.

Cyprus

With my Cateye bike computer, I can keep track of ... my bike riding (as soon as I learn how to use it!). I also found a great site for logging everything I do: figuring out mileage of my rides, looking at maps - it works for walks and hikes, too. MapMyRide will even find riders in your area! It's almost as fun as riding! So far, I've been taking easy rides. Slight hills are work for me right now. Trips down the street to the drugstore, etc. are now made on my bike. I will save drops of gas by the gallon!

If you are thinking about or just want to read about riding, my inspiration came from Zen Habits: Commuting by Bike. (one of my favorite blogs). Happy Trails!

The Rule of Four

2008-06-24T20:36:00.001-05:00

I'm working on my thoughts about the 30 Essential Truths according to Dr. Gordon Livingston, author of Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart, posted recently on Alex Blackwell's great blog The Next 45 Years. Some of them hit very close to home. This post is about the Fourth Truth. From Alex's blog:

4. The statute of limitations has expired on most of our childhood traumas. For some, childhood was pleasant, almost idyllic. But for others, when there has been serious physical, sexual or emotional abuse it is important to recognize this and process this with a trained professional. No matter your past, change is the essence of life. In order to move forward in life we need to learn to live in the present.

This one hit closest to home for me. How long can a situation that existed 30 years ago haunt someone? Oh, about 30 years or so. A professional can guide the process of recognizing past traumas. To recognize is to identify the event(s). This is different than describing - most of us know what happened to us. In order to explain our past, we need to look at it through the eyes of an observer. Why? Because our vision is clouded by memories and stuck on rewind, playing the same tape over and over without alteration. There are many other facets and by looking at them, we start to break up our tape. Once the past is recognized, we are supposed to process it. (put it in the blender and hit whip)

Progress; passage: the process of time; events now in process. To gain an understanding or acceptance of; come to terms with: processed the traumatic event in therapy.

An example: Mom has schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. She has been hospitalized and medicated, received shock treatments and therapy, attempted suicide numerous times and spent days if not weeks in deep depression, locking herself in her room. We were kids. I was the oldest. Sometimes she was manic, staying up all night playing the piano or rearranging the furniture. On other manic occasions, she would go out drinking and playing cards (for money). I remember feeding her, calling an ambulance when (and only if) she was unconscious, having holiday meals in the psych ward, seeing her restrained with leather straps, trying to take care of the four of us kids when she couldn't and having babysitters, nannies and grandma come before I was old enough. I grew up picturing her funeral. Every day. For the next 30 years or so. My psychologist pointed out many things that never entered my mind such as mom being extremely manipulative. My dad would tell me that there was nothing I could do, releasing me from the burden of the responsibility I felt to make everything better. A self-help book said that people learn good coping skills (as well as poor) growing up in an unhealthy environment. When I began to hold on to ideas such as these, my mental recording that had been stuck on the previous description started to break up. Just when I noticed that I was feeling better....

After living on her own and being stabilized as much as possible, mom fell and eventually had to stay in a nursing home. When I go to see her, she is angry and says many of the things I heard as a child: you kids don't care about me; I don't want to live anymore; I'm in so much pain, etc. This took me back so fast, I physically felt the rush to the past. Only this time, I wasn't a child who didn't understand. Now I see much more and know that things will not change and that I should not feel guilty. What I know and what I feel are quite different. But this time, I know how to get help processing.

Truth #3

2008-06-11T10:33:00.001-05:00

I ran across the 30 Essential Truths according to Dr. Gordon Livingston, author of Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart, on Alex Blackwell's great blog The Next 45 Years. Some of them hit very close to home. This post is about the Third Truth. From Alex's blog:

3. It is difficult to remove by logic an idea not placed there by logic in the first place. By nature, we are emotional creatures. Often we live and react based on feelings, not logic. Feelings are wonderful, but when we become tied to a particular thought or belief we tend to ignore the fact that change might be necessary. If a negative behavior is driven by an emotion, then we must find a way to still satisfy the emotional need while putting an end to the destructive behavior.

Have you ever had an idea, feeling, past hurt, resentment, envy or emotion that you just couldn't shake? Are you still mad about something? Is your reaction to an event or person different than the reaction of others? A very common example is former significant others. For example, because you hate/hated the fact that your ex did _________, you dislike anyone else who _________. Envy creates ideas that are not logical. My ex would not visit a BrandX gas station because I had had a boyfriend that owned a BrandX gas station. Now realize that we crossed the country a few times and he refused to stop and get gas there no matter what. That's an extreme example, but to test your logic, try it on someone else. Picture a friend having the same negative behavior that you experience based on your logic. Seems silly, doesn't it?

But how do we satisfy the emotional need that drives this thought or belief? First, identify the original event. What feeling or thought is tied to this event? What caused these ideas? Let's say the event was a perceived slight and the feelings are embarrassment and hurt. What emotional needs drive those feelings? A need for self-esteem, comfort and understanding. How can these needs be fulfilled in order to remove this idea? Identifying requirements that satisfy these needs varies from individual to individual, but an example will help:

A perceived slight causes feelings of embarrassment and hurt.
Whenever we are in a similar situation or around the person who we feel slighted us, these negative feelings occur again.
Deciding to fulfill the needs of comfort and understanding, we find something that fulfills these needs.
Take a course of action which may be something like: a mantra saying "I am not who this person says I am"; a soothing activity such as a walk to clear your mind; a talk with a friend who understands; picturing an eraser clearing the idea, etc.
Now decide on a new positive thought to replace the old - use it when you are reminded of the past: "I choose to feel good about myself"; "Others' opinion or view are not my reality"; or my favorite - take the old and replace it with the opposite.

Leave a comment on how you've overcome a negative thought or behavior! I would love to hear from you!

The 200th Post!!

2008-06-09T16:47:00.008-05:00

Congratulations to me on my 200th post!! Umm I think this one is the 200th, but it may be the previous post. Somewhere around here! Other news: My better half has started a blog and his very first post is great! Check it out at: Right of Center Ramblings.

Nickelodeon Parents Picks

2008-06-09T13:40:00.003-05:00

The Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library's Children's Department has been nominated for TWO Parents Picks awards: Best little kids Public Library and best big kids Public Library. Here's the info:

What does it all mean? Well, from May 19 - June 30, your business--along with all of the other ParentsConnect.com Parents' Picks Nominees--will be featured as our "top picks". All of our members will be encouraged to vote to determine who wins the official Parents Picks Awards! Visit ParentsConnect.com/ParentsPicks and select a city to see a list of the nominees.

Not only do we have a great library, but our online resources are great too. Visit the SMFPL website and check out the Children's Department! Go to ParentsConnect.com and vote - I did and so far the results show SMPFL in the lead!!

The New Guy

2008-06-05T11:03:00.001-05:00

Aydn Robert

Sunday, June 1, 2008

7 lb, 9 oz, 17 in long

The French Bulldog

2008-05-30T18:29:00.003-05:00

Our French Bulldog Mattie is our baby. She follows us around, sleeps with us and loves us a lot. Frenchies are ugly to the point of cute and are often mistaken for pugs for those who are not familiar with the breed. Here's a look at the colors: First is Mattie, who is brindle, then a black/white frenchie, fawn, and white.

