Out of Sorts, On The Road Again, and Baby Sam!

  

Punk.
Taking Casey for a drag...

.
.
Good Morning All;
Thought I should thank everyone for their "wunnaful" birthday wishes!
Even Jenne came down yesterday, no 'good morning' as she came around the corner-
Just "Happy Birthday Mom"    Very cool!

She was up before 4AM, to make sure that Aaron was up and ready to come and drive her back.

• He flew into Milwaukee where Jenne and Isaiah picked him up.

.
.
.

Jenne waving!

She left a bunch of stuff here, saying for me to sell it in the rummage sale- Aaron had to fit his stuff in the little car as well.

.
.
.

Randy stopped here yesterday.

He was working up by his Dads all weekend, but will be here to watch the place while we are gone. (Nice to have a zillion vacation days, eh)? Maybe he can pull a weed or ten thousand.

Gone?
Seems as though everyone is leaving... hehehe

Casey and I will be leaving this morning for Minnesota- She has some testing to be done, and an exam by Dr. Sutherland- (Both for the TP/AIT transplant, and the colon removal).

Her appointment is for 8 tomorrow morning, so unless I care to leave at 3AM tomorrow???
Nah. So I made reservations for tonight...

Punk went to the vet yesterday-
She has been 'tired' for the last 5 days now-

She has all of her energy; just for some very very short spans of time.

The vet checked her over and saw everything was fine.

If it continues I will bring her back in for blood test and maybe an Xray-

(Given the fact that Mama Milly had cancer, this behavior kinda scares me). 

No wait, it scares the hell out of me.

Will include the toxicity tag below so I can go through all the recalls and potential poisons.

She is eating and drinking- (Wait a second, I must feed her. Hang on). hehehe

Ok. (Yup, she IS eating and drinking just fine)!

Now she is full, and has had a rimadyl and her joint meds too- & back to resting.
.
.
.

Took this 2 days ago- She sure is out of sorts.
Not sure how to explain it... Just "not right" for sure.
It occurs to me that makes her fit right in!

.
.
.
We had a full weekend!

As did Baby Sam...

 He turned ONE on the 4th!

.
.
.

1st you have to wait for Daddy to take the picture!

.
.

Then you have to dig in!

.

.
.

Then you have to wonder where it went?!?!

.
.

And then have some watermelon
(washes everything off)! hehehe

.
.
I shall have to get one of Daddy Chucks baby pictures because Sam doesn't look like anyone I know!
His Grandpa Rick, has blue eyes, but not as bright-
Berta's are hazel. Chucks are blue.
At any rate, this grandmother says Baby Sam sure is a doll! Thank you Chuck!

Kelli and Michelle rode over on Friday-

All the way from Michelle's place- (She lives about 9 miles away).

These are 2 of Michelle's horses, she said they needed the exercise!


.
.

Kelli and Leo

.
.
.

Michelle and Spirit

.
.
And then they were off again!
.
.

.
.
Oh I have SO many pictures to show you-
And not enough time as we will leave by 10-

We went to Brandy and Johns place on the 4th too- They have a party every year.
.
.

.
.
*** I took a million pictures there, and still have to upload them all!
(My computersaurus and I are both kinda slow these days)!

*** Sunday found Casey over at Kelli's to give May and Breeze their baths.
(Again, more pictures to upload).

These blogs will follow.
(I promise).
.
.
I had some fun with the full moon...
.
.
.

Through the Black~Eyed~Susans...

.
.
.

Through some weeds...

.
.
And across the west lawn...

West?!? hehehe

.

Oh wait. That is one of JoAnne and Jim's driveway lights.
hehehe

.
.
Through the grasses...
.

Crown of Thorns?
or migraine aura?

.
.
I'd better fly!
Time to motivate...
Hope you are all having a 'wunnaful' week so far!
And that it continues forever!

XOXO
Me

free hit counters

Posted to my dying Y! 360, Tuesday July 7, 2009 - 08:00am (CDT)

For Catholics Only

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

hehehe
Thank You Aunt Marlene!

XOXO
Me

*************************




This information is for Catholics only. It must not be divulged to non-Catholics.
The less they know about our rituals and code words, the better off they are.

________________________________



AMEN: The only part of a prayer that everyone knows.


BULLETIN: Your receipt for attending Mass.


CHOIR: A group of people whose singing allows the rest of the Parish to
lip-sync.


