A Year In Review
Although a lot happened in 2007, the year went by so quickly. It's amazing that the older I get the faster time goes by. Remember...this blog is really for me...but you're welcome to read.
I changed positions within the company and started my new job on January 2nd. It's not as challenging as my last position, which one could consider a good thing, and I have to travel more...but I enjoy it and adore the people I work with. My immune disorder was rampant this year...amazing that I made it to work at all. Joints ached, hair thinned, nails fell off...but luckily it never lasts longer than a year or so...so I should be ok this year. I'm branching out into other areas of marketing in 2008 and am very excited about that.
Don turned 60 and we celebrated our 20th anniversary. I think this was the year he finally realized that family was more important than golf...because he stays home every weekend we have Zeke. Don talked about changing companies and taking his business elsewhere, but he's so close to retirement...and David is so good to him...that I talked him into staying (several times).
Kyle got engaged, very quickly, to a man she had met five months earlier. She moved from Tampa to Austin, Texas, and left a lot of distance between us. Granted, she lived in San Francisco for two years but at that time we talked and emailed daily. When she moved into her apartment, in Austin, she spent a lot of time at Darrell's house and we didn't talk as often.
She began a new job at Intertech Flooring as an architect and designer specialist and seems to be happy in her new element. When Darrell asked for my permission to marry my daughter the only thing I asked was they wait one year before getting married. Their wedding date is May 17th, 2008 and therefore will be sixteen months following their engagement. That pleases me.
We went on vacation with Kyle and her new family and spent a week getting to know each other. That was the highlight of my year...not only getting to spend time with Kyle and Darrell and the kids...but to spend a week with Zeke was...as he said, "awesome."
Jason and Elizabeth broke up in April and I cannot say I was saddened by the news, although Jason was. Elizabeth, who was quite intelligent, was very immature and not the right person help raise Zeke. In actuallity...from an emotional aspect... she was more on Zeke's level than she was Jason's. It took Jason several months to get back in the groove with his life. He moved out of the house that he and Elizabeth shared and into an apartment closer to where Natalie moved after she graduated. They live maybe 15 minutes away from each other and it's good when they share custody of Zeke. Natalie and Jason amaze me. Two years ago we were in court with accusations flying and hatred so strong it permeated the room. Now...they have holidays together (along with Natalie's new beau) and babysit when the other can't keep Zeke. It is truly an unbelievable relationship.
Jason went from a steady job in Savannah to jumping from several jobs in Atlanta. He just couldn't seem to find his niche...but he now works as a restaurant manager and seems to love his job. This is truly a blessing as his father and I were beginning to seriously worry about his future.
My uncle Paul died early in 2007. He was a steady fixture with his wife, Mary. We rarely ever spoke of them in the singular tense...it was always "Paul and Mary." What is so ironic about the deaths of the men in our family is how the women ended up. Mary seemed to be the strong one within her marriage...and fell apart after Paul died. Hula seemed to be the weak one in her marriage but manages to live her life to the fullest. I thought my Mother would be the strong one but after Daddy died she, too, fell apart. Again...it's ironic.
Adam had a car accident that left his passenger dead and several others injured. He's still recovering from broken hips and mental challenges. Mary broker her hip while visiting Adam in the hospital during his ordeal...and she's struggling to recover. She was so independent that having to rely on a walker and being house bound is breaking her spirit.
We lost our beloved pet, Max, in June. He was fourteen years old and as much a part of our lives as the humans that inhabit our hearts. He never had any health problems...ever. I was watching TV on a Sunday night and I looked over at him and there was a look in his eyes that told me something was wrong. I didn't know what it was...I called Don downstairs and he saw nothing out of the ordinary...but there was this look in my baby's eyes and I knew something was wrong with him. I told Don that I thought Max had had a stroke.
