In sickness and in health

Hi everyone! I am SO sorry; I know I have been pretty bad about updating this Blog lately. Pictured below, you may have a small idea as to why... This picture was taken recently during bad weather, when, stuck inside, the kids decided to turn the livingroom into one big zoo/fort. You will notice the poor bewildered doggie in the backround. He had no idea what to make of this mess. However, they did do a respectable job cleaning it up! We really have been nutso busy here. The school had Family Gingerbread night recently. Here is Joe, shortly before demolishing it. This function is usually put on for the Pre-K classes every year. This was obviously our third time attending. We were surrounded by parents of frusterated kids, trying to make the 'perfect' gingerbread house. Seriously? In the grand scheme of life - they are 4 years old. I let the kids pick out their candies, spread icing on every possible surface and let tham take creative license. They had a great time!

And, the placement of things was actually very important to them, as seen below!

We recently repainted the living room, and bought new curtains, and a new braided rug. This all happened right before the Christmas decorations went up, and for some reason, the pictures turned out blurry, but, here is a general idea of how it looks. It's painted a sort of deep yellow, not really caught very well here. And, this is also the Christmas tree (Well duh, I realize you all know that!) We went trecking thru the frozen tundra to find this tree, after I had worked the Club Christmas party the night before. I was SOOOOO tired and cold!


A picture of the new curtains and another wall. Very remarkable, huh?

And, another blurry and bad picture... me or the camera? I will go with, it must be the camera...


I know this is not the most impressive blog I have ever posted. If you paid any attention to the title, you will see the word sickness. OMG. We had the most terrible bug sweep through this house over the last week and a half. As if we don't have enough on our plates! But, at least it hit BEFORE Christmas. Joe and I caught it at the exact same time. I woke up sick, and made a mad dash down the stairs to the (ONLY) bathroom. As I staggered back out, half dead, I met up with Joe, on the other side of the door, absolutely covered in vomit. (Yuck, I know. Sorry!) "Mom, I am sick." he informs me. "Oh Joe! Did you throw up in bed?" (Please God, say no!) "No. I did not. I only threw up on my floor, in the hallway upstairs, down the stairs, in the living room. I did not throw up in the dining room, but, I threw up in the kitchen and family room." Shoot me now. I can honestly say, that I don't think I have ever been so very sick in my entire life. I don't know if it hit me the hardest out of the whole family, because I am pregnant, or what, but I caught it pretty badly. Going to work the next two days was so not fun. Ah well. we survived it.

Speaking of pregnant; we only have a little longer to go! The actual due date is February 4, 8, or 9. This is per dcotor, PA, and ultrasounds. I say, I will be lucky to make it through January. By the way, during my miserable flu, baby seemed okay. As if the whole body wasn't in enough misery; he kept up a cheerful kicking through the whole ordeal.

I will try to keep up better here, but, with school, holidays, work, kids and baby - I don't get a lot of free time. I had jury duty today, and we all had to recite our names, ages, occupations, schooling, kids, their ages, and what we do for recreation, and what we read. Hmmm. What the heck is recreation?! And, are there books that aren't full of medical terms and diseases out there? I graduate on June 11, 2010. I am SOOOO going out that night, and then I am going to spend a week reading trashy novels for the fun of it!

Big Baby!

Hi everyone! a really quick update, to let you know we are still around! I am hoping to get around to posting pictures of the living room in the near future, as we ('we' being Jasin) just painted it, and we bought new cutains and a rug.

Last week I had another baby appointment. I will be 30 weeks tomorrow, so I have been told. However, during the ultrasound I had, I was told that this baby is too big! He is apparently double the weight he is supposed to be. I was asked if I had gained a lot of weight. Nope. 10 pounds. I was told I must have gestational diabetes. Nope, I don't. Well, WHY did this baby weigh so much? Demanded the Physitians' Assistant accusingly. (My normal doc was off that day.) I told her what I have told EVERYONE so far; that I think I am further along than they think I am. "NO, you are NOT!" I was told. She seemed really upset that the baby weighed so much, but I told her Joe was just about 9#, and all my babies are C- section, so it isn't a big deal. I was told to come back in 2 weeks and get another weight on the baby. Poor kid.

Anyhow, hopefully I will get some actual pictures up here eventually! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

We are still among the living!

