Saturday Morning

[Nasoosie]

GOOD MORNING TO ALL.

Yesterday will be a day that will live in infamy, to borrow some famous words from yesteryear. Something is drastically wrong with our society that any person could feel free to snuff out the lives of so many innocent children and adults with such impunity. Even in war, most children deaths are incidental and not deliberate. And if the excuse of insanity is to be considered, why did no members of the insane one's groups notice the seriousness of the condition? Have we become accustomed to turning our heads to avoid having to confront problems of which we become aware? I think it is unfathomable that such an outburst of mega-destructive behavior came out of nowhere on the spur of a moment. My feeling is that we need to become much more responsible for noticing awry behavior, or sick behavior, in our societal groups, and then develop a plan of action to interfere (YES----to interfere----some people liken that word to "meddle" and the meanings are not related) with the possible actions of the person exhibiting the bizarre behavior. Personally, I will allow myself to become much more attuned to the clues given off by mentally ill persons in my midst, and I promise to not turn my head and pretend not to see. "Mind your own business" does not work any longer in this broadened society----all of us are connected, and all of us need to take on the responsibility of noticing unhealthy or questionable behavior. My stomach still feels sick, and I found I could not avoid crying yesterday to think of the mayhem that exploded in CT.

Judy and I met at Disney's Frontier Campground last evening and had a great trip around in her rented golf cart, looking at all the huge displays of Christmas lights and doodads at the campsites. Some of the sites had more decorations and lights than any rooted homesites I have ever seen! It appeared as if they would have needed a moving van to get it all there! We had a good visit, had some pizza for supper, tooled all over the site loops, discussed online teaching which is what Judy does, and all-in-all had a great visit! I am looking forward to meeting her again at the January GTG! Her rig is really nice, has tons of space inside what with all the slides it has. The sites at the park are variable, but most are very close together to utilize the space and maximize the amount of income, of course. I am happy to have seen the place, but it is nowhere I would ever care to camp unless it would be to take my grandkids to all the parks and activities. Before I could do that, however, I would have to win a lottery! Thanks, Judy, for a fun evening! (And I actually found my way out of that maze back to Route I-4, and back to my house with not too many mis-turns!) See you in January again!

Today I am heading back to my son's for a huge bonfire tonight as it is finally damp enough to light their brush pile. The dogs love it there, too, as they can go free.

Have a Saturday remembering the young lives that were lost yesterday at this time, and allow yourselves to be aware of things around you that just don't seem quite right.

[Colliemom]

Good Morning ladies,

Guess everybody must be busy with holiday preparations or still glued to the TV news reports of the tragedy in CT. I sat there last night with tears streaming down my face, listening to the events the happened earlier in the day. I knew about the shooting around noon yesterday, but at that time, things were just beginning to come out.

My heart goes out to the parents, families, grandparents, anf friends of all those who were killed. This is supposed to be a time of "Goodwill to Men", of children's dreams of Santa Claus and Reindeer, of Jingle Bells and much Cheer. It has instead turned into a time of tragedy and mourning. While the rest of us are busy preparing for our holiday whatevers, these people will be burying their dead and trying to put their lives back together. And how do you explain to children too small to understand that a much loved brother, sister, mother or father will not be in their lives again forever. And the presents so lovingly bought and wrapped unde the Christmas tree, not to be opened.

There will not be much Christmas joy on the Eastern Seaboard this year and there are also many families who have lost loved ones in Hurrican Sandy as well as thier homes and everything they own. They will have no place to go "Home for Christmas" either. But I know that with all things, God will watch over us all and we will overcome this series of tragedies. He never gives us more than we can bear and we become stronger each time.

Okay, it's a cloudy, windy and damp morning here in the U.P. Rain and snow are moving in, temps in the low 30's. Going to be a good day to stay in and "clean house" this morning, then work on my Christmas signs. I was able to redo one I have been having problems with and think I have it as good as it's going to get. I will take some pictures of them when they are done. The connection here is very slow, and it might be hard to downloand any pictures onto this site. But I will try. Otherwise you might have to wait till I get a faster connection elsewhere.

