Kota-man @ Buttermilk Falls

Sunset Pond

Rat Maze

Everywhere I go in the house, I turn on lights, even in the daytime, even in the lights are already on. I just cannot seem to find enough light. I need to go to Florida, and soon. I wear the same gray hoodie around, since it is warm, but it only serves to make my day grayer. My studio is in the basement, and the basement is loaded with stuff already, including my husband's office, where I can hear video game shooting, if he is relaxing. NOT relaxing to me. I need space! The living room is small, the kitchen is busy, my dressing room is cramped and has yellow wallpaper, which I hate. There are not enough windows. No place has enough windows for me. Spring cannot come soon enough. I try not to complain, but I do have my limits, especially on days I don't feel so good, like this week.
It will get better.

Why I Love to Sing

How did I miss this in December?

We'd never get this nowadays

Back in 1964, especially if you grew up in England, you would find this hilarious, which it is.. If any pop group performed Shakespeare today, people would figure it was a "Promote Reading and the Arts" show. I don't sense that U. S. youth are familiar with the arts so much today, especially theater. Enjoy the Fab Four in a section of Act V Scene I of A Midsummer Night's Dream, in which the Rude Mechanicals present their play of Pyramus and Thisbe at the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta.

Happy Christmas!

Okay, everyone is out of school now. Des just came home with tons of gifts from school, including monkey sox and kitty slippers. The college kid is home and visiting with his best buddy. I get to go out to Lola tonight with my mom and siblings, a great and special break! Tomorrow I still have to shop for Gene Sr. and Jr., and had better get a Clarisse for Destiny or I will be in trouble.
The big news in my book is that our daughter and her husband (both in the Air Force) are expecting!
Best wishes to all. We've had a blessed year.

Random random random random insanity

Ack. My beagle is acking. He was sleeping a minute ago. He is 10 and he is happiness, just as Charles Schultz said. I think that is because beagles are so simple and loving.
He had to go out. The wind is so strong, it slammed the door. The wind chill is making the 24 degrees feel like 10. The sky is a deep navy gray, and the shocking white clouds before them are moving fast. The moon is hanging sideways in its last quarter and looks so strange and bright. Now the little guy is asleep on my bed.
I just talked to a couple I met on the radio a few years back, Fred and Jill. They are so fun and kind and loving, and they play good music. I miss people like that in my life -- I used to have lots of them. Anyhow, I just won a certificate to a restaurant, here at 11:30 pm. It was great talking to them. I feel like it is so rare to be in touch with people like that. Now Gene and I will have another place for a date night, if we can ever find a babysitter. Twenty more minutes and I wake him up to sit shotgun in the plow truck. They are playing the Traveling Willburys, one of my favorite groups ever.
The dishes will wait until tomorrow. I made a crummy dinner tonight and don't want to be around the dishes. A couple people liked it.
My studio waits.
The house looks nice inside, to me, at least, except for my room and the basement.
I started writing out Christmas cards today. We actually have new friends (or acquaintances) now since the kids came around, so I had a few more than usual.
We have an interim pastor, and I like him and his wife.
I am in choir.
Still no regular exercise. Still hate myself every morning around 4 am when my back hurts from all the extra weight and lack of exercise.
The kids went wacky tonight when they were running the Corvette into things (and each other) in the living room. Lots of screams. I stayed out of the way while I cooked my crummy dinner.
This week is doctor week. Tuesday is the plastic surgeon for Dakota, and I will cancel the Wednesday asthma test for now. Thursday they all go to counseling. Friday Kota gets rechecked for his skin issues. I am tired already.
Our college student has to go to jury duty all week. Tomorrow he has to get downtown by 7:50. Wear a hat!
I want to rip the wallpaper down in this room. I hate it.
Tomorrow I make a roast.

