The Great Floridian - A Sherpa's Recap

Last Saturday was The Great Flordian Tri. It takes place in Clermont, FL. Clermont boasts that they are THE Tri Mecca. We saw some familiar faces and some new faces too. We started our weekend on a pretty sour note. Bigun, or should I say my Tri Dummy...wait, that moniker has already been taken.

Okay, Big Dumb Husband (wink wink Honey) took his School Bus into the LBS for some work. 2 days before the race. Count 'em, 2 days. HELLO!!!!! Cut to the Day before the race... Normally the bike shop opens at 9 am. I left the house that morning around 7:30 am because I had an early morning appointment with a client. We were supposed to be leaving at 10:30 to head up to the cabin. I finished and was back home at about 10 am. There's Bigun, at home, no School Bus. Hmmmm. Bike shop isn't open. Well bike shop has possession of the Bus. Uh huh. Oh yeah. You see where this is going already don't you?

Remember, we were supposed to leave at 10:30 am and head to the cabin. Green Eyed Lady and ExcelMan had reserved a cabin in Clermont for the weekend. We were their invited guests and the plan was to meet up with them at 10:30 to head out. So, I call GEL and explained the situation. Bigun's bike is still at LBS and no one has arrived to open up -it's 10:30. Bigun drives back to LBS (3rd time now) to see if anyone is there yet.

My phone rings that cute ring tone that I have reserved especially for my Honey. He tells me that the LBS is open now but his bike is in pieces. We are looking at another hour and half of work before he can take the bike. Okay, 12:00 is alright, we can still make the 2pm meeting. GEL and I are planning a day of kayaking while the boys are running around the expo, dropping their gear and attending the meeting. We were looking at a really fun, fun weekend.

12:00 comes and goes. So does 1:30. and 2:30. 2:45. OMG we get the call. The Bus is ready. So, we get to the LBS Muy Pronto - it's less than 5 minutes from our house. Bigun pays for the repairs, we load it up and head to Clermont. Crossing our fingers that the Bus is in excellent working condition. Arrival time in Clermont is now 5 hours later than planned. GEL and ExcelMan were very gracious. GEL and I were not able to go kayaking because of the late hour and the combined downpour of rain. Yahoo!! This didn't bother us really. We were determined that the Bus fiasco wouldn't ruin our weekend. So, GEL and I set out solving some NY Times crossword puzzles. Solving crosswords from the NY Times is hard work so we decided to seek assistance with some Vino. You know how wine adds mental acuity where previously there was little. A bottle and a half later... Evening takes over day and it's time to think about Dinner. GEL and I were unaffected by the wine. That's right, we are ALWAYS giddy and happy. Oh. Right. Dinner.

Excelman's parents were in town for the race too. They had their RV at a campground in the same park we were staying at. They joined us for dinner at a place called Bruno's.

We had such a good time. The food was good, the wine was good and the company was full of good humor and cheer. Did I happen to mention that Kenny from Southpark, joined us for dinner too? Half way through dinner a fellow walks over and hands ExcelMan a balloon Kenny (from southpark). This fellow had overheard one of our funny conversations where ExcelMan had referenced Kenny. In good humor the balloon guy made an actual Kenny out of Balloons!! Yes, I have proof.

GEL in the mean time sees a baseball cap perched on top of a bottle of wine on the counter at Bruno's. She loves the hat. In usual GEL manner she approaches Bruno and asks if the hat is for sale (you never know if you don't ask right?) Bruno denies Gel the hat. Basically told her to go find her own hat. lol In a much nicer, flirty, Older, Italian Man way. That big buy in the black, that's Bruno. He's telling GEL where to go, the other guy, he's the ballon guy and he's telling GEL 'grab the hat while he's not looking..." The rest of us... we are beatin' feet to the door. Bruno is bigger than Bigun.

Back to the cabin we go. Another puzzle gets knocked out (sorta)... The boys have to get up early so we all decide it's lights out time, we'll see everyone in the morning. Cut to 4:30 am. Bigun and ExcelMan gather their things and head over to the race to set up. GEL and I stay snug under the covers, afterall we don't need to be there until 7:30. 6am. Miss Sunshine 'n Happy Voice knock on my door. "RISE AND SHINE, IT'S 6 AM" Okay. OKAY. lol, those of you who know me, you know....before coffee, please speak in a whisper if you can. Give my brain time to warm up before expecting coherent thoughts from me. GEL starts laughing, looks at me and says, "Should I be a little quieter?" LOL "Uh. Yeah." I croak. Guess what. No. Coffee. Anywhere in the cabin. None. Nada. OMG. SHIT. How am I going to make it? Crap. I buck up, get dressed and out the door we go. GEL and I zip over to the campground to pick up Russ and Betty (ExcelMan's parents).

As we make our way around the areas for car parking we quickly discover, there isn't any. Every available space is taken. It took us less than 15 minutes to get to the race site and almost 40 minutes to find a place to park. Oh. Did I mention that it has steadily been POURING DOWN RAIN?!?!?! Not a big deal. Really. Finally I find a place where I feel comfortable enough to invent a parking space. We trudge up the hill with umbrellas in hand and head towards the race site. We missed the boys swim start by seconds. Not a big deal really. We are standing where they come out of the water and we wait. Now, keep in mind, it's rainy and we didn't bring any jackets. I didn't bring my camera down to the race site either because I didn't want to subject it to the weather. Luckily ExcelMan's Dad, Russ brought his camera. He got shots of the boys coming out of the water. He doesn't use digital though so we'll have to wait for the hard copies to come in the mail.

