My roomie

It's Joanie's bday today! Went went to Chicago Speakeasy on Euclid to celebrate, since her husband Billy is working and couldn't get up here from Diagonal. He did send roses though. Our lil buddy Krissy (Joan's niece, Amy's classmate and friend) is here working and went with us. It was a nice little non-chain restaurant.

My fave part was the great salad bar! I know - hard to believe. I'm usually a lazy salad eater - would rather have the restaurant prepare and deliver the greenery to me. But CS had corn relish, both kinds of olives, pea salad and more! Worth getting my butt out of the booth and getting.

Back to the bday girl. She is such a sweetheart!

I met Joan back in 1990 when we went skiing with her and her fiance Kevin, Bobbie and Jeff (Joan's bro), Denis and Mendy and Moose and Kay. We stayed at a condo in Silverthorne and skied the Summit. Kevin had battled colon cancer but was in remission. We enjoyed meeting those two, and were sad to find out a few months later that Kevin's cancer had reoccurred. He passed way the next year. I remember attending a memory walk in his honor at Drake Stadium - he had a huge family and many friends - it was a great honor and showed just what kind of guy he was that so many loved him.

Joan struggled through - living in the home they had shared. Going on because she didn't have a choice. She eventually took a promotion with FedEx her employer in Kansas City. A change of venue! Paul helped her move - she's got a hell of a lot of stuff as I can attest to.

When Joan was just out of high school she briefly dated Billy Bentley - and while she lived in KC, Billy moved back to Iowa from California and they began to see each other again. Joan moved back to Iowa 5ish years ago, and 3 years ago Joan and Billy got married. They bought property in St. Charles - thinking of living half way in between their two jobs (he trucks in Diagonal). But so far they continue to utilize the "visitation" method of marriage - hey that sounds familiar!

Joan is kind and giving. She is nearly always cheerful and is a very hard worker. And she puts up with me! That's the best part. When I considered my options for life in the big city, I checked out furnished apartments for something like $500/month. A couple months after I moved in with Joanie (she balked at accepting any rent at all from me, but I insisted...still ...$150/month?!?) I saw that police arrested people in a prostitution ring at one of the apartments I had considered. Cooties! Glad I don't live in the Ho House!

Gsmith

George and Laura with lil Juddy - don't know where the 49ers stuff came from ...

Carol - far right with Ken's wife Mary middle and Paul's sis Jean left.

There are Goldschmidts buried in the Earlville (pronounced Irville by locals) Cemetery. That's what the Goldsmiths were named back when they came to this country - good German stock. Then WW1 happened, and it wasn't popular to be German. Wieners became hot dogs, and many things German were Americanized.

So Goldschmidt became Goldsmith. Not Jewish Goldsmith - evidently there are a lot of Jewish folks with that name. So I was introduced at my cousin's wedding in San Francisco as Leslie Goldsmith "not Jewish". I guess that was important since David and Lisa were married at a beautiful Catholic Church.

Anyways back to the Goldsmiths. You can't swing a cat in Delaware County without hitting a Goldsmith. Most are Paul's immediate relatives. Paul's dad George had 11 brothers and sisters. His mom Laura Nefzger Goldsmith had four? Paul has 2 sets of double cousins - George's sister and brother married Laura's brother and sister. Jim and Bertha had 9 kids just like Geo and Laura. Double cousins! Paul's fam isn't super close to the cousins - guess we have enough to keep track of with the immediate fam!

We (Jud, Odie, Paul and I) traveled to Earlville Friday for the traditional fam get-together. We used to do this at George and Laura's home - in the basement. But they got up there in years and in 2000 they moved into an assisted living facility in Manchester. So we started renting the Eville mealsite. It's worked out pretty well. We have lots of goodies and this year went with sloppy joes.

Moki the Wonder Dog used to always go. Everyone loved him and viceversa. So much so that now Dorie has had 3 Westies. Odie got to go this year - I was nervous having her around little kids and other pets but she was great around them. So was Jud - at least he left them alone...

