A few funnies

After my serious and kinda sad post last week about Patrick, I thought I'd post a few funnies I've collected lately from various locations.

Thanks to all who gave me enjoyment from your cleverness! And I happily borrowed them...

These pretty well sum up the way I've felt on various recent occasions. I am home tonight - rare on a Monday. Amy is flying to DSM Friday to serve as a bridesmaid in Stormy Weis's wedding, so I'll stay Thursday night in the big city to pick her up at the airport.

So I worked at home today - even participated in a staff meeting via phone. I made ground turkey and macaroni soup at lunchtime, and was here to greet my honey after work. It was nice. ;>) 

KC with Jud and Kara

We hadn't been to visit Jud and his girlfriend Kara since they had started their jobs in Missouri last summer. Jud lives and works in St. Joseph and Kara lives and works in Kansas City. He spends his weekends in the bigger city. For some reason, St. Joe hasn't been as appealing to hang out in as KC. Why isn't the birthplace of Jessie James exciting?

Now that ISU's regular football season is over, and we're not tailgating every couple weekends, we decided it was time to head that way. Kara's parents, Jud said, had already been down to see them a couple times. Her folks now live in northwest Iowa, but lived in Kansas City when Kara was around three years old. So it's fun for them to re-trace their old stomping grounds.

Paul and I haven't ever spent much time in the city. I went there as a kid, to go to World of Fun. But Omaha was really our destination of choice for shopping and weekend get-a-ways back then. So I don't know my way around at all.

Our buddies Bobbie and Jeff lived in a northern suburb of KC in the 90's and we visited - attending the Renaissance Festival. I'm still wondering why we thought it was a good idea to buy Jud and Kimmy, then around 5 years old, wooden swords. One perfectly cold weekend Bobbie got Packers/Chiefs 4 FREE tickets on the 50 yard line at Arrowhead Stadium - for which my husband could never repay her. A chance to see his beloved Pack in action! With a nearby parking pass. (Except the Chiefs won...). It was pretty cool though.

We attended our niece Katie's wedding in Kansas City in 2006, finally visiting that storied "Cyclone Bar" - Kelly's, later that night. The past two falls, Iowa State played Kansas State in football at Arrowhead. Of course our gang attended and last year we stayed at the Crown Plaza near the Power and Light District - where the Cyclones had their rally. It was a great time!

I made reservations at the Crown Plaza for last night, through Travelocity. It's a 3.5 star hotel. I find, the older I get, the more I like quality sheets and towels. We headed out from Creston around 8 a.m. yesterday, arriving at Kara's North Kansas City apartment just before 11 a.m. Iowa State was supposed to play at 11:30, but lightning delayed the game until 1 p.m., so we hit a cool restaurant in the burg of North KC. It reminded me of a bigger Valley Junction in West Des Moines. This restaurant has tons of sports memorabilia, even old Cyclone helmets! The Cyclones played a valiant game, but lost in the closing minutes to KSU.

Katie with Naomi

Jacob

After the game, we headed to our niece Katie and husband Albert's house in Overland Park, KS for a visit. They have two adorable children - Jacob 2 1/2 and Naomi is 6 months. Plus two nice middle sized doggies. They live in a lovely1960s two-story home in a neighborhood with lots of mature trees. Jake was very intently trying to operate an electric train - with help from Mom and Dad. Naomi was very content with a bottle. It was a nice visit - hope Jud gets together with his cousin Katie again sometime! He and Katie's bro John, who now lives in Orlando, were buddies through the years when cousins would get together.

From there we headed to the Plaza for a barbecue restaurant called Jack Stack. It was only about 6:30 p.m. so we were ahead of the crowd and scored a table pretty quickly in the bar. The guys ordered beer and Kara and I settled on pretty martinis. It was a meat festival - Paul and I both got burnt ends with prime rib and ribs.

We wanted to shop after supper, but it was misting and miserable shopping weather. The stores did look enticing - all the good stuff down there. I must return! We drove to our hotel and checked in - we landed a 2-room handicap accessible suite! What's with the handicap thing? We got a handicap room in Nashville in August too. I must not be aging well...

We decided to walk down to the Power and Light for a drink, ending up at McFadden's - a loud sports bar. There was music, people talking, and televisions with all the various footballs games around the huge bar. The evening crowd was just starting to trickle in. Chicks in their leggings, thigh high boots, and short dresses. It was time for this chick (who obviously looks handicapped) to go.

We crashed shortly after we got to our room. Then at 4 a.m.ish the fire alarm at the hotel went off...lights flashing in our faces. Paul called the front desk and they said they just needed to re-program the alarm, we didn't need to escape. Phew! Two hours later they finally got it stopped! A pillow on my face worked okay - we were lucky the alarm wasn't too loud in our room. They comped us for parking after we complained - $18 for our pain.

We had a yummy breakfast this a.m. with the kids, at a place in the north part of KC. They had eaten there with Kyle and Renee, Kara's parents. I must say, KC is a good time - and I must go back! Jud and Kara are having fun finding their way around the city - reminding me of when I lived in Omaha and Paul would visit. It's exciting, getting to know the restaurants and the shopping areas of a city. They'd like to meet more people, but of course that all takes time. Their jobs seem to be going okay. Life is good!