So, with this I am going to stop right here. Not much to report this morning anyway and o ther things are overshadowing what we do right now anyway. Hope you all have a wonderful day, hug those chidren and grandchildren close, give thanks for having them in your lives, keep healthy and safe and enjoy each day as it comes.

[flick4411]

Good morning everyone...

Once again I'm up wayyyy too early. But awake I am. Most of the news is all about the school shooting in CT. Such a horrible event. I wish there was something I could do...

I'm down to one full week of work left. I am so ready to be done. I even have the possibility of a part-time job already... but won't know until I meet with the lady looking for help...sometime in January, she will be here in SoCal.

I have one last package to get mailed today...then all done with the gifting. Am gonna hang the Christmas wreath today on the front door, but that's the extent of decorating. For the most part, this year's holidays simply point to FREEDOM from full-time work! And that's a terrific gift, doncha think?

I just noticed the cats have returned to bed...maybe I should follow their lead! Have a good Saturday all...

[Liz]

Good morning Soos, and Sue, and Li (who all posted about the same time). I woke up to a beautiful sunrise (yay, the sun is back!) and it's going to be a lovely day with temps in the 70's.

Carol is still here and will stay until tomorrow. Tonight we will attend "Light up McIntosh" events at the community Center and watch the parade of lighted golf carts, atvs, and go-carts. I hope to get some good pictures.

Tomorrow after church and covered-dish dinner I will hook up my Fit and head out to Nan's. On Monday we will head to the gulf beaches to stay through Christmas. I'm looking forward to that, although Monday's weather forecast is not looking too good. Carol will head south to visit more of her family tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great day today.

[dayspring39]

Welcome to a rainy Sat... tears from heaven for the little ones and teachers that are lost...
Enjoy the bon fire Soos, Liz hope you and Nan have a good Christmas...
Take care everyone..
Kathleen
looks like Beth her work cut out combining the posts...

[dpf]

Good Morning! Oh how I envy Soos and Judy’s excursion at Disney World. I absolutely loved Disneyland at Christmas. Can’t wait to see the pictures. Actually can’t wait to see all the pictures that are supposed to be coming!

Soos, in the 90’s when federal changes were made in the admission and why and how long patients could be held in psychiatric hospitals our prisons turned into the new mental hospitals. In most cases patients can only be held in a psychiatric hospital for a certain amount of time without a court order. Unfortunately many people who need help have to commit a crime before they receive it. I work with some of these individuals on a daily basis. We have to keep a very close eye on any changes in their behavior, because once they start taking medication for their mental health issues they start feeling better and think they don’t need them anymore and will stop taking them. Even people who have acknowledged a problem or have relative and friends who have taken the steps to take a person to a hospital for evaluation and received help and been released with a strict medical regiment they should follow will cease taking medication when they start feeling better. In our extended community (25 mile radius) during the past 6 months we have had three women in their forties and early fifties who were diagnosed as bi-polar who have committed suicide. All had received treatment but had discontinued taking meds. Tragedies yes, but thankfully they didn’t take anyone with them. If only the young man in CT would have done the same. It’s raining here today…we need it so bad…but I think that it is tears from Heaven.

I have to take Monday off because my annual leave is maxed out. Have a list of everything that I plan to accomplish. So I’d better get in gear. Have a safe and enjoyable day.

Pat

[avalen]

good morning ladies
its going to be a very busy clean up day for me, lots of extra mess to clean up in the bathroom. Main pipes were having an issue
up to 4 apts. Took son and helpers all day and night to get the issue cleared up and working smoothly again. Needless to say
lots of dried wet footprints all over the tile and soggy stuff that creeped up into the bathtub. Not a fun job but someone has
to do it and it might as well be me since son is sleeping in. Hopefully no other apt units will have this issue anytime soon.