Who attended? All the sibs made it, except Connie of course - Paul's sister, next oldest from him, who passed away in 2007 after battling breast cancer for years. Connie never married, and was so good to all the 23 nieces and nephews - passing on her 401k to them.

Carol - the Matriarch. Carol is 18 years older than Paul - on her way out the door when Paul was born. Off to nursing school. She met Irvin "Hap" Meyer when she was a nurse in Dubuque and their first child, Joseph was born with water on the brain and lived only a few days. The church ladies whisked in and removed all vestiges of baby - what they did back then, pretending it never happened. When our Patrick was born and died in 1991, Carol went through grieving with us - the grief she'd never been allowed back then. She had son Tom a year after Joseph, then Terry and daughter Barb who just turned 40.

Irv got early onset Alzheimer's - fading away before he was even 50, in a nursing home for a few years so Carol was a widow of a living man. And so young! He died suddenly - in the mid 90's. Carol had been trying to get on with her life. She completed her BSN at Dubuque University - we attended her graduation. Her kids grew up and are all married and successful.

Carol began to bike, and went on RAGBRAI with Paul's sis Jean, hubby Dave, Paul and (no not me...I don't do biking in crowds) Steve our buddy here. A doc Carol worked with in Dubuque set up an overnight during the route in Northwood, Iowa at his widowed father's place. True love bloomed in short order and Carol married Bud Kragenbrink in 1996? Not sure on that year. She sold the farm and moved to Northwood. She and Bud bought a 2nd home in Park Rapids, MN on a lake. Bud's 5 kids and Carol's 3 got along great!

Bud and Carol lived happily for some 10 years - he was a wonderful, kind man who owned a construction firm. Since he was getting up there - early 70's he talked to trying to sell the biz, but it never happened. Bud and Carol started building their dream condo in Northwood. Then, just after Christmas in 2006, I was home after Dad died, before the funeral. A little confused on the timing - it was a busy exhausted time. I got out of the shower, I was home from Atlantic to get clothes for the funeral. Paul told me he'd just gotten a call - Bud and dropped dead during the night. Heart. How much can one woman take? Paul left for Bud's funeral right after Dad's.

Carol found out - after the funeral, the creditors swept in, informing Carol that Bud was swimming in debt. They had kept their money separate, but lived in fine style. Much to Carol's surprise it was all a shell game - Bud had paid for one job with the next and owed on everything. The bank was okay with it as long as he was still in business. The stress must have taken its toll on him. Bud's kids and Carol's kids were very supportive and with their help, she has gotten through it. One tough cookie!

Carol let the dream condo go, and eventually sold the Northwood place (relief). She lives way up north in the Park Rapids home all by herself. She winters in Northwood, house sitting for some friends who really go south for the winter. Jud and Paul visited her this summer - fishing and boating - had a great time.

Carol is a strong person - fun to be around and interesting. I admire her strength and perseverance. I like to hear her stories of growing up Goldsmith - so different from baby Paul's version. They're all pretty close-mouthed about their childhood, unlike my sissies and myself. Stoic Germans. She is the glue of the family. Love you Carol.

Thankful for

I'm thankful for many things in my life. Thought I'd list a few here:

