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news of the world, well at least of the little place hereGlad you decided to drop in, good to see you! 2008/11/02 Soulard Mardi Gras 2009 poster contestI have entered the Soulard Mardi Gras poster contest, and here is my entry (acrylic paint, thinned and used on paper). The contest will be held Thursday Nov 6th from 6 pm to 10 pm at the Soulard Art Market - at the corner of Russell and 12th Street in Soulard. (voting is in person only). There are around 40 entries from what the person who accepted my poster told me. I will give an update after the contest, wish me luck! (and if you are in the area, please vote!)
Halloween went well. We had some great trick-or-treaters this year. I did not do much in the way of a costume for myself, as I was too busy with welcoming a new grandchild among other things. Next year I will be back to form with a costume to greet the T-or-T's. Marty brought Chris and Clayton over to trick-or-treat in the neighborhood, and John went with them while I handled the goodie basket. Both boys had a blast and they went home with lots of treats. I took some photos and I will have them on here soon. Keegan went trick-or-treating as well - on Oct 30 instead, as they held it one day earlier in Ohio. I made costumes for both Keegan and Kiley, and hope to have pics of them as well to show. All is going well with Kiley, and Keegan is thrilled with his new baby sister. He is helping as much as allowed. :-) More later! Hugs and thanks for dropping by. 2008/10/28 Kiley Elise has arrived Kiley Elise was born on October 24, 2008 at 4:40 pm. She weighed 6 lb 15 oz and measured 20 inches. Her hair is a light reddish blonde (strawberry blonde) and has a 'widow's peak' for a hairline. Her skin is very clear - no birthmarks or patches. She already shows a great personality in the few days she has been here. Her disposition is one of contentedness unless she is hungry, and then she does not scream about it but lets you know in a quiet way first, then a bit louder but not really crying. She moves a lot, and the pediatrician said she was pretty strong in her neck already the way she can move it when turning her head. No bobbing around, but a clear turn. She is just a little peanut in size, and as cute as anything! She came out face up instead of turned downward, so she should have a positive personality. After all, she did arrive looking up at the world! There are some photos that I took at the hospital , the first 12 are mine and more to be added as others send them to me. Just see the album with her name on it. :-) Keegan is delighted about his little sister Kiley and is trying to help Mommy and Daddy whenever he can. Karina is doing well, and Frank is beaming. John and I got to go to Ohio for the birth and spent the weekend with Keegan while Karina and Frank were at the hospital with Kiley, and we went home Sunday after they were released and got settled in. It was a miracle watching the birth, and I am so very proud of Karina and Frank. 2008/10/08 October 8 2008Lots of things happening, and not enough time in the days to handle it all. I woke up and could not return to sleep right away, so here I am at long last. Karina and Frank are in Ohio settled into their home, and our fourth grandchild - a girl - is due in a couple of weeks. Keegan is excited about seeing his little sister. I am SOOOOOOO hoping to be there for the birth as I was with the others (I got to actually witness Keegan's birth - how utterly awesome to see such a wonderous event, and was at least in the hospital for Clayton and Chris as Joan had to have c-sections), but I am not sure if I will make it with a 6 hour drive ahead of me when I get the call! From this point on, I will have a bag packed in the car trunk so I don't have to take extra time for that. John wants to be there too, but he may be out on the road driving to some distant location at the time. Hopefully not! I really do hope we both make it there. All is fine, and Karina plans on working up to the time of labor onset. She is teaching aqua-aerobics classes and is at a one-hour photo lab too (yes, she has two jobs and is working a lot even now). She will be off work for awhile, which will be different for her for sure! I brought Karina and Keegan here (yes made the drive both ways to get her and then take her back home) just for the weekend 2 weekends ago. She got to see a few people, they both went to a ballgame with me - Frank was supposed to go to the game but he had to work - and it was a good but all too fast time while they were here. Joan and Marty are doing well, as are Clayton and Chris. Clayton loves his new teacher and enjoys school, and Chris's leukemia is in remission (only another year or so for the chemo treatments, and then lots of checks after that). My oyster parties are doing okay, but I need to pick up more parties. Life was crazy more than usual for awhile and I could not handle doing very much, so now I don't have as many lined up. It is perfect timing for the holidays though, so I am working on it. Pearls do make the perfect gift! Reason why it was crazier than usual... I have been having some health issues, and the doctor sent me for a stress test and EKG. They showed heart damage from previous heart attack(s), irregularities, blockage, and two different sets of rhythms going back and forth from slow to fast to slow. When they followed up with a cardiac catheterization a week later, there was no longer any damage or blockage, the irregularites were gone, and I still have the two sets of rhythms (they are not sure about how to handle that yet). There were a lot of people concentrating on me, and I feel that is a pretty powerful thing. The procedure was interesting, and I was totally awake for the entire thing. I found out the reason I only felt anything was at the point of entry and certain other items such as dye was because there are no nerves inside veins, arteries and heart. The screen showed some cool stuff, and the doctor was fine on answering my questions about what I saw and heard. The bad part was not being able to raise my head past a few inches and having to lay with my legs and torso totally still for hours (or the artery would have opened up - and I would have had to have some very fast repair before bleeding to death!) They put a special closure device around my artery which takes 90 days to dissolve. If that was not used, it would have been an extra 9 hours of lying there! I am grateful to whomever invented that tiny but awesome item. Well, I am heading back to bed. I am not sure if I will be back here before our newest