Had very enjoyable dinner with Beth last night, sorry no pictures, although we both took our cameras and I even bought extra
batteries and Beth's camera was sitting there, we were so busy talking and eating we both forgot about the cameras
The food was fabulous though and I hope to have an excuse some day to go to Black Angus again.

Have plans to go play with the baby tomorrow, hopefully he won't be sleeping.
One last week of school, then we're out for two weeks. Looking forward to some good rest up time.

Time for a coffee refill, catch ya all later. Have a great day and be safe

[cnq50b]

I'm down to one full week of work left. I am so ready to be done.

For the most part, this year's holidays simply point to FREEDOM from full-time work! And that's a terrific gift, doncha think?

YES!!!!! Hooray for you!!!!!!!

[carolb]

Good morning to each & all--several "opening" posts, so will post here. I was online earlier, bt had technical difficawlties. Yes, & like all, too stressed from the tragedy (seems like a triffling word to describe what happened) yesterday to try to find the problem.... I'm certain I was like everyone else, too, waking this Sat morning, wishing it coold be Friday again, for a "do-over"...Bt we will go on, being even more vigilant, as Soos desires to be. And perhaps that's where we fail--we need to be a commnity of "coming together" before these things happen. Bt it's too easy to be so involved in what is already on owr plate, often emotionally not able to deal with others on the periphery....Happy things in life: Barbie's big date tonight...a meeting of sisters (sistahs doesn't do it for me ) Jdy B & Soos...Catherine cownting down the days til retirement (if I read that correctly ) ... taking my HarBor for a spin this morning, thots of being headed for FL GTG in abot 6 wks....Life goes on... I better say "Y'all have a great day " & dispense with any more desire to philosophize Bro coming over to make cookies again today

Opps, re-read, & it Li that's on the road to retirement! (trying owt this "edit" option, so hope this works)...

[BirdbyBird]

Congrats for trucking through the move to the west coast and the job you took after you thought you would retire the first time.... Now don't get sucked back in...part time maybe, but go hit the road and visit family and friends and make more friends.....Have fun with your best gift to yourself!

[cnq50b]

Good morning all....
Beautiful rain last night!!! so enjoyed hearing it - Heard that we're 17 inches behind for the year so appreciate all that we can get...
Headed out at 7 this morning... got some shopping done before the crowds started showing up... Put a turkey in the oven for Sierra before leaving, enjoying a bit of it now for lunch (she shares fairly well as long as I don't take too much )
Need to continue getting the house ready for arrivals later this week & try to wrap up a ton of stuff at work so I can be off some next week. I look forward to the day when I can post that I have a week left of work like Li did this morning. So happy for her!!! It will come - I just need to be patient & be thankful for the fact that I have a job that I enjoy with people I care about & enjoy being with... I know God is just trying to teach me patience - and practice does make perfect!

So much going on with folks here...
HorizonSeeker, thanks for giving us an update - glad you got to your brother's, that your 'sis' is breathing on her own & by now have probably already met your dear new grandniece. Prayers continue to surround you & the family.
Love hearing about all the GTGers - so nice having so many sisters - & Disney World! what a cool place to meet up.
Liz, enjoy the gulf beaches Hope to see pics...
Ava, sorry to hear about the messes you've had to deal with. I couldn't sleep last night so I decided to clean bathrooms maybe there was some psychic energies between the 2 of us.. Glad you & Beth had a good time before you had to face the mess..

Hope everyone has a safe & enjoyable day...

[mitch5252]

Holy Smokes, Flick - it's happening!!!
Congratulations!
That is so great...you're going to enjoy it, that's for sure!

[Redwahine]

I missed posting this AM. I got a text from Birdie and got in my car and drove down to the RV park where she and Sprinter are staying. Sprinter is going through medical evaluations at MD Anderson. Birdie and I went shopping and had lunch. Then we spent the afternoon with Sprinter and another Pink Flaming that lives in the Houston area as well. We just talked the day away really enjoyed my time with them and look forward to visiting again next week.