GEL and I are wet and freezing. Decision is made to go back to the cabin for jackets. My head is pounding the way it would if a 2 ton elephant had used it for an ottoman. Ouch. Coffee. Please. Finally, a RaceTrac. They have coffee, hot cocoa, tylenol and bathrooms. RaceTrac is a coffee junkie's heaven. The day is looking better. The hot beverages helped us to shake off the chills. We decide rather than drive all the way back to the cabin for a jacket, lets run to Target and pick up a sweater. It'll be faster. Laugh with me now. Two women, in a store, looking for a sweater or jacket. Pretty quick right? No. Finally, we decide on sweaters. Identical sweaters. Yes, I know, if we were guys you would call us gay. But we're not, we're girls and we have the bras to prove it. So, instead of Gay we look Adorable. Seriously. What? We do. WE. DO.

Okay - so we don't look as cute and cozy as this couple do...

Back to trying to park again....woohooo we actually find a space just down from Betty Lou. The guys drove Betty Lou to the race because we girls needed the Honda so Russ and Betty could ride with us. There we are. Walking back to the race site, in our matching sweaters. We look HAWT. We were hot. The rain had stopped and the warm air was hitting us. It was hot out. And Humid. Who cares. We were going to have fun. Now we have our matching sweaters, the chairs, our cooler, the camera bag and umbrellas. We are ready for a day of cheering. As we are walking into the Park, we notice they are letting people park on site now. Cool. GEL and I go down, set everything up for Russ and Betty's comfortable viewing of the bike portion and head back to our cars. We moved Betty Lou and The Honda down to the race site. Wow, what a lucky break. Now, when the race is over, the boys won't have to walk 20 minutes back to the cars with all of their gear.

Returning to where we left Russ and Betty GEL and I set up to watch the bike portion of the race. We are about 50 yards from T2. We are cheering for all who pass us. There were some nice bikes at this race. Really nice. Thankfully this race isn't a sprint. We get to see ExcelMan and Bigun coming in off the bike portion of the race and get a ton of great pictures.

I got a picture of Rocky.... the Bird, not the Racoon.

And another picture of Rocky (click on the photos for a better view)

some pretty butterfly pictures

Oh. Right. The reason we are at the race...here's ExcelMan getting ready to dismount at T2

Here's Bigun ready for T2 as he hits the last curve on the bike.

After our guys hit T2 we decide to find a good spot where we can watch them on the run course. Our goal was to be able to see them more than once. We found choice real estate for this. At one point the athletes have to loop around before they run the course around the lake. We clapped and cheered (notice, no cow bells are mentioned - Bigun did the packing for this race, that's all I'm going to say).

Bigun's Mom and his sister Allison joined us for the running part of the race. We were all having a good time. I know Bigun told you there wasn't much spectator support here. He was right. We tried to make up for it and cheered on as many people as we could. After the guys looped past us we moved another 50 yards to position ourselves closer to the finish line. This is where our cheering abilities really increased. A lot of people were feeling the bite of the race at this point. Some were taking to walking. Well, this is not acceptable, they needed a cheering squad to get them running over the finish. We did our best. It was awesome to see the gratitude on the faces of the athletes. I only got "The Finger" once I think. Not bad. Most everyone who went past us said "thank you". Glad we could help. ExcelMan joined us for cheering after he finished. He helped us to cheer Bigun in too. What a fun day it turned out to be.

Bigun's Mom and his sister had to leave so we said our goodbyes and meandered our way over to the cars. The guys went and packed up their stuff. They wanted to get to the cabin, clean up and head back to the finish line to cheer in the Ironman distance athletes. That was the plan anyway.

Back at the cabin, we all shower and get dressed and realize, heading back to the race wasn't going to happen. The guys were exhausted. We found a place for dinner, ate and went back to to the cabin to go to bed. The awards ceremony was the next day. As we were headed back to the cabin we witnessed an incredible sunset on the lake where the cabin was perched.

At the awards luncheon on Sunday, both ExcelMan and Bigun had a little hardware coming their way. After awards were handed out we all said our goodbyes and headed back home.

It was a great weekend. We had such a nice time and enjoyed ourselves immensely. No Bus fiasco or rain got in the way. Good laughs and good company were enjoyed by all. I am looking forward to IMFL and cheering on all of our friends who will be there. In addition I am looking forward to a few cocktails with everyone too. Until next week, have a great day every day.

Di

Are You Lurking?

Lately I feel more like a lurker than a participant here in The Land of Blog. I probably feel this way because that is pretty much what I have been doing. Lurking. I really love reading what everyone is posting about. Whether it's about their workouts, their calorie counts, their kids, their pets, their lives in general, it's nice to keep up with everyone. I know I posted a little while ago about how busy my schedule has been. It really has been that busy. But I have been lurking just the same. Not just here in The Land of Blog but in Life too.