French Bulldogs are becoming more well-known. Martha Stewart has had hers on her show and the cover of magazines. A white frenchie ~~costarred~~ appeared in the movie Secondhand Lions(which I highly recommend not for that reason alone). Patty Hearst's (yes, that Patty Hearst) Frenchie won Best of Breed in 2008.

French Bulldog Did You Know?

It is fairly well established that one of the ancestors of the French Bulldog is, not surprisingly, the English Bulldog (most likely one of the toy variety).
Two distinctive features of the French Bulldog are its bat ears and half-flat, half-domed skull.
Originally called the Boule-Dog Francais, though the english later scoffed at the idea of calling an English dog by a French name.
Had it not been for the objections of American fanciers, the bat ear of the French Bulldog would have been bred out of the breed and replaced with a rose ear, resulting in a miniaturized version of the English Bulldog.
The first specialty club was the French Bulldog Club of America, and fanciers gave a specialty show in the ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC in 1989, the first specialty show to be held in such deluxe quarters. Receiving serious press coverage, French Bulldogs were thrust into vogue, reaching a peak in 1913 with an entry of 100 at the Westminster Kennel Club.
While bred primarily as pets and companions, Frenchies are remarkably intelligent and serve as good watchdogs.

From The American Kennel Club

No offense to French Bulldogs or the AKC, but Mattie is not very intelligent nor a good watchdog. She has a very limited number of things she can do and things that she knows. She will bark at unfamiliar sounds, but make fast friends with anyone who speaks kindly and will pet her. If you are thinking about adding a Frenchie to your family, please use the links in this post to see if they are for you. If so, congratulations! you are about to own one of the most cute, funny and friendly dogs. They are great lap dogs, love to play and go for walks and/or nap whenever you do - in fact, Mattie will insist on a nap if I am home during the day.

French Bulldog Link Directory

Truth Two

2008-05-28T08:23:00.002-05:00

2. We are what we do. We are not what we think, or what we feel, or what we say, we are what we do. Actions do indeed speak louder than words. If you are unhappy with a particular part of your life, take a strong look at what you are doing to be happier.

As someone who has bipolar disorder, I need to remind myself that I am not what I think or feel. Thoughts and feelings become distorted by an unhealthy mind. For example:

FALSE	True
My life sucks.	My life is good and I have been blessed.
I hate this.	This is not bad.
Things are hopeless.	Things are never hopeless.
Fear	This will not kill me.
Sadness	Sadness is only a symptom of depression.
Despair	There are an infinite number of things that are worse.
I am so alone.	I am never alone. I have family, friends and God.
People are critical of me.	I don't know what people think of me, nor should I base my happiness on others.
No one knows how I feel.	Many others have depression and suffer the same feelings.

One the other side of the coin, I tend to go on about making positive changes, referring to myself as kind, honest, wise and a general all-around goody goody. Those words do not necessarily mean that's how I act. It's how I want to act. But what do I really do?? What did I do today that was kind? Did I tell the truth today or try to hide something that I don't like about myself in order to look good? Have I helped anyone using what I know? Do I use any wisdom that I think I have to build others up or put them down by pointing out what they don't know? Can I be helpful with humility? My goal: to include on my daily task list actions that back up my words.

Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart

2008-05-27T20:04:00.006-05:00

1. If the map doesn’t agree with the ground, the map is wrong. We are given mental maps as children. Our parents and other adults tell us what is right and what is wrong – sometimes they don’t always get it, well, right. Now as adults, when we find the maps we have relied on for so long can get us lost, we need to recalibrate and create more reliable guides based on what we now know to be true and where we want to go.

It took me a very long time to realize that changing my map would be good for finding my way. For example, a 'good guy' according to mom was someone who bought you nice things, had money, and treated you well. The goal: have someone, be dating, get married - anything else: failure. According to dad, a brain surgeon was the best job a person could have. He often told me that I could be a brain surgeon. When I became a college student business was the best major. When he told me the facts of life, he drew two squares: one home; the other work. He drew a line from home, saying 'you go to work' then going back the same way, 'and then you go home' You go to work, go home, work, home, work...and those are the facts of life.

My map says: A 'good guy' accepts your authentic self; cares about your needs and dreams; loves you. My map says: a relationship is not a requirement for life; you are responsible for your own happiness; in order to love you must love yourself first. My map says: follow your dreams; do what you love; don't forget to have fun. I'm not as cynical or practical anymore. I can look back and see the how and why of poor choices in relationships. My map will keep changing and improving my journey. How about yours?

Planting Seeds, Growing a Blog

2008-05-26T20:03:00.002-05:00

As you can see in my sidebar, I'm trying a few new blogger promotion tools. If you click on the RSS button, you can subscribe in a feed reader which is super easy even if you don't know anything about it. There will be some choices like Yahoo, AOL, Google for your reader. For my visitors who are AOL users, just click there. If you have iGoogle (like me, which is fun!) you can add it to either your iGoogle page or your Goggle reader. If you have problems or questions, just leave me a comment. You can subscribe to anything - it's like having your own custom magazine on your computer.
I'm trying a couple of site-sharing tools that are designed to increase traffic. The first is Entrecard. They have a free ebook to explain the card system. You can link all your blogs, advertise on other blogs, drop cards and find a lot of interesting blogs that you might not run across in your everyday surfing. If you have a blog and want to join, it is a nice community - check out the forums. Lots of people are into money making for their blogs. There are also many casual bloggers like me just trying new things.
The other is BlogUpp, just about the opposite type of blog promoting tool. One page to start using it, nothing else to do, keep track of, participate in - I will not lift another finger, which is just my style. The two mini-pages in the sidebar are websites to visit provided by BlogUpp.
One more new tool I use is del.ico.us , a social bookmark site. Instead of filling my browser bookmarks with everthing I want to save, now I can post it to del.ico.us, add tags, share, search, find new links. You can try it by clicking the link at the left and adding this post!
StumbleUpon is a fun way to find and save sites. If you do searches, you can sometimes see the icon and rating next to some of the links in your search results list. My son mentioned StumbleUpon to me a long time ago - I should have checked it out sooner.
Hit me with an questions. I'm no expert, so any help won't be too technical!

Pink Floyd

2008-05-22T18:19:00.002-05:00

Here are some real, live Pink Floyd album covers:
Use the link above to get the wallpaper!

Missing: One Gallbladder

2008-05-20T06:08:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I had outpatient gallbladder surgery. It went very well. The last surgery I had was for a deviated septum and was not worth the pain and discomfort. My heartburn, acid reflux and nausea of the last couple of months became very annoying and I'm looking forward to having a happy gut. The endoscopy a few weeks ago was more distressing for me, but once past that, I felt fine. Because of my dad and daughter's difficulties, I was very apprehensive going in for the endoscopy, which is not like me at all. Since that was such a piece of cake, I was actually looking forward to the gallbladder surgery since I was so uncomfortable. Now I am gallbladder-less and recovering. The surgery was laparoscopic, which means the surgeon made an incision right below my bellybutton. But that's not all - oh no - there are three other incisions: one in the middle right below my sternum and two on the side around the gallbladder area. So my tummy is sore but the pain medication helps with that. I can't work or drive until I go back to the doctor in 7-10 days. Everyone at home is being very helpful - thank you to hubby, son, and the baby mamas.

