Saturday Morning Post

So, all chicks are in nests!
I have recovered my equanimity (somewhat).

After four days of fretting during their arrivals and a day of recovering, we've been enjoying some homey times. On some evenings Sara and Jeremy head out to shake it up with friends and Sara's "other family" of friend Amy's.

On Christmas Eve, S and J and I loaded up with Chinese food and gifts and headed over to Mom's. We settled into the dining room and had a grand old time. She seemed to really enjoy it and I know she was delighted that J-Face, (all lanky 6'1" of him) was there in the flesh with a lovely Chinese jacket for her from SF.

Christmas morning was great and of course I teared up over the kids gifts to me. Then downstairs to MacBarrons for dinner and another cozy time.

Yesterday we took the train into Boston and saw "Blue Man Group" which was a real hoot! Although we were going to meander back to the train, a friend of Sara's who happened to be in town picked us up and gave us the "scenic route" ride home so that we could see the Gardens lit up and ALL of Comm Ave draped in lights. Just delightful!

Today is our gathering at Locchi's and Cod pizza. There is also a Gino-sponsored Mario Kart Wii tournament scheduled. I may even sign up for this if my darn tendon holds up.

Jeremy flies tomorrow, boo-hoo, but having some time is, of course, better than none.

We never made it to my office and it is as if my whole work life didn't even exist for these past several days, which is remarkably unusual and refreshing.

I will post pics next time, as I hope others will. But I've just got to share my little nutcracker wonderland that I've set up for a couple of years now and have a silly number of the little (and big) wooden gentlemen.

The quiet here is just about to break and cooking will begin soon, so more to follow at another time.

Merry, Merry, Happy, Happy!

(PS. the whole Em transport does sound traumatic. What about those busses?)

Love,
K8

Em is home.

It was a long /slow/ drive both ways but 10 hours and some scary moments later, we arrived safely back at the house.

All I am saying is .. 99% of the drivers on the road yesterday were /awesome/. And if I hadn't had an extremely heavy load of "stuff" in the car on the way home, it would have been MUCH uglier.

A semi wanted our space at one point, but it didn't happen and poor Em did really well for being on the passenger/receiving side of that incident.

It was just a long exhausting drive both ways and all I can say is .. Glad to be home.

Still no tree, Brian has my car today. (That's a whole 'nother story ..)

My own mini-saga ...

The plans were .. Em has her final final on Friday, and the dorm closed on Sat noon. No problem, up early to get her Sat morning. Sunday we will go for the tree (it is Solstice, after all.. :>)

But wait ... Amherst canceled classes/finals for Fri. and her's is re-scheduled for Sat at 4:00 pm!

So, the dorms have to stay open as well. Meanwhile I have to figure out what snowflakes to dodge to get her in a timely manner and get safely home. Life is indeed a bit crazy.

But I still love life in New England.

And the holidays!

more...

Jeremy's first flight leg to Vegas, has no weathr concerns, but the leg fromVegas to the Bean has a warning which, if he followed up, could get him re-issued tickets from up to seven days.
He has been alerted by both myself and Sara and all plans are pending.
In my email, I said "hey, Sunday night, Monday, whatever. We're all concerned for your safety and comfort first. Wanting you here is important, but ....."
Anyway, the drama ensues...

The wonderful world of Holiday shopping and travel...

Most of you may know that both Sara and Jeremy are coming to Brockton for Christmas. This will be the first time in TEN years that both of my children will be with me for Christmas! I am pretty much "over-the-moon" about this.

But into what a wacko holiday season it is turning? (Get the silly grammar rule?)

I have been scurrying from location to location for a specific gift that happens to be one of THE hot items this year. I check stock on-line several times a day. I actually had an order placed and even confirmed and I still got an "Unable to fill your order" email.

I kinda "haunt" the local stores, both with phone calls and frequent visits and have continued to miss the boat on this particular item. Of course, on the day that I determined that I would NOT join the hoards stampeding the usual locations, I missed out on the meager supply that was eked out by one of our major retailers.

I haven't done this kind of "search and destroy" targeted shopping mission in... well... ever.

I know my Mom/Gamma did this for Cabbage patch dolls for my kids. I have heard of this happening for Elmo.
But, I am waaaay beyond trying to snatch a rare item to light up a child's eyes, uh, I want this for ME (well... and one other recipient).
Anyway, this kind of whining must be insufferable for some readers and I apologize, it would be to me as well, if it wasn't happening to me. (slap and chuckle).

So, onto the travel travails...

Sara should be circling Logan right now, but instead she is still in San Diego, waiting to possibly retrieve her luggage and then be picked up by her Dad, after spending ALL DAY in line, getting screened, getting planed and de-planed, getting directed and re-directed and listening to all those blaring anouncements, (some of which I heard over her phone) hoping that one will say,"Sara Sullivan, step this way, your champagne awaits and you will land at your Mom's door momentarily."

The new plan is maybe she will be here by tomorrow evening, between 9:00 and midnight.