angel arrives. Until next time, be happy and enjoy life!!!! 2008/06/24 Happy Summer! Hi! Is it warm enough for you yet if you are in the northern hemisphere? It is not bad outside today, but everything is getting drenched - the rain is pouring down at the moment even though it was sunny awhile ago (and will be again soon). We have had a lot of hail lately, and some people have been experiencing tornadoes. The levees along the Mississippi and Missouri are totally full and ready to burst at the seams in some areas. Most of the places are fields, but there are some towns and rural homes that have been or could be affected as well. More rain is not needed at this time. Either we get a LOT of rain in a season, or not near enough. Ah well! One of the things people can not control - the weather. But they can still try to save or salvage as much as possible, hence sandbagging. I am glad our home is not in or near a flood plain! I turned 55 on Saturday June 21, and it was a nice weekend for it. I received several cards, heard from the kids, Keegan sang 'happy birthday my Bobbie' over the phone (it was so awesomely cute), and John and I went out to eat with JoAnn and Ed. Karina, yes when we get together again I would love a birthday cake! I am glad I finally reached the 55 mark, as now I can go to the Y at a much lesser price. There are some very positive things about this age! For those of you who do not yet know, Karina, Frank and Keegan (who turned 3 years in May) moved to Ohio a few months ago. We miss seeing them immensely, and the cell phone has become a fabulous thing as it keeps us in touch quite a bit. I am thankful that we don't live in pioneer times, as a letter a month would be agony!!! It is so nice to be able to hear their voices at least. Their home is very nice, as is the neighborhood. Kind of like a Leave It To Beaver street, winding around and sidewalks, with families taking walks and greeting each other, kids on bicycles, a very friendly atmosphere. I just wish it was closer than 6 or so hours away! Gas prices be darned, we will still visit each other - just not like we could before. Christopher is doing well, still on treatments of chemo and steroids but coming along nicely. Clayton is heading for first grade and growing like a weed. They both look happy and healthy. Marty and Joan have gotten their place ready to put on the market, so we may be seeing another move soon. I am not sure where they will decide to go yet, as Marty wants to move into a rural area about 1/2 hour or so further out while Joan would like to move in closer to their jobs. We will see what happens later on. :-) Happy Anniversary to both of our children and their spouses! June 22 - Karina and Frank (6 years) June 23 - Joan and Marty (7 years) Happy birthday to Marty - June 19th, he is now 35! Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there. (Mid to late June has always been a big one for birthdays, etc in our family) I am doing well with my oyster parties (if anyone is interested just let me know, I can set you up with someone if you are too far away). It really is awesome! We are getting a new catalog next week and I can't wait to see it. I got to see a few pieces of jewelry from it already and they are gorgeous! Enjoy the wonderful weather of June (not nearly as hot as what is coming in a few weeks), listen to the crickets and birds, and soak in the relaxation that comes from it. Hugs and thanks for stopping by! 2008/03/01 Welcome Home Geno!My son-in-law Frank's twin brother Geno arrived home from Iraq today! I know his wife Sarah and their two boys are somewhere on Cloud Nine right now as is Geno - and I hope you all don't come down off that happiness and joy cloud for a long time. Thanks Geno for all you did over there, but I am sooooooooooooooo glad you are back here! Stick around this time, you have gone over there more than once, and that is enough for one person to handle. You need to be able to enjoy your family - you have hardly been with them since way before Xavier was born - and he is almost 3 years old. You all need to celebrate for weeks! Hugs to you all.
WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2008/01/30 Birthdays and a great emailHi and welcome back!
It is sunny out, but the sun is just a tease since it is only 14 F degrees. We are supposed to be getting snow starting Thursday and into Friday. They are predicting at least 4-6 inches, but we will see... I have heard that before and we got a dusting. It would be nice to have a bit of snow for a change instead of just bitter cold.
It was my brother-in-law Ed's birthday on Jan 28, and on Jan 31 my son-in-law Frank, his twin Geno, and one of my 'other daughters' Melissa celebrate their birthdays.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ALL!
   I hope you get your wishes and that you have a glorious year ahead. I know one person got his wish already, but I can not say what it is yet. I will just say "I am so delighted for you!"
I received this great email from a co-worker today, and it is one that just has to be shared.
Someone can love you, but you make yourself happy.
Someone can teach you, but you must apply what you learn.
Someone can coach you, but you must win the game.
Someone can give you an opportunity, but you must show up capable and prepared.
Someone can tell you truth or lies, but you must learn discernment.
Someone can tempt you, but you must learn discipline.
Someone can offer you advice, but you must learn to trust your own inner knowing.
Someone can be selfish and withhold love, but you must learn how to give.
Someone can pity you, but you must learn to bear your own sorrow.
Someone can reject and leave you, but you must learn to feel whole.
Someone can ignore you, but you must see your own value and worth.
Someone can help you, but you must learn to do for self.
Someone can hold a grudge, but you must learn how to forgive.
Someone can show you a new way, but you must want the change.
Someone can offer you love, but you must feel worthy of receiving love.
Someone can encourage you, but you must motivate yourself.
Have a great and blessed day! See you soon! 2008/01/25 gosh it is cold outside!It was 11 when I was heading into work this morning. brrr! We have been having a very cold spell for the past week. I believe at least one record was broken for lowest on a certain date but I am not sure. If we had snow instead of frigid conditions, I would be delighted!
All is well in the family. The kids and grandsons are not sick (there are a lot of colds and stuff going around, so I am surprised), John is healing nicely and is back to work, and I am much better.