Christmas Month

The kids got gifts on the first of October. We were going to wait until Christmas, but decided to open them the day after Thanksgiving. Destiny got a Barbie tea set, Dustin got Brown's stickers, banner, etc. and Dakota got this awesome red truck that came with bling. It was funny. That weekend made us decide we would stretch out the season and not make everything about Christmas morning gifts. Last weekend we went to an event for families who are "kinship" families. It was put on by the county and was very well organized. Just walking in they got Shrek puzzles, scribblers and candy. The tables were all named after some Christmas thing, like Donner, Blizten, Frosty, etc. Around the outside of the huge room we were in were stations for face painting, beading, golf, beanbag toss and coloring. The "parents" sat on the inside and munched on snacks and met others while the DJ led people in line dancing, kareoke and Christmas trivia games. Santa was at the top of the steps and we got free photos, very nice ones, too. After our free lunch, as many kids as possible posed for a group photo to be sent to Jerry Springer, as he donated a great deal to the party. They held a thank you banner that everyone signed. After awhile, gifts were given out. Dustin got a huge yellow remote control Corvette, McDonald money, a basketball, 5 Hot Wheels, and tons of candy. Destiny got a Hello Kitty sticker/stamp book. Dakota got Spiderman dune buggy, Spiderman/Black Venom walkie-talkies, a Lego set and tons of candy. Destiny did not fall apart for getting less than her brothers! They enjoyed these things all week, too. Today, we went to another kinship event, and the set up was similar, with the kids on the outside making things and the adults sitting down. This one was a potluck. A woman from the Cleveland Public Library spoke and she was a great speaker! She was a preacher for the system, I swear. Very entertaining. Then we had a workshop on capturing your memories of your family and past, as well as looking at your family tree. I loved hearing these elderly Black women's stories. One woman and her sister were raised with two white sisters in New Orleans, and she shared how they were raised to be orderly and obedient. She ended up going to school to be an educator, and was happy to get out of the way when she met up with the attitudes of children today.
We also sang some songs, the kids saw Santa and got a free book of their choice. They handed us a bag of gifts when we walked out to the lobby. The gifts were unbelievable! Dustin got a tank, army men, a nighttime spy cam, a camera, a Marines cap & fatigues. Dakota got two more Spiderman figures. Destiny got what she was hoping for, Littlest Pet Shop pets! LOTS of them. She could not be happier.
By this time, it was getting snowy. We went to yet another party, and this one was Scottish. My mom managed to save us a table. The Heather Belles danced, as well as the Jenny May Dancers. We had plenty to eat and Santa was led in and out by the bagpipes. Dustin got a Quizzer, Dakota got a Magnadoodle and Destiny got beading. We were all so tired and went home and played. Actually, I went to bed for a nap. It was GREAT.
So, we are loaded with gifts for the kids. This includes the slippers I bought them all with the Target gift card someone gave us annonymously and the dinosaurs their mom bought them yesterday at the mall.
We are so blown away with everyone's generosity. BLOWN AWAY! God is comforting us so much by how others are reaching out to make sure the kids are taken care of. We look forward to a lifetime of paying it forward...

Blah

I am tired. I woke up at 5 something, did some email stuff and then returned to bed at 7, after I tuned in the tv to cartoons. The kids found them a couple minutes later, Gene got up and got breakfast going and I got 2 hours of additional sleep.
The kids get into a daze when they watch tv, so it is good we hardly let them see it. Before they came, they watched it in their own rooms, and had cable. In any case, I started my day extra late then, and was behind the rest of the time. I just finally got laundry in and it is almost 9 pm. Got lots of other things done, though. Went to a craft show, one of the bigger ones in the area, and it was all about the snowmen. They were everywhere, on sleds, in buckets, hanging from trees, standing next to trees, holding lights, etc.
I finally pulled out Tip-It, from under my bed. I have the same version I played in the 60s and the kids loved it. They made sounds and laughs that would have delighted toymakers. Dustin won all 3 games. It was a good game to help them learn to observe (which peg is heaviest, which can use some discs), be careful and count.
We are painting the living room for the first time in 10 years. Gene re-did the window frames.
That is all for now.

TV is so boring

Especially when you only have a few channels. It's not a big deal-- I have plenty to do, but now and then like to sit there and flip my um... (3 in good weather-5-if I move the rabbit ears-8-19-maybe 25, 43, and if I am in the mood for Spanish, 61) SEVEN stations. The bummer is, everywhere you look during the day are 1. Commercials to sue Someone Responsible For You Being Home At This Hour, 2. Commercials to get you to go to chef school, medical terminology school, electronics school or to some cheap college so you can get further in your loser life, 3. Commercials for CHEAP car insurance so you can drive to these places (and hope you don't have to use #1.), 4. STUPID FAKE COURT SHOWS, 5. Ladies-Who-Scream-in-the-Audience Shows (like the View or Martha or Oprah), 6. Shows that reveal weird or scary or sad things, like Jerry, Montel, Oprah, etc.). I can skip all these since I have plenty going on during the day...
At night, you have only two choices: 1: Reality TV, mostly with some competition where you have to phone in a vote, or 2: Dead Bodies on Metal Tables being poked, zoomed in on, argued over, shaved, rolled out, or something. Usually, this is accompanied by cool dance club music and lights that are cool and pretty. The people doing this work are always very gorgeous and witty and intelligent.
I am sick of TV.