My List of Ten Numbered Lists of Stuff

2008-05-18T19:51:00.003-05:00

The Internet is full of lists. Apparently some people will only read things that are in a numbered list. Some of the lists are really good. Some are really funny. Here's my list of my favorite lists:

The Gratitude Campaign

2008-05-16T21:49:00.003-05:00

My son-in-law is being deployed to Egypt in September for a year. He is in the Army National Guard. He and my daughter have a one year old baby (Raelynn, the sunshine of my life) who is having a birthday party tomorrow! It is a wonderful thought to thank all of our military men and women who may be spending time away from their families to help defend our families and other families around the world.

Never Again

2008-05-11T14:29:00.001-05:00

Those words keep playing over and over in my head. These are the words that are true. Holocaust survivor Primo Levi: "It has happened once, and it could all happen again."

Never Again

'Never again' is the rallying cry for all who believe that mankind must speak out against genocide.
Jon Corzine

www.freeburma.org

Never Again

I hope that the German people will never again make the mistake of believing that because the American people are peace-loving, they will sit back hoping for peace if any nation uses force or the threat of force to acquire dominion over other peoples and other governments.
James F. Byrnes

www.freeburmacoalition.org

Never Again

“The Security Council has today said that in the 21st century, the world will not tolerate genocide or crimes against humanity.” Nicola Reindorp

uscampaignforburma.org

Never Again

Never again should the international community’s response to these crimes be found wanting. Rwandan President Paul Kagame

burma.usembassy.gov

Never Again

"On occasions such as this, rhetoric comes easily. We rightly say 'never again.' But action is much harder. Since the Holocaust the world has, to its shame, failed more than once to prevent or halt genocide." UN Secretary General Kofi Annan

Red Cross/Burma

Never Again

“Never again must we be shy in the face of the evidence” of genocide...Bill Clinton

Burma Project/Southeast Asia Initiative

Never Again

We wish to remember.
But we wish to remember for a purpose, namely
to ensure that never again evil will prevail. ...
Only a world at peace, with justice for all,
can avoid repeating the mistakes and terrible crimes of the past.
.John Paul II, Yad Vashem, March 23, 2000

humanrightsactioncenter.org

Two Peas in a Pod

2008-05-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

Two peas in a pod Began to nod

Off when Nana Sang them a song

This little pea is Avah and this little pea is named Rae

Trauma Class

2008-05-05T19:05:00.004-05:00

Hubby took a trauma class last week. They had cool props like wounds that squirted blood and got to practice sticking tubes down each others' noses. For example, they got to drag victims to safety:

Hubby's nose tube:

Meatloaf

2008-05-01T07:39:00.001-05:00

The best meatloaf I've had is my mother-in-law's. The recipe survived on a post-it note for about three years. It is no longer in my recipe folder since how easy would it be to lose a 2 x 3 post-it? For about one or two meatloaf meals, I went by memory which created somewhat non-standard results. So I finally requested she email me the recipe again, which she promptly did and here it is! I usually double it since the male species in my household has a nice sized meatloaf appetite.

Meatloaf with Piquant Sauce

2/3 c. dry breadcrumbs

1 c. milk

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 c. grated onion

1 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1/2 t. sage

Piquant Sauce

3 T. brown sugar

1/4 c. catsup

1/4 t. nutmeg

Mix meatloaf ingredients, then place piquant sauce on top. Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour.

91.3 The Summit

2008-04-24T14:37:00.004-05:00

The World Cafe is a great NPR music show that airs on my favorite radio station, 91.3 The Summit, from 6-8 am instead of talk, news, and other NON-music crap. It's a public radio station and plays a wide variety of music from the 70's - 90's and today. They have live streaming audio at their website - go check it out!

On the World Cafe, the host, David Dye, interviews and introduces a very wide variety of music from familiar folks like MarkKnopfler to totally eclectic and new to me groups like this one:

World Cafe, April 17, 2008 - Ranging in age from 72 to 88, the members of the
Young@Heart chorus don't let age interfere with their passion for performing youthful music. Originally formed in 1982, the group began in a housing project for the elderly in Massachusetts.
In this segment, host David Dye interviews Stephen Walker (director of Young@Heart), as well as chorus director Bob Cilman and members of the group. The film, in theaters this week, follows a chorus of elderly singers with a real passion for life.
Young@Heart's repertoire is like a set list of rock's greatest hits. The group sings songs by Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Sonic Youth, The Clash, and OutKast.
Its debut album, Mostly Live, was recently released.

Rockabye Baby Rae

2008-04-06T21:16:00.002-05:00

Rae came over this afternoon and was kicking back watching Sesame Street. Ain't she sweet?

First baby of 2008

2008-04-06T01:30:00.003-05:00

The first baby born in our area this year has died. His dad was babysitting. He was taken to the hospital with "severe head and bodily injuries." After 13 days in the hospital, the mother made the decision to end life support:

On Good Friday, with three generations gathered around the hospital crib of Camryn Jakeb Wilson, the 2 1/2-month-old baby's mother made the hardest decision of her life.
She and her family were told by doctors at Akron Children's Hospital that Camryn had no brain function, could not survive on his own and would be on a feeding tube the rest of his life.
So, Crystal Wilson authorized ending Camryn's life support.

A picture of Camryn:

Olympic Sponsorship Partners

2008-03-22T21:01:00.002-05:00

Sponsorship partners I've sent a boycott email message:

Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
AT&T
Bank of America
General Motors
The Home Depot

Thank You for being a Friend

2008-03-21T07:58:00.003-05:00

The Happiness Project blog by Gretchen Rubin is wildly popular among the life and success blogosphere set. Her post on how to be a good friend has these suggestions:

