For some, genetics are a blessing. Inheriting your great-grandmother's beauty or your grandfather's intelligence, for instance. For others, genetics is a bitch.
In my family genetics has not always been kind. We have our mother's mental illness and predilection for suicide married to our father's addictions, plus his own mental illness. For most of us, we fought the addictions and created successful families of our own. Some have not been as blessed. My oldest nephew is an addict. My second oldest nephew is in Parchman, Mississippi's state prison, for assault and rape. His brother just finished a sentence there for assault. My youngest brother's son is an alcoholic. Others have fought mental illness. Thanks be to God, none of my children are addicts.
Last Saturday, both sides of the family tree met up in my oldest niece's youngest son. He called her and told her he loved her, told her that he could no longer live with the drugs and felt that he could not stop. He hung up the phone and shot himself in the head with a shotgun. His funeral is tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Names and things etc
Jo wrote that she did not get the tickalock thing. I suppose I did not explain it well enough. See, 'tickalock', is the sound a key makes when it is locking a door. Well, it is when you use your voice to make sound effects. So, tickalock-all-way-round, is the sound the key is making while you lock all your doors.
I used tickalock for awhile when I first came into chats. I started getting unwanted odd emails and pms from screen names like MasterDude, etc. I changed to tica2 then until my son got an AOL admin mad at him one night and cancelled my account. I worked that one out but had to make a new name. So, since I am a cocacola freak, I came up with cocatica. Then, when I came to voice chats, I created ticatoo.
I hope that clears some things up.
My youngest grandson will soon be 18 months old and is so smart! He is learning colors now. He knows wed,buh and lello. He knows so many words that other kids his age don't know or say. He is learning and doing more and more everyday. And, no, I am not exaggerating because he is my grandson.
I used tickalock for awhile when I first came into chats. I started getting unwanted odd emails and pms from screen names like MasterDude, etc. I changed to tica2 then until my son got an AOL admin mad at him one night and cancelled my account. I worked that one out but had to make a new name. So, since I am a cocacola freak, I came up with cocatica. Then, when I came to voice chats, I created ticatoo.
I hope that clears some things up.
My youngest grandson will soon be 18 months old and is so smart! He is learning colors now. He knows wed,buh and lello. He knows so many words that other kids his age don't know or say. He is learning and doing more and more everyday. And, no, I am not exaggerating because he is my grandson.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Names and things.......
Every so often someone will ask about the two screen names that I use.....cocatica and ticatoo. I use ticatoo for Paltalk. People are curious about why I chose these nicks, especially ticatoo. It is a long boring story, but since I am stuck in the room taking care of my sick son, I think I will tell it.
Years ago, when my brother and I were little, we played a form of tag where, if we were away from homebase, we could stop, say 'tickalock' and we would be safe, because our door would be locked. But, if we wanted to be truly safe we had to say 'tickalock-all-way-round', then our front and back doors would be locked.
Years passed and my brother had a falling out with the family and just disappeared. He got a job working at nuclear power plants around the country and traveled a lot, but he made no attempt to get in touch. I was devastated and tried to find him, but had no idea where to start. About twenty years ago, give or take, he called our oldest brother and came to visit. Things began to be sorted out and I was in heaven. Then, our mother did something that was so cruel, I am still stunned by it. My brother was trying to get custody of his youngest son from his ex-wife. And, he needed to. My sister-in-law was so enmeshed in her own mental illness, that she could not take care of the child. The conditions that child lived in was horrendous. My sister-in-law knew that as soon as the child left, she would no longer get the child support. She fought for full custody. Court time came, and my mother was a witness for her, instead of helping my brother help his son. My brother was so hurt and furious that our mother would do that, especially since she had never liked his ex-wife anyway. Plus, my mother knew the sort of living conditions my nephew was living in. My brother was so angry and hurt that our mother would do that, he disappeared again. He did not speak to my mother ever again.
During the second time my brother disappeared, I got my first computer. I signed up for AOL and tried to think of a good screen name. I thought too, that if anyone in our family would have a computer, Wayne (my brother) would. I wanted a screen name that he would recognize and check out. Yes, I know how silly that thinking was. Anyway, I decided to use tickalock, thinking that my brother would surely want to check it out if he ever came across it. Turned out that my brother had a computer, but did not like using it. His son did, but we never met up on AOL or any of the chat programs.
Time passed and tickalock was getting some unwanted attention, so I changed it up a little. But, I wanted to keep it similar so that people I had met would know it was me. So, we come to ticatoo. Aren't you glad I told you all this?
Years ago, when my brother and I were little, we played a form of tag where, if we were away from homebase, we could stop, say 'tickalock' and we would be safe, because our door would be locked. But, if we wanted to be truly safe we had to say 'tickalock-all-way-round', then our front and back doors would be locked.
Years passed and my brother had a falling out with the family and just disappeared. He got a job working at nuclear power plants around the country and traveled a lot, but he made no attempt to get in touch. I was devastated and tried to find him, but had no idea where to start. About twenty years ago, give or take, he called our oldest brother and came to visit. Things began to be sorted out and I was in heaven. Then, our mother did something that was so cruel, I am still stunned by it. My brother was trying to get custody of his youngest son from his ex-wife. And, he needed to. My sister-in-law was so enmeshed in her own mental illness, that she could not take care of the child. The conditions that child lived in was horrendous. My sister-in-law knew that as soon as the child left, she would no longer get the child support. She fought for full custody. Court time came, and my mother was a witness for her, instead of helping my brother help his son. My brother was so hurt and furious that our mother would do that, especially since she had never liked his ex-wife anyway. Plus, my mother knew the sort of living conditions my nephew was living in. My brother was so angry and hurt that our mother would do that, he disappeared again. He did not speak to my mother ever again.