I thought you would enjoy reading this email that I received about the purposes of grandmother's apron. I still wear one at times (in fact I have a few hand-me-downs that still get used), and I can attest that it is a very good thing to have. Enjoy!
Aprons
------ Have a fabulous day and if you are experiencing winter, stay warm with some hot tea - or hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course)! If on the other hand you are where it is now summer, enjoy some iced tea and a fan! 2008/01/14 new year has begun...2007 seemed to fly by! It is already well into January.
I have added a few new photos of Christmas week.
The pearl parties are going well. There was an awards dinner this past weekend and I was third in sales for 2007! (I started in July, and most of the others had been in a year or more, so that was pretty cool). I also received "most consistent demonstrator of 2007". We will see what happens this year - maybe I will end up first or second place. :-)
My brother Al and his family came into town during Christmas, and we had a great visit. I wish they could come more often. We spent a lot of time with the family this year, and had fun at my cousin Laura's for our traditional Christmas Day family reunion.
The ladies in the family are all going to get together next month at the St Louis Tea Room as well. It is a wonderful place, nice and relaxing - I know the first timers will love it. The food is delicious, and the atmosphere is delightful.
I am also starting my masters in computer education in 2 days. Lots to do this year!
My diabetes is still well under control, so that is good too.
Chris is doing well with his leukemia. They have started him on a new chemo drug (they have to switch from time to time or the cells will become immune and grow once more - we don't want that for sure!)
My nephew Tom and his wife Jenny have found out that they are going to have a boy (their second child - first one is also a boy). Congratulations!
All my grandsons are doing well. It is so awesome to be able to spend time with them when we can. Keegan gets to stay the night sometimes, and Papa and I love that a lot! It is fabulous to be a grandparent.
Our friends the Davenports had a wedding this past month. Their middle child Phillip got married to Ruthie. They made a very nice couple, and they have been best friends forever before they got married. Best wishes for a long and happy life together!
Well, I guess that is it for now... more later (hopefully not so much later!!!)
Hugs and enjoy a cup of tea!
 2007/11/09 Worthwhile ProjectHi! My sorority is donating to a special project, and I think it is worthy enough to extend to friends and family. Please read on:
Changing lives one stove at a time. This winter, Onset resident Caroline Carton will devote her time, money and resources to help improve the quality of life for families living in the Guatemalan village of San Pedro de la Laguna by building masonry wood burning stoves. Here are the details: What may seem like a simple commodity in America is a necessary tool for survival in the remote lakeside village. Since the late 1980’s, hundreds of San Pedro residents, including many children, have suffered from severe respiratory illness caused by the way they cook with an indoor fire pit. In fact, according to the World Health Organization, the problem is so severe it is the leading cause of death in Guatemalan children under the age of five. My goal is to spend January in the village to build at least 20 new stoves. However, I cannot do it without raising the necessary funds. $100 is all it takes to build one stove, but any donation, even $1, would help. I don’t want to say the Mayan people are destitute or poor, because that is generally associated with money. You leave there and you think, ‘what is poor’? . These people have other things that money can’t buy, family, community, and love of the earth. What they don’t have is financial resources to make their quality of life healthier. Donations can be sent to Caroline Carton directly at P.O. Box 1598, Onset, MA, 02558. For a tax-deductible donation, checks can be made out to Xi Delta Nu, a national non-profit organization sponsoring me. For more information contact me directly at carcarton@gmail.com.
2007/11/04 Gosh, it's November already!Hi again. Sorry it took so long for me to get back here and update. Life has been busy to say the least.
The pearl parties are going well - if anyone is interested in hosting a party please do not hesitate to talk with me - I do all the work including sending out the invitations (in fact everything but supplying some simple refreshments if desired), and you get to enjoy the party with your friends AND get some fabulous free pearl jewelry!
Okay, commercial is done, back to other subjects, giggle.
John and I have not gotten out on the motorcycle for awhile now, and probably won't until spring now that the weather is changing. His shoulder and arm got hurt awhile back, and they are still bothering him. His ankle has also been affecting things. Thanks Karina for cutting the grass this weekend, it has really bugged Dad that he could not do that right now and the lawn was getting a bit high.
Halloween was wonderful. The staff dressed up at work. Our department chose a hippies theme. We staged a 'sit-in' as part of the staff contest (no, we didn't win, the department that chose to be Elvis in all his eras got the honor this time). It was fun getting some of my old stuff out of basement storage and get to go back to dressing like I did for a few years again though... home-made bell bottoms before they were the 'in' thing to buy at stores (yes, we did have them in the 60's regardless of the stylists calling it a 70's fashion), batik/tie-dye shawls, ponchos and shirts, fringed leather vests and purses, sandals, headbands with feathers, shells and beads, cool jewelry with flowers and peace symbols, plus peace symbols and flowers painted on faces. I even made some hair extensions from some of my own hair that was cut off years ago - I would have sent it to locks of love with the newer hair had I remembered it was packed away. It was still soft and shiny, like it was just shampooed and cut. I sewed them on the sewing machine and bobbie pinned them on. We brought pot-luck items (giggle, pot-luck, but no pot) for lunch. We had a GROOVY time!
When I got home, it was time to hand out the treats to the neighborhood kiddos. I had whistles, plastic bugs and reptiles, and several kinds of candy to choose from. We had about 30 trick-or-treaters this year, down from years before as the teens grow out of the treats stage and into the party going stage. It will pick back up in a year or two though, as there are lots of toddlers and babies in the neighborhood again.
