This was a tough week


Thursday the 15th Kevin's father-in-law took his life and threw the family into a spin. He was only 46 and had much family and a profusion of friends who will miss him. I volunteered to create the bonuses that have become a common part of a service, a fitting card, picture DVD and then a CD of special songs to play at the reception afterward. Other family members helped out with the food and drinks, babysitting, etc. Our family (Dale, Denny, Rach and spouses and myself) pooled together to buy a beautiful large arrangement that ended up being the centerpiece at the service, front and center, right behind Phil's photo. Phil was working for an excavation company, Donovan Excavating, and they drove their fleet of trucks out of the parking lot with horns blaring in a tribute to Phil that left not one dry eye in the whole place. As I was creating the slideshow I learned a lot about him and his wife, Mindy. The most painful thing I learned is that they had been together since they were teenagers and stuck it out all the way into Grandparent-hood. They grew up together. Mindy will have to learn how to live without Phil, the man she was with 75% of her life. It'll take many years. Right now the plans are for her and Kevin & Shirley to buy a place together with a mother-in-law apartment or house of some sort so she won't be alone. Those grandbabies will help keep her occupied. Speaking of grandbabies, Joe is less than 2 and so is not cognizant of what has happened, yet, when he picked up one of the memorial cards with Grandpa Phil's face on the front he got melancholy and laid his head on whomever it was that was near him. He somehow knows that Grandpa's gone, probably because Grandma's there without him and everyone is so sad.

That's what has consumed all my energy for the last week and now I'll have to just get on with my life again. It's amazing how the loss of someone whom we aren't even close to can have such a strong effect on us, due mostly to the effect that we see it have on our loved ones. When our kids or friends hurt, we hurt.



Well, it seems this weekend is all about the kids. Friday night we had dinner at Rach & Tony's, we "grilled out" as Tony calls it. Burgers and fries/tots. Denny and Heather came with balloons that said "Guess what?" on them. Well, what else? They're pregnant, due 10/20. The family is all hoping it's a girl, actually, Rach and Kev kinda decided that they could have the boys (Kev's alrady done his part) and that Denny and Heather have to have the girls, 5 of them to be exact! Such evil children I raised! After dinner we all just stayed and played with the babies. Dane ended up staying til after 11 playing Golf on the gamecube with Tony.

Yesterday Rach and I went to the North Bend outlet mall and had a blast. I needed a new jacket and Wilson's leather was having a fantastic sale, I ended up getting 2 jackets and a laptop bag, it was buy 2 get one free and everything I bought was half off clearance prices. We bought gifts and other neccesities, it was a blast. Next wknd R & T and D & H and and Dane and Keith and I are gonna go to Seattle and do something, right now it seems like it may be the underground. I'm leaving that up to Rach and Den to decide. My goal is to take them out to dinner at Buca di beppo, a real neat italian restaurant. I'll have to make plans to do something with Kev and Shirl some other time.

I had the little grandbabies last night from 7 til about 1 AM. I enjoy rocking them to sleep. Shayne is back today from 11 til about 3. Then we have meeting, then dinner at Haydens and Survivor and Amazing race. Shayne was asleep about 10 minutes when Kev first dropped him off but woke up and has been tired, I just got him back to sleep again. He loves to be held and is so pretty.

Last wknd I had friends over and watched the DVD "Knocking". One friend brought her 1 year old nephew. I said "I have toys!" and got them out for him. He was a very good little boy too. We had my special "beans, dear, beans" dish and cornbread and salad. We had a real good time then too. I went to a housewarming party on Saturday, that was nice too, met some friends from the Des Moines (WA) area.

I guess that's my life now meetings, family and socializing. Oh yes, and shopping.

It's nice to be in congregation that socializes.

About Me

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After 2 unsuccessful marriages I spent 12 years as a divorcee, only to fall prey to another man's wiles. We had a fun 5 years together and then he decided he wanted more freedom so once again I'm single.

So I'm freshly divorced at 57 and have 5 great kids and now 7 grandkids. My kids are still a major part of my life but I'm busy helping my aging parents on Kauai.

I've lived in California, Hawaii and Oklahoma before finally settling here in Washington. I love Washington and come back to visit family, friends and take care of my garden often but will be temporarily a resident of Kauai.

I've moved 30 times in my life (no, my parents weren't in the service, at least not since I was about 2) and finally planted roots when I got my little house that I've owned since '91.

My family are Jehovah's Witnesses, I've been one since '72.