A Wonder, Without Fear...

Eye of God" photo stolen from Wikipedia

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Good Afternoon!

Yes, I have a bloody headache... Am thinking it is from all those shots and pills the dang doctor gave me when I threw my back out on Sunday... 3 injections, and 4 prescriptions that I am actually afraid to take.... Gee does anybody have an unused walker??? (I should not make jokes). Sorry. Hard to sit, stand, lie down, or move without my hot knife moving within my vertebra...

Life After Death; After Life; After Death... (Part One)...

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Dennis, Johnny Mellotte, Reianna hiding, Rodney, Daniel, Laurie and Lee...

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Now check the cupboard door directly left of Johnnys head. ~Where his hair seems to hit...You might see the eyes, the nose and the open mouth, (Johnnys bangs almost directly under the nose part of 'its' face)...

What do you see?

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Do not worry if you cannot see "it" ~(Hard to scan and to still preserve the integrity of the photo)~ I will write more about this picture in another blog.
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But for now, you'd best get a coffee... and a footstool...

Oh, hells bells, I am not even going to bother to begin with a disclaimer because you ALL know that these are only my experiences, and my opinions.

Having had an overwhelming support of my previous blog entitled, "Deja Vu? Spirits? Afterlives? Hauntings?"

I have found that those of you who have commented, or written-sharing of your own experiences have felt absolutely no shame or ridicule in doing so.

Me neither. But then again, if you know me, then you KNOW I do not care what the heck anyone thinks of me in the 1st place... (Life is much easier this way)...

From that (oh, so scientific) poll of mine...

...Fully 100% of you HAVE experienced something 'unscientific' in your own lives, (as "paranormal" if you will)...

Furthermore, a full 75% of those polling have also had many unexplainable events in their own lives. (In fact, NOBODY who has read it has told me I am full of crapola)! hehehe

I am going to copy my questions from that blog here...

Have I begun to make any of you 'think' about "things" you may have experienced of your own accord?

Think back to when you were a child...

• *Did you have an invisible playmate?

AND for the 'NOW' of your life...

• *Do you remember dreams that made you feel good about anything?
• *Do you believe that you have been here before?
• *Do you encounter spirits, or feel them close-by?
• *Do you truly believe in God? Jesus? The Holy Spirit?
• *Do you truly believe in your own spirit?
• *Do you believe that death only separates us for a little while?
• *Do you believe in the afterlife?
• *Do you believe in reincarnation?
• *Cell memories?
• *HAVE YOU BEEN HERE BEFORE?
• *Do you believe that only fear of fear itself keeps us from witnessing our own lives on a truly spiritual level?
• *Do you believe in your Guardian Angel(s)?

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Certainly this entire topic cannot possibly contained in one minor blog posting. I will be posting more on this... (Especially AFTER I get to read all of your comments and such).

There exists a myriad of questions still...

And I shall start from where it began for me... (such a rascally "young 'en" I was then)!

I remember being maybe 5 or 6... And one night to have risen out of bed, and simply flew (floated) down the stairs here... A soft landing, and I was off again. So as not to be 'caught' by my parents, I returned to bed, comfortable in the knowledge that I could do this, (and would; more than a few times later)...

My parents were pre~programmed (as are MOST parents) to 'nay~say' any "weird" thoughts, ideas, principles and experiences.

My own experiences not being limited to that occasional 'flight'; but my 'dreams' brought me many places that I previously knew nothing about. (Or I simply thought I didn't).

...How my very own house would mysteriously "change" blueprints, (but that I still knew it as "MY" house). And I was never afraid. Just filled with a weightless joy. I felt as though I was just 'checking in' (on something, somehow and someway).

The friends and family that I immediately recognized as loved ones, and knew intimately, bore absolutely NO resemblance to the physical faces I now see them as...

I believe this is a "recognition of soul". (As in I HAVE been here before)!

The homes I "knew" every crook and cranny to, imprinted places where I may have lived or frequented at one point in history. (um...sorry kids, I have never returned to, or revisited a brothel)! hehehe

I can remember asking mom about ghosts. While she was not particularly a strong supporter of ghosts, (who is?); neither was she a complete skeptic.

When we were young, (REALLY young), my grandmother passed away in this house. She was well into her 80's, (and had lived in this home almost 50 years).

She died in the early 1960's. All remodeling was done, save for a few things that the upstairs needed.

At that point in time, our home was warmed by wood and coal. It was an unspoken agreement that whomever woke during the night would also make sure the furnace was filled. (Usually this was done by my somewhat restless grandmother). Mom and Dad would always hear her footsteps on the stairs; either as she woke, or when she returned from the basement after taking care of that hungry furnace during those nasty winter nights....

...One night, from the upstairs, Mom heard Grandma on her return from the basement, and heard her go into her room and shut the door. It was a moment later that Mom realized this to be odd. Grandma had passed away many months previous! Of course Mom woke Dad, who "tsk~tsked" her story, rolled over and went back to sleep. (It wasn't that easy for Mom to do after that)... Yet every now and then, she would hear the very same thing happen, many times over. In my younger years, even I was quick to tell her that it was the house "settling"...

Dad had said it was the "house settling." (Have I mentioned before that a part of this house is over 200 years old)? A part of it having been moved here from its foundation less than a quarter of a mile away.

If you have read that previous entry, you already know that houses do not 'settle'.

From that entry come the following words; "FACT: New homes 'settle' more often than old ones; so please do NOT think it takes 20, 50, 100, or even 200+ years for a home to "settle" ...
Unless you have a terribly bad foundation... (and if this is the case, please move out for your own safety)."

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Changing topics a bit now...

Now, what of that feeling you get, a sixth sense when you 'feel' that someone is looking at you? Usually, you turn, and find the person and carry on a conversation. This happens so very many times each and every day of our lives that we do not even count them as paranormal, or relating to a sixth sense. Amazingly; deaf, and blind people too, have this intuitive sense more readily available to them. As only it should be.

