LONG TIME GONE

I just remembered I had this blog and I haven't written a thing since 2008. From what I understand I have had several people read my past posts and for some reason they have misunderstood what I had written. To those I am sorry, one thing I tried to do is to state how I felt and to tell the truth about my life and things that have happen. I truly did not make up any thing! One thing that I do know is once it is written and out in cyber land there is no getting it back. I don't think anything that I have written is wrong or hurtful to anyone but to me.

Since I have been reminded of the blog I will try and post more often now. I am still knitting and sewing so I will try and post what I am up to.

Take Care and Hugs to all well almost to all.

Miss Payton Olivia, Noah and me

I have not been posting because I have been in a very bad funk! I have messed up my left ankle and the right side of my jaw has been hurting like heck and heck hurts alot, I can't open my mouth very wide and it hurts too much too chew, but instead losing weight I am gaining water weight. Stress from what I have been told.
Yesterday I took about 20 bags or so to the Army Y of stuff from my room! They where very happy to get it, hopefully this will give alot of pleasure to people. I have a few more things I am planning to take either tomorrow or Monday. I have been cleaning my stuff out and down sizing alot. Just need to get rid of a lot of junk I guess. I realized yesterday as I was cleaning out one of my places that I think I have been kidding myself why I was downsizing! I won't go on and I need to get that thought out of my mind for now.

I haven't been posting much here or any where else because I don't want to bring anyone else down or have anyone feel sorry for me. I guess I upset my youngest brother. I sent him a nice Christmas card and told him that He was quite aggravating but he was my brother and I still loved him. I also told him I wouldn't be going into Wake Forest to Christmas. I just don't feel right going in there. I mean they are my siblings but we aren't close. Tony and I are sort of close he has 2 little kids that I would like to be part of their lives but because of their mother and thing that she has said and done I would prefer to stay away and I can't seem to get him to understand. She isn't a very nice person to me or to Gene. Oh me...

My middle son still can not swoll his pride and talk to me. They had their second child on Monday a little girl, 5 pounds 4 ounces 18" long they named her Cramer Belle! No I didn't go to the hospital to see them I am still not allowed. I sent her a few things a few weeks ago when I sent JD a tee shirt I made for him that said I am the big brother. Whether or not he got it I have no idea. Unless my youngest son tells me they got it I have no idea what they do with what I send. The youngest is the one that let me know the baby was born and sent me a picture of her. Thank heavens for him. I put another package in the mail for the baby yesterday. I put delivery confirmation on it like I do all their packages so I know that at least it got there.
Enough on this it just upsets me to no end!!!!

On to Master Noah and his little sister Payton Olivia. I got to go to SC to watch my little Noah when his sister was born. We had a ball. We played airplane, swords, we tussled, read books got donuts and just had a ball together. I totally enjoyed myself. Everyone would be proud of me. I stayed in the room when my X and his wife came and when my middle son, his wife, JD and my X mother in law came down to see the new little one. I normally leave the room but no more. I have every right to be in the room and if no one likes it they may leave the room not me any more. No problem with my X mother in law. I got to see John for a few hours. The little fellow who is 4 didn't have a clue who I was. At first it didn't bother me, he just called me hay lady come play! I was playing with Noah. I played with JD but I didn't tell him who I was! I was very carefully around him because I didn't want her saying I did anything. There was tension on their half. When they went to leave I asked my son for a hug and I got a quick one, at least I count my blessings on that.
I made Noah a couple of shirts that said I am the big brother, the yellow one had a monkey on it. When I went to pick him up at daycare I put the shirt on him and all his little friends like it and me. Made me feel good. Kacie had made a cake for Noah to take to school that day, the boy was a hoot caring the pan, it was almost as big as him but he is a strong little boy. He lights up my life and makes me smile. I talk to him at least once a week sometimes twice and he calls me Grandma. Just him saying it sounds good! The little fellow is my lifeline right now. Here is a picture of him on the day he became a big brother. He had the T-shirt on that I made him which is sort of long, The black cap that pa pa Gene sent him and my shoes on. The boy is a hoot! He looks so much older than 22 months here.
The next day I got to go to the hospital to see my new little granddaughter Payton. She is a beautiful girl. Here she is in one of the outfits I bought her. the hat she has on is one I made Noah when he was little. The picture was taken in the hospital.