Here twelve tips for how to act like a true friend:
1. Be supportive when your friend has bad news. This is perhaps the most critical duty of a friend.
2. Be supportive when your friend has good news. This is trickier; surprisingly, it’s sometimes harder to be supportive when someone gets a promotion, gets engaged, or enjoys other good fortune, than it is to be supportive when someone is going through a hard time.
3. Don’t gossip. It’s not nice. (reminder to self-see #6 and #7) Also, although it may be fun to gossip about Pat with Jean, Jean is probably going to feel wary of being your friend—you’re not trustworthy. Along the same lines…
4. Keep a secret. One of the most satisfying aspects of friendship is that it allows two people to confide in each other. Spilling secrets will destroy that. Ah, it’s so delicious to disclose a secret—but you have to resist.
5. Exchange favors. Along with the feeling of intimacy, one of the best parts of friendship is the feeling of support it provides. And while getting support is important, giving support may be even more important for boosting happiness.
6. Don’t criticize a friend’s sweetheart or spouse (or children)—and, at the other extreme, don’t flirt with a friend’s sweetheart or spouse.
7. Be kind to a friend’s children. (especially a spouse's, which I've failed at)
8. Be friendly to a friend’s friends. In fact, in a phenomenon called “triadic closure,” people tend to befriend the friends of their friends – and this is very satisfying. Friendships thrive on inter-connection, and it’s both energizing and comforting to feel that you’re building not just friendships, but a social network. ("social network" is a buzzword that somehow takes away from "friendship" in my opinion)
9. Show up. Sometimes a friend wants you to show up someplace when you’d really rather not: a wedding in Topeka; a surprise party that falls on New Year’s Eve, when you’d rather be doing something else. Recognize a command performance, and don’t miss it.
Bonus activities:
10. Remember birthdays. (I am really bad at this)
11. Be nice to their pets.
12. Help a friend think big. Nothing is more encouraging than a friend throwing out some huge goal and saying, “You should do that!” “You should write a book, you should start your own firm, you should run for office, you should join the Council on Foreign Relations.” You never know, sometimes one encouraging comment can have extraordinary effect on someone’s life.

Boycott 2008 Summer Olympic Sponsors

2008-03-19T19:29:00.002-05:00

I've sent the following message to the Worldwide Sponsors of the 2008 Olympics:

In protest of the actions of the Chinese government, I am boycotting products and services of the corporate sponsors of the 2008 Olympics.
I will stop my boycott when your company withdraws it's sponsorship or the situation in China is resolved.-- Stephanie C.

Tomorrow I'll start working on the Partners level of sponsorship.

Artifacts available!

2008-03-15T12:49:00.006-05:00

Oh lemme at 'em!! A friend and I went to see this exhibit when it was in Akron, salivating over items for sale. Now that they are within reach...I may have to participate in the online auction.

A Ming Dynasty Spirit House

Page from a triptych of illuminated leaves

Ragamala Indian Painting

Teen realizes dream with school in Vietnam

2008-03-15T12:41:00.003-05:00

How much of an impact can you have on your world? How far of a reach? With a good example set by her grandmother, this teen accomplishes something that reaches the other side of the world.

Indoor BMX

2008-03-14T18:51:00.004-05:00

What could be better than an indoor BMX park to work off some cabin fever? And give you road rash? And make grown men act like teenagers. As well as really, really sore. Check out my significantly crazy other:

The Happiness Project

2008-03-09T21:14:00.006-05:00

I'm participating in Happiness: The Group Writing Project You can too! Visit Alex Shalman's blog by clicking the link, answer the questions on your blog and your blog will be listed on Alex's which is a lot more famous. This could be good - great even! So here goes!

The Questions
How do you define happiness?
Happiness is being pleased with your present circumstances; enjoying family, friends, and activities; managing stress well; having a sense of well-being. I also believe that having something to look forward to and setting personal goals contributes to happiness.

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your happiness now, versus when you were a child?
My childhood happiness = 5 because of my mother's mental illness. She is bipolar, so growing up she had periods of mania, depression, and normalcy. Because of her instability and behavior, my parents divorced which contributed to my unhappiness.
My happiness now = 8 because of remarriage to a wonderful guy, a great standard of living, travel, and a better ability to cope with stress.

What do you do on a daily basis that brings you happiness? (and how consistent is the feeling of happiness throughout your day)
I love my (part-time) job at the library. Routine gives me a sense of well-being. I enjoy being an early riser and having a bit of time to myself first thing in the morning. I use an afternoon nap to 'reset' my mood since I seem to drop off in the afternoon.

What things take away from your happiness? What can be done to lessen their impact or remove them from your life?
Stress can take away from my happiness, especially worrying about my family. Severe illness and death in the family have been recent things that have impacted my happiness. I've used counseling and support to cope with these events. To lessen the impact of the types of things that take away from my happiness, I try to redirect my thoughts, count my blessings, distance myself from negativity if possible, and take a break from high stress situations if I can. If a situation is within my control, I can choose to remove the stress by fixing the problem or removing myself from the situation.

What do you plan on doing in the future that will bring you even more happiness?
I plan on setting goals that focus on things that I enjoy. I have applied to graduate school because I love learning. My husband and I look forward to our retirement (or semi-retirement). I love spending time with my grand-babies and look forward to doing things with them as they grow.

Zen Habits

2008-03-02T21:38:00.003-05:00

I've started signing up to RSS feeds. After a short time now, I need to go through and weed or will do nothing but read feeds. At the top of my must read list right now is Zen Habits. It's like I can't escape this blog! No wonder it won the Best Performancing Blog Award for 2007. If you'd like to get caught up quick, I recommend buying the new e-book the Zen Habits Handbook for Life.

Punk Covers Folk

2008-02-28T10:15:00.005-05:00

My punk rock son pointed out various errors in this post, so look for a revised one in the future

California Dreaming/The Mamas and the Papas covered by NOFX and Pennywise and . . .

Vincent/Don McClean covered by NOFX (Google vincent don mcclean for tons of neat sites)

Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya/traditional covered by the Dropkick Murphys

Plus here's a whole list I found while looking for links to the above. Who knew??

Charity the Internet Way

2008-02-28T07:14:00.004-05:00

Gimundo is one of my favorite sites for Good News . . . Served Daily. Their post on Five Ways to Give without Spending a Dime is worth clicking into.

Bumblebee

2008-02-21T07:55:00.005-05:00

I'm not a big fan of bumblebees only because of the sting risk, but apparently they do much more good than harm! And who will solve the mystery of why have all the bumblebees gone?

Janet Marinelli explains how important they are on the Brooklyn Botanic Garden:

We live on a planet pollinated primarily by bees. Bees fertilize most of our
favorite flowers, and pollinate a third of the plants we eat. Bumblebees are
important pollinators of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, melons, raspberries,
blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, and many other crops, and are the only
known pollinators of potatoes worldwide.

I'm not a big fan of global warming and whatever did happen to the ozone, but this seems like a legitimate problem that can be solved by those in the know. I found it interesting.

A Little American History

2008-02-17T10:22:00.005-05:00

Betcha didn't know this story posted in the Devoted Intellectual. Not having visited, I didn't know and found it really interesting.

My aunt and uncle, a veteran of the Korean War, are buried there. How cool is that?

LERCH, LADYNE M
DATE OF BIRTH: 04/25/1923
DATE OF DEATH: 12/24/2004
BURIED AT: SECTION 65 SITE 1256
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
C/O DIRECTOR ARLINGTON, VA 22211
(703) 607-8000
WIFE OF LERCH, THOMAS F
LCDR US NAVY

LERCH, THOMAS F
LCDR US NAVY
WORLD WAR II, KOREA
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/18/1918
DATE OF DEATH: 07/03/2001
BURIED AT: SECTION 65 SITE 1256
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
C/O DIRECTOR ARLINGTON, VA 22211
(703) 607-8000

Happy President's Day and a heartfelt thank you to all of our troops.