In their later years, my parents would babysit the girls when I had softball; and when Little Lisa could not be at home for them. This particular night, the girls were out at Mom and Dads...

...I was in my early 20's, recently divorced. And sound asleep in bed at my own home after a night of softball. I awoke at about 2:30, hearing a noise, (or perhaps sensing that someone needed me, or was looking at me).

I turned in my bed, to see Roberta standing in the doorway. She was wearing one of the 'new to you' dresses that I had bought second~hand; and it looked so very cute on her. (This 'chalkboard' dress had ABC's written all over the fabric, with a few numbers thrown in also. Looked as if it was written by a 4 year old. So neat)! But getting back, when I asked Roberta what she needed, she didn't answer me.

Looking closer, I quickly realized this child was NOT Roberta. (It had taken a few seconds to even remember that the girls were with my Mom and Dad that night)... On the third look, (and after I had pinched myself, looked away and looked back twice), the little wisp of a girl was still in my doorway, unmoving; just quietly looking at me. It was at that point in time you can betcher doopa that I ducked under my blankets, (and with a pillow over my head)! I remained still like that, quiet, for a few minutes.... Venturing another peek, she was gone perhaps as quickly as she had come to me...

I have never forgotten that little girl, or her visit. To this day, I would recognize her in an instant should I ever happen to see her again. I have heard her, but never have I seen her again...

We were living in the townhomes in Ashwaubenon at that point in time. My neighbor, Lisa VanHorn, and I were fast friends, and we shared almost everything. (Even the stairwell on either side of the wall)! Lisa called me in the middle of the night once, asking me what the heck I had dropped down the stairs. (WHAT)??? (I had been sleeping). She said it sounded like a bowling ball except it hadn't rolled; just a loud thud. Afraid for the girls, I get up to look down the stairwell. Nothing there! I told her this, and at that precise moment in time, her power went out, and the radio she had in (her daughter) Saras bedroom started playing... As she was whispering into the phone that I should go over there, the small lamp by her bed went on. All by itself!

She then hears something downstairs... I was already outside her door when her kitchen light went on. Thinking she would be right there to let me in... but then to see her come down her steps and let me in. Puzzled too as to how her kitchen light was on, we just sat and listened. Hearing nothing more that night, we each returned to our beds.

A few years later, Dennis came to us. He was asleep on the couch, napping, one afternoon, when he heard a noise... ("something" had woken him up).

Turning, he saw a little girl on the landing of the stairs! The few answers given (when I asked him what she looked like and what she was wearing) told me that this was the exact same little girl I had seen years before! (Yet before that point in time I had NOT told him about my little 'experience' with her)! His words were, and I quote: "I thought it was Berta."

I believe it all began to make sense to me with a book that was written by Dr. Brian Weiss. "Many Lives, Many Masters". He wrote of an experience he had with one of his many patients. Up until this patient, he was stoically and admittedly a nonbeliever in this realm. Skeptical and suspicious for all of his adult years up to that point, he wrote of how his thoughts, and ideas, had completely changed afterward.

He created for me, a door where I was earlier told that none existed. From there, came psychic Sylvia Browne.

There are many other people, specialists etc etc (and I believe that ALL of these people are 'Christian').

An excellent article by David G. Meyers in "Psychology Today" (November/December 2002), quotes this as Title and Subtitle...

"The Powers and Perils of Intuition"
Instinct has the power to hush reason. But when is it safe to go with your gut? Researchers may remain uncertain about the reliability of intuition, but it is a difficult force to deny.

From Laurie Nadels book, "The Sixth Sense" comes the following...

"Mysterious and fascinating, erratic and unpredictable, intuition has been viewed with curiosity, awe, and/or suspicion throughout the ages.
References to such intuitive gifts as precognition (prophecy) and clairvoyance can be found in the Bible (Corinthians). Ancient Greeks relied on the Oracle at Delphi for intuitive insight into the future and there are references to seers and prophets in ancient Egyptian manuscripts. In societies all over the world, from Siberia to Africa, from Ireland to South America, traditional healers who draw upon their intuitive abilities to "see," "sense," or "feel" a patient's energy, have been using surprisingly similar techniques for more than 40,000 years."

...And what perfect timing to have this posted on my top page just this morning, "One of the virtues of the very young is that you don't let facts get in the way of your imagination." ~ Sam Levinson~

...Even though imagination and intuition are two very separate things, small children have a wonderful combination of them both. (Is it really recall, imagination or intuition)???

I have always said if you want to know "good~vs~bad" about a person, just watch a small child, or a dogs', reaction to that person. Their perception of good and bad is PURE intuition at its finest.

From my own 6th Sense, (as intuition), to flying about like an angel, to being able to "see" things that are clearly not? there, hearing things that only used to make me question their roots and roles; I have covered too much in this post already...

...If you have read this far, then you are either wondering if I have lost my last marble, (or maybe you have made haste to out me on ignore/delete)... hehehe

Or perhaps you have your own experiences to share with me? And perhaps even guide which will be next on my list to write about these things...

And how have I changed over these years? ...Of all the noises, the smells, the sounds and the sights, I now only wonder MORE, but without fear.

Knowing that as human beings, we only use LESS THAN 10% of our Brainpower, I believe that we are created for many bigger and better things. We have yet to tap into our own potential. The marvel of it all will be when everybody can come to terms with their own experiences...

Their own ideas. And yes, even their own logic. That infamous 'melding of the minds'; not to revise any 'religious' beliefs, but only to ADD to them.

In closing... have you shared any of my experiences? (Oh, and all of the above questions too)!

Have fun recalling!!!

XOXO
Anne

Free Hit Counter

The "F" Word!!!

Good Morning to all....

Is it not a very wild and foreboding state of affairs when one feels the need to begin an entry like that???...And complete with a picture of such a letter too? RED even! GASP! (The nerve)!

My apologies too, for such a thing; as my heart once again tells me that I really HAVE to do this.