In addition to being so busy I have found that I need more "down time" for my brain. I haven't been able to come up with anything that would be remotely funny, slightly entertaining or even mildly boring to write about. Bigun just posted about this years race season and how much fun it was. He took us on a tour down memory lane with a lot of the photos we had posted previously. It was a truly wonderful post. Not a lot of "smack talk" (very unusual) and lots of overall nice warm fuzzy sorts of feelings. It was a great post. It exemplified just how we have felt all year long as a part of the Tri community. When I say Tri community I include all of you who stop in and grace our blogs with your time and your thoughts.

I know I am not the only one who goes through the phase of writer's block. Everyone experiences it on occasion and let their blog sort of hold it's own. I noticed I have lost some readers lately because of my lack of blogging. Sorry to let some of you down. Hopefully when I get past this Holiday Season I can get my mind back on track. Then maybe I can get past the lurking status I seem to be holding in and return to my usual chatty commenting self. I know, you can't wait...

I don't usually get "too personal" here on my blog but on occasion I'll open the window a little wider. I don't have the charm and finesse that Nytro exhibits, nor do I have the articulate well thought out writings of Comm and Al. My brief views to what you may call insight come no where near what Momo's or Geek Girl's do. I am mostly a superficial poster. My personal life remains mostly a mystery... I guess.??? I try to keep my posts funny so that there is some form of entertainment you can take away. Perhaps you may even find yourself smiling about my ramblings when your mind turns to it hours after you have read my blog. Yes, wishful thinking, I know.



Part of the reason I have been so quiet and such a lurker on the blog front is my mind is just bogged down with so many things. Not just work but so many other things as well. A couple of weeks ago I posted about the TBI's our soldiers are coming home from the war with and how many of them are basically having to find their own way to help after they are released from active duty. This is a sore spot with me because I grew up an Army Brat. We still have many friends who are active duty. Many of them who are over seas right now putting their lives on the line for our country every day. These are friends who I care deeply about. These are friends who have wives and children here waiting with baited breath every time the phone rings. I heart our military. My heart is broken for the men and women who commit their lives to the Military Service and see little to no support when they need it most. It really does weigh heavy on my mind. How to help with this issue is something I search for every day.

No, I am not going to carry this soap box through the rest of my blogging days but I bring it up because it is personal to me.


My Dad served for 3 years his first go around in the Army and for 23 years on his second term. Those of you who do follow my posts know that I love my Dad with all of my heart. The human heart has a lot of room in it doesn't it? Not my dad's. 1/4 of his heart no longer functions. He has had open heart surgery. He has the "zipper" to prove it. He went through the surgery in 1996. Quadruple bypass at Duke. His surgeon was a leader in medicine. The Dr. really knew his stuff. When I went to Duke with my Dad for his pre-op (which was only supposed to be a double bypass) I was leery of getting my hopes up for my Dad. I didn't tell him this- but I was. I was scared to death. Terrified.

During the "tour" of what would happen during surgery my Dad was asked by his Surgeon if he would be willing to participate in an experimental procedure. It was the use of Artificial Blood. There were two heart surgeries of this sort scheduled for the next day, one of them was my Dad's. My Dad's and one other fellow. The Dr's explained how they were trying to find alternatives for blood supplies. Often times during war or natural disasters, medical emergencies, there is not enough blood to go around. My Dad would be the first human to receive this artificial blood. The doctors touted how they believed this would improve his recovery time, his memory would return faster (or suffer less) and he would feel better all around if they used this new blood. My first thought was, "are you kidding me? This is my Dad. This is the man I want to see walk out of here, not carried out on a stretcher after your little experiment fails". My Dad didn't hesitate for even a millisecond. Do you know what he said?

He said, "Absolutely. If this has the potential to help our soldiers in the event of war time, then I am your man." My Dad said that. He didn't pause, he didn't hesitate. He was willing to risk his life on experimental blood for the futures of our Military men and women. I have been proud of my Dad, always. That day I was prouder of him than any person could be of someone they love.

I picked him up for surgery the next morning at 3:30 am or so. About 12 hours later the surgeons came out to report on his condition. He ended up having much more damage than they anticipated and the double turned into a quadruple by-pass. Okay. He was okay.

Three days later he came out of intensive care and was taken down to the cardiac ward. They said he would be going home in about 2 or 3 days. Home for my folks is North Carolina. They lived about an hour and a half from Duke. Everything seemed to be going fine as far as we could tell. At this time, my home, Bigun's and mine, was in Georgia. So, I drove home thinking I would be back in a week or so once my Dad was back at his home. I barely pulled into my driveway in Georgia and the phone was ringing. I didn't get to it in time to answer. When I played the message back (this was before I had a cell phone) it was my dad's Cardiac Surgeon. Something was wrong. Drastically wrong. My father was back in ICU and they didn't know if he was going to make it. My father was slipping in and out of semi consciousness. It didn't look good. The Dr left a message asking me to call him directly. I did. What he told me blew me away. Blew me away. The Dr tried to tell me that my father's problems were occurring because he was an alcoholic and basically that he was detoxing. WTF?!?!? Yes, I let the Dr have it. My Dad doesn't drink. He wasn't, isn't and never was an alcoholic. This I know for fact. The Dr suggested that perhaps I didn't know my father as well as I thought. Well, this sent another litany of expletives flying out of my mouth over the phone to this Dr. I told him I would be at Duke that night and I wanted to see the medical charts for my Dad. They needed to be handy and ready for me to view the minute I walk through the doors. I got back in my car and returned to NC.