Then we get to do this the day after that when Jeremy is slated to fly into Boston during our first significant snow storm here, which is expected to dump anywhere from 6" to 24", depending upon which news source you tune/log into.

I know that my children love me and I love them, but I don't want anyone, including myself to have to travel during holidays and especially back to this crucible of "lake effect snow", "Canadian express", and Perfect Storm that we like to call Boston.

I will be off the meds and Bloody Mary's by about Sunday 12/21.

I am experiencing a sort of physical "duality". Not just the empathy/sympathy of relating to one's own, but I feel like I am physically elsewhere as well as here. What's up with that?

See... 26 years later,... this proves what I always said about the fabled "maternal instinct". It is closely akin to insanity. (You may quote me.)

And we silly females actually rush toward it. !?!

So, thanks for bearing with me while I typed out my considered anxiety.

Next posting will be better, I swear.

Love,
K8

I just heard the "S" word in a forecast...

Yeah, pretty chilly here. All leaves down, almost swept away. Can see those naked black skeletons of trees against the sunset. "Time to come in for supper."

And the Cape actually got some "ocean effect" snow. Not a good sign in my book. Have a feeling we are going to get walloped.
Last year, we in Brockton managed to be in this corridor that, while we got our share, we didn't get what was dumped west, north and even south of us.

I am home "sick" for the millionth day with one of my stupid things. This time looks like staph in my eyes that has been coming on for almost two years. Imagine that?
Julie can break several bones in her body and barely miss a beat and I get stopped in my tracks by raging rashes. (Albeit, pretty severe, but still... sheesh.)

So, if we can get Mom/Gamma to Peg's for T-day, (which, if I could, I would MAKE happen barring anything unforeseen on Mom's end of course,) I can't be around her until after my next eye visit. Bummer.
I also don't dare really make anything to send down either. (Another bummer.)

(Can anyone tell that I am rolling around in the pity-pit?) (Ok, climbing out...)

Hey, today is Colleen's B'day! And she will NEVER catch up with my wrinkles, no matter how old we get.

I know I didn't do anything to acknowledge Dan's and Breck's last month, but each was with me on their day, some things never go away.

The word is that both my left-coasters will trek east for Christmas. While I'll be thrilled to have them around, I hope we come up with do-able stuff for fun. I could just cook suppers, watch movies, visit folks and blab with them, but they may need a little more along the entertainment lines.

Mom/Gamma is maintaining in her holding pattern, in the pipeline for St. Joseph's Manor. We are ALL looking forward to her having a more comfortable surrounding soon.

My job is great, (in between torn tendons and mystery outbreaks, that is.) I really love it and can't wait to be 100% again. It will come though.

I just wanted to reach out to the family far and near today to help me "see the light."
Another great antidote for my depression is my Simon. While I'm sure all of you feel that your pets are the best, mine is the funniest and gets me laughing like no other. So, he was meant to be mine.

Hope everyone is doing well in spite of the poor economy and if we can just hang in, things will slowly stabilize.

I wouldn't mind seeing this so-called "bail-out" money put into infrastructure programs like the WPA so that we can become wage earners again and get some stuff fixed in the meantime. (OK, this is me jumping OFF the soapbox...whump!)

Love to you all and it was nice chatting to you...
K8

Update

HiHi all,

Just a quick update on Billy and I.

The house has finally been jacked up. That was the easy part. Now comes the hard part. The walls in the bedrooms are cracked real bad. At least one of the bedrooms will need to be gutted, and there is plenty of patch work to be done in the other. The rest of the house is pretty good, they just need to be redone in general. Now, the better news.....Billy and I went to the jeweler yesterday, and did ring shopping. I picked out a 1.2 ct., with a platinum band. Not sure when it will be ready, and when I get it is now up to him. Just need to keep the ball rolling, rolling, rolling....I'll keep you guys posted(if my mother doesn't first!).

Dina

And now for the Zombie ...

Brrraaaaiiinnnssssss!!!!!

Look .. It's Halloween!

I just had to share this link

My kids laugh at me and roll their eyes when I laugh, but this site just always manages to make me feel better!

Enjoy the giggles ..:>


http://icanhascheezburger.com/

Okay, cut and paste, I can't figure out how to add as a link.

Let the games begin...

Well, school is underway for all our students and school personnel in the family. I, for one, am looking forward to a leveling off of overtime and pressure. (I know it's out there somewhere.)

Texans, been thinking of you BIG time. Hope you came through IKE in good shape. It seemed as though it was going to skirt you, but I also know there is always surrounding weather, and I thought I saw that some evacuation plans had Austin as a destiniation.

Sara and Jeremy lived to see age 26!!! Yay!

A little catch up on Mom/Gamma;
It has been determined that Mom is going to need a permanent residential placement somewhere and Colleen, Peg and I have been doing some scouting.
Surprise! One of the most appropriate settings we've seen is... (drum roll...) St Joseph's Manor!
The doc's to make this happen are in the pipeline, but there are no openings at this moment. It has been indicated that there are pending ones, though, so it shouldn't be toooo long.

