Tuesday, January 29, 2008
I'm Ready to Play!!
"We don't stop playing because we turn old, but turn old because we stop playing." Satchel Paige
Monday, January 28, 2008
A Letter To Scott
Dear Scott,
Twenty five years ago my heart broke when they told me you'd died. A part of me died with you.
You're perpetually twenty-two while the rest of us have grown older. Can you believe it, I'm fifty and a grandmother and our little brother Jeff is forty-four! Your nephews, Douglas and Tommy, are men now and Douglas is the father of beautiful twin daughters. Jeff is the father of two grown daughters, Stephanie and Brittany, both in college, both amazing women as well as being a stepfather to Tyler and the twins Cain and Caleb. He's married to Stacy--you'd love her, she fits right in.
You'd be so proud of Mom and Dad. They celebrated fifty years of marriage in 2003. Mom just turned seventy-seven and Dad is seventy-five. They haven't slowed down much in spite of their years. They are very active in the church. Dad still leads singing and Mom is the church treasurer. Dad helps Pastor Byron Gurnee with building projects and maintenance around the church and parsonage. Mom fixes meals for visiting evangelists and preachers who come to fill in and does laundry for a dear old lady who lives in a nursing home.
Grandpa Cole died the year after you did but Grandma lived until 1994, dying just before her ninety first birthday. Aunt Shirley died in July of 1983 of cancer just a few months after you left us. Aunt Mame died several years later of Lou Gehrig's Disease, Aunt Kate died last year of cancer and Uncle Tommy died of a massive coronary just a year ago. Your friends Bill Hall and Don Hill are both gone now, too.
It hasn't all been loss and sadness, however. I did graduate from nursing school in May of '83 in spite of my grief. Tom became an absolute whiz at computers--self-taught, no less--and is the PLC programmer at Plastpro, Inc. besides being the maintenace supervisor. Douglas is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and is currently selling insurance in Columbus. Tommy is happily living in a home for mentally retarded men where he is, as he says, "the big cheese." And for the past fourteen years we've lived at 519 Lake Erie Street in North Conneaut.
Jeff spent time in Germany and Hawaii courtesy of the US Army. He's a correctional officer at the Lewisburg Federal Penetentiary in Pennsylvania. In his spare time he fixes up houses to sell and is looking forward to retirement in a few years.
Our Cleveland Indians who, as you know, were always dead last in the standings when we were kids, won the pennant twice in the mid ninteen nineties and have been more than respectable since. Old Municipal Stadium has been razed and they now play in a beautiful park called Progressive Field.
We're in a new century and a new millenium. Almost everybody carries a cellular phone with them everywhere. Cameras are digital, making film nearly obsolete. You simply download your pictures onto your computer. Everybody has a computer these days. Some of them are even portable, called laptops. No one uses a typewriter anymore. Everything is typed on the computer. Drafting, keeping accounts, recording music, taking college courses and thousands of other things are all done on the computer. People rarely write letters these days. They simply "email" each other. There is no need for encyclopedias. All the information one could possibly want is on the internet.
Music is burned to a six inch disk called a CD and movies are available to everybody on disks, as well. They're called DVDs.
The Cold War is over, the Berlin Wall has been torn down both due in large part to President Ronald Reagan. He has since died of Alzheimer's Disease. Besides him George Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have been president since you died. This year a woman and a black man are running for president.
On September 11, 2001 terrorists flew jets into both towers of The World Trade Center in New York City killing more than 3,000 people and plunging the nation into The War on Terror.
Although both the world and your family are far different than they were on January 25, 1983, you are still mourned and missed. I look forward to the day we are reunited in heaven. Until then know that I love you. Your sister, Cindy
Twenty five years ago my heart broke when they told me you'd died. A part of me died with you.
You're perpetually twenty-two while the rest of us have grown older. Can you believe it, I'm fifty and a grandmother and our little brother Jeff is forty-four! Your nephews, Douglas and Tommy, are men now and Douglas is the father of beautiful twin daughters. Jeff is the father of two grown daughters, Stephanie and Brittany, both in college, both amazing women as well as being a stepfather to Tyler and the twins Cain and Caleb. He's married to Stacy--you'd love her, she fits right in.
You'd be so proud of Mom and Dad. They celebrated fifty years of marriage in 2003. Mom just turned seventy-seven and Dad is seventy-five. They haven't slowed down much in spite of their years. They are very active in the church. Dad still leads singing and Mom is the church treasurer. Dad helps Pastor Byron Gurnee with building projects and maintenance around the church and parsonage. Mom fixes meals for visiting evangelists and preachers who come to fill in and does laundry for a dear old lady who lives in a nursing home.