It has been awhile since I updated this blog. I wish I had all sorts of cute pictures and stuff; but I don't. I could try and tell you that life is nuts here, and if it wasn't for my job, I would probably never be away from school and kids. But, there just aren't words for it. We TRY to keep the house in some semblance of order, and we TRY to keep up on laundry and dishes and kids schedules, and my schedules, and life in general. We generally do okay, but, the house is usually a mess 30 seconds after I clean it. The sink is full of dishes 30 seconds after I wash them, and the laundry basket if full 30 seconds after the last load is folded. I thought I was doing an okay job of balancing everything, until a few weeks ago. The usual babysitter had the flu, so the mother of one of my old (now at college) sitters offered to babysit two days in a row, so I could work. I wasn't feeling so hot, I was tired, had piles of homework to do, and did not feel up to being on my feet for the next several days. The first night, I am so tired and sore and barely able to walk the front door. And I notice, OMG! The house smells really nice! (Not that it usualy smells bad, but, you know, that really nice, just been cleaned nice.) This woman looks at me and casually says, "Oh, I did a litle cleaning is all." This wonderful woman had moved all the livingroom furnature, cleaned under it, swept, mopped, vacuumed, scrubbed down the kitchen appliances, DONE THE DISHES! NO ONE DOES DISHES ANYMORE!!!!! She had dusted, washed the windows... I could have just sat down and cried. Not only do my usually overpaid sitters NEVER pick up, let alone do dishes, but I don't remember anyone, least of all someone I hardly knew, do something so wonderfully kind, and understand that maybe, just maybe I can't do it all, and could use some help. It affected me SO emotionally! I cannot explain how it touched me to have ONE PERSON take the load off for just one night. It was like having a fairy Godmother, or a Gaurdian Angel pop along and help. The next night was even busier than the night before. I was so exhusted I was dizzy and sick. I just wanted to go to bed. I walked through the front door, and found she had done all my laundry, cleaned the nightmare of a laundry/catchall room, and just gone through and CLEANED! I paid her extra.... The next week, I text the regular sitter... she was all better.Ah well. I had ONE magical weekend!

I should not complain, I know. I am 28 weeks along, and baby is fine, and I know it's all going to be harder after he's born. I have to have a c-section, and they are hard to bounce back from. I also only get 10 days total I can take off of school for the year. So, I have 10 days of recovery, before I have to get back into it. So, right now it's easy! Good LOrd. This entire blog sounds whiney, doesn't it? Actually, everything is going along great! I love love love school, and clinicals at the hospital, the kids are all doing great, and Jasin is painting the livingroom, so I will be able to get new curtains and a rug before the holidays! AND.... I went to parent teacher conferences the other day, and found out that Lexi is amazing. Well, I knew she was amazing, but, I mean REALLY smart, amazing! Her teacher told me she is the top of the class, smartest kid, has done everything Kindergarten can throw at her, plus all the advanced enrichment courses. She is a natural born leader, and has a really awesome personality, (Which we knew!). I was half prepared for the "Mrs. Dick (I HATE being called Mrs. Dick...) Your kid is nuts, and we are recommending counseling..." speech. I had no idea she was this smart! She is apparently WAY ahead of the rest of the class! At which my mother told me she had obviously inherited HER genes...:)

In conclusion, we are all alive and well, starting holiday stuff. One of the Buffalo radio stations is now playing Christmas music 24 hours a day, and some of the girls at school have their trees up already. I am not quite that prepared, but, the livingroom is being painted, so that's a start, right?
I will try to update a little more often, but I DO get on and check out everyone else's blog occasionally!

Halloween Parade

Today was the Halloween parade, at the kids' school. I told them I would try my best to be there for it, knowing I would have to be able to leave school early to do so. My teacher let us out early, and I drove like crazy to get there. I came screeching thru the door minutes before the parade began. And like a magnet, this one mother who I always avoid, (Sounds mean... I know!) comes over and stands right next to me. She always has rather nasty comments and generally obnoxious things to say, and MOST of the parents avoind her. So, the parade begins and we see Kaila.... Who now gets that "Oh my gosh! They are taking MORE embarassing pictures!" look everytime the camera points her way lately. She is a kitty, by the way.

Lexi was so happy to see me there, she stopped dead in the hallway and was laughing and crying at the same time. "MOM!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE REALLY REALLY HERE!!!!!!!!!!!" She sobs. The lady next to me turns around and glares at me. "Doesn't she ever see you? She acts like she hasn't seen you in days! I could NEVER be the kind of mom who doesn't put my children first. Why have more kids, if you obviously don't spend time with the one's you already have?" She states in disgust. Nice.