It's a Colorful Life

I got to raise my stepson from the time he was 13, but now I am getting the chance I missed to be a full time mom to little ones.
I just tucked in all three kids and am back down on this floor, piled with laundry to sort, dishes to wash, papers to put away-- all the stuff you see in houses with families with kids. There is even a ball in the driveway and a bike only half in the garage. The light was left on in the bathroom again, and there are tub toys on the edge of the tub. Our house is small and in many places, unfinished. When we leave one thing out of place, you can tell. We need kitchen cupboards and counters, a new floor, new windows, carpeting, paint, and all sorts of things, but whatever. The cool thing is seeing a little boy peer out the window of the bus each day, happy to see someone is waiting for him. Then I get to hear his report, which is usually, "HAPPY!" then walking home with his little hand in mine, hearing all his stories while he jumps along. Then there are more cool things like hearing the little girl singing in the while steering the red car of the grocery cart-- she makes up all the tunes and words, and they are beautiful. Then watching the oldest child run out and play football for the first time in his life is awesome. He plays hard and never gives up. These kids are neat because they basically get along. They really look out for each other and share a lot. When one buys something at the dimestore, it is always in threes. They have feelings and they show them. They are curious and they ask. They have fun and sleep well. It does not bother me that they are not "mine" and that I was nearly 49 when they moved in. This is a dream life for me and my husband, and I hope the kids will feel that way about it too.

Me and Color

I took the free ColorQuiz.com personality test! Pretty simple, but rather accurate... Click here to read the rest of the results.

Stepmothering Part II

We recently took in our nieces 3 children ages 6, 8 & 10. This is the 3rd or 4th time they had been "offered" to us; this is the first time their mom actually gave them to us for daily care, other than when she was shipped out to help with Katrina cleanup for a month.
More on this later, as I am so tired! It is 12:30 am and we started early.

Addendum

Shortly after I wrote about my beloved former co-workers, I attended the vistation at the funeral home for one of them, Bruce Jablonski. It is possible that Bruce passed on the very day I was writing. He was not seen for a little while, his neighbor noticed this, and then he was found in his house when his brother came to see. Bruce was only 57.
I know we fell out of contact for a couple reasons, one being the fact that I was layed off and we no longer worked together. Another would be that I got married around the same time, so I was kind of busy and distracted. We usually had pretty good conversations. He was very talented, and was kind of a recluse. He played banjo, the "Kingston Trio" kind of thing, was a good painter and illustrator, and loved to cook. He took roasting a chicken very seriously.

With Whom Do You Work?

I worked at one place for twelve years. It was a department in a large company, and we occupied half the 6th floor of an office tower. The amazing thing about this art department was how the people in the group seemed to all get along. The sharing and friendship was great. We spent time visiting, attended weddings, had great parties and back rubs and shoulders to cry on were not unusual. I and many others give credit to the people in charge, Larry and Lou, for knowing who to hire. It was a special place and time, and until the company fell upon bad times, we stayed together. I was one of the first layoffs, over 8 years ago. Now, a department of about 60 is down to only a few. Some retired, some died, others we've never seen again, and several of us are still in touch to this day. I freelanced a bit, had some longer stints, but nothing has ever compared to working at Penton. I worked at one place for almost 3 years, and that was a nightmare of screaming, gossip, anger, and wasted energy. It never got better. After 3 years of more freelancing, I got a job at a really good company. They do everything right. I am so impressed with the place. What amazes me, though, is that some women, even though there for almost 20 years, seem to be no closer to each other than acquaintances. Even worse, they can be so cold and amazingly unfriendly and close-minded. The men in my department seem to be much more human. I am happy with the company, okay with the work, but it is a weird experience to have to work at someplace so different than Penton. You would think that if you spent most of your time at a place, you would try to make it as pleasant an environment as possible, but I guess that is not the way it is everywhere.

here it is

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We are getting old

We hope to move to the Smokies one day. Gene is learning banjo and I started watching NASCAR. We ought to be ready soon. These are our neighbors-to-be, I hope.

I just love this

White and Nerdy

Can it really be March already?

Life has changed quite a bit since I work full time outside the home now. It is good, but different. I miss blogging, but I will get back to it eventually, just like weight lifting, cooking, cleaning, reading, traveling, etc. I must think I will live to 500 or something.

Drippy Saturday

Not blogging much because I found fulltime work.
We have an abundance of birds in the back today. When you open the door, it sounds like a jungle. I am not sure what most of them are, but there are large bunches of blue jays out there. It is like watching heavy traffic outside the kitchen window.
The rest of 2006 will probably go quickly. As soon as Halloween was over, the Christmas music started playing on the intercom at the stores. The decorations are so bright and beautiful, I like going to the stores at this point. I think I get more excited about Christmas now, than when it arrives. But I ramble. Gotta leave for work now.

