Special

While I am thanking everyone for a great Christmas, I would especially like to thank Diane for hosting, helping us when we were out of power and for making Christmas for Tawnya and three of her kids great!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Winter, not winner

Well, we have power and heat again. It was still a might chilly at 60 F when we entered. After some time and more lights shining (heating) it was a nicer near-70 F. Yea!

To Diane,

What a bad weekend!

Well, at 6:19 a.m. Tom and Lois lost power and therefore heat. Since there was no power, getting news on when it would return was non-existent. At around 10 something, the LAN phone line went out. Therefore there were only cellphones that worked. Not only at night were we in the dark, but for information too.

While it appears lovely, it is a thick layer of ice that is dangerous on which to walk and drive. So too is it that made the limbs too heavy, which fell off trees and snapped phone and power lines.
Our poor neighbor got a pounding, obviously. I was going to walk over and help, but during the time that I could have, three limbs fell. I might have been hurt or killed. I changed my mind about pulling limbs while they were still falling.
This other neighbor lost the top half of the tree here. Oh, man!
Diane was nice enough to put us up for the night, which went to two, perhaps three. Joe was with us and so the many of us stayed with Diane and Jim. While there Diane found Lilly chasing something. This opossum crawled up on the grill for safety. It later crawled away.

Jeff sent this photo of a Glenbrook flag, destroyed by the weather.
In all over 100,000 people lost power in Allen County alone.

Ho Ho, uh oh

It's that time of year again when Grandpa Claus gets gifts for everyone including and especially his favorite -- animal crackers. Look for yours today!

Saturday for a Sunday

I helped out the Tom and Lois' church by helping them put out chairs. It went quickly, but there wasn't a planogram to figure out all of it. In the end, we winged it!

Vindow

a new window

There came a tapping. A rapping on my window, nothing more.+
Diane had a drafty or windy window. She bought a window, but had yet to get it installed. Time was awastin' so she contracted it to a small company. These two guys, John and Keith installed it and ensured it was neat and correct. It was instantly warmer in the room. Yea for Jessica!


+ paraphrased from Edgar Allen Poe, of course.

Bethy Shocks the spunky

"I DID IT!! AFTER 6 YEARS I GOT HIM!!!! It was only a little startle, not a big jump but it counts! He was weak I took advantage of it! THAT WAS SO AWESOME!!!!"

Lilly proves she was mis-named

Lilly, or as I called her Chewy, has warranted stricter measures to limit her mobility.

1: Lilly got banished from the blue room with the Christmas tree. She brought to her mommy well-chewed precious and unique ornaments.

2. Lilly is required to be on a leash outside. She had been getting into Thanksgiving trash -- getting her sick. When that was gone, she ran out to the busy road chasing something.

Now, hardly Lilly of the Valley, she is Lilly of the Limitations (or the Leash). She is still puppy and full of energy. She also still likes to chew, especially hands regardless of the toys surrounding her.

Lump of coal in her stocking I'm afraid. Maybe next year she'll opt to be better behaved.

almost 5 feet and tough

"thanks beth. you are the terminator."
-- co-worker commenting on Bethy stopping nuisance running applications


Beth will not stop ever, until the background processes are terminated.

happy note

I got to see and obviously photograph this ...
Simone gets baptized. She is the-love-of-my-life-Tawnya's elder daughter.
2008 and God is still great!

21

The was cut, not too cautiously.
I bet you wish you had more "death by chocolate" cake.
Yeah! Thank you hugs.

Well, Jenny now 21 and gets all the priviledges therein. Since she's not really a drinker ... not much advantage.

Jenny had a quiet little birthday celebration where we tried some wine with lasagna. Lilly helped lots with pulling paper from wrapped gifts, off the table to be shredded. Grandpa didn't go, he was ill.

Happy Birthday Jenny!

notes from a somber trip

dark setting sun

I looked at this and thought of a wink.

We traveled to Jack's showing and funeral. I won't labor the painful loss though I could easily.
It was really nice to see people there. I will highlight the funny little things.

We got to the hotel late that night and the girls wanted tea. After we went to the restaurant nearby, Debbie couldn't, for the life of her figure out the coffee maker. She didn't pour it in the right area. Really, we were all loopy, sickened with sorrow and tired. It was still funny that Debbie, coffee-hound that she is, couldn't figure it out.

I had the misfortune of odd circumstances. Diane was to sleep with the girls, but ... that didn't happen. She didn't go to sleep in Joe's room either. She bunked in with me, no worries, save one. I am a very light sleeper. Diane snores uncontrollably. I had no options. I slept in the car and a restless and cold night it was.

After the funeral there was a delay ... a drained battery. Thankfully cables and capability -- voila, it started. Susan lost her ride and frantically called to ride with Dad and I. We were happy to have her. We were following Don back for it was easy to get lost. Susan, in Brooklyn baroque spoke of jolly ol' England and her first 4 months there. She broke her leg and the flat was burglarized while they were away. Of the years she lived in Brooklyn, not once was she burglarized.

Barney sucked up to most people who had that special charm, love ... food. He grabbed anything Barney height and made it his.

Debbie, still tired, couldn't figure out the parking brake at night. So goofy.
Sorry Diane, this one is for you ... Diane kept us up to date with play by play action, including the obvious. Debbie was in tears with laughter with, "Hello, Mr. Obvious? Long time listener, first time caller." "OK. We're turning around here."

Diane lost her cellphone.

Joe spilt caramel coffee in the van -- ew! At the same time Beth nearly gagged with the smell of a cigar-smoker in the parking lot.