During the second time my brother disappeared, I got my first computer. I signed up for AOL and tried to think of a good screen name. I thought too, that if anyone in our family would have a computer, Wayne (my brother) would. I wanted a screen name that he would recognize and check out. Yes, I know how silly that thinking was. Anyway, I decided to use tickalock, thinking that my brother would surely want to check it out if he ever came across it. Turned out that my brother had a computer, but did not like using it. His son did, but we never met up on AOL or any of the chat programs.
Time passed and tickalock was getting some unwanted attention, so I changed it up a little. But, I wanted to keep it similar so that people I had met would know it was me. So, we come to ticatoo. Aren't you glad I told you all this?
Nothing much
I finally got in touch with StateFarm this evening and started that process. Have no idea how long it will take. I know that my house is not as damaged as most of the others in Gulfport. It is at least livable.
My youngest son, Phil, still has the flu and seems to be getting worse instead of better. Tonight the nausea started. It might have been the toast and jelly he ate, but anyway, he now has anti-nausea medicine to go along with all the other. He is aching and having chills and fever still. I am praying that this passes soon. I am praying that no one else here gets it, especially the baby.
Speaking of the baby, I gave him his first popsicle today. He is such a funny little thing and so independent that he does not like for anyone to feed him. I kept handing him the popsicle and he kept turning his head until I held his head still and rubbed the popsicle across his lips. He was pulling away for a bit, then stopped and looked at me and then reached out for the popsicle. Later, he was sitting on the floor, sharing it with Gumbo. This last tidbit we will not tell his father, but I figure it is good for him.
My youngest son, Phil, still has the flu and seems to be getting worse instead of better. Tonight the nausea started. It might have been the toast and jelly he ate, but anyway, he now has anti-nausea medicine to go along with all the other. He is aching and having chills and fever still. I am praying that this passes soon. I am praying that no one else here gets it, especially the baby.
Speaking of the baby, I gave him his first popsicle today. He is such a funny little thing and so independent that he does not like for anyone to feed him. I kept handing him the popsicle and he kept turning his head until I held his head still and rubbed the popsicle across his lips. He was pulling away for a bit, then stopped and looked at me and then reached out for the popsicle. Later, he was sitting on the floor, sharing it with Gumbo. This last tidbit we will not tell his father, but I figure it is good for him.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Young, yet wise in the Lord
There is a young woman I have the priviledge to know. She is wise beyond her years. She has a deep love for the Lord and a hunger to share the gospel. She isn't perfect, but then who is? She makes mistakes, but, she acknowledges those mistakes and apologizes for them, especially if they affect others. She has a blog that I belive everyone should read http://josmessage.blogspot.com/ Go there to be blessed.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Friend's house after Katrina
Click on the picture to make it larger. This is my son's best friend's house after Katrina.
Mississippi???.....hello.........
It has been seven days since Katrina wiped out the Mississippi Coast. New Orleans has been getting the majority of the media coverage, so a lot of people do not know how bad it is on the Coast. Check out this link, look at the pictures:
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/
These people need as much help and sympathy and media coverage as the people in New Orleans. Why is it not there?
My son-in-law went to D'Iberville, Ms to help his mother and father recover as many pictures, etc from their house as they could. They are both past retirement age, but both have continued to work because they cannot afford to buy their medicines if they don't. Their house is beyond saving. The contents, furniture and appliances, are ruined. They spent the last two days recovering pictures and other mementos of forty years together. Today they went to church. Their faith has not been shaken. They cried and prayed with people they have worshipped with for most of their lives. They will recover. They will not re-build on that lot, but they will re-build.
Other people are suffering. A shelter was evacuated because of an outbreak of suspected dysentery. People are waiting for help. But, they are not sitting there moanin and groaning. They are doing as much as they can to help themselves. They are working on cleaning the limbs and debris from their yards and then helping their neighbors. They are watching out for each other.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090301680.html
Read the Washington Post link. I am sick of people blasting President Bush. Put the blame on the people who should be blames. Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans and Govenor Blanco of Louisiana. They knew before Katrina the status of the levees. They knew they had at least 100,000 citizens who would not be able to leave. If they had a car they most likely had no money for gas. Forget about a motel room for a week or so. Why were those people not given help to leave? The mayor could have stood up like Guilliani of New York and taken control. He could have ordered city buses and gotten private buses and school buses to get people out. What did he do? He said........ya'll leave. This is real. So find a place to go.........He waited till noon on Sunday to let people start entering the Superdome. Did he send help to people who maybe had no way of knowing that they could go there? HE went to Baton Rouge. Now he gets on tv crying and cussing and blaming everyone else because this turned out this way. I think all he is doing now is politicking for the next election.
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/
These people need as much help and sympathy and media coverage as the people in New Orleans. Why is it not there?
My son-in-law went to D'Iberville, Ms to help his mother and father recover as many pictures, etc from their house as they could. They are both past retirement age, but both have continued to work because they cannot afford to buy their medicines if they don't. Their house is beyond saving. The contents, furniture and appliances, are ruined. They spent the last two days recovering pictures and other mementos of forty years together. Today they went to church. Their faith has not been shaken. They cried and prayed with people they have worshipped with for most of their lives. They will recover. They will not re-build on that lot, but they will re-build.
