My Dad Sept 1, 1911-March 6, 2011 - Elmer Byrd

He is gone now and there is such a void when you walk into my mother's house now. You do not realize how much space we occupy, until someone leaves this earth. It is not the same as when someone goes on a trip, or to the store, it is the eternal gone that makes its mark. I was privileged to witness my Dad's passing on into heaven. He really battled between staying with us and going on. When we told him to go, that we were all going to be okay, he left. I could feel his spirit leave. I know he is no longer in pain, seeing family that have passed before him - he leaves one sister behind and all of the daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren. I am really going to miss him, but I have great joy knowing I will see him again!

It has been a long time

I have not written for a long time and much has happened since then. There has been much learning going on and I hope I am sending up Sparks of Holiness as that is one of the things I have been learning. My husband is fighting cancer, my dad is fighting dementia and just plain old, old age - he is 99. I am dealing with knowing the end on this earth will be coming for me someday. Growing old gracefully is a fantasy that sounded good to someone and they put it out there. Nothing graceful about it. You have many aches and pains, burdens to bear - they were just a lot easier to do when you were younger - yet the trade off is the stuff you thought was so damned important is not really - and you really stop sweating the small stuff. I feel an urgency to get my act cleaned up, living simply, giving away stuff, giving away some important stuff to the kids now and getting wills and what finances we have in order. There is much comfort in that and then you feel like you can coast a bit, and smell a bit more of the roses. I am working on that, I do not want my kids to have to deal with it. I am trying to be healthy, I am a happy and I truly appreciate every moment here and more importantly, I am not afraid of my next adventure in my coming life - I have Faith and Trust In God.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

My favorite holiday is fast approaching. I love this holiday as it is for me, a time of reflection. The changing of the seasons, time with family and friends, reconnection to those who love us, catch-up and feasting together is this season's great gift. This may also be the last Thanksgiving with my step-dad, so I want it to be extra special. My daughter and son-in-law living far away, will be on my mind - they always are, but at this time of year I really miss having them near. My daughter and son-in-law who live near, will be down for the holiday this year together. William will bring his video camera and take some video of Grandpa. That will be very important to us all in the future.

I am extremely grateful for the wonderful family God has surrounded me with. I am thankful I am still employed. I am thankful that I live in the United States of America. She has many things to atone for, but I still love her and am grateful for the opportunites she has provided for me.

I am prayerful for those who do not have the things I do. A warm bed and clothes, family, food or a job. I am prayerful for those who are ill and fighting for their lives. I am prayerful that I will never take for granted all the wonderful things God has provided me with.

I love you my family and my God and my country!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Beautiful Fall Weekend

I want to thank my daughter for the beautiful pic on my blog page. It depicts what it looks like right now in our beautiful Illinois Valley. We have had a great weekend! Pine needles raked - I could help thinking I could make some money on those if I were in North Carolina!!! Gathered some wood to take to Chicken when we visit in a few weeks. Umbrellas and patio furniture put away, plants moved, some repairs made. Got the laundry done and a couple of shelves cleaned and organized. Angel went to the shot clinic yesterday and got the last of her puppy shots. We did not know if she had any as she was given to me, although he said she had some. We just started from scratch to make sure she is protected. So she is good for a year, then her rabies booster and she will be good for 3 years. Dex will make an appointment for her to be spayed this week if possible. I want to get her done before her next Estrus as otherwise we will be waiting another 6 weeks. She should be good to go on our trip to Shorty's & Bill's. I am looking forward to cooking for them and maybe a trip out to Savvy Island. This is my favorite time of the year to visit - it must be because this is my absolute favorite time of the year. Mild days and cool nights - we sleep so good! Thanks again Mishka darling for the fantastic pic of Fall.

Amazing Weather!

This past week has felt like Monsoon season. We have had Thunder and Lightening storms for the last five days. Now this last weekend on Saturday Central Point/Medford had 2-3 feet of water come down in a flash flood. One person's home was hit by lightening and one person was washing dishes at McDonalds and was shocked. No one was hurt, Thank God! Today at work, it started raining again and with lots of Thunder. I called home and Dex was in the shop when the power went out. He went into the house to check on Angel, Buddy and Delta and turned off the computer and I reminded him to stay off the phone. The air is so refreshing and I took a big breath of all those negative ions. I smiled thinking of my family and how much we all loved storms and still do. It is mother nature at her best! We have a couple more days of it and I intend to enjoy every minute of it. Storm on!!!