The charts were not available when I walked through the doors. I was getting a run around. I should tell you that I was my Dad's spokesman. He gave me a Power of Attorney just in case something happened. As it turns out, my Dad was "lost" on the operating table. He died for about 3 minutes. He had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia. This was news to me, to my Mom, my whole family. His set back wasn't due to his so called drinking, it was due to his allergy to the anesthesia. No one shared this information with me until I started asking for "Superiors". This Great Dr. decided to find an alternative "blame" that would place responsibility on my Dad. Truth was, they lied to us from the minute they came out of surgery. They conceded that these problems he was experiencing could well be the result of the complications during surgery. Oh - and lets not forget, he received the trial blood. They were trying to keep this out of the whole picture because they didn't want to look towards it as a possible factor. They shuffled their way around like pros. Their behaviour is what gives Dr's a bad name. If they had stepped up to the plate to begin with and not tried to "hide" or "cover up" the things that went wrong, I wouldn't have been so upset. My response wouldn't have been such an angry one. Knowing my father didn't drink and them trying to tell me he does...sent me over the edge. I guess they thought I was some dumb ass that wouldn't be smart enough to ask questions.

Any way, my Dad spent quite a while going in and out of a "coma like" state. He remained in ICU and I remained in NC with him 3 days at a time. 3 days in NC 3 days in GA, 3 days in NC... and so on. When I would go to Duke to be with him I would bring a little visitor with me. The Dr's and Nurses said that my Dad couldn't hear us. Didn't know who we were in his moments of semi consciousness. I didn't believe them. Each day I arrived I would set my back pack down on his bed and unzip the side. 'Biner (pronounced beener, but named after a Carabiner) would slip out and cuddle next to my dad under the covers. She would press her tiny little 3 pounds next to his hand and stay there until the evening when I would get ready to go. None of the hospital staff ever knew she was there.

One day I walked in and my Dad had been moved to the cardiac ward. He was conscious and talking. It was one of the best days of my life. So, when I walked into his room on the 5th floor with my backpack on my shoulder, do you know the first thing he said to me? "Did you bring the dog?" He did hear us, he did know we were there and he couldn't wait to see the little 'Biner for the first time.

Now, here we are eleven years later. My dad is in a bad way. Very Bad. You see, he's suffering from an OCD. He is a compulsive hoarder. In his mind, he's okay. Nothing is wrong with him, it's everyone else who has a problem. I know, many of you think that this isn't really a disease at all. It's just what happens to crazy people when the elevator stops going all the way up. I have to admit, I thought that way too. Then I started doing research on it. I started researching it after I spent 7 days of pure hell in NC this summer. Pure hell on so many levels that I can't even begin to explain. I am going to spare you from the worst of it.
To give you a little insight, my Dad has been hoarding things for so long that all he had were little pathways to each room in his home. Each room was packed from the ceiling to the floor with "stuff". Some of it was good, usable stuff. Most of it was trash. Trash of every kind. He felt that everything was useful or could be. You and I would throw away an empty toilet paper roll right? Not my Dad. He thought it might come in handy some time. If he threw it away, that would be when he would need it.He had doznes of them in plastic bags. If he owned one DVD player, he owned a dozen. One TV - he has 15. And so on and so on...Stacks upon stacks upon stacks of newspapers filled his living room. From the floor to the ceiling. There was only enough cleared space on the sofa for my Dad to sit. Everything else was packed tightly under boxes and bags and stacks of things.

Please don't get me wrong. When I describe my Dad you may think I believe he is perfect. I don't. My Dad is my Dad. He's human and he has his faults and I don't kid myself about these things. He has always been a stubborn, hard headed person who has definite opinions about everything. He hasn't had an easy life by any means. He grew up in the foster system during the 50's and 60's. He never even knew his given name until he joined the Army- the second time. The first time he joined the Army he was under age, so he stole his older brother's birth certificate. The Military was going to open doors for him. The Army meant Freedom.

Now, he struggles daily with his many health issues. He battles with the VA for benefits he is entitled to and cannot get. He shakes uncontrollably as he watches his family members take away all of his "belongings" and load them into the back of a truck to be discarded in the county dump. He panics at the thought of one bag of empty paper rolls being thrown away. When I started researching Compulsive Hoarding I was only looking for a way to help deal with him. The research I have read is mostly vague. Some articles though are treating this as the serious issue it is. Research is finding that this is different from other OCD's. It's different because most often there is a physiological occurrence that triggers this behaviour. My thoughts went to...oh I don't know, lying on an operating table for 3 minutes with no oxygen going to his brain ...? No, I am not blaming the doctors for what is going on with my Dad. It was an unfortunate accident 11 years ago. No one could have known he would be allergic to the anesthesia. Could they? No, probably not. However, the heart condition, mixed with the surgery could well be the trigger for this extreme behaviour. This behaviour of which he has no control. He's seems perfectly normal until you see where he lives, how he lives. How he subjects my Mom and his other family members to these conditions.

