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December 24, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Merry Christmas and many blessings to all!!!
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Much time has come and gone between my last p...
December 15, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Much time has come and gone between my last posting. I don't have anything to report in other than life keeps chugging along as Adam says. I don't ever really have time to do much of anything once school starts. Academics are grueling for Patrick and Will is just busy. Regardless of his leg and knee problems he is doing Special Olymics basketball this year. We will be seeing a specialist in January about the possibility of Botox injections in his legs. Patrick has started confirmation at church and I sometimes wonder if he'll follow in great grandparent traditions and be a minister. Lots of life to live first.
If I don't get a chance to post again in the next 10 days I hope that you all have a blessed Christmas. With much love. P.
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The long and very grueling month of October i...
October 29, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
The long and very grueling month of October is winding down to my all time favorite holiday, Halloween!!!!!! Will informed me today that although he is going to his first teenage dance tommorrow he wants to go dressed as a rooster.??? The kids don't have school on Friday, a teacher comp day, so we are going trick or treating tommorrow night in Thornville which is my kind of town because they have a huge Halloween party! They close the streets in town and turn the town over to trick or treating. Every business has a stand with food, popcorn and games, the firehall is open and they have games and candy, the bowling alley has open bowling with blacklights and decorations, and a good time is had by all ghosts and goblins. The adults have a blast, last year a guy dressed up as a ghoul and walked around town dragging chains behind him, when the kids would tease him he would whip out a small chainsaw(without the chain) and fire it up and scare the pee out of them.
Patrick has decided that he is wearing white shirt and blue jeans and the shirt says "This is my costume, deal with it!"
Tommorrow I jump into another year of my life, and after losing 40 lbs this summer, I am ready for it! The kids and I went to Normalville this weekend and worked our butts off. Everyone at Kemps/See-Mor Grill asked about the whole family. The elementary school is being added on to with a huge 2 story addition, and things are just normal.
Hugs to all, Bets
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An enigma, that's what life is
October 02, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
An enigma, that's what life is. I am sitting here with a dog on my lap, a cat on the desk, a dog behind my chair and a kitten tipping over the trash can. Yet we have a no pets policy. The cats are strays, one from the basement of a house formerly occupied by Venezulan alcoholic scholars, another from the farm. Of course my constant companion is Red Dog, Patrick's minature Dachound, rescued from some kids who were about to pitch it off a bridge. Life is an enigma.
I have survived another turnover, intact but very tired. Will and Patrick are wonderful people who are very loving and supportive. If we all could have people like them in our lives, the world would live in peace. Hugs to all.
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Campus turnover has begun, no more laughter, ...
September 02, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Campus turnover has begun, no more laughter, no more fun!!! Well its my busy time of the year. I had 213 apartments go vacant on Saturday in the midst of the first home football game of the season. What joy, what a mess!!!
Words cannot describe the effects of having 20,000 people get up and play musical apartments on top of 50,000 drunks.
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Hope this finds everyone safe and sound and i...
August 14, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Hope this finds everyone safe and sound and in the places they need to be. Meg called yesterday from Peterborough, Ontario to say they were doing well and having a good time. I leave with Will on Friday morning to pick up Patrick at Torch Lake, Michigan. It will be so good to see him.
So sorry to hear of BaBa's passing. She was a truly unique woman. Brave to start a life in the "New World".
All my love, Bets
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! A belated Happy Birt...
July 24, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! A belated Happy Birthday to Sister Sue. Never older than 29?? I decided a couple of years ago that the aging process had to stop because mentally I didn't feel old, just physically.
Some new concerns have arisen over Will's legs (specifically his knees) and I ask for everyone prayers and good thoughts and love.
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It has been 10 years from yesterday,since Gra...
July 01, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
It has been 10 years from yesterday,since Granma Eddies passing and I still think of her everyday. That she is still with us in spirit as an attribute to her life. lots of love. P.
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As Edna would say, If it ain't the heat, it's...
June 26, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
As Edna would say, If it ain't the heat, it's the humidity. Summer has finally arrived in central Ohio. After a cool wet spring the 90 degree days have settled upon us with a vengance. Patrick is at Boy Scout camp this week. Mike went up for the beginning; Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and I will go up Friday and bring him back on Saturday. Mike cheerfully said that Patrick has a tent to himself and I could camp out with him there and I kindly replied that a nice air conditioned motel room in the next town would do just fine. Getting soft in my old age.