Grandpa Cole died the year after you did but Grandma lived until 1994, dying just before her ninety first birthday. Aunt Shirley died in July of 1983 of cancer just a few months after you left us. Aunt Mame died several years later of Lou Gehrig's Disease, Aunt Kate died last year of cancer and Uncle Tommy died of a massive coronary just a year ago. Your friends Bill Hall and Don Hill are both gone now, too.
It hasn't all been loss and sadness, however. I did graduate from nursing school in May of '83 in spite of my grief. Tom became an absolute whiz at computers--self-taught, no less--and is the PLC programmer at Plastpro, Inc. besides being the maintenace supervisor. Douglas is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and is currently selling insurance in Columbus. Tommy is happily living in a home for mentally retarded men where he is, as he says, "the big cheese." And for the past fourteen years we've lived at 519 Lake Erie Street in North Conneaut.
Jeff spent time in Germany and Hawaii courtesy of the US Army. He's a correctional officer at the Lewisburg Federal Penetentiary in Pennsylvania. In his spare time he fixes up houses to sell and is looking forward to retirement in a few years.
Our Cleveland Indians who, as you know, were always dead last in the standings when we were kids, won the pennant twice in the mid ninteen nineties and have been more than respectable since. Old Municipal Stadium has been razed and they now play in a beautiful park called Progressive Field.
We're in a new century and a new millenium. Almost everybody carries a cellular phone with them everywhere. Cameras are digital, making film nearly obsolete. You simply download your pictures onto your computer. Everybody has a computer these days. Some of them are even portable, called laptops. No one uses a typewriter anymore. Everything is typed on the computer. Drafting, keeping accounts, recording music, taking college courses and thousands of other things are all done on the computer. People rarely write letters these days. They simply "email" each other. There is no need for encyclopedias. All the information one could possibly want is on the internet.
Music is burned to a six inch disk called a CD and movies are available to everybody on disks, as well. They're called DVDs.
The Cold War is over, the Berlin Wall has been torn down both due in large part to President Ronald Reagan. He has since died of Alzheimer's Disease. Besides him George Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have been president since you died. This year a woman and a black man are running for president.
On September 11, 2001 terrorists flew jets into both towers of The World Trade Center in New York City killing more than 3,000 people and plunging the nation into The War on Terror.
Although both the world and your family are far different than they were on January 25, 1983, you are still mourned and missed. I look forward to the day we are reunited in heaven. Until then know that I love you. Your sister, Cindy
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
It's down. After moaning and groaning about putting up the Christmas tree I enjoted it so much I didn't want to take it down. But yesterday I bit the bullet and dismantled it. It's back in its box waiting for the Big Scary guy to take it and the ornaments to the garage. The family room looks a bit bare but tidier. So it's goodbye for eleven months. That doesn't sound like a very long time--I'd better think about starting my shopping! (I really like to shop throughout the year when I find appropriate gifts for the people on my list.)
Speaking of Christmas gifts, I had given Tom tickets to the Carousel Dinner Theater in Akron. They were for Saturday, January 19 which also is his birthday; (he's fifty one-derful.) We headed out but the further west we went the worse the weather got. By the time we reached Geneva the visibility was nearly zero. It was horrible. We decided we'd rather not be killed in an attempt to get there so we reluctantly turned around and headed back on Route 20, rather than hazarding the interstate any longer. We finally decided to salvage the weekend the best we could by staying at the Hampton Inn in Austinburg. We ordered food from Covered Bridge Pizza and just relaxed. It was nice but not what I'd planned. So the way I see it, I still owe him a Christmas present.
We have tickets for a Cavs game in March, courtesy of Plastpro; I sure hope we have more success then than we did Saturday.
I bought Tom a really neat birthday present, one he wasn't able to guess ahead of time. I'm finally becoming more devious apparently. While reading Smithsonian early in January I found an ad for a watch made in such a way you can see the gears in the thing. He loves timepieces and I knew he would love this one. I was right!! Plus, he was totally floored. As we say at our house, "I done good." It makes me happy to do things that please him.
Today I'm finishing painting Tommy's room. Since I get paint all over me I do it only on days I don't have to work. Tuesday is my day off so painting was the only thing on the agenda. I decided to take a break to check the email and blogs, so it's not quite done yet. Almost, though. Let the record show, I hate painting, so I listen to DVDs or Rush Limbaugh and the work goes quickly. I'm not cooking, either. We're having 599-5600 for supper.
Speaking of Christmas gifts, I had given Tom tickets to the Carousel Dinner Theater in Akron. They were for Saturday, January 19 which also is his birthday; (he's fifty one-derful.) We headed out but the further west we went the worse the weather got. By the time we reached Geneva the visibility was nearly zero. It was horrible. We decided we'd rather not be killed in an attempt to get there so we reluctantly turned around and headed back on Route 20, rather than hazarding the interstate any longer. We finally decided to salvage the weekend the best we could by staying at the Hampton Inn in Austinburg. We ordered food from Covered Bridge Pizza and just relaxed. It was nice but not what I'd planned. So the way I see it, I still owe him a Christmas present.
