Newest Family Blogs (546)

Greeted by freezing temperatures and 1/2 inch of snow, it was good to see my brother, nieces, nephews and their kids. Flurries, not enough to stick today, the sun came out for an hour this afternoon. Food, shopping, more food and more shopping. Two concerts lined up and indoor soccer with the kids tomorrow.
I bought a 5G laptop so I can keep up with work correspondence and personal email. Hopefully, I'll finish drawings and making a parts list for the next project going into production. Yes, I'm on vacation...

As a very young child (I was about 5/6 when my mother left my father), we moved around a lot. My mother sometimes worked 2 jobs, but rent and other bills always drained her finances. Wherever she found better-paying work, and or cheaper accommodations, we moved to. I never minded much, as I was quite young and didn’t really understand the problems with it. In fact, I just enjoyed being in some place ‘new’.

Of course, with age brings reason, but even though I understood the process more I still enjoyed the feel of ‘newness’ that comes with a change of address. I plan on moving again soon. At first, I was very distressed about it because I was literally being ‘forced’ to move by my older brother who insisted on selling our house (I am currently waiting on him to buy me out). In a nice way, I’ve realized that even though it was not my choice, it may be the best decision I’ll make.

This house was bought and paid for mostly by my mother, with contributions from myself and older brother (who were co-owners with her), as well as my younger siblings. Over the years, she did two separate renovations, adding on extra rooms to it. She also ensured that her lawn, trees, flowering plants and general yard space looked ‘pristine’. This property was part of her legacy, and her vision was for it to be a haven for her children in time of need.

For a while it was just that for me and my younger sister (I returned to the house about 5 years ago), but since my older brother and his wife moved in and have altered its state as a haven, it’s now time for me to go. Only this time, I won’t just be moving, I’d be ‘moving away’. I’d be leaving something very significant behind, so this move will be ‘bitter-sweet’.

However, I’ve decided that my new home will be dedicated to my mom and dubbed “Joyce’s House, #2”. I plan on using it as the haven that she had intended; for my other siblings, relatives and close friends. And, hopefully, this may be my final move (on earth, at least).

This can happen to you bloggers in real life too.

I attended a funeral today for the mother-in-law of a friend who shares the model aircraft hobby with me and a handful of other friends. The woman's health was failing and they were making plans for her to stay with them. Things changed and she was hospitalized. From there it was a downward turn. Hospice was called in for the final few days.

We all know my friend's wife, but none us met his mother-in-law. About 5 of us attended the ceremony. It was the first time I've seen them in 'nice clothes' as we usually meet on weekends wearing shorts, sun glasses, baseball hats and athletic shoes. The mother was in her 80's and nearly all the folks attending were over 60. Friends and family made for a pleasant reunion. My friend and his wife were appreciative we were there for support.

Listening to those who gave testimony about the woman and her life, it appeared she was into photography and famous in her city for following many of the sports teams starting from high-school into college. I believe her photos were used in amateur sports publications locally.

Now that she's gone, her 2 children will clear her house and get it ready for sale. The realtor they selected had the house appraised and made a list of items that need to be brought up to code so there will be no complications in making a sale. Expected to sell for above the appraised value, this is no surprise for nice houses in South Florida.

My friend and his wife are content in the house they currently own and will probably pay off the mortgage with the inheritance money. I would think the rest would be for some investment when the time is right!

Summing things up, the pastor said "Betty is in a better place now..."

They must be lying to me as many people I come in contact with think I'm (much) younger than my real age. Thinking back more than 40 to 50 years ago would I have envisioned I would look this way now?

I've been slowly getting around to a project of setting a scanner and computer for archiving old photos and saving them to a few hard drives as some of the oldest family photos date back to 1920ish with my grandfather and grandmother's portraits in sepia or black & white that was hand painted to appear like a color photograph.

People say I look like my dad and comparing myself to photos when he was in his 60's has me with more hair, but him having less grey. The only other significant difference is his nose was larger. Thanks mom!

Its a new one on me
but its what I'm just after hearing on the radio.

The idea behind it is share and express your gratitude of them, how they are or once were ...
or so me thinks

Given both of my grand mothers were stern witches....
and both my grand fathers had the view " children were meant to be seen and not heard" at the moment I can't think of anything nice to say, so perhaps its best I leave the comments up to you...
that is, if any at all.

Anyways, to our grand parents
hopefully I'll make a better one, then the ones I had.

Please Please Please, don't use your children ,in a break up ,I said to girlfriend at the time ,if we break up ,do it nicely ,and when we we'd, the same ,but life ?? is sometimes like hell ,my ex did not want me and or 9yo daughter ,but I told my daughter to send ,mothers day card to her ,not for my ex ,but for my daughter ,because I did not want her to have regrets, :Terry

It's no secret that a good percentage of the Asian women on CS are Philippine working in other countries. It could be cities like Hong Kong, Singapore or Dubai where they are contracted to be domestic help and in many cases, English teachers for young children.
The ones who have a medical background usually hire out as nurses or health care workers.

One profile stated she is an OFW. That acronym was new to me and it means Overseas Filipino Worker and describes people who leave their country in search of opportunity that is not available in Philippines.

My father was in the Navy during WWII and traveled the Pacific. While docked in the Philippines, one of his buddies met a hospital worker and they started a relationship. After the war, she came to America where they married and lived happily ever after!

There is a large Philippine community in Miami and some women I've met were in the medical field having received their nurse training in the Philippines.

A lot of credit goes out to the women who accept the challenge of working in a foreign land to aid their families back home!