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Wednesday, April 25, 2007

my friend John...BIG STEELER FAN!!




Monday, April 16th, I took theson and myfriend John and his mom Claudia to a local basketball benefit. The Pittsburgh Steelers played a local private boys school. And... the boys school actually beat the Steelers.

A girlfriend of mine and I collaborated for months to get the Steelers to present my friend John with "something" as he is such an avid fan - and I must mention he has been a quadriplegic for 17 years, after a high school football injury.

In one pic, Mel Blount former Hall of Famer Steeler, presents John with a T-shirt signed by Ben Roethlisberger (and Big Ben does NOT sign autographs), so John was totally ecstatic. The second pic is with Brian McFadden, former FSU player and that is John's favorite college team. All in all, John had a super evening - although we kept him up past his bedtime, which meant we had to call for help at a later time than usual to get him in bed. This was a treat for my buddy, as he had just spent over 5 months bedridden with a bedsore, and has only been getting back in HIS wheelchair for a little over a week. John is such a smart young man (34 yrs old) and sports enthusiast. His mother, is a constant worry wort - but she has devoted her entire life to seeing that John is cared for properly. The doctors and nurses are amazed at his excellent skin
condition, considering most long term quads have major skin breakdowns. I try to get in to visit them several times a week, and talk to his mom daily. Now that summer is here, we gather on their front deck, so John can watch all the traffic and his friends go by. And a great majority stop to chat with him.

THIS ONE IS FOR YOU JOHN!!! LUV YA BABY!!

shame on me... bad Mommy!!

Well, theson has finally gotten a JOB. Needless to say he works for a wonderful company and gets paid even when idle, but I have enjoyed having him around since December. I should be so lucky and get paid when I am NOT working!! Anyway, he will be leaving for the U.K. this afternoon. This is supposed to be a three week job, but if anyone remembers - when he was sent to Rahjamundry, India, it was for 4 weeks and turned into 19 months in the land from hell.

The scary part is he has to drive over two hours from Manchester to his location and in England they drive mostly stick shift, wrong side of the road and car. GREAT!!! Theson has very, very little experience with a manual transmission - let alone everything else being backwards. Oh the memories - when he was working in Manchester before, he at least was able to rent an automatic, but his difficulty managing the opposite side of the road and front seat - allowed for the immediate demise of the side mirrors on rented car!! That's probably better than I could manage.

I just enjoy having someone around to help me out with mundane things - i.e., taking out the garbage, toting heavy things, etc...
Heaven knows, thedaughter is not the biggest help. She has a superb talent for making A MESS - but no talent in cleaning it up!!

Oh well, he is going to be 30 for heavens sake!! I figure I will let him loose in another 10 years or so ----- sorry Jules!!! No honestly, he is a great son and needs to spread his wings. Considering he travels the world - it is amazing that he can survive, because basically he is so very SHY!!! He cringes if strangers talk to him, although he is one of the wittiest and smartest people I know. I have to figure out how to get him out of that shell!!! Maybe drugs - anything is worth a try. Just kidding !!!

As long as I get to see him before I leave June 2nd for THE CRUISE!! I am starting to get excited. If I had the $$$ I would cruise every six months - at least!!! My chubby body is nice and tan - and the 20 pounds I was hoping to lose before leaving - DIDN'T HAPPEN!! Don't care - feel good anyway!

Everyone (even though you don't comment - I know you stop here) visit Electric Cerebrectomy (post site on sidebar) - such a unique young man, and such interesting blogs. So much like theson - his appreciation of the female body, I mean! He has a few health issues and sometimes needs encouragement (as we all do) and he has a great mind and talent for writing. Interesting posts. I think he is adorable and charming!!

Gonna run for now - clean up after thedaughters meal and entertaining last night. MOTHERS WORK IS NEVER DONE!!!

Everyone have a good one and stay healthy!! TTFN! 39 DAYS TILL SAILING! YEE HAW!

Friday, April 20, 2007

...I lived with it for 20 years...mental illness sucks!!

The title may be misleading, I personally did not suffer from mental illness (although some may disagree), but my brother (adopted) did! My parents were in their late 40's when they married and since my "mother" could not have children, they adopted a boy in December 1950. Thirteen months later they adopted my twin sister and I (of course no blood relation to aforementioned son!) My parents were rather well off and of a politically famed background, and it was necessary to have an "heir", therefore the adoption of the son. My sister and I just happened to be available - and so adorable my father could not say "NO." (Notice I did not mention the mother as being so ecstatic.)

My brother displayed signs of violence at a very early age, and the common analysis was - "poor Frank, you just have to understand!" As a small child that statement had yet to impact me, but in later years I developed a lot of resentment and I must say - hatred for Frank.

