2012 ~ a new beginning.........

and yet the same old stuff.  Tom is going to be laid off beginning Monday, Jan 9th.  I guess it is the company's way of saying "Happy New Year"!  Every year the lay offs happen.  The only thing different this time is that the Union made some compromises this past summer and they weren't very good for the employees.  The major one is that they lose their health coverage at the end of the month that they were laid off in unless they are called back before then.  So if you are an employee with ongoing and long term health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, etc. you are basically screwed and any medications you may need to keep you alive will have to be paid for out of your own pocket.  Which will be tough to do with less income due to being laid off!

And all because companies have become to greedy in their quest to gain the almighty dollar!  At one time, I believed the Unions were a good thing.  But right about not.....not so much!  I was under the impression that Unions were supposed to protect and help the employees, not the employer!  Was I wrong in my beliefs and thought processes?  Seems like I was!

November 9, 2011

Well it is now November.  It has been a few months since our get away to the upper peninsula.  Bumpa is getting ready to go up for two weeks for his annual deer hunting excursion.  I'm glad he gets to go.  He works hard all year long and really deserves his time away.  I miss  him when he is gone.  The nights and days seem to drag on forever, but then they do anyway since he is on second shift.  The one thing I don't like about his hunting season is the fact that it falls during the time my first husband, Dave passed away on Nov. 15, 1975.  Some days just stick in my memory no matter how much I try and forget them.  This and August 1st, Dave's birthday, are days that are etched in my mind.

Well, actually there are two things I don't like about this time of year.  One being the above mentioned and the second being that he thinks he needs to volunteer for all the overtime he can get.  Which means that the week preceding his departure is filled with extra hours at work and extra hours spent getting ready, packing and planning that we end up having no time together at all.  So it seems as if he is really gone longer than the two weeks he is actually gone.  I asked him how much money he made an hour when he isn't on overtime.  I was willing to buy an hour of his time just so I could spend some time with him.  And as I write, I think of more things I don't like about this time of year.

I don't like that it will soon be cold, gray and snowy or icy most of the time.  Nor do I like the fact that I will be stuck inside more often than not.  I absolutely hate driving in crappy weather ever since I rolled our Jeep over back in January of 1990.  Not only do I hate driving in crappy weather, I refuse to drive in it.  I am so afraid of rolling over again.  I know, I have a 4wheel drive vehicle with a longer wheel base than the Jeep had, but I am still terrified.  I drove in it a couple years ago when I was working more part-time than I am now.  Didn't like it then and know I won't like it this winter either.  I already told them not to call me if the weather is bad....because I won't drive in it anymore.  For heavens sake I am 65 years old and if I don't feel safe enough to drive in bad weather I simply won't do it.

Autumn in SW Michigan...

....is beginning to show some color.  The cool nights with the warm days, highs in the upper 70's, have begun to turn the trees in our neighborhood to bright yellows, orange and red.  They are so pretty to look out when the morning sun is shining on them as I drink my coffee.  It's a great way to start the day with the splash of color making everything seem brighter.  Even my mood.  Makes me want to get up and move much faster than when it is gray, cold and rainy. 

Days like this make me realize just how lucky we are to see the different seasons that Michigan offers its residents.  Some people prefer a much warmer climate year round and that's fine for them, but I wouldn't want to miss out on the autumn colors that GOD has taken his paint brush to and created a brilliant masterpiece to look at.

Before I know it, the winter season with it's cold wind and biting temperatures plus the icy and snowy roads will be here.  Then what will I do.  Even though I would like to be like the robin in the poem and hide my head under something, I will be forced to deal with it.  And I will in my own way.  Yet I wouldn't want to miss the beauty that winter offers us either......the sparkling snow fresh fallen while the moon shines and makes it glisten. 

Then spring will return with the rainy season and still cold temperatures but I know that the warmth and sun and wonderful smells won't be far behind!

Our five day get away!

What a wonderful time we had.  We went to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and took Amber with us.  She hadn't been there in quite a few years when she traveled with us where ever we went!  She is still a good rider and conversationalist and at 16 can get very moody!  This trip we didn't see much of that moodiness or the teenage attitude that can rise up to cause people around her grief.