The next morning I went downstairs to get coffee and went over to the cookie jar to get Max and Sam their morning treat. When I tossed them up, their normal response was to jump and catch the treats in their mouths, Max jumped and fell backwards. He struggled to get up and when he did I noticed that his head was tilted toward the left. I yelled, "Don! Something's wrong with Max!!!" He yelled back that he knew... and was getting dressed to take him to the vet. The vet's examination showed that Max had indeed had a stroke. The vet said two weeks would tell if he would "pull out of it" or "if he could live a semi-normal life with the stroke that he had."
Honestly, and I feel so bad about this in retrospect, I couldn't look at him. Because his stroke was on the right side of his body....he leaned and walked in circles torward the left. It just broke my heart to see my child like this. He could manage going upstairs, hitting walls on his way, but would fall down the stairs. We had to put gates up to protect him from hurting himself more.
Don took Max back to the vet and he, Don, said he was better. I didn't see it and as much as it hurt I wanted him put down. This was a vibrant, fiesty, agile little dog and I couldn't stand to see him like this...but Don wouldn't hear of it.
Two weeks later, on a Sunday afternoon, I was watching TV and doing my nails, and all of a sudden I saw Max suddenly jerk and land on his back...kicking his legs over and over as if fightint something. I screamed his name and jumped up and went over and grabbed him and turned him on his side. His leg movements pushed him around in circles and foam started coming out of his mouth. I ran and got a cloth and wiped his mouth and when he stood he started running into the tables and walls. I made a circular fort out of Zeke's chair and pillows to protect him from hurting himself and called Don. Again, he was playing golf and didn't answer. I sat and held that baby for three hours until he finally quit fighting and went to sleep. The funny thing is Max woke up an hour or so later and walked over with no leaning to the left...he was as normal as ever....then I put him back in his "fort" and he went to sleep again. Don came home and I told him to call the vet. It wasn't fifteen minutes when Max woke up and went upstairs to find his Daddy. Ten seconds later I heard Don yelling for me to come upstairs...that "he's doing it again." This seisure was nothing compared to the earlier one.
Seems our local vets are not available on the weekends or evenings anymore...so the vet in Chattanooga said to bring him up. I had taken Max downstairs and was laying with him on the bed. Don came to get him and I said I couldn't go. I gave Max one last hug and kiss and said goodbye. Don called from the vets office and said that the prognosis was, "he might not have another seisure for weeks...or he could have one on the way home. His heart was good and other than the strokes he was in good health." I said..."Put him to sleep. I don't want to see him go through this again."
Don brought him home and we buried him outside of our window. This was the lowest part of my year. Sorry I know Max's story is long...but it's my blog...and my memories.
The last memorable event of my year was the fallout of my family. In 2006, alone, I loaned my sister $15,000, due to her husband not working, and my Mother $4,000....due to her account being in overdraft. To hear, "I need help, again," was too much for me to do one more year! When Chris called, for the 10th time, crying and said "I'm losing my house and I need..." I said no. When Mom called and said, "I need a little bit of help...I'm overdrawn..." I said no. When Charles called and said "I found an antique truck I want to buy and need $3,500..." I said no. That's pretty much the last time I've talked to them.
Charles will talk... if I call him...and he calls when it's time for me to pay the horses feed bill. I think he's angry...but still neutral.
Chris sent several emails after I wouldn't loan her money. Hateful, hurtful, emails. If that wasn't enough she called several times and because I didn't answer she left me several voice messages. Messages that said, "I hope you rot in hell," and "I f'ing hate you" on and on. I guess when I wouldn't respond to my sister her daughter decided to call. The message was the same, "I f'ing hate you bitch," on and on. This from a niece I supported for two years. Oh, well.
And then there's my Mother...who said things to me I will never forget. Had my phone number blocked from calling her (although I know this was Chris's doing). I just quit...and had a very happy remainder of 2007.
I got to know my brother, Milton, and his family better because I finally realized he wasn't the enemy... too many years lost. I hope he stays a part of my life but if he chooses otherwise I'll deal with that as well.