The Goodyear Blimp

2008-02-16T22:53:00.007-05:00

The Spirit of Goodyear was floating around the other day and reminded me of the ride I was honored to have years ago when I worked at Goodyear. My ride was actually in the Spirit of Akron, retired in 1999. That gondola that you ride in underneath the blimp? About the size of a minivan. It's amazing that the filming crews and their equipment plus the pilots are crammed in there.

While working at Goodyear, we caught a rare glimps of all three blimps together in Akron out of the windows of the headquarters building.

My kids and I lived in the village close to the blimp hangar at Wingfoot Lake, so we saw the blimp flying around all the time - it was cool. When the Spirit of Goodyear was christened by Sally Ride, my son and I went to the ceremony at the blimp hangar.

Good memories.

Centering

2008-02-15T16:52:00.004-05:00

From Pick The Brain:

The Now. Focusing yourself on what you have instead of what you don’t have. Focusing on present actions instead of future worries and past regrets. Focusing on what is.
Your Dreams. Center yourself on the direction you want to take your life. Re-reading any goals I’ve written down helps me reaffirm what I want from life instead of responding to cynicism and frustration.
Family. Center around the people you love. This may be harder to center on if you’re having conflicts with your family. But by focusing on the best part of your relationships you can center yourself on what is important to you.
Your Passions. Center around the work you love doing. Focus on your ability to create.

Have a Heart, Donate an Organ

2008-02-15T07:56:00.004-05:00

Gretchen of the Happiness Project posted about organ donation for Valentine's Day. My son brought home a wristband for me from the Donate Life presentation they had at school.

Coincidence? I think not.

More Ohio Babies

2008-02-12T08:27:00.000-05:00

Cop's baby

Is it wrong of me to expect the police to 'serve and protect?' This cop not only killed his pregnant girlfriend (which he said was accidental?) but instead of following police procedure, disposed of the body with the help of a high school friend.

So the guy was mean, dumb and shouldn't have been a cop, let alone a boyfriend or baby-daddy. This little family story disturbs me so much more. How in the hell do you kill your baby in the microwave. What circumstances lead up to that? Somebody put that baby in the microwave, closed the door and pushed the buttons. How, how, how could that even occur to someone??

Free Travel

2008-02-12T07:22:00.001-05:00

This sounds interesting. I may have to follow the adventure.

It reminds me of the one red paperclip guy's brother who had an adventure. Check their accomplisment here: http://hitch50.com/

Resilience

2008-02-08T07:23:00.000-05:00

Give yourself some positive self-talk by using these statements and tips from the Mayo Clinic:
Use the above link to read the entire article.

Characteristics of resilient people

Statement:

I'm able to adapt to change easily.

I feel in control of my life.

I tend to bounce back after a hardship or illness.

I have close, dependable relationships.

I remain optimistic and don't give up, even if things seem hopeless.

I can think clearly and logically under pressure.

I see the humor in situations, even under stress.

I am self-confident and feel strong as a person.

I believe things happen for a reason.

I can handle uncertainty or unpleasant feelings.

I know where to turn for help.

I like challenges and feel comfortable taking the lead.

Credits: Based on the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Connor K.M., Davidson J.R. ©2003. Adapted by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Tips to improve your resilience

Use these tips to help become more resilient:

Get connected. Build strong, positive relationships with family and friends, who can listen to your concerns and offer support. Volunteer or get involved in your community. "A sense of connectedness can sustain you in dark times," Dr. Creagan notes.

Use humor and laughter.
Remaining positive or finding humor in distressing or stressful situations doesn't mean you're in denial. Humor is a helpful coping mechanism. If you simply can't find humor in your situation, turn to other sources for a laugh, such as a funny book or movie. (When my son went through a major depression in middle school, he really got a lot of relief from renting comedies, watching comedians and even read about becoming a comedian.)

Learn from your experiences. Recall how you've coped with hardships in the past, either in healthy or unhealthy ways. Build on what helped you through those rough times and don't repeat actions that didn't help.

Remain hopeful and optimistic. While you can't change events, look toward the future, even if it's just a glimmer of how things might improve. Find something in each day that signals a change for the better. Expect good results.

Take care of yourself. Tend to your own needs and feelings, both physically and emotionally. This includes participating in activities and hobbies you enjoy, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sleep, and eating well.

Accept and anticipate change. Be flexible. Try not to be so rigid that even minor changes upset you or that you become anxious in the face of uncertainty. Expecting changes to occur makes it easier to adapt to them, tolerate them and even welcome them.

Work toward goals. Do something every day that gives you a sense of accomplishment. Even small, everyday goals are important. Having goals helps direct you toward the future.

Take action. Don't just wish your problems would go away or try to ignore them. Instead, figure out what needs to be done, make a plan to do it, and then take action.

Learn new things about yourself. Review past experiences and think about how you've changed as a result. You may have gained a new appreciation for life. If you feel worse as a result of your experiences, think about what changes could help. Explore new interests, such as taking a cooking class or visiting a museum.

Think better of yourself. Be proud of yourself. Trust yourself to solve problems and make sound decisions. Nurture your self-confidence and self-esteem so that you feel strong, capable and self-reliant. This will give you a sense of control over events and situations in your life.

Maintain perspective. Don't compare your situation to that of somebody you think may be worse off. You'll probably feel guilty for being down about your own problems. Rather, look at your situation in the larger context of your own life, and of the world. Keep a long-term perspective and know that your situation can improve if you actively work at it.

The Forgetting, part duex

2008-02-07T19:34:00.001-05:00

"Every morning is the same."

I tried to give her a synopsis of Groundhog Day and got a blank look. She didn't know who Bill Murray was.

"Nobody comes to see me."

My brother comes once a week, but she doesn't remember.

"My own sister won't come to see me."

"Mom, Aunt Linda has MS. She doesn't go anywhere. She's had it for a couple years."

"I never thought I'd end up in a nursing home. How long have I been here?"

"Over a year. You came here after your ankle surgery as a result from a fall and then had to come back for good because of your falling so you could be in a safe place."

"I hate it here."

We had parts of this conversation over and over and over. Time to gently exit.

"I'm glad I was able to come see you today. Usually I babysit my granddaughter."

"You have a granddaughter??"

"Mom, Katy got married and had a baby last year. Rob's son and his girlfriend did also and are expecting another baby soon. Don't you remember us coming at Christmas? Everyone brought their kids and babies?"

"I remember that day."

That day was very exciting for her, but we noticed that she didn't call any of us by name.

Help! I'm LOST!

2008-02-07T19:32:00.000-05:00

Both my step-daughter and I were going to miss this week's episode of LOST. My cousin was in town and we were meeting him for dinner and she had a meeting. She said she almost rescheduled it. "I am going to have to tape Lost tomorrow night, because I have a meeting at work. I almost made them change it!"

I thought she meant the show - uh...she meant the meeting. Her reply:

And, yes, Lost is going to reschedule for me so I don't miss tonight's episode. LOL. That is funny. You make me laugh.