We also had some special visitors. Karina and Frank brought Keegan (Buzz Lightyear) over to walk around the subdivision, and then Marty and Joan came by with Clayton (Batman) and Chris (monkey for the 2nd year - same costume and it is a bit small, but that is what Chris wanted to be). My sister JoAnn and niece Amy showed up next as they wanted to see the boys, and then my nephew Tom and his wife Jenny brought Mason (tiger) over too. Jenny announced that she is pregnant again, and due May 15th. (Congratulations!) We all sang happy birthday to Karina (28 on Oct 29th), and had some great cake with strawberries and whipped cream from MacArthur's bakery accompanied by ice cream. mmmm! It was a fabulous day and evening.
My diabetes seems to be staying in check for now. I get another 3-month bloodwork on Tuesday morning, and then I will really know if I am doing as well as I think I am. I lost almost 20 pounds total, and then have hit a plateau for now. No matter, it will start back up again.
Karina and Frank were in Ohio about a week ago for a few days. Frank's grandpa has cancer and they wanted to visit with him awhile. I hope he continues to keep a positive outlook on life, as that is one of his most precious traits. It will be difficult, but even cancer can not keep a smile away if a person is strong enough - my mom succumbed to it in 1982, but she still carried that smile no matter how bad the rest of things got. It may have gotten tiny at times, but it was still there. Regardless of cancer taking her body, it never got her spirit. I hope I am half as strong with my diabetes and asthma and what ever else comes along within the years I have left to enjoy.
Well, time to finish up and get ready for bed.
I hope everyone remembered to turn the clock back an hour Sunday morning at 2 am! Have a great week and hope to see you again soon.
2007/07/28 This weekendHello! Things are going well here. Karina and Frank are in Ohio this weekend looking at houses, interviewing for a job, and attending a family reunion. K is also participating in a 5K run/walk. We are dogsitting for them, and it is fun having the two black beauties around for a bit. John and I have gotten used to not having pets except for fish to take care of full time (more freedom and less hair to clean up) but we thoroughly enjoy having the 2 dogs for a little while here and there. They are excellent dogs, and we don't have to leash them anymore when heading for the back yard (with no fence) - they just head out the door, hang around the back yard until done, and then head right back to the door again! Very smart. I have several pearl parties under my belt now and am 'diving' solo as a demonstrator. It is really fun! I added some pics to the album (thanks Karina for the great photo work!). (Also some other subjects on there). There are 4 parties booked in August and 1 in September so far, with a few more people deciding when they would like one. Cindy (next door neighbor and wonderful friend) and I went to the Muny to see The Pajama Game last night. We had a downpour shortly before it began and that caused a 1/2 hour delay in the start time (it is an outdoor ampitheature). When it was able to begin, we all came out from under the covered prominades as the ushers handed out shop towels and helped wipe down seats. After that, it went off without a hitch - just a few sprinkles now and then but nothing to worry enough about to leave. Wow the main actors had fabulous voices, and some of the supporting actors were fabulous at singing and comic situations. A great show! We are thinking of trying to sit in the free seats in the back (we would need binoculars for sure - unlike the seats last night which were season holder ones right up front, same as last week when Karina and I went to see Peter Pan - Marilyn at work has had them for over 20 years - or did she say over 30?) They have 2 more shows this season - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Les Miserables. We will see. Well, I should scoot here. Lots to do! Hugs and see you next time! 2007/07/21 I am beginning a new adventure!Hi and welcome back. All is well with the family and me.
I have decided to start a new subchapter in my book of life. As of a couple weeks ago, I am a Vantel Pearls in the Oyster demonstrator! Most of you are probably either scratching your heads and wondering what the heck that is, or shaking your heads and saying why? Well, I am going to answer both of those questions. Vantel Pearls is a company which provides genuine oysters with real pearls inside and fine jewelry settings to go with them. I provide the means through which someone can obtain the jewelry and have fun at the same time. I found out about Vantel Pearls when my niece Amy hosted a party and I went to it. Then I hosted my own 2 parties. I realized that I wanted to bring the same joy that I got when opening an oyster and seeing my very own unique pearl emerge, so I became a demonstrator. If you want to know more or see my webpage at their site, just go to www.vantelpearls.com/paularosmanitz. It really is a delightful time for guests, hostess, and me too! Choosing from all the oysters, and seeing that cool pearl for the first time is a real rush! 2007/07/04 Independence DayHi and a big welcome hug!
For those of you who are celebrating USA's Independence Day, may it be full of fun and laughter - and hopefully a safe holiday as well. (Some people are not responsible when it comes to fireworks and the hospital emergency rooms are always taking care of minor and major injuries caused by carelessness at this time of year.) Enjoy the barbeques, picnics, parades, fireworks displays (there are some fabulous community ones put on by professionals), and family/friends. Remember too why we have this day in the first place.
Karina and Frank have their house up for sale, and hopefully it will be sold quickly so that they can begin the next phase of their lives together - moving from the starter home into one that they will choose with the features that they would love to have but could not in the current house. I know they will do well.
I am off today, but John had to work. He is however off next week in its place so that he gets a 3-day weekend! JoAnn is having a barbeque this afternoon, so I will head over there soon with potato salad and applesauce (both homemade) in hand. Karina can eat only soft foods right now due to her surgery, so she will enjoy my contributions (I smashed up the potatoes for part of the potato salad so that she could have some).
We are not sure if Marty and Joan will be coming, as they never got back to anyone, but it will be great if they do show up. There is always plenty for everyone, and we do have a great time. My sister and I will probably play canasta as usual later on - and others are always welcome to join us. I wonder if we will have washers or croquet games going?