When I went back to NC this past summer I spent 6 solid days doing nothing but packing up most of his belongings that we could salvage. I know, what I shared with you was the end of a long week with me and my family yucking it up on the trampoline. What we were really doing was salvaging my Dad's life. His past, his history, his attachments. The rest had to be thrown away. Imagine, if you can, four 12 x 12 rooms packed from the ceiling to the floor, front to back full of garbage. Then imagine 4 more rooms packed the same way with salvageable things. That is what I did with my three sisters and my Mom-for a week this summer. I haven't even scratched the surface yet of how bad it really was. Now, here I am 3 months later not knowing what to do. There isn't a single day that has gone by, since then, that I don't worry over my Dad. There isn't a single day that has gone by that I don't try to come up with a way to help my Dad. My sisters, my brother, my Mom. No one has stepped up to do anything. They are all afraid. Afraid of his reaction. Afraid that if they intervene he might do something horrible and unthinkable. We are all being held hostage right now by my Father's illness and what might happen if we try to force him to get help. He holds everyone hostage with his temper tantrums.

So here I sit, pounding away at this key board while trying to figure out how to help my dad and I don't know what to do or how to go about doing it. He'll never go voluntarily. Never. How can I help him knowing that if I do- it will probably be the last time he ever speaks to me. Ever.
It is time for me to quit lurking and do something.

Top 5, make that 10, wait 15,no.Oh hell, A bunch of things you should know about me.

I just realized I passed my 100th post about 6 posts ago. I thought I would bring the "list" back. We have a lot of new blogger peeps who may or may not have seen this before...

1. 14 years of marriage, I still find my hubby interesting and sexy

2. I love my babies. That would be the 4 legged kind.

3. I am a steadfast friend. Loyalty is a defining character trait. If I ever get that call in the middle of the night and a friend needs help with an urgent burial, I'll get there as soon as possible and I'll even bring my own shovel. :)

4. People are interesting. Mostly. Usually. Unless they're really weird. Then they're just a twisted curiosity. A twisted curiosity that I find it difficult to pull myself away from - in a really twisted kind of way.

5. I need my convertible. Really, I do.

6. Shoes are very important. Repeat after me, shoes are very important, they can make or break your outfit.

7. I border on being a control freak. Just ask my sister, my business partner, my husband...the dishwasher- it must be loaded a specific way.

8. Meeting new people is a wonderful adventure

9. I have a voracious appetite for reading novels.

10. I love the color RED. Love it.

11. Everyday holds a surprise. I find that I am always surprised by that fact. Good or bad.

12. God willing, I'll make a difference in some one's life that will help them find/create a better life for themselves.

13. Being Spontaneous is wicked fun it's just not always convenient. fun...convenient...fun... convenient....

14. If you want a fast car you have to drive it fast. No exceptions. Drive it like you stole it.

15. Wherever you go, there you are.

16. I lived in Ethiopia when I was little. I have heard lions roaring in the wild. When I was little I thought it was left over from a dream. Then my mother told about how the lions could be heard roaring.That was when I knew it wasn't a dream.

17. I was a Photojournalist- I LOVED that job. I LOVED the stories. I LOVED the history of lives I witnessed and documented. I LOVED my colleagues. What a great crew of people. I still miss them.

18. My sisters and my brother are good people. My brother is my favorite brother. (how's that Dewain?)

19. My nieces and nephews mean the world to me. My greatest goal in life is to be the FAVORITE AUNT

20. I still get misty when I remember the first time I felt Lauren, Alex and Madison kicking. Lauren will be graduating high school in a year.

21. Truly Great friends are rare, I am fortunate to have more than one.

22. I still don't know how I was lucky enough to meet and then marry such a good man.

23. I have lived many lives in my 41 years and all of them are mine.

24. I have no regrets. Everything I have done and everyone I have known had their part in helping me to become who I am today. The good and the not so good. It's all good.

25. I have added new people to my family with Uncle Mel, Aunt LaVerne, Anne, Chris, their kids and Kim and Joe. They make me feel like I am coming home every time I see them. I thank Bigun for that too.

26. Greek and Roman mythology still fascinates me.

27. I believe in reincarnation.

28. "You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past" Richard Bach

29. I plan to keep changing. Hold on. - I'll probably still always be a bit of a control freak, but I'm working on that one.

30. Rollercoasters are the BOMB. Did you hear that Sheikra is going to be bottomless?!?!?!? OMG OMG. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!! June 16 2007
31. Bloody Marys....yummmmmmmmm double yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm

32. I worked as an A.A. for a top Law Firm in Boston, they repped New Kids on the Block....lol blast from the past ah?

33. I owned a lapis blue honda del sol. Great car.

34. I still remember the very first black and white photograph I ever printed. It was a photo of a car wreck and the car was flipped over and wrapped in telephone lines. Scott shot the accident, I developed the prints. Morbid, I know, but I remember.

35. persnickety is a funny word. rereading it cracks me up

36. Mr Bill from SNL was freakin hilarious.

37. I lived in Pruem, Germany I attended High School in Bitburg.

38. My friends were Tammy Stohr, Belinda Beltran and Toni Grogg

39.I graduated from Pine Forest Senior High in NC.