HOLY WATER: A liquid whose chemical formula is H2OLY.


HYMN: A song of praise usually sung in a key three octaves higher than
that of the congregation's range.


RECESSIONAL HYMN: The last song at Mass often sung a little more quietly, since most of the people have already left.


INCENSE: Holy Smoke!


JESUITS: An order of priests known for their ability to find colleges with good basketball teams.


JONAH: The original 'Jaws' story.


JUSTICE: When kids have kids of their own.


KYRIE ELEISON: The only Greek words that most Catholics can recognize
besides gyros and baklava. (for you non-Catholics it means Lord have
mercy)


MAGI: The most famous trio to attend a baby shower.


STABLE: Where Mary gave birth to Jesus because Joseph wasn't covered by an HMO. (The Bible's way of showing us that holiday travel has always been rough.)


MANGER: Where Mary placed Jesus because Joseph forgot the crib when
packing the donkey.


PEW: A medieval torture device still found in Catholic churches.


PROCESSION: The ceremonial formation at the beginning of Mass consisting of altar servers, the celebrant, and late parishioners looking for
seats.


RECESSIONAL: The ceremonial procession at the conclusion of Mass led by parishioners trying to beat the crowd to the parking lot.


RELICS: People who have been going to Mass for so long, they actually
know when to sit, kneel, and stand.


TEN COMMANDMENTS: The most important Top Ten list not given by David Letterman .


USHERS: The only people in the parish who do not realize the seating
capacity of a pew

________________________________

Little known facts about the Catholic Church in Las Vegas :
There are more churches in Las Vegas than casinos. During Sunday
services at the offertory, some worshippers contribute casino chips as
opposed to cash. Some are sharing their winnings - some are hoping to
win. Since they get chips from so many different casinos, and they are
worth money, the Catholic churches are required to send all the chips
into the diocese for sorting. Once sorted into the respective casino
chips, one junior priest takes the chips and makes the rounds to the
casinos turning chips into cash. And he, of course, is known as
The Chip Monk ..

________________________________

Moved my 'back' appointment to 10:30 today. ..... And Punk has bath and groom appointment... Later. XOXO, Me

Independence Day ~Many Links

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence_Day.shtml
Fourth of July is Independence Day

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag.

**********************

This is an awesome site for everyone, even kids!

Enjoy!

XOXO
Me

When I Grow Up...

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

When I grow up, I want to take a picture like this.

XOXO
Me

~

~
Stolen from here:
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090704/ap_on_re_as/as_nkorea_missile
~

Now how cool is that?

XOXO
Anne

Scientists Find Heart Stem Cells!

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/702/1
Scientists Find Heart Stem Cells
By Constance Holden
ScienceNOW Daily News 2 July 2009


Scientists have identified a cardiac stem cell that gives rise to all of the major cell types in the human heart. The find opens the way to using patients' own cells to heal their damaged hearts.

The cells in question express a protein, called Islet 1, which is present in the early stages of fetal heart formation. In recent years, scientists have identified the cells in embryonic mouse hearts. And now, a team in the laboratory of Kenneth Chien, director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, has found the same cell type in human fetal hearts.

****************
Key to the heart? Scientists have identified what they say are the heart's "master" stem cells.
Photo Credit: Lei Bu et al., Nature 460, 113 (2009)

****************

Once the group pinpointed the cells, it took the next important step: generating new cardiac stem cells from human embryonic stem cells. Using fluorescent tags to identify the ones containing Islet 1, the researchers obtained a purified population. They then proved that the Islet 1 cells are what Chien calls "master stem cells" by showing that single cells could be made to grow into any of the heart's major cell types: heart muscle (cardiomyocytes), smooth muscle, and blood vessel lining (endothelium).

Chien cautions that these primordial stem cells, which are found only in fetuses, could not be used for therapy because they could develop into undesired cell types.
Instead, he says, researchers need to isolate "intermediate" cells that are already heading for a particular fate.

In the meantime, the primordial cells could be used for disease modeling and drug screening.

They may also help shed light on congenital heart malformations.

In the fetal heart, Islet 1 cells are clustered in areas that are "hot spots" for congenital heart defects, says Chien: "Congenital heart disease may be a stem cell disease."

Ultimately, researchers may be able to use the cells to grow human "heart parts" such as strips of heart muscle or a valve on scaffolds that could be inserted into patients, Chien says.