Other people are suffering. A shelter was evacuated because of an outbreak of suspected dysentery. People are waiting for help. But, they are not sitting there moanin and groaning. They are doing as much as they can to help themselves. They are working on cleaning the limbs and debris from their yards and then helping their neighbors. They are watching out for each other.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090301680.html
Read the Washington Post link. I am sick of people blasting President Bush. Put the blame on the people who should be blames. Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans and Govenor Blanco of Louisiana. They knew before Katrina the status of the levees. They knew they had at least 100,000 citizens who would not be able to leave. If they had a car they most likely had no money for gas. Forget about a motel room for a week or so. Why were those people not given help to leave? The mayor could have stood up like Guilliani of New York and taken control. He could have ordered city buses and gotten private buses and school buses to get people out. What did he do? He said........ya'll leave. This is real. So find a place to go.........He waited till noon on Sunday to let people start entering the Superdome. Did he send help to people who maybe had no way of knowing that they could go there? HE went to Baton Rouge. Now he gets on tv crying and cussing and blaming everyone else because this turned out this way. I think all he is doing now is politicking for the next election.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Katrina come and gone
We got ready for the hurricane, called all the family to see where they would be and then hunkered down to wait it out. I was not worried till about 3am Monday morning. I woke up and started thinking about how bad it would be here if New Orleans got a direct hit. Baton Rouge is too close to New Orleans. Then, everyone else woke up and we watched news till we lost power. Then it started getting interesting. We had windows open because it was so hot here. My daughter lives in a small complex of about 18 townhouses that face each other across the parking lot. The wind was whistling and whining through here and it was LOUD. Reese, the baby, got scared from that and we took turns holding him and playing with him. It was mostly all over with by noon. There was still a lot of wind and rain, but the worst thing was no power, which meant no A/C.
That evening we read and ate by candle light hoping that the power would be on Tuesday at the latest. We had no way to get any news. Finally, my daughter in Michigan got through to us and told us how bad it was. I could tell it was worse that we expected for the coast because I could hear the fear in her voice.
We spent the next two days watching all the houses around us get lights and more important A/C. We sat outside and talked with the neighbors till late at night. We did drive around a little on Tuesday, mostly to get out of the heat.
Wednesday, I was getting worried about my grandson, he is 17 months old, and the heat was getting to him. He was just limp. We sprayed him with water and fanned him almost constantly for two days, but it was not enough. I took him outside and sprayed him down with the hose. We stayed out for over an hour. Then, I decided to go get some cold drinks. It felt so good to be in the A/C that when I got back, I sent my son in to get my daughter and we sat out in the car for about 3 hours. I know that gas is going to be a problem now, and I will promise not to drive for a week to make up for it, but my daughter and grandson needed to get out of the heat. My daughter is very small and when she gets too hot she cannot eat. I was afraid that she and my grandson was going to get dehydrated.
Power came on again after 9pm last night. We were outside eating burgers and everyone started dancing in the parking lot......not for long though, because we wanted to get the A/C on in the house. When we checked, the temp was 95 degrees inside.
My son-in-law went back to work Tuesday. His firm's New Orleans branch closed of course and they are having to accommodate the lawyers from there. People are so worried. His father is 67 and still works because some of his medicines are so expensive. He was worried that not only was he going to lose his house but that he was also losing his job. No word on the job, but his house got some major damage. The house is between Biloxi and Ocean Springs, in a small town called d'Iberville. He and Jamie's mother are doing good. They will be staying with one of their daughters while they decide what they are going to do.
So, right now things are slowly, very slowly, getting back to normal.
That evening we read and ate by candle light hoping that the power would be on Tuesday at the latest. We had no way to get any news. Finally, my daughter in Michigan got through to us and told us how bad it was. I could tell it was worse that we expected for the coast because I could hear the fear in her voice.
We spent the next two days watching all the houses around us get lights and more important A/C. We sat outside and talked with the neighbors till late at night. We did drive around a little on Tuesday, mostly to get out of the heat.
Wednesday, I was getting worried about my grandson, he is 17 months old, and the heat was getting to him. He was just limp. We sprayed him with water and fanned him almost constantly for two days, but it was not enough. I took him outside and sprayed him down with the hose. We stayed out for over an hour. Then, I decided to go get some cold drinks. It felt so good to be in the A/C that when I got back, I sent my son in to get my daughter and we sat out in the car for about 3 hours. I know that gas is going to be a problem now, and I will promise not to drive for a week to make up for it, but my daughter and grandson needed to get out of the heat. My daughter is very small and when she gets too hot she cannot eat. I was afraid that she and my grandson was going to get dehydrated.
Power came on again after 9pm last night. We were outside eating burgers and everyone started dancing in the parking lot......not for long though, because we wanted to get the A/C on in the house. When we checked, the temp was 95 degrees inside.
My son-in-law went back to work Tuesday. His firm's New Orleans branch closed of course and they are having to accommodate the lawyers from there. People are so worried. His father is 67 and still works because some of his medicines are so expensive. He was worried that not only was he going to lose his house but that he was also losing his job. No word on the job, but his house got some major damage. The house is between Biloxi and Ocean Springs, in a small town called d'Iberville. He and Jamie's mother are doing good. They will be staying with one of their daughters while they decide what they are going to do.
So, right now things are slowly, very slowly, getting back to normal.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Katrina part deux
Well, since I am in Louisiana I had to try some French....maybe I should look up some cajun words.