40. I try to keep in mind that there are never REALLY any problems, just different solutions.

41. It is what it is. If you don't like it, fix it or get over it.

42. Water calms me.

43. I love a good book while in a hot bath.

44. Strawberries dipped in chocolate truly are everything they are cracked up to be. umm umm

45. Halloween- oooooo. the best!

46. I admire originality.

47. John Parker was the first boy to ever give me perfume as a gift. It was Wind Song. I really liked it. I was 14.

48. Country music, real country music, ie: Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Loretta, Patsy, Willie, Garth, etc. is the schisznit.

49. Driving down a country road on a sunny day with the top down is heaven on earth. I really do need my convertible...

50. Having my cat curled up on my lap is a nice way to end the day. He so rarely curls up

51. Fear is a poor excuse for not doing the work.

52. "Those who are not delighted by learning, those who cannot be enticed into new ideas or experiences, cannot develop past the roadpost they rest at now."- ClarissaPinkola Estes

53. I love wigs.

54. Bigun always lets me warm my feet on him when we get into bed at night. I love that about him.

55. My old '77 Celica- The Beast- what a great car she was.

56. I wanted to be able to list my favorite classic novel. I can't. There are too many wonderful ones out there.

57. Obscure movies are interesting

58. If you look for the best in people, most often you will find it.

59. If you search and search for the best in someone and you never find it, RUN. Run as fast as you can in the opposite direction from where you found them. Run like the Devil is on your tail and gaining ground. 'Cause most likely, that isn't far from the truth. Run Forest Run

60. On occasion, I pay the toll for the car behind me. If they had a bad day, maybe it'll get better. If they had a great day, maybe they'll pass it on. Maybe some day someone will pay it for me.

61. My favorite blanket is the one my dad sent to me from Korea for Christmas when I was 6. I still use it every night. It's my woobie

62. 13 years of marriage, I still get butterflies when I am at work and my mind wanders to Bigun.

63. I am a lousy downhill skier. Cross country skiing is fabulous.

64. My Chi straight iron was worth every penny.

65. I see people as colors- what color do you think you are?

66. My tattoo. Yes, I still want it.

67. My two favorite T-Shirts are my "Doors" and "Beatles" T's.

68. Stained glass is beautiful

69. cooking with fresh herbs from my garden is a great way for me to unwind

70. I miss Rock Climbing- Florida is pretty flat. I met Bigun when we were climbing. Well, actually I met him at a bar with his girlfriend, but it was for only a few seconds. Then I met him rock climbing. That was for life.

71. an old friend of mine taught me how to play chess. I never play anymore. I don't know why, I never play any more. I really like chess.

72. Pomegranate juice is one of the world's greatest inventions

73. whenever I receive a Thank you note from someone, my heart grows a little bit more.

74. I'm not sure which I like more, choosing the gift or wrapping the gift. Presentation is everything.

75. I cannot pass up a sale for wired ribbon. I'm weak in that way. see #74

76. I used to be a vegetarian.

77. I am a coffee snob. I like it flavored and creamy

78. I look forward to spending one on one time with my Husband. weirdo, I know.

79. I dream about alligators often. still a weirdo, for real.

80. I am a Ramen junkie. What an awesome food. 1001 ways to eat ramen, I know 2002 ways.

81. Dream Weaver.(Gary Wright) My most favorite song of all time, in case you wondered.

82. Dolly Parton- Love her!

83. I used to smoke. I liked smoking. A lot. Now, it nauseates me. humm.

84. Those alligators I mentioned, I am always walking across the back of one onto another. I win. ?? isn't that weird? Those dreams started before I ever imagined I would be living in Florida, the Motherland of Alligators

85. "41 Stories" by O'Henry - "The Last Leaf" a must read.

86. Chip Norman - my first kiss

87. My favorite cookies are Milanos- Raspberry. exquisitely sinful.

88. I could live on sushi, ramen and milanos. Seriously. Seriously- I could.

89. ask me about any movie.

90. I wish I were better organized- that infamous road to hell...it's paved with all the files and papers I misplace daily while looking for other lost papers and files. They're never really lost, they just end up in unusual places. It's bizarre.

91. When a person is important to me I try to make sure I tell them. It's a sad state when you can't tell the people who mean the most to you just how much they mean to you in your life.



92. I really really really LOVE to dance

93. I was 24 when I had my first "shot" of tequila that wasn't mixed with soda or some sort of beverage. Tequila. I was with my girlfriend Jeanine Ivey. I was hooked.

94. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was always certain to be a good time. Over the years, we had many parties there.

95. I am a very emotional person. I cry when there is a sad movie on, I cry when I am really really really happy, I laugh out loud when a great song comes on the radio. I am really tough to be around when I'm PMS'ing. All those emotions have no where to go... WTF

96. I know the secret to eating Capn' Crunch...

97. Bologna sandwiches, yummm with Miracle whip and american cheese. How's that for a healthy and nutritious snack? lol

98.

99.

100.

(list started in 02/07)
... I'll keep you posted

This One's for J-Wim and Big Mike

For those of you who follow J-Wim and Big Mike's blogs, you know their sense of humor. For those who don't follow them, well, do yourself a favor. They are a funny couple. Bigun and I had the pleasure of meeting them and hanging out with them in Chicago. It really was a fun day.

Well, Bigun is always busting someone ...you never know if you are on the receiving end of a bust until you read his post. True? Oh yes. Although I am his wife, trust me when I tell you, I have no immunity from his sense of humor. That is what he calls it, in case any of you were wondering.
Something arrived in the mail the other day. It was a cute little package from Big Mike and J-Wim. (did I tell you I love them?).