"The findings are very important if they can be reproduced," says cardiologist Richard Schatz of Scripps Clinic in San Diego, California. But Eduardo Marbán, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, says he's doubtful that the identification of Islet 1 cells will hasten new therapies. Marbán is currently heading a trial that involves removing a tiny chunk of heart tissue from a patient, cultivating cells from it, and reinjecting them into the patient's heart. He says Islet 1 cells "do appear to be important in development" but that "normal heart tissue can and does form in the complete absence" of the protein.

Chien has a different view, saying that there's little or no evidence that scientists can obtain stem cells by "grinding up hearts and culturing cells from them."

It's important to identify authentic progenitor cells, he says, in order to identify cells that will help repair damaged hearts.

****************

To all of our scientists, researchers and many potential life savers, "Keep up the good work!"

XOXO
Me

Happy 4th Weekend! Spackled Poppies too!

  Isaiah on the swing...

.
.

.Punk in the poppies!

.
.
.
Good Morning All!
Not sure if any of you have any special plans... I am going to try to get over to a 4th party tomorrow at John and Brandy's place, at least for a little while-

My back still is pretty bad- And I am running late this morning. (Not that I have anything special going on, just that I would rather be in/out of the shower already).

Was going through some of Dads old pictures-

And found a few from 1978.



.
.

That's me on that load of hay-

Pregnant with Jenne too.

"A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do"!

Picture taken June 26th-
(Jenne was born August 26, 1978).

.
.
Then in July of the same year, I drove the tractor while Pa stacked the bales of straw...
(The Leyland tractor was Pa's pride and joy; and the only tractor he ever bought "new").

.
.
.

I love Mama's little reflection in the corner too!
July 7th, 1978

.
.
.
My sister Kris dropped by on Wednesday- it was gloomy and rainy...
.
.

I kinda felt like that gloominess on the inside too,
But she can always make me smile!

(I shall try to dye today). hehehe

.
.
They all got together for a pose too!
.
.

Jenne, Kris, Casey and Tanya!
Jenne with an orb over her head...

.
.
Kris and I went for a little walk outside- Calling Casey out after we saw a couple of chipmunks and such
.
.

But the dang gophers and such are quite intelligent-
There were none anywhere when Casey came out!

.
.
.
The lilies by the back door are in bloom now too!
.

.

Nice bright color to have back there...

.
.
And a few pink poppies too!
.
.

Pink, with speckles!

.
.
.
Jenne has informed me that she will be heading back to Texas on the 6th to try to work things out with her husband. Aaron has a plane ticket that day that will take him through to Milwaukee and Jenne will be picking him up
.
.

Jenne, 7/1/09

.
.
.
She asked my opinion when she got back home from her appointment yesterday-

It's not my place really to be opining anything... But I will always go with trying to work out a marriage. 

Methinks she should listen to Mae West though and just remember these words if they ever are necessary: "An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises."
I wish them well.

I'd better close for now, my dryer has sounded the call to fold, and that means another load must go in- 

Have a "wunnaful" weekend!

XOXO
Me

free hit counters

Friday July 3, 2009 - 09:54am (CDT)

PRIVATE- July the dang 2nd...

Hi All;
Am looking for a few answers (and probably a hug or three)...

My back is as bad as it gets.

I am living with a 31 year old who most days looks at me like she is angry with me (still)? . And I made up my mind long ago, not to broach the Trainwreck issue with either of my oldest; so it's not going to happen- Either they come to fix what they began 2 and a half years ago, or they don't. (Kinda simple that way.

Oh Jenne does laugh too- thought I'd better qualify that so you do not misinterpret what follows.
And I do know how depressed she is, barely able to contain herself a lot of the time.
Aaron swears he has changed, and has bought an airline ticket to fly in on the 6th to Milwaukee. He told her that she would be going home with him and that he would be driving.
Of course she wants to be with her husband. That's the way it should be anyway.
Is it healthy? Absolutely not.

Have I said anything that could be misconstrued as advice? Ditto. She has not asked, and I have not offered.

She is at a counseling session right now- She said she needs to be hospitalized, but will wait and see what they advise.

Some damn mother I am.
Some damn birthday.

I can't even bend to get stuff off the floor, nor can I lug out the fricking vacuum. I can't stand my house.
Oh wait, I can't stand.
(Barely anyway).