On the way back through, Lexi had the SAME reaction. And, so did the other mom. Whatever. I was way too tired to care what others think! Notice, however, the tin foil halo on my little angel. At 6:30 this morning, Lexi tearfully told me that Rilynne was going to be an angel too, and SHE had a halo! Lexi really, really needed a halo! So, out came the tim foil, and we made a halo.

And, of course, our little fireman. It's been his costume for 3 years in a row, and he shows no signs of wanting to change it. We were passing his classroom on the way out of the school, with 20 minutes to spare before picking them up, and on the way by Joe's classroom, the teacher saw us and motioned us in to visit. Joe had the same reaction at seeing me there as Lexi did. I don't know whether to be happy my kids love me this much, or guilty that they HAVE this reaction of happy tears to see me!

I admit, he looks a trifle doped up in this picture, but I am pretty sure the school does not resort to those tactics...

We went out this morning and bought 25# of candy for the big night tomorrow. Sadly, I have my doubts that it's enough! We get hit pretty hard on our road, by all the trick-or-treaters!

I'm gonna burn for this!

If my mother finds out about this, I will go to hell that much quicker. Jasin and I were invited to a Halloween party this past Saturday. We didn't know, right up untill the last minute, if we would even go. It started at 11:00 PM, which is not an easy time to get a sitter, and there was a party I had to bartend at work. But, I had made the flippant comment that, I had no idea what I would dress up as anyhow. Wouldn't it be kinda funny if I went as a nun? Somehow that took flight, and Jasin thought it would be fun to be a priest along with me. I kept saying I would go to hell, and my mother would help the trip happen that much faster. The day of the party, we were at Joanne Fabrics, looking for material to make a baby blanket, and BAM! There were two costumes left - a priest and a nun. I hate to say it was a sign, but.......
Jasin managed to find a sitter, and I actually got out of work early, so, off we went! I had the head piece on at one point, but it kept falling off, so there are no pics of me wearing it.

And this is one of the most awful pictures of me, but, I had been on my feet all day and ran pretty hard at work, and then been on my feet at the party in high boots. I was exhausted! By 2:30, I was done. Which is about what time this was taken. It really is hideous!

In the 13 years we have been together; I had no idea Jasin could limbo! The club we were at has a dance floor that lights up in all different patterns, a smoke machine and a bubble machine over it, and light effects. They had a limbo contest on it, and Jasin took second! I was amazed! He lost because he was laughing so hard at the DJ's heckling...

My friend Julie, and her date, Shawn. Those are fake, by the way...

The guy that threw the party, Ed, in the big bad wolf get up, and some guy named Eric, who was actually a lot of fun.



And, of course, wouldn't you know, I ran into Lexi's Sunday school teacher in the ladies room.

"Don't I know you?" she asked, then, "OH! I KNOW! Your daughter is in my religion class!"

What do you say, at a moment like this?

"So, are your kids coming to the church halloween party for kids?" She asks.

"No, my husband and I both work that night, so they won't be there"

"Oh. That's too bad. What do you do?"

"Ahem. Ummmmm...... (SIGH) I am a bartender..."

"Oh." she snapped. "Well. Don't forget, there's Religion tomorrow. I hope you can get your daughters there."

Considering I drank water all night, and she did not; I was curious to see if SHE would make it to "Religion". Lexi said they just sat and watched videos.

And we're pretty sure.................

