My new blog

[jcribb16]

Kim,

Yes, a rain dance is a must, lol!

You are right about your weekend.  I figured that would happen when the other grandmother made her wishes known about the babysitting.  You go and have fun at your son's and maybe you can get some other things accomplished before Sunday.

This afternoon one of my next door neighbors came pounding on my door.  She was telling me our other next door neighbor's house was on fire.  911 was called.  Before they got there, some neighbors tried to crack some windows in to get to the neighbor's pets.  The neighbors were both at work.  Only 1 cat was rescued.  The little chihuahua they haven't found yet but no one saw him come out.  The other cat died.  The two big dogs were in their pens and no one could get to them for the fire.  My daughter and I were able to get ahold of our neighbors.  I feel so horrible for their loss.  They lost everything but the one pet.  It was just awful watching your friend's house burn down and feeling helpless that there's nothing you can do to help.  One of the medical personnel, along with my daughter and another neighbor made me go in because of the breathing, coughing, and shaking.  I didn't want to leave our neighbor but our daughter and the other neighbors stayed with her until hubby could get home.  He was working out of town about 1 1/2 hours away. 

All of the neighbors immediately gathered up some spare clothes for them and several have given them money to help them.  The Red Cross is supposed to get involved I was told.  They have about 8 offers of places to stay, including us.  Tonight they are staying with his sister in the next town over.  They asked us to please look out for the one pet and to watch for the chihuahua just in case he did make it out.  He likes my hubby and would come to him if he saw him.

Hope your day goes good tomorrow.  I like your remark about the fake butt!  Talk to you later,

Julie

[golotomer]

Oh Julie I am so sorry for your neighbors.  That has to be hard to see happening.  You would feel helpless and knowing about the poor animals would be awful.  Do they know what started the fire?  I sure hope the little dog shows up.  Were they able to salvage anything? 

The Red Cross is wonderful about helping.  A girl at our school is involved and one of the things she does is collect coats, blankets, hats, mittens and scarves.  She is the first out responder here and says that in the winter she will get to the scene and the family will be out in their pj's with nothing to keep them warm.  The people at the school collect to help her out. 

B leaves today for Utah.  We are going to have breakfast together before he hits the road.  I have a session tonight at 4 with my therapist Carol.  I love her!  Last week we ended up doing Tai Chi in her office.  She is about my age an interested in many of the same things as me.  She has bamboo windchimes in the office which are kept in motion by a small fan pointed at them.  It's so relaxing to be there. 

Test on Friday so I'll be absorbed tonight.  Later. 

[jcribb16]

Kim,

Speaking of the Red Cross, they put them in a motel last night for a few days and gave them a money card so they can buy some clothes and food.  The Fire Marshall comes tomorrow.  The Fire Chief kind of pinpointed the trouble spot at a corner spot in their bedroom that was closest to their backporch.  I guess we'll know more tomorrow.

Yes, they found the missing chihuahua.  So sad.  He apparently had tried to hide under the couch where our neighbor would sit at nights.  He appeared to have been overcome by smoke.  He was buried right beside the others that were buried last night.  The cat, "Patches", a beautiful calico with a bobbed tail, is missing but has been seen twice since last night.  We've got water and food out for her trying to entice her over.

Our neighbor, the wife, spent most of the day with me.  She spoke with the insurance people and took care of some busy things by phone.  Her hubby had to work out of town but came over when he got in town.  My hubby, and a fire inspector person, helped the hubby to look for his remaining dog, since they really don't want things moved around until the Fire Marshall comes.  He is so upset about his little dog - he even had my hubby emotional for him.

So many neighbors have been wonderful about bringing bags of clothes by, as well as money.  Our neighbors are overwhelmed with the kindness since they really don't know very many around here.

I had to take my hubby early this morning for some mouth surgery (two front teeth need to be replaced for the second time - there was infection in there) so he's been on pain pills today.

Hope you and Bob had a great breakfast.  That's neat about your therapist.  If you didn't like her things would be kind of difficult to continue with.  You make it sound peaceful and calm there.

Hope your test is aced tomorrow!  You always do well!  Talk to you later!

Julie

[golotomer]

Oh my heart is breaking.  I hope the death by smoke was better than the alternative...actually burning up in the fire.  I'm sure everyone is heartbroken.  I'm glad people are coming to their rescue.  God bless you for your help. 

Hope your hubby recovers soon.  Teeth problems are never much fun. 

Our breakfast was spent with a girl that was on Survivor.  She didn't sit at our table but right across from us.  We heard lots of juice though.   

I'm feeling pretty confident about this test.  I don't go in until 10 tomorrow so have plenty of time to study. 

Did I tell you about reading the Jaycee Dugard book in two days.  That poor poor girl...what a Phoenix for rising above all of that torture!  I hope your neighbors can picture the Phoenix rising up from the ash from this horrible experience.  Namaste. 

[jcribb16]

Did you know that the girl from Survivor was going to be there?  Or did she just happen to come there?  I bet you did hear lots of juice, lol! 