We have tickets for a Cavs game in March, courtesy of Plastpro; I sure hope we have more success then than we did Saturday.
I bought Tom a really neat birthday present, one he wasn't able to guess ahead of time. I'm finally becoming more devious apparently. While reading Smithsonian early in January I found an ad for a watch made in such a way you can see the gears in the thing. He loves timepieces and I knew he would love this one. I was right!! Plus, he was totally floored. As we say at our house, "I done good." It makes me happy to do things that please him.
Today I'm finishing painting Tommy's room. Since I get paint all over me I do it only on days I don't have to work. Tuesday is my day off so painting was the only thing on the agenda. I decided to take a break to check the email and blogs, so it's not quite done yet. Almost, though. Let the record show, I hate painting, so I listen to DVDs or Rush Limbaugh and the work goes quickly. I'm not cooking, either. We're having 599-5600 for supper.
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Definition of Hope
The weatherman is predicting single digit temperatures for this weekend. Be that as it may, my daffodils are up!!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Doug's email address
For those of you who would like to send Douglas an email his address is:
buckeye1978@hotmail.com
Monday, January 14, 2008
Finally, A Second Client
Last Thursday I spent twelve hours with my new client, and another twelve with her on Saturday. Maggie is a seven year old little girl with extensive physical and mental challenges.
Her parents had been looking for someone to fill in when their regular nurses were unavailable.
Although she is totally different from Judi, my other client, I enjoyed taking care of her. I got to use nursing skills I hadn't used for twenty five years and, in fact, learned some new skills. She is fed three times a day through a tube in her stomach. She takes her meds the same way. To move her between her wheelchair and the couch or tub one uses a sling and a rail attached to the ceiling. I got quite good at getting her into and out of that sling. Since she is unable to sit up I gave her her bath while she was lying on her back in the tub. I washed her beautiful waist-length hair in the tub, too.
When up in her wheelchair Maggie wears a back brace and leg braces which I also got proficient applying and removing. We spent a happy hour listening to a cassette of the Sesame Street monsters singing songs about the alphabet. Nearly thirty years ago I played the same songs, on a record player, no less, to Douglas. Needless to say there's been a lot of water under that bridge!! However, Maggie seemed to enjoy herself judging by the big smiles I got. Or maybe the silly way I waved her arms about in time to the music made her happy. I believe she was adequately stimulated. I know I was.
Thinking up ways to stimulate her is the biggest challenge of this assignment. I'm going to look for more children's albums next time I go to Barnes and Noble. She has many toys with music and voices and they are useful to play with with her. Maybe I just need to learn to play with a young child again. It's been a long time.
At any rate I'm thankful for my second client.
On another note, as you probably know Douglas is in the middle of an unwanted divorce. He is having a hard time with grief issues. Due to the visitation schedule he has been unable to attend church which is also difficult. If you'd remember him when you pray I'd appreciate it and I know he would, too. If anyone would like to drop him a line his address is:
Her parents had been looking for someone to fill in when their regular nurses were unavailable.
Although she is totally different from Judi, my other client, I enjoyed taking care of her. I got to use nursing skills I hadn't used for twenty five years and, in fact, learned some new skills. She is fed three times a day through a tube in her stomach. She takes her meds the same way. To move her between her wheelchair and the couch or tub one uses a sling and a rail attached to the ceiling. I got quite good at getting her into and out of that sling. Since she is unable to sit up I gave her her bath while she was lying on her back in the tub. I washed her beautiful waist-length hair in the tub, too.
When up in her wheelchair Maggie wears a back brace and leg braces which I also got proficient applying and removing. We spent a happy hour listening to a cassette of the Sesame Street monsters singing songs about the alphabet. Nearly thirty years ago I played the same songs, on a record player, no less, to Douglas. Needless to say there's been a lot of water under that bridge!! However, Maggie seemed to enjoy herself judging by the big smiles I got. Or maybe the silly way I waved her arms about in time to the music made her happy. I believe she was adequately stimulated. I know I was.
Thinking up ways to stimulate her is the biggest challenge of this assignment. I'm going to look for more children's albums next time I go to Barnes and Noble. She has many toys with music and voices and they are useful to play with with her. Maybe I just need to learn to play with a young child again. It's been a long time.
At any rate I'm thankful for my second client.
