Wednesday, May 30, 2007

My heroes

Missing camp

How was everyone's Memorial weekend? Mine was okay, nothing special happened. Chuck had a three day weekend and we didn't do anything much except I went to church on Sunday morning then we went to his dad's house and had a cook out. His dad tried awful hard to get Chuck and I to stay over night Sunday, but we left to come home. When we came home, Chuck lit a campfire in our fire pit. We have never had a fire before because we never had a place for the fire pit, now that we found a spot we may have them more often. The whole time I was at the campfire... which was hours... I did nothing but talk about my camp memories and sing campfire songs.

I miss camp, I really do! Is it possible for a person to be homesick for camp... campsick? If so I've got it bad!
Being sound asleep in the bottom bunk and suddenly hearing someone out in the hallway banging pots and pans to wake us up, nearly giving me a heart attack in the process!
Being made by the unit leaders to attend flag raising so we'll get unit points.
Walking out front door and feeling the cool air and walking/rolling to the flagpole, still half asleep and wondering if "he" will be out there.
Entering the mess hall and finding a spot at one of the tables for you and your attendant to sit and have breakfast.
Joining the rest of my unit after breakfast to help decorate and clean up our cabins to win "clean cabin".
Doing an arts and crafts activity down in the boy's cabin, usually we'd do this before lunch.
We would usually do another activity before lunch, like play sports... such as soccer or T-ball or have a water fight (which would turn into a shaving cream fight).
Then we'd go eat lunch and most likely sit by both our attendant and "him" and maybe his camper.
After lunch, we'd retire back to are cabins for a little rest and relaxation (although I do not think the older girl units got much R&R).
Opening the front door again and suddenly feeling the heat and the humidity of a hot summer day.
Going to the pool with towels in hand and being ready to go for a swim.
And being so excited because "he" asked me to swim with him.
Feeling the coolness of the water as it ran over your legs while you floated as your attendant pulled you in the water.
Hurrying to the concession stand for a drink and a snack after swimming, and flirting with "him".
At this time you were getting ready for a special evening, either it be the banquet, the talent show, the hayride, or the dance.
If it wasn't the banquet night, we would all headover to the mess hall for dinner.
Making sure I would sit by "him".
If it was banquet night, we would all get dressed up and do our hair and our makeup (all most like what you do for prom) and wait for our date to arrive.
More than likely it would be "him".
Walking into the mess hall with our date to see a dimly lit room with the tables scooted to make one long table, which were covered with a tablecloth and candles and decorations.
After our wonderful meal, we would walk/roll to the campfire, with our attendant and sing songs or watch the rookie attendants initiation.
Then we'd all go to bed and wait for the guys to give you goodnight kisses, especially from "him".
Except no one actually went to bed, we would all join in a room and share and recap our day and talk about what would happen tomorrow.
"Friends I will remember you, think of you, pray for you... and when the day is through, I'll still be friends with you".

Thursday, May 24, 2007

The first step, rental houses

By this time, Sharon and her new roommate, Carol, were looking into different houses to buy for rental properties. So she would come over to borrow my digital camera and I would then transfer the pictures from the memory card to the computer. After doing that I would e-mail the copies to Rassel. Yes, I knew both of his e-mail addresses and his yahoo ID, she had given me his yahoo ID a week after she returned from Bangladesh and he gave me both of his e-mail addresses. I loved being able to talk to him on Yahoo, after awhile I could see why Sharon fell for him like she did. He did not speak very good English but he could type it somewhat, reading some of his typings took a lot of patience and understanding but once you knew what he was talking about he seemed like a pretty decent... and innocent... guy.

After her trip to Bangladesh, Sharon asked me to look for a lawyer on the Internet that specializes in visas. Wanting to stay on her good side and not getting her mad at me... because I have witnessed how she acts when she is angry at someone, look how she disowned her kids... I found one for her. When the lawyer had directed her to an Internet site to fill out the paperwork for a Visa, I offered to help her fill it out. I did not think that meant for me to end up filling out most of it, I thought she would fill out more than the little bit of personal/financial information that she did.

