CLUTTER....

It is such and odd word, yet I guess it does describe the collectible crap that was quite important when it was stashed away, only to be cast out in an effort to "downsize". I have clutter from traveling, those brochures, maps, tickets, etc. that seem to be a good idea to save for scrapbooking, just seem to pile up into mountains of junk! I guess it is better just to take a picture, since digitally it doesn't go int the landfill. I find that when I try to de-clutter, I end up taking it from one room to the other, now that certainly isn't a solution - except temporarily. I have quilting stuff in bags, drawers, baskets, closets, etc. I need more time just to finish my projects! I have "how to books" that never really answer the questions I have which lead to me purchasing them in the first place. I have useless wires that go to gadgets that I'm not even sure that I have any more. CD's that maybe have something on them and then again, maybe not. I've saved gift bags to reuse in an attempt to be frugal and green. I have collections of things that I haven't got a clue as to why I'd even want to collect them. So, today, during this overcast day, I started once again purging out the collectible crap that I have no use for, that really doesn't need to be filling files, draws, bins, baskets, etc. The sad part is....I've hardly made a dent, but I shall continue on.

Lest we never forget.......

It has been eight years since the attack on our country, when those jet planes flew into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, then the Pentagon, and then the field in Pennsylvania! We all came together that day as a nation in support of one another and for our country. Yet, as time goes on many have forgotten the impact this attack on freedom had on us as a country. Many have become complacent and even doubt that it was an act of terrorism. It boggles my mind. I remember having returned from taking the kids to school and coming home and making coffee and hearing Diane Sawyer on the t.v. Manuel and I were puzzled as to why my country was being attacked and why the issues that lead up to this fateful day had not been addressed. I poured the coffee and heard Manuel say "ugh" and I looked up to see the second plane fly right into the tower and the smoke.....the people falling....the buildings collapsing....people running....smoke and dust billowing! Tears filled my eyes then as they do now as I remember that day. It was a warm, sunny, beautiful day!! The lost lives.....the terror..... May God Bless the souls of those lost and may God Bless America. Today, as then, was my day off.

Just as any other day, it was filled with things that need to be done. First is was Panera and breakfast with Candy and then....the dreaded competencies! I hate themm plain and simple. I think it is mostly because I feel inadequate and fear that I might fail, so I become panicked and dread the entire day. I am fortunate to have friends who take it all in stride and are upbeat and quite frankly, cheerful about the impeding challenges! Some of my irritation is the redundancy. It is aggravating to repetitively do the same tests several times over. I really don't like to have my time wasted nor do I like playing games, just get to it the point and move on, ten words or less!! However, there is always a bright side and no doubt there is always a meal to be eaten, so Leslie, Valerie and Jack, Breanna, Candy, Cindy and Roseann went to lunch at The Crab Shack! :D

Callie is off to Orlando for Rock the Universe and Night of Joy. Natalie is off to Boston to see the Red Sox and family. Me, I get to workout at the gym....LOL
Okay, so I'm late...I had to update how my blog looks...you know important stuff!

The passing of time....

I guess that it is a good thing that time passes because otherwise we'd be stuck. Some days are so horrendous that you wouldn't want to spend another second in them and others are so glorious you'd wish that they would go on forever. This week was particularly hard. Somethings in life are suppose to be wonderful and end up with the most horrific of results. It is devastating to say the least when things like that happen. How does one recover and move on? Do the tears stop flowing? Does the heart stop aching? When does it get easier to walk, since each step feels like there is weight of a concrete block. When does the brain stop swirling, when does the stomach stop churning, is there forgiveness??? How do you help your friends in their crisis??

Last night was the graduation party. Liz, Candy and I celebrated our successful completion of the BSN program. It was nice to get out, have fun with friends, karaoke, and reminisce. Some friends where unable to attend and they were missed.

Today was Callie's fifteenth birthday. She spent it with a friend and went to church. We picked her up after attending church and went out for brunch. Later we had a small celebration at home. She will plan a party with her friends in a couple of weeks. It's hard to have a party when you've just gotten back to school...maybe there are new friends to invite! She is indeed, a sweet and special young lady (even though she hates to have her picture taken)!!

A quiet day....

Today was a quiet day. I guess it was a good day for prayer and reflection. It is amazing how all of a sudden so many people you know have crisis in their lives. I guess we get so caught up in the routine of our days that when we have the opportunity to have down time we realize how much has changed. Another co-worker friend has breast cancer, a very aggressive kind. I think what is the hardest is that she is so far away from her long time friends who have always been a source of support for her. An old classmates nephew is having seizures of unknown origin and if it weren't for the dog actively trying to get into his room only to have his parents finding him unconscious. Now he has blood clots. There are many other family and friends as well as strangers that are having a difficult time. May God Bless them all. Everyone needs prayers!

Attending church always helps to renew my spirit. No matter how beaten and bedraggled I feel, it know that God is close and that whatever issues I may have will get resolved. Then there are my pew buddies....strangers that I met and now are friends that are happy to see me and keep me in their prayers as I do them in mine. It is refreshing and reassuring to see them each Sunday, and share little trinkets of our lives. Helen is a woman that comes each Sunday in a wheelchair her daughter brings her, they are sweet...next Sunday is Helen's 95th birthday. Simple things like that can bring such joy. Manuel joined me usually he doesn't. God Bless the creatures big and small!

Brunch was at First Watch. The have such interesting combinations of food that are so tasty and filling. Then it is was a fun filled time at the grocery store. Since then it has been enjoying the day and getting caught up on my blog. I was able to make a signature after each posting. This with the aid of a tutorial by Amanda (www.KevinandAmanda.com). Bit by bit things come together...now to the gym and get Callie ready for her first day of being a high school Sophomore....hmmmm it seems like yesterday..... ;D

Back to school...