Here is the note I found when I opened the package...
















Then I found this T-Shirt under the note...
I laughed so hard!! This is what we call funny!!
What do you think Mr. and Mrs.Blink?
I think we're having Tacos tonite.

Sgt. Eddie Ryan

Could your parents afford to pay for your needed therapy - after a Traumatic Brain Injury - on $108.00 a month?

This post isn't intended to cast a poor light on the Doctors and Nuses who tend our wounded. This post is to help shed some light on something that is mostly kept in the dark. The aftercare and therapy that is not happening when Dr's hands are tied. The VA does what it can on the level of the Dr's and Nurses. How can we help change this? Below is the chart that shows how our men and women are compensated after they get out of the Military due to an injury related release. Did you know that they are releasing TBI (traumatic brain injuries) with little to ZERO follow up care/therapy. Then so many of them are only qualifying for 10% disability? The politicians need to step up and do something with the funding. Please, let your local and State Politicians know, this type of aftercare is unacceptable.

Disability Compensation
Contact your Veterans Service representative or VA Seamless Transition program representative to calculate your service-connected disability compensation. There are a number of factors that affect the amount of compensation you receive, i.e. injuries, number of dependents, years of service, etc. The charts below provide a sample calculation.
Compensation for Service Connected Disability (VA)
Monthly Rates of Compensation
Effective Dec. 1, 2004
10%........................................
Veteran Alone $108

With Spouse & Child $108
20%........................................
Veteran Alone $210

With Spouse & Child $210
30%........................................
Veteran Alone $324

With Spouse & Child $391
40%........................................
Veteran Alone $466

With Spouse & Child $555
50%........................................
Veteran Alone $663

With Spouse & Child $775
60%........................................
Veteran Alone $839

With Spouse & Child $973
70%........................................
Veteran Alone $1,056

With Spouse & Child $1212
80%........................................
Veteran Alone $1,227

With Spouse & Child $1406
90%........................................
Veteran Alone $1,380

With Spouse & Child $1581
100%......................................
Veteran Alone $2,299

With Spouse & Child $2523
* There are additional amounts of compensation available for veterans based on the type of injury sustained. Additionally, Marines whose service rated disabilities are rated at 30% or more may be entitled to additional compensation.VA Compensation Rate Table
Calculating Disability Retirement Pay

E-3 with over 3 years of Service and 40% Disability
E-5 with over 6 years of Service and 40% Disability
Two Methods - Select whichever is most favorable to you

Length of Service Method Basic Pay x 2.5% (0.025) x Years of service

$1641.00
x 2.5%
x 3
------------
$123.07/month


$2205.30
x 2.5%
x 6
------------
$330.79/month

Percent-disability method Basic-Pay x Percent Disability

$1641.00
x 40%
------------
$656.40/month


$2205.30
x 40%
------------
$882.12/month

Severance Pay = Base Pay X Yrs of Svc X 2
$9846.00
$26,463.60
Note: Figures calculated using average of "high-three" basic pay. Assumptions are that the Sgt was a Cpl in 2003 and Lcpl was a PFC in 2003. Each disability retirement will be accompanied by a line-of-duty investigation. If the disability is not due to your intentional misconduct or willful neglect, and if it was not incurred while AWOL, then you are entitled to disability severance pay in the amount of two month's basic pay per year of service to a maximum of twelve years.

I Have Been Cheating

Yes. I have been cheating and I am sorry.

I have been cheating on my posts. Craziness is exactly what it has been here for a while now. My J.O.B. is taking more time along with all of the social events, Tri's, etc going on - craziness. So, I have been shortchanging all of you on my posts. Sorry, but posting with lots of photos has been a quick way to let you all in on the goings ons around here. Cheating. I know. Sorry.

In addition, because of my short amount of time, I have been skimping on the comment love. I am still reading everyone's posts but I find myself clicking on the next because I am always so pressed for time. I am still stopping in to see everyone as I always have but have been skipping the comment love. Cheating. I know. Once again, I am sorry. Truly. Bear with me through my busy season and I'll be back in full swing.

This is a sample of what I do for a living. This home was a newly built home. The clients moved here from Chicago. They had no furniture at all for their home. So, I came in and created this -

This is a "during" shot. This client ordered the sofa and decided she loved the Tiger pattern so much, she wanted more. So, I painted the pattern onto the face of her kitchen bar.

And in her art "niche"

For those of you who have asked -There is a tiny peek into what I do for a living. I do it all. Custom furnishings, draperies, bedding, carpets, floors, faux finishes, you name it. Right now I am about to install a beautiful copper ceiling in a home that is being built. It will be so stunning. Stunning.

Right now, in my world, everyone loves me. They don't love me because I am charming and beautiful. Well...maybe that's it....yeah, it probably is, but in reality, they love me because I make their homes beautiful. Just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Right. ( I am laughing very hard out loud right now)

If it was to be done before the Holidays, they should have started in July. Swear. Custom upholstery, drapes, bedding, it all takes time. These days, more time than before. You see, in the effort to meet Americans' desire for nice look for little price, everyone has gone overseas for their product. So, those fabrics that used to be milled in North and South Carolina no longer exist. The mills are all closed down and the fabrics are now coming from China. This means, lots and lots of wait time if the fabric isn't in stock. Well, no one ever picks a fabric that is in stock. Trust me. So, custom is defined as: Wait. Period. Please. Don't shoot the messenger.

