October 17, 2009 Western

[ajzwahlen]

I hope everyone is well. Spring is in full swing down here. I hope the weather is nice (or getting nicer) where you all live. I am excited that the FE exchange is getting organized. I know my little girls are going to love this.

 

[yazee1]

As I write this, I'm not sure if it's even appropriate to bring something so solemn to the thread. We read about horrible things in the news, feel something for the victims or maybe pray for them and then move on with our own lives. This weekend, the news was about someone I know. I'm very sad right now and not ready to move on. Yesterday morning, my friend's father went to his youngest daughter's house with a fear that something was wrong. He was too right about that. He discovered the entire family inside dead. Apparently, his daughter and the children were murdered by the daughter's husband and later killed himself. I only met this woman a couple times but I've know her oldest sister and one of her brothers and his family for some time. The deceased woman was the beloved "baby" of the family. Even though I only met her a few times, I heard a lot about her over the years. You know how it is, you feel like you know the person before you ever meet. Of course, the grief my friends and I are feeling right now is not for the dead since most of us either didn't know her or met her once or twice, but for their surviving family members and friends.

I guess I am sharing this because it's very big to me right now and I am thinking how we all have big things going on and we're not all just sitting around waiting for the cruise.

 

[missusem]

I am sorry to hear of your loss and the loss of your friend. It is a terrible thing and you are right to take all the time you need to absorb the shock of such a devastating event.

 

[bourgie]

Yazee1,
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your friend and her family. I feel for her family and friends during this very hard time.

Bourgie

 

[shancan911]

Yazee,
What a senseless, awful tragedy. You have no reason to apologize... you are also grieving. This family has a long, lonely road ahead of them. Heal yourself so you can help them along the way. A very good friend of mine just lost her mother. I was talking with her last night, and started thinking of the different relationships we all have, no relationship is insignificant. This family has obviously impacted your life, and you will think of them often. Have happy memories, and share them with others. I'll be thinking of you and your community, I hope you can move forward together.

 

[strega7]

Yahzee, I am so sorry to hear about your friends family. Don't be sorry for posting that here. Your Dis friends are here to offer support. This type of tragedy is definately one of those that is hard to comprehend, you only think that you will hear of them on TV, you never expect to have them hit so close to home. You and your friends family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[doberlady]

Yazee- I am so sorry to hear of this.

 

[wendym]

Yazee - you and their family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Wendy

 

[kerickson]

Yazee
I understand how an event like this is so unbelievable and can weigh heavy on your soul. I just found out this weekend that my second cousin committed suicide a few weeks ago. He leaves behind a wife and step daughter. I had only met him once, but his name often came up in family circles. I still can't believe it, and I'm sure yours is even more devastating as innocent family member lives were taken too.

We should all take this time to reach out to those around us with a smile and kind word, you never know what someone might be going through.
I think it's also important to look forward to your cruise too, however, as tragedy reminds us how precious time with our families is. You will be making memories that last forever, no matter what is around life's next corner.

You and your friend's family are in my prayers.

 

[shancan911]

I think it's also important to look forward to your cruise too, however, as tragedy reminds us how precious time with our families is. You will be making memories that last forever, no matter what is around life's next corner.

Very nicely put

 

[yazee1]

Thank you all for your spoken and unspoken kindness and compassion. Kerrickson, I am sorry to hear about your second cousin. You're right, you never really know.

I'm feeling a lot better now that the funeral is scheduled. Also, I've had the opportunity to do more than wring my hands and wonder from afar how my friends are doing. During the funeral, I'll be there either in the kitchen or fellowship hall as one of the volunteers setting up and serving the meal. I get my orders this week from the lady who is coordinating. There's a chance I'll only be needed to cook food and not serve it. In which case, I'll be able to attend the service. Either way is fine.

It's been such a busy week (and will be all the way to Sunday night) that we still haven't made our trip chain! Maybe, we will wait until May 15th and make it a five month chain instead of a six month chain. LOL Anyone else making a chain? I can't remember who said they were or might be.

 

[shancan911]

What a BEAUTIFUL weekend we've had!!! Last weekend was nice, but this...this was phenomenal. Friday, Saturday, today, and tomorrow. In and around 80+, sunny. We're wearing shorts, had the windows all open for fresh air, tried out the a/c, went to the nursery for some flowers, DH cleaned out the garage. I have got the fever. DS and I went to a birthday party today. Birthday boy turning 8, got another same age next week, and then DS in June. They're the 3 musketeers. 8. Wow. I guess that happens. The party was at the bowling alley, and the kids had a blast. Now we're watching the Cav's hopefully going for a sweep today!! I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend, and we'll chat soon!

 

[yazee1]

What's the Cavs?

It's lovely here too. The only downside is the return of the wasps that build their nests somewhere around my back porch but nowhere visible. I think it's under the deck or in the flashing. That porch (or deck) is off the kitchen and that is how we enter and exit the house 99% of the time, so I have my can of nerve gas/wasp killer handy when I go out there. I didn't used to be so aggressive about killing stinging bugs, but I developed a life-threatening allergy to bee stings and I don't want to find out if I'm just as vulnerable to wasps.