She Who Makes No Sense

On Father's Day, 2001, 2 of my 3 stepchildren were packed into their mother's car and moved out of state, without warning, legality, communication or reason. When my husband went to pick them up for their summer visitation, he found their trailer empty. The youngest had just turned 10, the middle child was about to turn 12. The oldest child, was about to turn 14, lived with us, but was not even given a chance to say goodbye to his siblings or mother.
What do you do when this happens? First instinct is to call the police. The reply from the police is to call your lawyer. What if you don't have one? What if you would like to hire one but live 3 counties over from the courthouse you have to use? What if no one in your area wants to practice out there? Who do you trust when all the references you are given are local? What good does hiring a lawyer do when you feel your children are kidnapped? Who has time to shop for lawyers at a time like that? And, if you do find one, how will you pay for it?
In the meantime, where are your children? Will they call? Will they write? Do they need help? Will the stepfather that drove your oldest son off now be abusing the other two? Who cares about this problem? Who can help? If something illegal was done, who can help and how soon?
Well, we got a lousy lawyer. He was no help at all. He did next to nothing. The mother of these children simply got away with what she was doing by not being compliant. The judge ordered certain things, and she simply did not do them. Who was to prosecute her several states away?
Now it is 6 years later. The oldest, who went through great depression and healing, is now in college. The middle one has graduated early from High School, from what we hear. The youngest is mentally ill. The children were told, as the car was driving off from their old town, into their new, that they ought to forget their father and their brother-- they have a new life now. They were moved from one school to another (at least 6 schools in 5 years) and one living place to another, and this from a woman who claimed her ex-husband did nothing but move. She Who Makes No Sense also hops from one job to another, and this is also from a woman who claimed her ex-husband could not hold down a job. In reality, he's lived in the exact same place for the past 8 years and worked at the same place for 6. She Who Makes No Sense seems to think that whatever she has a problem with is not a problem. She simply projects what she does onto her ex-husband, and claims he does it.
Which leads us to today. Today she decided that it was her ex-husband's fault that her youngest was in the mental institution. Yet, it was SWMNS who decided to move these children away from their father, with whom they had a very good relationship. She has imagined that their father begged and bargained to have these kids move back, but in reality, nothing was brought up about the subject: he had so little time to visit with them on the phone, he would not bring those things up-- only what the children were up to in their lives and how school was. If the children made these other stories up, she has based her actions on these imaginings only. SWMNS seems to blame everything on a man who has not even had access to these children in several years. Even when she was in town, she had a way of acting as if crimes were committed against her hours ago, when in reality, she and her ex-husband had no contact.
It is our dream that the children will call, come to see us, and open up communication. My theory is that it is too much for a child to have to balance the two parents' personalities in their minds and that they simply settle for one, for survival's sake. As long as they try to pretend the other does not exist, they don't have to be in pain about missing their dad. I also believe that because the mother's personality is so strong and controlling, they simply want to please her and make up stories about things that never happened, especially conversations they never had.

For the Dedicated Couch Potato

You Want One

Giant Cement Birds

What a good idea

When will it change?

Mixed feelings

Well, we all have different feelings about this dreadful anniversary-- dreadful because we wish we did not have to commemorate ANYONE getting murdered by people flying things into buildings-- we wish they were ALL STILL WITH US-- But an Anniversary to be Observed, nonetheless. I am one of those people who will sit and listen to each name read, as long as it takes, although I did not have cable to do that for me this year. But each family has immeasurable pain, some with healing, some not. What I think about are the "in-between" people: partners who were not married and cannot participate in benefits or ceremonies, people who were severely injured and are suffering daily, people who still have not been able to find a single sign of their loved ones-- I think of you often and offer prayers for you, not just today, but during the year.
The NY victims seem to be focused on more than all the other locations of victims-- why the media does this is more likely a case of being right on the scene than for any other reason, but I bet some people feel forgotten.
I noticed the people who would rather forget are those who were at Ground Zero immediately, and could not let themselves leave, not even for a day. The smell of death and the images of horror are still fresh in their minds and they try hard to forget, daily.
Then there are those so far away from the locations, who are now fearful, suspicious and nervous about life. Next to them, we have those folks who are nearly obsessed with the attacks, and wear t-shirts, buy coins, photos, plates, statues, etc. that remind them and keep the crisis alive.
It is very encouraging to see the amazing healing and peace of many Survivors. I am always glad to see people who have been able to get to this point when they have the commemoration on TV.
I wish our global view had changed more in the media, but it has not. We still hear less about those overseas than about pop stars and their divorces. If you want to find out what is going on anywhere, it seems you have to watch BBC news and do your web homework. It does not help the general mentality of the country, though, to be still separate from the rest of the world. The event could have been a great springboard to intelligent reporting, but I guess not. Why can't they get it??
Personally, it is hard to believe the whole thing happened. I taped what was on TV for the first 4 days or so, but never watched them again. I saved it for "posterity." I saved magazines, did screengrabs, etc. but it is so hard to get around this horrible thing.

Kinda Recent Sketches

I made these on July 23rd.

Back to Blogging

Sometimes it is too nice out to blog much or be on the computer! Along with that, we went on a vacation to Kankakee, to visit my cousin and her husband, which was fantastic! A sampling of what we did:
Italian Cuisine at Uncle Joe's
Mariachi Monday at La Mex in Joliet





Tiki Night in their back yard






Birthday cruise on Maureen's pontoon on the river
as well as
a delicious homemade chocolate cake







Chicago style pizza, A fun night at Turtle Tap,









Fairy Night -- we attempted to make fairies for toadstools, but were not as familiar as we needed to be with using polymer and molds, but we did okay!
Chicago & Navy Pier, Rainforest Cafe,




the ferris wheel,





some putt-putt, a boat ride to see the skyline,





a train ride to get back!
Relaxing, junk-shop review, Chinese food, homemade chicken and dumplings, lots of sparkling and lite-up surprises, and a very fun house and yard.