Until next time, have a great day and stay safe!
Hugs! 2007/06/22 Birthday, Anniversaries, etcWell, I finally made it back here! We have been very busy helping Karina and Frank with their home. It is now on the market as of last Monday, and we have only a couple of items left to accomplish. All windows need to sparkle as does all the chrome, there is a bit of trim left to put up, and a cracked window pane in the basement needs replacing. Other than that, it is just vacuuming and dusting plus keeping things straightened. They keep a clean home anyway so it should not be that big of a deal.
Karina and Frank are not the only ones moving. Marty and Joan will be putting their condo up soon as well.
I had a fabulous birthday yesterday (54), with lots of calls and cards, a gathering at the front desk to give me some gifts and flowers, and then the evening spent at Karina and Frank's house. K and I finished the re-mortaring on the cinder blocks in the basement. It looks quite nice! K made me my favorite dessert (one that I love when in season and home-made) - strawberry-rhubarb pie, yummmmmm. She found a diabetic recipe that actually tastes even better than the original one that has been in the family for eons. I watched her make it and she is a wonderful cook whether she thinks so or not. She also made italian chicken, veggies and mashed potatoes (I had only a small amount of that last item). They put a candle in the pie and sang happy birthday, and Keegan has been practicing for a couple days - he has it down so cute!!!! The notes are right on the mark, and he sings "happy birthday to you Bobbie" always adding on the Bobbie (the next person's birthday song just may have that Bobbie included! Giggle).
Happy anniversary today (June 22) Karina and Frank!!!!
5 years already.
Happy anniversary tomorrow (June 23) Marty and Joan!!!!
6 years for them.
Gosh how time flies!
Speaking of time, I have to go since my break is almost over. Hugs to all! 2007/05/31 Art Show at Keegan's daycare & local school paradeJohn and I had a treat this evening (Thursday) when we attended the art show at Keegan's daycare. It was fun looking at all the work that the children did (of course the infants were assisted and their feet prints were used, but it was still cool to see). It brought me back to the days when I was teaching preschool. Those were fun days, and I really did enjoy seeing what the children would come up with when given an art project to create. I took some pics, and they are in the album. :-)
Update:
The local parochial school had their parade this morning (Saturday) and it went past our house as it always has every year since the school opened in the 60's. The parade has gotten shorter as it used to have bands, a drum and bugle corps (I was in a corps that participated in the parade when in my teens, and both Marty and Karina were in another one that participated for several years), baton twirlers, clowns, etc. Now they are down to one clown and one baton group that has a drum. They did add a few emergency vehicles though. It was still a fun parade to watch, and the little girl from next door came over to sit with me. :-) The kids threw candies, fake coins, and other goodies to us, and we had baskets to collect it all afterward. The school is about 6 blocks away, and they have a school picnic with rides, food, and game booths until 10pm. More later on this... (it is 11am) 2007/05/25 Almost Memorial Day weekendHi! I hope you have some fun plans for the weekend, and take time to remember the military who gave their lives over the years.
My father's second wife passed away May 4. She was his widow, but after he died she took her former married name back. It was odd seeing the obituary in the smaller local paper, as it just ran on May 23 and did not mention my father or us at all. In fact, we did not know of her passing until my sister saw the notice on the 23rd. I know I should not think this way, but she took all of our parents' things and kept them, yet she could not honor him in any way after he died. After being with him for 7 years (actually 5.5 as he developed alzheimers the last year and a half and she put him into the nursing home as soon as possible where he died in 1992), she just dismissed the marriage as if it had never taken place and even did not consider it to be valid anyway as they were both catholic but they got married in my church which was a different religious affiliation, yet kept the items that were supposed to be handed down through the family on my mom's side so that they could go to her children or sold instead. That hurts. I do hope that she was content the past years. We did talk until about 6 years ago when she told me she was going to go back to her former married name as he was the love of her life and she wanted to remain his widow (I think that happens regardless of what you call your last name...), and that the years with my father were not good memories once he developed alzheimers so she did not want to be reminded of it in any way. It was odd when I went to visit him in the nursing home. I was "the sweet girl who came to visit" when I was there, but she was "that mean b....". He did not like her at all after he forgot who she was. She came for a bit, and then did not visit him anymore. I am glad I was there for him the past few weeks of his life, and he did have a flash of recognition for me at the end - he said "I love you Paula" right before he died, and that meant the world to me. I hope that someone was with Lois as well, as no matter how she acted, she had her good and bad points and was greatly loved by her children. Perhaps things could have been different, but who knows? I really do hope that she found peace in her life, and I need to let it go - which I am doing now that I wrote this. (That is part of why I have this journalling blog, for letting go). I sent Kathy a plant in remembrance of her mother, as I know how difficult it must have been to lose her just before Mother's Day.
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Sullivan, Lois J. (nee Morisseau), 89, Friday, May 4, 2007. Wife of the late James M. Sullivan; dear mother of Dennis (Janet) Sullivan & Kathy (Don) Amenn; grandmother of Jason M. Scobbie; sister of Violett 'Tinse' Taylor; dear sister-in-law, aunt, great-aunt & friend. Lois was the owner-operator of 'The Studio', a dance school in South St. Louis. Services: Funeral was from the SCHRADER Funeral Home, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, to burial in Forever Bellerive Cemetery.