It wasn't a bad year. A lot of happiness...a lot of joy...a lot of laughter. I will leave the negativity behind and once again begin anew.
Happy New Year!
I changed positions within the company and started my new job on January 2nd. It's not as challenging as my last position, which one could consider a good thing, and I have to travel more...but I enjoy it and adore the people I work with. My immune disorder was rampant this year...amazing that I made it to work at all. Joints ached, hair thinned, nails fell off...but luckily it never lasts longer than a year or so...so I should be ok this year. I'm branching out into other areas of marketing in 2008 and am very excited about that.
Don turned 60 and we celebrated our 20th anniversary. I think this was the year he finally realized that family was more important than golf...because he stays home every weekend we have Zeke. Don talked about changing companies and taking his business elsewhere, but he's so close to retirement...and David is so good to him...that I talked him into staying (several times).
Kyle got engaged, very quickly, to a man she had met five months earlier. She moved from Tampa to Austin, Texas, and left a lot of distance between us. Granted, she lived in San Francisco for two years but at that time we talked and emailed daily. When she moved into her apartment, in Austin, she spent a lot of time at Darrell's house and we didn't talk as often.
She began a new job at Intertech Flooring as an architect and designer specialist and seems to be happy in her new element. When Darrell asked for my permission to marry my daughter the only thing I asked was they wait one year before getting married. Their wedding date is May 17th, 2008 and therefore will be sixteen months following their engagement. That pleases me.
We went on vacation with Kyle and her new family and spent a week getting to know each other. That was the highlight of my year...not only getting to spend time with Kyle and Darrell and the kids...but to spend a week with Zeke was...as he said, "awesome."
Jason and Elizabeth broke up in April and I cannot say I was saddened by the news, although Jason was. Elizabeth, who was quite intelligent, was very immature and not the right person help raise Zeke. In actuallity...from an emotional aspect... she was more on Zeke's level than she was Jason's. It took Jason several months to get back in the groove with his life. He moved out of the house that he and Elizabeth shared and into an apartment closer to where Natalie moved after she graduated. They live maybe 15 minutes away from each other and it's good when they share custody of Zeke. Natalie and Jason amaze me. Two years ago we were in court with accusations flying and hatred so strong it permeated the room. Now...they have holidays together (along with Natalie's new beau) and babysit when the other can't keep Zeke. It is truly an unbelievable relationship.
Jason went from a steady job in Savannah to jumping from several jobs in Atlanta. He just couldn't seem to find his niche...but he now works as a restaurant manager and seems to love his job. This is truly a blessing as his father and I were beginning to seriously worry about his future.
My uncle Paul died early in 2007. He was a steady fixture with his wife, Mary. We rarely ever spoke of them in the singular tense...it was always "Paul and Mary." What is so ironic about the deaths of the men in our family is how the women ended up. Mary seemed to be the strong one within her marriage...and fell apart after Paul died. Hula seemed to be the weak one in her marriage but manages to live her life to the fullest. I thought my Mother would be the strong one but after Daddy died she, too, fell apart. Again...it's ironic.
Adam had a car accident that left his passenger dead and several others injured. He's still recovering from broken hips and mental challenges. Mary broker her hip while visiting Adam in the hospital during his ordeal...and she's struggling to recover. She was so independent that having to rely on a walker and being house bound is breaking her spirit.
We lost our beloved pet, Max, in June. He was fourteen years old and as much a part of our lives as the humans that inhabit our hearts. He never had any health problems...ever. I was watching TV on a Sunday night and I looked over at him and there was a look in his eyes that told me something was wrong. I didn't know what it was...I called Don downstairs and he saw nothing out of the ordinary...but there was this look in my baby's eyes and I knew something was wrong with him. I told Don that I thought Max had had a stroke.
