Most Commented Family Blogs (545)

I so like the idea of a dinner just for giving thanks - been invited to a few in Scotland by an American family living a long long way from home and it was great - amazing food (marshmallow yams????) best turkey dressing ever and pumpkin pie simply shouldn't taste that good but finding the positives in a life when we all moan about our problems was the best part.

Whether you have your slice of pumpkin pie on your own in front of the telly, or are driven slightly nuts by hordes of relatives you only see once a year, have a good one. This is a great tradition and the best way to see out Scorpio season

Carrots and Peas, anyone?

Have you thought of what would it be if
you were the same age when you were so active in everything?

You are in a stage where you want to bring back the real you to life. You might have had a tough time till now and coping up with it would have been difficult but there is always a way to get out of it if you are willing.
Focus on the brighter aspects of life, Keep yourself engaged. Meet new people, spend time with friends and family, focus on accomplishing career growth and most importantly give yourself time everyday and talk to yourself, positive talks, The way you talk to yourself can make a huge difference.
This can help you

It's almost been a year now since I semi retired and moved a hundred miles to Tampa where my elderly folks live. I've talked for many years about my intentions to move here in retirement to help them but I never actually considered retireing.

The way life played out was a home went up for sale suddenly in my old neighborhood near my folks. One of my BFFs from 40 years ago called me in Orlando and said the place next to her went up for sale and it was going to move fast. Someone died in it though, of course she neglected to tell me that at first. Anyways I drove up, couldn't resist the deal and bought it for a place to retire to. It sat empty for a couple of years while I used it as a vacation home when I visited Tampa. My boss encouraged me to make a plan for retirement, which was to take two years to phase me out. Next month it becomes final. First time in a long time I didn't work my buns off keeping with clients and their taxes from Jan to April.

Oh but destiny decided I wasn't going to have a drama free tax season. You may remember at the beginning of Jan. I mentioned Mom falling at a doctor's office fracturing and dislocating her shoulder along with a back and leg injury. Up until her fall, I wasn't much use to my foks because Mom had Dad under control doing everything. Until she fell, all us four kids worked together and being the only retired one, I got to really help. Well Dad' Alzeimers flared during Mom's down time. He has ended up falling five times since her injury and is now in a physical rehab center. Everyone speaks spanish there except Mom and I. Dad can't remember his spanish. He also has an awful time staying awake. I think he sleeps 22 hours a day.

Today he looked good and was lucid but yesterday as I sat there I thought I was just watching him die. On one hand I almost wish he would pass peacefully in his sleep but on the other hand I hope he recovers enough to come home for Mom's sake.

I can't imagine being an only child and taking all this on alone so I'm thankful for both brothers and baby sister who by the way has Lupas. She should be nearing retirement but she too is in love with a job she is married to so who knows if she will or not.

Anyways, I write all this as therapy for me. I was putting on a pair of shorts awhile ago because it is so hot then I realized I haven't heard any news in weeks so I don't know if it is cold still anywhere or any other dangers going on.

I'm sure glad my home fell into my lap because I think it is one of the best places I've ever lived. I'm loving the living even if everything feels like it's going to hell in a hand basket on one hand yet on the other I'm blessed beyond my wildest dreams to still have my folks and all siblings.

If you found out that your mother has less than 5 months to live?

Have a great day enjoying and celebrating our independence.

May we always and forever be free.

On one side of the abortion issue, it's called being for choice/womens' rights. On the other, it's called being pro life/support for the innocent unborn. Thesis-antithesis-but can there be synthesis? Aa.

Well yesterday was my 11th anniversary of living in Mexico. WOW.

And you know what?

I forgot to celebrate.!.!.!

But maybe that's an OK thing, cause I was just too busy doing other stuff. Let me tell you about it......

My really great Mexican friend Jorge came out to the castle with his son Lester (what the heck kind of Mexican name is Lester anyway?) to work on a project for school. Well that's totally cool with me, so out to my wood shop we go.

Well Lester has his plan and his material that they bought in town and Jorge always has 3 ideas to make it better, that NEVER work out as re-planned. And I just can't keep my mouth shut, so I put in my 2 cent's worth along the way.

Upshot of it all;

Lester's the happiest teen you could imagine.

Jorge kept all of his fingers.

I kept my patience.

The project got made with 12 copies for classmates.

We filmed it all.

I wasn't lonely for 4 or 5 hours.

Lester says he's so lucky to have his crazy Canadian engineer/carpenter uncle.

And my poor old long suffering dog is mad at me because we ate dinner at 9 at night. Tough I say, school comes first.