• My immediate family - starting with my life partner (and current Packer-watching) Pablo, and our children Amy, Judson and Patrick
• My sisters:
• Susan, funny & smart, someone I've always looked up to - she got her masters degree in Environmental Mgt. We tease her that now she's the matriarch of our family. Susi went away to college when I was 11. I missed her a lot. Her family - Jim and their kids David, Leslie and Jordy.
• Cynthia, cool, someone people want to be around. Hard worker, and goofy like Dad. Cindy was my tormenter growing up, but we've become great friends - sharing our spring break in Florida for the past 10 years. Smart too -hey seems to be a theme with the Bullock gals. Hubby Bolder (Brian) and son Colby the chef.
• Elizabeth, organized, smart and efficient. A great mother and Longaberger genius. Great sense of humor. Betso and I spent the most time together growing up. She was kind of a wiener then, but she's a mamma tiger now. Husband Dr. Wayne, kids Alex, Paul, Eric, Sarah and Baby David (he's 12 but will always be Baby David to our fam).
• My sweet Aunties Marty and Jean and their fams.
• My In-Laws - George and Laura passed away nearly 10 years ago now, but they left a fantastic legacy in their children who are all wonderful people. And they all married wonderful people. (like Pablo for example). Their children are all great too! The oldest Tom is only 6 years or so younger than Paul who is the baby of the fam (out of 9 kids). Amazing group - CPAs, an attorney, a couple physical therapists, salespeople - all seem to be wonderful parents to an increasing number of their own children. Great role models for our children.
• My friends - hmm where to start? At the beginning -Robbie Dob, my oldest friend. Sal - her folks were like an aunt and uncle to me and college friend and roomie, Christie D, Mona, all my other homies - Julia, Pammy, Chris W, Candice, Paula, Sandy - and more. We had a great high school class ('76 rules!). Roger and Todd. Those girls from the class ahead of ours were a fun bunch too.
• On to college where I hung out with people who helped shape my adult life - first of all Vicki. What a great person to meet the first day of college! Jane - another true blue friend. Those two along with Sal and myself made up The Big 4. Moose and Steve - my first guy buddies. Jane Ertl. Pablo's friends who became mine - Mike and Tom. Schneid. Brad. Bobby Fitz. And though I didn't know her well in college, one of my good friends Kay (Moose's wife). Nothing like old friends - you can pick up right where you left off, and no use pretending you're someone you're not. They already know your warts.
• Post college - people I've met through jobs and Paul's co-workers. Karla from Fox River who found me on Facebook. My Gits buds - CW, the twins and Jeanne, My trash friends - Christine, my 'lil buddy (cuz she's only 34), Susan, Pam and Barb - been hanging with those pretty ladies for the past 12 years. And now my new work buddies - Becky, Jim, Angie and heck yeah, even my boss Al. Kevin and Kim.
• My homies - my besties - Deb and Bobbie. Dee, Sharon and the workout/breakfast gang Susan, Pat, Lucy, Linda, Nanc, Patti. I rely on these women in joy and in sadness. And I'll be there for them too. My roomie Joanie - I always knew she was nice, but living with her I realize how selfless she is. Our tailgating, lake going buddies - McKims, McFees, Higgins, Conovers. Mary F. Other assorted buddies like Alt L&P.
• My book club - besides Deb, all these ladies were met through a mutual love of reading. I've enjoyed this group a great deal.
• Other friends I'm not thinking of right now - like a star accepting an Oscar, I'm blanking on all the important people.
• My health care providers - Dr. Wilcox (my doc growing up - used to come to our house and give me a shot in my butt - after taking my temp there) Dr. Hoyt, Sheryl, Dr. Buck, Donnie who puts up with my biffed up left eye.
• The great pets I've been blessed to know. My Juddy doggy bro. Frosty and Jack my horses. Bucko evil kitty. Moki best dog evah. Samantha - "kitty". Odie lover of full grown people (she doesn't like kids).
• My house - we moved here in 1998. I love our view, the neighborhood and the fact that I can live life upstairs. I don't like basements.
• My job - a perfect fit for me. Doing what I love - feeling like I can make a difference. Getting paid decent and treated even better.
• Little things like my laptop and my car.
• My adult relationship with my kids. It's so fun to see our children grow up (yeah Patrick gypped us) and to get to know the people they've grown into. Can't wait to see what's next for them.
• You readers. Though I'd do this blog without outside input, I value your eyes and input.
• My Higher Power. I'm not quite sure what that means - still searching for a meaning in life. But this I know - there is something beyond this life of mine. Otherwise there would be no point. Nature is so beautiful. People can be so kind to others, and so brave. That comes from beyond humans - beyond this Earth. So thanks to you higher power, for all the great things in my life.