We agreed not to take the same long-butt route we did. In the end we shaved off 40 minutes, but there is no "quick" way.

We got back home with few breaks in Ohio with three voices calling, "potty!"

I will bear the name, "Neo" with my black trenchcoat. I'm no Keanu, thank you.

quick

I know. I should have photos here. My weeks have been very busy.

A friend of mine went in for surgery. They believe it was endometriosis, tests will confirm. She was out within hours of her surgery. She is recovering now.

A "friend" of a friend has had a wicked series of events:
serious injury to foot, pain in side, perhaps someone else with endometriosis, her daughter was continually ill. The results were that the daughter had elevated lead levels.

At other times, apart from working at my job, I get the chance to meet with my true love. I spend much of my time driving. Blogging and driving seems dangerous, I'll skip that.

More work and more projects ahead.

God speed and my the Lord be with you!

Jack

It was terrible at the viewing. I didn't want, but had to see Jack. Damn that was terrible. I weighed more, or I thought I did, as if pillars holding my roof started giving way to the weight above. I was crushed and miserable.

Before I got there, I had no time to grieve. I had little time to grieve while there and when I got back, I had little time to grieve. I will fully let out soon before I burst.

The next morning was the funeral. Oh, but it was too quick. Perhaps I'm reading something into it, but I believe that Jack and God whispered a truth to me.

I looked again at the casket. That wasn't Jack. When I sat around the gathering of people -- there was Jack. Jack stayed and STAYS in the hearts and minds of those who knew him. I can see his wry smile and eye-twinkle in his children, and his compassion and love from all.

I wanted to hug him one last time. I wanted to see him smile one last time. I wanted to hear him one last time. There were a lot of lasts that I wanted. He would have suffered and so it would be to his suffering that I would have had him. I can't want that.

He has left a legacy far beyond genes -- family, but also in friends who he has touched, inspired, motivated, loved. They too have loved and found him to be a profound role model.

When people call out, "what is love", they don't know Jack. I know Jack, he's a friend, an uncle, an inspiration. I will, of course, miss his physical presence, but he has not gone. He is in everyone who ever met and knew him.

I expect to see Jack waiting for so many people to come to Heaven with him. He never looked down on people on Earth, he isn't now. He's still here, with us, teaching us not to look down either. Love, look forward, be a friend.

He has given his life to others. I can't write or ever say that my gift to him is equitable. Simple and lovable . . . I will miss our many before-lasts and our many lasts Uncle Jack. I love you and with you alive in others, past-tense is inappropriate.

For my Uncle Jack

Please pray ... he and his adoring family need it!

Thank you!

my weekend

Charlie's Jack O' Lantern

It's great to be loved. Kissed is great too!

I got a chance to have Tawnya meet Keith, Lori, Charlie. Charlie took a liking to Tawnya. While he is normally a bit shy, not so. It was good and I guess everyone had a good time! Yea! Charlie did mention that he was bored and so I put on a simplistic video game for him. He was quickly bored of most games. We later played board game of LIFE. Keith finished last. I squeaked by with a timid win. The five of us played poker after that. I think the integration of family and friends is going well, however slowly.

I mucked up with X and certainly don't want to do that again. Moreover, I truly and deeply love Tawnya!

On Sunday, I bade a sorry good day to Tawnya and helped Keith and Lori take out the dock at Lake James. Don showed which was very helpful. Two people can do some, but in the end three or four people work best. It went quickly except for ...

rrr click
rrr click
click
click
click

The pontoon boat would not start for all the money in the world. Lori couldn't get it to turn over, nor could Keith or Joanne. Pffstt! Done. We raked up some leaves and headed out taking Micah with us. Charlie and Micah played some games. Keith and I went and got pizza fixings.

Lori stopped functioning like the boat. She had pain in her neck, back, ribs, heart, arm. She was done. She lucked out and didn't have to go to emergency room.

It was an exciting weekend and Lori's mom mentioned that I should come up to the lake to enjoy it, not just work on it. Point taken and made. I never made it up this year. I hope to do so next year.

On Sunday

Tom, Lois, Marcus went to the Zoo. It was a great day, nice weather! It was nice that Lois was feeling well enough to go as she has not been feeling so fine generally. Lois and Marcus rode the sky view in the African section (sans animals) and later Tom, Lois, and Marcus rode the train.

Thanks folks for a great day!

Faith

Tom and Lois attend here and quite frankly, I think they do a great job! The people there have helped more than I can say.

Standing Still on Boot Hill

"Normally I'd be dead now, but my new [heart] worked great!"+

I should be dead afraid of how much of a financial mess I have. I should be sweating bullets and thinking of eat a few high-velocity ones, but instead I am standing still. I can see the grim carnage of what I did to bring this on myself. I also have lived to see another day and likely more after that.

I'm not a new man, not really any different save one small detail...
I have hope.

While I won't soap box God, as I have been typically-human wishy-washy, I thank God for a will to live (better). God also sent me someone to help. She is my closest friend and knows what and who I am. We have kept each other in the shadows for a long time. We are soon on our way to more perfectly blend our families and friends together. She and her daughter got to meet some of my family. [photo]. I hope slowly we can integrate our lives into one.


No, there aren't marriage plans now and there aren't "little ones" on the way. She has braved much to get to where she is and I still have more broken glass to get to the end. I don't have a problem using the "love" word. Here she is with her daughter who agreed to meet me.

+ John Candy as Den, Heavy Metal