We have gotten in supplies. We now have water bottles stacked in a corner of the dining room. We have poptarts, cookies, spam, tuna, baby meals and of course the universal hurricane food, potted meat. I admit to being the only one here who will eat it, so I only got four cans. I used to say that potted meat is the poor man's pate' (sp). I grew up eating that with crackers on trips, out in service and of course after hurricanes. Potted meat and vienna sausages. I don't like viennas.....that is how you ask for them down here........viennas (said with a long I)....vIeennas. I was in my early twenties before I realized the right way to pronounce that. Now I cringe to think of the many times I asked for it the wrong way and how people must have thought I was totally a redneck. Oh well.
We are waiting on Katrina now. I am afraid that New Orleans has not missed this bullett and the rest of the coast and even inland counties are going to see some major damage. I was joking around with my daughter earlier and said that I was going to start designing my new house. The one I will build when Katrina blows this one away. We were laughing and talking about it, when I got a sick feeling in my stomach. There is going to be so much damage and destruction that I don't feel right joking about it.
Pray for the people in Katrina's path.
Katrina
Ok, so now we have Katrina coming at us. Today I went to get some supplies in case we do lose power. The roads were crowded, but the drivers, for the most part, were surprisingly nice.......especially for Baton Rouge folks. There were a couple of muscle trucks that try to intimidate their way into traffic, but most people were taking their time.
This courtesy stopped when I got to Wal-Mart. Tell me, anyone, please, why do some people park their carts on one side of the aisle and then walk to the other side of the aisle to look for something? Do they care that they are blocking the aisle? Apparently not. And, they also apparently do not know what 'excuse me, I need to get by' means. I finally stopped saying that and just pushed through. I got the same looks either way. But, I survived the shopping trip and made it back home.
My son and son-in-law were in Biloxi for their man weekend. It usually takes about two and a half hours to drive there. Or home from there. Tonight it took them six hours because of the contra-flow and the traffic and the slow speed. They knew it was going to take a long time to get home, but they wanted to be here for the storm.
My house sits about a mile from the Gulf in Gulfport. I have never had serious damage from any of the hurricanes. We always joke that we need a new roof or would like to remodel anyway......
Nothing much is happening. I am hoping the hurricane turns and goes in at a unpopulated area. I doubt this will happen though. We will just wait and see. Actually, the hurricane itself does not bother me. It is the days of no electricity and no A/C afterwards. Days of no hot meals. And, no ice.
This courtesy stopped when I got to Wal-Mart. Tell me, anyone, please, why do some people park their carts on one side of the aisle and then walk to the other side of the aisle to look for something? Do they care that they are blocking the aisle? Apparently not. And, they also apparently do not know what 'excuse me, I need to get by' means. I finally stopped saying that and just pushed through. I got the same looks either way. But, I survived the shopping trip and made it back home.
My son and son-in-law were in Biloxi for their man weekend. It usually takes about two and a half hours to drive there. Or home from there. Tonight it took them six hours because of the contra-flow and the traffic and the slow speed. They knew it was going to take a long time to get home, but they wanted to be here for the storm.
My house sits about a mile from the Gulf in Gulfport. I have never had serious damage from any of the hurricanes. We always joke that we need a new roof or would like to remodel anyway......
Nothing much is happening. I am hoping the hurricane turns and goes in at a unpopulated area. I doubt this will happen though. We will just wait and see. Actually, the hurricane itself does not bother me. It is the days of no electricity and no A/C afterwards. Days of no hot meals. And, no ice.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Just stuff.........
It's been a long time since I have written here. I wish I could say that it is because I have been busy writing, but, no, I haven't been.
I am staying a few weeks with my youngest daughter. Her son is seventeen months old and I am trying my best to spoil him. It isn't hard to do, he is so sweet. I am going to miss them when I go back to Michigan. I am praying that soon both my daughters will be living closer to me and to each other.
My daughter's husband, Jamie, is gone for his 'man weekend'. He and my youngest son and several of my son-in-law's friends have a fantasy football league. Each year they meet for the 'draft' and to just be silly.
So, since it is just my daughter, her son and me here for a few days, we have been talking and reading and watching movies. Last night and tonight we watched Gone With The Wind for the umpteenth time. And, I have started re-reading the Little House books. I was thinking this morning that I tend to read these simpler books whenever the stress level in my life rises. I read To Kill A Mockingbird a week or so ago, and then started the Little House books day before yesterday. It's funny how these simple books calm me.
I also finished an afghan that I have been making for a friend. Now I just need to get it to the UPs store and get it on the way to Australia. Today I picked up some thread and a couple of patterns. I will make a couple of things for Christmas. I have joined a crocheting club where patterns are exchanged. Sounds old-maidish, I know, but I enjoy it.
Remember 'Happenings"? FYI, Happenings were just spontaneous parties that would pop up anywhere. In a park, on the beach, anywhere. All you needed was some people who wanted to have fun. Sad that we can no longer do anything like that.
I am staying a few weeks with my youngest daughter. Her son is seventeen months old and I am trying my best to spoil him. It isn't hard to do, he is so sweet. I am going to miss them when I go back to Michigan. I am praying that soon both my daughters will be living closer to me and to each other.
My daughter's husband, Jamie, is gone for his 'man weekend'. He and my youngest son and several of my son-in-law's friends have a fantasy football league. Each year they meet for the 'draft' and to just be silly.
So, since it is just my daughter, her son and me here for a few days, we have been talking and reading and watching movies. Last night and tonight we watched Gone With The Wind for the umpteenth time. And, I have started re-reading the Little House books. I was thinking this morning that I tend to read these simpler books whenever the stress level in my life rises. I read To Kill A Mockingbird a week or so ago, and then started the Little House books day before yesterday. It's funny how these simple books calm me.