I went to the doctor today. Last month, I told the doctor, that, if we didn't find out what we are having, the baby was coming home naked. He agreed to do another ultrasound today, so we could try and see what we are having. There really isn't a whole lot on the market today, in the way of neutral baby items. We have had a lot of people tell us we shouldn't find out, and that in the good 'ol days, parents COULDN'T find out. In the good 'ol days, there was neutral baby clothes, and people made them themselves, in front of the roaring fire in the great room! Ahem. I digress. For our 11th anniversary two weeks ago, Jasin and I went to Buffalo, and Niagara Falls. We went to 3 malls, 2 Baby Depots, and 3 Babies R Us, Target, K Mart, WalMart, Penney's, Bon Ton, Children's Place, you name it. We found one outfit, and one crib set that wasn't either ugly, or Winnie the Pooh. After a whole day ramming around all of Western New York, from one end to the other, I gave up. We went to Lake Erie and walked along the waterfront for awhile. Then after spending our day on one kid, we went home to the rest of them.
So, today, after lots of squirming and kicking and generally not being happy we were bugging it.... the doctor and I saw it at the same time.... It's a BOY! So, I went right from the doctor's office, and bought a pair of blue booties, a huge baby gift bag, and all the tissie paper I could find. I wrapped the botties up in lots of layers, and then packed the bag FULL of individual tissue paper sheets. I then came home and handed it to Jasin.
Joe has been telling everyone all along that it's a boy. He informed the lady who cut his hair the other day that it was a boy, and it's name would be Elliot. (ELLIOT?!) I had no idea where that had come from! Mostly, because Jasin is determined, and will not listen to any arguements. It's going to be a George. (George??!!) After I came home and told him about Joe's Elliot comment, he decided he liked George Elliot. My baby's initials will be G.E.D. Well, at least he won't feel pressured tath we have too high expectations, I suppose. Anyhow, I am actually excited about this... we only have just over 3 months to go!

First snow

Today was the first snow. With weather reporters cheerfully promising 6 to 12 inches by Saturday. Lovely. We went from snow, to rain, to snow again, here in Western New York. Ah well. The kids all needed updated outerwear, so, before school this morning, we went to Olean and bought them the needed things. They couldn't get out of school fast enough and into the new stuff to get outside. These pics look pretty unimpressive, but, it's been a wet driving snow all day. Here is Joe in all the excitement a little boy could possibly have in the first snow of the season!

Kaila and Joe

And, where was Lexi? She fell outside, and got all upset because her jeans were wet, so she came in and watched TV. After I took this picture and looked at it, she was told to get her wet and muddy body OFF the couch, and change her pants...

In conclusion, we are all alive and well... I feel like these blogs are few and far between, but, with school and life in general, it's been very very busy! We did go to Pumpkinville recently. It's this wonderful place, full of cute things to do, and hay rides and cider and pumpkins and apples and freshly made donuts. It was great, and we all had a wonderfull time. I even remembered the extra batteries for the camera! I was so proud of myself. Untill we arrived at Pumpkinville, and I realized I had forgotten the camera....

Gotta love a man in (temporary) uniform

Yesterday, Jasin left again for the 5 hour drive to Albany. He had decided to go back after all. (Refer to yesterday's post for the details of the ensuing evening!) As he was pulling into Albany, he called me to say he just could not do this. He hated the thought of being away from family for such long lengths of time. The average waiting list for Corrections Officers to get back into this area is 7 years right now. We could have eventually moved, but, even the training would have been years spent mostly away from home. So; he turned around and drove the 5 hours back home, rolling in about an hour before I had to get up and go to the hospital for my Monday Clinical rotation. The kids are delighted; Kaila told him she had missed him always yelling at her. I just wasn't the same, because I am not mean enough. Lord. I suspect my Mother thinks I should be way meaner, too...
Jasin seem, so happy and relieved to be home, I don't think he really regrets this decision at all. He felt bad about all the time, money and upheaval we all put into it, but, I told him I don't regret a second of it. He tried it, at least! He tried, it didn't work, and we discovered how solid a family we are, when it all comes down to it. (Preachy lesson of the day, huh?)
Before he packed everything up to send it back, I took a few pictures, for memories' sake. I told him he looked too nice to be a tough Correction's Officer anyway, after this first picture.

And, one more, before he packed and shipped them back. He goes back to his old job, which he missed anyhow, next Monday. AND!!!! I got to take a nap today while he cooked dinner!!!!:D

Sometimes it's worth it?

