Another Year Passes...interesting...

I'm all snuggled in the house, trying to keep warm, as it is a BLUSTERY, snowy, cold day. What a way to end a perfectly upside-down year. I fingered back through my daily logs and blogs, just to see what, of any importance happened. I discovered that my life is basically no different than most, and there were the immediate crises to deal with, financial situations, illness, deaths...and the Presidential Election, which definitely became a historical moment.

My personal account, boring as it may be:

January - I made my annual trip to Boston (which I will probably miss this year.) I turned 56 years old (woohoo), and had a temporary accounting job.

February - I enjoyed the Blue Man Group - thanks to theson. thedaughter had her "makeover" with a wonderful end result. The NY Giants BEAT the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

March - Thegrandson was hospitalized with his "flesh eating" disease. Many weeks of worry there!

April - I got my new laptop (17th) - Mom2's son was married on the 12th.

May - My "trip of a lifetime" to Cairo, Egypt, again THANKS to theson. Chickie's little Chi-Chi passed away (hey Chickie - I even made a note of this!)

June - Theson CUT his beautiful long hair - but did donate to Locks of Love!

July - Thedaughter started receiving CHILD SUPPORT - after 7+ years of nothing! Both daughters had a major dispute at JITH. Theson and Jules vacationed in Australia.

August - Sarah Palin made her ridiculous debut! My checking account was "hacked!" Major issues there. Summer Olympics began. Democratic Convention - political season going full blast.

September - Economic meltdown finally acknowledged. Major political campaigning. The names Carly Fiorina, Nancy Pfottenhauer, Tucker Bounds make me want to barf! Started physical therapy on my arm - to no avail. My Niece found me on Facebook - yippee! theson announced his breakup with Jules - and his heartache.

October - Campaigning and political arena getting heated up. "Joe, the Plumber" introduced (YUCK!) Thedaughter broke her arm. Vice Presidential Debate.

November - BARACK OBAMA, elected 44th POTUS - an historical moment! My oldest grandson turned 18. Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Holiday season.

December - Theson comes home for holidays. Christmas flies by as usual. Basement flooded Christmas Eve day. Holiday cleanup contemplated - not yet accomplished!

*************************

I will be ringing in the New Year with thedaughter and thegrandson here at home - the safest place to be. I am thawing the pork chops, the kielbasi is ready and then into the sauerkraut it all goes! The only way I will even eat sauerkraut, is with mashed potatoes, so I will start them around 10 pm. This became a tradition during the married years, as my husband followed a German tradition. My kids still love it - so we will carry on the torch.

**************************

I just watched this on the local news...and now I'm am furious. This man is what I call a "transient" here in town. We get a lot of people moving in and out all the time, as they are dodging the welfare systems or "playing" the system. Ohio pays more than WV, and they come here in droves. Apparently this man came in from Illinois. But this act - deserves immediate DEATH. And I do mean that. I am awaiting a return call from the police chief, to find out WHY they let the children remain with the mother. She certainly had to be aware of this treatment and possibly past issues. To say I am not a Happy camper is an understatement. YOU DO NOT DO THESE THINGS TO DEFENSELESS CHILDREN. I'm so mad at the moment - I can hardly see straight. This is not the way I wish to end my year.

***************************

I will end with my New Year's Resolution (which I never make/keep).

TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!!!

9/11 - WHERE WERE YOU?

theMuch like when JFK was assassinated, we have a tendency to remember the exact happenings of the specific day and days that followed.

I was in 5th grade when the principal came to each class and said school was being dismissed. We were not told why, that would come as we got to our homes. My twin and I were told by the housekeeper (remember parents were older & distant) and she immediately took us to her families farm in Ohio for the next several days.

As for September 11, 2001 - I was in town at my local haunt (a Greek restaurant) and someone came in and asked if I noticed that a plane had apparently crashed into the WTC. There was a small 13" TV by the register and we all surrounded the tiny thing, and it was no time before we saw another plane hit - which registered with us before the TV anchor even noticed. I had no clue what was going on - just that something tragic was happening. I came home, turned on the news (all channels were tuned in by this point), yelled for theson to come downstairs. I needed company at that point - thedaughters (both) were at work and immediately started calling home - because they had no TV and were only hearing dribs from customers coming in the store.

Theson and I were glued to the TV, tossing back and forth various theories. I reminded him of when the WTC was bombed (thru parked vehicle in underground parking lot) in 1993. He was in high school then and didn't pay attention to news like that. The hardest part was watching the towers fall - I just sat and cried, sobbing - it was all so senseless. Then the reports were being clarified of the planes hitting the Pentagon and the plane that they thought was heading to Camp David - which was Flight 93 which went down not far from here in Shankstown, PA.

Oddly enough, theson had planned on giving blood that day anyway, so we headed to the Fire Department where the line was incredibly long, but he managed to "give it up." We filled the cars with gas, and all sat around the TV for the remainder of the day, through the night, into the next several days.

Theson would be leaving for New York and training for his job, and be off to his travels around the world from that point, within a few weeks. He has encountered all the travel restrictions and changes in our NEW terrorist alert status. The new color coded "watch" chart was revealed - and our lives have never been the same.

Yes, I remember well and will never forget. I grieve for all the lives lost for such a senseless cause. I am also saddened that the almighty dollar has prevented the rebuilding at the WTC site. One would think that a structure would have been at least started by now. Bureaucracy at its best I guess!

I'm off to Amish country - even taking the camera, so I may be back on here later tonight. Have a good day all and TTFN!

Sad sight to see...

A fire has struck a business here in town, and I worked with and for this family for many years. My former business partner and friend still had her bookkeeping/tax business there, plus a crafts and home furnishings store. We moved into this building March 1988 and at that time we operated an RCA Sales & Service center also. There are four floors and originally there were 2 separate store fronts, one which was rented out to various businesses for the first few years. In May 1992, we opened Country Square (I came up with the name) and offered country crafts, furniture, knick knacks and stuff. It became a success because it was family operated and we offered such personalized service. I remember the opening day, as I managed to have my first UNIMPRESSIVE heart attack that day - oh the memories.

The economy slowed, television sales lagged and they "laid me off" in January of '96. From that point on it was strictly family working the stores. Our business partnership was severed, and I was really pissed for awhile, but got over that, and we have remained friends and share the costs of our tax programs to this day.

This is what I saw as I was heading to get my new tattoo. I stopped and found a place where I could get a better look and my heart just sunk to my ankles.

Thedaughter went in town later and got these pictures, not as close as I was but you can see the same effect from the smoke.
The building is to the left of the large white building in the center of this picture. As of an hour ago (3 pm) the 4th and 3rd floors had collapsed into the building. It is amazing how devastating this fire is, considering it is only one building. There are 13 fire departments - 3 ladder companies fighting this battle.

There is no electric service in the downtown area and our water service may be out for a couple of days, as the drain on the water treatment plant caused it to shut down, and they can't get it up and running again. Amazing!

Oh well, no lives have been lost - the loss is just "stuff." When our home burned to the ground in 1984 - I learned that what we have is just "stuff." Everything can be replaced, but a life cannot. I have spoken with the family and offered any help that they may need, and we cried and laughed together. They definitely have the right idea for this situation - let the firefighters do their job and they are cracking open the wine. There's not much else they can do.

Later....everyone take care. TTFN.