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My diabetic training session went well, and I feel better equipped to handle whatever comes along. I got booklets, pamphlets, flyers, etc. plus a few lists of what foods to avoid and what foods to try and include more often. I had no idea of some of the things, and they have changed the "rules" in how they look at sugars and starches. It is quite a bit different than what the authorities used to say to do. Research has really helped in that area.
John and I are watching Clayton and Christopher (who is back on steroids for an ear infection plus his regular chemo meds) tonight while they attend Joan's younger sister's graduation from high school. It is at UMSL since there is not enough room at the high school to hold all the people. They get to have only so many people per graduate, and the boys would be too fidgety anyway. It is better that they don't have to go. Tomorrow night we have Keegan while Karina and Frank attend a concert (if they go - they are still undecided). It is wonderful to be with the grandchildren! I am not sure what we will be doing the rest of the weekend as I have not talked about it with John (he may have made plans that I am not yet aware of), but we have just been invited to Marty and Joan's on Monday for a graduation picnic for her sister, and if it is not raining we also said we would work on the mortar around the concrete blocks in Karina and Frank's basement - perhaps the last thing to fix in the house. Karina and I are buying a rug for their dining room as well. Things are shaping up for both homes, so they will probably be on the market within a short time the way it currently looks. I guess we will be helping both families move as well - that hemi sure does come in handy! giggle.
Body Worlds 3 exhibit is coming to St Louis in October! I am looking forward to it, as we missed it in Las Vegas as we did not have enough time, and then it was over in Chicago before I could get there. http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html
Well, that is about it for now in this hodge-podge life of mine. Have a pleasant weekend and holiday if you are off work, and hope to see you back here soon!
2007/05/22 Keegan's 2nd birthdayKeegan turned 2 on May 19th! Karina, Frank and Keegan came over in the evening and we had a nice quiet evening with BBQ, ice cream, and a movie "Arthur and the Invisibles" = which Keegan absolutely loved. Sunday was the big party with friends and family, and it was a lot of fun. Bocce was one of the games that were enjoyed in the back yard, and Keegan got to take some turns at it along with the adults. He actually did pretty well! Frank BBQ'd and I made my potato salad, among other items to eat. I did not feel too well starting Sunday afternoon and ended up staying home Monday and Tuesday, but am still glad I went to the party, and it was mostly just relaxing with others. I will try to have pics to put here, even though I did not bring my camera along (I forgot it). Karina did take some pics and Frank handled the video portion, so there are some captured memories.
I also got to see Chris and Clayton Saturday early afternoon, as Marty came by after taking Chris to the doctor. Chris had a bad ear infection and was not feeling well. Clayton planted some begonias and a trumpet vine for me on the front porch while they were here. Joan came for a little bit as well toward the end. They all are doing well except that darn ear infection.
Hugs and hope to see you soon! 2007/05/16 an important article to readThere is an article that all people who might get a transfusion should read, concerning transfusions and food allergies.
I was totally surprised, and am glad to have read it. Since Christopher gets transfusions at times, I am passing this along to Joan and Marty. I hope you will do the same as it could prevent a terrible situation or at least warn the person. 2007/05/14 MondayMothers Day has come and gone, and it was a good one for me. I hope the same was true for you. Karina and Keegan stayed with us from Friday to Sunday while Frank was out of town, and he gave us a nice surprise by coming home early! He got back on Sunday afternoon, and we were all delighted to see him. I had felt a bit sad at the fact that he was not going to be there on Mothers Day as I feel he is my son too, so it was a great bonus gift! Karina and I did some door painting at her house Friday night while John watched Keegan at our house, and then we cleaned my house inside and out including the gardening. Frank helped me with the pond (it needed emptying and refilling) - boy was that a yucky job with all the muck created from the decaying leaves since the fall. It is sparkling now, and ready for some of the fish to go back into it. I have them all inside now, so it will be a change for them to be put into a pond instead of an aquarium where they can look out from all sides and the temp is the same year round. They will be fine though, as that is where they were born and lived until 2 winters ago. I usually keep them in the pond for the winter, but the past two have been harsher than usual in regard to temperatures. Back to Mom's Day... Marty and Joan called to wish me a happy one, and they have a gift for me. Things were a bit hectic for them as Joan has not been feeling well the past several days - she caught some kind of virus and has been down since Thursday - so we hope to see them this Wednesday or else next weekend. Tonight I am having my pearl party, and so far 12 people RSVP'd yes, and 5 said maybe. Some of course said no and others never responded, so there could be anywhere from 12 to 22 people in my living room tonight opening oysters and hunting for precious pearls. It really is a fun type of party. Here is the website: http://www.vantelpearls.com/ Well, I guess that is it for today. I hope to add some pics soon. Have a wonderful day, and hope to see you soon. Hugs!
2007/05/10 almost Mothers DayA few more days until Mothers Day...
For those of you who still have moms, please give them a huge hug and wish them a happy one. At least give her a call to say you are thinking of her.
For those of you who no longer have moms or who have recently lost them, remember them fondly and with a smile. I am in this group.
For those of you who ARE moms, give your children a huge hug and a thank you as well, since without them, you would not be a mom! (I am in that group as well).
Take time to celebrate, spend a bit of a relaxing day together, and make a great memory that will last long past the 24 hours in which we give a bit of attention to moms everywhere. They (we) all have our faults, but we love our children to the best of our ability, and life is not always easy. We don't always appreciate what we have until it is gone, but until it is gone, we do have that chance. Have a wonderful Mothers Day! 2007/05/08 Happy Belated Birthday RosemaryMy friend Rosemary's birthday was May 5 and I forgot to tell her happy birthday. Please go to her spaces site
http://louisianarose2005.spaces.live.com/ and wish her a belated happy birthday. Sorry Rosemary, life has been crazy and it did not hit me until today. I hope it was a great one! hugsss 2007/05/07 hodge podgeWelcome back and I hope your day is going well.
