Tag Archives: Family

Hot Week!!!

Posted on Wednesday August 5th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Hot Week!!!

It has been a hot week and half…..yuck.  Yes, I know I’ve been complaining about it a lot, but when we moved here we didn’t expect to have this kind of heat.  We had a few days last year, but that was only in the low 90s….here we hit the 100s for 3-4 days. We set a new record of 10days of constant temps over 90.

We did set up our portable ac in the bedroom for a few days.  We tried not to use that much, because it really only gets that room and is noisy.  Central air is so much better….portable ac units are not efficient.  We love having fresh air, Oregon spoiled us on that because even if it gets humid it is no where near as bad as it gets in the midwest & Florida.

We got a high of 84 yesterday, which is perfect!  Takes the chill out of the house and is so comfortable.  Today the high ended up being about 74 area.  Our house is shaded in summer and with the nights get down to the 60s/50s again it left the house a little chilly longer today.  Kind of funky…went from barely wearing anything to hubby wearing a sweatshirt today….lol  Only in Oregon.

We are suppose to finally have a chance of rain in the next few days.  I really hope we get some, we haven’t had any in about a month.

Now with the temps more normal, time to see about planning some hikes.  I will admit we are so looking forward to the colors of fall already.

I’m watching Mamma Mia! again…….lol  I think I have the hots for Brosnan…..but then there are a lot of cute guys in it, even if they are on the young side….grin  Wow….sad that I now see the age on the young ones……lol  I didn’t recognize Rosie as Molly Weasley…I didn’t recognize Bootstrap Turner…..grin  Damn, I love my ABBA, way too many happy childhood memories to that music and I can’t hear that music without giving me images of Germany.

This weekend was payroll….every time you think you are finally done with one payroll period another sneaks up on you…lol  I finally got all the work caught up yesterday and was left feeling lost.  Today I had some work, but no where near the amount I had a few days earlier.

What I need to do is work on a few picture galleries for my family, back up my pc, and catch up our holiday letter.  I just haven’t been able to find focus and when I find motivation for it, it is time to bed….so messed up.  Now I need to pack some clothes for a few days.

A very good friend of ours mother’s has passed from a long fought illness and they are having a party to celebrate her life.  So we are heading up to Seattle for it.

Now for the record, that is what we want…no viewings, no memorials, no services…a party.  NO casket…just use every part of our bodies for transplanted and then cremate the rest.  Just throw my ashes in a box and released into the mountains…preferably Alaska or Oregon.  =)  Harold’s ashes are to be thrown in the ocean.  I haven’t done the legal paperwork for living will and remains disposal. But figured this is a good way to record my wishes for now while thinking about it. =)

My dad finally got skype and made his first call.  He didn’t warn me when he called so I didn’t have my head set ready…lol  I was just trying to get him to use the chat….grin  Then he wanted to use the cam feature.  Of course, that is a feature I’ve never used….so we both were learning that at the same time, it was funny.  Now he just needs more lighting. =)

I even got to show him Drew….lol It took him getting a new laptop to finally get skype…lol  Now I wonder if mom will ever use it.

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Posted in Everyday Stuff, Family Stuff, Pics, Reflections

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Hello Everyone!!

Posted on Sunday July 26th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Hello Everyone!!

Been a bit since I’ve done an entry. If you’ve been following my tweets, it has just been the normal daily routine…..working, getting things done around the house, doing errands and the gym.

We have tried to stick with our routines just to keep our mind busy. Mine keeps drifting to Diesel’s family and I’ve been dropping them emails.

It is HOT…yuck. It is going to get hotter…blah. I know places like FL and IND gets hotter and stickier but for OR, the place where central air is not standard, it is hot. If it wouldn’t go past the mid 80s, it would be perfect. But we are suppose to hit the 100s in the next 3 days…ugh! Which also means the gym is going to be stuffy. Need to make sure we get treadmills near the fans.