Since writing about "Linda"...I have been to see her every day for its getting very near the end....She has shriveled down to nothing...Skin amd Bones...She doesnt open her eyes anymore...Her voice is a very high pitch ...And what she says cannot be understood ....Her Kidneys have shut down now amd they cant try to give her Liquids as she would drown..They say.......She would drown??!!!....For Christ Sakes!! That would be better to do that than for her to Suffer a slow agonizing death from starvation and Cancer!!!.....ITs Scary to look at someone whos cryibg out from deep inside themselves and they are not responding to what you say anymore.....Its sad that this is how we treat are fellow Human beings....Let them slowly die an agonizing Death While those who come who care the most are Horrified as to what they are seeing and Have to go Through....)We as Humans would not let an Animal suffer this way....Imagine your Dog or Cat is suffering..And you go and visit Him everyday and see the pain and him looking at you....Of course that will never be that way(You wouldnt stand for it would you?..Humanity wouldnt Stand for it.."Its the Humane thing to do".....But its not when it comes to Humans ..is it?..........To watch someone slowly die from Starvation ,,No Liquids and a slow killing desease that is Cancer....Goes against life itself.........According to the Nurse..She has 2 days to 2 weeks to live(If you want to call it that)......I get to go and watch what another day closer to dying looks like today......And yes...I do wish that she would just die....For all concerned..especially for her..............I dont want your Pity..Thats not what this is about....Its about Linda and all the Other Lindas out there.......Im positive if it was up to linda she would wanted to "Go" already....."Its not fair..Its not right"...Its a torture thats instilled on "Our Loved Ones" by Others...(Whoever they are)....And we allow them to do this.....And its awfully hard not to break down being a Man in front of other people........And the worst part for those who remain behind?...Were left with all these wonderful vivid memories of watching someone die ever so slowly every damned day til finally "They Are Taken".........This is the 1st time Ive gone through this....And it surely will be the Last........Youll never know the Horrors Ive been through till youve been through it yourself.....People in this condition should be allowed to go of their choosing....We wouldnt do this to an Animal......So tell me...."Whats is wrong here?"...............God?...Will you Please take her now?.................Please?..............

Abandoned Magpie Roams Free but Always Returns to Family that Rescued Her



It was a cold and windy day when Cameron Bloom’s son Noah spotted her, a 3-week old Magpie that had fallen out of her nest and been abandoned by her mother. “She barely had any feathers … and she was close to dying,” Bloom recalls.
The Sydney-based family took her to their local vet where they were told it was possible to raise the chick but that magpies required a lot of time and care and needed to be fed regularly and often.
The family of five (three boys) were up for the challenge and nursed the abandoned magpie back to health. They named her Penguin and they made her a nest in one of the trees in their backyard. She comes and goes as she pleases but she always seems to come back to the family that rescued her.
Bloom, who is a professional photographer, has been documenting the relationship between Penguin and his family on the wildly popular Instagram account @penguinthemagpie, which now boasts over 68,000 followers. Be sure to check out the incredible feed that already features nearly 100 beautiful portraits of Penguin and the Bloom family.

























HAPPY SUNDAY TO MY CS PEEPS WHEREVER YOU ARE!

I'm enjoying mine tremendously coz I'm having the whole house to myself until the kids come home tomorrow

Last monday my daughter from Portland was in town because her Uncle Joe passed away. I was sad although we weren't the best of pals so i went to the wake because I needed to see my daughter.

She was at her Mothers house (Uncle Joe's sister) and when I arrived I called her and she met me outside because they were on the way to the funeral home! I hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. My sweet little Yvonne was a woman and now and 50 years old. No matter, she was still my baby girl.

We got into the car and took off. When we arrived at the funeral home all the relatives were there and we said our "hellos"! Joe's ex was there so I guess we could call her his widow (I don't know the proper protocol) and we said hello again even though I don't remember meeting her previously.

The event began and we sat there waiting for people to come in and express their condolences. Man oh man, time had really passed. There were people there we had known a long time ago but I didn't even recognize them. It was an even draw because they didn't recognize me either! Hee Hee!

As I sat there I held on to my daughters arm. I did that because a couple of years ago I had a sudden revelation. My mother and father were my loves and they still are even in death. I have regretted not going home to visit them over the years. I had moved away and my job was a real maddening situation. I was tied down to my job.

I am no longer at this job so I have had lots of time to think. This will not happen to me and my children. My sweet daughter that I was visiting with now may live far but I was determined to make the smallest amount of time with her so special that we could both be assured our love for each other was fully intact!

We have always been pals and we have shared some crazy times as if she was a real special pal. She is but she is also my daughter and that makes everything treble special.

Her children are the best. My Granddaughter is a Biophysics and Biochemistry major. Her son is a strong B+ student with basketball talent that may make him a Pro one day. Her husband is one of the chairs at Oregon State College so the whole family is multi-talented.

No matter what their achievements are she is still my baby girl. We share some great and crazy memories! I love my children and grandchildren!