All under the age of 13, Frank managed to break my mother's arm, toss her into a closet, strike out at my father, hurt various pets, and beat on me and my sister. Again, "poor Frank, he has a problem!" They sent him to a military school in Baltimore, Maryland when he was in the 4th grade, thinking that would help - he was expelled. So in 1963 (I believe) he was taken to The Menninger Institute in Topeka, Kansas, where he remained for the next 5 years. The diagnosis was "emotional illness." To this day - I know it was mental illness. The doctors blamed his being adopted for his actions - that he felt so much rejection. I never bought that either. My parents spent $5K a month for him to be in the best facility and when he returned home in 1968 - he was worse. He couldn't hold a job - because he slept for days on end. He was told never to have children because he had NO CAPACITY for love or emotions. (I've always understood that to be sociopathic!) The girl he hooked up with was warned of all this, but saw $$ signs and ended up having 3 children (all have individual problems.)

My point would be, that some family members seem to shelter the mentally ill, to the point that they act out in horrible ways, under the belief that - all will be taken care of. Now, this may be my viewpoint from another generation, as when I was growing up you never heard of ADD, ADHD, BPD and all the niches that have been created of late for so many to fall in.

Since we were literally being raised by "grandparents", the world we lived in was so much different than most. Our mother made no bones about Frank being her favorite and that she didn't want my sister and I. If I so chose, I could have let that affect my life, but I was the only one of three siblings to ever LEAVE home and develop my own life. I know I have been a better mother than her, and have tried to be more in tune to the needs of my children than she ever did. And now, I am the only one left. Parents, brother and twin sister have all passed away - and I do spend a good deal of time reliving certain events and trying to analyze why everyone acted as they did.

Bottom line is there is a great deal of undiagnosed mental illness in our country (and the world for that matter), and somehow an awareness has to be gained on everyone's part to avoid incidents such as that at Virginia Tech. It appears ALL the signs were apparent, yet either beaurocracy or ignorance stood in the way of getting this young man the help he needed. According to Cho's great aunt in South Korea, he had always been the same individual since a young child - never speaking, sudden outbursts, etc. A very sad situation for everyone. My heart goes out to the young men and women who were literally cut down before they could show their potential.

Trying to summarize the past in such a short space is next to impossible, but this is just a brief insight.

Theson is headed to Columbus for the weekend to spend time with the BTown Boyz - good for him!

44 Days till we depart!! YAY!!!!! Take care and stay healthy. TTFN. (I have a terrible cold and hope no one else gets it!!)

Monday, April 16, 2007

...it's healing - but looks damn good!!!



Mom2 got this beautiful butterfly tattoo on her right ankle and it is healing nicely. And true to her word, it has been four days now, and her husband hasn't seen it yet!!! Amazing! We are now officially the "TATTOOED OLD BROADS!"

We were discussing how painful she thought this was, and she claims it was VERY painful. Now compared to childbirth or having arterial blood gases drawn - the tattoo was nothing - but such a whiner --- each to his own. I still want to see her get the battleship on her chest - she will be the first one on the block if she does.

Her modernization can be endless - to date she has done the following: obtained a myspace site, gotten a more youthful haircut, her nose pierced, and now THE TATTOO!! I am open to suggestions as to any further changes or life alterations to suggest for the future. Maybe a bikini wax!! Now talk about painful. hahahaha

On a somber note - how tragic that one individual had a meltdown of some sort and vented on the students and faculty of Virginia Tech. I remember the sniper in Austin, Texas almost 40 years ago, Kent State, and the psycho at Case Western just a few years ago - but none had as many casualties as today. I am sure it will take severla days for the complete story to be revealed, so all I can think of is the poor parents, who believe that our kids are safe while in college, and now have to grieve for their personal losses. My heart goes out to those parents and family members.

Going to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers play basketball against Linsley tonight. You should have seen me try to explain to Mom2, how the Steelers football players were playing basketball. Guess it does sound weird. Oh well, hope Heinz Ward is one of the players or lovable Ben Roethlisberger.

Everyone stay healthy and TTFN. 48 days till we sail away!!

*** STUPID ME - I KNOW HOW TO SPELL "HINES WARD." Must have ketchup on the brain. Thanx Slyght!!!

Friday, April 13, 2007

Mom2 DID IT!!!

Despite the nerves, the jumpy stomach, and potential heart attack - she did it!! She now has a beautiful tattoo on her right ankle (will post a pic later), and to quote Mom2 her husband "will never see it!" The whole procedure lasted about 25 minutes and she didn't even come close to passing out - I am so proud of her. So proud in fact, that I think by next summer she just may get that BATTLESHIP on her chest. I can't say enough about the guys at HOT ROD TATTOO in Martins Ferry. Ohio. To put up with two crazy old broads like us takes guts. When we are together, we create an atmosphere so comical, people sometimes pee their pants. That is why the cruise will be such a blast. I have said it before - we are equal opportunity blasters. We pick on one person as well as we do the next. A merciless pair are we!

Well, gotta run - clients coming to pick up tax returns and have to squeeze in a run to Staples to get last minute supplies. Oh - can't forget tanning session.

EVeryone stay healthy. TTFN - 51 days to the tropics!

Thursday, April 12, 2007

it was all a joke??? I DON'T THINK SO...

As for my last blog, apparently it was a "joke gone wild." Supposedly the Ford CEO made up the story - or SO THE SPIN GOES. As for me - I believe thePrez did a stupid thing and I am sticking to it. SO THERE!!

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

...self Immolation - now there is some humor!! DUH!

Theson directed me to this site about the Prez. I must say, being the Yale graduate that he supposedly is - leaves one to wonder about how much gray matter resides in his head!! I then wondered if he rambles around the White House plugging just any old thing in, when he sees a cord just "laying there." As for the Ford representative breaking all protocols and touching the President, what the hell, if it were me I would have to spend at least five minutes weighing the pros and cons of breaking protocol - oops, might have been to late. I guess it goes to show you that all photo ops for Dubya, cannot be 100% planned by his moronic sycophants. Now, if Sean Hannity had been by his side, I would have waited at least 10 minutes - and the emergency teams arrived!!

Sunday, April 08, 2007

It's beginning to look a lot like....EASTER?????




Every few years, Mother Nature likes to take a jab at the Easter Holiday. All those who make their once (or twice) a year church visit in the Easter finery are smacked down...BY SNOW!!!! I remember many years ago, approximately 1971 or 1972, all the "hypocrites" showing up at church in light pastel linen clothing and beautiful new hats, despite the fact that there was 4 inches of snow on the ground. People were falling on slick sidewalks and heaven forbid they would cover up their finery with a WINTER COAT!!! I found it rather hilarious and relished the hypocrisy of the entire situation. Well, here we are again! Snow is so very invigorating, but I must admit - I LOVE SPRING AND SUMMER!!!

I enjoyed a nice dinner at BDub's last night with my oldest daughter and her husband (we shall now name THEPETE), and thegrandson. Slyght and Chumpass joined us after they left the movie "Grindhouse." A very good time was had by all. I had to leave before everyone, "mother" duties such as bathing and getting thegrandson ready for bed. I just cannot get warm with this cold snap that has hit us. And being a smoker - no comments please - I hate that we are treated like pariahs and have to go out in the inclement weather to "light up!" If we are to be ostracized, then proper facilities should be available, so that we do not have to freeze or get soaked to enjoy our own vice. A separate enclosed area is not asking to much. But this is not a black and white issue and leads to other arguments about BIG BROTHER! I will save that for later.

We are all having Easter dinner at "theDonalds" today and have to get my potatoes and cake made here soon. Everyone stay healthy and hopefully Spring is "just around the corner!" TTFN.

57 days and counting.

Friday, April 06, 2007

..I DID IT!!! Tatt #2

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Wednesday, April 04, 2007

It really is "Crunch time" for me...and i love it!

Here it is April 4th, and it always amazes me how fast tax season flies by. I have done several hundred returns, and believe it or not, I would enjoy doing them all year long. Every year is rather predictable as to who appears when. The early birds are the same and the latecomers are the same - but everyone is trying to drive me nuts this year and mixing it all around. I actually thought I had lost a few clients...boohoo, but alas, they are just late. That's a good thing. I have even scheduled two clients on the 13th and 14th this year. I hate to file extensions, so I WILL get them prepared in time - since the deadline this year is April 17th.

Theson is arriving home tonight, after spending a week in Ireland with Jules (lucky dawg!). But the joke is on him, after we have had temps in the high 70's and 80 yesterday - today (at present) it is a miserable 35 degrees. Once I take my sandals out, I do not put them away till September or October, so my little toes will be freezing. **I may break down and put on a pair of socks though - brrr...

Tomorrow is TATTOO DAY! I have decided on a Celtic Shamrock, and now have to figure out if I want it on my shoulder or the nape of my neck. Decisions, decisions. Curses!!!!! I found the design I liked on the Internet, but they lock the pictures and I couldn't print it out - so I am hoping the place has a similar design. You would think at 55 years of age, I would have more important decisions to make, but what the hell - you only live once and that could be brief at best.

60 Days and we will be outta here - on to the Caribbean and lots and lots of sunshine. I think our most enjoyable moment is having a danish and coffee on the balcony in the mornings before we head poolside. A selfish indulgence but we are worth it.

That's it for now - have to hit the road to get theson. Stay healthy and TTFN!!!