And I saw an effing flea yesterday! How gross is that?
I can't fumigate with Isaiah anywhere near. He has that disease.
And it's probably not recommended for Jenne and a high risk pregnancy either.
Granted I only saw one-
But isn't that a lot like seeing one mouse? Only worse?

My effing tub doesn't drain, and most days I cannot bail the water out- Those days Jenne just doesn't get in the shower.

And I want to kick her in the ass for being so discompassionate to my back and my inability right now.

I barely get the wash done- Difficult to even get the wash out of the washer and into the dryer, but now she will do a load, and leave it and not say anything.
God I love having to redo wash. Not.

I am so much in pain that nothing is easy. But I make dinner, even though I have told her to get something out of the freezer in the mornings... Made some tater tot casserole last night, and it took me 3 times of having to sit and then go back to it.

Pissed and in pain is no way to go through life.

Casey comes out and helps where she can. But she is sick too. And how unfair to even expect that when she can barely keep up at her place.

She (KC) finally called a realtor yesterday to find out about the availability of duplexes on the reservation- God knows I am not selling my home just to get my st00pid effing back fixed.
And they are taking way too much time in Washington to get that medical bill passed.

I just want to cry... But won't start with that either.
One kid on the pity pot 24/7 is more than enough for me.

And Punk only hides when she cries. (Jenne that is)... Poor little pup.

What have I done?

...And how do I fooking fix it?

Thank you for any ideas you might have...

XOXO
Anne


PS
Then this morning, as I thought to do a blog, this comes on my page on Yahoo.
Guess you all have enough brain to figure out what is going on from the note...
(Oh, their daughter Cassie had a kidney transplant 2 weeks ago, and is battling with rejection issues at University of Wisconsin, Madison)

This is the note I wrote to Casey and Krisitn, (Master Gabriels Foster Mom)...


To: Kristin; Casey Gmail
Subject: Gabriels Mom- CONFLICT of INTEREST?

Something stinky Dearest Kristin,
But first of all to say I hope that Miss Cassie is doing well, and 'maybe' even home by now?  Please give her (and yourself) a hug from me. Prayers always as you already know...

Oh and to let you know that I don't reply to your text msgs because they cost me for each one- Please do not feel offended by my "Scrooginess"...

Now the bad news...
I received 3 notifications on my page about Berta
This is her current address to the best of my knowledge.


(Above address is actually in the town of Wrightstown ).
Kind of a pricey home too from what I found online...

She apparently lives with a Susan Brickham, 52, (divorced from Bruce LaCombe in 1998),
Bruce has a record at the state that includes a child abuse restraining order, but I cannot get those case details.
He was brought to court by a Mary Cornell on those charges.

ANYWAY, ALL of Bertas charges pending with the state have been freakin' dismissed!
What in the hell is that all about???
('Scuse the cussing please, I am very angry). Know that if it was you or I, we would be serving time by now.

ALL of Roberta's fines are also mysteriously paid in full.

I also believe since there seems to be no court officials listed on this database that there could be a definite conflict of interest since this Susan Brickham works for the county!
She is a clerk in data control for HS!!!!

Here is what I found...

Brown County employees.

Name Last    BRICKHAM
Name First    SUSAN
Job Title    CLERK IV / DATA CONTROL
Total Earnings    $33,195.32
Department    HS-FINANCIAL SERVICES
Year    2008

Hope that posts for you...

Please let me know what you think...

Love to all!
(And maybe an extra "Grandma Kiss" for Master Gabriel)!?

XOXO
Me

I don't know if contacting Rachel would be a good/bad thing- Hard (difficult if not impossible) for a newer worker to be investigating someone who has been around for a time...
I wish I knew exactly what to do- Am hoping that maybe you or your hubby would know...

Her reply...
To: "'ANNE; Anna-Anna;'" <onthefarm@prodigy.net>
Date: Thursday, July 2, 2009, 9:01 AM

">Well here  is our  thinking ,

  First  off it  does  seem  a little  suspicious  BUT  she  has not  contacted BCHS & done any of her court orderd conditions in the Chips( are  those  erased  also?) 
So not sure if any of this has a bearing on the TPR? 

I talked to Gabe’s GAL on Tuesday & he  doesn’t expect her to show up in court (just  like last  time).

I  would assume if she was working to reunify he would know (depends how much faith you have in system)
We  have  been  given the gift  of  loving Gabe so far for 10 months and will  continue to  carry on   as long as   is  necessary 

She  has been told   what  she  needs to do  &  so that  part  confuses me  as far as if this  friend is  so   system savvy  why  is  she not  advising  her  to   fight .