Patrick - angel at 20

Was it really me who had that baby who died? Sometimes it feels like that was someone else. Have I really grown that old? In some ways I feel like I was older when Patrick was born on December 2 and died December 8, 1991. He had a congenital heart defect that perhaps today they might have detected while I was pregnant. Would that have changed things?

Anyway, I sure had to act grown up then - a dead child with two babies to raise. Thirty four years old. Phew. Looking back, I was ancient!

Now I'm 54 with a child gone now twenty years! I was feeling so casual about today, Pat's bday, until I heard from some of my fam. Cindo texted. Jordie put something on Facebook and Betso emailed. Then Jud sent a text. I saw that Amy posted a photo of the three kids on Facebook and that really got to me - along with all the associated comments. My poor baby boy - his siblings who never got to know him. Thinking about it makes me a little weepy. It still hurts.

I always thought I'd be an "under the radar" kinda person. I wouldn't be the smartest, the prettiest or the nicest. On the flipside - I didn't consider myself a total dog in the looks department, and I know I'm pretty darn smart (or smartass). I wouldn't ever be the baddest - though I knew how to get in a bit 'o trouble. So I didn't think God would notice me enough to pick on me. Hey, I kept my head down!

So I'm still pretty shocked that it happened to me. To us. How did our family get picked to lose a child? Is there someone/something that does the picking? Is it to help character development? To make us learn a lesson? Was it protection from something that would have happened later in Patrick's life - he was destined to be a druggie? Or does stuff like that just happen randomly, and the higher power cries along with us when we hurt?

I still don't have the answers - the ones I searched so hard for right after Patrick was born and died. And I don't know why a good guy like my bro-in-law Boldie had to get an aggressive form of prostate cancer, or Thea is forced to fight myeloma. There are a lot of sucky things in life we all have to deal with. I guess if we knew, then we'd be that thing we call God.

When I think of Patrick - the miracle was the way our loved ones carried us through that awful time. And beyond that, the way others, some we didn't even know very well, reached out too. It was very touching. And I'll never forget our dear friend Father Howard. He alone makes me give the Catholic Church a pass on many transgressions. The guy spent a couple years stopping by our house, just checking on us, making sure our marriage survived the loss of a child.

He even loaned us money for medical and burial expenses - though he said it was from an anonymous parishioner - I'm sure it was him. Having someone give you an envelope with $2,000 cash in it, saying "just repay it when you can," was shocking. Humbling. We gave it all back quickly - we were fortunate that our parents helped with the funeral expenses. But I have never forgotten that loan.

Bless you our angel Patrick, on your 20th birthday. I learned many lessons because of you. I feel blessed to have a wonderful husband and two other fantastic kids.

For everyone dealing with the difficult things in life - may you be surrounded by loving people who help carry you.

The Landlady

My landlady Joan is no lady...she's my friend! It's Joan's birthday today. We went out to eat at Applebee's. Joan had a coupon. It was nice chatting with her, until the high school cheer squad arrived - all twenty or so all chatty and LOUD.

Oh well, we just talked louder. It was fun anyway, just catching up on each other's days.

Joan and I get along well. She's so easy to get along with - even tempered and never moody. I try to be a low-maintenance roomie. And she's a low maintenance landlady. In fact she even takes care of me - washing my towels and sheets.

We like lots of the same TV shows, like Revenge and Parenthood. Sometimes she watches funny shows like Modern Family with me but often you can find her out at her dining room table surfing her laptop, while I'm in the TV room on my laptop.

I'm so lucky to have a nice place to live like this. I thank my lucky stars each week for Joan - the birthday girl!

A few things

• Are you one of those people that has your Christmas Tree up?  
• Did you decorate your whole house with lights already? Our neighbors, the Stofferahns (okay it was Todd) put lights on their house and the trees. 
• I took my fall wreath off the door. Woohoo! I'm not sure when I'll take that next big step.
• I don't think I'll put up the big tree, because we won't even be here for Christmas! Jud won't be home at all. The big tree takes up so much room! Don't tell Paul but tomorrow I'm going to seek out a small pre-lit smaller tree that I can just set out on my coffee table.
• I stopped at World Market tonight. I love that store! They have great international foods and drinks. Plus their greeting cards are very funny.
• I wish I had a Wii at Joan's place as well as at my house. Over the weekend, I updated my Wii Mii and put new ones in for the rest of the fam. Here I am. And this time my Wii Fit age was 46. My head looks kinda big - doesn't it!

Post turkey day Goldsmith Christmas

All too soon...our fabulous most funnest (yes, I know that isn't a word) Thanksgiving ended. Okay - it probably wasn't the most fabulous ever. Amy and Kara dislike football (except the Cyclone football..and I'm not so sure they even like watching the Cyclones play). And on Thanksgiving Day, first the Packers game was on (Paul's fave team) and then Jud's fave team was on (Cowboys). Jud did play checkers while he watched the Cowboys. That's what love will do to ya. Paul didn't even pretend to want play anything with me whilst the Packers played...