The receptionist where I work is now a grandmother of twins (boy and girl) born yesterday. They are her 2nd and 3rd grandchildren (she also has a grandson Clayton's age) - congratulations Marilyn! This makes 3 sets of twins (all boy/girl mixed) recently here at work! Misty and Wayne (Misty used to work with me and her sister still does) had a boy and girl last week (they also have a son a bit older than Keegan) - and she is also married to a twin, and a few months ago Michele (another coworker) had a boy and a girl as well. That is so cool! Best wishes and congrats to all of them.
  Anyone else expecting twins?I have been diagnosed with borderline diabetes (as of last week), and some conditions that seem to go along with it. It looks as if it can be controlled by food choices and exercise at this point, so that is fabulous. If I can live with asthma all this time, and if Chris can go through all the leukemia treatments, I surely can handle this as well. I am supposed to cut WAY back on stressful situations, but that is a bit difficult to do lately. I will do my best though. I have to. I want to be around to see my grandsons (and future grandchildren - great grandchildren too) grow up and spread their wings!
Karina and I are going to the Cardinals ballgame tonight and we are taking Keegan along with us. He absolutely loves it there. She got 2 tickets from a coworker/friend and Frank could not go, so I get to! It will be a nice night for it from what I hear. Just being able to watch Keegan is wonderful, as he really gets into the game and crowd even though he is not even 2 years old until the 19th. Hopefully some day he will get a scholarship with all that enthusiasm for sports that he now has. I enjoy a good game regardless of who wins.
 We helped Marty and Joan with some painting and scraping this Saturday, as they are wanting to get their condo on the market by end of May. Karina and Frank also have the goal of selling their home very soon. Both homes are looking very nice, and should sell well.
Clayton and Chris were really happy to see us, and we enjoyed them as well. They are growing up so fast. Clayton will be in first grade next year! Chris looks really great, the treatments are going well too. It was a delight to be there, thanks Marty and Joan for asking us to help out.
My sister JoAnn bought me a beautiful hanging basket with pink geraniums, spider plants, and other plants in it as an early Mother's Day present. It is now hanging on my front porch. She wanted me to enjoy it as soon as she got it (I think she wanted to see my face when she gave it to me and just could not wait). It really is a nice addition. Thanks Jo!
Frank and Karina came over yesterday (we had Keegan overnight so they could enjoy Cinco de Mayo with friends) and Frank barbequed while Karina made most of the rest of dinner (I made my homemade applesauce as everyone really likes it - and if it is still warm it is even better). Frank will not be in town next weekend, so they wanted to celebrate an early Mother's Day as well. We had a great time, very relaxing, playing ball with Keegan and just being together. Thanks Karina and Frank, you gave me a special day and it is much appreciated. I hope you still come to barbeque with us after you move, as Dad and I value that time with all three of you.
Well, that is it for now, hope your day is pleasant!
2007/05/01 Something to think about...My boss Cindy sent this email to her team and it was good enough to pass along. I am not sure who the orignator of this tale is, so I can not credit it to anyone. If you know, jot it in the comments so I can give credit where credit is due!
A young lady was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a big airport. As she would need to wait a long time, she decided to buy a book to spend her time. She also bought a packet of cookies. She sat down in a chair in the airport, to rest and read in peace. There sat a man two seats over, and between them on the empty seat sat the packet of cookies. The man opened his magazine and started reading.
After awhile, the lady got hungry for her cookies, and took one out. The man took one also. She felt irritated but said nothing. She just thought: "What a nerve! If I was in the mood, I would punch him for being so daring!"
For each cookie she took, the man took one also. This was infuriating her but she didn't want to cause a scene.
When only one cookie remained, she thought: "What is this abusive man going to do now?"
Then, the man took the last cookie, divided it in half, and offered her one half.
That was too much! She was much too angry now. In a huff, she snatched the half of cookie, took her book, her things, and stormed to the boarding area.
After she got on the plane and took her seat, she looked into her purse to take out her glasses again, and to her surprise there sat her packet of cookies, still untouched and unopened.
She felt so ashamed! She realized that she had been the one who was wrong... she had forgotten that her cookies had been in her purse all along and had eaten the man's cookies instead.
The man had divided his cookies with her without feeling angered or bitter, while she had been very angry thinking that she was forced to divide her cookies with him. Now there was no chance to explain herself or apologize for her actions.
There are 4 things you can NOT recover:
The stone after the throw.
The word after it's said.
The occasion after the loss.
The time after it's gone.
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Makes one think... and hopefully we all will be a bit more gracious when put upon (such as when someone needs our help), a bit more patient when feeling stressed or frustrated, and a bit kinder when it is easier to just turn away. Once an opportunity passes, it may not come again.
On to other things...
It is raining like crazy outside, and so I stayed at work longer to avoid all the crazy rush hour panickers. I already clocked out, so I thought I would write a bit here before I head home.
Karina had a pearl party last night (mine is in 2 weeks), and we had a lot of fun. I got two pearls, but did not pick any out. Instead, I let Keegan pick out my first oyster (creamy colored pearl), and Frank picked out the other one for me (black pearl). I ordered a really pretty necklace setting and am having 2 emerald birthstones put in with it. Keegan's is that color anyway as emerald is May's birthstone, and the green is for the Irish heritage in both Frank and Keegan. Whenever I wear it I will think of both of them.