I also finished an afghan that I have been making for a friend. Now I just need to get it to the UPs store and get it on the way to Australia. Today I picked up some thread and a couple of patterns. I will make a couple of things for Christmas. I have joined a crocheting club where patterns are exchanged. Sounds old-maidish, I know, but I enjoy it.
Remember 'Happenings"? FYI, Happenings were just spontaneous parties that would pop up anywhere. In a park, on the beach, anywhere. All you needed was some people who wanted to have fun. Sad that we can no longer do anything like that.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
zoos.....
I have been saying that I need to get out and walk more. I need to get in shape for that. My knees are horrible, they hurt when I have walked a lot. I decided that I need to get out each day and walk for about thirty minutes. Of course, I haven't done that yet.
Today, I took my youngest grandson, Reese, to the Baton Rouge Zoo. Whatever possessed me to go at noon? It was hot and muggy and overcast. And, it got hotter. Reese was fine. He was in his stroller and had his juice in a sippy cup next to him. I was pushing that stroller. He liked the elephants, monkeys and turtles. But, did not care for the parrots, they screeched way too loud. We went through the aquarium and then I sat on a bench for a while to rest up, while Reese looked at the ducks. I was sitting there, trying to get cool and to catch my breath when I started thinking about where this zoo is. Baton Rouge. Near swamps. Close to the Mississippi River. Then, I looked around at all trees and shrubs and the signs saying this is NOT an exhibit area, and wondered just what might come crawling out of those woods. I think I could handle anything but a snake. Not that I would pick something up.......I mean, if an alligator came strolling out, Reese would have gotten the ride of his life.
We had french fries and cokes at the refreshment stand and then walked around a bit more. It was so hot! It started clouding up and sprinkling to rain, and I could not figure out where the exit was. Finally, I found someone who pointed us in the right direction. We stopped in the gift shop, of course, and then made it to the car. I sat there for about ten minutes with the A/C blasting out at me. Reese was asleep again.
This evening, I was on the couch with a coke and Reese was playing. He looked at me and then at the coke and then looked at his daddy and said 'juice'. Jamie got him juice and Reese walked over to where I was and handed it to me with a 'heh'. I took it and he reached for my coke. He was TRADING me his juice for my coke. Smart little bugger. He got all upset when I did not trade with him.
Gumbo freaked when I did not let him go to the zoo with us. He is so pitiful. I am thinking of leaving him with Phil for the winter. But, I don't know for sure yet.
Today, I took my youngest grandson, Reese, to the Baton Rouge Zoo. Whatever possessed me to go at noon? It was hot and muggy and overcast. And, it got hotter. Reese was fine. He was in his stroller and had his juice in a sippy cup next to him. I was pushing that stroller. He liked the elephants, monkeys and turtles. But, did not care for the parrots, they screeched way too loud. We went through the aquarium and then I sat on a bench for a while to rest up, while Reese looked at the ducks. I was sitting there, trying to get cool and to catch my breath when I started thinking about where this zoo is. Baton Rouge. Near swamps. Close to the Mississippi River. Then, I looked around at all trees and shrubs and the signs saying this is NOT an exhibit area, and wondered just what might come crawling out of those woods. I think I could handle anything but a snake. Not that I would pick something up.......I mean, if an alligator came strolling out, Reese would have gotten the ride of his life.
We had french fries and cokes at the refreshment stand and then walked around a bit more. It was so hot! It started clouding up and sprinkling to rain, and I could not figure out where the exit was. Finally, I found someone who pointed us in the right direction. We stopped in the gift shop, of course, and then made it to the car. I sat there for about ten minutes with the A/C blasting out at me. Reese was asleep again.
This evening, I was on the couch with a coke and Reese was playing. He looked at me and then at the coke and then looked at his daddy and said 'juice'. Jamie got him juice and Reese walked over to where I was and handed it to me with a 'heh'. I took it and he reached for my coke. He was TRADING me his juice for my coke. Smart little bugger. He got all upset when I did not trade with him.
Gumbo freaked when I did not let him go to the zoo with us. He is so pitiful. I am thinking of leaving him with Phil for the winter. But, I don't know for sure yet.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Neurosis....
Man! I was writing a short story for a contest, forgot to save it and went to do something. Came back and it was gone. Apparently, one of my daughter's cats walked across the keyboard and deleted it. Oh well, I didn't like the way it was going anyway.
Things are looking better....and again, God is good!...Phil has the offer of a job doing research and other odd jobs with a local lawyer. This is something he has been wanting to do and it makes up for him not returning to Auburn this year......well, almost makes up for it. He is disappointed, but knows that he can finish college and then maybe do his masters at Auburn. He tells me that he is going to go back next year, and maybe he will.
I am telling you, this silly dog of mine is going bonkers. He has totally lost any self-respect, if he ever had any. I suspect that he would be asked to leave any dog union because of the way he reacts to the cats. He has resolved his potty issues, he goes when I take him outside with no problem. Now, he cowers when the cats look at him. He gives the dog look, the one where they look like they are trying to talk to you and if you had any sense you could understand him. When he finally makes it to the couch, Reese pats his head really hard and sometimes Gumbo gives me his wet-eyed crying look. Bless his heart. He will love it when we get back to Michigan.
Speaking of Michigan, I plan to lay down some rules as soon as I get there. Rules for who comes over and when. Each child who does not live at that house will have to go home from school before they come over and they also have to CALL first to see if it is ok for them to be there that day. And, they will have to be gone by 7:30pm. And, I want all their phone numbers and addresses. They thought I was mean last winter, they ain't seen nothing yet.