I promise now, to get to that later. First my blog...

I hope this Sunday morning finds you all happy, safe and warm too. After all, it was real nice outside yesterday... The sun shining, and the promise of, (and the beginning of) the annual meltdown...

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I begin to see a bit of that mulch once more;

even as the tops of the evergreens are still holding onto much snow...

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And there is much hope for the warmth of a new Spring. Whatever snow we get now, even a blizzard, will NOT stick around too very long. Whatever 'cold' we get will also not stay for a long time... as the 'ides of March' begin for us all...

Out with the dogs yesterday too... (trying unsuccessfully to get back to the woods). The snows in the backyard still up and over the tops of my dads old sorrels. (And in places, threatening to swallow my thighs)! So to wait (a little longer) for those drifts to melt down a bit. *sigh*

These dogs of mine quickly realizing that "deep" is fun, but tiring too! Hard to 'RUN' through the deep!

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...as Miss Milly tries to catch up to Miss Punk!

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Not~so~quietly, they move on to a "funner" game... "KEEP AWAY", played with the old burger toy.

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Punkie prefers to 'win' this game... as Mama~Milly plans her strategy...

(Her strategy fails), and it's onward (and upward) to KING of The MOUNTAIN time...

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Milly ALWAYS wins THIS game... as Miss Punk winds up rolling down and off the banks.

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Note that there are still a few tricks that Mamas have up their sleeves that STILL work on their babies; (no matter HOW big they get)!

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(Milly knows that wisdom generally does prevail over youth and inexperience). Go Milly!

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And we tried to see any little indication of Spring being right around the corner. (er, we HOPE)?

At one point, the dogs sniffing at, then cowering, and making WIDE circle around a very strange (and recent) footprint in the mud...

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The footprint left behind? 'Tis none other than the deadly chupacabra leaving his mark...

...(and making his presence known to all)...

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Upon encountering such a horrible terrible thing, the dogs were quick to be afwaid...

be VEWY afwaid........

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and they proved that too... (scared the p*ss out 'em, it did)...

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And so we ambled and rambled back up into the yard... where the snow was not so deep... It had already turned to puddles in some places...

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And those same puddles reflecting the tops of our "Flintville Mountains"!

Anybody wanna ski???

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Reianna, had she lived, would have been 28 yesterday... And I know that there are many people who do not necessarily believe that we are sent signs from our loved ones that have gone ahead of us.

But I do believe in those same signs...

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God... Reianna... Mama...

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ALL so very clearly reflected in this puddle. It is my "puddle of love!"

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Have a beautiful Sunday!

XOXO
Anne

PS

As promised, to explain the "title" and the picture... That "F" word?

50's!

...As in temperature...

...As in Fahrenheit...

...As in degrees...

...As in "time to get the shorts out!"...

Counters

Sisters... March 09, 2007

What a grand way to end this week.... (from my email now)...

The picture is of myself and "Sister Mary" hehehe

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A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter. "Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. "They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them." "Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women...your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too." "You'll need other women. Women always do." What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life. After almost 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned: And, THIS SAYS IT ALL: Time passes. Life happens. Distance separates. Children grow up. Jobs come and go. Love waxes and wanes. Men don't do what they're supposed to do. Hearts break. Parents die. Colleagues forget favors. Careers end. BUT... ...Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girlfriend is never farther away than your needing her can reach. The love is never lost. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you... (Or come in and carry you out). Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life! The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Every single day, we need each other still. Share this with all the women who help make your life meaningful. (I just did).

A HUGE hug, and an even bigger 'Thank You' to you all, my "Sisters" here...

...for saying it all, and for offering such friendship to me too!

XOXO
Anne

Mahogany

Good Friday Morning to ALL;

Seems as we are to be getting a bit of a warm~up; (and it is coming none too fast for this girl here either)!

Was out the other day, and on a dare from DeeAnne... (kinda) I had to bring the dog out... to her kennel; barefoot.

No problem. Just keep in mind it was a wee bit colder that day... (but still ABOVE zero too).

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I had to locate a bit of snow for a "test" of sorts... not a problem...

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First you just kick that one little snowbank...

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...and then you make a 'mad dash' out to the kennel...

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...and back... quickly stopping to take a picture...

(sorry about the shadows, but they really were the last thing on my mind at that moment)!

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And so, you see- There is always something to do to 'wake' yourself up somehow!

I still can't get back to the woods... Kinda upset about that, and going through a bit of 'withdrawal' over it too. And so the only exercise I am getting is to run around the yard... (barefoot)? hehehe No. Only that once... (to date)!

And (still) from my blog about parenting comes many more comments and letters. (An impressive 1121 "hits" as of this morning)... I am made more than secure that everyone is so very passionate about their definitions of right/wrong; and will seemingly fight to make sure that others respect those same convictions, even if they do not agree.

"Up! Up! With children!" ....Speaking too, (of my own children), two of them have finally gotten online to comment also. As always, these kids warm my heart; (most especially with their love of my own mother in my last blog about Mamas birthday).

CaseyFace begins her Spring Break today... and will be heading up north for a bit of R & R time. She is always so busy, and this will be good for her spirit. And to all that go other places for their Spring Breaks, and partake of those spirits, please stay safe. (My sister Mary went to Florida for Spring Break one year... and didn't come home for a year and a half)! I think she stayed down there to work... and to get one heck of a great tan too! hehehe

I have a bunch of errands to run today... and so should keep this short and get my backside in the shower already!

I hope you all have great weekends planned... (with the advent of warmth and a bit of sunshine, You will find me out in the garage trying to organize my rummage sale so it is ready for when the weather REALLY warms up)!

Have a grand Friday! ...And do never be afraid to make that "mad dash" !!!

XOXO
Anne

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Woke with this song on my mind...

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Theme from Mahogany

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Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

Do you get what you're hoping for?
When you look behind you there's no open door
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?