Maybe she has given up?

She still has a 30 day window after decision    to contest   . 

Because  my  mind  obsesses  with all the possibilities I  try  to  focus on the facts  &  not the  unknown (I never  pick the right scenario anyway )

 Let me know

thanks Kristin

Would at least 4 of you go to my guestbook and write a few words please? I am in the six~hundred and sixties, and prefer not be stuck on the bad number. In fact I even hate looking at it. Thank you SO much! Love, XOXO, Me

What happened to your first crush?

Dynasty: Influenza Virus in 1918 and Today

http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/news/newsreleases/2009/dynasty_flu.htm
The influenza virus that wreaked worldwide havoc in 1918-1919 founded a viral dynasty that persists to this day, according to scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

In an article published online on June 29 by the New England Journal of Medicine, authors Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., Ph.D., and David M. Morens, M.D., argue that we have lived in an influenza pandemic era since 1918, and they describe how the novel 2009 H1N1 virus now circling the globe is yet another manifestation of this enduring viral family.

*************************************************
PHOTO credit and caption: Red arrows indicate human influenza virus lineages, black arrows swine influenza virus lineages, and gray arrows exportation of one or more genes from the avian influenza A virus gene pool. Horizontal bars shown inside the virus represent each of the eight virus genes, abbreviated PB2, PB1, PA, HA, NP, NA, M and NS. Credit: NIAID

*************************************************

“The 1918-1919 influenza pandemic was a defining event in the history of public health,” says NIAID Director Dr. Fauci. “The legacy of that pandemic lives on in many ways, including the fact that the descendents of the 1918 virus have continued to circulate for nine decades.”

Influenza viruses have eight genes, two of which code for virus surface proteins—hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N)—that allow the virus to enter a host cell and spread from cell to cell. There are 16 H subtypes and 9 N subtypes, and, therefore, 144 possible HN combinations. However, only three (H1N1, H2N2 and H3N2) have ever been found in influenza viruses that are fully adapted to infect humans. Other combinations, such as avian influenza H5N1, occasionally infect people, but they are bird viruses, not human viruses.

“The eight influenza genes can be thought of as players on a team: Certain combinations of players may arise through chance and endow the virus with new abilities, such as the ability to infect a new type of host,” says Dr. Morens, Senior Advisor to the NIAID Director. That is likely what happened to spark the 1918 pandemic, he adds. Scientists have shown that the founding virus was an avian-like virus. The virus had a novel set of eight genes and—through still-unknown mechanisms—gained the ability to infect people and spread readily from person to person.

Not only did the 1918 H1N1 virus set off an explosive pandemic in which tens of millions died, during the pandemic the virus was transmitted from humans to pigs, where—as it does in people—it continues to evolve to this day. “Ever since 1918, this tenacious virus has drawn on a bag of evolutionary tricks to survive in one form or another…and to spawn a host of novel progeny viruses with novel gene constellations, through the periodic importation or exportation of viral genes,” write the NIAID authors.

“All human-adapted influenza A viruses of today—both seasonal variations and those that caused more dramatic pandemics—are descendents, direct or indirect, of that founding virus,” notes Dr. Taubenberger, Senior Investigator in NIAID’s Laboratory of Infectious Diseases. “Thus we can be said to be living in a pandemic era that began in 1918.”

How exactly do new influenza gene teams make the leap from aquatic birds to a new host, such as people or other mammals? What factors determine whether infection in a new host yields a dead-end infection or sustained, human-to-human transmission, as happened in 1918? Research on such topics is intense, but at this time definitive answers remain elusive, notes Dr. Morens.

It is known that the human immune system mounts a defense against the influenza virus’s H and N proteins, primarily in the form of antibodies. But as population-wide immunity to any new variant of flu arises, the virus reacts by changing in large and small ways that make it more difficult for antibodies to recognize it. For nearly a century, then, the immune system has been engaged in a complicated pas de deux with the 1918 influenza virus and its progeny, say the NIAID authors. The partners in this dance are linked in an endless effort to take the lead from the other.