Anyway, it was great having everyone together. It was hard saying goodbye to Jud and Kara who were heading out for Sioux Center (in Northwest Iowa where Kara's parents live) Friday morning. Amy, Paul and I took off around 8 a.m. for Earlville for the Goldsmith fam gathering. We stopped briefly in Story City at the half empty outlet mall where I purchased some undies at the Vanity Fair store. Paul got some Packers sweats.

We pulled into E'ville about noon, and headed to the town mealsite - where the elderly residents meet to eat each weekday at noon. The Goldsmiths reserve the building each year for this date. Only Paul's sis Carol was there, so we grabbed her and took off for Dyersville to get a snack and watch a bit of the Iowa vs. Nebraska game in a local pub. I had a hard time keeping from cheering out loud for the Huskers - even though I'm not a fan of theirs, they are the lesser of 2 evils in my book. Carol was afraid I was going to get beat up - by the many black and gold clad fans in the pub.

We made it back to Earlville intact! And soon the rest of the Goldsmiths began to trickle in. We finally got to Matt Vorwald's wife of like 3 years - Beth. And the plethora of new Goldsmith bambinos - 4 since April! We held the usual gift exchange - draw numbers, select according to numbers and you can steal someone's gift, up to 2 times. I ended up with an indoor/outdoor thermometer. Quite functional. We ate ham sammies and cookies. It's always fun to see the Goldsmiths and get caught up on their lives.

Katie, Chad, Karen, Kurt with babies

All too soon it was time to scoot home to Creston - Amy had a bridal shower the next morning. Stormy Weis is getting married in 2 weeks! 

The gang's all here

Our gang arrived Wednesday - Thanksgiving Eve. Amy flew from Denver into Kansas City, and Kara, who works there, picked her up at the airport. They drove up to St. Joe, where Jud lives, and on up to Ioway they came, arriving about 6 PM. Paul and I were awaiting with open arms.

It had been a long short week for me. I was only in DSM from Monday morning until Wednesday. But I suffered from migraines all three days. Yuck! So I was pretty puny by the time I worked in my cubicle until 10 a.m. yesterday morning and stopped at the big HyVee grocery store to pick up a few things - a Mexican dip, salads, wine and crescent rolls. I finally felt good enough to eat something on my drive home.

I didn't need to feel crappy on the big day that my kids were coming home! A short nap was in order. By mid afternoon I started to perk up. Paul browned some burger and I put together some enchiladas for supper. I didn't want anyone to go hungry! They pulled up to the house right at 6 PM, and Odie wasn't the only one wagging her tail with delight!

We got the dip and chips out, and cocktails were in order. I decided I best not tempt the migraine gods with liquor - so I stuck with water! Supper was just was right as the five of us talked and laughed over enchildadas. Love having the fam together again.

Afterwards it was Wii time baby. That's right, we started playing Wii Fit. Kara kicked our butts in bowling. Then Rachelle drove in from Ankeny. Rachelle is Amy's college roomie, and she was looking forward to a night of partying in Crestonia - where the night before Thanksgiving is epic!

We broke out Just Dance 3, and Amy and Rachelle shook it up right on the living room floor. It was such fun. Chelle challenged Jud to a dance off and it was a close one. I loved all the laughter and just plain fun being together.

Just after 9:30, it was time for Amy, Rachelle, Jud and Kara to hit the town. Paul dropped them off downtown, and they spent the next 4 hours hanging out in three bars, catching up with old friends. Later, (or earlier Thursday) Paul's phone rang, and he got to go pick them up - they were a little rowdy. He had some funny stories to relate when he got back - stuff they had told him on the ride back. I was wide awake for quite a while after that, even though I didn't pick up duty.

Rachelle is a city gal. She had such fun partying in Creston - but she isn't used to partying in bars with people wearing steel toed boots. And people with camo hats and shirts on. She even saw a guy with a knife scabbard on his belt - and she was impressed (or concerned)! Not stuff you see clubbing in downtown DSM. Her powers of observation are impressive. I am in bars with those folks many weekends and don't even notice.

Paul and I attended mass this morning - it's a routine of mine on Thanksgiving. And it's not even a Holy Day (cuz I miss mass those days...). But I do miss attending on this day with my pal Deb who no longer attends our church. Even so, I have a lot to be thankful for. Family, friends health - the list goes on. Life is good and that higher power is the source.

When we got back, the little party animals - Amy at least, was up. The rest of them slowly trickled in. And we've had a great day watching football (don't expect Amy and Kara to say that part was great), playing Wii, and we worked in a little food too. First, I dragged them outside for a photo op in the afternoon. It was 60 degrees out! The Iowa Silk chocolate pie from Upper Crust Bakery - my pal Cynthia Wolf, was great. And the turkey, stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes and scalloped corn were excellent too!

Posing in the wind

Amy and Rochelle ham it up