Friends

My niece said to me a few years back - I have 100 best friends.  I thought REALLY????  100 Besties????  Then I wondered if I even had 100 friends, counting best friends.  LOL  We have buds, peeps, neighbors, sistas, co-workers, classmates, acquaintances, buddies, and many others.  Some pull double duty.  A friend is "a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard".  Okay I do have over 100 friends.  Maybe even some I consider my friend and they have no idea I feel that way.

I got a surprise phone call from one of my best buds also a best friend, John, in Missouri last night that reminded me of how many people have touched my life and continue to touch it.  I moved to Ohio 12 years ago and was hanging with my dad at Hardee's and one of the guys said they just met me but could talk to me like we've known each other our whole life.  If you know me, you know I am a good listener.  If you don't really know me, you think I talk allot.  He called me gifted - and to this day my husband still does.  LOL  My mother always said, me and my dad have never met a stranger.

Being a military spouse, so many people come and go in your life.  My best friend, Mary, I met when my daughter was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy - her daughter had Spina Bifida.  We instantly became friends and since 1977 we have been best friends.  I've gotten to see her about 4 or 5 times since I left IL, but not nearly enough.  We talk on the phone and are trying to make plans to see each other again.  There are many more best friends that I still keep in contact with from our military days.  The military is a really special "family".

John I've known since the middle 80's.  One time on my birthday, Kevin had to go to college (he was taking weekend classes to get his Master's Degree).  So John took me to a Bison Ranch and they had a buffet of all bison and tours, but they had no running water.  I guess this must of been an issue for me as John always laughs cause I made him stop and let me wash my hands on the way home.

Since Facebook has came into my life - I keep up with allot of friends and family.  I do, however, cringe when I read something on Facebook that should of been told in person first to certain people.  I have met a girl, Rae, playing my game.  We instantly bonded, never met in person, but have allot in common, and we now feel like we are "chosen" sisters.  Amazing how that happens, and you are touched by such a sweet person that you never met.  She lives not to far from where I moved here from.  So maybe when we go back to visit someday we will finally meet.

Republican or Demorcrat

This is not a post about whether I am or am not a Republican, its a post about what I dislike about the election.  I do not need about 10 phone calls a day from the Republicans telling me I can vote - where I can vote - and why I should vote for Mitt.  I am already a registered Republican and I am voting.

Maybe I need a phone call from the Democrats telling me why I should vote for Obama.  They don't have my vote and maybe they should try to sway me.  (I ain't moving over - but just saying). I am so tired of answering the phone - hearing the same thing.  Today being Sunday - I was so surprised no one even called about anything political.  Maybe I should go make sure the phone is working.  LOL

The mailings that come daily.  My recycle bin is filling up quick.  I mean really, about 10 a day of those.  And I get some from the same person day after day.  I guess they think some people are slow learners - but this is just getting out of hand.  I don't remember it this bad in elections gone by.

I watched the debates.  It seemed as if one would say what they wanted to do for the country if elected and one only harped on what the other supposedly said years ago and didn't say what he was going to do if elected.  But then again we know what one did for the past four years, so he didn't have to.

So my closing words are, "vote early and vote often".  LOL

Best Friend, Love of my Life, Hubby

Today is Kevin's day to be the subject.  We have been best friends since 1977.  He has been the love of my life since 1982.  He has been my hubby since Dec. 15, 1982.  He is my second husband (first one HUGE, GIGANTIC mistake). I am his third wife.  Third time is charm for sure for him.  Well I'm sure that is the way he sees it. LOL

He spent 20 years in the US Air Force, and we neither one regretted a minute of it.  He spent 18 of his 20 years at Scott AFB, IL.  When we got married Jeff was 7 and Jenny was 5.

One thing I always say about him and his work, "he keeps me in the way I have become accustomed".  Now since he was an aircraft mechanic (enlisted) I am not used to allot, so that isn't hard to do.  I am low maintenance, and HATE shopping.  My favorite store is Lowes first and Home Depot second.  Mall about LAST on my list.

We love to do our own home remodeling and maintaining.  We love to work outside and keep everything looking very manicured.  Inside our house looks the same after we clean as before.  He is a very hard worker, has been and always will be.

He loves to travel, me not so much.  He loves to drive - I love to be the passenger.  Now that my dad travels with us allot - we have two that loves to be the passenger.  Kevin has taken me to many places thanks to Flight Options.  He had to go to Las Vegas once for 10 days to work at that facility.  I tagged along.  He took me to the Hoover Dam, and I was not impressed.  Told him we have a damn in WV less than a mile from our house.  Seen one.  He had to go work in New Jersey for 10 days and took me to see the Statue of Liberty.  Was not impressed.  But I said that was my parents fault for not taking me when I was little.  LOL  It just looks so grand on TV, and in person - kind of a small green thing.

We both love country music and bluegrass music.  Conway Twitty has always been my favorite.  He took me to Twitty City on our honeymoon.  And thanks to my cousin Becky - her and Rick drove us around seeing stars homes, and William Lee Golden was coming down his drive after his girlfriend.  Me and her are sitting there screaming.....it was so much fun.  I will never forget that.

Kevin is very attentive to detail.  He has an awesome hobby that I love the benefit of.  He takes cement figures for outside, stepping stones, anything that needs to be painted and it looks awesome when he gets done.  We display it out in front of our house.

Our friend, Sonny, had this in a pile of stuff to get thrown away when we went over to help him with his snow blower.  It was a plain cement figure in need of some TLC and Kevin was just the one to give it.  

I will post some more when I find them in the mess I have of pictures.  Someday my goal is to organize those.

Newspaper, Breakfast, and Coffee

I am an avid newspaper reader.  My day starts out with breakfast, 1 1/2 cups of coffee (don't tell the Gastrologist)  and the newspaper.  If one is missing, it ruins my day.  Today I read this, I will call it a little poem, and wanted to share it with you all.  I have many of these that I will probably share along the way.

The Broken Chain

"We little knew that morning God was going to call your name,
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
You did not go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
You left us beautiful memories,
Your love is still our guide,
And although we cannot see you,
You are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken, 
And nothing seems the same.
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again."
 -Author Unknown

I was looking through a folder the other day and found this.  My dad had sent it to me in a letter when he was 57 years old (he is 80 now).  

"Hypothetical Self-Epitaph"
"What if I just caved in, gave out, pulled over to the side of the road of life, expired like an old driver's license?"
"You might say he didn't get far in 57 years.  But I'd say that's alright, it was the worlds longest trip on an empty tank."

Now my last one I want to share.  Some know, some don't.  I had a daughter born Oct. 27th, 1977.  She was born with Cerebral Palsy.  She died on Sept. 25, 1983.  She was a very special girl.  A teacher from her school gave this to me.  This is also for my "sister" Rae.

Heaven's Very Special Child
By Enda Massimilla

A meeting was held quite far from earth!
It's time again for another birth.
Said the Angels to the Lord above,
This Special Child will need much love.
His progress may be very slow,
Accomplishment he may not show.
And he'll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.
He may not run or laugh or play;
His thoughts may seem quite far away.
In many ways he won't adapt,
And he'll be known as handicapped.

So let's be careful where he's sent.
We want his life to be content.
Please, Lord, find the parents who
Will do a special job for You.

They will not realize right away
The leading role they're asked to play.
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.

And soon they'll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is Heaven's Very Special Child.

Living without a mother.

I was watching the Kardashians one night and Kris said "I don't know how to live without my mother".  That little sentence hit home with me.  I still cry almost daily.  I am very protective of her and her memory and of her belongings.  My mother had a very hard life - and I hate that every day.  The things she endured during her life and that came to light after her death is unspeakable.  I am in the process of trying to do a DVD of her "family tree" of sorts.  But it isn't going to be easy assembling the information.  I have this grand idea - but not sure the total know-how to complete this project.  Kevin said WE can do it.  I will depend on him to get me through this project - he has patience - more than me.

I talked to my mom almost everyday.  And after her death, I still found myself going to the phone to call and tell her something.

I was in WV last week and went to the cemetery.  She has a beautiful headstone that I designed.  I love it, and I am sure she does too.  Kevin said I need to design ours, and even though I feel a little "young" to be doing it - I guess you never know.  We are all going to be buried in a little cemetery on a hill in Valley Head, WV.   Love that little cemetery, just disappointed in the theft of flowers off the headstones.  We secure ours with fishing line four ways, knots and there is no way to get it off other than cut it.  Sad someone feels the need to do that.  My mothers they took were beautiful deep red roses and baby's breathe done on a saddle.

This picture of my mom's headstone does not do it justice.  But you get the idea.  The flash and background shows in the picture.  On the right there is a little church in the picture.  It is a church that my grandfather donated the land for and helped to build.

Alzheimer's

My dad was diagnosed over a year an a half ago with Alzheimer's.  I had been trying to tell the doctor for 3 years he had it.  The first time we discussed it at his doctors appointment - my dad told the doctor - "I don't have to listen to what she says - so she thinks I have Alzheimer's".  Of course my mom and Kevin totally agreed with me - but the doctor looked at me and said "there you have it".  I was so upset with her.  I let it go till it finally was so bad, and I took my dad back and told her it was time to listen to me.  She did a little "memory test", and now she believes me.  My dad is not a pill taker.  So he took the Aricept half the time.  I would count them and he would say the pharmacy gave him to many.  Well, this has went on for over a year and a half now.  His newest story (and he's sticking to it) is he quit taking those pills and he feels so much better.  Sleeps so much better.  He says to me all the time, his head is all messed up.

He is a mean Alzheimer's patient.  He yells at you at the drop of a hat.  He gets into arguments with neighbors, people turning around in his driveway, friends at Hardee's, ME. (Well he doesn't argue with me - he just YELLS at me).  He imagines things that aren't true.  He takes other peoples stories and makes them his own.  We have asked him to move in with us - but he always says he is to hard to get along with.  I tell him - all you do is go to Hardee's for breakfast and watch TV - how can that be hard to get along with.  Wondering if he will ever realize he really does need to move in with us and let us take care of him.  I think staying by yourself (especially during the dark winter months) just plays on your mind anyway.

Every time we go over to visit or help him - he has torn up something.  He thinks every thing is broken and a piece of junk.  My favorite is when he tears up the lawn equipment and gives it to Kevin in a 100 pieces and says "can you fix this".  Of course Kevin has been lucky so far and is able to fix everything he thinks was broken and tore up.  Weed eater, my mom's sewing machine, the lawn mower, the garage door opener, the Lazyboy chair, just to name a few.  He even had me buy him a new Lazyboy chair - insisted I take the old one, and its fine - so now I have a "new" recliner in my den.

I am so blessed to have a husband that is tolerate of these "broken" things and fixes them happily.  He will drop whatever he is doing to go to my dad's in a second.  I think my dad has my phone number on speed dial (if he knew what that was) and I am happy that he does call me when he needs something.  I moved here to take care of my parents, and I will continue to be at his beck and call as long as I am able.

My dad pretending to watch the Browns and read the paper - BUSTED!!!!!

Karma

The grocery store was so crowded Saturday - you'd think it was Super Bowl weekend.  I only stopped to pick up a few things since we were going right by there.  I hate to make a special trip as expensive as gas is. We had 12 items just like the Express Sign said.  But I have to wonder if people really know how to count.  That would be all your fingers and two toes if that is your system for figuring out 12.  Twelve is NOT 6 bags and $55 worth like the lady two in front of us.  As if she thought no one behind her can count.  I guess I am a "rules" person of sorts.  And I'm also a Karma person.


I for some reason, am stuck on the word Karma.  I try to treat people the way I like to be treated.  And for me Karma is it.  If I say something or do something out of line - Kevin will just say KARMA - and I automatically lose that thought.  Some people just don't see it.  But it is clear to me.  Those that constantly are mean or say mean things and then something bad happens in their life they are always quick to blame someone else.  I always think KARMA, what did I do or say to make this happen to me.  I try to look at myself as the culprit, because I believe you control your destiny with what you believe in and how you do and react and act in general.

I have a great husband that mostly keeps me grounded.  Sometimes we all could use some grounding.  My goal had been when I started this blog to blog daily.  I always have lots to say, but by the time I get to the laptop I forget the subject or ran out of time for the day.

Since I started this blog in January, Kevin has left Flight Options to live his dream of retirement.  Not exactly the retirement we were hoping for.  Now we take care to make sure my dad is okay - and I do not feel comfortable leaving the area without my dad.  So we all go to WV and spend some time together and that is as far as we go for now.  My dad says we all will be going deer hunting the week of Thanksgiving in WV.  I sure hope that is true.  I would love to go to WV for a week, deer hunting or otherwise.  We have an awesome wood burning stove in the house we stay in.  My dad says he misses his TV though when he is down there.  I miss nothing about TV, computer, phone or shopping.  I love the silence, peacefulness, how laid back everything and everyone is.  My favorite spot is sitting on the back porch in the "Queen Chair".  Kevin had worked on this glider lawn chair for many visits down there and when he finished it - he dubbed it the Queen Chair.  How cute.   

Kevin was lucky enough to be pursued by a company that appreciates his talent and hired him to work part time from home for them developing Aircraft Maintenance Training when he left Flight Options.  He works for CAE - a Canadian Company.  That gives us some "play" money and him the flexibility we need to be there for my dad 24/7, if need be.