It is back to school time. This is Callie's last weekend off before her new school year begins. We attended open house earlier in the week. The school is in a new building and she has some very interesting classes. Of course, I'm not so sure that she sees it that way. One of the positive things is that she has other friends that will be attending this school and there will be more students. I'm envious of her computer classes as she'll be learning many of the things that I'd like to learn, perhaps she'll be patient enough to show me....hmmmmm a thought! She got her hair cut today. Liz's daughter is attending beauty school and did a very nice job. It compliments Callie's face and has been thinned. She has such thick hair.

I am not attending school...rather odd, but will be having a celebratory party next weekend with Liz and Candy. Then I need to find a direction to go in. Back to school, take computer classes, have fun.....I dunno. Even though I did a major clean sweep in May, it is time for another. It probably wouldn't be so difficult except that I'm addicted to Facebook and have signed up for twitter!!!! I should be simplifying my life not adding more to it! ;D

Many Changes...

There are many changes that occur over the course of one's life. Some of these are joyful while others are sad. My dad had been sick for a while but recently became worse. He died on July 25th. Callie and I were out to lunch before commencing school shopping. My brother, Scott, called and updated us just as we were finishing lunch at the Brickhouse. Once I got the news we went straight home and I went on line to get a flight with Callie to Boston. We ended up on Delta to Cincinnati and then Boston, of course the weather there was bad (surprise since it has been a wet summer there) which delayed our flight twice. We made it into Boston, and there was a bit of confusion so had to wait for Scott to get us. It poured hard all the way from Boston to Hyannis and we arrived at the hospital around 2am. My was able to talk with me which was good. God is good!



I stayed with him leaving only to get a shower or food, but made sure he wasn't alone. Hospice became involved and his room was then changed to the new wing. On Saturday evening after everyone was gone, I sat and talked to him. I'm sure he could here me though he wasn't able to talk. There were memories such as his great-grandparents and what I remembered: NECCO wafers, scallop shells that were stacked in various sizes, the patchwork dog, Hermits (yum), the flat cookies with the layer of raisins in them, the red metal chairs, and love. Then there are memories of talking sports when I was in high school, walking me down the isle for my wedding, and lessons learned. I remember my dad being most patient when I was learning to drive his "standad" white ford van. Honestly, whoever designed the shifter on the steering wheel must have been a bit crazy. Long story short it was quite a jerky ride, I wanted to just throw in the towel, but he kept telling me how good I was doing and to just keep trying. Later I learned I made him sea-sick, but he never complained. I later bought my first car a red VW superbettle (it had a sunroof) and it was a standard drive! The brave soul went with me up to the Catholic church (one I attend services at each time I'm in town) and practised driving. I thought I was hot stuff driving that car to work the next day all on my own! It was the drive home that got me. I got to the corner of Skate and 6A trying to make the left hand turn. The light went from Red to Green to Yellow to Red to Green to Yellow to Red and people behind me lost their patience and whipped around me honking their horns. All I could do was cry "dad, where are you? I need you, I'm stuck!" This of course, was back in the dark ages before cell phones, pagers, etc. Somehow, the little car made it to the middle of the intersection (progress) and the light bulb turned on over my head. "FIRST" put it in first...always when you stop you put it in first. I put the car in first and off I went. A lesson I share when people buy their first standard drive car. And with that, he went to be with God. Peaceful, calm, gentle. God truly is good!!

There was a week of getting things in order and Callie and I were blessed in many ways. We shopped and ate out, attended church, I got to go to a quilt show, see some old friends. We walked on the beach everyday, I think she really liked walking way out on the flats, and the whale watch that was excellent! We were entertained and amused and it was a most gorgeous Cape Cod day.

The service was simple and heartfelt with Max remembering him for his service in the Navy and his love of trains. Dr. Bob McLaughlin remembered the kind, compassionate soul my dad was during his years with B-bus and shared his ancestrial history of being related to those on the Mayflower: Miles Standish, Elder Brewster and John Alden and other famous people (such as Sarah Palin, the Right Brothers, the presidential candidate John Dean etc. that share the same descendants). There were beautiful flowers and family and friends that were supportive and shared warm memories of my dad. Mostly that he was a quiet, gentle, honest, kind, man who had a sense of humor. He is safe now in the arms of the Lord. My friends and co-works bought a magnolia tree and plaque in memory of my dad. It is now planted in the back yard. I made Manuel up root a bougainvillea to plant the tree. It is perfect. Not to worry the other plant has a new home in the front yard. Rest in peace dad, I love you!

Tallahassee....

Tallahassee is the state capital of Florida. Rich in history. Home to FSU. There are many state parks in the surrounding areas that are worth seeing. Paul has not been well, so we went up to Tallahassee to see if we could get some answers. While we where there we stopped to do a few things. We stopped a park were there was a lake with ducks, turtles, and snapping turtles. Of course, a photo-op. He had never been to the Florida Waterfall or the Florida Caverns..



Sometimes when you travel you hit it right and others you hit it all wrong. We got to the Florida Waterfall, it is such a peaceful place and full of sink holes, flora and fauna. It was a nice walk. There was however, no sound of water....when we go to where the falls should be, it was just drip, drip, drip...there's been a drought so the springs that feed the waterfall were dry, hence no waterfall. We then drove out the caverns and wouldn't you know, the caves were closed on Monday and Tuesday's!!! So, it was off the Natural History Museum. Hydrangeas grow there and it was an interesting place. We found solitude at St. Leo's. The drive back was long, but we broke it up by stopping in Gainesville to see Natalie and Caitlin. We had lunch with them and saw their new apartments. It was all too soon to hit the road again for the 4 hour ride home....