Today was one of "those" days. Jasin came home Friday night, and we were all so happy to have him home. Saturday we started off with a big breakfast, and the rest of the day running errands, before I had to go to work. This morning dawned, and it was a rush, to get the girls off to Sunday school, get in the shower, and get ready for work. Jasin was up in the air, about going back to the Academy. The homesickness really gets him, and leaving is really hard on everyone. (Side note here... The other night he called in the middle of absolute chaos. The kids were fighting, the family room was well on the way to utter destruction, the dog was barking, and Lexi ahd just broken the wall heater. Jasin mourned how he missed the kids SOOO much. "WHY?!" I snapped.) But, all in all, I was proud of how smoothly things had gone last week while he was away. I had kept up on everything, laundry, housework, dishes, homework - kinda- and I thought I really could do this.
Today, I came home from work, totaly worn out, and hurting in more places than anyone not run over by a truck should hurt. Jasin had left for Albany already, and the poor sitter was here. In the two and a half hours since Jasin had left, Joe had come down with a stomach issue, and was sleeping in his bed. An hour and a half before bedtime... Down he came, as I gazed around the home that had been clean, when I had last viewed it Friday. It was a mess. Dishes, laundry, toys. Joe climbed into my lap. He was soaked. This child who NEVER wets the bed . Nice. The sitter left, after promising to be back at 6:00 AM tomorrow, so I can get to the hospital for clinical, and costing me every cent I had made today and then some, and things just slid downhill from there. If it could happen; it did. Within an hour of being home, I just wanted to sit down and give up. There was NO WAY I can do this. I wanted to call Jasin, be "That" wife, and demand he come home this minute. I wanted to be immature and whiney and selfish and just go to sleep.
Joe snuggled up to me, laid his head on my shoulder, and said, "I'm so glad you love me, Mom." Well. It took a 4 year old, to make me grow up!
That off my shoulders, I have to go get all their stuff and my stuff ready to go for tomorrow morning. My clinical bag needs to be ready. SO... Goodnight.

Week One

First and foremost, I still hate how my Blog looks, and everytime I try to fix it, it gets worse. Of course. So, we all just have to deal with the gaudy horrid wallpaper, and try to just read it!

We are on day three of Jasin being gone. We are used to him working second shift, and not seeing a whole lot of him on weekdays anyhow, so the girls hardly kinow he's gone. Joe has had some adjustments to make though! A good friend of ours, and Kaila's best friend's mother, has decided to become a stay at home Mom, and work on her Nursing Master's degree. So, she offered to take Joe all day on Mondays while I am at the hospital, and then for an hour tues. through fri. between me leaving for school, and him having to be at school. In exchange, I pick her school age kids up and bring them home. GREAT!!!! Joe hates it. The conversation this morning was thus: "I don't WAANNNAAAA go to their house!!!!" "I am sorry, Joe, but you have to." "But my belly has a headache!" "It will feel better, I promise." "I will cry!!!!" "Will a bagel before you go help? I was going to make one for me anyway." "Alright. But I still am not going to those nasty buggers' house!" "JOSEPH!!!!!!!!!!" "I will walk." .... He went. He lived through it. He was threatened with awful things, if he referred to ANYONE as a nasty bugger again.
Jasin, on the other hand, is not faring so well. He is miserable, homesick and not at all sure he wants to be a Corrections Officer anymore. Part of me wants to say, "Okay honey, C'mon home" and part of me is like; "WHAT?!!! After everything we have ALL gone through to get you there; you are staying put, damnit!" But, I told him the decision is up to him. When all is said and done, there is no point in him being miserable for the rest of his life, either. We'll see. He comes home Friday night, and is supposed to go back Sunday morning. He will make up his mind then.

And it's a......

And baby is still a mystery! We went for our big ultra sound this morning. After everything was located, weighed, and measured; (baby weighs 13 oz...) we found that it was in breech position, and all curled up. We couldn't see what we are having. The lady doing it said at first she thought it was a girl, but then changed her mind, because you just couldn't tell. I laughed and laughed; we really didn't WANT to know, it would just be convenient to know! I am still saying it's a girl, though, because thats what my gut feeling has been all along. We will, however, be buying everything neutral!

The Big Call

About a two and 3/4 years ago, Jasin began the process to get into the New York State Corrections Officer Academy. We knew, going into it, that it entailed 8 weeks of a boot camp style training, and then a year away at a Corrections facility. From there, you have to work your way back toward home. We knew it would be a sacrafice, but worth it in the end. The entire process took almost a year, with all the testing and interviews. Then it stalled out. We heard nothing more about it. We actually almost forgot about it! I began nursing school, and we just hoped that Jasin wouldn't be called at least till I was finished. As timing goes around here for big news... He finally recieved the Big Call this past Friday. He is to report in Albany Sept. 27 for training. He will graduate Nov. 20, and from there, go to Clinton Correctional Facility, on the other side of the state, past the Aderondacks, on the borders of Vermont and Canada. My reaction was, "NOW???!!!!!!" It's an opportunity that we just cannot pass up, but we won't see much of him for the next few years, at best. In talking about it today, we realized we have not ever been seperated in 13 years. Just what a hormonal going to school, working mom wants to think about. Panic was my first reaction. But, we can do this, and we will be okay. Right? So, because Jasin has to leave in 2 weeks, and today is the only non working day either of us had together untill he goes, we took the kids to Rock City Park for the afternoon, and took lots of pictures, and just ignored the phones and the news for awhile.... Rock City Park is this amazing place, about half an hour from here. We go there a few times a year, at least, and the kids love it. It begins way up on top of what seems like a mountain. From there, you decend down a narrow set of stairs, about 80 or so feet, as Lexi is doing below.