Once we were standing still in time
Chasing the fantasies that filled our minds
You knew how I loved you, but my spirit was free
Laughing at the questions that you once asked of me

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to?
Do you know?

Now looking back at all we've had
We let so many dreams just slip through our hands
Why must we wait so long before we see
How sad the answers to those questions can be?

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Happy Birthday Mama... (Your mailbox misses you)!

Rita Louise Rose VandenPlas Yusvak

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7, 7, 7,

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Born March 7th, 1916 ...

Married June 7th, 1949...

Died November 7th, 1998

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Our "Fancy" Mama! (Undated Photo).

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Postcard of Riverview Saloon (Chicago, Illinois)... August 26th, 1946

Unknown man; Mama 2nd from left; Aunt Florence Nooyen; Rosa Bourguignon; and, Aunt Loretta and Uncle Harry Worden

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Crystal Lake, Michigan... 1947 "In the Trees."

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Mama; hiding in the basement! Winter, 1982~1983

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Reianna and Grandma Sharing a Birthday Cake! 1987

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My thoughts seem so hard to 'organize' or whatever this morning... Almost impossible if you will... Having looked at so many photos has left me a bit melancholy at best...

Where to begin about my mother...

She was one of those people, too few and far between, that were/are angels on Earth.

On any given day, at some point, she could be found writing a letter to someone... As a young lady, to write to her dad, who still lived in Upper Michigan. She had moved to Green Bay and had gotten a job at Kraft Cheese. (She worked there until she married in 1949; and made many many friends). Later letter writing sent her notes all over the world. To France. Germany etc. Her brothers being enlisted and both fighting the war.

Even before she died, and after two strokes had left her a bit fuddled at times, she could be found writing her letters and in her journal.

...Until she had written her last letter... Dated November 6th, 1998 to a dear friend in California. She would faithfully have mailed it the morning that she died.

Mom had so many friends, and an address book that reflected her love for them. In those books she kept 'notations' of all of their birthdays, their childrens birthdays, their grandchildren... and would always mention them, if not send them their own cards. (I fail miserably at her organizational skills in that department; though I have been known to organize my purse in record time too). hehehe

She would also write down when those friends and relatives had passed, (and a very slight "x" through their addresses would remind her not to send them a Christmas/Birthday card any longer).

Although Mom was a devout Catholic; she was NOT a fanatic. (Although I am sure that Mary and I questioned that many times when a reference to "The 10 Commandments" would be made). hehehe

Mom attended mass every day before work up until her marriage to dad; and then more sporadically daily until Mary and I came along.

Mass was at 4AM at Sts Peter and Paul Church in Green bay. She would wake, dress, drive into town, weather permitting, and go to this very early mass. Before she turned in for the night, she faithfully said her prayers for others; and her rosary. My dad did the very same.

In her later years, she misplaced those rosarys a few times, and Mary and I would get her new ones; always 'blessed' before use.

On the wallplate in the living room was the message, "The Family that PRAYS together STAYS together." And it was true. Most nights to get down on our knees, and at least say the first decade of the rosary. Together.

Do I pray now? I do. Daily.

Am I organized enough to even use my rosary? Mostly not, but my prayers reflect my days and my heart; my love for others too.

Mom was SO funny.

Many times, what might have been actually humorless and/or dull could be found hysterical from her own point of view. Spilling a bag of cranberries on the floor one year at Thanksgiving was cause to end up holding our sides laughing so very hard! She loved Erma Bombeck, and would lend her books to me after she was done reading them. She laughed out loud at RoseAnne Barr. And would call me to share the funniest things she had heard; or what had happened.

She loved to read, but did not get the daily Press Gazette. However, my cousins (next door) did, and would give her those papers when they were done with them. She had subscriptions to Good Housekeeping, Country Farm Wife; and while they still farmed, the Hoards Dairyman would also grace our mailbox. She loved the National Geographic; again received from my cousins... (Thank you JoAnne and Jim Reimer).

There was little that she wasn't aware of that went on in the world, near or far. And up until the last 2 years of her life, she never missed an election. Mom and Dad were completely unwavering in their patriotism; though they would spat about whom to vote for too!

She loved art. She collected prints and frames whenever a trip to Goodwill or St. Vincent de Paul was in order. She herself painted with oils, charcoal, watercolor, (and could draw like those people that do the court drawings of others on the witness stand). When I had my gallbladder removed in Oct of 1984, she drew me asleep in the recovery room! She painted the cows, the cats, the dogs, the trees.

And oh, how she LOVED her camera! There is a trunkful of her photos that I have yet to go through.

When we were kids, Mom would mail her film out to get it developed, and receive new rolls of film when those pictures came back to her. (She would have especially LOVED my little digital camera)! Later, when the stores offered it, there was a trip to Sure~Way to bring her films in. (If you brought the film in early enough in the day, sometimes you could get them back the next day)!

Such progress!

She had "a wicked right"...

Mary and I tested her strength, (and the length of her arms), many times over.

(Sorry 'bout that, Mom).

She was fair though, (as you all know already)...

She was very smart. Her education augmented with many courses from the Technical School here in town; and for her art, either by night classes or at 'The Clearing' up in Door County.

In her early years, she was a maid--- and SO many funny stories about the heirarchy of the upper~classes from those years.

(Dare I say "Uppity~Classes")? hehehe

She was a housekeeper at St Vincents Hospital for many years too; knowing many of the patients and their families by the time they left the hospital. (In those days, they would keep an appendectomy patient or even a new mother in the hospital for a very long time)...

She cared for, and helped deliver many of her nieces and nephews as they came into the world; staying and helping out the family until my aunts were able to take care.

Not having a car during the Depression years, she would take the bus to work, or simply walk. ("Shanks~Mare", as Pa would call it).

She would take the train to Sidnaw, Michigan to visit her dad; or catch the train out to her sisters in Kunesh. And in those days there was always the local Greyhound too.

My Aunt Lucille and Uncle Clem had horses, and there was a local man who would break those horses for a small fee.