and here is Grandma Sheila holding her for the first time. I felt good that the kids let me come to the hospital to see her.
They only stayed in the hospital 2 days. Payton was born on Tuesday November 11 and they came home on Thursday. Here she is getting her first bath on Friday

I made her a total of 5 hats, 2 while I was staying there and 3 more that I sent her including a cute Santa hat. Chris and Kacie love what I make for them. They appreciate everything.

I will close for now. I have work too do, laundry to do room to get straighten up and I need to try to eat something. Take care everyone and have a wonderful Christmas and new year. This is the first time in my entire life that I have not put a Christmas tree up or decorated. Just not in the mood! Now you see why I haven't posted lately. Bless everyone

Exploring VT.

After graduation on Friday afternoon we went site seeing. Our flight wasn't until Monday so we had a couple of days to explore. I had done some exploring on my own during the week but believe it or not I didn't take pictures. I would drop Gene off at school at 8 in the morning then I would have to pick him up by 4! Short day to explore. I am not a morning person so I would have to go back to the room to get ready for the day! I did get to drive around and see the sites. But that will be in the next post. When we went up to VT a friend of Gene's told him to look out for Moose. He said they would just walk out into the road. Well I kept looking and the only thing I saw was Deer! One poor man hit a male deer with a full rack and it tore his poor car up he was okay but the car and the deer bite the dust!

Driving around VT we kept seeing these Moose crossing signs. I made Gene pull over to the side of the road so that I could take a picture of the sign because I knew people in NC wouldn't believe me about the signs. We never did see a live Moose!

Here was another interesting Road sign. Yes I took the picture and Gene had to pull over so I could take it, no we never saw a live bear, not that I didn't keep looking. I don't know what I would have done if I saw one! But I kept looking.

This is a picture of a meadow with sheep grazing. There was white sheep, black sheep, brown sheep, multi color sheep, All I could think about was the beautiful roving and yarn they would make. The sheep hadn't been sheered yet. Gene told me not to get any ideas. I just looked at him! He was reading my mine. I wanted to go find the farmer to see if he had any fleece for sale. No Gene would not go look!

Gene decided we where going to take a short cut we where not going any where in particle, just looking. He had no idea where we where going. The roads where so twisty and small! Two cars could barely go up or down the road. I think I had white knuckles the entire time we where on this short cut. The short cut took us up one side of a mountain then down side then up again. We saw a beautiful waterfall but couldn't stop to get a picture. We thought we might get a picture when coming back. If I had my way we where going to find another way to go back to the hotel! After driving up and down my ears where so plugged up they hurt. I tried drinking water, chewing gum and nothing worked. The mountains where beautiful the trees where in full bloom. I couldn't believe that VT had a bad snow storm just 6 weeks before we got there and it was freezing. They told us it was very unusually for it to be so hot and humid this time of year which was the middle of June.

After about and hour and half of driving and not finding any place to stop so Gene could go to the restroom, not even a gas station! We found this pullover! This is a picture of a marsh that had lots of birds, I saw a turtle but I don't think you can see it. Gene went into the woods! I just prayed no one came by!

This is a picture of a rock with some wild flowers, there was a bunch of butterflies which you can't see. It is strange at home this year I haven't seen many butterflies. I got a butterfly feeder this year for my birthday from Matthew and they still didn't come. I hope next year I can plant a butterfly bush and maybe they will come.

This is just another picture of the rock and butterflies and flowers. It was a beautiful site, so quite!

This is the same marsh I don't know if you can see the beaver damn in the background.