Glad you feel good about the test!  You'll do great!  Let me know, okay?

As for the Jaycee Dugard book, I didn't know you were reading it.  What's the title?  It sounds like something I would like to read.  I hope that once our neighbors get through all of this, and have a new home put there, and hopefully have the kitty cat back, maybe they can feel they have some kind of a life back again - like you said that they "can picture the Phoenix rising up from the ash." 

My hubby joked about his mouth surgery.  He said maybe they would put big enough teeth in so as to make his mouth smaller so that he can't put his foot in there as much.  He doesn't even do that anyway, but he does like to pick on all of us (good-natured) but thinks he maybe goes too far sometimes.  He doesn't!

Well, have a great night.  I hadn't closed out the page and was pleasantly surprised when I saw you had already written back.  Ace that test!!!

Julie 

[blondie71]

I am 39 fixing to be forty on the 28th of july. I am unemployed, but I did work in the In-Home Healthcare for 12 years and I really enjoyed it until my doctors would let me lift over 10lbs on a regular basis.  I have several medical conditions, that is why I have joined FC because we need the extra money for gas to go to appointsments or catch up on some bills we fell behind when I had to quit working.  I have been trying for disability for almost 9 years.  I also had my own collectable store that my mother and I worked in for about 6 years. Had to close it down becuase we were not makeing enough for the overhead of the business.  I also was a single mother for 10 years but I got married almost 10 years ago (will be 10yrs this October)he is a wonderful husband.  He is on disability for a head injury so we don't have much to work with.  I have never in my adult life went somewhere for vacation like some of you have.  I did go back to school in 2005 and earned an associates degree in accounting, it took me about two years to get that.  Not much jobs where I live without traveling for a couple of hours.  My town has 623 for the population and I live a good 15 miles from there in the woods.  I enjoy reading others replies, working on these site for a lttle money, play games on the computer, singing and spending time with my husband.

[masked_brown_guy]

why do so many people keep posting in this thread.

[golotomer]

Hi and welcome. 

I know it would be tough being in healthcare if you couldn't lift due to a medical condition.  It would be tough too when you live in a smaller community.  Have you thought about selling your collectibles online through Ebay or one of the many other sites? 

Too bad you couldn't put your accounting degree to work somehow.  Are there any businesses in our little town? 

I hope you will stop by and visit and chat with us again. 

Have a wonderful day.

[golotomer]

why do so many people keep posting in this thread.

We're just a friendly group who likes to chat as our way of posting to the forum everyday.  You get more characters to write on here than you do on Facebook and it's a bit more private.   

[golotomer]

Julie,

I figured out who the girl from survivor is.  http://survivor.wikia.com/wiki/Dolly_Neely

She doesn't live far from us and was just there as one of the locals at our little diner.  We eat there often and when we sat down our waitress warned us we probably picked the wrong seat because our "neighbor" never shuts up. 

She was pretty, knew the people in the next booth and apparently had known them for years because they talked about mutual friends but she clearly was determined to let us know (strangers to her) that she had been on the show because she kept bringing it up and talking loudly. 

Dunno...maybe I'd be braggy too. 

The Jayce Dugard book is called A Stolen Life.  My daughter tried to find it in the stores the other day and couldn't but I was able to download it as an ebook on the 12th with an advance order on the 10th.  She was on the cover of People this week too.  I never buy the magazine because it's 3.99 a pop but when I saw her and the Casey Anthony case on it I figured I was getting a two for one so brought it home for a read.  Usually I'll wait and check it out in a waiting room instead because I'm poor, frugal and a tightwad.   

Tell hubby he'll have to adopt one of my favorite sig files..."my opinions are my own. these are my feet and I'll put them where I want".   

[jcribb16]

Hi Blondie,

It's nice to meet you.  You have entered a great thread - there are a lot of wonderful people in here.  Your time in the medical field sounds interesting - I'm sorry it didn't work out for you to be able to continue with a job you seemed to really like.  I applaud you getting an Associates Degree in Accounting.  That is one area I am not strong in.  I remember in my college days (I was a Music/General Education major) that my cousin and I would be able to take a couple of general classes together.  She talked me into taking an accounting class (she was majoring in Business.)  Big mistake.  I dropped it and switched over to Intermediate Algebra.  I can do that type of math!

I have some medical conditions myself and recently lost my job due to cut backs in my school.  I hope things work out for you and your husband.  I really like your positive outlook!  Hope to "see" you again soon!

Julie 

[jcribb16]

why do so many people keep posting in this thread.

We enjoy meeting new people and getting to know each other a little more. 

[jcribb16]

Hi Kim,

When I pulled up the link I recognized the girl from Survivor.  I remember her as she is in the picture on the island, not her cutesy farm life picture.  I guess she would want any and everyone to know she was on t.v.  It probably hurts her ego to think that not all people don't recognize her or really care about it, unless they were really into Survivor.  Maybe it explains why she gets loud?

