Memorial Day makes me sad. Pine Hill always has a ceremony at the Monument, and my Dad loved it. Every year he rode his bike up to the Monument for the ceremony. Both last year and this year I managed to be going out and pass the crowd there, and it makes my heart ache for Dad.
Dad was a proud World War 2 vet. He was in the Navy, on several ships. He was on the Wasp for awhile. One time a ship he was on was rammed, and Mom didn't know for 3 days if he was alive or dead. He was discharged after WW2, and recalled for Korea, so he spent several years in the Navy.
Dad's father, PopPop Oehrl, was in the Navy in World War One. He didn't talk much about it to us, and I don't know where he served. He told me that he enlisted when he was 16, and he paid a bum on the street a dollar to say he was Pop's father and sign consent for him to enlist.
Ralph was also in the Navy, during Vietnam. He was in a division of the Navy called the Construction Battalion, or SeaBee's. He was never on a ship. He operated heavy machinery.
No one in our immediate family is in the service this generation. While I much admire those who serve, I'm glad my nephews are the wrong ages.
On a lighter note, Steph got home from Houston this afternoon, and she and Toast just left to go home to their apartment. It's heartwrenching when Toast leaves. She knows something is up when Steph starts loading the car, and she hides. She's such a social little creature, and she's always lived here, where there's someone home most of the time.
And back to work tomorrow! I have an all day inservice to go to on Wednesday. I hope it's not a waste of my time, as so many inservices are.
Holly
Monday, May 26, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Memorial Day Weekend!
Three days off from work! Yay! Yesterday I spent a lot of the day reading Winter Study, the new Anna Pidgeon mystery by Nevada Barr. Anna is a park ranger, and each book has her in a different park. This one has her on Isle Royale in Laker Superior in January. That's where the 50 year wolf/moose study has been going on. The book made me feel cold and spooked! I love Anna, she's got this sarcastic sense of humor that I can relate to. I'd give the book 5 stars.
This morning I went to Circuit City and got a new GPS. They have the Garmin Nuvi 350 on sale for 2 days. It's got the text to speech feature which I really wanted. We have a tomtom, but it's been living with Steph, and since she's in a new area, I'd rather she have it, and it gave me an excuse to get what I want! It was great- I went to the website, ordered and paid for it, and went to the store and it was waiting for me at the checkout.
Friday night we got a new moniter, a 22 inch flatscreen. Wow, is it ever wonderful! It's also from Circuit City, and also bought from the website.
Today I'm going to Frank and Charlotte's for a barbecue, which will be fun. Ralph is working, so he'll miss the chance to visit with the family. But he was just to see Indiana Jones with them while I was working hard on Friday.
Sunday things to be happy about:
It's a beautiful day
I bought Jersey strawberries yesterday, and they're wonderful
Mom is feeling stronger
The deck is almost done
Goals for the week:
Haven't set them yet
Holly
This morning I went to Circuit City and got a new GPS. They have the Garmin Nuvi 350 on sale for 2 days. It's got the text to speech feature which I really wanted. We have a tomtom, but it's been living with Steph, and since she's in a new area, I'd rather she have it, and it gave me an excuse to get what I want! It was great- I went to the website, ordered and paid for it, and went to the store and it was waiting for me at the checkout.
Friday night we got a new moniter, a 22 inch flatscreen. Wow, is it ever wonderful! It's also from Circuit City, and also bought from the website.
Today I'm going to Frank and Charlotte's for a barbecue, which will be fun. Ralph is working, so he'll miss the chance to visit with the family. But he was just to see Indiana Jones with them while I was working hard on Friday.
Sunday things to be happy about:
It's a beautiful day
I bought Jersey strawberries yesterday, and they're wonderful
Mom is feeling stronger
The deck is almost done
Goals for the week:
Haven't set them yet
Holly
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Midweek already!
Mom is home, which is wonderful. She's weak from not moving around for so many days, but is so glad to be home!
Steph leaves for Texas tomorrow, to see Manda. It never ceases to amaze me- when they lived in the same house, they barely spoke to each other. With 1500 miles between them, they're loving sisters and best buddies. So Toast will be here from tomorrow til Monday, to stay with her grandparents.
Ralph and I watched the season finale of NCIS last night. It's one show that we all like. Jenny being killed off wasn't a surprise, but the ending sure was! Re-assigning all the team members, and giving Gibbs a bunch of folders that show him who his new team will be! When Leon shredded something from his file, we decided that Gibbs and company will be on to him shortly, and figure out what he shredded, and get rid of him.