She met this man when she was about 15...

When she was 33, she married this same man!

...If he could break horses, farm and care for his live~in aging mother, go to church, be the janitor there, and also dig the graves as needed, then he was 'just alright' in her book.

She always said she knew him for 18 years before she married him, and that we should never jump into anything. Even though he had proposed on their second date; (and she had accepted)! How cool is that!

She was as proud of her family; as I am of mine. Fierce in her loyalty to us too. She taught me that, and to this day there has not been much that we cannot overcome; either by talking, or by prayer. At some point to have a melding of the minds, or to accept the differences and to respect them.

Mama earned respect from many people just because she had such a good heart. And yes, even earned that same respect from one friend who was a harlot, (as they called those ladies in those days)...

Mama never had to look too far to see the 'good' in everyone. (The harlot loved art).

To screw up was to be forgiven... (even if it took a little while)!

She was VERY patient. She would define our screw~ups as "simple human nature"... When we would get passionate about something, we would be reminded of that humanity, and we would go forward from that point of view.

She taught us not to hate. She taught us that the opposite of love is NOT hate; it is apathy. And to be apathetic toward anyone, for any reason was wrong.

We could not say "hate".

We could not even say "poop". And when I came home from school one day in 5th grade (after hearing quite an exchange on the school bus), I had asked her straight out what the "F"~word meant. (Well, heck I didn't know)...

Her first response was "Who talks like that?" And so I told her who. She explained about the word; and after we had gone outside to do our chores, I guess she got on the phone to a few kids' parents because they did get in trouble for it.

I really COULD go on and on and on... But I won't. (Not today anyway)...

In closing, I would simply say "Thank You" to this amazing woman...

...That is, right AFTER I tell her how very much I love her, (and how very much I miss her now)...

XOXO
Anne

And now it would be time for everybody else to tell me the stories of your own mama!

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The Kitchen is Too Hot?

Yes, the title applies to my previous blog...

...(And the picture applies to that "Anna-Anna" character)! hehehe

Good Morning to ALL;

I have found it precious that my previous blog "took on a life of its own." (I am kinda proud of that too). Your comments have, once again, "made" the blog; making it come to life!

So many WONDERFUL, interesting and positive comments and stories. I applaud you all for taking your time to write and to share. And there were very few words/ideas that were shared that would be misconstrued somehow as a personal affront.

(Well, except of course that last woman that insinuated that my previous posts were bad, but "none were as 'dishonorable' as" yesterdays)... (WHAT)??? ...And yes,I replied to her as well... Oops, silly me, I think I forgot to tell her that I never gave a good damn what ANYbody else thought/thinks of me anyway... (but had she read as many of my previous dishonorable blogs as she claimed to, she may have figured that out for herself). hehehe

And life goes onward!

And on a VERY positive note as well! NO SNOWyesterday, but my weatherman says more tomorrow... (Of course; I am beginning to think that they all are little devil spawns)... Just kidding of course, but this winter surely HAS been growing remarkably LONG!

I had put off shoveling and plowing for a day with these last 5" of snowflakes we had gotten... Bad choice. ...Casey called to say that she was going to stop by. I told her she probably could not get in the driveway... (Forewarned = Forearmed)?

Meanwhile, I had gotten all pretty and "fancied~up" (in my GORGEOUS blaze orange hunting suit), and was on my way outside when CaseyAnne pulled in the yard...

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~and promptly had planted her car in the driveway! (yeah, it is all packed under that chassis).

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So we quickly did that 'meercat~thing' again and proceeded to "dig a tunnel, dig, dig a tunnel!" hehehe

Casey then backed up a bit, and literally 'jumped' that car over what was left of that snowbank.

And once more, 'alls well that ends well'.

We sure have gotten all of winters snows ALL AT ONCE. My back does not like that, but am thinking that Mother Mary likes it even less.

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This is how deep it was/IS.

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I needed to have the truck come in and plow the yard again. (KC's Honey, Derek, came out this time)...The snow, SO heavy that even the pickup had trouble moving it. And I then replowed everything with the Cub Cadet just to clean up the snowballs that were left. I am very happy with the plow on the CC, (even if it DOES only have one chain)! We did find the other one, but it is now a matter of putting it back on. (Our current 13 degrees is not conducive to working with small links)...

Roberta, Gabriel, and CaseyAnne all stopped out yesterday. CaseyAnne coming after mass; Roberta and Master Gabriel coming out after his nap. And by the time they arrive here, he goes straight upstairs for another nap! And he slept for almost 3 hours! Still not quite himself, and am thinking that the Amoxycillin has had no effect on his ears, except that he is not in pain anymore.

Time to close, as I am very late once again today...

But before I do, I wanted to include a poem from Chevys pages for everybody.

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I thank you my friends. God Bless You ALL!

And, have a "wunnaful" Monday!!!

XOXO
Anne

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Single~Parents; Anna's Family...

This entire blog is reposted here:
http://flintville.multiply.com/journal/item/821
Please click should you like to comment, or to read what others have said.

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Good Morning... (Yes, it is still snowing)...

As promised, here is that proverbial can of worms...

I am hoping that you have an opinion for (and OF) me when you finish reading this all.

In advance I need to apologize for being in such a foul mood. (But to counter that, I only need to think of my children and grandchildren; and the "family" that I have)...

Yes, this is wordy, but where my children have the propensity of being hurt, there are never enough words...

This is my family...

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(Right from my living room wall)!

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Some of you have asked plenty of questions of myself; others have not. (Sadly a few who didn't bother to 'ask' have been terribly wrong within their assumptions)...

Please know that I would rather answer a question honestly, than to have anyone 'think' they might 'know' me; forego their questions, and be wrong enough to cause pain.

Now, (you know who you are)... Forgive me ma'am, for knowing that you have only lashed out because of the ignorance of your own assumptions. I shall try to correct that for you. Strangely it occurs to me that I am also "assuming"... But where you could not have been further from the truth, I am thinking what I have to say might be a bit more accurate.