There was a little place to put it in her income, and she wasn't make any money. They needed this information because you need to be able to prove you can support your spouse when they come over, so said the lawyer. So that is why her and Carol were looking in to rental properties, she wanted the rent money to count towards income. They eventually got a nice trailer... she bought it upfront because she had the money from her divorce settlement... that they fixed up. The guy who used to own the trailer was in an accident and was in a wheelchair and and made the trailer pretty accessible. I think that the guy was sent to a home, so his trailer was put on the market after being adopted by the bank after the guy had failed to make his mortgage payments.

She put up flyers for a renter all over town and got information from a lawyer on what kind of information to include on a lease contract. She finally found a renter with good credit and they started the lease the next month. They had lots of children and the wife started a day care in the home.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

The Republican candidates

I know I have been writing on the problems with my mother in law. But after the death of Gina and reading some of her past posts, I have decided to write about my thoughts about certain things. Do not worry because I will still reflect on my memories of Sharon, it's just my turn now.

I was watching some of the debates of the candidate's running for the Republican party. I never choose a president based on the party that he/she is affiliated with. I go based on the views of the individual presidential candidate. I didn't watch the whole thing from the beginning, so I can't say who I was leaning more towards. But as soon as they got on the subject of abortion, I started leaning more towards Mayor Giuliani.

I know abortion is a tricky subject for some people, I have often tried to to avoid the subject by any means possible. But some views on this subject really makes my heart start thumping. Yes, I am pro-life. I do not believe people should abort their children, especially if the mother is able to carry the child to full term without any risks. There are many people, I being one of them, who are wanting to adopt and more and more people choose either to abort or to keep their child. The problem with this is adopting children is starting to become very difficult and problematic.

However, there is one side me that is pro-choice. If the woman is expecting a child and learns she will not be able to carry the child to full term without the risk of losing the baby. If I was to become pregnant, there is a chance that not only would I have a stillborn baby but I could very well lose my life as well. So I would have to abort because my husband has made it clear to me that he does not want to lose me too. So that is where my pro-choice fits in.

Mayor Giuliani felt the same way I do. He was pro-life until mother's life was in danger also, then he was pro-choice. When President Bush passed the law that all abortion was illegal after a few months, that really made me mad. He was saying that it's morally wrong to murder a child in the womb, but if you read between the lines he was just about saying that it the child is aborted it is murder but if the child dies in the womb it is okay. It is still okay if the mother dies too. So I guess that he is saying that it is okay for doctors to basically murder the child and the mother at the same time. What sense does this make? Besides, a lot of people do not even find out that they're pregnant until a few months later which is about the time it becomes illegal.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

I love you Gina Bauer!

I received e-mail from Gina... Gina 2... about G. being in the hospital. This news took me by surprise. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been able to keep in contact with my fellow camp friends. She is like the glue that has held us together, I can't imagine how tough it may be its she is unable to pull through this.She got pretty sick this morning and went to St. Francis hospital by EMS. They had to intubate her and knocked out her two front teeth as they did. she has pneumonia and a collased lung. She is a fighter as we all know and we are lifing her up in prayer to the God she knows loves and trusts in. She has a hard time lately.. In this past year she has gotten somewhat weaker. But always ready to take on a new day. She is in ICU at this time. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

Monday, May 14, 2007

We have decided to gravel

Chuck and I still have not had our yard surveyed yet. We still couldn't figure out whether we should or should not. Since it's getting warmer outside, we have been spending more time out and looking at our yard. The front yard would look really decent if we laid gravel along the circular driveway, but we were told that several years ago half of the driveway was involved in a neighborly dispute. The guy that lived in the cabin next our home argued that the right driveway belonged to his property. No one has lived in that cabin for many many years, but when we bought this house the right driveway was blocked off which had Chuck and I worried.