Oh, and have fun at dinner tonight. What time do you think you will be done? I will call Lost and make sure they don't air tonight's episode until you get home. I can identify with being scatterbrained! I laugh because I can relate!

Ah but in the end, all is not LOST because it's on TONIGHT! My step-daughter is incredible, don't you think?

Depression

2008-02-03T20:39:00.000-05:00

Author Tim Ferris listed "three concepts that I and others have found useful for preventing the inevitable ups and downs from becoming self-destructive thinking and behavior:"

Depression is just one phase of a natural biorhythm and thus both transient and needed...
How you label determines how you feel.
Gratitude training can be used pre- or mid-depressive symptoms to moderate the extremes and speed the transition.

Since I have bipolar disorder IMHO he hit the nail on the head for people who are not mentally ill. Reading the plentiful comments, I ran across the Ten Greatest Lies About Bipolar Disorder on Bipolar Central:

Lie #1:
You can survive without medication.

Lie #2:
You can’t control bipolar disorder.

Lie #3:
You only need the right medication and a great psychiatrist to be stable.

Lie #4:
Bipolar disorder is not a real illness, and not that many people have it.

Lie #5:
All people who have bipolar disorder are violent.

Lie #6:
People who have bipolar disorder can’t hold down a job.

Lie #7:
There is a machine or software program to scan your body or brain and determine if you have bipolar disorder.

Lie #8:
Someone with bipolar disorder will never get better.

Lie #9:
All psychiatrists are the same and give the same quality of care.

Lie #10:
There are natural proven cures for bipolar disorder that big business is hiding.

A Poem

2008-02-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

By a great teenager I know.

Rain

Tat-tat-tat
Dancing on the roof
Streaming down the pane
Pooling on the earth

Puddles turning to rivers
An unsteady beat
Plays an up roar crescendo
Fresh green and brown watercolors
Smudged to fill the yard

Left-right-left
The wiper blades whip
A curtain across the wind shield
Head lights cutting the pour

Drenched through your coat
Foot prints three inches deep
Mud caked between your toes
Splashing your reflection’s face

The engine groans
Sighing from the water’s rage
The paint streaking across the black surface
Like a soaked blood stained cloth

Your head lifts, your gaze shifts
It shines and glints from across the way
Your mind in trance
Your feet wander with your eyes

Your pace quickens
The stereo blares
Trickles from the tree branches
Turn to buckets, breaking twigs

I run to the door
The tail lights turn
Tire tracks branding the street
The rain thins

Tail between your legs
Breathe, hot against the scarlet stream
Your eyes wide and awed
Heart beating with the rain

Tat-tat-tat
Dancing on the roof
Streaming down the pane
Pooling on the earth

Ohio Baby News

2008-02-01T06:33:00.000-05:00

The bad news and the good news.

The span between evil and goodness is long and narrow. Being truly heroic means doing the best thing at the right time. Heroism is tested under circumstances. A person is not a hero by just thinking so, but by doing acts. I don't know if I am a hero until I am presented with a situation that requires my heroism. The good at heart would most likely be heroes. Someone who puts others before themselves would be a hero. Following the Golden Rule is heroic.

Bad people require bad thoughts, bad intentions and know before a situation presents itself how they will react. An evil person has an evil act playing in their mind over and over and when presented with an opportunity, will strike. Instead of stopping for one minute and thinking to tell someone what's going on and ask for help -- they will tear apart an innocent person's life not even caring that they're also ruining their own life.

My Little Rae of Sunshine

2008-01-30T21:08:00.000-05:00

Rae Loves Orange Soda

Katy with Rae:

The Metallica t-shirt wearing Xbox playin' baby!

And she can play ping-pong!

The Forgetting

2008-01-21T07:42:00.000-05:00

Things I forgot to take on my trip to Europe:

My new pointy-toe high-heeled boots I brought to wear with a skirt out to dinner. I had to wear slacks with my scruffy shoes.

Bathing suit - meaning no swimming for me in the heated indoor/outdoor pool.

Books to be read: The new Preston/Child book and a fantasy Snow White novel.

Guide books that I had borrowed from the library for Paris and Luxembourg so that we bought one for Paris at a used bookstore in Paris, which was kinda cool.

The scarf that I bought on my LAST trip because EVERYONE wears scarves in Europe. Hubby took a blanket from the airplane and cut it in half so that we both had scarves. He can be handy that way

Nausea medicine which I didn't need, but you never know.

And after forgetting all that, I forgot to buy chocolate to bring home!

Other than that, the trip was awesome. Pictures to follow.

What is the meaning of this?

2008-01-08T21:53:00.000-05:00

Warning: the links in this post may be rated R

The story behind my blog name: A wife of a friend of ours has a nickname that combines 'mother' with her last name like this: Mo(ther) + Ho(the rest of her last name) to equal MoHo.
So my nickname is MoCo - I usually use MoCove for my nickname online. So MoInk is a variation of that which means Mo(re)Ink. Well, my daughter looked up Moink in the urban dictionary. I like number 1 because it could possibly replace the f-word. That would make my blog traffic tremendous, wouldn't it! Also, number 3 is good because, well, I'm a bit crazy like mentally ill crazy. But I would also say the urban dictionary crazy.

Drop Kick Murphys

2008-01-07T21:54:00.001-05:00

. . . are my new favorite punk band. They are punk meets folk, if you can believe it. They cover traditional folk! So imagine the simplicity, the purity of folk music. No drumming, just strumming. All acoustic. . . . the original unplugged versions of everything. Songs from the common folk of the world, for the common folk. Take this music and add it ALL - DRUMS, LOTS OF ELECTRIC GUITARS AND REALLY BIG REALLY LOUD SPEAKERS. Then for my favorite part - a guy who plays the bagpipes among lots of other traditional instruments. That's the Drop Kick Murphys. I love them!

Of course, I have to credit my son with turning me on to this band. He asked for their latest CD for Christmas and we've been listening to it in the car driving back and forth to school.

Thanks Chris!

January's Travel News

2008-01-06T20:56:00.000-05:00

At the end of this month, hubby and I are going to Europe! One week of working for him in Luxembourg will be sandwiched in between weekends in Paris. This will be our third trip - hard to believe, I know! Paris is a very famous city in France, so I'll tell you a bit about Luxembourg.

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe nestled between Belgium, France, and Germany. (Lichtenstein is the smallest country, or principality) This small country played a mighty role in WWII and has excellent monuments and museums. General George Patton's grave is in Luxembourg.

The country is ruled by a Grand Duchy. But the most excellent place in the country and the best kept secret is the Sporthotel Leweck.

Last time we stayed there, our suite had a view of the Bourscheid Castle.

Now, how very, very fortunate am I??

Post No. 1

2008-01-02T08:13:00.000-05:00

. . . of the new year! For Christmas, loving hubby gave me my very own laptop! Now I have the best computer in the house. Of course, I aim to blog more often and improve my blogging skills. (not this very minute, though)

The holidays are over, the guests are gone, and there are still leftovers. We were busy here and a few of us passed around a crappy flu which I'm still trying to recover from. After we counted down to 2008 with Dick Clark, I had to go have a moment. Last year when I saw Dick Clark on TV, I was hopeful for my dad's recovery. This year was a reminder that dad is gone and I really miss him and think about him often.