Four Day Weekend!

It was very exciting to have four days off. A mini vacation of sorts. We actually slept in (until animals demanded to be fed and potty walked). We got many tasks accomplished and managed to not work the whole day. My sis and Mark came out to spend the night. Dex and Mark started on siding the back side of our house and Dex and I finished it the next day. The weather was agreeable, there was plenty of iced tea and water to keep us hydrated.

We decided to let Buddy be an outdoor/indoor cat. We tried to keep him in, but he has the wanderlust that Toms have. Even though he is fixed and we tried to keep him indoors, he was always trying to sneak out. He is so much happier now that he can come and go when he wants. I pray, he doesn't use up his nine lives to fast.

Dex had evidence of a Raccoon visitor in the shop. Prints on the window of Betsy, the 56 Chevy. I warned him of their aggressive nature when cornered and to have a broom handy in case he needs it. There have been no further signs of him, so he must have had a look and left.

I am really enjoying this weather, but know it will come to an end soon and then the hot days will be here. For now, I am enjoying the hammock and swing while I can.

Monday we put our flag out and I said a prayer of thanks for all those brave men and women who laid down their lives for our freedom. I said a special prayer for my loved ones and their friends and families who are making sacrifices everyday for all of us.

Chua - The Best Medicine

We went to visit with Gpa & Gma this weekend. Of course, Angel went with us. She feels like their home is her second home and is comfortable the minute she gets there! They were both glad to see her and it was good to see them both laughing and playing with her. She is so good for them. Gpa was moving the handle end of his cane across the floor and she was chasing it like a bunny rabbit, hopping up and down and back and forth. We were all laughing so hard at her antics!

I fixed Noodles Alfredo and fresh broccoli and Gpa even had 2nd helpings! It was a great weekend!

Now that Angel sleeps with us at night, I will be sleeping on the sofa at Gma's as there is not enough room in that double bed for the three of us! I keep thinking I am going to roll over on her, so I don't sleep as well at Gma's. It is fine when we are at home in our own Queen Bed!

Mean Virus

I have been sick for one week. There have been two different Virus going around our offices. My sis had the 48 hour intestinal bug and then there is this other bug which is what I caught. Started as a mild sore throat and a bit of ear ache on one side. I figured a regular head cold - no big deal, but the malaise that hit a few days later was amazing. I was in bed for two days! I came to work yesterday and today but still feel crummy. This bug has hit the valley and my co-worker Karen said there were only three children at her well daughter's daycare. Her other daughter is sick and so is Karen.
I no longer have fever and have been diligent about keeping my sneezing to myself and washing my hands, so I am hoping that I have not passed it along. I have been making Dex take extra C and hopefully my chua chua will not catch it either. I am praying it bypasses my lungs - one of our co-worker's daughter had to be nebulized - I sometimes get a bout of bronchitus, so I am going to take it easy this weekend and get myself well!

Dog Day!

My little "Angel" was smelling pretty "doggy" so I thought it time to give her a bath and nail clip. My niece Mickey gave me some good doggy soap (her mom and sister work for a groomer) and it doesn't hurt their eyes and it smells so good. I had purchased one of those rotary nail filers as seen on TV, but she was terrified by it, so I gave up on that and took her to Pet Smart 4 weeks ago and they did her nails for free. Not being the sort of person to give in too easily, I bought a muzzle and a pair of nail clippers that have a safety device so you do not clip in the nail quick. Today was the day! She did not like getting into the sink, but she did like the scrub she got. Then we got her rinsed and toweled. Next, came the nail clip and I needed Dex's help for this. We had the hardest time getting the muzzle on her snout, but we finally succeeded, You would think that would be the end of the battle, right? Uh...know not quite. Can you imagine how squirmy a Chua Chua Dog can be? Very! We ended up wrapping her in a big towel, Dex putting her on her back in his lap, her snorting away in the muzzle and me drawing those hind legs out, so I could push her toenails out and clip, clip, clip. She was no worse for wear and neither were we. I just kept telling her how beautiful she is and I think she felt pretty proud of herself. I have marked the calendar and we will do this again in 4 weeks. I can hardly wait!!!