There were many poles and a few that were cemented in place, and they had orange markings on the top so we pretty much figured that they had once had it surveyed at one time. So Chuck measured from pole to pole in our yard and the poles in other yards. So we have figured out that the driveway is ours, so is our water well and so is our septic drainage hole. So once were able to come up with the extra money, we can gravel the driveway.

Hooray!!!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Only in America....

Only in America......a pizza can get to your housefaster than an ambulance.
Only in America......are there handicap parkingplaces in front of a skating rink.
Only in America.....do we use answering machines toscreen calls and then have call waiting so we won'tmiss a call from someone we didn't want to talk toin the first place.
Only in America.....do drugstores make the sick walkall the way to the back of the store to get theirprescriptions while healthy people can buycigarettes at the front.
Only in America......do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
Only in America......do banks leave both doors openand then chain the pens to the counters.
Only in America......do we leave cars worththousands of dollars in the driveway and put ouruseless junk in the garage.
Only in America......do we! buy hot dogs in packagesof ten and buns in packages of eight.
Only in America......do we use the word 'politics'to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latinmeaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsuckingcreatures'.
Only in America. .....d o they have drive-up ATMmachines with Braille lettering.
Only in America......can a homeless combat veteranlive in a cardboard box and a draft dodger live inthe White House.
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EVER WONDER ....
Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
Why women can't put on mascara with their mouthclosed?
Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?!
Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, anddishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the man who invests all your money called abroker ?
Why is the time of day with the slowest trafficcalled rush hour?
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
Why do they sterilize the needle for lethalinjections?
You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?! !
Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
Why are they called apartments when they are allstuck together?
If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress theopposite of progress?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airportthe terminal?
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In case you needed further proof that the human raceis doomed through stupidity, here are some actual label instructions on consumer goods:

1. On Sears hairdryer: "Do not use while sleeping".
[Gee, that's the only time I have to work on myhair]

2. On a bag of Fritos: "You could be winner! Nopurchase necessary. Details inside".
[Evidently, the shoplifter special]

3. On a bar of Dial soap: "Directions: Use likeregular soap."
[And that would be how...?]

4. On some Swanson frozen dinners: "Servingsuggestions: Defrost."
[But it's *just* a suggestion]

5. On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom ofbox): "Do not turn upside down".
[Oops, too late, you lose!! ]

6. On Marks &Spencer Bread Pudding: "Product willbe hot after heating.
[As sure as night follows the day . . . . .]

7. On packaging for a Rowenta iron: "Do not ironclothes on body".
[But wouldn't this save even more time?]

8. On Boot's Children's Cough Medicine: "Do notdrive a car or operate machinery after taking thismedication".
[We could do a lot to reduce the rate ofconstruction accidents if we could just get those5-year-olds with head-colds off those forklifts.]

9. On Nytol Sleep Aid: "Warning: May causedrowsiness".
[One would hope]

10. On most brands of Christmas lights: "For indooror outdoor use only".
[As opposed to what?]

11. On a Japanese food processor: "Not to be usedfor the other use".
[I gotta admit, I'm curious].

12. On Sainsbury's peanuts: "Warning: Containsnuts".
[NEWS FLASH]

13. On an American Airlines packet of nuts:"Instructions: open packet,eat nuts."
[Step 3: Fly Delta]

14. On a child's Superman costume: Wearing of thisgarment does not enable you to fly".
[I don't blame the company. I do blame parents forthis one!]


15. On a Swedish chain saw: " Do not attempt to stopchain with your hands or genitals".
Was there a chance of this happeningsomewhere?.....Good grief!]

Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turnto spread the stupidity and send this to someone youwant to bring a smile to (maybe even a chuckle)...inother words, send it to everyone. We ALL NEED ASMILE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE America......

Her trip to Bangladesh

As soon as she returned from Bangladesh, Sharon told me how happy she was that her and Rassel were now married. They had gotten married on the first of August... Like the day after the she got there... At the court house. She told me all about how her mother-in-law and all of the people in the village threw her and Rassel a reception after their wedding. How she was basically treated like royalty while over there and how wonderful the people were... I kept thinking that she was probably treated so well because she was a foreigner but their attitudes would change if she lived there. Chuck told me that if she ended up living there, she would most likely end up being beheaded like all those reporters on the news. She didn't seem to pay any attention to how dangerous things are over there, she was too struck by a puppy love.