Okay, enough of my bitch session. With all of that said, I am still insanely busy. I like it that way. My days are not so easy and they are very long more often than not. But, I really do like it this way. So, please forgive me if i cheat a little for a bit on my posts. Please?

We partied at the Bigun house this past weekend. It really was a fun filled evening. I felt like the Bride again. The house was full and I barely got to spend time with anyone person for more than 5 minutes at a time. ExcelMan and Green Eyed Lady joined in the festivities along with 20 other people. My life is so full of beautiful people. I truly have wonderful friends. TriFeist came over for a bit. It was so much fun to meet her. I feel guilty that I didn't spend more time learning about her. I have no doubt we'll see her again. Her Hubby was working so she was flying solo. I smell a dinner coming on...

In addition to work and regular home things I have been working on various projects in my home too. My walls have been painted and repainted more than once in more than one room. The Guest suite is almost done. I have to finish putting the bed together. I had the bed frame in there but now have a beautiful carved black poster head board and foot board to add. The delivery guys forgot to leave the rails, so the bed is not put up yet.

Finally finished painting the hall bath - it is metallic gold. LOVE it. It looks fabulous with the red curtains in there. In addition to that I redid our bedroom too. Bigun recovered the headboard a while ago and i finally put the new bedding on the bed. It's red, mingled with gold and bronze. The bedding. It looks so gorgeous with the red sofa in there. Stunning. I still have to finish the venetian plaster in there and the painting. It'll happen, just don't know when. I am also building some built-in bookcases in the office. The painting is done and the desk and credenza are in but the book cases are only about 1/3 of the way finished. I'll finish them in between putting the final layer of glaze on my Dining room walls. Are you seeing a trend here yet? Many projects, little time and millions of ideas... that's me. Oh. I work too. Cook often. Take care of the dogs, try to keep up with the house ( not always successfully either), work in laundry every now and then as well. Thank the Lord I don't have children too. I would be three stories up at the asylum. How you women with kids do it, I'll never know. My hat is off to you all.

Oh. I almost forgot. I read too. I read a lot. It's my get away. My sanctuary. Books. I love them. I love the way the ink smells on the pages when you crack that book for the first time. If I fall asleep with ink smudged fingers at night, I feel good. I just finished a couple of books. One in particular,

"In an Instant" . Bob and Lee Woodruff.

Editorial Reviews
Book Description

In one of the most anticipated books of the year, Lee Woodruff, along with her husband, Bob Woodruff, share their never-before-told story of romance, resilience, and survival following the tragedy that transformed their lives and gripped a nation.

In January 2006, the Woodruffs seemed to have it all–a happy marriage and four beautiful children. Lee was a public relations executive and Bob had just been named co-anchor of ABC’s World News Tonight. Then, while Bob was embedded with the military in Iraq, an improvised explosive device went off near the tank he was riding in. He and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, were hit, and Bob suffered a traumatic brain injury that nearly killed him.In an Instant is the frank and compelling account of how Bob and Lee’s lives came together, were blown apart, and then were miraculously put together again–and how they persevered, with grit but also with humor, through intense trauma and fear.

Here are Lee’s heartfelt memories of their courtship, their travels as Bob left a law practice behind and pursued his news career and Lee her freelance business, the glorious births of her children and the challenges of motherhood.Bob in turn recalls the moment he caught the journalism “bug” while covering Tiananmen Square for CBS News, his love of overseas assignments and his guilt about long separations from his family, and his pride at attaining the brass ring of television news–being chosen to fill the seat of the late Peter Jennings.

And, for the first time, the Woodruffs reveal the agonizing details of Bob’s terrible injuries and his remarkable recovery. We learn that Bob’s return home was not an end to the journey but the first step into a future they have learned not to fear but to be grateful for.In an Instant is much more than the dual memoir of love and courage. It is an important, wise, and inspiring guide to coping with tragedy–and an extraordinary drama of marriage, family, war, and nation.A percentage of the proceeds from this book will be donated to the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.

Please read this book. It brings to light a serious issue facing our nation, it's soldiers, it's families. People may not agree on the war in Iraq and they may not agree with why we are there or the policies of our leaders. It doesn't matter. Our men and women are still there. Support them. Supporting our soldiers is what matters. Freedom isn't free and the men and women who are there, in Iraq, they know this. Does your personal freedom depend on the war in Iraq? I don't know. I won't presume to guess either. What I do know is that a tyrant who murdered his people and tortured many more is now gone. Our men and women are there to help the ones left behind in the debris.They are there to help them put their lives back together. To gain their freedom. The daily struggles they face, both our soldiers and Iraq's citizens, will be a long and hard road.

I did not want to turn this into a "heavy" post, but I am compelled to say this-

Our men and women who are returning home with missing limbs, post traumatic stress disorders, brain injuries, and more, they need our help. They need OUR help. What can you do?

Sgt. Gonzalez from Alpha Company of 1/38 Infantry Regiment patrols Baqubah, Iraq, on Oct. 3.
ALEXANDER NEMENOV / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES