I'm 51 years old, married for over 30 years and I have three great kids. Our oldest daughter works in clothing design as a technical designer, the middle daughter works for a graphics-printing shop, and the baby boy graduated from college with a degree in civil engineering. He is now working at his first full-time job in Winter Haven, California which makes us empty nesters. My middle daughter had a beautiful baby boy last November so yes, I am a grandma. His sweet little life ended when he died from SIDS which changed our lives forever. Our daughter is having another baby which is terrifying but we are glad she is living her life. Nothing will ever be the same.
We live in Oak Creek, in a great house where the back yard is adjacent to a park as well as the creek. The wildlife that comes by makes for great viewing pleasure. We are committed to feeding the birds and ducks - something that once you start, you have to keep doing through the winter since they become dependent on it. My housecat is continuously teased by the creatures that run through the yard. He's commonly found bouncing off the patio door. We had a swimming pool, which was removed and left a large hole in the yard. We will now build a pond and memorial garden to fill it in. We have a hot tub and a fire pit in the back yard so we could easily vacation at home. We also have a very large organic vegetable garden that I love to work. Cooking and canning my harvest is extremely rewarding.
My husband is currently taking classes to earn his bachelor's degree. He is a cardiac patient, a label that will stick for his lifetime since his heart attack and bypass surgery. He spends his time woodworking and bicycling. He is also a WIAA official, he refs basketball and umps softball and baseball. We spend summers on his Harley traveling the country as much as we can. I have my motorcycle license but I'm most comfortable enjoying the scenery on the back of Jeff's so I don't have my own bike.
I have my bachelor of science degree in Business Information Systems and Business Administration. I work for an IT company doing quality assurance work. I also have my Webmaster certification from UW-M. Occasionally I write for Fox's Community Pages, I manage my church's website, and love spending my spare time making web pages and blog writing.
I like to sew and dabble in woodworking, and I am currently taking quilting classes. I will be selling crafts and quilted items on my new site, http://www.sunshinesews.etsy.com/ and I do a few craft fairs throughout the year. I also love to run and go to the gym daily. Staying healthy is extremely important to me, especially since my husband's heart attack.
We are trying to find 0ur way since our world was turned upside down by the death of our grandson,Stephen. We've had so many changes in our lives in recent years it is hard to stay focused on what comes next so we take things one day at a time.
I watched the national news tonight to see a story about the ugly doll. The story was about how one of the Obama girls went to school with an ugly doll attached to her backpack. The story went on to talk about how things become all the rage because of photos taken like these. I couldn't resist. I had to google the ugly doll. They are ugly alright. I started pricing them and then next thing you know I was on ebay. There they were...and in less than 60 seconds, I was paying for them through my paypal account.Here they are......
I decided to drop off the Milwaukee H.O.G. board as Webmaster. I liked the work and I have the site to a place where it's become easy to maintian but it's just not very satisfying work. I don't really care for some of the people on the new board - not that I was all that thrilled with some of the ones I worked with before either, but I will miss some of my outgoing fellow board members. I need a fresh start with some new plans and new creative outlets so it's time to let this one go. The funny thing is since I made the decision to terminate my services, I still have trouble letting go. Now that it's January, the site is still not updated - even though there is a new Webmaster. I sent a very detailed instruction document and it's not being followed. I have to tell myself to just let go and move on.
So in moving on, I started looking at other H.O.G. chapters just to see if involvement with a different group might be a better fit. After reviewing a few sites, it became very clear that I am not interested in another motorcycle group at all! This was a revelation that felt so right I stopped looking, won't start looking again, and I've even began planning for my own summer motorcycle adventures, no motorcycle group involvement whatsoever. What a relief.
Stay tuned....new adventures are just around the corner!
So in moving on, I started looking at other H.O.G. chapters just to see if involvement with a different group might be a better fit. After reviewing a few sites, it became very clear that I am not interested in another motorcycle group at all! This was a revelation that felt so right I stopped looking, won't start looking again, and I've even began planning for my own summer motorcycle adventures, no motorcycle group involvement whatsoever. What a relief
Stay tuned....new adventures are just around the corner!
For Jeff, the year was pretty tough. His heart disease has caused him much distress. He currently suffers from atrial fibrillation and irregular heart beats. The irregular heart beats have been going on since he was in his 30's and has been controlled with beta blockers. On an angioplasty follow-up, his cardiologist found the atrial fibrillation. It was suggested that Jeff have a cardioversion which is a procedure where the heart is stopped and shocked so that when it starts back up, the rhythm is corrected. It takes 15 minutes under general anesthetic. So he had the cardioversion and it didn't work. The arrhythmia specialist basically said he would have to stick with medication to manage the problem. And the problem is that if the arrhythmia is not corrected, blood can pool up in the heart, clot, and go to the brain. The medication to help is a blood thinner to make sure clots can't form.
