iditarod

I also want to compete in the Iditarod but you have to go through a lot of crap first.
Dog crap! Get it? HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

because it is there.

I have set a personal goal to get in good enough shape and raise enough funds to be the first one in the family to ascend Mt. Everest two years from now.
Why you ask? "Because it is there".

German ancestors

Julie, I promised you I would send you some of the German information. This is from Nan's (Mildred Evelyn Helmuth Laverty) side. It is the birth certificate for her father John Frederick Helmuth. He was known as Fred. His wife was Cataherine Rueb. If you can't read the information, then I will translate it for you. I want you to have a go at it first. You should be able to read his parent's names and where in Germany they were born. It also gives his grandparents names.

crab feast

If anyone is interested let me know> I have discovered a web site that will deliver a bushel of #1 Jimmy crabs steamed and seasoned to the house in Branson on Tuesday august the forth. We could actually have a Maryland crab feast! The cost for the crabs delivered is 246.94. A lot less than if we went out for a nice dinner. We could also cook some nice T-bones for the non crab eaters. I've marked the page in my favorites.
Let me know if you are interested.

Congratulations Nalini!!

I'm so excited to share that Nalini (Philip's girlfriend and I believe soul mate) has been accepted to the KU School of Medicine Pharmacist program. This program is very selective and quite prestigious. She and Philip will be moving back to Lawrence in the fall for school. I will miss having them so close, but I'm so pleased they're getting closer to many of their goals. Finally, a legitimate drug dealer in the family!

Lara and Al address

For those of you who have requested it, here is the address for Lara and Al:

SGT LaraBeth Rodriguez or SSG Alfonso Rodriguez
30th HBCT
C Co 230th BSB
FOB Falcon
APO, AE 09361

Just a heads up - Lara's 25th birthday is on May 30th!

Please keep them in your prayers, as always. I miss them both very much. Al is a real gem and he and Lara are a great pair! He keeps her laughing and if you've ever heard Lara's laugh you would fall in love with her too. Mom (Grandma, Mommom, Eileen) had a real crush on Al!!
Lara and I have gotten closer and closer with each passing year and it's hard to think I won't be able to see her for a while. It's different when I know she's in my hip pocket in NC!

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Remember our ancestors who have served!

Love,
Deb

out with the old in with the new prt.2

I'm probably going to need additional surgery on my shoulder in the next month or two. My shoulder is encapsulated with scar tissue and it is preventing me from gaining movement above shoulder height. The surgeon wants to due some strengthening exorcises at the mid section and then decide when to eradicate the scar tissue. The repair is still o. k and the scar tissue is a normal complication. Once they cut the tissue they will immediately start physical therapy to move the shoulder more aggressively to keep the scar tissue from reforming.
So because It may be some time before I will be able to use my arm, and because of the hardship this has created for my employer I resigned from the bank today. "Out with the old". When I got home I received a call telling me I have gotten my clearance approved to become an escort. "In with the new". An escort basically watches contractors as they work to make sure they are not doing anything wrong or "questionable". I don't need to do anything physical and I can work any amount of hours I choose and what hours I want to work. It pays anywhere from $10.00 to $17.00 per hour depending on where I work, and it's tax free.
The best part is now I can tell people when I get back to the states that I was an escort.

outwith the old in with the new

4 am and can't sleep

That's right it is 4:00 in the morning and I can't sleep so I have nothing to do but write down some random thoughts and if you read this then I did it at your expense....like if a man screams in the middle of the woods , is he still wrong? or how can Burger King be fast food if they cook one whopper at a time?

So I ran out of those things so let me tell you what I have been up to. Well one week from today I will complete my 28 days of I.V. infusion of antibiotics, the old Lyme disease. A Lot of people call it Lyme's disease but there is no "s" in Lyme, named after a town in Connecticut where it was fist diagnosed.

Two weeks from today Jamie and I will have had a day of shooting those little critters called Prairie Dogs. Now they are not really dogs they are part of the squirrel family and they are carriers of bubonic plaque, so you don't want to shoot one and have it for dinner, ooh no don't do that.
13 weeks from now I hope to be asleep in my luxury suite somewhere in Branson.

Well that's about it so good night America

Happy Birthday Mommom

Today my cell phone alert messages went off, it said "Mommom Birthday".

Mommom.....Wherever you are...I'm sure you're looking down on all of us and with a gentle whisper or a quiet memory reminding us how much you love each of us. I hope you're up there having a great time with Mom. You didn't have to wait long for her. Give her a hug from me.
Happy Birthday..
Love,
Sandy

So far behind!

OK guys I'm so far behind, I thought I was first! Julie and Jim B I'm still working on your geneology requests! I'll get there. I also just added my picture to the blog. It was tempting to use one from years ago when I was young - oooo don't get me going, but anyway this past winter will do! So I have posted my picture when I was only 53!!! As opposed to now 54! I am so busy at this time of year and my back pain is really eating up my time. It's very hard to get to my stuff. So please be patient! Hey Keith - it's your turn! The challenge is on!

silverware

Due to the lack of response, I have assumed that nobody wants the silverware and so I have done away with it.

Mommom

So today I was cleaning and I came across a purse I hadn't used in years (that's always fun because you never know what you're going to find in an old purse.....all you girls out there will understand!)...anyway I fould two letters Mommom had written me. One of them was from after we all went home for her 70th birthday. She was thanking me for the scrapbook that I made of the reunion. Do you guys remember that? I had each of you (Uncle Jim, Uncle Rick, Aunt Eileen, and Aunt Debbie) write a letter to her about your favourite memories..etc?
Well...in Mommom's letter it said that she was going to write a letter and put it into the scrapbook for you guys to read after she 'goes home'. SOOOO the point is...if any of you know where that scrapbook ended up...there's a letter from Mommom in there for her kids to read. Wouldn't that be a nice Mother's Day surprise? (slightly late). The letter also said other members of the family can read it (and i'm pretty nosey..lol) so when you guys find it...can you share?!
Thanks...
Love,
Sandy
....

Aunt Debbie already knows because i called to tell her (it was 12:30 am her time...SOOORRRY!)

silverware

I gave Donna a new set of very nice silverware for Mother's Day. So I am going to give our old set to charity. I also have a rough assortment of the wooden handled set that Mom gave to several of us. Does anyone need any spare pieces? If you want any of it let me know ASAP and I will send it to you. If not I am going to donate it also.
13 weeks until Branson!!!!!

Rick

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there. England celebrated Mothering day a couple of weeks ago, but we're sticking with the American version. Which means that unlike the States, we can go out to a local restaurant today and it won't be packed! Our plan though, is to do a family cooking challenge again. The menu tonight is Lemongrass soup and barbeque beef. Rick is also making a mushroom soup, but since no one else likes mushrooms, it's all on him.

Showing that we are total food addicts, Rick also got up this morning and made me my favorite breakfast - eggs benedict. But tonight is when the true Mother's Day festivities begin - Julie's honors project is due tomorrow and she needs a little help finishing up.

Happy Birthday Debby

Happy Birthday Debby; Debby Katchie that is. I don't know of any other Debbies but just to keep everyone on the same page I thought I would point that out. I am still older than you, but percentage wise you are catching up. HaHa. Eileen referred to herself as Grammy Eileen does that make us all feel old or what? Never thought she would take that name on, but it is a good name.
So what are you getting for your Birthday?