I’ve been making progress and I hit the weight goal that I set when I started about 18 months ago. So I’m pretty pleased, just need to get rid of some more jiggly. I’m not sure what I want tightened more, my ass, thighs or abs. Ab wise, I’ve never had a tight one even when I was younger and in shape….so that is actually out realistically and I do like my curves. So I think I really would like to see my legs tighten up because I use to stop traffic with them. =) Either way, I’ll just keep with my exercise program and keep counting my calories. That is the only way.

Hubby and I are trying to decide where are next hike is going to be. We’ve been in OR for about 2 yrs and have yet to visit Mt Hood, then there is the Bend area and Crater Lake….not sure. Trying to decide if we want to camp or get a hotel and how many nights. We are counting down the days when school starts to free up the crowds in the parks and trails.

In fact, Harold mentioned that he is ready for fall. The colors and the comfortable temperatures…..the crisp air….the kids in school. =) I love fall, it is my favorite time of year.

Finally found out from my mom, that my great aunt that passed away last month is going to have a memorial next month in FL. Unfortunately, I’m not able to go. =( But mom is going.

I finally got a few months written on our holiday letter. I still need to do the rest of May, June and July. I really need to write them when they are fresh in my mind, but this year is flying by. I can’t believe that July is almost over…wow

I really need to get to my long term to do list…..picture galleries, clean up my hard drives and organize them, back up my pc……. I just really didn’t have motivation for them this weekend, too hot.

Well, I’m going to read my comics online and get to the bedroom, much cooler in there. =)

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Posted in Everyday Stuff, Family Stuff, Hiking/Camping

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Pictures of Diesel

Posted on Sunday July 19th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Pictures of Diesel

This is from the email that Harold sent out and I have added this link to Our Family Page

http://www.bookwalter.org/Odds_and_Ends/_Diesel_/

I lost at least 1-2 film rolls in 1992/1993 while on a cruise that I went out with Diesel more often than not and I am sad to say I didn’t take as many different pictures as I thought I have over the recent years. The majority of these pictures are VERY LARGE and I apologize for that, I wanted to get these available ASAP and wasn’t sure if I should resize them in case anyone wanted to print them off etc.

I did not take 022/023 and I am not sure how I have them, but I have them so I thought I would add them to the list.

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Exhausting Week & Playing Catch Up

Posted on Saturday July 18th, 2009 by | Comments Off on Exhausting Week & Playing Catch Up

It has been exhausting.  Finally taking a breather and watching The Silver Streak.

We left by 05:15 Sunday and made much better time getting to the border then we expected, even through we hit some bad storms south of Olympia.  We didn’t expect to get there until 11-11:30…got there just after 10:00.  We got to the hotel had time to kill before we could get our room, so had a breakfast that just didn’t sit well at all.  I think it didn’t feel right since we have been up for 7hrs and it was sweet.

We were exhausted and so totally not looking forward to what we were getting ready to face.  So we tried to lay down for about 3hrs and get some sleep……didn’t quite work.  But it did help some.  We dressed with heavy heart so not wanting to face Diesel’s death.

We got inside the funeral home and they had board up with some pics of Diesel & his family, with notes from his boys.  When we walked into the viewing room, it was hard.  We went and hugged Liza, the oldest son Jon was holding up, but when I went to hug the youngest son Dylan, he just started to cry so hard.  Harold went to hug him and he just jumped into his arms and won’t let go.  He just lost it.  It was so hard…….

They had Diesel in his Navy Dress Blues and he had a smile on his face.  Looked like he was about to wake up and tell a joke….it was perfect with who he was.  He did looked a little crunched around his shoulders in the casket, but it worked since he was such a big man in that was a normal look at times.

It was so hard, we choked up so many times and lost it a few.  One of the times that I hugged Liza, we just held each other so hard as we cried.

The viewings was different from what we are use to.  Most viewings you just wander around visiting and paying your respect, here they actually had a service.  Diesel and his wife belong to a nontraditional church that is mainly made up of Philippines, so they do it a little different.  So us nonchurch members felt kind of off balance knowing what to do, but I really did like the support that the church gave Liza and I really hope that it helped to comfort her some.  I really liked the funny pictures during the slid show, that they showed of Diesel that got all of us laughing.