I simply have the best cousin in the world and we both are blessed with really wonderful husbands.

You Don't Need a Lump to have Breast Cancer

There is more than one kind of breast cancer.
We have been taught and are reminded frequently by public service announcements and by the medical community that when a woman discovers a lump on her breast she should go to the doctor immediately.

If you don't have time to read the rest of this, please see this video of a news report on it (click on The Silent Killer).

Inflammatory Breast Cancer usually grows in nests or sheets, rather than as a confined, solid tumor and therefore can be diffuse throughout the breast with no palpable mass. The cancer cells clog the lymphatic system just below the skin. Lymph node involvement is assumed. Increased breast density compared to prior mammograms should be considered suspicious.

You Don't Have to Have a Lump to Have Breast Cancer.
Some women who have inflammatory breast cancer may remain undiagnosed for long periods, even while seeing their doctor to learn the cause of her symptoms. The symptoms are similar to mastitis, a breast infection and some doctors, not recognizing IBC, will prescribe antibiotics. If a response to antibiotics is not apparent after a week, a biopsy should be performed or a referral to a breast specialist is warranted.

Age 52:
Median age at time of diagnosis of IBC ... versus,
Age 62: Median age at time of diagnosis of Breast Cancer.

A surprising portion of young women with IBC had their first symptoms during pregnancy or lactation. The misconception that these young women are at lower risk for breast cancer and the fact that IBC is the most aggressive form of breast cancer may result in metastases when the diagnosis is made.

One or more of the following are
Typical Symptoms of IBC:

• Swelling, usually sudden, sometimes a cup size in a few days
  
• Itching
  
• Pink, red, or dark colored area (called erythema) sometimes with texture similar to the skin of an orange (called peau d'orange)
  
• Ridges and thickened areas of the skin
  
• What appears to be a bruise that does not go away
  
• Nipple retraction
  
• Nipple discharge, may or may not be bloody
  
• Breast is warm to the touch
  
• Breast pain (from a constant ache to stabbing pains)
  
• Change in color and texture of the aureole
  

View pictures showing common presentation of some of these symptoms.

Read what patients write about their own symptoms prior to diagnosis.

View a 4:23 minute video about IBC shown on NBC5 in Chicago.

Thank you to my sister for passing this info on to me from IBCRESEARCH.ORG.

I HATE Grackles-- They are EVIL

I usually love to watch the birds in the birdhouse outside the kitchen window. Each year they carefully build their little home and lay some eggs. In no time, we have cute little baby birds cheeping away, sticking their big mouths out each time a parent bird shadows the opening of the nest to feed them. So far this spring and summer, this has happened three times. Not once have we seen a fledgling, because the evil, awful, sinister, creepy, disgusting and noisy grackles, raid the nest, kidnapping and killing the baby as it thinks its mother is back with a snack. Now, on our third round of births, we have one baby left, and I for one, would like to sit out by the bird box to protect it from the time the sun comes up, until all are asleep for the night. I cringe to walk out in the yard to find the babies who have been murdered by these awful birds. So far I've found one, half-alive, one in the garden and one in the fountain. It is really spoiling my backyard nature experience. You could claim, that this is how nature works, but I won't buy it. These hoodlums are imports from way back, and don't fit into our ecosystem. (The same is the case with the sparrows they are killing, but the sparrows are cute). We are supposed to be enjoying bluebirds, goldfinches, jays, cardinals, etc., but you can hardly find them. We are overrun with these others. Instead of waking to the sounds of cardinals and chickadees, I hear the awful sounds of the grackles, and jump out of bed to chase them away. I realize this is crazy, and very likely ridiculous, but you know what? I HATE THOSE BIRDS.

This is all you get

Destiny did not want to smile for the picture, as she was not all that happy.

Mommy's Little Girl

Today I had to let go of my little Lady-Pooh. She had a horrible cancer in a really bad area on her body, hearing problems, cataracts, blood problems, blockages and there was nothing I could do about it. I am going to miss her so much. She was my little girl, my Pooh-Bear, my Fluff-Muffin, my Baby Girl. I also called her Princess, my Girl, Fluffy, Skinny Butt and Honey.
We got Lady Anastasia when we were picking up Gene's kids for the weekend. She was long-haired, matted, smelly and so loving. She immediately surprised us with how alert she was, how much she loved eating, how she could jump up into our bed and how she rolled around on her back and did her happy dance. Whoever "owned" her to begin with, ignored her and would not allow her to come indoors. When she discovered she was allowed to live inside, she was visibly grateful. When I decided to take her home, it was her big brown eyes that took me. I loved her so much, but more than anything, she loved me.
Where ever I was in the house, Lady was sure to be nearby. She came out to the garden with me, especially during tomato picking time. She loved tomatoes, beans, strawberries, and especially, oranges! I guess she was big on acidic fruits.
It is amazing to watch an animal be so grateful to you that she seems to exist for you. I spoiled her. I tried to make her life as easy, fun and happy as possible. I made sure she could always find me and had a cushion nearby.
Tonight, when we came home, it was hard to see the spots where I normally see her -- empty. I will miss her happy little face each day, the one that looked only for me (and something to eat). I love you, Lady Pooh and I will miss you so much.