We took her to many of the same places we did when she was 3. She didn't remember them of course but thought the sights were lovely and beautiful.  She was quite impressed with Lake Superior, however she didn't care much for it's temperature!  She took lots of pictures, got a hooded sweatshirt from Mackinaw City, sampled some fudge and got a ring at the gift shop at the top of Brock Mt.

We throughly enjoyed her company and were glad she was able to spend time with us.  Since she moved back with her mother when she was 5 and has visited on weekends and summer, spring and Christmas breaks we haven't seen her as much as we would like.  Of course, I'm sure our son, her Daddy, feels the same way. 

The little things in life!

Like getting your braces off and only have to wear a retainer to sleep and can take it out to eat.........ah! Amber says it's the best! Or the meteorologists predicting a big snowfall and we only get a few flakes falling down while the sun is shining. My kind of days!

Had to call my PCP again last night.............more of those dang muscle spasms that come on so very quickly only refuse to leave as quickly as they come. His office called in another RX (I could open my own pharmacy)and mixed with the other meds I told them I had already taken they said to try this and if it didn't work and the pain was too much to go to the closest ER. Nice........I can have the big bills and he gets to go home to his family! I never know when one will strike me, but when they do, it's all over but the shouting. They usually happen in the middle of the night and I have to wake Tom up after I've tried everything the Doctor has told me to do and nothing is even touching the pain levels. So we have to get up and make a trip to the ER. They generally give me a shot that hurts almost as much as the spasms and send me on my way. The last few times I have just called my PCP and told him what was going on and he offered his advice freely over the phone. A much cheaper route to go!

Stormy in Michigan.....

temp of 16º with a wind chill of 3º, snowy and blowing snow.   It's been colder but not this year.  Have the tree up and most of the decorations and about half the shopping done.  Just need to finish the shopping, wrap the presents, mail out Christmas cards, clean the house, bake lots of cookies and plan the Christmas evening buffet menu.  That won't be too hard, they always want the same things...........tradition I guess.  We will have 4 of our children with us this year.  The fifth one came up for Thanksgiving from Kentucky and we do need to share her with her family down there too.

Don't have the stocking hung by the chimney with care yet.........that's the last thing we do!  Only 2 stockings though, Mema(Grandma) and BumpaGrandpa)!  The other kids all have stockings at their own houses now.  Our youngest son has a blended family and we will be sadly missing the two oldest from that group but hope they have a Merry Christmas and we will catch up with them later.  We will probably have approximately 22 people in all here.  Good thing we have a big house!

Hubby gets to go back on first shift beginning next Mon. the 20th.  We are very excited and thank the Lord for that.  We don't know for how long, but hope it lasts a long, long time!

Merry Christmas to all my friends and a Happy New Year.  I know it's early, but just in case I don't get back here before then.  Love you all!

Well, my knee surgery is done.  It was on Oct. 19th and the orthopedic surgeon repaired a tear in the ligament, a tear in the meniscus and a tear in the cartilage.  Hopefully when I see him next on Dec. 3rd, it will as good as it can be.  Of course I did have a fall on it on Oct. 31.  I'm hoping I didn't do any damage to the repairs he made.  It is still sore and somewhat swollen and still is painful, but I know as we age we don't heal as fast or as well as when we were a few years younger. 

We were all gathered at Tom's Uncle Jim's apartment as the time was near for his passing into eternal life.  He had throat cancer that spread and he did pass away peacefully around 9:30PM.  I am so glad he is out of pain and suffering, yet Tom and I spent a lot of time with him, visiting and helping to care for him.  He didn't want to go to the Veterans Home so we promised him as long as it was possible for us and one of his sisters to care for him at his apartment we would do everything we could to keep him home.  Fortunately we were able to do so!  It was a very nice Military funeral as he spent several years in the U.S Air Force during the VietNam era.  Most of us did fine until the sister that cared for him was presented the flag and then we lost it.  But we are thankful he no longer has to suffer and he has gone to meet his Savior and his Mom, Dad and 3 brothers who passed away before him.

He was very generous to us.  He left us his 2003 Envoy, knowing that Tom's truck needs lots of repairs and his car isn't running the greatest either.  Some family members are upset with us for receiving this gift, but I think it was Uncle Jim's way of thanking us for all we did for him.  We didn't expect it but are extremely grateful for his generosity toward us.  God has granted him the peace he had been seeking for so long.  Thanks be to God!