Rassel was an absolute dream, said Sharon. He treated her like an angel and paid attention to her the whole time she was there. She wanted to stay there longer but had to return because she had gotten so sick. During her stay, the mother-in-law ended up taking her to the emergency room and the doctor had told her she needed to start getting protein in her body. All they eat over there was rice and being American she needed meat. Not only that but her asthma started acting up again she was unable to get a refill for it, but Rassel's brother had the same breathing troubles as Sharon so she was able to borrow his breathing apparatus.

It did make me mad when she kept talking about the village and the people living there. Sharon would say that they were a close knit family oriented group of people. How the grand mother was in the same house as her son and grandchildren and next door to her nieces and nephews. She really wishes that were like that in the US, but instead we are too busy for one another and would rather put the older people in a nursing home. However, I kept thinking well I doubt that anyone would have disowned their own children, besides if it was so good are over there why did you come back?

Sharon would complain that she now had no way to see the kids. I mentioned this to their dad we made a deal so that whenever kids came over and she was around, I would call her and tell her to come over. She may have disrespected my brother in law and my husband, but she was still their mother and the kids grandmother. So I didn't think it was right for me to stand in the way and I kind of wanted to stay on her good side. So I went ahead and tried to help her by filling out some forms over the Internet to get Rassel a visa so he could come over here. It was not a simple task either, it literally took me months to complete.

At one point when the kids were over and so was she, Sharon wanted the kids to promise her that they would not get married until they were 30. She started telling them that before 30 everyone is just too young and immature to get married, they all end in a divorce anyway. Carrie said that her dad had married her mom before there were 30. Sharon told Carrie that her dad was way too young and look how his marriage ended. She would not let this subject go until the kids had promised her. I was starting to get very upset by this time and I came close to telling her off. I just started shaking my head and then I told her well your son and I got married when we were in our early 20s and we are still married eight years later! So don't be making the kids promise you some thing if it can be prevented by good role models. After saying this, she did not say anymore on this subject.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Hilarious!

WAYS TO TURN DOWN UNWANTED MEN !!!!
HE : Can I buy you a drink?
SHE : Actually I'd rather have the money.
HE : I'm a photographer. I've been looking for a face like yours.
SHE : I'm a plastic surgeon. I've been looking for a face like yours.
HE : Hi. Didn't we go on a date once? Or was it twice?
SHE : Must've been once. I never make the same mistake twice.
HE : How did you get to be so beautiful?
SHE : I must've been given your share.
HE : Will you go out with me this Saturday?
SHE : Sorry. I'm having a headache this weekend.
HE : Your face must turn a few heads.
SHE : And your face must turn a few stomachs.
HE : Go on ,don't be shy. Ask me out.
SHE : Okay, get out.
HE : I think I could make you very happy.
SHE : Why? Are you leaving?
HE : What would you say if I asked you to marry me?
SHE : Nothing. I can't talk and laugh at the same time.
HE : Can I have your name?
SHE : Why? Don't you already have one?
HE : Shall we go see a movie?
SHE : I've already seen it.
HE : Where have you been all my life?
SHE : Hiding from you.
HE : Haven't I seen you some place before?
SHE : Yes. That's why I don't go there anymore.
HE : Is this seat empty?
SHE : Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.
HE : So, what do you do for a living?
SHE : I'm a female impersonator.
HE : Hey baby, what's your sign?
SHE : Do not enter.
HE : Your body is like a temple.
SHE : Sorry, there are no services today.
HE : If I could see you naked, I'd die happy.
SHE : If I saw you naked, I'd probably die laughing.

August of 2005

Now it was the month of August and Maggie had to have surgery done in her stomach. Ken asked me if I would watch the kids while he was at work, since the kids for out of school and I didn't work. I was so happy to be watching them, it makes me feel good that I people actually trust me with watching their children. For the longest time Ken had a hard time trusting me being left alone with the kids, especially his youngest, Carrie, when she was baby. Now that they were eight and nine, he had an easier time trusting me this time.