Where is the Media Now?

The media has always made me crazy, especially when it comes to disaster coverage. When the tsunami hit, that was all you could see. After about 3 weeks, you would think all that rubble had been cleared up or everyone was okay, because you sure did not see anyone reporting on it. When the war in Iraq started, there was coverage about what was going on and lots of troop support. After President Bush gave the impression that the war was over, the media acted like nothing was going on any more, and instead of continuing to see pictures of soldiers and stories of families, they switched sides and acted as if no one should support the troops or know how things were going. Now, Hurricane Katrina has had the same treatment, but worse, if you ask me. Here are opportunities to serve and care right here on our own soil, but we have a media blackout as far as what is happening. We ought to have a weekly report! I can't even find a map to show affected areas, camps, needs, memorials, or anything. It's like it did not even happen. Here is a link to an article that I could find in the blogosphere, at least. It gives you a good idea of what is going on, in a small corner. Here is JUST PART of the article:

Ten Months After Katrina: Gutting New Orleans

It has occurred to us that our New Orleans is looking more and more like Baghdad.

By Bill Quigley

source: Reconstruction Watch Thursday June 29, 2006

We are still finding dead bodies. Ten days ago, workers cleaning a house in New Orleans found a body of a man who died in the flood. He is the 23rd person found dead from the storm since March.

Over 200,000 people have not yet made it back to New Orleans. Vacant houses stretch mile after mile, neighborhood after neighborhood. Thousands of buildings remain marked with brown ribbons where floodwaters settled. Of the thousands of homes and businesses in eastern New Orleans, only 13 percent have been reconnected to electricity.

The mass displacement of people has left New Orleans older, whiter and more affluent. African Americans, children and the poor have not made it back -- primarily because of severe shortages of affordable housing.

Thousands of homes remain just as they were when the floodwaters receded -- ghost-like houses with open doors, upturned furniture, and walls covered with growing mold.

Not a single dollar of federal housing repair or home reconstruction money has made it to New Orleans yet. Tens of thousands are waiting. Many wait because a full third of homeowners in the New Orleans area had no flood insurance. Others wait because the levees surrounding New Orleans are not yet as strong as they were before Katrina, and they fear rebuilding until flood protection is more likely. Fights over the federal housing money still loom because Louisiana refuses to clearly state a commitment to direct 50 percent of the billions to low- and moderate-income families.

Meanwhile, 70,000 families in Louisiana live in 240 square-foot Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers -- three on my friend's street. As homeowners, their trailer sits in front of their own battered home. Renters are not so fortunate and are placed in gravel-strewn FEMA-villes across the state. With rents skyrocketing, thousands have moved into houses without electricity.

Public housing has been boarded up and fenced off as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced plans to demolish 5,000 apartments -- despite the greatest shortage of affordable housing in the region's history. HUD plans to let private companies develop the sites. In the meantime, the 4,000 families locked out since Katrina are not allowed to return.

The broken city water system is losing about 85 million gallons of water in leaks every day. That is not a typo: 85 million gallons of water, at a cost of $200,000 a day, are still leaking out of the system even after over 17,000 leaks have been plugged. Michelle Krupa of the Times-Picayune reports that the city pumps 135 million gallons a day through 80 miles of pipe in order for 50 million gallons to be used. We are losing more than we are using, and the repair bill is estimated to be $1 billion -- money the city does not have.

Public health care is in crisis. Our big public hospital has remained closed and there are no serious plans to reopen it. A neighbor with cancer who has no car was told that she has to go 68 miles away to the closest public hospital for her chemotherapy.

Mental health may be in even worse shape. In the crumbling city and in the shelters of the displaced, depression reigns. Despite a suicide rate triple what it was a year ago, the New York Times reports we have lost half of our psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists and other mental health care workers. Mental health clinics remain closed. The psych unit of the big public hospital has not been replaced in the private sector as most people in need are too poor to pay. The primary residences for people with mental health problems are our jails and prisons.

For children, the Washington Post reports, the trauma of the floods has not ended. A Louisiana State University mental health screening of nearly 5,000 children in schools and temporary housing in Louisiana found that 96 percent saw hurricane damage to their homes or neighborhoods, 22 percent had relatives or friends who were injured, 14 percent had relatives or friends who died, and 35 percent lost pets. Thirty-four percent were separated from their primary caregivers at some point; 9 percent still are. Little care is directed to the little ones.