Will started a reading program on Monday with a one on one tutor. He spends the afternoon with Bob's daughter Kris and her 4 year old, usually at the pool and farm. She helps him with his homework and he seems to be enjoying the down time.
I am plugging along, two months til campus turnover!!!!
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Baby tired! I remember those days
June 02, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Baby tired! I remember those days. After Will was born he didn't come home from the hospital for almost a month, so other than his monitor going off in the night he was actually a fairly good sleeper. Patrick on the other hand was awful and sick the entire first year of his life. I spent most of the year sleeping on the living room floor with him.
Sounds like Emma is a gem. Wonderful parents, wonderful baby.
Worked so hard on the farm this weekend I feel like a pin cushion doll with so many aches and pains. Nothing like haying to put you in agony. Hugs to all!
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Congratulations on the new baby!! Life is wo...
May 30, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Congratulations on the new baby!! Life is wonderful. We got back from Chicago safe and sound around 3 a.m. on Monday. The kids and I just took it easy and napped and cleaned up on Monday.
A funny thing happened on the way home. We were about 50 miles shy of the farm and although I had enough gas, Will had awakened and wanted to get some cocoa. We stopped at a Travel America and filled up and went in for coffee and cocoa. We were standing in line at 2 a.m. and a fella taps Will on the shoulder and asks if he likes music. Will enthusiastically responded that he loved rock and roll and the guy said, "Well heres my guitar pick, I played a gig in Columbus tonight, I'm with the group Matchbox 20." Will thought that was great and later I told him he had met a real live rock star! Ships in the night.
Warm blankets of hugs to all. Bets and the boys
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Looks like we will see everyone in Chicago th...
May 23, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Looks like we will see everyone in Chicago this weekend. After great debate the kids and I decided to drive up on Friday afternoon with the usual crazy loose ends but we'll be there. It dawned on me that this will be the first time we've been together since Mom died. Yikes! no more funerals, lets get together and party! Everyone should choose a long weekend and fly into Columbus and come to the farm. There is really nothing to do there are far as sights and excitement, but it might be nice to sit on the porch and stare at the stars at night!
See you all soon. P.
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I am thinking of everyone and their graduatio...
May 03, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
I am thinking of everyone and their graduation preparations and hope for the best for the future. I had hoped I could maybe fly out to Meg's for the day but am having some problems at work and really can't get away. I also don't really have anyone who can keep track of the cows and kids.
Patrick goes on a school sponsored environmental education camp next week and I haven't even packed for him yet. They will be gone for 3 days and be camping and hiking. I did pick up a fresh bottle of Deep Woods Off as the ticks are terrible this year.
I had a pain in the butt tenant come in yesterday and inform me that he hadn't been in the basement of his house for several weeks and when he went down there was a cat and kittens living there. (This is the same guy who left his living room window open an inch all winter and complained about his gas bill. He thought it was O.K. because he had closed the registers in the room, guess he didn't think about the thermostat being in that room.) So I went over and retrieved 6 kittens and found that they had disconnected the dryer vent and closed Momma out until I can get a trap in there for her. Property manangement- never a dull moment.
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Well we are back to spring! We had a frost l...
April 24, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Well we are back to spring! We had a frost last night, after being in the 80's two weeks ago. Fickle Mid West weather.
We had a nice Easter. Will and I attended Sunrise services while Patrick slept off his cold. Will did a great job as an usher. Greeting people at the door, handing out the bulletin, he was a little shaky with the collection plate and kept crossing back and forth between the aisles, but he didn't fall going up the steps to the altar with the collection plate in his hands!! It was a nice day so even though I had a migraine the kids amused themselves and enjoyed the day.
Well I am at work so I had better get back to it. Hugs to all, Much love, P and the boys
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Spring has finally come to Columbus, Ohio!!! ...
April 16, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Spring has finally come to Columbus, Ohio!!! Of course it has to come as summer then go to Spring. I haven't posted lately because there really hasn't been much great to say. I still go back and forth with the farm. I have a 1300 lb, brood cow down and probably it will not make it, but at the same time the Hereford had her calf and it is just as cute as can be. Win some, lose some. At least I don't have to pay taxes, can't pay anything if you don't make anything. I used to think that some day I would see a profit. Now I just figure you farm because you enjoy the torture.
The boys are wonderful. Patrick has so much to do for homework it boggles the mind. He recently completed a 38 page poetry book that had 15 original poems he had written and illustrated. In addition he had to choose 12 poems by other authors, type them up and illustrate and explain them. He chose some good ones; Tiger, Tiger, Stopping at a woods on a snowy night, Fog, etc...
Will is slugging his way through his confirmation events. Last weekend they toured a synagouge and had class. This week he is an usher at sunrise services and then the kids serve a breakfast afterwards and then regular church. Next week he is to serve and clean up after the community dinner (which is part of our outreach mission). There is usually a good crowd. Mostly older people, pretty poor folks from down in the hills and sometimes people who are travelling on the freeway. I think he'll enjoy it but he is limited to certain things physically. I told him I was going to pull a chair up to the sink and make him do dishes!
All is well otherwise. Stay happy, Love. P and the boys.
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Ah the joys of real estate and agriculture! ...
April 06, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Ah the joys of real estate and agriculture! Patrick is playing with a friend this afternoon, Will is at a confirmation class and I am trying to avoid pulling the last of the tax stuff together. I am usually so organized but we moved our office in December and everything that I had sorted into neat little piles got dumped into boxes and piled in the corner of my new office. So the search continues with daily surprises.
After 78 degrees on Thursday, we had snow at the farm last night. It was Mike's weekend with the boys but since he had them for a week and really wanted to watch the final four basketball tournament in peace with his girlfriend, they came back after work on Saturday. We headed home to the farm and after bedding down, feeding and putting a tarp over the new vet pen (where the Hereford VW Bus- she hasn't had that calf yet!!) is residing as her maternity ward. After that it was late and dark and we decided to throw caution to the wind and drive into town to Red Lobster (the only thing that resembles seafood in the country) and get oysters for Patrick, shrimp for Will and lobster tail for me. We picked up milk, headed home and topped it off with a soft serve ice cream from the beer/wine drive thru. I'm sure the people from church probably look askance at me when they see me come out of there but it is good ice cream and it's worth it to hear Will say, "Ice Cream, Umm, Umm in the Tum!" Love to all- P.
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It's balmy and 70 degrees today
April 03, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
It's balmy and 70 degrees today. Got a lovely note from Meg last night with pics of Callie and Mikayla. Could I get graduation dates, just in case I could get away for 24 hours?
Sounds like everyone is perking along there. She said they drove down to Fla. for their vacation. She was a bit shocked by the conservative South.
I was up every hour on the hour last night checking on a brood cow ready to give birth. Still no sign this morning, so the vet is going to stop by and check on her mid-day. I expect she'll decide to get on with it about midnight tonight! This will be her first and she is the size of a Volkswagon bug, so I imagine its going to be a tough one. Pulled one out a week ago with chains and come alongs!
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Back into the groove at my household
March 31, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Back into the groove at my household. The boys and I had a great homecoming get together. We went to church on Sunday and everyone was glad to see them back. I told Patrick that I was lost without he and Will's love last week and he reminded me that our churh family always was there with love for all. He is so wise sometimes.
We picked up a DVD and as it was bitter cold Sunday afternoon we watched it, The Tuxedo, a silly Jackie Chan movie. We had Spanish Mackerel, caught by Patrick in the Gulf, for dinner and woke to a blinding snowstorm this morning. Got to love Ohio, if you don't like the weather, wait a couple of hours it will change! Love to all.
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I am sitting at the office, impatiently waiti...
March 29, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
I am sitting at the office, impatiently waiting for the boys. They were to return yesterday afternoon but there was some confusion on their flight and they missed it. So they got on a later flight that got them into Columbus around midnight last night. Mike took them home with him and now I'm waiting for them. I'm jittering around like a new bride!
I didn't get as much done as I wanted while they were gone but I got everything clean and started the primer coat on the woodwork that has been stripped. What fun!
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The boys left for Florida with Mike, Alice, a...
March 22, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
The boys left for Florida with Mike, Alice, and Mikes' girlfriend Missy yesterday. They are staying in Appalachacola at a cabin they have rented. Patrick called and said he missed me and did I pack the bug repellant and Will said he was happy because the screened in porch had two chairs and an ashtray for his Grandma. Guess I know where they will be hanging out.
I took advantage of the situation and worked late last night and then stopped at the exit before ours and got a Frosty and a salad from Wendy's. I took the back road to the farm and the peepers were singing away in the remaining sections of the old canal. Guess Spring is actually here.
Patricks' dog has been moping around the past day and has been frantically searching the house for him. He is also confused because I'm taking advantage of the kids being gone to tear apart their room and clean and work on stipping the last of the woodwork. I have all sorts of jobs lined up for while they are gone, I wonder how many I'll actually get done??
Sounds like Belize is beautiful, and the perfect place to be right now. Thank you for taking to time to post Sue, my love and thoughts are with you guys.
Adam and Jamie get well. Patrick had that horrible cold/flu thing with a high fever, cough and some congestion. It really tore him down and although it lasted about a week, he still was dragging when he left for FLorida. (Maybe part of that was staying up late and trying to catch up on missed homework.)
It's funny, Will was so excited about going to Florida that he kept packing his toothbrush everynight for about a week beforehand. Finally Patrick got ticked off retrieving his packed with Will's and told Will "the damn toothbrush has travelled more miles back and forth from the bathroom to the bedroom, than it will going to Florida!"
Much Love- P.
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Sounds like things are progressing on the Wes...
March 13, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Sounds like things are progressing on the West coast toward a vacation retreat. Here's hoping for warm sun and sand and beautiful tropical Breezes.
Patrick is on day two of a hideous flu. Although as I sit here in his room and post this, he is sleeping fitfully and his fever seems to have gone down some. It was 101 degrees earlier today. I have banned Will to Mike's, for fear of him getting it. He is a terrible patient whereas Patrick is just so sad as a patient.
Patrick has a minature dauschound that is his constant companion. He is the red short haired variety and Patrick calls him Red Dog. He is so protective of Patrick that as soon as I go over to check on Patrick he runs up and sits on his head to shelter him. Finally this afternoon he was relagated to his kennel. Another sad patient!
I will depart with much love to all, Bets
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Please see this posting as the written backup...
March 09, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Please see this posting as the written backup of the incredible burst of love energy sent out to everyone from a little peice of God's earth in the middle of Ohio. Much love to all.
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Happy March
March 02, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Happy March. I keep thinking that it will get warmer some day but when I walked out of the house today it was snowing. It turned to rain and then slushy sleet tonight.
I am working Saturdays now so that doesn't leave much time for anything. I do cleaning and organizing at all hours and laundry is the night time task. Timm (my office worker) is burnt out and is making a lot of mistakes and being generally rude and unhappy. So I've taken the office hours on the weekends and extra time during the week.
The kids finally got over their colds and gave it to me. Bless their little hearts! They are going to Florida in a couple of weeks with Mike and his newer (1 year) girlfriend. We'll see if they make the entire week. She's nice but doesn't have a lot of common sense. Hope the kids can stay in one peice.
Belize sounds exciting, wish I could take a vacation someday. Only lost one cow in the past two weeks, although I'm not sure that I didn't lose others in the snow drifts. I had 8 foot drifts at the end of the drive.
Has anyone heard from Meg and clan? They got a lot of snow also.
Have fun, eat well adn don't forget the Jones creed, "Eating well is the best revenge." Hope your O.K. Dick.
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Have we dropped off the face of the earth? N...
February 17, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Have we dropped off the face of the earth? No, but really struggling to survive a very long winter. Both boys have been sick with bad head colds and coughs, of course one week after another so I haven't gotten much sleep or work done. Mike won't keep them and I won't let them go to Alice Kohr's for fear of her getting sick. She was 81 this month. Her last remaining sibling, Helen "DA" Lewis, passed away last week. You may all remember her as the maiden Aunt who smoked Camel unfilters. She died of emphezema.
We have had an incredible storm this weekend. First with 6-8 inches of snow on Friday and it is now late Sunday night and we've picked up another 10 or so inches and are expected to get 6 or more by morning. The drifts at the end of our lane are over 5 feet high. Thankfully the kids don't have school tommorrow, Presidents Day.
Stay well, be happy and live good lives.
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Oh the weather outside is frightful! The met...
January 27, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Oh the weather outside is frightful! The meterologists perdicted 2-3inches of snow today with a low of 2 degrees tonight, well we had 5 inches by 3 p.m. and the thermometer is reading 1 below.