On another note, as you probably know Douglas is in the middle of an unwanted divorce. He is having a hard time with grief issues. Due to the visitation schedule he has been unable to attend church which is also difficult. If you'd remember him when you pray I'd appreciate it and I know he would, too. If anyone would like to drop him a line his address is:
947 E. Johnstown Rd.
PMB 281
Gahanna, OH 43230
Tom's due any minute and I need to set the table.
Friday, January 11, 2008
God and Stress
I've been reading "A Place Called Simplicity" by Claire Cloninger. In it she tells how God will help us with our difficulties if we let him.
Knowing that God is there, working right in the thick of it all, invested in our concerns and wanting us to get through it by his grace, can be a tremendously calming and comforting thought when we are feeling frantic. If we can just "remember to remember" this wonderful reality, we can allow God to hold our stress and worry. And this in turn can free us simply to "do the next thing...and then the next thing...and then the next. Before we know it, the job will be done.
The visual of God standing by me as I work, patiently holding all my stress and worries in his hands, allowing me to do what I need to do takes my breath away.
Knowing that God is there, working right in the thick of it all, invested in our concerns and wanting us to get through it by his grace, can be a tremendously calming and comforting thought when we are feeling frantic. If we can just "remember to remember" this wonderful reality, we can allow God to hold our stress and worry. And this in turn can free us simply to "do the next thing...and then the next thing...and then the next. Before we know it, the job will be done.
The visual of God standing by me as I work, patiently holding all my stress and worries in his hands, allowing me to do what I need to do takes my breath away.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Happy Spring!
Wow! My thermometer says it's 66 degrees outside. I'm loving this weather. I'm watching a downy woodpecker poke away at a block of suet while one of the cats dozes in the sunshine. I've been answering emails, billing for my business and listening to Rush Limbaugh. I've been on a Rush Limbaugh/Sean Hannity moratorium for several months because I get so agitated by political discussion. My therapist said the word is "obsessed." I'm like an addict--I snuck a little listen and then I was hooked again. I did promise Tom I'd monitor myself and turn it all off it I start getting crazy. What I've been hearing has been interesting. I have a lot to think about before the Ohio primary. Time to go to work!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Happy New Year
Well 2008 is here. Our Christmas tree is still up. After making a fuss about having to put it up now I'm loathe to take it down. I enjoy its cheerful presence in the evening; plus the holidays will "officially" be over when it comes down and all we'll be left with is winter. Winter is very difficult for me. I struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. The lack of sunlight does something to my brain chemistry making me depressed and irritable, susceptible to crying, overeating, oversleeping and just being miserable as well as making those around me miserable. In an effort to provide myself with the light I need I wear a special visor that has a light on it that shines directly into my eyes. I wear it for 30 minutes to an hour every day and it does seem to help. I also have several projects lined up to keep me occupied when I'm not working.
I'm in the process of redoing Tommy's room. He wants it decorated in an Ohio State Buckeyes motif. I've been painting it white, then I have a two foot tall Brutus to stencil on the wall as well as an "Ohio State Buckeyes" border for under the ceiling. Tom is going to run the wire to provide a ceiling light as there has never been one in that room. I can only paint on bright days due to the otherwise lack of light. After that room is completed I'm planning to turn Doug's room into an office for me. My new laptop needs a home other than the kitchen table.
My kitchen needs reorganized and I want to paint the cupboards. I'm also planning to work with my parents on an oral history of their lives. By the time I accomplish all this it will be spring and I'll be bouncing off the walls with renewed energy and zest for living .
My "resolution " is to work toward more balance in my life, i.e. more vegetables, less sweets, more exercise, less sitting around like a lump, more reading, less TV, more cooking, less eating out, etc.
It's time for me to get ready for work so I'll wind it up. P.S. I still love my job and have to pinch myself that I don't have to go to the prison. YES!!!
I'm in the process of redoing Tommy's room. He wants it decorated in an Ohio State Buckeyes motif. I've been painting it white, then I have a two foot tall Brutus to stencil on the wall as well as an "Ohio State Buckeyes" border for under the ceiling. Tom is going to run the wire to provide a ceiling light as there has never been one in that room. I can only paint on bright days due to the otherwise lack of light. After that room is completed I'm planning to turn Doug's room into an office for me. My new laptop needs a home other than the kitchen table.
My kitchen needs reorganized and I want to paint the cupboards. I'm also planning to work with my parents on an oral history of their lives. By the time I accomplish all this it will be spring and I'll be bouncing off the walls with renewed energy and zest for living .
My "resolution " is to work toward more balance in my life, i.e. more vegetables, less sweets, more exercise, less sitting around like a lump, more reading, less TV, more cooking, less eating out, etc.
It's time for me to get ready for work so I'll wind it up. P.S. I still love my job and have to pinch myself that I don't have to go to the prison. YES!!!
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