Oddly enough, I have my own questions too.

I have been fighting the inane and assinine attitudes toward single parenting since my eldest was 3 years old, and my then husband decided to leave for Germany with his betrothed to escape his child support responsibilities. I only state this to give you a bit of background; surely now it would fail to be important for any other reason.

Me now... more backgound...

I am, PROUDLY, a single mother. My children have given me that pride; for I would not have it if not for their constant and abiding love.

Both of my parents are deceased. Having been adopted young, both of my birthparents ARE still alive and kicking; though not together. (Hey, they were 'together' for the most important day of my life; and that is all that matters).

I am thinking that there are plenty of single mothers out there who will care to share with me... their own experiences, their own thoughts and perhaps their own questions and answers.

Or perhaps you know a single parent family...

Or maybe you have a bit of both compassion and comprehension to offer.

I believe it was G.K. Chesterton that said the worst thing you can do is misunderstand what someone has written. (along those lines anyway)... Therefore, I hope you do not misread this; or not understand it as I mean it to be written.

And now the 'inspiration' for my post here...

I tried to stick up for a friend of mine who needs her sleep. That backfired when another person had responded, not knowing the 1st thing about me, and completely misunderstanding what I had said. I had simply explained that when people are sick, to send everyone to bed with a ziploc bag to put under their pillows so nobody has to be cleaning up vomit in the middle of the night. (Yes, I have done this nasty task more times than I care to remember, and have even tossed bedsheets because I had no more energy to deal with it all)... I did not have to be there to watch my children barf... Really I didn't; not after they had reached a certain age anyway. This does NOT make me a bad mother. (Crap, did I forget to mention that my bedroom was attached directly to the bathroom)???

And yes, I have "been there," repeatedly, for my grown children as they have been taken seriously ill.

This blog began because my friends daughter (17 years old), had woken up in the middle of the night with a 24 hr. flu~bug of sorts. She had used her cell phone to call her mother, (asleep with her husband in the other bedroom), to tell her she was going to be sick. I ('assumed' the family was well~off enough to have indoor plumbing. That established, I further) stated I would lay good money betting on the fact that if this girl had time to make the phone call, and then wait for the connection, then wait even longer for her mother to answer, and then through a conversation, (no matter how short), that she had MORE than enough time to get her backside to the toilet. (It was just a guess). Instead she woke her mother, asking her bring a wastebasket to her room. (It just seemed a little selfish, silly and disrespectful to me). I was told that the hubby would probably agree with me 100%, but that my friend did not.

But like I said though I have a few 'Q & A' of my own...

How hard is it to be a single mother? (This is usually the greatest question of all)..

It is neither hard nor easy. You do what you have to do; your family lives through it with plenty of prayer, humor, hormones and life. Because I have known no other way to raise children, I would have nothing to compare it to. With the exception of how I was raised by two parents. I tried to incorporate what both of my parents taught me then. ie: how I was raised. My parents while they lived helped me all they could; and so did my wonderful babysitter "Little Lisa" who practically lived with me to help me out at times.

My parents were born in 1912 and 1916... To say I was raised "old school" would be very accurate.

Was I ever beaten/abused by my parents? Absolutely not. Hindsight (and maturity) bringing a bit of wisdom, I did deserve every punishment I ever got from them. Whether I was backhanded, spanked, cussed out, grounded, slapped or kicked in the butt, I received only what was coming to me. (And to this day, I have YET to hear better sermons).

And so I was, and remain, motivated to keep trying to be a decent human being.

We were completely cherished and loved, but we were NOT ever molly~coddled.

When we fell down, we were told simply to "get up". Picking ourselves up, no matter how bloody our knees or elbows were taught us to stand on our own two feet.

When were were sick, we either saw a doctor for an RX, or we got better on our own. Honestly, I cannot recall even once expecting my mother or father to watch me throw up. (Nor did they ever offer to)!

My children got spanked when they were little. (Some a few times more than others).

Yet they have ALL grown into wonderful, self~sufficient, capable adults.

Does that mean that they do not "need" me now? Absolutely not. (I would like to think that sharing my own experiences with them on an adult level would account for much).

I believe that my parents taught me a deep and abiding respect for them. And yes, maybe I didn't always respect them as I should have; but you can bet your bottom dollar that I knew the consequences of my actions. (I believe this is where the elements of "respect" and "responsibility" are learned).

Much like science, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This applies to parenting as well. Good parenting anyway. (And no, I did not "beat" my children). Truth be told, 99.99% of the time, a simple "LOOK" from me worked just fine. hehehe

I have been known to make a mountain out of a molehill. That is just the way I am... (Perhaps this is one of those times, but my heart tells me otherwise).

Having had my daughters each go on their 1st dates/proms/dinners, I could imagine every possible scenario of any bad/good situation. I raised them to KNOW how to deal with those same scenarios too.

Was I tough? I was. I had to be; simply because I was the Mom and the Dad too. They never heard 'just wait til your father gets home' because after the divorce, he chose not to be involved in their lives. I never had the luxury of passing the buck on to someone else. (I would not have done so anyway).

I was their confidante, and I was their "heavy" too. I never backed down from a challenge, whether that challenge came from my children or their friends, or the neighbors kids, or the neighbors themselves. (But that's a whole 'nother blog)! hehehe

We had one telephone line, and one toilet. They learned patience, practicality and perseverance early on.

We are a team.

We are 'family.'

They all 'worked' too.

They knew how to vacuum, and to sort and DO laundry. They knew how to start the weedwacker and the lawnmowers. They knew how to shovel snow (and sometimes even had fun doing it). They were responsible enough to care for the dog and the cat. They knew what were weeds and what was a keeper in our gardens.

When they were younger, they were each given an alarm clock for the Christmas or birthday before they went to kindergarten.

They all knew how to read by the time they got to kindergarten, and yes, they all knew how to use their alarm clocks to make the very best use of their time in the bathroom, and each eating a hot breakfast before they got on the bus.