Once at the bottom, the rocks are huge, some towering far above, some in formations. The kids LOVE to climb all over. The trail goes for just over a mile of rough terrain. PERFECT for kids!

Joe likes it!

I absolutely love this picture of Kaila!

This picture I liked so much, I had it blown up to an 8x10 and framed it. You cannot BUY this in a studio!

I did discover that this is an exhusting place, while still recovering from a 14 hour bartending shift the night before! Below is one of many breaks! Not quite sure what Lexi is doing here...

Holding up the 100 ton rock.

Another break

A Lexi pic! That child is SO getting a camera for Christmas!

Once at the top, the view is amazing. You can see, (According to the sign), for over 100 miles. We asked someone to get a picture of us here.

This bear is stationed near the entrance. The kids climbed up, and we HAD to get this picture!

And, while we aren't sure WHY there are liquor bottles hanging in this tree, it amused the bartender in me, so I took a picture of them, too.

And, last, but not least, I drive by this sign at least once a week. You have no idea how hard I laugh, every time I see it. It's been up for a month or more, and I don't think the owners realize how this looks. Since we had the camera today, I asked Jasin to stop and get a picture. (No, NYS doesn't do take out booze.)

I will try to put up a post Wednesday, with the news of what the baby is... have a good week!

Back to school and summer updates

Yesterday was the First Day Of School in Franklinville. So hard to believe all our kids are in school now! Too bad I can't stay home and enjoy it!!

And here is a picture after the second day of school. I will pull this one out for the future wife of my son someday! He slept for almost 45 minutes like this.
And, of course, we are still getting lots of rain. Might as well work with it, right?

The girls had a week of mega sleepovers recently. There were lots of extra little girls running around the house almost every night for a week. Jasin was SO glad he works second shift! In his defense, he does do great with weekend sleepovers when I am at work.

And, hey, I am pregnant, working, going to school and tired!!!! Below, Lexi and Joe make dinner...:) Please ignore the kitchen badly in need of being chopped off the house and re-built.

A Lexi picture. 'nuff said!




Lexi lost her first tooth a few weeks ago. OH THE TRAUMA!!!! She discovered it was loose about 30 seconds after I tucked her in one night. She came tearing down the stairs, shrieking and wailing in a way I have never before heard. Or, the neighbors, evidently, judging by the way they were craning their necks and staring from across the road... I have never heard so much drama over a loose tooth in my life! The whole road knew about it, eventually, and people would stop by every day, to check on the progress of said tooth. She even had my boss interested in the action. He cautioned her to be sure not to swallow it when it finally came loose. More drama, more tears, more worries. Thanks, Boss!

And, just because it was cute, I included a photo of Joe and his new dumptruck.

Thats about all I have right now... I am back to school as well, and life is just a whirlwind at this point! I will try and
keep the 'ol Blog updated though! Expect one next Wednesday, when we find out what we are having! (I am almost sure it's another girl...:0)

Good Bye, Irene

This past weekend was pretty rough for us. Kaila's Godmother, and Jasin's 'almost' Grandmother, the woman he grew up next door to, passed away. Irene and her late husband, Felix, were an elderly Polish couple, and a constant fixture in Jasin's life. She was known for her goodness, compassion, giving and, of course, her baking! Felix was known for sitting in the garage, and having his afternoon Genny, while yelling at the people who drove by too fast, but, deep down, the Old WWII vet was as wonderful as they come.

Felix passed away several years ago, but, Irene was still a constant in our lives. When Kaila was born, we could think of no one but this wonderful, devout woman to be her Godmother. I don't think I have ever known anyone as quiety good as Irene. Every birthday and holiday, Kaila would recieve a card, signed 'God Bless, your Godmother, Irene' and Kaila's picture was prominently featured on her refrigerator.