We had a lot of fun, they are a great bunch of kids. They did want to stay in side most of the day though and it would warm up to be a very lovely day. They mostly stayed in to play my Sims two game, but I would make them go out for at least an hour every day. I realize that our house was not an exciting, child ready... We didn't have a swingset nor a kiddie pool... But Chuck and I spent hours outside when we were kids, we would have climbed the trees in our yard are gone out in the backyard and explored the woods that surround our house.

I still remember the month I spent with them like it was just last month. Hard to believe it was two years ago! I do have some photos that were taken during this time.


This picture was taken by Brenden of Carrie and I
This Photo of Brenden was taken by Carrie

Friday, May 04, 2007

Visits from my mother-in-law

Sharon got into a fight with her brother after their trip overseas, she had told Bill that he was not her brother any longer. She was still angry with Amber for her disappearance while in India. All Amber was doing was just being a typical teenager... She was only 18 at the time! When they got back, Sharon started acting childish towards Amber like ignoring her when she entered the room, when Bill had confronted Sharon about her childish attitude she told Bill he was taking sides and believing Amber when all she was doing was lying about her attitude on the trip. That is when Sharon told Bill that they are no longer brother and sister. So Sharon found a place here in town with a pastor and his wife, they own the church she attended while living here.

Whenever I'd be outside she would drive up and visit while Chuck was at work. Then she started showing up with a little white dog, it was a Jack Russell terrier named Bebe. It was a darling little dog that was all white with light brown spots all over its body, she had big buggy brown eyes and she looked just like Bambi! I had my big Labrador retriever at this time, but they seemed to get along quite well. Our front yard was not fenced in yet, so Chelsea was hooked up to an underground shock fence and since Bebe was a runner Sharon kept her on a leash.

The kids would even come over every once in a while to visit me. Sharon would come over to see them, I didn't have a problem with this for she was their Mamaw. She brought them some of the gifts that she bought them in India. When she gave the stuff she had told them it was from both her and Rassel. The gifts were simple, but cute, pairs of clothing. Carrie got a pair of sandals and a nice sundress, Brenden got some shoes and shorts with a shirt. The shirt was three times to small and Carrie did not like the sundress saying it looked to babyish, but they liked everything else. Sharon did get them other stuff besides clothes, but I cannot recall exactly what they were right now... So I guess it's not important!

After a few weeks, Sharon started planning her trip to Bangladesh the following month. She did not talk to me about her plans like she did before going to India. But everyone knew what she was going over for. I did know that she planned to be in Bangladesh for about two weeks.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Her trip to India

My husband got me a new microphone with a USB plug yesterday. Now that it is working I can write more often than once a week, maybe I will write twice a week now.

When his mom walked in I felt a feeling of dred turning circles in my stomach. I couldn't believe what he brought home, I was still upset with her for telling both of her kids that she isn't their mother anymore. She didn't even disown them to their faces, instead she CALLED them! She took the cowards way out!!!!!!!

All she did was talk about her trip to India and how wonderful Rassel was. She even showed me some pictures that she took during her stay. Never once asking me how my trip was nor what we did. She didn't even ask to see the pictures I had taken. Instead all I heard was Rassel this and Rassel that. I did notice that she never mentioned the people that she went over with nor did she have any pictures of them. She told me about the hotel that her, Rassel, and her niece stayed in. About how Rassel would take them shopping and was able to bargain with the owner about the prices. How her and her niece, Amber, got in a horrific fight about Amber's spending habits and Amber disappearing for several hours and being caught by the pool flirting with a pool attendant there. She then told me that Rassel had proposed to her before he left to go home. I didn't say anything at this point, not only was I sick of hearing about Rassel but I couldn't believe she actually excepted a proposal from a kid!

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Hey everyone!

Check out the bottom of my page.

My Heroes

Photos `