More memories

I guess I'm in a nostalgic mood lately - Jim do you remember taking apart the model train when you were a kid? Well, my grandsons, Aaron and Kyle, got busy taking apart every small train, truck and car they own that had screws in them, yesterday!!! I encouraged them to try to put them back together but they just looked at me like I had just left the tower of Babel - you know, speaking in an unknown tongue!!! We now have a plastic container of motorized vehicle parts - Barry is in for a surprise when he gets home - they'll probably ask Papa to put them together just so they can take them apart again.
I just sat, watched, and delighted in their determination and sense of discovery - I LOVE being a grandma!!! Deb

Head Acres

Hi guys! I was reading the blog and I started thinking about Dad (Clif Laverty). Do you all remember the HA he carved into the blue stone that was set in the brick of the fireplace? It stood for Head Acres - it took me years to realize the joke and the double meaning Dad intended - Head Acres - Head Achers (7 kids) and the initials that spelled "HA!" I spent this evening cleaning out Mom's clothing and crying my eyes out. Sorry to bring you all down. For some reason it was hardest of all to clean out her shoes - but Dad must be here with me because as I write this I can here him groaning " Eileen, stop picking your feet!" The thought made me laugh! Thanks Dad, I needed that!! Deb

Who is this crazed man in the picture?

Can anyone guess who this wild man is? And what he is doing? Well if you know comment. Cause we will be doing some more of this in Branson. If you are interested let me know so we can start putting something together.

PS If you know who he is...then who is the blond?

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This!!

Kristen and JR welcomed Carson Taylor Bryant into the world at 9:49 8/21/08. He registered in at 8lbs, 1oz and 201/2 inches. He's quite cute in his cap, however, it covers a massive head of hair! In the back, it actually comes close to touching his shoulders!! I'm so excited that Joshua (6 mos) will have a male cousin to grow up with. What I'm not exited about is the thought of these two boys at 17! It was such a joy to see this little one come into the world. Being Grammie Eileen is such a wonderful thing...especially when you are totally hot and have no gray hair! Being Grandpa Steve is pretty cool too, even if you look the part!

Guess who had a baby?

Well I am not going to tell. I will leave that to those with bragging rights.
So since I have so much time on my hands and I do enjoy writing so much I thought I'd tell you the story of the Missing Meat.

The Missing Meat

I was working in my shop two weeks ago making a floating shelf for a friend of Pam and mine. A floating shelf seems to have nothing supporting it on the wall from which It hangs, Thus "floating shelf". Now to complete this project You have to cut five pieces of wood and each corner is connected by a 45 degree angle at total of twelve 45 degree cuts.

Now for those familiar with the art of using a table saw, mine is a right hand tilting arbour with a 10 inch blade and a 3 horse power motor. Since I had to make these cuts I had to put my fence on the opposite side of the blade than I usually work from. Almost like working left handed on a right had saw, but not quite.

As everyone know you use your safety equipment and one of the items is made to push the wood between the fence and the blade so as to not cut your hand off. Well I had a kick back and the push stick, as it is called, slipped and allowed my thumb to run by the blade. Now it depends on your definition of run by. What this means in my case is that the blade being set at a 45 degree angle sliced of the end of my thumb sending it to places unknown to this day, thus "The Missing Meat". The good news was at that angle it missed my thumb nail only removing a slice of meat. Not enough to make a sandwich, but enough to hurt and bleed like heck.

So the way it ended up there was not meat to stitch and it had to heal on its own keeping it clean and wrapped and some antibiotic gel. Oh yah a shot in the buttocks the next day from Susan my doctor.

Pam was not home at the time so I called where she was and asked our friend to tell her to come home as I cut the end of my thumb off. As you can imagine she made it home in a flash. The one question that stand out in my mind was when Pam asked where is the missing meat?

So family and friends I can't use my tools until my thumb heals. You can't imagine how often you use your thumbs in a day. Even to button my pants hurts. It makes me wonder .....If God made man to rule over the animals of the world, why did he give monkeys four thumbs and us only two? HUUUUUUMMMMM

The good news is I only use two fingers to type.

Have a blessed and safe day,
Jim

The Other Laverty's

Hey All, Well you all may be ahead of me on this, but better to post this early while I think of it then wait. I read some posts concerning other Laverty's with whom I am not familiar, and it made me think of some we may have not included yet. What about Uncle Harvey and his kids? I have some contact information for his kids. Also, I know Pop was in some contact with some cousins in Kentucky, (another 'James' if you can believe that!) and I may have contact details around here somewhere. Just a thought, your comments are welcome! If you don't know how to comment, ask Bean, she already had her epiphany! :-)

Haven't had an 'epiphany' yet!