kitties & Pointsettias

Our dear neighbor sent us a beautiful pointsettia plant. I had vaguely rememembered that this could be a toxic plant to cats. Our female Delta wants to eat it and will not leave it alone. Buddy has also shown some interest, so off to the web I went to find out what the truth really is. Well, needless to say there were many opinions, some say yes they are toxic and some say no they are not. One wise source said this - Cats will vomit from eating any plant, including some of the plant grasses that are just for them. I knew that was true as I got some kitty grass and sure enough Delta vomited it right after ingesting, Buddy was not the least bit interested. Best bet is to keep the plant or any plants out of kitty's reach. We will be enjoying our plant in our bedroom as it is off limits to the animals, unless we let them snuggle with us!

Meet Angel

This is the new girl in our lives - her name is Angel and she is about 9 months old. We are still considered "foster parents" as we have been taking care of her for a friend who was in an accident and unable to care for her. He may not be able to care for her as he has a broken leg and it is all pinned and has a steel rod too. She of course is very lively and would be underfoot in a small travel trailer. She fits into our family quite nicely and gives the cats some exercise too, if you know what I mean. I wish I had a photo of when we first got her as she still had a tippy ear, but then one day it just "stood up" just like the other one. She thinks she is bigger than the cats and I think they enjoy making her play chase. She has brought lots of enjoyment to our lives and especially my parents, who just adore her. She loves to run up into my Dad's chair and it is so cute when they are both taking a nap together. P.S. She is not yippy either!!

Fall is Here Again!

It is beautiful here right now and just like I like it. Warm comfortable days where you can still get your yardwork done; then cold and frosty nights where you just want to curl up with a good book and have a cup of tea. Thank you daughter for the new pic on my blog header, it totally depicts our beautiful fall. Well, got to go and get those leaves raked! Happy Halloween!

Thank you Mishka!

Thank you Mishka for putting my HaHa kangi on my blog. I love it!

My Baby turns 33!

Happy Birthday Darling!
My Baby came into this world on a early spring morning 33 years ago. She not only had her father and I waiting impatiently for her arrival, she had nursing students and instructor cheering her to come and join us in the world! She was quite the celebrity at the hospital as they cooed over her and passed around pieces of her umbilical cord, for an upclose look. Her father and I were shocked that she was over 8lbs and 23 inches long, as she hid herself well, while nestled inside me. Her big sister waited so patiently to get a look at her and hold her, and we all fell in love and have been ever since. You have brought me tremendous joy daughter, and I and all your family and friends wish you the happiest of birthdays! I love you!

A Time For Reflection

Saturday, my sister and I attended the graveside service for our friend Vicki's husband Tom, who went on his journey on Feb 29th. Vicki said he passed on Leap Year as a parting gift to them. So they can have a memorial only every four years. Typical of Tommy's Irish humor. I did not know him well as Vicki's life and mine went in different directions, but we saw each other on special occasions. I most recently saw Vicki and Tom at our friend Steve's daughter Sam's wedding, he was unwell at that time. He became progressively ill in the following months and he knew his time was at hand. He was a wonderful husband, father and steward of the Lord. His oldest son Tommy preceded him in death and they are now finally together again in a very holy place...rest in peace Tom.

Math Paranoia

My dear friend Lin has went back to College at the grand old age of 56 years of age. Now there is a great advantage to returning to school at this age. You take all your life experiences with you and you just want to learn, learn, learn. She went to the same lousy south L.A. school I did. Many of the teachers were no longer interested in teaching anymore, just retiring. We were both poor math students. That's okay, girls do not have the aptitude for math anyway, we were told. She was really worrying about this math test as she was afraid she had forgotten what she had learned from last term and she had barely made it through. I assured her "It will all come back to you" and not let our Math Paranoia set in. She called me last Sunday with the good news, she passed her math test with flying colors! I knew you could do it! Way to go Lin!!!