Our granddaughters are wonderful, cute, funny, and we love them so much! Avah had her 1st birthday last week.

one red paperclip

2007-11-28T20:38:00.000-05:00

Kyle Macdonald traded one red paperclip for something better and then traded that item, etc, etc until he had traded up to a house. His great story is in the new book One Red Paperclip which I read in three days. Kyle's story is inspiring and his writing is fresh and funny. Each chapter is about a trade - only 14 to get from paperclip to house! And then the great finale which I won't ruin for you, but let's say it's bigger and better than the house

There's Nothing Wrong with Napping

2007-11-17T00:04:00.000-05:00

I KNEW it!! I take a long nap every day that I can.
I found this on Gizmundo where there's
Good News and Positive Stories ... Served Daily
and don't we all need more of that?

The Goonies

2007-10-27T17:15:00.000-05:00

I love The Goonies. Also the Princess Bride - both have "Where are they now" articles on this link. Another Goonies movie would be great! These two have made it to my DVD collection which I am very particular about. It is a very small collection.

Suicide by Hillary

2007-10-15T22:23:00.001-05:00

My mother-in-law on talk radio:

My doctor was in a rock band last week

2007-10-07T18:21:00.000-05:00

Last Monday, my son and I went to the doctor with sinus infections. The doctor commented on my son's punk rock t-shirt saying, 'their drummer is sick.' Turns out he is a drummer. In a rock band. AND had CD's at the checkout desk and said we could have one. The group is called altered and CD title is Dreaming Awake. Of course, as soon as I listen to the CD (it's good) and check out their MySpace, I read this bulletin:

After almost four years and one amazing & crazy ride, ALTERED is
stepping away from the music scene.

Nice. I'm a few days late. But hey, they have free downloads so check it out!

Brought to your attention by Mocove

2007-09-30T19:57:00.000-05:00

Two of my favorite blogs each had a great post. girlfriday refers to our fear of talking about sex in her post You Might Feel Dirty Reading this Post . And on BookLust for Silly Poetry Friday, there's this gem by Dorothy Parker:

General Review Of The Sex Situation

Woman wants monogamy;
Man delights in novelty.
Love is woman's moon and sun;
Man has other forms of fun.
Woman lives but in her lord;
Count to ten, and man is bored.
With this the gist and sum of it,
What earthly good can come of it?

Babies

2007-07-26T08:46:00.000-05:00

It's the Little One (Rae) and the Big One (Avah). The cousins. The Camo Cousins. Sometimes referred to as twins by extremely confused strangers. They are cute, cuddly and drool a lot. I love them so much, it's amazing!

My crazy mother is driving me crazy

2007-06-29T21:28:00.000-05:00

Mom is having a tough time at the nursing home - mostly from narcotic withdrawal. She calls a dozen times a day to complain about the staff - the nurses don't give her meds on time; they took all her over-the-counter meds; they aren't helping with her incontinence; someone stole money from her room; she doesn't sleep; she needs money; she's mad at my sister; she wants to review her will; she wants a new doctor. She may be able to get into independent living when the facility is medicaid approved, but that could be a while. She has bipolar and schizo affective disorders, Parkinson's, diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid imbalance, arthritis and a wide variety of aches, pains and complaints. I do not doubt that she doesn't feel good but she has been like this for over 30 years. If I run there (a 45 min. drive) to bring her stuff, money and meet with the staff, have lunch with her and spend 3-4 hours, she'll need the whole routine repeated. If I try to avoid her by not returning her calls, she gets desperate, angry, crying, leaving the same detailed message over and over. My psychologist says she's a manipulator. I need to set boundaries because it's spiralling out of control.

What Kind of Sandwich are You?

2007-06-20T20:11:00.000-05:00

We've all heard about the 'sandwich generation' - those of us who have elderly parents who need care and children who are needing us for various reasons. I can relate to that - so if they are the outside - are they bread? Whole grain? Kaiser roll? Do they suck us dry with their absorbancy? Or hold onto us by having us in their pocket? If we are the inside, what kind of stuff are we? lunch meat? pb&j? Are we supplying valuable nutrients? Do we compliment our outside layers without overpowering? Or do we get too wrapped up trying to control how everything goes together? Are we stuck like cement or can we move about freely?

Living in a sandwich situation is stressful. There may be no escape, so coping adequately is important. Recently, I had to neglect my mom to take care of my daughter. Today I went to the nursing home and met with the social worker, the director of nursing, the business office and physical therapy to touch base, iron out problems, ask questions, placate mom mostly. She was having great difficulty with pain medication - wanting more and more narcotics. I thought we had cleared it up for her, but she's called 3 times tonight to say nothing had changed. She's just not going to be happy and I'm going to have to hear about it. She says all kinds of stuff that's not happening, but when I confront her she doesn't back down. This is part of her bipolar/schizo affective disorder. Her side of the sandwich is a crusty, moldy, nasty piece that makes me sick. I don't like to be around, but I deal with what I have to and not let her know how I really feel. Sounds like time for a trip to the psychologist for me!

My daughter's side is high maintenance, but not irritating. She needs support and help right now while recovering and her husband being gone for National Guard training until October. She is doing her best, trying hard and pulling her weight in the situation. She takes care of the baby - they are still nursing after all this.

Of course, what I'd like to be is an Oreo sandwich cookie, but you can't have everything you want - at least not all the time.

Missing Dad

2007-06-18T07:11:00.001-05:00

The thing about the first Father's Day without dad is that this time last year we were all at the Outer Banks here. We had a hat and jacket made for dad that said 'Ernie' as a joke from the fishing charter trip the year before where the captain kept calling out to dad 'God damn it Ernie - get your bait in the water!' We put the hat in his casket. My brothers and I went to the cemetery yesterday. That's the first time I've been to a cemetery to visit - not attending a funeral. There's no headstone yet and there's grass starting to grow there. It's really not a place that I would 'visit' dad. It makes me think about the casket, the funeral home, and dad being sick. One of my step-brothers and his family went to the Outer Banks for vacation this year - now there's a place to be visiting and reminiscing. Hopefully, we'll be able to go next year. It will be different, but life is different now with dad gone and grand babies here. Life is changing all the time. Sometimes it takes me a while to rest in order catch up to the changes.

Catching Up

2007-06-03T05:29:00.000-05:00

Since the last post, it's been crisis mode. My daughter had a hard time with her labor and delivery. She pushed for 4 hours after her epidural wore off and ended up having to get a c-section. A week after she came home, we took her back to the hospital(not the same one she delivered at). She had clotting, an infection and a ruptured uterus. She had to have surgery to remove the infection and clotting and repair her uterus. She had to get 4 units of blood during the surgery. They put a couple drains in and she had wounds on each side of the incision to heal from the inside out. She had 21 staples in her incision. Her temperature kept spiking and an infectious disease specialist came to take care of her antibiotics. A hematologist was called to evaluate her low platelet count. The hospital stay was 13 long days and nights since we had the baby there. She continued to nurse as much as possible and the baby stayed overnight. Someone had to be there round the clock, so I was the day shift and her hubby spent the nights with them. She is home now and I change her dressings and give her 2 IV antibiotics through her PIC line. The ob/gyn will see her Friday and the infectious disease doc will see her a week from Monday.