Sadly, when we moved to Franklinville, we didn't see Irene as often, but, we did try to keep in touch. This past December, she was moved to a nursing home. This, I suppose is not the appropriate place to mention her two children, a son and daughter. The daughter lived in a beautiful home right behind Irene's modest trailer. Her daughter and daughter's husband took shameless advantage of Irene over the years, but, Irene never seemed to mind, so we always just let it go. It did occur to me to wonder just who will do the lawnwork, laundry and cooking of the seperate menues for the daughter and her husband every day. And, those poor, affluent people must now have to make their own car payments, but, we'll let it go. (Obviously doing a great job at that, huh?)

This was the most emotional I have ever been at a wake, or a funeral. I felt like we lost a treasure no one ever really appreciated. The funeral was held in a beautiful church in Buffalo. It was the sort of old, wonderful place where one expected Bing Crosby, or Julia Andrews to come dancing and singing through at any moment. There was a pipe organ, and two men with amazing Tenor voices - opera quality! IMAGINE my horror, then, when in front of this pipe organ, a recording of KERMIT THE FROG, SINGING THE RAINBOW SONG, was played. "WHAT are they DOING?!" I whispered to Jasin, tears forgotten for the moment; "Oh. Irene loved the Muppets. Didn't you know?" "NO!" "Didn't you see all the Muppet stuff around her place?" "NO! There were ANGELS everywhere! I never saw a stupid MUPPET!!" "Honey! SSHHHH!" Okay. I was probably out of line. There were 4 priests and a monk there for the funeral. The pipe organ began, and the Tenors started to sing, and I was in tears again. Let me take a moment, to make a small side note. Irene's son was a priest at one point, but gave it all up for a girlfriend. It was all his old Priest buddies on the alter. The entire thing seemed to be a good time joke. "Her cheesecake was to die for! No pun intended, hahahahah!" quiped one of the priests. Right before another Muppet song was played. "If you play a cartoon song at my funeral, Jasin, I will haunt you and make your life so miserable you will WISH you died first!" I snapped at Jasin. He just rolled his eyes. I admit. I probably sound like an obnoxious, awful person right now. Who carries on in such a way at a funeral? We were brought up pretty strict Catholics, for this day and age, a thing I never regretted, and sometimes wish I could be as good as I was brought up to be, but Irene WAS the epitome of 'Good'. As someone who actually knows better, I just felt she deserved a more dignified, more wonderful tribute and send off, than Muppets and tasteless remarks. So, I hope, that, in some way, I have gotten, in a small way, across, the wonderful person that Irene was, and the absolute assurance that she was one of the only people I will ever know that went to heaven, and the lament that one of the few truly good people left in the world is gone, and most people will never know it. We will miss you!

The ugliest Blog on the block

I need to go back to school. In randomly playing around, out of boredom the other day, I discovered a new website, called Cutest Blogs On the Block (.com). I downloaded a backround I thought would be cute, and decided after one look that I hated it. So, I tried another, that I really loved, but nothing happened. So, I tried and I tried and tried and tried and tried. I tried for THREE days. Nothing. I cannot change this awful backround for anything. There is the very real possibility that I am just a moron who can't figure it out, but, untill I do, we are stuck with a seriously ugly Blog. Sorry!!!!!

Quick kitty update...

For those following along, and wondering about the kitty episode from the other day...
The day after Kaila wandered home with the kitty, and had named it Chloe, it was still hanging around the porch. The lady across the road (Whose house the tree fell on), offered to have her husband 'make it disappear'. this did not go over well with Kaila. A lady down the road came over and gave a rousing speech on the evils of cats, and the unfairness of the dog leash law, when cats could run around freely. She was going to go contact village and town board members, the mayor, and possibly attend a few meetings and write a letter to the monthly town newspaper. We are a very involved town here.
Jasin told Kaila, that they would walk around and look for the kitty's home, and if no one claimed Chloe, then Kaila could keep her. So, off they went. Halfway around the block, Chloe supposedly jumped out of Jasin's arms and ran off. I will never know for sure what really happened, but I did tell him later the whole thing probably could have been better handled. Kaila cried. And cried. And cried. And cried. I took her to work to pick up my paycheck, and she cried on my poor boss's shoulder. This went on for two days. Every time a person looked at Kaila, she would burst into pitiful tears and sob. It was awful.
A day after this, the girls and I were driving to Olean, to do some grocery shopping and lunch, and Kaila started up again. "I really miss my sweet little Carlie so much! Poor poor little Carlie!" Hmm. "Kaila! It was CHLOE!!!! Knock it off!!!" I snapped back at her, and the recovery was amazing. So, alls well that ends well. Good luck, wherever you are, Chloe!