The criminal justice system remains shattered. Six thousand cases await trial. There were no jury trials and only four public defenders for nine of the last 10 months. Many people in jail have not seen a lawyer since 2005. The Times-Picayune reported that one defendant, jailed for possession of crack cocaine for almost two years, has not been inside a court room since August 2005 despite the fact that a key police witness against him committed suicide during the storm.

Just Whatever

Now it is summertime. No coats to wear, no windows to shut, no socks.
Our son graduated from High School, and with any luck, we still hope to see the other two kids some day. It has been 5 years now. Gene is looking for work to earn $$ for college as well as for a camping trip to Gettysburg with 3 other buddies, much inspired by his Uncle Dave's trip out west after HS. NOW he is more serious about getting that summer job... Whatever works!
In the meantime, my husband continues to learn to be a salesman, something I think he has a knack for. We have a couple of good things that may come of it. I played secretary today and typed letters of info, thank yous, faxes, etc. Tomorrow it is back to making glass jewelry.
Wednesday and Thursday we gather to say goodbye to and celebrate the life of one of our dear friends at church, Clarence. He was rarely sick, but bacterial infections got the best of his lungs. I really thought he would make it. He was 70. Too young. My dad was only 72, and so was Bill and Frank all of which passed last year.
I wake up in a lot of creaking pain from killing my back last year and from a couple of falls (and maybe arthritis?) this year. I want to wake up and swim or work out, but I just haven't gotten there.
The Brookings made it in town and out. They look great and got around to all the people (almost) who wanted to visit them. We had a great creek walk that was marked by a mysterious buck in the woods and a hail storm.
My pup has cancer but is doing well. She is as sweet as ever.
I've NOT been to the pool yet! We have not had a whole lot of sunny days since it opened.
I miss singing.
My studio is an ignored mess.
The garden is beautiful. I had to call Ultra Lawn twice to be sure they stop shooting their chemicals into my poor garden while they "service" my neighbor's lawn. I freaked out when i first saw all those pellets. I started picking them all out one by one. My goliath aster seems to be taking it the worse. Those things go right through the covered fence.
I found out what happened to ALL THOSE SUNFLOWER SEEDS! Nothing had been coming up, so figured they were bad seeds, Heck, none of the holes seemed disrupted! But we have shrews or moles in the yard. They stole them thru the "basement" and buried them so deep, it took until just yesterday to finally see them sprout! They were all in little bunches in the garden, evidently forgotten in storage. I spread them around and hope to see them all grow up and bloom. I got red and cream colored ones this year. I guess the rest of them better be sprouted indoors...
I would love some DQ right now.
Goodnight.

PCs are annoying

My husband would get all worked up because he had an old computer. If he just had a new one, how nice that would be! After trashing a few used PCs, he found me a pretty decent Mac for $400 on Overstock.com. He used it for quite awhile, with NO PROBLEMS. A few weeks ago, he decided to finally go ahead and get that PC, and do a trial on wireless.
ACK! I hate using it!! Popups from the right hand corner are endless, and the whole system is confusing. There are endless things to restart and reinstall and uninstall.
Get a MAC, folks. I am still using it with no problems... And it is so much cuter.

Arguing or Discussing

Within my family of origin, it is known that I want to discuss issues much further past the point of comfort than others. It can be annoying and amazing to families and friends that I want to continue to discuss uncomfortable subjects when people present are either shaking their heads, cutting off the conversation or leaving the room. Typically, the topics are things like elections, abortion, philosophy, race, or sexually related issues.
Why do I go on? First, I argue, not to win, but to understand. Second, I typically have a great deal of trust in the relationship with the person I am discussing things with. I ask a lot of questions to see if they will rephrase their response, hopefully in a way I can understand what they are saying. I am also working to broaden the topic a bit, in search of some context. This can go fine in many cases, especially if I am talking to someone who knows me well enough to trust the relationship will not dissolve if we agree to disagree.
Speaking of, I am so "okay" with agreeing to disagree. Think about anything important you believe. Did you come to this belief while in the heat of an argument? Of course not. Most of us need to come to our beliefs on our own, while either thinking, praying, writing, pondering, walking, or sometimes, after just waking up after a good night's sleep. Everything needs some time to process. I really want to hear what you are saying, for the sake of knowing, not for the chance to pounce on you. I hope you are the same.
What is disheartening is when you are cut off from people because they do not have enough faith in the friendship or the process, when you really thought they would. There is a neat "hump" you get over when you go ahead and discuss your topic to a clearer understanding, working through the discomfort. It is hard to realize that your friend (or family member) cannot discuss things with you maybe because they either think you will disagree or dislike them afterwards. It does not even cross my mind, and it is amazing to me that it would cross theirs. Maybe there are other reasons, however. Sometimes the subject at hand is too personal or painful for the other person to discuss. They do not want to cross a line that will seemingly condemn them, and beg to not enter that area of discussion. Maybe the time or place is wrong. Maybe they have a headache or lost friends on this topic once. I have to be so careful not to insist on continuing. I have to be loving and sensitive to those possibilities, whether shared or not.