Poor kid - 20 years old and any future pregnancies will have to be closely monitored. She is not feeling well at all and I'm afraid this isn't over. It was agony to see her in so much pain during labor. We are all very unhappy with how her labor and delivery was handled and that she was sent home having had a temperature that day and a low blood count. Her husband leaves for National Guard training a week from tomorrow (as if she doesn't have enough going on).

Meanwhile, mom is freaking at the nursing home. I didn't return calls until yesterday. The doc is weaning her off pain pills (Oxycontin) and she is frantic. She still gets vicodin and all her psych meds. Based on prior experience, she is having a manic episode. The more my daughter and brother were ill, the more things she needed.

My brother ended up in the hospital the last few weeks of his cancer treatment. He had so much pain and was home alone for the most part, so being at the hospital kept him hydrated and gave him resources for pain management. He is home now and his treatments are over, but I haven't talked to him because of being busy with my daughter. It will take a while for him to start feeling better and being able to eat again.

I cut my hours at the library from 14 to 4/wk. My boss suggested just working Monday evenings instead of quitting altogether, so I took her up on it. I haven't been to work for a couple weeks anyhow. School is out which means I don't have to drop off/pick up my son every day. I've been really missing dad - it's hard to be going through this without being able to talk to him. Thank God for my husband who is so understanding and often asks what he can do to help me - he's given back rubs, done laundry, cleaned house, whatever I've needed. And this whole time I'm away from home. Yesterday I finally made it to the grocery store. Right before everyone starved, too!

And one bright spot - my son got a pet rat since his room has been clean for a few weeks (my husband cleaned it using the rake) so we are watching them bond. Hopefully, it won't get loose in the house - the cat and dog would have fun, but I would not like it.

Raelynn Alexandra

2007-05-09T19:55:00.000-05:00

Here she is!!!

She was born 3:13 am Monday morning May 7, 2007. She weighed 6 lbs 10.8oz and is 20 inches long. There's more to the story, but it will have to wait for later. We love her!

Chemotherapy with my Brother

2007-04-21T05:42:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I went to chemo with my brother. He's being treated for throat cancer which started with surgery to remove a growth on his throat, tonsil on that side plus lymph nodes in the area. The following week he had a feeding tube put in and since his stomach is under his ribs, needed to go to the hospital for the procedure. That was the night Dad died. My little brother and my sister-in-law had to go to the hospital and tell him the following morning. So he was to start treatment the following week, but we had calling hours and the funeral. He didn't take his meds before the first treatment and was pretty sick but got squared away on that now. He's getting 6 weeks of radiation 5 times/week and chemo on Fridays. Last Friday his wife was off for spring break and was there. The Friday before he went by himself. First he goes for radiation treatment which doesn't take too long and then to the cancer treatment center. They have small partitioned booths with an easy chair, a visitor chair, a TV and a small hospital type night stand. He already had his IV in his hand. They gave him 4 bags of stuff - the chemo (2 bags), anti-nausea med and saline. It takes 3-1/2 hours for all that to drip, one bag at a time.

He was glad I was there to help pass the time. I can be pretty chatty. OK, I can chat up a storm. We watch some funny sitcoms and fishing and Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor. I went to the cafeteria and got him some pudding and oatmeal. He says his throat is stiff, it's hard to chew stuff, he's lost his appetite and is nauseous a lot. So far, his main side effect is being tired. They were going to deliver his feeding tube food so he could start on that since he's lost weight. Hopefully, that will give him a little energy. I could tell he was scared and depressed. I'll be there next Friday.

Patent # 6551086

2007-04-14T12:56:00.000-05:00

Years ago, when I worked as a tire engineer at Goodyear, I got a patent. Well, along with a bunch of other engineers. But still - pretty cool, huh?

The Swiss Alps

2007-04-09T21:24:00.000-05:00

My favorite part of our trip to Europe. The clean, crisp air cleared my head. Remote, snow-covered and not reachable by vehicles, the mountains were everywhere - all-consuming.

Here I sit on a terrace in the village of Murren enjoying some hot ovaltine - YUM!

Honduras Scuba Diving

2007-04-09T21:12:00.000-05:00

Hubby with the resort bird.

Hubby & stepson under the sea.

Happy Easter

2007-04-08T19:19:00.000-05:00

Luke 23:34

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Kind of like my Easter. We're starting to work on mom's apartment - cleaning out clutter, dividing up her stuff. It's tedious, nostalgic, bittersweet and a chore. My little brother swooped in to grab a couple things he wanted and take off without actually helping. On the other hand, dad's stuff is being auctioned off. He had cool stuff - dirt bikes, fishing stuff, model airplane stuff, a garage full of stuff, a basement full of stuff. He had lots of hobbies he loved and stuff he did with my brothers like bmx. Today a list came out with how much some things went for - a tire, a mini-bike. It wasn't very nostalgic-like. Apparently, you had to show up with the vultures while things were being cleaned out to get anything you wanted. I am not that assertive so I'll just sit back and be resentful. Shame on me. I miss my dad.

The National Guard

2007-04-07T07:10:00.000-05:00

My new son-in-law has joined the National Guard. He goes to training from June-October. There are great benefits - especially the education and bonus! A big concern:

According to the Pentagon, about 270,000 of America's over 347,000 Army Guard soldiers have served in either Afghanistan, Iraq, or both.

Bye Dad

2007-04-03T03:52:00.000-05:00

Goodbye, Dad. I miss you so much. It's been really hard since your stroke. I'm sorry you were so sick. Thank you for trying so hard for so long. Thank you for our vacations at the Outer Banks. Thank you for always having good advice. Thanks for showing us how to enjoy life.

Last night were calling hours and the funeral is today.

Home Again Home Again

2007-03-29T06:42:00.000-05:00

We're back! Vacation was great. Pictures to follow.

Stuck in Newark

2007-03-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

After a wonderful 2 week vacation in Europe, our flight back to the states was delayed 5 hours and we arrived in Newark airport to find that flights had been cancelled and delayed due to weather. So not only did we wait 5 hours in Milan to catch our 9 hour flight - now we're stuck in Newark! The airline got us a hotel and meal vouchers and we should be home later tonight. We are tired and grouchy and achy. I want to blog about our adventures in Europe! Hopefully I will get to that soon. While we were gone, mom got home from the nursing home but ended up back in the hospital - I guess they are waiting for me to get back to 'deal with' that situation. My dad was back in the hospital where they found he had a bleeding ulcer. So I will check on the two of them before we take off to Florida for my husband's family reunion on Saturday. My son and I are going to Universal Studios for a couple days and my husband is taking his son to Honduras scuba diving for his 21st birthday present. We are looking forward to having some fun!

MoInk

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