Here is Gene's covered bridge! We drove around for hours looking for a covered bridge. Our directions where not very good. We didn't find the one he was looking for but we found this one. The Covered bridge was in good shape they had done some repairs on it. Gene took about 10 pictures of just the bridge!

Beside the cover bridge was a damn and a bunch of rocks. The water was moving really fast I thought it was neat

Here is a side view of the damn, those are office buildings and a restaurant. I don't think I would like a business there!

this is on the other side of the bridge, the water was calmer, the rocks made it look really nice.

This is a picture of the sky, Gene thought I was crazy for taking it but the clouds where very fluffy and making shapes. I like to watch the clouds and see what shapes they make. I could watch the sky for hours,it is a peaceful feeling.

This is where we stopped to eat. An old timey diner. I got a grilled cheese with tomato sandwich with a frosty root beer. That was so good! Gene got the same thing except he got tea! Oops no sugar!

There was a bunch of shops where we stopped so we went walking through them. Gene had to take a picture of me with this moose. I enjoyed the shopping.

Finally we found a moose or two, made of wood but that was as close as we where going to get to a moose.

here is Geneo smiling finally with the same moose!

Not to bum anyone out but i thought this was a very nice Vietnam Memorial we found at a rest stop in VT!

This is it for this portions. I need to close Hope you enjoyed our little journey. Next I will so into our visit to Fort Ticonderoga and the battle of Carillon. they where having a French and Indian War Celebration when we where there. The Fort is located right of NY. Thanks for stopping by till next time.

Stepping back into time to June

I am back again. I finally was able to get some pictures of Gene's graduation at Norwich in June of 08" on the laptop. I found the camara card and the pictures where still on it so I was able to download the pictures from there. I am dividing the VT trip up. This part is going to be just school week and graduation. I post pictures of our site seeing next. To begin:

We stayed in a very nice bed and breakfast just outside of the college it took maybe 10 minutes to get there from where we staying if the traffic was good. I did pretty good driving there. Here is Gene on day one, I told him to smile but he wouldn't his mind was else where he said.

He is a picture of the middle of Norwich where the band practice and people hang out. The building is a dorm. Don't remember which one though. The trees where beautiful up there and the grass was soft and thick to walk on.

Here is Gene standing in front of the class building where he went to listen to different people's presentations. He is standing in front of a statue of Alden Partridge. Not sure who he was I was probably told several times but he has something to do with the school!

Here is Gene and a fellow student, Joe Mann. Joe is active Air Force. Joe lives in WA state. Gene and Joe where in many seminars together. Joe was in Korea for part of the class! Just a tidbit

There is a neat musem attached to the library at Norwich. He has alot of neat stuff in it all of it pretaining to the school. This is some special jeep from wwi I think, Gene was in love with it. We must have 10 pictures of just this machine. I don't think I would want to ride in it. It didn't look too comfortable. They only made a few of these and the Army stopped using them. Again I was told all about this jeep but I seem to have forgotten! OOps.

Again here is Joe and Gene posing in front of this Canon. I think this canon was from the civil war. Don't hold it to me, it has some cravings on it and I think it was suppose to be used to defend a post where the school use to be before it came to VT. The think around Gene's neck is what I called his school dog tags. He couldn't go anywhere without it and he hated wearing it. Then so did everyone else. As you can tell I was the camera person. But then it was Gene's week!

Thursday night was Karkoe night. At first we wheren't going to go but then he decided we would and he had a ball that night. Here is Gene and Joe and some fellow classmates. Gene is drinking an Odel's Nonachol drink, Joe on the other hand was partaking of an Adult brevage, the glass next to Gene's was mine, That might have been my second Cosomo, over ice of course. These guys where a hoot.

Okay where are you Mona, You would have loved this shirt. The back was the same as the front. This is Dr. Wintermeu. I doubt if I spelled that right. He was one of the teachers for Military History and he loves Elvis and is something else.

