genealogy trip

Yesterday, my granddaughter and I drove to Forest, Ohio to do genealogy research.... broadly defined. The weather was gorgeous. For a change. The farmers were out in droves fitting and planting their field while the sun was shining before the rains come again next week.

We stopped in Upper Sandusky. Briefly at Library. Short stay at the beautiful courthouse.

A brief hello

I haven't been here in a long while. Haven't felt the urge to write in a public place or to write altogether.

I've been studying college courses. I'm learning a lot and growing even more. I've learned to socialize with complete strangers and make some new friends. For me that's awesome. I've learned to schedule my time (somewhat) in order to meet deadlines. I've learned new skills and new knowledge and reviewed some of what I used to know in high school. It is the hardest endeavor I have ever attempted. You college students and college grads know what that feels like.

I'm searching.... not even sure for what...

I have discovered some good friends for whom I am deeply grateful. Their phone calls and e-mails have been lifesavers. Thank you.

I still miss my cat, Smokey. Little Spooky has begun following me around and on rare occasions will curl up with me as long as it is his idea. He has spunk and mischieviousness shines continually through everything he does. He is a great comfort even though I miss the big cat sleeping on my feet instead of the little cat sleeping under the bed.

So here's hello to the great out-there...

Spring promises to bloom before us soon and I have loved the days that remind me of my favorite season. Enjoy the days...

This is my 28th anniversary of a day that changed my life forever...

Farewell to My Cat Smokey

Smokey came to live with us in 1995. My son was working in the garage about September and found a little gray kitten probably two or three months old. He was flea laden and looking a little like he needed a vet so we took him and the vet gave me shampoo to bathe him. He was not happy to be getting a shampoo. But the dead fleas! Seemed like hundreds. Then he got a second bath a week or so later. He never much liked water after that so I was always surprised when he decided to take a nap in the tub some years later. The following spring my son found the kitten's poor dead mother hidden in the garage.

Recently we took the 'kids' to the vet for their annual checkup. Smokey was down from 18 pounds to 12 pounds. Examination and blood work showed nothing wrong. He continued to lose weight and when it looked like 10 pounds it seemed another vet visit was in order. He wanted to eat but couldn't. He wouldn't eat dry food and then he wouldn't eat canned either. Then he licked at the liquid. He didn't make it to the appointment.

For fourteen years I loved that cat. We went to Arizona for two weeks one time and when we got home he greeted us at the door. He obviously had not appreciated us being gone and leaving some substitute cat sitter in our place. From then on he followed me wherever I went. Upstairs, there he was. To the basement, Smokey was there. Working in the kitchen, I'd better look before I turned around because he was likely to be sitting behind my feet.

He like sleeping beside me. He went through phases. For a while he draped himself across my feet. Sometimes curled up by my tummy. His favorite place was behind my knees. And that's where he wanted to be recently even though getting up the stairs and onto the bed became a challenge.

He loved playing with the catnip filled squirrel I brought home for him. Batted it around. Carried in his mouth. Rolled on the floor with it. Early on he like batting the ball in the round thingy. Although the other two kids loved chasing laser lights, Smokey was more interested in stalking them while they played. Only on very rare occasions would he pretend to bat at the little red light but certainly never chased it.

I've known that one of these days he'd be gone when I came home and today he was gone. I cried. He'll be buried in the same garden spot where Charlie has been since Christmas Eve 2005. An era ended today. I sure hope cats will be with us in heaven because I sure want Smokey to be there to greet me when I walk through that door.

Stress Management

I think a miracle happened this summer...

On June 11, I decided to go to a 'general session' at LCCC to see what school was all about in the event I wanted to sign up. I went. I talked with an admission counselor. Later in the week, I took the assessment test; this got me into the English class I wanted and the pre-algrebra class I expected.

I had looked through the summer class schedule. I realized summer classes had begun May 31st. Eight week classes began on the 15th. I wasn't about to begin a class the week before the graduation party! That left two five-week classes that began on June 30. I attempted to register for both. One was full. The other I got in.

Stress Management. The laughter part was that the class met at 8:00 a.m. We're talking about an heretofore non-morning person and a definite night owl. I paid for the course. Bought the book.

As I looked through the text, I began to see that this was an in-depth class and nothing to do with fluff. I was interested in what I saw in the text. It didn't hurt that one of the two authors was from Utah.

The course has been life-changing for me. The instructor if fine and has enough enthusiasm, humor, and humility that the class works for me. There is a LOT of reading. There are assignments to turn in every day. These and other things are on the college's computer system. I can log-in and access my records -- classes, grades, assignments, power-point presentations from class -- it's more fun this way. I'm working really hard and I'm glad I only got one class. Mornings are good, too.

I'm learning so much about how to control stressors in life along with a whole new vocabulary, a lot of actual techniques to learn about relieving stress, and guidance -- in text or in class -- to figure out more about what's important and what's not and how to manage the difference.

It's my belief that getting into this class was not coincidental, but guided because God knows where I am and that now was the time for this course to help me progress and grow where I needed it most and was ready to learn. It's all a great feeling...