Things are looking better....and again, God is good!...Phil has the offer of a job doing research and other odd jobs with a local lawyer. This is something he has been wanting to do and it makes up for him not returning to Auburn this year......well, almost makes up for it. He is disappointed, but knows that he can finish college and then maybe do his masters at Auburn. He tells me that he is going to go back next year, and maybe he will.
I am telling you, this silly dog of mine is going bonkers. He has totally lost any self-respect, if he ever had any. I suspect that he would be asked to leave any dog union because of the way he reacts to the cats. He has resolved his potty issues, he goes when I take him outside with no problem. Now, he cowers when the cats look at him. He gives the dog look, the one where they look like they are trying to talk to you and if you had any sense you could understand him. When he finally makes it to the couch, Reese pats his head really hard and sometimes Gumbo gives me his wet-eyed crying look. Bless his heart. He will love it when we get back to Michigan.
Speaking of Michigan, I plan to lay down some rules as soon as I get there. Rules for who comes over and when. Each child who does not live at that house will have to go home from school before they come over and they also have to CALL first to see if it is ok for them to be there that day. And, they will have to be gone by 7:30pm. And, I want all their phone numbers and addresses. They thought I was mean last winter, they ain't seen nothing yet.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Starch, dresses and fighting....
I came over to Baton Rouge Wednesday. I thought I had packed everything, but, I didn't. I had no books and only some of my clothes. So, I have had to re-read a few books. Right now, I am reading To Kill A Mockingbird again for the umpteenth time. I love this book. Of course it reminds me of when I was a child.
I was such a tomboy. I wanted to wear pants all the time. But, I had to wear the horribly itchy-scratchy dresses my step-grandmother made for me. She was also my mother's father's sister, so she was Aunt Leathy to us. Aunt Leathy made the dresses with a lot of skirt and sashes. My mother then starched the heck out of them. This was when people made the starch. The waists, well, the waist seams, were so scratchy. It was torment. I took every opportunity to destroy those dresses. I guess that I did not realize that Aunt Leathy would just make more. I used to stuff the skirts down into a pair of my brothers pants...........dungarees....and tried to slip past my mother and wear them to school. Never happened.
I used to have a terrible temper that was barely under control. I would fight at the first smallest hint of an insult. And, lord help you if you dared do anything to my brother. I hit a kid at school once, I was in the third grade, and bloodied his nose. I can't remember what he had done, but he shouldn't have done it. I used to get into fights at recess. I would get mad, fly off the handle and then hit someone dead on the nose. Then, I would run......just to get them to chase me......and suddenly drop to the ground and roll into a ball. The kid chasing me would trip and go flying. I was a devil. And, I was small of my age. I was very skinny and shorter than most of the other kids. I used that to my advantage.
Usually, one of my older brothers would come to school to get me and walk me home. Well, me and my brother, Wayne. One day my oldest brother came walking towards me down the hall, but, just passed me right on by. I figured he was mad about something.......I tried to terrorize them too at home......so, I just kept walking. All of a sudden, just as I got close to the front door, he grabbed me by the shoulder. I looked at him like he had lost his mind. He looked at me like he wanted to laugh. Finally, he asked me who I had gotten into a fight with that day. I thought he was a mind reader. But, I was admitting to nothing. Then, he told me that he had not recognized me at first. I had on one of those horrible starchy dresses, and had been in another fight and my dress received some damage. One sash had been torn off so I took the other one and wrapped it around my waist and tied it in back. The collar had been ripped off. It was dirty. I was dirty. When we got home my mother looked at me and almost started crying. She said what she always said..........'I waited and waited to have a girl and look at you....'
I went into the bathroom and took off the horrid dress and put on a pair of Wayne' pants, took the torn off sash and used it for a belt and went out to ride my second oldest brother's horse.
I was such a tomboy. I wanted to wear pants all the time. But, I had to wear the horribly itchy-scratchy dresses my step-grandmother made for me. She was also my mother's father's sister, so she was Aunt Leathy to us. Aunt Leathy made the dresses with a lot of skirt and sashes. My mother then starched the heck out of them. This was when people made the starch. The waists, well, the waist seams, were so scratchy. It was torment. I took every opportunity to destroy those dresses. I guess that I did not realize that Aunt Leathy would just make more. I used to stuff the skirts down into a pair of my brothers pants...........dungarees....and tried to slip past my mother and wear them to school. Never happened.
I used to have a terrible temper that was barely under control. I would fight at the first smallest hint of an insult. And, lord help you if you dared do anything to my brother. I hit a kid at school once, I was in the third grade, and bloodied his nose. I can't remember what he had done, but he shouldn't have done it. I used to get into fights at recess. I would get mad, fly off the handle and then hit someone dead on the nose. Then, I would run......just to get them to chase me......and suddenly drop to the ground and roll into a ball. The kid chasing me would trip and go flying. I was a devil. And, I was small of my age. I was very skinny and shorter than most of the other kids. I used that to my advantage.
Usually, one of my older brothers would come to school to get me and walk me home. Well, me and my brother, Wayne. One day my oldest brother came walking towards me down the hall, but, just passed me right on by. I figured he was mad about something.......I tried to terrorize them too at home......so, I just kept walking. All of a sudden, just as I got close to the front door, he grabbed me by the shoulder. I looked at him like he had lost his mind. He looked at me like he wanted to laugh. Finally, he asked me who I had gotten into a fight with that day. I thought he was a mind reader. But, I was admitting to nothing. Then, he told me that he had not recognized me at first. I had on one of those horrible starchy dresses, and had been in another fight and my dress received some damage. One sash had been torn off so I took the other one and wrapped it around my waist and tied it in back. The collar had been ripped off. It was dirty. I was dirty. When we got home my mother looked at me and almost started crying. She said what she always said..........'I waited and waited to have a girl and look at you....'