Mike brought the boys home and spun out on the way, hitting the guardrail and going in the ditch. they were able to get out without any problems and other than some aches and pains are O.K. God was looking after them.
It was great to hear from the family the other night. Thank you so much for calling. It really made my day and warmed up my evening.
In love and peace.
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After a two hour drive home tonight I just lo...
January 24, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
After a two hour drive home tonight I just logged on to the local T.V. website and there is no school tommorrow. Three days off this week!! It's in the 0 to 5 degree range and the wind is blowing and snowing. The kids are excited to have a "snow" day and it should be interesting.
Hope everyone is safe and well in warmer climes.
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This week is off to a better start I hope! T...
January 21, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
This week is off to a better start I hope! The kids have today and tommorrow off school. The holiday off course today and tommorrow is a teacher comp day. The boys and I did a late start after chores and went into town to go to the Franklin Park Conservatory. It reminds me of the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh were we used to go on school trips and I think with Mom too. It was warm and tropic and moist. Just what was missing from a cold Ohio January day.
I told the office no calls and went in for only a half hour at the end of the day to mop up the worst of the tragedies.
I haven't decided what to do tommorrow. The Art Museum, the Center of Science and Industry or to go to the indoor water park in Sandusky. The waterpark is a definite draw although a 2-3 hour drive. I'll just take everyone's temperature in the morning.
Patrick has a ton of work to do for school so I'll probably let prudence (that old nag!) be my guide.
I hope everyone is safe and warm.
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What a disappointing day! This was our first...
January 16, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
What a disappointing day! This was our first day of rental for the fall and as we usually have 50 people lined up outside to start the day there were 4 today. We usually get about 80-100 applications and we got about 20 today. Further signs of the downturn in the economy.
I found out that one of my owners is thinking of gifting his investment to the Columbus Foundation, a local charitible organization, and I may not have the management then.
I dealt with my usual varieties of nutcases: the Columbus Police called about a possible suicide from a tenant, a guy in a heat paid building who isn't happy with 68 degrees, and a guy in a building that Mike and I own who got a dog and is allowing it to use the vacant commercial space upstairs for a bathroom. Ah! the life of a property manager is always interesting.
I got home to find cows dropping like flies, and while I was getting one up and full of Pennicillin a bunch went through the gate and are now happily munching corn out of the crib. Hopefully they will get their fill and head back over to the gate and I can get them back in late tonight. Ah! the life of a farmer is always interesting.
Got to get kids to bed, love to all, stay warm tonight.
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My weekends without the kids, they were with ...
January 13, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
My weekends without the kids, they were with Mike this weekend, are an endless haul of housework, farm work and trying to finish the house work. After 5 years with a confused kitchen it is all finally coming together. I got kitchen cabinets a year ago on my birthday, no countertop though. My stove was an old electric that had come out of a rehab (no natural gas in the country)and it sat in the middle of the room. In May of last year I got a Kitchenaid 36" drop in smooth top stove top, but still couldn't use it because I wouldn't have an oven. Finally I got a 2 oven built in stainless steel Kitchenaid convection oven and they deliverd it this weekend. After much adjusting and umph it is installed and I am cooking Chicken Terrazini and Beef roast in it right now. Had to sell a lot of cows for that one. But it is finally coming all together. Now I just need a countertop, sink and new dishwasher. Maybe by next year.
Other than that I was a beautiful but bitter cold weekend. The wind blows so hard here that I have considered a wind generator. I had to go into Columbus on work on Saturday and discoevered that there was no wind in town. You have fasten everything down here or your Christmas decorations end up in the gulley!
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Wow! This really works! Greetings from the M...
January 10, 2003 by Betsy in Betsy
Wow! This really works! Greetings from the Middle Earth. Patrick and I went to see Harry Potter this weekend and ended up seeing Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers instead. Some of the battle scences reminded me of the east freeway in the morning. (With all the roadkill.)
We are in process of doing homework and getting ready for bed. So while I go start the shower for Will and get him moving I will let Patrick post a very little with his "Little Red Dog" in his lap.
Wow this is cool,I will post things here so you can read it.
I just started typing and I like cats & dogs and I will post millions pictures of them. I will post pictures at the bottom of the page. Say hello to Cousin Sam.
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