This morning when I opened the door to get the paper, there was a big deer grazing on the front lawn! So beautiful!
This evening I'm going to a workshop on scoliosis. It's free, 1.5 CEU's, they feed us, and it's close to home! Hopefully, it'll be at least halfway interesting.
Holly
Steph leaves for Texas tomorrow, to see Manda. It never ceases to amaze me- when they lived in the same house, they barely spoke to each other. With 1500 miles between them, they're loving sisters and best buddies. So Toast will be here from tomorrow til Monday, to stay with her grandparents.
Ralph and I watched the season finale of NCIS last night. It's one show that we all like. Jenny being killed off wasn't a surprise, but the ending sure was! Re-assigning all the team members, and giving Gibbs a bunch of folders that show him who his new team will be! When Leon shredded something from his file, we decided that Gibbs and company will be on to him shortly, and figure out what he shredded, and get rid of him.
This morning when I opened the door to get the paper, there was a big deer grazing on the front lawn! So beautiful!
This evening I'm going to a workshop on scoliosis. It's free, 1.5 CEU's, they feed us, and it's close to home! Hopefully, it'll be at least halfway interesting.
Holly
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Dreary Day, Dreary Week
It's been a long week. I got a call from Mom on Tuesday that she was at the dr's office, and had a funky heartrate, and they wanted her to go right to the cardiologist, but wouldn't let her drive. So I left work, took her from one doc to the other, and then to the ER for admission with afib and a high heartrate- same thing I had in February.
Almost the same sequence of events, except she was back in sinus rhythym while in the ER, but the rate was too high. As of today, the rate is under control with meds, and she's on coumadin, and coming home tomorrow. She never felt anything but fine, except for annoyance at the whole situation. I'm so glad she's OK, and coming home!
Wednesday was the Camden County School Nurses annual banquet, and I went, for the first time in probably 10 years. Of course I forgot to take the small quilt I was donating as a door prize with me, mainly because I went from work to the hospital to the dinner.
It was at Tavistock Country Club, somewhere I've never been. Fabulous food, sat with congenial women, and I won a door prize! A bottle of wine and a gift certificate to a cafe! And best of all, I won the 50-50! How great is that! $137 in return for the $2 ticket I bought! I'm saving it for the NJ Quilt show at Edison next month.
Steph and Toast were home for the weekend. Steph took me out to lunch for a late Mother's Day gift, which was fun. Toast was thrilled to be home, and we were so happy to see her. And today, I followed them home to see the apartment. It's really cute, and a work in progress. Between work and school, Steph hasn't had time to get things up on the walls. She's so proud of her first place, and I'm so proud of her.
Sunday things to be happy about:
Mom will come home tomorrow, and is doing well.
All this rain is great for the so-called lawn.
Goal for the week:
To get thru it, LOL. I'm not committing to more than that.
Holly
Almost the same sequence of events, except she was back in sinus rhythym while in the ER, but the rate was too high. As of today, the rate is under control with meds, and she's on coumadin, and coming home tomorrow. She never felt anything but fine, except for annoyance at the whole situation. I'm so glad she's OK, and coming home!
Wednesday was the Camden County School Nurses annual banquet, and I went, for the first time in probably 10 years. Of course I forgot to take the small quilt I was donating as a door prize with me, mainly because I went from work to the hospital to the dinner.
It was at Tavistock Country Club, somewhere I've never been. Fabulous food, sat with congenial women, and I won a door prize! A bottle of wine and a gift certificate to a cafe! And best of all, I won the 50-50! How great is that! $137 in return for the $2 ticket I bought! I'm saving it for the NJ Quilt show at Edison next month.
Steph and Toast were home for the weekend. Steph took me out to lunch for a late Mother's Day gift, which was fun. Toast was thrilled to be home, and we were so happy to see her. And today, I followed them home to see the apartment. It's really cute, and a work in progress. Between work and school, Steph hasn't had time to get things up on the walls. She's so proud of her first place, and I'm so proud of her.
Sunday things to be happy about:
Mom will come home tomorrow, and is doing well.
All this rain is great for the so-called lawn.
Goal for the week:
To get thru it, LOL. I'm not committing to more than that.
Holly
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Root and Wings
My Mom's favorite saying is, "You should give your children two things- roots and wings." She always adds "The roots are easy, the wing'll kill you". Truer words have never been spoken.