Well greetings to all once again. As I am between schools and apparently have soooo much time, tho I still don't seem to be able to get too many important things done. Perhaps I should take my Franklin Covey Dayplanner and smack myself over my thick Laverty skull with it! Anyhow, I have sent some letters out and you all must be wondering which blog I have been reading. Well, I am rereading as time permits and apparently have been getting my stories mixed up. I haven't had the 'epiphany' yet that 'Little Eileen' has had with this blog thing, too much reading to catch up on I guess, so thanks for the little hint! Oh! Glad to know I am not the only Laverty who uses profanity Eileen.... :-) ! Also, I hope your comment to Deb on the 'New York cousins' wasn't too harsh, at least I'm in the game.
I think this whole thing is way cool, and have been psyched about it since it's inception (even tho I didn't tell any of you), and just can't wait for it to start! I make a motion that we make a few more 'scheduled' events together if we will all be there for a week; I will give more imputs as I become more updated.
Okay, some Finnish history and a personal note: Mikael Agricola is considered the father of the Finnish written language. He wrote the "ABC", and translated the "New Testament" back in 155...something making it the first penning of the Finnish language. I can tell you that even after studying other languages, Finnish is, uh, well not easy I can say. So my personal note is that if Mikael was still alive....I would kill him! What the heck was he thinking?!!!!!

To all, have a great day!

If bigger were better Miss America would weigh 400lbs.

Well Bigger ain't necessarily better, but louder is. My new exhaust system for the 2008 Yamaha Raider is on it's way. Been waiting since March. Pam thinks I'm in my mid-life crisis. I hope she is right that gives me a few more years than I counted on. Jamie just shakes his head. She may believe this as I have gotten a Tattoo on my upper arm. Look at the horse to the left. Now imagine him with purple mountains Majesty in the back ground and a western sunset, green cactus in the foreground with desert sand and now you have a mind's eye of the tattoo.

The Bike, The Tattoo all I need now is a gold tooth and a dew rag and I'll be set. I'd send you all pictures but my Photographer Annie is on a shoot for Sports Illustrated in Australia so we will have to wait until she returns.

Brian and Shelly..........

The News is out... Brian and Shelly are getting Married!!!!!!!!! The Blessed event is October 19th. 2008.

As you all know the Laverty blood flows through Brian's veins. Yes another women will know the bliss of joining the clan. Does she know how lucky she is, can she even comprehend the incomprehensible bliss she will come to know? Oh this lucky lady........And Brian unselfishly allowing Shelly to enter his world, a world of Lavertyisms and quirkiness, how proud I am to call him my nephew!!!

Congrats to both.

Pictures

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Some pictures of where we have been and where we are.

Don't Forget My Birthday !!!!

Birthdays??????????????

Would everyone please do a comment on this message and include your birthday, that of your Spouse, Children & Grandchildren. I would like to put them on my calendar so I can send out birthday wishes. I have some, but I am afraid not all and I don't want to leave anyone out.
This will be one more way for the family to keep in touch and know what is going on. As our family grows cousins and second cousins may not know each other and this is an opportunity to get to know each other. And maybe plan future Family Reunions.

Happy Birthday Bethany!!!!!!!!

Finally!

Well finally I (we) are onboard with the "Laverty Family Blog" and all that is concerned with the family reunion! So you now you can all start crashing me with mail like 'finally!', or 'it's about time!'. I won't make excuses {'cause King James doesn't want to hear them :-) }, and I will keep this short {Amazing in itself!}. Just wanted to say hi to all of you with whom I have not had much contact. So to Debbie I say that you have to answer my email and respond to my pictures you asked me to send. I put this in here since I know you will be at least reading this! (I'm such a stinker!). Anyway, greetings from beautiful and still relatively warm Kotka, Finland! Keith, Tiina, Niklas & Isabella

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Aunt Roberta and Jimmy B. Laverty

Hannah Update

I talked briefly with Hannah today. She sounded so good I couldn't believe it. She's the same old Hannah...giving everyone attitude. The last time I talked to her she was making cookies. I guess you can do that in Iraq. Another soldier told her the PA wanted chocolate. Hannah's response was, "We don't have chocolate. Tell him to get over it, we're in Iraq." Today her Sgt. said something to the effect of talking to me while we were on the phone and Hannah said no because he'd end up hitting on me. He said he wouldn't hit on her mom. She said, "Trust me, you would." I think she has an ancient picture of me over there that she shows everyone. It still made me feel good though. She is going to be coming home for 2 weeks R&R in either September or October. Then she'll go back over for the rest of her deployment. I can't wait to see her on US soil! She's currently working at India gate working with the locals and interpreters. On the 15th she changes duty and will be traveling with the higher ranking soldiers for the next 90 days. She tells me this will keep her "dang safe". My thing is, if it's so safe, why do they need a medic!! I'm pretty proud of that kid. I know it doesn't show. Just wanted to let you know what's up on the other side of the world. Oh, it was 116 degrees today, ugh.