The Past Repeating Itself

Today was Homecoming at church. We had a really large crowd for a Labor Day weekend. Ted Anderson was our speaker. I had to get up early to cook lunck to take with us. Miss Priss spent the night again last night. When I finally made it home, I curled up on the couch and took a nap and since then I've been watching CNN and coverage of Hurricane Gustav and the evacuation of New Orleans. This is so similar to 2005. On that day of Homecoming at church, August 29th as soon as I got home from church I watched people file into the Dome in New Orleans, not knowing the horror that awaited them. The levees broke the next day, my birthday. So much destruction and devastation. I hope the levees hold this time.

Youngest DS cooked vension for supper tonight, he did a good job. Nothing means more to me than to be cozy in my home with my family.

My 53rd Birthday

Today is my 53rd birthday. I guess because I am an only child, my Mama always made a big deal out of my birthday. It carried into my adulthood and I have always loved birthdays. Even though I have always looked forward to my birthday there have been a few historical and personally poignant memories associated with it. Just this year a friend of our's passed away, not today, but yesterday. I will post a picture of him with this blog. He was the school board memory from our district and a much loved local personality. He was the announcer for our high school football games for about the last 16 years. He had cancer and was awfully young to succumb to the disease, middle forties. He was a warm and loving person that ALWAYS hugged you and you told you he loved you EVERY time he saw you. As one person said about him, "He is proof that one person CAN make the a difference in the world" because he did make a positive impact on everyone.

I also remember Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech, although it was made two days before my birthday (7th I think, 1962), I remember watching it on television and the apprehension is provoked in my family as to

what was going to happen racially in our area and we did have some racial issues that year.

Princess Diana died the day after my birthday by the French calendar, it actually was my birthday by the American calendar and Joey punctured his lung in a water skiing accident that same day.....1996.

Of course, many first days of school were also on my birthday.

September 11, 2001 was not my birthday but it seems very close to my birthday and the memories of both are meshed together.

The final birthday that comes to mind tonight is eerily similar to tonight is the devastation of Hurrican Katrina on New Orleans. I remember hearing and watching on the news that the levees at broken and New Orleans was flooding, I remember watching on television people being rescued by helicopter from the roofs of their homes. Tonight as I write this I am again watching television and seeing people fleeing from New Orleans in anticipation of the destruction that will happen with Hurriane Gustav. I will remember them in my prayers.

Today I have spent washing and playing with Marah, she spent the night with us last night and is here again tonight. Middle son and wife, youngest son and girlfriend, Marah and her Mom, MIL and DH went to our favorite seafood restaurant for my birthday. My dad and oldest son seem to have forgotten the day. I talked with Dad this morning but he didn't mention, I'm sure he has forgotten. I don't guess oldest son doesn't care. I could pretend it doesn't hurt my feelings but that would be a lie.

Instead of leaving this post on a negative note I want to tell a funny story. Last night as we were coming home from the football game, Marah started singing songs for us that she had learned at VPK, her favorite was Baby Bumble Bee. Well, my DH always the jokester, starting singing a song for Marah........the name of it is My Ding A Ling.....if you get the chance listen to it on youtube. All the way home DH is teaching this song so she can go back to VPK next week and teach it to her class.....you will crack up if you will just listen.......you can see where this is going really fast. That is the beauty of grandchildren or in this case, a great niece, you can relax and just enjoy them being little and leave the tuff stuff to their parents. If you want a laugh to finish your day, listen to Church Barry's song, My Ding A Ling.........Happy Birthday!

I've Got A New Computer

I didn't post yesterday, my computer finally died! Good news though, I went to Gainesville after work today and purchased a new one and it's working like a charm. Just a couple of things I want to take note of today..
1. Hurricane Gustav appears to be heading in a direct path to New Orleans. This will be another major disaster if it hits.
2. I also went to Gainesville this afternoon to Party Time rental to check on items for the "wedding" rehearsal dinner. I'm not looking forward to the next two weeks.
3. Sunday is Homecoming at church and I need to get my slideshow done.
4. The shop where Brittany works is closing and she is looking for a new job.
5. This weekend is my birthday, whoo hoo!
I'll add more later.

Major Computer Problems

My computer is giving me major problems. The electrical plug in is loose. I've gotten some of my pictures off. I've got a feeling I'm going to be getting a new one this weekend. Today was busy, I worked on the Annual Contract and got some material ready for my last class. Found out some info on the upcoming wedding. Had breakfast with Chris, Kristy, and Marah. Elections were held today..our county has a new sheriff, a new superintendent of schools, county commissioner from our district will probably stay the same. Couple of other offices had no surprises. I guess the new sheriff and superintendent are the big ones. Looking forward to this upcoming weekend, Labor Day. No big plans, just get a few things done.

Busy Monday

Wow, what a busy Monday. I started with breakfast up town with Kristy and Marah. Then at work I readied about 6 packages to mail off and started my ribs to cooking in the crockpot. Oh, I forgot, before I left for work I washed a huge sink of dishes and washed my hair...I hate to wash my hair. Took my packages to the post office, went to the grocery story and family dollar at lunch. Came back to work and mixed up my cabbage salad. Tried to get ready for my 7th period class...they didn't behave so hot today!. Then afterschool, load up the car and come home. Even with all that cooking, supper was late because I had to finish up when I got home because DH and youngest son had to drop his car off to get fixed...again. To finish off my day, I think my computer is dying, I'm on DS's now.. Don't have money for another now but I'll find money, I'm not going to be without a computer.

An Unexpected Visitor

Got up this morning and got lunch going before I headed out to church. Most of the rain is over well actually all the rain is over for us, it hasn't rained all day, as a matter of fact, the sun as shone most all day. After church we (me, DH, DS, & girlfriend) had lunch. After lunch DS and girlfriend headed to the big city to do some last minute school shopping. He starts Jr. College on Tuesday.

Our unexpected visitor was middle son. He came over and spend the afternoon with us. It was so wonderful to see him. He only lives about 35 miles away but we haven't seen him since Father's Day. Naturally we have talked to him on the phone but he has been working such long hours this summer. He went 25 straight days without a day off and I mean working from 7:00 in the morning to 6:00 at night. He stayed all afternoon and we played on the Wii.

My DIL didn't come with him, she had a new baby in the family to meet. He brought their new puppy over....she looks like a cross between a collie and a chocolate lab. Her name is Helen.

All in all it was a wonderful afternoon until it came time for him to leave, then I shed a few tears but I know I'll see him next weekend. I've included a picture of us dancing at his wedding.

Lots and Lots of Rain

Well, I guess we have seen the worst of tropical storm Fay. It has rained allllll day, I'll bet we have had six inches of rain. A big tree fell across the road in front of our house, down close to the house on the corner. Stayed inside all day and watched movies. The electricity was off from about midnight last night until one AM. The phone rang several times, it was Daddy. Said he had a stomachache. He always has a stomachache when its bad weather. I should know that by now. We were remembering later this afternoon about the time I had to take him to the emergency room in the middle of Hurricane Charlie several years ago because he had a "stomachache". All they did was give him some pepto bismol and something to make him sleep. By the time I got him home he was out cold. We just about had to carry him in the house. Then he got up a couple hours later and didn't even know where he was and knocked down a lamp. It is sad that he can't cope any better than he can but sometimes it really drags me down. I hope we all get a better night's sleep tonight. I'm about to give it a try.