Well, I suppose I should head on home, so this entry is just about done.
Until next time, enjoy and find time for yourself even if for a few moments.
2007/04/27 Spring FlingI went to the Spring Fling with my mom's side of the family last night. Anyone who is wondering about that title? It is a get together including dinner and entertainment for ladies and girls (plus some little boys and older men who don't mind being with the ladies) at my Aunt Ruth's church, held once yearly. We always have a good time, and it seems to turn into a sort of family reunion - which is marvelous since we don't get together often enough anymore. The food was delicious. We had a group called the St Louis Harmonica Club for our entertainment. They donate all the money from their gigs to various local charities such as Shriners Hospital, Cardinal Glennon Hospital and others. They actually sounded pretty darn good! I had no idea there was a bass harmonica (that thing goes really low) and a chord harmonica which looks like it is about 2 feet long and it has 134 notes on it. Whew! I bought the CD's and a tiny little harmonica that has 4 holes (8 notes) which came with instructions on how to play Meet Me in St Louis Louis. That is one of my favorite songs and movies. One of my dear friends actually sang that song to me for my 16th birthday at the suprise slumber party as she knew how much I loved it even then. But I digress... The evening went well and we got to catch up a bit with each other. I love going to that event! Now to master the harmonica... (they have a club and also free lessons once weekly, but I don't know if I could fit that in right now - it would be fun though! Nothing like learning something new, and harmonicas are something that I would love to learn to play. Maybe someday when life slows down... giggle like that is going to happen soon.)
Hugs and hope to see you back here soon! Leave a comment when you drop in, it is painless. 2007/04/22 April 22 07Welcome back! (that phrase is directed to me as well, since it has been a little while).
I have added some more Easter pics as well as some others that I wanted to share - some new, some not so new. The egg butting contest went well, and we had 2 new contestants this year. Both Mason and Keegan got to participate. (For those of you who do not know what an egg butting contest is, it is one of our family traditions. We "butt" eggs against each other, and the one who has the uncracked egg at the end of all rounds is the "good egg" for the year. I won this year, as my egg withstood the hits. We have had some sneaks in the past as we did this year... some have tried to slip in a wooden or plastic egg as a joke, and we have even seen taped ends. They 'fess up before the end if they are not caught outright (it is usually obvious), and we know who the culprits are to that prank, lol. They love to think of new ways to sneak a ringer into the contest. There is no prize usually, although a couple of times it was a candy bar or something. (Like someone really needs more candy at easter...) Anyway, the day went wonderfully, and everyone had a great time.
John and I have been busy working with Karina and Frank on their house, getting it ready to sell. Karina and I replaced two damaged basement windows with glass blocks. We both learned quite a bit since we had never done that before and it was from "scratch". They both look fantastic now, and the men were impressed. They have been doing lots too, and the house is coming along nicely. Karina and Frank will be happy when all is finished as they both want to move from there. John and I will be working more on our house when we are done with theirs, as we have a lot to fix as well and would like to move to a place with more land and a place to work on cars for John while I want a small orchard and a veggie garden and also perhaps horses (we have no room for that here). It has been put on the back burner for the most part though, probably to be picked up on in early summer, as helping the kids comes first since they are moving soon. They are thinking of Ohio for their next place among other choices, and it will be difficult to see them go farther than a not-too-long drive away, especially since we love being with all three of them and babysitting Keegan every chance we get. We cherish each time we get to be with them, and that will be few and far between soon - the babysitting and overnights will be a thing of the past too. I am sure we will be fine, but life will not be as sunny for awhile. That is what happens when loved ones move away, and it happens all the time in the world. It's just something I am not looking forward to. As a parent and grandparent, I have to remember the most important thing is supporting them in whatever they choose to do, not selfishly wanting to keep them close - no matter how hard that is to do. They will be coming into town now and then. Frank and I have our annual ballgame date in August for Cardinals vs Reds, and they have other events that they will be coming back for, so that is something to look forward to for sure. John seems to light up when Keegan is around, and I know we will be using the phone and web cams to stay in touch as much as possible. Thank goodness for technology!!!! I would hate it if this was 100 years ago, as then the only contact would have been by post. Letters are fabulous, but hearing a voice or seeing a face is so much better. Oh - and thank you so much to both of you Karina and Frank - we are so glad you came and helped with all the branch and vine cutting in our back yard a few weeks ago - that was a chore and a half for all of us and it took all day! We have massive growth back there every year and it gets unmanagable if we don't tackle it in early spring. It is so much better now - one HUGE thing off of our list here as it would have taken us much longer to handle without your help. Thanks also to Frederick for coming and hauling it all away!
Chris is doing well with his leukemia. The steroids make him cranky when he is taking them, but that can not be helped. The cancer remains in submission for now while he is being treated, and that will continue for another 3 years. Then we will keep our fingers crossed that it remains at bay after that. His hair has grown back, and he has lost some of the bloatedness that comes with the drugs. So far so good!
Well, it is time that I get started on some of the projects that have been set aside - we are taking a break today as John needs to do some things to the car (or it will cease to run soon), and I have neglected some things as well. It is Catch Up day and I have to get busy! That way we have a clean slate so we can get back to getting that house ready for the market!
 Have a cup of tea, relax, enjoy the new photos, and when you leave here give someone you love a call
 or write them a letter  and let them know how important they are in your life. Until next time, hugs!
  
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