It took some pushing and encouraging but here is Gene, Joe and Tom singing Karkoe, they where sing a Jimmy Buffet song. I laughted till I cried. This is way and I mean why out of character for Mr. Gene. I love Buffet music, Gene on the hand can take it or leave it mostly leave it but he is slowly coming around. It was good seeing him come out and enjoying himself for once.

Here is Gene getting what they call his Hoodie for Military of History. It was this white drape thing, one side was white for history the other side was marron for Norwich, which is the school's color. He is getting ready to shake the Dean's hand and next to the Dean is Dr. Broome. Dr. Broome is a very neat person, he is scholarly but yet he cares for his students and enjoys having fun.

In front of the Unknown statue is the 3 guys. The one on the end is Mike, he is in the Army also and was working on another Master Degree while he was up there so he didn't hang around much. Joe and Gene where smiling ear to ear, Mike was tired. Should be.

After class on Wenesday the guest speaker who was also the speaker for graduation was General Richard A Cody. The General was the Vice Chief of the Army. General Cody retired a few months ago and was from the town Norwich was in. Gene use to serve with the General before he became a General. Gene was surprised the General remembered him and the General gave Joe and Gene one of his special coins. That's a big thing from what I am told! General Cody gave two very good speeches. They where from his heart and I really enjoyed listening to him.

Getting down to the wire now. Good thing my brain is going and my fingers keep hitting the wrong keys. This is graduation day. This was the front they had flags from all over the worlk around the American flag along with all the state flags. The building was hot as you know what, no air, no air condition! We had our programs for fans! Once all the students got in there it was horrible. I had gotten there 3 1/2 hours early to get a good seat, when it was over I was soaked! I had a sleeveless dress on but it stuck to me! At least I had my knitting with me and got all sorts of weird looks but I kept knitting away! The service lasted about an hour and a half 2 hours! Too long for us all. The poor students had their gowns on!

Here is the Man of the hour smiling for once. I told him to take a short sleeve shirt but he was afaird it was going to be cold! They happen to have a heat wave the week we where there. He couldn't wait to get it over. He had been at the school since 10 and graduation wasn't until 4! Long day.

And here are the boys, we couldn't find Mike. They are holding red tubes that their dipolmas where in. Two very happy fellows and Me! After this I went outside to cool off, find some water, then we went to this nice Italian restraunt in town. Good wine! Good food. Long line.

This ends the saga of graduation. I had many more pictures put I couldn't post them all and it was hard to pick out which ones to post. Hope you enjoyed seeing the pictures. Gene worked very hard to get that dipolma and I am very proud of him. Now he is on to get his PH.D. Thanks for stopping by. Will post another part of the trip tomorrow.

The Beach

On October 10 I went to the beach with my older son and his family, we had a ball I got there late on Friday and left late on Sunday, but I did get a little shopping in before I headed home. No pictures though of what I bought. I bought some jeans on sale, some beads, a army wind socket, a bright green scarf and a few other things. It was fun!

The beach on Sunday was beautiful, it had rained Friday and Saturday. We did go to the beach on Saturday but it rained. There was a wedding on the beach that got rained out. I felt sorry for the guest! They where all dresssed up and got wet! On Sunday it was a beautiful day, the waves was soft and smooth the water was semi warm and the sky was blue! The beach is one of my favorite places to go to! I am alot calmer watching the waves soaking in the rays!

My feet with the pink toes in the ocean enjoying the waves. I love the waves.

Noah on the beach helping Grandma pick up sea shells. He was a good sea shell finder. He find this one rock that had alot of sea shells attached to it. It must have weighed 2 pounds or more. He tried to carry it but grandma carried it for us. He is a hoot! Smart as a whip. I am going to clean our sea shells up and put them in a glass container.

The expected mother (Kacie is due around the middle of November, so grandma is on baby watch. When she goes into labor I will go down to take care of Noah), Noah and Christopher walking on the beach helping pick up sea shells for Grandma.

Noah finally sitting in the ocean in a small hole right off the beach with his daddy! The water was warm. He loves the water, doesn't like it in his eyes. He liked giving our legs a sand rub!

Here is a picture of the boys and me sitting on a huge pipe that ran into the ocean. The pipe was bringing sand from the bottom of the ocean to build up the beach. The wind had messed up my hair and we where slumbed back and Noah wasn't in the mood to have his picture takenso the picture isn't the best of us but at least I have one of the 3 of us I really don't like having my picture taken.

This is the machine that would roll out into the ocean and measure the bottom of the ocean then come back to the beach, move over a few feet then go back out into the ocean. It was interesting to watch. Noah enjoyed watching the machine!

On Saturday after we picked up Kacie from her meeting we went to the outlet stores to find Noah a few things for his costume. We didn't find much. I did find a couple of cheap scarves on sale for my purses I am making and we found the Harry and David store. I will leave it at that! I love the store.

That is all for the beach right now. I am going to try to do some more posting. This is the fourth time trying to post this posting for some reason blogger wasn't working. Alot of things have been going on so I haven't gotten to much done. I have been knitting. I have several sweaters in different stages, I need to just finish one at a time instead of starting a new one. I did take a spinning class so hopefully I can get to it.

Thanks for stopping bye. Have a good day and take care.

Long time no post

I have been away from my blog for a long while. Not all by choice. Life has been hectic to say the least! May was the last time I posted. That seems like a long time ago. It seems like I have kept a headache for the past 3 months, allergies have been in full force and my legs and lower back have been killing me.
I work a little each day in my room, I am making progress. I decided I needed to go through my fabric again and downsize it. That and I am refolding it so that it will look neater on the shelves. I will give most of the fabric to the Y on post they are still making quilts for kids.
I haven't been going anywhere because of the price of gas. It cost $42. to full up the Honda. Gracious I remember when that was my fuel bill for 2 weeks and I was going back and forth to work and the store, now I might go out one day a week for errands and every 5 weeks I go into Cary. I haven't been to a Bernina meeting since the gas prices went up! I just pray for those that have to go out every day to work! It's a shame that the cost of gas takes up most of your pay check these days.
Gene's hernia operation went okay, but he is still having a little pain from it and he is still a little bloated from it. No more pain medicine for him.
The week of June 20th we did get to go to Vermont for Gene's last week of class before he got his Master's degree. It was a week on the go but it was a change. Vermont is a beautiful state. I didn't care for the roads in the mountains but then I only drove on the smaller mountains. I tooted around a little bit of Vermont by myself. I got lost more than I knew where I was going, I did see alot more of the country side that way. I went to a Maple farm, I didn't get much there, then to a pottery place and I bought 2 pieces there. I will have to take pictures and post them, they are very simple but pretty and usable. Of course I found a yarn store and I think she was happy to see me.
Gene was in class from Monday to Friday but we had to be there on Sunday afternoon. It rained everyday up there except for Wednesday. I got so tired of being wet. There was something going on every night that we had to go to. I was one of a few wives that showed up, the guys just treated me as one of them. I had this big bag that I carried my knitting in plus a book, water, camera, and whatever else I needed. I ended up caring every one's stuff! My poor shoulder. Gene didn't sleep much so neither I. I have pictures of graduation so I will post more about graduation later. Now that he has his master's degree he is going to go on and get his PHD. He asked me if I wanted to go back to school. I always wanted to but I haven't a clue what to study. I haven't a clue what I am good at besides getting into trouble!
On Thursday Gene had a couple of spare hours so we went to Vermont Teddy bears, the chocolate factory (yummy), cheese factory, and to Ben and Jerry's. Of course we got lost and I found a couple of yarn places but we where on a time line and we had to get back to school for a speaker. It seems like every time I found a yarn store or fabric store we had to go somewhere. Oh well I couldn't buy but so much, I have to leave some for someone else.
I have 3 different sweaters in process. I have the back of a man's vest finished, I have the back and 3/4 of a front of a ladies short sleeve pullover done and about half of the front of another women's long sleeve pullover done. I have I think 3 shawls in various stages that I am working on a pair of socks almost done. I just haven't fault like knitting alot lately. Just tired of being tired I guess.
I think I will close for now. I need to take pictures of the sweaters and post them. Hopefully I can get that done this week. No I still haven't hear from Ricky! I have tired I have sent 2 letters but nothing. I just don't understand! Bye for now. Oh year on August 9th I get to tandem jump again. Just pray I don't get sick and that this leg is better!