We have also made the most of the good weather. We were outside almost all day. This weekend is the spring festival at the local creamery. As a visitor, it's more fun for the kids than for me. They still enjoy the riding the hay wagon, listening to the story teller, playing on the hay piles, seeing all the animals and watching the milking. Personally, I've had my fill of ogling at runny nose calves and watching mud caked milk cows that poop and pee while they're getting mechanically milked. I'm happier behind the scenes. For the past several years I've volunteered at the spring and fall festivals (this year I couldn't commit to it). Some times I'm the guide on the hay ride around the fields, but most of the time I help kids make butter or ice cream. The compensation is good. Free lunch. The best barbecue and fresh cut french fries in Maryland. Of course, it's a creamery so we get free milk, yogurt or ice cream to eat, too.

After the festival, my younger two kids and I scrubbed and sanitized the chicken coops and then transfered the chicks from their indoor cage to an outdoor chick coop. Watching the chicks in their pen is relaxing but I'm glad to have the stinky, little mess makers outside where they belong.

Those are the highlights of my weekend. I'm working tonight. Every hours is a little cash for the cruise.

 

[shancan911]

What's the Cavs?

Sorry, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Our NBA basketball team. I have to admit, I'm not the biggest basketball fan, but when you're from Cleveland and a pro sports team actually does well, you gotta get behind them Our motto here is, "well, there's always next year"
Your dairy festival sounds neat. I was raised a "city girl", and moved to the country about 4 1/2 years ago, albeit we live "in town" now. Our town is really big into 4H and fair activities, we were put on the map, if you will, for dairy. We have a Cheese Festival every year to celebrate the history behind it. Funny, isn't it, how you don't smell the cow poop when you're young?
Hope you have a good shift tonight. Our weather was so Caribbean like this weekend, I'm getting ready!

 

[ajzwahlen]

YAY!!! Go Cavs!!!

 

[yazee1]

Your dairy festival sounds neat. I was raised a "city girl", and moved to the country about 4 1/2 years ago, albeit we live "in town" now. Our town is really big into 4H and fair activities, we were put on the map, if you will, for dairy. We have a Cheese Festival every year to celebrate the history behind it. Funny, isn't it, how you don't smell the cow poop when you're young?
Hope you have a good shift tonight. Our weather was so Caribbean like this weekend, I'm getting ready!

Oh, duh, me about the Cav's. I thought maybe it was a new reality show featuring a family with a long last named starting with Cav. LOL

I'm actually a city girl, too. I was born and raised in the city of Philadelphia. I'm talking real Philly, not an outlying suburb. My first experience with livestock and farm-fresh produce came from shopping at the Italian Market in South Philly. Of course, there were no cows at the market, but the butcher did have crates of chickens and rabbits right there at his stall. (My memory of the live animals at the Italian market is from the early 70's. Most likely, the health department put a stop to that soon after.)

One of my part-time jobs is as an inventory auditor for RGIS. This company does inventory for retail stores and supermarkets. There's a "day" shift and a "night" shift. Daytime auditors start before the store opens, sometime between 4am and 6am. I don't do that. I'm an evening auditor. We usually start our inventories when the store closes Depending on whether we are counting the backroom, it's between 7pm-9pm (earlier on Sunday).

It's a great part-time job for someone with kids and a spouse. If the start time is late enough and the location is close enough, our family can have dinner together before I have to leave. Inventories usually take three to six hours depending on the store and the crew. Usually, I'm home by midnight or 1am, occasionally, I get home at some ungodly hour, like 4am. Since my kids are homeschooled and old enough to get their own breakfast and start their schoolwork, I can sleep in.

The pay's not bad for a p/t job that requires no education and allows for a very flexible availability schedule. We submit our availability (via email) two weeks in advance and the scheduling supervisor only schedules us for the shifts we're available (if there is work available that shift).

I could get into a cheese fair. I love cheese! I love festivals! Even though, I'd be happy to skip the cow barn, my favorite event of the year is the county fair. 4-H is big here, too. My kids aren't interested. The boys are heavily involved in Scouts and Leah is part of a Keepers At Home group in which the girls do a lot of things kids can do through 4-H.

It is very warm and lovely out today. I hate to call the kids inside to finish their school work but break time is over.

 

[TheDawnPatrol]

Hello Everyone!

We got our airfare the other day, so the family is very excited. Hard too believe we are down to just 5 1/2 months to go.

The Cavs definitely look like the team to beat this year!

Regards,
Pete

 

[bourgie]

Woo Hoo!! Cruise is paid!!!!!!!

Less than 6 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[missusem]

Congrat Bourgie...

Anyone else thinking about Swine Flu and Mexico... ??

 

[aan1701]

YAY!!! Go Cavs!!!

The Cavs definitely look like the team to beat this year!

Regards,
Pete

Um I hate to tell everyone this, but the LAKERS are the team to beat. GO LAKERS!!!!! Remeber the Lakers are the only team to beat the Cavs at home when the Cavs were at full strength. Oh and when the Lakers did that, the Lakers were not at full strength.