While the dynasty founded by the virus of 1918 shows little evidence of being overthrown, the NIAID authors note that there may be some cause for optimism. When viewed through a long lens of many decades, it does appear that successive pandemics and outbreaks caused by later generations of the 1918 influenza dynasty are decreasing in severity, notes Dr. Morens. This is due in part to advances in medicine and public health measures, he says, but this trend also may reflect viral evolutionary pathways that favor increases in the virus’s ability to spread from host to host, combined with decreases in its tendency to kill those hosts.

“Although we must be prepared to deal with the possibility of a new and clinically severe influenza pandemic caused by an entirely new virus, we must also understand in greater depth, and continue to explore, the determinants and dynamics of the pandemic era in which we live,” conclude the authors.

(See a diagram above right of the genetic relationships among human and swine influenza viruses.)

For more information on influenza visit PandemicFlu.gov for one-stop access to U.S. Government information on avian and pandemic flu. Also, see NIAID's flu portal and the CDC's Seasonal Flu page.

NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)—The Nation's Medical Research Agency—includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.


NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)—The Nation's Medical Research Agency—includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.


Reference:
DM Morens et al. The persistent legacy of the 1918 influenza virus.
New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp0904819 (2009).

****************************************************************

How neat this is!

XOXO
Me

PS
Not the flu, but as I type, Casey is awaiting more test results from her doctor here, (who is awaiting a phone call back from Dr. Sutherland). Casey has been sick, and now has a temp over 101.
One test won't be back until Friday, and that's a very long wait for us.

Single~Parents; Anna's Family... (Can of worms)

 

Good Morning... 

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...

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).

This is my family....

.

.

(Right from my living room wall)!

.

.

.

.

Some of you have asked plenty of questions of myself; others have not.
(Know that a few who don'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)... Written in response to your ignorant rantings within my friends comments...

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 own 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, er, 'together' for the most important day of my life; and that is all that matters). hehehe

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 one of the worst things you can do is misunderstand what someone has written. (along those lines anyway).

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.
Not having a land line in her bedroom, this gal 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.

**********

I have to share 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 my parents taught me. ie: how I was raised.
My parents, the 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) have brought 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.
(More, 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 or faces 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)!hehehe

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

Yet they have grown into self~sufficient, and 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.
(And I firmly believe to this day this is the only place 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. 

We had one telephone line, and one toilet. They learned patience, practicality and perseverance early on. (Hopefully, they still "knock" too).

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.
• They each ate 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, that I raised my kids. (Losing my step~daughter 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 strict?
Probably more~so than most other parents; single or otherwise.

With respect to my childrens hard work, successes, kindnesses and intelligence, we have 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. I would like to point out 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."

********** end quote

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 daughters 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 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. (Sadly we all know of worse ones too). But I didn't think I was all that bad.

• There is a proper time for pampering, and a proper time for allowing the child to care for themselves.

Without learning 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

Free Site Counters

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.
I also 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? Hmm... (nope, NOT going there)...

***************

Some of you may remember reading this at an earlier date.
It is a repost, but having read a comment elsewhere that gave NO respect to the work that a single parent is responsible for, I thought to repost it.
As you can see by the counter, almost 1400 people have read it already.
Sorry too that my most precious comments TO this blog did not transfer from my 360

XOXO
Me

Sirloin Beef Recalled- ... E. coli

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_034_2009_ReleaSe/index.asp
Colorado Firm Recalls Beef Products Due To Possible E. coli O157:H7 Contamination
Recall Release .

.

CLASS I RECALL
FSIS-RC-034-2009 HEALTH RISK: HIGH.

.




These beef products were produced on April 21 and 22, 2009, and were shipped to distributors and retail establishments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
.

.


The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling and an investigation into the distribution of other products.

.

.












Last Modified:
June 24, 2009

USDA Recall Classifications
Class I	This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.
Class II	This is a health hazard situation where there is a remote probability of adverse health consequences from the use of the product.
Class III	This is a situation where the use of the product will not cause adverse health consequences.

.

.


*******************.

.


Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Peggy Riek.

.



WASHINGTON, June 24, 2009 - JBS Swift Beef Company, a Greeley, Colo., establishment is recalling approximately 41,280 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.


.

.



The products subject to recall include:

.

.



* Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "21852."

.

.


* Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "21853."
.

.



* Boxes of "Swift, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "31852."
.

.



* Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "31853."
.

.



* Boxes of "Swift, USDA SELECT, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "33852."
.

.



* Boxes of "USDA SELECT, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "33853."
.

.