Like most of these types of events you ended up seeing people you haven’t seen in years…which is sad, because we love visiting with all of D’s family.  We actually made sure to get everyone’s contact info.  A lot of us are gathering our pictures of Diesel and sharing them.

Liza and the boys started to lose it when the did one last viewing before they closed the casket and then when they took it out and they followed…..oh boy…everyone lost it, especially the Dylan.  =(  They looked so alone that my heart just felt crushed…..

We couldn’t get the 21 gun salute.  =(  Due to passports and weapons.  But we did get the flag presentation and taps.  I keep expecting to hear the guns….  =(

They had 8 pallor bearers due to the D’s size and that didn’t seem like enough.  You can see them struggling over the uneven ground.  We later said that Diesel was probably laughing at them.  But they got him set up and he was sent off with honor.

At Liza’s request she watched them lower him down with the roses and flowers that she wanted everyone to place on him, entombed him and finished burying him.  It was touching and so final. =(

We all went over to their house and shared in our memories of Diesel. By the time we got back to the hotel we just wanted to chill out so we ordered room service and just relaxed.

We left early Wed and got through the border better quick and totally lucked out on the express way being open south bound through Seattle.  We saved at least 30min off of our time.

Once we got home, I have just been working since I had payroll and 4 days of catch up.  Today is really the 1st day that I’ve had time to do things for myself.  Watched a local parade, vacuumed the house, replaced my lost ringers and did a few errands.

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On life goes on…

Posted on Friday July 17th, 2009 by | Comments Off on On life goes on…
Fact: Ferrets attack more people then Gr

We have been home for 2 days and I am just starting to feel myself again.

The funeral was pretty hard to do, when they closed the casket so many people started to cry (including myself) and when we pall barriers walked the casket out I somehow got to be the first one to lead the casket out, not sure how that happen, but it happen and it was hard, I cried the entire way and really needed to blow my nose the entire way. Liza and the boys really lost it on the way out and it was noticeable, I even didn’t have to turn around to see who it was.

I never been to a funeral where there was 8 pall barriers and we was all making fun of that and talking how big Diesel was etc and now that it’s over all I can say is HOLY FUCK I’M GLAD THERE WAS 8 OF US! He weighed a fucking ton. And when we carried him to the grave site we was only allowed to use one hand and we had to wear white gloves which made it harder, the ground wasn’t even and we was all petrified we would fall, but we didn’t and he was sent off with honor.

After that we went to Liza’s and had a gathering and just talked the afternoon away, we got back to the hotel around 5pm and got room service and just chilled out. I had very little booze left and tried to go to bed early but as soon as I was close to falling asleep I had an anxiety attack which pretty much kept me up the entire night. We left at 7am and were home by 1pm and over all it was a good drive home.

We did the gym Thursday and overall I did really well unlike today when the second I got the treadmill which is upstairs I knew I was in trouble, it was so hot and muggy it felt like Florida. On a normal day I can easily run 1-1.5 miles before I start to breathe hard and today I was gasping for air after 1/4 mile so after I passed the 1 mile mark I just said fuck it and did a 5 minute walk and got off the treadmill. This was the first time since I broke the 2 mile barrier I didn’t run 2 miles. I started to do my sit-ups and after 200 of the usual 400 I said fuck that too and called it a day.

So I am in a pissy mood as I sat in the Jeep with the a/c running until Pauline finished her workout and we went to the store where they was having a 1980’s day and wow, talk about funny, that really made my day better, these workers really went all out.

We also finally broke down and bought a new grill which was something we wanted to get for a year or more. And I cooked up some killer rib eye steak, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and asparagus. Turned out pretty good, I just wish I waited for the sun to go down; it was at its peak angle where the grill is so it made it pretty hot and uncomfortable.

We are watching Kevin Smith Threeeving and I’m sure we will like it as much as we liked the first two.

Did I mention it’s too fucking hot?

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