Only in America...(click here)

New York City Garbage is for sale! Not like I don't already have enough junk, but it is a very interesting way of making a buck... From LiquidTreat.com:

Justin Gignac is making art out of garbage. He scours the streets of Manhattan for junk and then carefully installs each array of rubbish (crumbled coffee cups, cigarette butts, pages ripped out of phone books) in sealed plastic cubes which are signed, numbered, and dated. Originally from Norwich, Conn., Gignac started collecting trash when he moved to New York to attend the School of the Visual Arts. For $50 you could have garbage shipped to your home within seven days of payment.

Reasons I am Stressed Out

1. We have a friend in the hospital, taking a long time to recover.
2. My dog has cancer.
3. I am so overweight.
4. My son just graduated, which is great, but it is a change.
5. I am switching off working 2 or 3 jobs.
6. I need exercise.
7. My husband's ex stiffed our son $5000 in child support, but since he just graduated, they figure we don't need the money.
8. My husband's ex is hateful towards my husband for no apparent reason. We have to be the recipient of her inability to deal with the truth, due to her personality disorder.
9. We still haven't seen our 2 other kids in 5 years thanks to her pranks
10. The judge still hasn't decided the case in 4 years because it sits in hicksville.
11. My house is a mess.
12. No one talks to me at the ad agency job.

Reasons to be happy:

1. There are ALWAYS reasons to be happy.
2. I have a great husband and kid and mom and sibs.
3. I have some work.
4. Gardening.
5. Hope in Christ.
6. Al-Anon friends.
7. Health.
8. America.
9. Elmo.
10. Yogi.
11. Cruise Night on Saturday.
12. Mary and John and their Flying Monkeys are coming in from Maine!
13. Swimming Pools.
14. Creek walks.
15. Beaches.
16. Music.

Ze Frank is Brilliant! (click here)

The entertainment value of this site is immeasurable! There is one link after another with valuable information such as How To Dance Properly, How To Impress Your Date, and Interactive Toys such as the one below. Be sure you have the time, cuz you won't want to stop!

More Photos, Just Because

Graduation Time

We have two graduating this year. One is on June 5th, the other happened a week or so ago. One is Gene Jr., who is 18 going on 19. His mom held him back in kindergarten. The second one is Crystal, who is 16 and will be 17 in August. She graduated early, from a school in Kansas somewhere. We got the photo of her from an email to Gene Jr. Other than that, we've not seen her or heard from her in years. It is sad.

Handy Latin Phrases Site

Wow! Do you think I am deep, using Latin? See if you know these phrases. Answers are at the bottom of the post. Click on the post title link to find some more handy phrases to impress others with!

Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam.

Animadvertistine, ubicumque stes, fumum recta in faciem ferri?

Antiquis temporibus, nati tibi similes in rupibus ventosissimis exponebantur ad necem

Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus!

I have a catapult. Give me all your money, or I will fling an enormous rock at your head
(At a barbeque) Ever noticed how wherever you stand, the smoke goes right into your face?
In the good old days, children like you were left to perish on windswept crags
Let's all wear mood rings!

The Box Doodle Project

If you haven't been here yet, click here. For those of us who cannot resist doodling, it is an opportunity to share a doodle with others. For the rest, there are lots and lots of fascinating drawings on boxes that are inspiring, to say the least. Note: you can scroll to the right, almost endlessly. Then they give you another page to look at. This doodle is by Tom Kane.

The Art Historians Laugh

Yes, it is just a fictional book, but amazingly, there are so many people who just take this like it is all for real. The book and movie (which I am so sick of hearing about I don't want to list it) can plant seeds of doubt for anyone, if you do not know your stuff.
For fun, check out the first video on the list (it does not take long) to listen to some art historians regarding Leonardo and the paintings that really do not have any code. The list contains MANY interesting videos!

Robert DeNiro Imagines He's Elmo!

And it works. A ha-ha-ha!

HeARTSpace Artists' Reception Tonight

HeARTSpace: An exhibit of works by the people of A Place at the Table meet and greet the artists in the Gallery at Trinity this Friday, May 5, from 6 - 8 p.m. This new gallery exhibit includes some of the works created by A Place at the Table participants and Trinity volunteers.
The show will be up through June 25 (Saturdays, 10 AM – 2 PM Sundays, 9 AM – 3 PM Wednesdays, 1 PM – 6 PM)
A Place at the Table is Trinity’s program that serves homeless people in our community. Each week, art happens as participants and volunteers come together in heARTSpace, a program coordinated by Mary Ann Breisch.The work you will see here is a compilation of the pieces we have been making since 2003.