Hopes for 2008

Happy New Year everyone! Ours was a quiet one at home and off the streets, although I did try and lure my sister with a game of late night bingo! The pots are always huge, but our weather has been icy at night and we do not get home to my mothers until 2:00am or so. Good call sis, I stayed home and got some things done and so did she.
My hopes for this year is for people to take a moment from their busy lives to stop and take a look at who is governing them. Just register to vote! Have a say in how you feel about things. At least you will have tried to make a change.

I would love to see the way the primary's are set up changed. I hate the fact that four or five states set the conventions - how about holding all primarys on the same day? Will someone tell me what is wrong with that? It just seems so much more democratic!

No More PORK! Let's pass legislation without it. In fact. let's put all lobbyists out of business.
Term Limits, woohoo, I would vote for that one. Let's put the professional polititians out of business!
Green, Green, Green - let us all do our part this year to make a difference in our planet. We are a nation of consumers, if we are going to consume, let us do it responsibly.
I personally am going to try and get up and move around more, everyday! I work a very sendatary job and IT SUCKS the life out of you. I will try and be more like my children, who are very physically minded!
Pray, I will pray more for my family, country and world. It never hurts and hey all you sceptics out there? What it I am right?
Finally, Love, Love, Love, I will try and do more of that and serve and be more tolerant of all people on this earth....required by my Lord and hey, it just makes you a better person and feel really good!!!
So here is a toast to a new and better year for all people on this planet!

I have high hopes for us all!

Merry Christmas Family & Friends!!!

Dex and I want to wish all of our family and friends a very Merry Christmas! It is a true Christian Day of Remembrance of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our giving of gifts is in keeping the tradition of when the Magi brought gifts to the Christ child. It is a reminder to us all of the sacrifice Christ paid on the Cross for our sins and a rejoicing of the greatest gift that he gave to all mankind. I rejoice with fellow Christians in celebrating this birth and counting the tremendous blessings HE has given me! St. Nicholas is a representation of the Magi in the giving of gifts and is a delight for Children all over the world. Time to go to sleep now...I thought I heard bells tinkling! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Christmas and all that jazz!

Yesterday my sis and I finished our shopping and it wasn't too bad - we had a great time together and bought the things we had in mind, although I found an extra gift for Mishka that I think she is going to love! It was just sort of a "happening" and those are the best gifts! Dex and I got to spend some time with William and Chicken, we had a marvelous time at the museum and I was turned on to Chuck Close, I got to see a new Van Gogh, aquired by the museum, which was beautiful! I cooked for my kids, beef stroganoff, and they helped me prepare it, boy was it yummy! I left them with some left-overs too! My sis was meeting a guy she has been talking to for quite some time today, through an online dating service she joined. She was like a sixteen year old girl, going on her first date. She asked me if she thought he would like her? I told her if he didn't he was a dumb @?^% and not worth the time of day. At our age, we don't have time to waste on STUPID! I will update you when I get the juicy details. My Christmas message for you all is Love, Love, Love - that is what Jesus, my lord and savior requires of us and guess what, it is fun too!

What I've been up to

Well, we had the company Christmas party, food was good and I was the designated driver so I could drive my sister home. She doesn't usually drink, but she had lots of fun and we all danced our feet off. It is always good to see your colleagues "let their hair down" once in a while. I met some of the folks that I never see face-to-face and that was great. Christmas shopping is just about done, just a few things for some special friends at work and then I am done. I am shopping more and more online. It is a great convenience and it just so happens that my family are all bookworms and music buffs so they make it very easy. They are very socially conscious too, so gifts of Charity were sent in their names also.

I received a big surprise from my son-in-law and I am so proud of it. I received a certificate of appreciation for participating in a work project for him. This means the world to me and it gets a frame and position on the wall above my desk. Thank you J - I was glad I got to help!

Dex and I are going to Portland this weekend to take in a Museum with Shorty and William, see a steam locomotive and just take in the sights and sounds of Christmas in a big city. Maybe we can take the Max downtown and walk around for a bit, if it is not too cold...oh and I do have to make a quick trip to Powell's to get a book for my friend at work. He has never read Con Tiki and it is a must read for anyone with an adventurous heart. ta ta