And Now For The Good News

We have in our family men who have served in the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps.

That is about to change.

My niece, who is graduating from high school this year and is also the valedictorian, has received an ROTC scholarship. After she finishes college, she will be commissioned as an officer in (drum roll please)

THE NAVY!!!

Way to go Rachel, we are so proud of you!

If a Tree Falls in Town...

If you remember this post, then you know about the Pine Tree From Hell across the street at the Judge's house. It is a very tall, beautiful old pine and, I am convinced, completely rotten on the inside.

Eldest Son had stayed overnight on Monday so that he could be close to the shop when he had to go plow snow in the wee hours of the morning. After he left around 2:00 a.m., I noticed that it was very dark and very quiet in the house. Old Sarge came downstairs and I told him that I thought the power was out. He said, no shit, the TV upstairs is turning itself on and off. He turned on the dining room light and it was blindingly bright. So part of the house had no electricity and part had WAY too much.

About that time Com Ed shows up across the street and cuts all the power. Seems the Pine Tree From Hell has lost some more branches and taken out the transformer this time. They finally get the power restored about 7 a.m., but...we still have no TV, no coffeemaker (oh the humanity!) no phones and no heat.

Thankfully, our plumbing and heating company was prompt, and it only got down to 45 degrees in the house before the furnace was fixed. The power surge blew the transformer inside it.

So, we have a new coffeemaker and one new phone so far, but all our phones were shot, both TVs are history, alarm clocks, power strips, computer, you name it, it's toast. And the refrigerator is humming at an alarming volume.

I seriously need winter to be over, and I think it's time to talk to the Judge about his damn tree.

Wherein My Ass Goes Back To Church

My mother-in-law was taken to emergency this morning for kidney stones.

Good Lord.

There is reconciliation on Saturdays at 3:30, before the 4:30 Mass. Maybe I had better book the whole hour with Father in advance.

UPDATE:

Only I would need to Google how to make a good confession !

2008 was Supposed to be Better?

I swear, I am very close to just throwing in the towel on alot of things, this blog included.

I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful weekend I had in Springfield with the Voice of Democracy contestants.

I wouldn't know where to start about the pain of watching the person dearest to you deal with the loss of a parent. And the feeling of helplessness that goes along with it. AND...the knowledge that the day is coming, hopefully not for a very long time, when I will have to go through that very thing.

My dear Aunt Judy died very suddenly on Tuesday. We were close- Old Sarge and I bought her house when she retired and moved to Arizona 6 years ago. That same afternoon, my mom was taken to emergency with chest pains. Her EKG was fine, and maybe it was just the cabbage soup, but still...

So I am numb, and sick. I know I should go to the doctor, but I can't bring myself to do it. More bad news, (like "What do you expect after 30 years of smoking?") is not something I can handle right now.

It Rains, It Pours, It Floods

My father-in-law passed away suddenly yesterday. He had just gotten out of the hospital that morning, and took a fall. Most of the kids and my mother-in-law were able to be with him when the decision was made to turn off the respirator.

So...I will probably be back on Tuesday.

I'm Back!

Did I miss anything?