Thanksgiving memories

Dad with Marty left and Jeanie right grew up at 909 Poplar in Atown.







Above - the living room at Momo and Bubba's.
Left to right - Momo, Mom, Dad with Cindy, Bub, Susi with our doggy bro Jud and me on my other Grandma's lap (we called her Gramma) My other gramps Pops must have been behind the lense.


I love Thanksgiving! It's a great holiday, sans much of the hoopla of Christmas. And turkey tastes so good with all the fixins.

When I was a child, I was mostly oblivious to all that went into Thanksgiving dinner. When my grandparents (Dad's parents, Wally and Zora Bullock - we called 'em Bubba and Momo) were still in good health and living in their home at 909 Poplar in Atlantic, we went to their house for Thanksgiving. It was the house my dad and his sisters grew up in.

It was a grand old two story house complete with a dank, dark basement and an attic with creaky stairs and insulation showing between the rafters. My sisters told me not to step on that stuff, because I would sink into oblivion. And I believed 'em! We usually entered the house from the alley - parking behind their detached single car garage, going up the walk to the porch and in through the large kitchen. Beyond the kitchen was the formal dining area which contained a beautiful table that sat 12 or so easily.

From the dining area, you passed through the formal entry area from the large front porch (complete with wooden swing). That room went on into the combination living/family room. To the left - the front of the house, were Momo and Bub's chairs and the center of their universe (by that time they were getting up there in years), the color console television. Bubba's pipe collection and tobacco sat by his chair. I loved to smell the stuff. Momo always had her Salem cigs by her side.

On the other end of the room sat Momo's upright piano. In between there was a gorgeous wood burning fireplace and a floral print couch. Momo's prized mirror (she never would tell anyone what it set her back) was in the room too. I hear Momo could play any song by ear, but I don't remember her playing the piano. There were built in book shelves that contained Momo's cruet collection. Connecting the living room and the kitchen was a long bathroom - stool, sink and a large bathtub.

The door to the dark basement was in that room. On the wall, in the plaster in the stairwell were my handprint belonging to Dad and his sisters Martha and Jean. The basement included the washer and dryer, and huge hold stove and the room where the coal was kept before gas heat was installed. There was a little area where we were sent to play - there were a few toys down there. But we never stayed long. It was cold and dark.

Inside the front entrance sat my favorite item - a pine chest of drawers that contained the toys and games. There was some type of board game - Speed Racer? Can't quite remember. It was old. There was a suede bag of marbles in there too. And tiddly winks. Remember that game? We used Momo's wrought iron corn muffin tin to "wink" into. I grew up thinking that was part of the game, until I was older and figured out those corn shaped things were for baking.

Stairs in the entry way lead up to the four bedrooms and bath. Bub had the largest room, and by then Momo slept in her own room. Bubba did oil painting and one bedroom kept his easel and paints, along with paintings in various stages. The forth bedroom was where we stayed when we overnighted with them. (it was a good jumping bed too).

In the middle of all those bedrooms was the door that led to the attic, up creaky wooden stairs. It contained various treasures including my aunties prom dresses. Along the steps there was a built in bookshelf where I found many beloved books - Happy Hollisters, Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew and more left behind by Dad and his sisters. I still have a few of those books.

Thanksgiving memories in that house are many and rich. Besides my immediate fam and M & B, various others attended through the years. Bubba's brother Max (un PC nicknamed Nig thanks to his dark skin tone and no I didn't get none of that...) and his wife Mary Lou, Hazel Marshall - Momo's bestie to name a few. Momo was a fab entertainer, and had a very quick wit. After we played and the adults had drinks (we always have been an evening eating bunch - no "dinner" turkey for us), it was time to eat. The table was gorgeous - complete with special china and a crystal turkey shaped cranberry dish. Black olives were featured on the relish tray - and they always made their way onto our finger tips.

A card table was set up for turkey carving next to the table. One year it collapsed, dropping the turkey to the floor. Momo whipped it out to the kitchen in a flash and brushed it off. Before we knew it she returned saying "good thing I had that back up turkey in the kitchen!" Many of us like dark meat so she would get 2 extra legs. And after we eat, dad would lay on the floor moaning saying he'd eaten too much. And I can never pass a time eating turkey when I don't think and say his fave phrase "Sherky toot in Kenver Dolorado" which came from an old joke about a drunk.

The best thing about my memories of Thanksgivings past at my grandparents is that I was too young to remember any unpleasantness. Or I've blocked it out. I'm sure there were harsh words at times, fighting and crabbiness (and that doesn't include sibling spats - that's just the grownups) dry turkey and too much alcohol. But not in my memory. I love Thanksgiving.

On the Job

Above - the Wallace Building. I work on 5th floor

I've been on the job now for nearly a year. I know - hard to believe huh? It was the first week in December last year that I interviewed for my job at IDNR. While finishing up a grant-funded project for Prairie Solid Waste, I'd been lobbying for a job at DNR for several months.

Last year wasn't the first time I applied at DNR. I had decided by 2006 that I was no longer happy with what was once my dream job. While I still enjoyed many of the things I did, the politics of the transition from landfill to transfer station did me in. Neither did I like the operations part of running a landfill. Life is too short to hate your job!

So in December 2006, I applied for a job at DNR and even had an interview lined up. Then Dad and Kay (his lady friend) came home for Christmas. Dad became ill - they thought it was the flu, and he was hospitalized. On Christmas Day I got a panicked call from Kay saying Dad had taken a turn for the worse - by the time I got to Atlantic he was being rushed to an Omaha hospital.

Dad was really sick, but the docs weren't quite sure what was wrong. He was comatose. Kay and I stayed the night at Methodist. It was bleak. I called for the troops - Cindo hopped in the car and drove all day Christmas Day, staying overnight somewhere in Nebraska - truck stop food for her supper. Susi and Betsy flew in the next couple days.

My interview had been set up for that week, but I couldn't deal with it. So I called and withdrew my application at DNR. Dad had emergency surgery - they discovered part of his colon had died and it was poisoning the rest of him. He made it through the surgery but never came out of it. His kidneys shut down. My sisters and I made the decision to turn off life support, and just like when Mom died he waited until I was gone to quit breathing. My parents always did try to protect me.

Living through Dad's death reminded me that life is short. I did not want to waste more time being miserable at work. I told my board of directors at Prairie that I was quitting. I wanted to give them plenty of time to find a director. In April we found out that a USDA grant I had worked on was funded - which would allow me to do all the things I liked at my job for 12 months starting October 1, 2007. Yahoo. Boy that year went fast - but I was ready to be totally done at Prairie by then. I spent 12 years of my life there and it was time to walk away and let someone else take over. I was busy as executor of Dad's estate (that was a tough job - thank goodness the Poolboy helped).

So by the summer of 2008, I was starting to think about my next act. I'd heard rumors that DNR was looking at a new initiative - Environmental Management Systems. I wanted to be a part of that. I began to lobby a couple of the supervisors at DNR - "keep me in mind when you have an opening." In early October I ran into Brian, our Bureau Chief at the Fall Conference. He hit me up about a new position. I was thrilled he thought of me (even though that's what I'd been aiming for).

I got my application all ready and when the opening was posted, I was all over it! I interviewed for the job on a Wednesday. I nailed it. I felt really good about how I answered all the questions and got good vibes from the interview team. I was thrilled the next day when Al (now my boss) called to say I was the top candidate - he and Alex wanted to talk with me again just to firm things up. I met them for lunch that Friday. I started a couple weeks later on December 19th.

It's hard working in a town 65 miles from from home and my beloved. But I love what I do!

A bit about a few things

A book I read recently had a very important suggestion. I've followed it all these years, but for you single girls and boys out there - there's still time to heed this advice.

"Never boink (a nice word for the real word the author used) someone who has more problems than you do." I know, I like to swear and use the F word freely. So why so shy about using it here? I'm not sure. It just doesn't seem right. I guess I like using the F word as a swear word, not as a verb.

I had issues with a "road rager" this a.m. on my way here from Crestonia. I left Creston around 6:15 a.m. and hit I-80 at a pretty busy time. There was a couple semis in the right lane, somewhere around the Adel exit. An SUV was blocking things up in the left lane - not moving much faster than the semis. But we were coming up to an on-ramp and I saw cars wanting to get on the Interstate. I checked my mirrors and saw a car in the left lane, but there was room to scoot in between that car and the one ahead of it - a couple car lengths.

So I put on my blinker and smoothly changed lanes, enraging the car behind me. Well not the car so much as the driver who I never did get a look at. He/she (I'm thinking guy) got right up on my tail and flashed his lights. Wow buddy - not that big a deal. When I was able to clear the semis and move over into the right lane, the guy flashed his lights again, pulled up next to me, swerving towards my lane and then gunned it. Fucker! There I said it - not a verb. Adjective.

Baby girl Amy (okay she's 24 but she'll always be my baby girl) called me this afternoon, on her way walking home from work. She works at Marczyk's - a gourmet market in Denver. I've not been there yet, but it sounds like a cool place. They sell upscale stuff - wines, free range meats, and it seems rare things. Ame sold a truffle mushroom yesterday for something like $484. Yikes! Wonder if that's going on a pizza pie? Not likely.

I made my inaugural visit to the Waukee YMCA tonight. It's a rockin' place. The suspended track circles 2 gyms. Tonight little guys (3/4/5 year olders) were in karate class. It was too cute - there must have been 25 of 'em. It's a beautiful facility and I look forward to going there often.

Catechism

It was my blog about cartoons that got me thinking church thoughts. Why? Because God Damn (I can swear and just confess it it goes away after a few prayers...) Catechism kept me from watching cartoons through sixth grade!

Atlantic does not have parochial schools. So all the fish-eater children had to attend Saturday morning Catechism to learn about our faith. It was unholy torture I tell ya!

I'm not quite sure about the timing. I recall several nuns - Sr. Therese, Sr. Janice, but no real faces or stories. For a while, we had to attend religion classes in old houses around the church. The church had purchased them for a future education center. We also spent some time at the 4-H building with classrooms fashioned from movable walls. Loud! The new center was finished when I was in junior high. It was and still is a very nice facility - big gym, classrooms, kitchen.

I believe Catechism went from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. So I missed out on Johnny Quest, Spider Man, Super Man, Mighty Mouse - all those action hero cartoons of the 60's. We usually carpooled with the Reinertson family from next door. Their kids were stair-stepped with our family.

Bonnie R. was oldest - 1 year older than my sis Susan.
Then they had a token boy Donnie - we had no match unless you include our doggy bro Jud.
My sis Cindy was next (she blew off Wednesday night religion one time and got busted)
followed by Kathryn R. one year younger
then came Laurie R. my buddy and best friend until age 9 or so.
me
Betso Bean Bullock
and finally Annie R.

I don't know how we all fit in one car - no seatbelts necessary of course. This makes me chuckle. Reinertsons had a maroon Buick or some such car. After Catechism one Saturday a.m. we saw it parked outside the new Ed facility, so we got in, waiting for Rosemarie R. to come out and drive us home. But then she drove up in the maroon Buick. We had been sitting in Monsignor Kane's car of the same color make and model! Jesus!