It's interesting that you had mentioned the Jayce Dugard book when you first did.  That very night on FB, my aunt posted the very same book on there, giving it a high rating and how short a time it took her to read it on her Kindle, because of how good it was.  That's when I thought of your post and I also recognized who she was.  I had forgotten her name.  I would definitely like to read this book.  I went through something horrible in my childhood and it always helps to see how someone who has been through something like she has can have a positive attitude like she now does.  It wasn't easy for me to gain that victory and the situation almost got the best of me.  I can see it differently now, of course, being an adult, and it did help me to determine that my children would be treated right and loved in the right way and that they would make something of themselves as adults.

How are you doing with you and the SD?  I hope it's going peaceful for you.  I like your comeback about your opinion about your feet!  Hubby likes its and got a laugh out of it!  He agrees!

The Fire Marshall met with our neighbors this afternoon.  It just so happened my daughter had taken a picture on my phone of the fire going on when we came running out of the door.  She sent it to her dad's I-Pad which enlarged the picture.  My neighbor told the marshall about it and he asked to see it.  Would you believe it actually helped him to determine the cause of the fire when comparing the picture of the actual fire with where it had been determined to have started?  Their garbage can was on the outside at the corner where their bedroom met the corner of the back porch.  It was around 99 degrees that day and the can apparently was combustable with extreme heat and it ignited.  Come to find out, there have been several cases in town about these plastic garbage cans from the county having some combustable material or something and that they should have been notating that for people to see it and keep their cans out of the direct sun.  Needless to say, our neighbors are very upset at the fact they had 3 of their pets (dogs) die because of a garbage can problem that the county has failed to handle.

Our neighbor (the hubby) made 3 wooden crosses of different sizes (according to the sizes of the dogs) and stood them at the graves of their dogs.  It was heartbreaking to see - I feel so bad for them.  We've managed to entice their cat with food and water but she still runs and hides when someone comes out.  Hopefully she'll come out when the neighbors are over and go to them.

Well, I've kept you much longer than I intended - you've got a lot on your plate and don't need me writing novels to you!!  Hoping you have a great visit with your son tomorrow!

Julie 

[golotomer]

Julie, 

Never fear about writing me too much.  You have my email address too so if you ever need to talk and don't want to post it on the board feel free to send me a personal message.  I too went through various things as a child that have affected me throughout my entire life.  That is the reason I am going through the EMDR therapy.  What happened to me in the past in addition to the new found knowledge really traumatized me and then reading Jaycee's book / story really pounded in to me that I need to deal with these issues.  I had put them in the back of my mind and the pain had lessened, for the most part, but now have resurfaced. I guess this would be a discussion for you and I to have privately. 

That is unreal about the garbage can.  I think everyone should be warned.  Perhaps we should post something on Facebook and elsewhere to alert people.  Just like the day I put that fire out at my son's that started with the magnifying makeup mirror.  I've heard of other fires starting in odd ways from every day things that people wouldn't normally think about.  I'm glad your daughter thought to take that picture and that it helped the fire marshall. 

That was kind of your husband to make the crosses for the doggies.  The kitty will probably come around before too much longer, especially if she finally gets to see her parents. 


I was going to visit my son today but there was a change of plans.  I'm going to visit my friend though and we're going to lay around her pool and relax a bit this afternoon.  I will be babysitting tomorrow.  The SD was out last night until late and the baby stayed the night with a friend.  I had the house to myself, the first time in a long while.  I puttered around and did some household maintenance and homework and totally enjoyed myself.  It made me realize how used to being alone I have become over the last few years.  I had never been alone, at least my son had stayed with me, but I guess I got through the empty nest syndrome quite well.  I actually have moments when I think I could become a hermit.

Talk to you more tomorrow.  Have a wonderful day. 

[jcribb16]

Kim,

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself last night "by yourself" and today with your friend.  That's the kind of relaxing and productive time you've been needing.  I hope you can have more of those times!

Our neighbors were here earlier.  I'm glad they feel comfortable enough to use us as a "landing pad" of sorts.  That way they can come and go during the day, eat, rest, etc.  They've met with the insurance company and they've given them a check and an extension at the motel the Red Cross placed them in.  Otherwise they would have had to check out by noon today.  They used some of the amount on the money card and were able to buy some clothes and other things they need.  Several people have given them clothes and money, too.  They are overwhelmed at the kindness of the neighbors.  Some of our extended family members have even offered a dishwasher and stove when they get their new place.

My poor hubby is having a hard time with his mouth hurting from the surgery.  The antibiotics and pain pills make him nauseated and sleepy.  He can't eat unless it's soft, mashed, or cut up into tiny pieces.  So my daughter and I have been taking care of that for him.  He sleeps a lot in between, which is probably the best thing for him.

Yay!  We finally had rain today, and lots of it!  We needed this badly.  Plus it helped to keep the temperature down some.  Within a couple of days, though, it's going right back to the dry and very hot weather.  But I'm thankful for this, today!

Hope tomorrow goes well with the babysitting.  Take care and I'll "see" you tomorrow!


Julie