I went into the bathroom and took off the horrid dress and put on a pair of Wayne' pants, took the torn off sash and used it for a belt and went out to ride my second oldest brother's horse.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
More Wayne's Paintings
More paintings by my brother, Don Erwin. Please enjoy them, but no one is allowed to take them, copy them or use them in anyway.
God is good indeed
Well, all I need to say is, God is good. Yesterday I did not believe that all of these things would be resolved so easily. But, they have been. Phil is set for school and everything else has fallen into place.
Reese Thomas (will not put his last name here) is seventeen months old, weighs 27 lbs and 1/4 oz and is 33 in tall. He is so smart too. He can say about twenty-five words and understands so many more. Tonight he brought over one of his books and sat in my lap for a while and we 'read' it. Then, we went around in circles for a bit....he did a bit longer than I did. Today, my daughter and I took him to the park. He climbed up the big slide and slide down it on his stomach. I held him so that he would slide down sitting on his bum and he loved that. He went down once a little too fast and slid off the end of the sliding board and hit the ground. He was scared for a little while, but he got up and climbed back up and slid down again.
I talked to my boys is Michigan late tonight. Ryan, the youngest, called me to ask how to spell boulevard. He is writing something. He told me that he has grown two inches. He is short and stocky, but is almost twelve and will be going through the growth spurts. Nick, the oldest, sounds so grown up! His voice has gotten so deep. Ryan said that he grew ten inches. I don't think he did but he is taller than his mother now. And, he is just thirteen.
Nick spent this past week with his grandfather on his father's side. Granpa Dutch bought Nick a set of golf clubs and you would think Nick had gotten a million dollars with they way he talked about them. The two of them played golf several times this week and Dutch has entered them in a Grandfather/grandson match for September. Nick is floating he is so excited.
I am looking forward to seeing Nick and Ryan again, but then that means I won't be seeing Reese. I am trying hard to get my older daughter home. She wants to and I think that after she finishes school, she will. My youngest daughter's husband will be able to help her get a job as a legal assistant, maybe even in his firm.
God is so good.
Reese Thomas (will not put his last name here) is seventeen months old, weighs 27 lbs and 1/4 oz and is 33 in tall. He is so smart too. He can say about twenty-five words and understands so many more. Tonight he brought over one of his books and sat in my lap for a while and we 'read' it. Then, we went around in circles for a bit....he did a bit longer than I did. Today, my daughter and I took him to the park. He climbed up the big slide and slide down it on his stomach. I held him so that he would slide down sitting on his bum and he loved that. He went down once a little too fast and slid off the end of the sliding board and hit the ground. He was scared for a little while, but he got up and climbed back up and slid down again.
I talked to my boys is Michigan late tonight. Ryan, the youngest, called me to ask how to spell boulevard. He is writing something. He told me that he has grown two inches. He is short and stocky, but is almost twelve and will be going through the growth spurts. Nick, the oldest, sounds so grown up! His voice has gotten so deep. Ryan said that he grew ten inches. I don't think he did but he is taller than his mother now. And, he is just thirteen.
Nick spent this past week with his grandfather on his father's side. Granpa Dutch bought Nick a set of golf clubs and you would think Nick had gotten a million dollars with they way he talked about them. The two of them played golf several times this week and Dutch has entered them in a Grandfather/grandson match for September. Nick is floating he is so excited.
I am looking forward to seeing Nick and Ryan again, but then that means I won't be seeing Reese. I am trying hard to get my older daughter home. She wants to and I think that after she finishes school, she will. My youngest daughter's husband will be able to help her get a job as a legal assistant, maybe even in his firm.
God is so good.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Another day in paradise...
Life was supposed to be a lot simpler when my last child graduated from highschool. Well, it hasn't. It isn't so bad that I cannot deal with it, it is just that different things keep popping up that I need to deal with. Now, it is getting my youngest settled into college, putting my van in the shop so it will make yet another trip to Michigan and now Gumbo is getting neurotic.
You would think that a dog would be happy where ever he is as long as he has food, water and a warm place to sleep. But, no, Gumbo absolutely freaked out at my friend Leslie's house. He did not want to go out into the back yard even during the day. I think it is because the backyard there has a lot of flowers and shrubs and trees, and untold numbers of critters. Gumbo got spooked the night after the hurricane scare and after that he would only go out front. The last night we were there, he walked out onto the patio with me and then just absolutely freaked out. Gumbo is not a barker. But, Tuesday night he was screaming the barks. I got his attention and brought him inside and he calmed down after about twenty minutes or so. He is such a silly twit.
Twit. I like that word. And, despite what the mensa guy said, it is not a vulgar name for a part of the female anatomy. Some people are too smart for words.
My shop is going good. I will be adding more designs soon and other products. This is so much fun. I am tickled to death that people tell me what a good artist Wayne...ok DON...was. And, he was.