They all knew how to cook that same breakfast by the time they were 7 or 8. (My oldest knew how to cook that breakfast before she was old enough to even go to school).

Did they know how to take care of themselves? You bet they did; (and they still DO)!

As they grew, I always had my old medical reference books nearby, and any questions were then discussed, if/when they had any. From a very young age, they ALL read these books many times over. A little knowledge goes a long way.

As a single parent, I was always aware of how short life can be cut for some; and it was with that fear, if you will, that I raised my kids. (Losing my step~daughter last September has only reinforced what I already knew about life being short, and leaving small children behind).

What would have happened to my children had I died? Would they have been intelligent enough, kind enough, capable enough, and smart enough to carry on? I wanted to make sure that they were. (Know please, I am not "dissing" those of you with a spouse; I am only relating MY life). As a single parent with no other parent around, these are the questions that I needed to know the answers to should that have ever happened...

So was I hard on them? Probably more~so than most other parents; single or otherwise.

There is such a negative connotation that "parent~alone" cannot possibly raise decent, God~Loving, respectful, and responsible children... (Falling back on the love I received from my own parents, I would still move heaven and earth to dispel that notion).

With respect to my childrens hard work, successes, kindnesses and intelligence, we have since raised each other "right" ...(Thank you kids)!

Having been both mother and father; yes, I still cherish every single one of those Fathers Day cards that I have received over the years too! hehehe

Have I made mistakes? Of course I have. I am only human. But as we grow, we realize that the mistakes we make are our own learning experiences as well.

Have my children screwed up? Of course they have!

Do I love them any less for that? Of course not! (And yes, a note to the faithful, I know my own progeny hold no animosity toward my own screw~ups either).

In closing... (as you are wondering WHERE this is all going)... I would like to say that I received these words from an uninvolved 3rd party in response to how I handled my own barfy children... And I quote:

"I’m a Mom and I believe Mom’s are there to care for (your) kids.

That is the problem with the world today…

I think some just shove off the kids letting them be little adults.

Care for themselves… nope. So then we have a bunch of detached non-caring, no emotions types walking around."

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I cannot begin to tell you what an UGLY statement that is to me, and how very deeply it has affected me these past couple of days. Should my four children read these words, they will be hurt; and highly offended as well...

I just don't think that "detached" or "non~caring" and "no emotion" are adjectives that could possibly be used to describe MY children...

I am just wondering what everyone else thinks; and would welcome your input on this all.

Could this woman/mother possibly be right in her thinking about how to care for children?

I know I am not the very best mother around. I know that there are many that are much better (and sadly we all know of worse ones too). But I didn't think I was all that bad.

There is a time for pampering, and a time for allowing the child to care for themselves. What a rude awakening we would leave our children with as they go off to college, to live elsewhere etc etc etc ... What will they fall back on if their parents die?

Yes. I am their mother/father. I love each of my children "something awful" (But no, I am still not gonna watch them puke). Methinks there are much greater, and more important, ways to be needed anyway.

But that's just me.

Please let me know what YOU think just so I can put this one away.

Have a great weekend. (I am going to try to go back to bed for a while)...

XOXO
Anne

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PS

* If there are young men around, please know that your mother is not doing you any favors by coddling you if you have already reached puberty. And I know for a fact that there are at least 4 young ladies in this world that will have nothing to do with a Little Mama's Boy who cannot even make his own bed, clean his own laundry, or cook his own sensible dinner. At best, that is an archaic way of thinking. At worst? Hmmmm... (nope, NOT going there)...

Prayers and Stories...

Good Morning to ALL

I hope everyone is safe.

I will post a "me" blog shortly (even though I have already been told it is a "can of worms"), but first I believe that many people need a few prayers for their own safety, their spirits and their children.

Please take a moment to care "enough" for others... There are many within our own little circles of friends that also need a little extra friendship and love too...

XOXO
Anne

PS ...

I have never been afraid of worms... (I don't like 'em much, but I am not afraid of 'em)!

hehehe

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Time for others:

Tornadoes Rip Through Alabama, Killing 7

5 Killed By Tornado At A High School

CBS News Interactive: Winter Watch

(CBS News) With no time to send students home as storms raced their way, officials herded Erin Garcia and her high school classmates into the halls.

Outside, the skies grew so dark that lights at the airport came on in the middle of the day.

Then the tornado sirens started up.

And inside Enterprise High School, the lights went out.

"I was just sitting there praying the whole time," said Garcia, a 17-year-old senior.

As students and staff took shelter, a twister blew out the school's walls and collapsed its roof, killing at least five people Thursday. The death toll varied wildly, with officials reporting 15 dead at the school at one point, then backing off that figure.

The hallway Garcia was in was spared, but a roof and wall collapsed on students nearby.

"It was scary. It sounded like a bunch of people trying to beat the wall down. It was complete chaos out in the hallway," she said.

"People didn't know where to go. They were trying to lead us out of the building. I kept seeing people with blood on their faces," Garcia said.

At least one other person was killed elsewhere in Enterprise, a city of about 23,000 some 75 miles south of Montgomery. Another died across the state in rural Millers Ferry, where trailer homes were flipped and trees toppled, officials said.

The burst of tornadoes was part of a larger line of thunderstorms and snowstorms that stretched from Minnesota to the Gulf Coast. Authorities blamed a tornado for the death of a 7-year-old girl in Missouri, and twisters also were reported in Kansas.

As night fell, crews dug through piles of rubble beneath portable lights at the 1,300-student school, looking for other victims.

"The number could very well increase as the search effort continues through the night," state emergency management spokeswoman Yasamie Richardson said.

More than 50 people were hospitalized as the violent storm front crossed the state.

Several school systems across Alabama closed or dismissed students early Thursday as the storm front approached from the west, extending the length of the state.