Scary days in Franklinville

This summer, the weather in Western New York has been insane. Mostly rain, with a few tornados thrown in to keep us on our toes. When most of us heard there was a possibility of severe weather again this past Sunday, no one really cared. There ALWAYS seems to be severe weather! So, people went to reunions and picnics and planned cook outs and the town softball game commenced at Legion Feild as usual. We're pretty tough around here!
I was at work. There was a planned meeting at the Conservation Club, in our large back hall, (Site of the annual Game dinner, weddings, funeral luncheons, parties, bands and all around lots of memories and use by lots of people.) The meeting was suposed to include a big local politian, and several not so big politians, newspapers, the Concerned Citzens of Cattaraugus county and anyone else interested in attending.
The day was hot muggy and humid, one of those awful days when a person can almost drink the air. People began filing in in their Sunday best. Important people were wearing suits. Lots of hands were being shaken, and OMG, I actually saw a baby get kissed. It was textbook, politian 101.
The sky was pitch black at two in the afternoon, but, we're used to it. My brother Luke and his wife Tammy had just been in to show me their new motorcycle, before they headed for the hour ride back home, when BOOM!!!!! The storm just whipped in with ZERO warning. one moment it was calm, the next it was just crazy. A window came right out of a door, doors were slamming open and shut, the electric went out, people were screaming, and the rain was absolutely horizonal.
The speeches were just begining, and it never occured to anyone to stop, so, sweat pouring off them, the politians kept right on politc-ing. Not one of them would take off their suit coat. When I told one of them he probably SHOULD take his jacket off, he looked at my with great pity. Poor little nothing of a bartender. Not worth the handshake, probably cant read to vote. sigh. You could see the sorrow on his face, as he decided I would never understand that politians DO NOT TAKE OFF THEIR JACKETS. It apparently isn't done. Duh. Whatever. Sweat to death you moron.
As soon as the speeches were done, and polite clapping had finished, the lights came back on. At which one of my bar customers yelled loudly, "SEE?! Even GOD doesn't like politians!!!!!!!"
Love this town. Anyhow, I was worried about my brother, but he, his wife and their bike made it home safely. trees were down. One right across the road from our house had fallen onto the neighbor's house. It went right through their roof, and the side of their house. The damage was pretty extensive. Jasin and several of the neighbors all pitched in the clear the tree off the house, patch the roof as well as possible for the night, and clean things up. We heard there were more storms expected. suddenly, people paid attention to the weather. Lexi had watched the tree across the road fall, and was frantic and just beside herself with worry and terrified of more storms. The poor kid has been upset since.
Around eleven Sunday night, Jasin and I had dozed on the family room couch, when I woke up to wind just whipping through the room, through the North and East windows. Storm # 2 had hit. We went to bed, and I laid awake all night listening to the awful fury outside. The lightning was so bad and so frequent that even closing your eyes, it burned.
Pictured below are just some of the pictures of the Village. It was worse in some parts, but this is what Jasin drove around and took today, as I was at work.

The view across the road from our driveway. It's cleaned up some in this picture, but it was pretty bad yeasterday.
The hocky field

The Golf course at the Country Club

The new playground at Legion Park

The creek. Not sure where he took this one

When I arrived at work this morning, the damage was amazing and extensive. the parkinglot had been flooded. At one point the water had come over the driveway leading back to the Club in 2 places. Trees were down everywhere, and the debris and just wind and flood damage was truly amazing. I was SO happy it happened over night, and not while I had a building full of poeple!

One of my regulars came in, everyone calls him Farmer Brown, as (AKA Jim Brown), due to the fact he actually owns a farm... anyhow, he is one of THE nicest people on the planet, and not one person can say anything bad about such a truly nice guy. Has a wife and two daughters, and is just great. The damage to his farm and fields was extensive, and he will lose his corn crops. His basement still has water rushing through it, and the work on his new barn is under water. All he can see of his 6 foot corn stalks is the tassles. "But", smiles the ever optimistic farmer Brown, "You should see the ducks! They are having the best time!"

'bout sums it up, here in poor little Franklinville. When all is said and done, everyone is okay. There was a tornado about 20 minutes away from here sunday, and a state of emergency in three different towns, where people lost houses and all sorts of things were swept away. We were lucky!