The next morning I went downstairs to get coffee and went over to the cookie jar to get Max and Sam their morning treat. When I tossed them up, their normal response was to jump and catch the treats in their mouths, Max jumped and fell backwards. He struggled to get up and when he did I noticed that his head was tilted toward the left. I yelled, "Don! Something's wrong with Max!!!" He yelled back that he knew... and was getting dressed to take him to the vet. The vet's examination showed that Max had indeed had a stroke. The vet said two weeks would tell if he would "pull out of it" or "if he could live a semi-normal life with the stroke that he had."
Honestly, and I feel so bad about this in retrospect, I couldn't look at him. Because his stroke was on the right side of his body....he leaned and walked in circles torward the left. It just broke my heart to see my child like this. He could manage going upstairs, hitting walls on his way, but would fall down the stairs. We had to put gates up to protect him from hurting himself more.
Don took Max back to the vet and he, Don, said he was better. I didn't see it and as much as it hurt I wanted him put down. This was a vibrant, fiesty, agile little dog and I couldn't stand to see him like this...but Don wouldn't hear of it.
Two weeks later, on a Sunday afternoon, I was watching TV and doing my nails, and all of a sudden I saw Max suddenly jerk and land on his back...kicking his legs over and over as if fightint something. I screamed his name and jumped up and went over and grabbed him and turned him on his side. His leg movements pushed him around in circles and foam started coming out of his mouth. I ran and got a cloth and wiped his mouth and when he stood he started running into the tables and walls. I made a circular fort out of Zeke's chair and pillows to protect him from hurting himself and called Don. Again, he was playing golf and didn't answer. I sat and held that baby for three hours until he finally quit fighting and went to sleep. The funny thing is Max woke up an hour or so later and walked over with no leaning to the left...he was as normal as ever....then I put him back in his "fort" and he went to sleep again. Don came home and I told him to call the vet. It wasn't fifteen minutes when Max woke up and went upstairs to find his Daddy. Ten seconds later I heard Don yelling for me to come upstairs...that "he's doing it again." This seisure was nothing compared to the earlier one.
Seems our local vets are not available on the weekends or evenings anymore...so the vet in Chattanooga said to bring him up. I had taken Max downstairs and was laying with him on the bed. Don came to get him and I said I couldn't go. I gave Max one last hug and kiss and said goodbye. Don called from the vets office and said that the prognosis was, "he might not have another seisure for weeks...or he could have one on the way home. His heart was good and other than the strokes he was in good health." I said..."Put him to sleep. I don't want to see him go through this again."
Don brought him home and we buried him outside of our window. This was the lowest part of my year. Sorry I know Max's story is long...but it's my blog...and my memories.
The last memorable event of my year was the fallout of my family. In 2006, alone, I loaned my sister $15,000, due to her husband not working, and my Mother $4,000....due to her account being in overdraft. To hear, "I need help, again," was too much for me to do one more year! When Chris called, for the 10th time, crying and said "I'm losing my house and I need..." I said no. When Mom called and said, "I need a little bit of help...I'm overdrawn..." I said no. When Charles called and said "I found an antique truck I want to buy and need $3,500..." I said no. That's pretty much the last time I've talked to them.
Charles will talk... if I call him...and he calls when it's time for me to pay the horses feed bill. I think he's angry...but still neutral.
Chris sent several emails after I wouldn't loan her money. Hateful, hurtful, emails. If that wasn't enough she called several times and because I didn't answer she left me several voice messages. Messages that said, "I hope you rot in hell," and "I f'ing hate you" on and on. I guess when I wouldn't respond to my sister her daughter decided to call. The message was the same, "I f'ing hate you bitch," on and on. This from a niece I supported for two years. Oh, well.
And then there's my Mother...who said things to me I will never forget. Had my phone number blocked from calling her (although I know this was Chris's doing). I just quit...and had a very happy remainder of 2007.
I got to know my brother, Milton, and his family better because I finally realized he wasn't the enemy... too many years lost. I hope he stays a part of my life but if he chooses otherwise I'll deal with that as well.
It wasn't a bad year. A lot of happiness...a lot of joy...a lot of laughter. I will leave the negativity behind and once again begin anew.
Happy New Year!
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