Garcia said students had gathered in hallways around 11 a.m. as a precaution. Some were allowed to have parents pick them up, and school buses lined up to take the others around 1 p.m., she said, but the warning sirens came on.

The storm struck about 1:15 p.m., and Richardson said some students were still trapped three hours later.

Martha Rodriguez, a 15-year-old sophomore, said she had left the school about five minutes before the storm hit. When she returned, a hall at the school had collapsed, she said.

"The stadium was destroyed, and there were cars tipped over in the parking lot and trees were ripped out. There were trees and wood everywhere. It was just horrible," she said.

The school "appears to have been right in the path," said Paul Duval, a meteorologist with National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Fla., which monitors southeast Alabama.

Shelters opened in Enterprise for those whose homes were damaged. The state sent in about 100 National Guard troops, plus emergency personnel, lights and generators.

Forecasters blamed the tornadoes on a severe thunderstorm condition known as a sustained supercell — violent weather that can track for hundreds of miles, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann. It was part of a giant storm that stretched from Minnesota to the Florida Panhandle.

"It's affecting a large amount of real estate," says National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologist Dennis Feltgen. "And all the ingredients necessary to produce a widespread severe weather outbreak are in place."

The same system was blamed for a tornado that killed a 7-year-old girl in Missouri.

Howell County Sheriff Robbie Crites identified the young victim as Elizabeth Croney. Her mother, father and two brothers were injured when a tornado hit their mobile home in a rural wooded area near West Plains, Crites said.

"We were looking outside and stuff, and pretty soon we seen a real dark cloud. I looked out and ... we had some debris just kind of floating in the air," Marleen Tackett, who owns the Hitching Post Cafe not far from the Croney home, told CBS Radio News. "We were just on the tail end of it here. It just came and went that fast."

President Bush, who visited New Orleans on Thursday, was briefed on the tornadoes by senior staff and called Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, White House spokeswoman Dana Perrino said aboard Air Force One.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency was working with officials in both states, she said.

In Caulfield, Mo., resident Rick Jarvis heard the storm ripping through his gas station around dawn. His home next door suffered just minor damage, but the twister, described by witnesses as a fat black column, shredded the business, ripping down its roof and back wall.

"It sounded like a herd of horses tearing up stuff. When I came out, it was done," said Jarvis, 48.

As the system pushed eastward Thursday night, tornado watches remained in effect in eastern Alabama and were posted in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Meanwhile, in the Plains and Midwest, a winter storm brought heavy, wet snow and blizzard conditions Thursday, with some areas anticipating as much as two feet of snow by Friday.

Hundreds of schools closed in several states, miles of highway were shut down and some airline delayed or canceled flights. At least two people were killed when their car overturned on a slick road in North Dakota.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved).

credit to: http://wfrv.com/topstories/topstories_story_060100713.html

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Mar 1, 2007 10:33 pm US/Central

Another Winter Storm Blasts Through Wisconsin

Closings & Cancellations List

Winter Fun Photos

(WFRV) GREEN BAY The third winter storm in a week whipped through Wisconsin, snarling travel Thursday and possibly causing part of a supermarket roof to collapse.

Hundreds of schools in western, central and northern Wisconsin were shut down Thursday as snow accumulated 4 to 6 inches in the northwest by mid-afternoon, and some officials also contemplated calling off classes Friday as the snowfall continued.

"There is nothing vertical. It is totally sideways," Kent Bergum, the high school principal in Superior, said of the snowfall there Thursday afternoon. "We are in a good, ol' fashioned blizzard. It is nasty outside."

Meteorologists forecast wind gusts of 50 mph before the storm blew through, he said. "I don't know how we are going to have school tomorrow (Friday). We called it off today. It is supposed to be worse."

The National Weather Service forecast 12 to 22 inches of snow in the far northwest, 12 to 16 inches in the rest of the north, 6 to 12 inches in some central areas and 4 to 7 inches in the Fox Valley.

"This storm is the 'little brother' to Sunday's whopper," Storm Team 5's Tom Mahoney said. "It will end in time to enjoy the first March weekend."

The precipitation turned primarily into rain in the south Thursday after an inch or two of snow, but some light snow was expected to return late Thursday night and continue into Friday.

Part of the flat roof collapsed at a Pick 'n Save store in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield about 8 a.m. Thursday. Police Capt. Jim Adlam said the cause of the collapse had not yet been determined, but "I would assume it was the weight of the snow."

There were few customers in the store at the time, and no one was injured, he said.

"We were just lucky," he said.

A 30-by-50 foot section of the roof between two support columns fell, primarily in one piece, said Colin Curtis, Brookfield's deputy fire chief.

Grocery store worker Joe Foltz said there was a crackling shortly before the portion collapsed.

"We thought maybe milk crates crashed on the floor," he said. "About 10 minutes later, it started going down. The roof started crackling, and there was almost like a domino effect going to the right of the building toward the produce department on the corner of the building. So I rushed everybody out of the emergency exit door and, thank God, we got everybody out."

Jeff Dunn said he was in the checkout line buying cream for his coffee when part of the roof fell.

"As I turned to run to the exit, the glass actually fell where the entry of the door was," he said. "If there was anyone standing over there, they probably would have been killed."

The Thursday storm followed others that dumped up to a foot and a half of snow on parts of the state last weekend.

Mitchell International Airport at Milwaukee was closed for a little more than an hour Thursday so snow and slush could be cleared from the runways but it reopened about 9 a.m., airport spokeswoman Pat Rowe said. Morning flights were delayed by as much as four hours, but there were only minor delays by mid-afternoon, she said.

Angela Jones, 31, of Superior kept her two children home after their daycare closed and a blizzard warning was posted for that area.

"I am glad I didn't have to go out in this," she said. "The lady I talked to in the daycare said that when she drove to work there would be some clear spaces, and then all of a sudden there would be a snow drift across the road and you couldn't see anything."

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Credit to: http://wfrv.com/topstories/local_story_060070929.html

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Until Later...

XOXO
Anna-Anna!

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