* Boxes of "BLACK ANGUS, Swift Premium, BEEF, USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "41853."
.

.



* Boxes of "BLACK ANGUS, Swift Premium, BEEF, USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "41853."

.

.


* Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/DN S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, an identifying package date of "042109" and a case code of "79852."
.

.



* Boxes of "Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, an identifying package date of "042109" and a case code of "79853."

.

.


* Boxes of "USDA CHOICE OR HIGHER, Bnls Beef Bottom Sirloin, Butt Ball Tip 2/UP S/T." Each box bears the establishment number "EST. 969" inside the USDA mark of inspection, identifying package dates of "042109" or "042209" and a case code of "90853."

.

.

.

.



These beef products were produced on April 21 and 22, 2009, and were shipped to distributors and retail establishments in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
.

.


The problem was discovered through FSIS microbiological sampling and an investigation into the distribution of other products.
.

.


E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.
.

.


Media with questions about the recall should contact company Spokesperson Chandler Keys at (202) 907-4253. Consumers with questions about the recall should contact the company's Consumer Hotline at (800) 555-7675.
.

.


Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.
.

.



***************
.

.


Hmm...
.

.


Does anyone else wonder why this seems to happen right around holidays?.

.



At any rate, ask your butcher where their beef has come from before you buy..

.



XOXO,.

Me

Calling for Venicide...

 

Overgrown path to my backyard

.
.
Good Morning All.
Been one hell of a nasty week for me.
... Am hanging in there just to p*ss a few people off! hehehe

Received an email telling me I was overdrawn on Wednesday... I got terribly concerned about that one because I watch my dollars quite carefully. Going to my bank site only upset me further. No mistake, save for my own.
I'd neglected to change the full payment on a credit card last month.
How freakin' st0opid is that? (Still mad)...

Nothing to do about that, so went out and enjoyed the water- Still so hot and humid out that the only way to cool off is to seek out water at it's highest level.

Casey came out also- Forgetting her swimsuit. No problem, she just went out to the shed and grabbed one from the rummage sale. She is 22 now, and the suit she grabbed was her own, One from 7th grade.
It fit.
.
.

I would guess that the top might fit a bit... differently though!

.
.
Jenne got back home after bringing Isaiah to visit with his dad.
She balances on her butt in the pool.
.
.

I tried to do this too,
only to find myself as major entertainment...

Know too that my back does NOT hurt at all in the pool! How cool is that?

.
.

What happened to the toes in the reflection?

.
.

Where have they gone? hehehe

.
.
I've been using the strips that tell the hardness of the water- what it needs or not. Everything had checked out, save for chlorine content. (I have well water so it would surprise me if it had showed any in it).
I decided to add the pool shock the next morning.

The skies darkened-
.
.

.
.
Time to put the cover on...
.
.

.
.

Thursday morning, going out with Punk, and it was already almost a sticky hot type of day. (Thank God for that pool)! hehehe

Time to check the water one more time before the shock...

I walked around the corner of the house, only to see this.

.
.

Talk about freakin' "shock" !!!!

.
.
Save for not thinking if my suit would fit, I thought I had thought of everything.

Everything else, that is...

EXCEPT...

.
.

  for the damned deer!

.

.
Hindsight. 20/20.. Should have put the chlorine in right away- I don't think it would have been so attractive to them then.

Sad. Mad. Really Bad. ;-)

We will start over- Soon. Expecting a few storms this afternoon (if we're lucky). Even though I hate storms, we need the rains very badly. All the other threats of rain have missed us.

No pool?
Too bad. Back to the basics then.

.
.

Casey on her bike!
(Needs tubes, but those held for a while anyway)...

.
.
And me walking with the camera.

I found this in the crack of the concrete by the garage. And it looks like and African Violet?

.
.

Maybe you know what it is?
Because up here, African Violets are only houseplants....

.
.
Not too much other news. I fell yesterday morning because of my back. I didn't move for a while either. Punk came to the entrance and lay right down beside me. I'd seen her coming and thought "oh no" because I thought she would try to play or something...
She laid her head down next to mine and peeked at me over her eyebrows. I did get back to my cell phone and 'called' Jenne upstairs.

All is back to normal for now,

except for the reappearance of the beast himself.

.This too shall pass...

Have a grand weekend!

Love to all

XOXO
Me

free hit counters

Posted to Y 360, Saturday June 27, 2009 - 09:07am (CDT)