You would think that a dog would be happy where ever he is as long as he has food, water and a warm place to sleep. But, no, Gumbo absolutely freaked out at my friend Leslie's house. He did not want to go out into the back yard even during the day. I think it is because the backyard there has a lot of flowers and shrubs and trees, and untold numbers of critters. Gumbo got spooked the night after the hurricane scare and after that he would only go out front. The last night we were there, he walked out onto the patio with me and then just absolutely freaked out. Gumbo is not a barker. But, Tuesday night he was screaming the barks. I got his attention and brought him inside and he calmed down after about twenty minutes or so. He is such a silly twit.
Twit. I like that word. And, despite what the mensa guy said, it is not a vulgar name for a part of the female anatomy. Some people are too smart for words.
My shop is going good. I will be adding more designs soon and other products. This is so much fun. I am tickled to death that people tell me what a good artist Wayne...ok DON...was. And, he was.
Life takes a bite.....
Well, life does have a way of jumping up and biting you doesn't it? Here I was thinking things were settled and I was on my way to Michigan, but nope. Won't go into detail, but my son may not be going back to Auburn this fall. He has a way of just thinking that things will work out, without doing anything to make sure those things will work out. He could go to another college, but he has his heart set on Auburn. Oh well.
And, my oldest son has definitely decided that he does not want my house. This floors me. I gave him this house without any strings....all he has to do is pay off the rest of my loan. I know that he would rather live outside the city, but how many times will he get a deal like this?
So, I will most likely be moving back into the house, which means my older daughter will have a more difficult time continuing school. I am praying she does not give up. I don't think she will, because she has come so far and only has this year. It would be so much easier if she lived down here.
Of course, I could do what I have been thinking of doing if my older son definitely did not want this house and that is to list it with a realtor and let them deal with it. I may still do this. I will pray about it.
I have been spending a lot of time learning how to promote my online store. This is fun and hopefully will produce revenue. We shall see. I have to get my computer moved and setup again, but this time I am going to make sure it is someplace that I am going to stay for long enough to make it worth while to fool with it..........setting up the computer I mean.
And, my oldest son has definitely decided that he does not want my house. This floors me. I gave him this house without any strings....all he has to do is pay off the rest of my loan. I know that he would rather live outside the city, but how many times will he get a deal like this?
So, I will most likely be moving back into the house, which means my older daughter will have a more difficult time continuing school. I am praying she does not give up. I don't think she will, because she has come so far and only has this year. It would be so much easier if she lived down here.
Of course, I could do what I have been thinking of doing if my older son definitely did not want this house and that is to list it with a realtor and let them deal with it. I may still do this. I will pray about it.
I have been spending a lot of time learning how to promote my online store. This is fun and hopefully will produce revenue. We shall see. I have to get my computer moved and setup again, but this time I am going to make sure it is someplace that I am going to stay for long enough to make it worth while to fool with it..........setting up the computer I mean.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Memories
Another painting my brother did.I have been looking at my brother's paintings for three days now and that has brought back memories and regrets. I remember the silly things we did together as the two youngest in the family. How we tormented our brothers. And, scared my mother several times.
And, it has made me think more and more about my family in general. Not the bad times. The fun and odd times. For instance, my father told us that if we stood on our heads that would make our livers turn over and we would die. I wonder now if he really believed that. I mean, my family was weird and my father came from a long line of weird people. Here's and example. One of his sisters had four children, two boys and two girls. When one of the boys received his draft notice he wrote to tell them that he was a JW and would not serve in the military. So, he was given an 'assignment' to work in a hospital for two years. The hospital was maybe fifty miles from where he lived, but his mother moved to that town with him. Said he needed her to take care of him. Another of my father's sisters had three children, two boys and a girl. One of her sons is a hardcore Jw. The other son is a studio musician and still lives with her. He thinks he needs to take care of her. That aunt pioneered after she retired.
My mother's family were not Jws, but had enough weirdness their own selves. My mother believed in omens and portents. She believed that if you are pregnant and raise your hand over your head, then you could strangle the baby. And, that you can mark a baby. When I was pregnant with my oldest son, the local movie theater held an all night horror marathon on Halloween. We went along with some of the people my mother worked with. This was after her first disfellowshipment. She about drove me crazy poking me in the side and telling me to cover my face, or I would mark the baby. I was sore by the time we gave up and went home to bed.
Some of the best times I had with my brother was when we sat around and 'remembered when'. Like the time a neighbor kid got a cap pistol for Christmas. We talked him into putting a firecracker in the gun barrel and lighting it. Peeled that barrel like a banana. I will never forget the look on that kid's face. (And,his name was Francis. Poor kid. What were his parents thinking!!!!) Or the time we both got mumps at the same time. We missed two weeks of school and it was so much fun.
There are so many many more things that I will eventually write here. But, not now. It is hard enough looking at his paintings. He was so good. And, he put so much of himself into each one.
Oh, if anyone is reading this blog who thinks it will be ok to 'take' one of the pictures of his paintings that I post, please don't. I would hate to take the time and trouble to stop you, but I will. Because, it will just be time and trouble, not expensive, because I have free legal help.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Monday's.........
Another one of my brother's paintings. Anyone ever see any prints out there by Don Erwin, that's my brother.Well, the OCD kicked in today. I had spent most of the night adding items to my store. Downloading templates and then making the pictures fit and then uploading, etc. So, I felt
pretty good with it all. Till this morning. I woke up about 10:30 and the first thing I thought about was the store. Then, I started obsessing on the pictures and how I did them and what if they were not right.......etc. Sooooo, I deleted everything and started over. I only did four designs today. I will add more tomorrow. I also need to figure out how to describe my store and promote it. That will be fun. And, it is soon time to pack up and head back to Michigan.
One reason I decided to do an online store is that I can be anywhere and run it.
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