When we left Amanda at her college dorm in Daytona and drove away, I cried for the first 50 miles. I couldn't go in her room for weeks. When she would come home and then leave again, I cried every time, for years. I've finally gotten over it, tho I still choke up a little.
So it was slightly easier when Steph got an apartment, and moved last weekend. For one thing, she's only in Philly, not Florida or Texas. But today was the BIG move- she took the dog to her new home. Remember, Toast has lived here for 6 years, and when Steph isn't home, Ralph and I are her caretakers. She even sleeps with us, something I never dreamed would happen. When I'm home and Steph isn't, Toast is my shadow. If I'm in the sewing room, she curls up on the daybed. If I'm in the family room, she's either at my feet or on the couch.
So today Steph packed her up and left. She's doing it on a weekend, so she won't have to leave Toast alone the first day in a strange place. Toast has her blanket and her stuffed monkey, and Steph. Steph even bought a low bed from IKEA that Toast can jump on and off of easily.
It's just strange to not have her here. But they're coming home next weekend, for Steph to clean out her closet, so we'll see them both then. And Ralph and I will get used to the almost empty nest- we still have Frenzy and Miss Millie.
Holly
When we left Amanda at her college dorm in Daytona and drove away, I cried for the first 50 miles. I couldn't go in her room for weeks. When she would come home and then leave again, I cried every time, for years. I've finally gotten over it, tho I still choke up a little.
So it was slightly easier when Steph got an apartment, and moved last weekend. For one thing, she's only in Philly, not Florida or Texas. But today was the BIG move- she took the dog to her new home. Remember, Toast has lived here for 6 years, and when Steph isn't home, Ralph and I are her caretakers. She even sleeps with us, something I never dreamed would happen. When I'm home and Steph isn't, Toast is my shadow. If I'm in the sewing room, she curls up on the daybed. If I'm in the family room, she's either at my feet or on the couch.
So today Steph packed her up and left. She's doing it on a weekend, so she won't have to leave Toast alone the first day in a strange place. Toast has her blanket and her stuffed monkey, and Steph. Steph even bought a low bed from IKEA that Toast can jump on and off of easily.
It's just strange to not have her here. But they're coming home next weekend, for Steph to clean out her closet, so we'll see them both then. And Ralph and I will get used to the almost empty nest- we still have Frenzy and Miss Millie.
Holly
Monday, May 5, 2008
It's May!
I was afraid April would last forever, because we didn't have any days off, but it zipped right by- Yay! This week is National Nurses Week, and in honor of it, I just paid the state $120 for the honor of being licensed for the next two years. At least it's computerized now- do the form, give a credit card number, and you're renewed. The hard copy of the license will come in a week or so.
Steph is now an apartment dweller. She had her groupies come over on Saturday, and she rented a UHaul truck and they loaded her up and off they went. I stayed here and went on a cleaning rampage in the kitchen- threw away everything expired, and filled the table with stuff that had to either go with her, go to Heather's for her yard sale table, or be trashed. She slept in her new place last night, but Toast won't move til the weekend. I didn't think it was fair to take her to a strange place, and leave her all day by herself. I don't want her to be confused or afraid.
I haven't started Step 3 of Orange Crush yet. I made a fat quarter tote, which is really huge, and two sundresses for Heather. The fabric is from Joann's fabrics, and the top is all shirred, and you buy it by the inch and run one seam up. I put straps on it, at her request.
I also started a new afghan, the kind that is one big granny square. It's soft white and lilac, pink, green and blue. Sometimes you just don't feel like sewing, and crocheting comes in handy.
And another week begins!
Holly
Steph is now an apartment dweller. She had her groupies come over on Saturday, and she rented a UHaul truck and they loaded her up and off they went. I stayed here and went on a cleaning rampage in the kitchen- threw away everything expired, and filled the table with stuff that had to either go with her, go to Heather's for her yard sale table, or be trashed. She slept in her new place last night, but Toast won't move til the weekend. I didn't think it was fair to take her to a strange place, and leave her all day by herself. I don't want her to be confused or afraid.
I haven't started Step 3 of Orange Crush yet. I made a fat quarter tote, which is really huge, and two sundresses for Heather. The fabric is from Joann's fabrics, and the top is all shirred, and you buy it by the inch and run one seam up. I put straps on it, at her request.
I also started a new afghan, the kind that is one big granny square. It's soft white and lilac, pink, green and blue. Sometimes you just don't feel like sewing, and crocheting comes in handy.
And another week begins!
Holly
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