Not sure how to Title this

I am not sure how I should title this post I just need to vent for a few seconds! I am really tired of a few things. One is my X and a few things that go along with him things that he has done and said why he has done these things I haven't a clue and I know he will just look at me without a clue as to what I am talking about and I haven't a clue how to handle him and that situation!
Two is my brother, I remember my brother from when he was 16 to 20 and I wish that boy would come back. I don't like the person he is now. He is my brother and always will be my brother it's just I wish I could get him to understand that I am a person with feelings, that I am not a dummy and that you have to learn to watch what you say and do to other people. He is suppose to be my family and he should support me and my family and that my boys are my boys not his! Yes, I appreciate him helping me with Ricky when Ricky was younger I know he has a kind heart somewhere it's just I haven't seen it in a long time. We all remember things differently but his/their memories are not always the way it really happen and just because they remember things differently doesn't mean it is to be set in stone their way!
This problem with Gene, that you and Ricky have has got to end and end now, yes he is different, yes he can be rough around the edges and he sees things differently then you do but he loves me, takes good care of me and he will NOT let ANYONE family or not disrespect me in any way! I know this is different from the way things use to be but it is the way it is now. Gene came from a military family, he grew up in the military, he went to a military school and he was in the military for over 30 years He sees things differently and handles situations differently. He grew up differently then you did! When you disrespected him by calling him a liar about what he did and who he was that upset him it really. I know you, if anyone would have talked to you like you did him, questioned your background or disrespected you in any way you wouldn't ever let them forget it. It has happen! Life needs to go on! Also you need to hear what I say!
The 3rd and last thing that is really bugging me is my middle son Ricky and this mess between us! I don't understand why you accused me of what you did, I know you have to learn to quit listening to other people and what they say about me or what might or might not have happened. I have never and would never disclaim you as my son for any reason. Don't you remember what you put me through throughtout your 30 years! The horrid things you said many times to me throughout these 30 years. You listen to what other people say I have done or said. You don't listen to me! You don't give me a chance! Some things that you have said that have happen I know never happen and I haven't a clue where you got those notions from. I know certain people have told you things to make you mad at me and turn you against me and it has worked boy has it worked and I do not deserve it. I don't understand why you want to hate me so bad! You know if you ever needed anything within reason I tried to help you and that I was always there for you no matter what. Look at all the crazy girlfriends that you have had. Some got you into trouble and I was always there to pick up the pieces. Another thing Gene is not your enemy he never has been. Gene just will not let anyone disrespect me or talk ugly to me and I know that is different from what you are use to it is different for me. I do deserve better and you know it. Yes, I haven't been the perfect mother but you haven't been the perfect child. I have done the best that I could at the time and if you think about it you know it is true. You turned your back on me when I needed you the most and only came back when you needed something. When I needed you where were you! Yes, you where there for me at Davy's funeral and I shall never forget that and I did greatly appreciate your comfort at the time! I needed it! Thank you. There is so much more I can say but I shall let it be this is enough. I would like our realationship back, it won't happen overnight it is going to have to be a gradually thing. Life is too short for all this, we are only hear for a short time we have to make the best of what we have. Your mother, "May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
May the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand" Till tomorrow1