Just going through there brought me back to the times that Mom made us learn a few holiday songs and then she would have us dress us up and go over there and sing to the assembled masses.
Not a bad memory.
In this situation, Mom will most likely get a private room, which would be nirvana for her. They offer a Mass twice a week, which I think Mom might want to attend now and again.

Not sure if anyone put out the info that Mom took a pretty good nose dive from the bed, (trying to reach something on the floor, silly girl) and got a nice cut on the back of her head. THIS did not phase her! Peg did the middle of the night duty and joined Mom at the hosp until the wee-est of hours. Mom has since had the staples out and she seems unscathed.
I think though that this fall cemented the reality for her that she needs more care and attention than she could ever get living back on her own.

The transition won't be fun, but I really think she will enjoy not feeling like she's "in flux" and can probably settle into a routine that is healthier for her than the current situation.

Simon also had surgery recently and came through with flying colors. Little sebaceous cyst, water cyst and and abcess in his poor neglected mouth. Now his teeth are all shiny white except for the ones that had been crooked and had to be removed.

State Rep Tommy Kennedy was recently at an event I attended and we chatted awhile and he asked about Dan (classmate). Wonderful chat.


I think that's about it from my corner.
Best wishes....K8

The next new kitty

I know, it wasn't on my game plan either.. but after the shock and sudden loss of Kael from aortic clots (seriously a stunning blow ..) the family realized we needed another kitten for Autumn to play with. Kitty (or KitKat, for legal "you can't have a cat named Kitty" reasons)just wasn't cutting it. She wanted nothing to do with Autumn at all.

So, here is Odin, a tiny little boy who just fits in perfectly with this house of crazies.

His markings are perfectly symmetrical too. And a stunning black and silver combination.








Just added this to show how tiny he really is...:>

Party Like a Rock Star!

Hi all! Mum and Kate said I just had to post this one....Tracy took Isiah to the Marshfield Fair, where they ran into Steve Tyler and got a quick pic! Hope all is well cross country! TTFN!

SO Im back in Sunny San Diego

The weather is great, I'm back to work, and I am loving being able to go swimming whenever I want again. I really missed my Kitten Snickers he is so sweet. I am sure he missed me as much as I missed him because he is all over me none stop. So things are good, I got to go downtown on Sat night with some friends which was fun, and this weekend I am going to my Best Friends sons 7th b-day party on Saturday, and a place called the "Rock" on Sunday to see a friend from work preform in a concert. I hope I can fit the beach in there somewhere.
Although it sounds like a ton of fun believe me it not all wonderful. Like I have said before when I first moved I miss you guys more then I thought I would. I am so glad I got to spend some quality time with everyone. Hope to see you again soon. Take Care all.

Please welcome Autumn ..

Em and I picked her up today from our favorite animal shelter. I have only ever had one other calico so she's a whole new look to this house.

I am in love .. :>

coming back to visit!!!

kay so I bought my ticket for July 21st arriving the 22nd REd EYE. Sooooo see you all soon!

Input Needed!!!!

I'm thinking, that instead of a 4th of July bash, switching to an August bash the weekend of the 2nd/3rd. So I need Sara's dates, Bren, Becca,Emily & Brian, Dina's schedule too! Who knows, maybe mom can make it to an August bash. Soooo, since the 4th is next week, please get back to me soon.

Of course, if the weather is good, the pool is always open.

Otherwise, things are pretty good here, Gino got a great report card & getting tall, the puppies are fresh, construction/remodeling is continuing at the usual snail pace, Jerry is doing well & I am still loving my job.

Let me know!

She did it! And I am so proud of her ...

The pictures say it all ..:> Oh and Becca took the shot of Em and me. I even like it.

The girl posing with Em is a really good friend of hers!

PICS!!

Hello All,
While I am not any Photoshop wizard like others in this family, I would love to see some photo-archiving going on. I think Emily made, like...,a..., what..., "photo-bucket" site, as in: a network storage well with family access for any and all photos that we may choose to share.
I've got the 320GB external "save" drive and thought this would be a pretty good location for all and any fam photos to be off-loaded.
I will be scanning Mom/Gamma's collection onto the drive and can certainly send it to the share site that Emma created.

Please let us know if that photo-site is still available and if so, I need the URL again.
And if the site is still alive, please resend any logon info and e-mail this group.

If all families could scan, send, and share photos, we could be creating a visual family history for those who may come after us. hhmmnn?

A picture IS worth a thousand words.

I really want to know

1. if that photo-site account that Emily made is still available
2. how do we get there.
3. can all photos be shared from there?
4. can I save from this site?

That's all.

RSVP, TYVM, K8

A few quick pictures from Emily's prom

Tonight is the night and Em and a crew of girls all gathered at a friend's house before heading out.
Because it's "the web", I cropped the girls out, but will show them all when we get up to Mass.

Meanwhile, here are a few of my girl .. she looked amazing!



And:



She's carrying one of my vintage Whiting and Davis clutches and her shoes are the same silver mesh.