The medication has terrible side effects. Unfortunately, we found out firsthand. On a Saturday afternoon in March, Jeff was in such terrible pain that we went to the ER. He was bleeding internally. After a two day hospital stay, he was released on the same medication. We followed up with his cardiologist who suggested a different arrhythmia specialist. This one was much better than the last. He said he could help and explained that the cardioversion should be done with a combination of medication to keep him out of atrial fibrillation. So Jeff had another cardioversion in April which didn't work.
It is always best to start with the least invasive procedures before moving to the tougher stuff. So the cardioversion was the first step of the journey. Now the doctor was suggesting more invasive measures. Jeff would undergo a cath ablation. Through catheterization, the doctors will map out the electrical system in his heart, then ablate the areas that are causing the irregular beats. This is a 5 - 6 hour procedure and he had it done in May. The a-fib was gone, but the blood thinners had to continue for a few months after the procedure.
In late summer, Jeff had a spill on his bike. Instantly, he was bleeding internally from the knees all the way down his legs. While recovering, his legs were stiff and because of it, he bumped into a rail causing more internal bleeding. During this time, he had his follow-up with the cardiologist where he discovered that the atrial fibrillation was back. The atrial fibrillation specialist called and told him to get into the office as soon as possible.
Another cath ablation was scheduled for December. The procedure was different this time. The first time, he went into a-fib while in the hospital. This time he never went into a-fib. Now just to make things clear, we knew it was not uncommon to go through these procedures more than once so it was really wishful thinking that it would be cleared up earlier but all these internal bleeding episodes were a major cause of distress. So now he waits to have a follow-up visit and prays for nothing more than no more a-fib so he can get off the blood thinners. The first follow-up is scheduled in January and the time frame to stop the blood thinners is March. So he need to be careful not to slip, fall, or bump into things for now.
So we hold our breath and hope...
The medication has terrible side effects. Unfortunately, we found out firsthand. On a Saturday afternoon in March, Jeff was in such terrible pain that we went to the ER. He was bleeding internally. After a two day hospital stay, he was released on the same medication. We followed up with his cardiologist who suggested a different arrhythmia specialist. This one was much better than the last. He said he could help and explained that the cardioversion should be done with a combination of medication to keep him out of atrial fibrillation. So Jeff had another cardioversion in April which didn't work.
It is always best to start with the least invasive procedures before moving to the tougher stuff. So the cardioversion was the first step of the journey. Now the doctor was suggesting more invasive measures. Jeff would undergo a cath ablation. Through catheterization, the doctors will map out the electrical system in his heart, then ablate the areas that are causing the irregular beats. This is a 5 - 6 hour procedure and he had it done in May. The a-fib was gone, but the blood thinners had to continue for a few months after the procedure.
In late summer, Jeff had a spill on his bike. Instantly, he was bleeding internally from the knees all the way down his legs. While recovering, his legs were stiff and because of it, he bumped into a rail causing more internal bleeding. During this time, he had his follow-up with the cardiologist where he discovered that the atrial fibrillation was back. The atrial fibrillation specialist called and told him to get into the office as soon as possible.
Another cath ablation was scheduled for December. The procedure was different this time. The first time, he went into a-fib while in the hospital. This time he never went into a-fib. Now just to make things clear, we knew it was not uncommon to go through these procedures more than once so it was really wishful thinking that it would be cleared up earlier but all these internal bleeding episodes were a major cause of distress. So now he waits to have a follow-up visit and prays for nothing more than no more a-fib so he can get off the blood thinners. The first follow-up is scheduled in January and the time frame to stop the blood thinners is March. So he need to be careful not to slip, fall, or bump into things for now.
So we hold our breath and hope...
I'm struggling with the concept of new year's resolutions, not to mention actually making one. I think I would rather have a fresh start than try to change some percieved bad habit. Resolutions usually mean discipline and/or routine. I think I am already pretty rigid with my routine. I get up before 5 to be at the gym before 6 every day and I never miss a day. One of my co-workers says he will start the new year with a new attitude. In his case it's not meant as a good thing. He wants to change his attitude to one of compliance and apathy. He thinks caring less means less frustration. The thing is, he does excellent work because he does care and he won't be able to let that go. I think I will heed his example and stick to my plan of no resolutions.
Every year we take a day trip to Michigan Avenue in Chicago. It's a great deal. For ten bucks a person we get a luxury bus ride including mixed drinks and bagels during the ride. The bus trip is sponsored by my employer so the down side is traveling with my co-workers. It's not that I don't like my co-workers, for the most part I do. It's just nice to be away from them considering all the time spent with them during the week.
We sat in the sixth row of the bus. Coolers carrying the drinks were in the first seat on our side, followed by the couple who were going to serve, then a few rows of some of my closest co-workers. One the other side of the aisle, was a seat full of more coolers, a seat with some of the executive staff, and a seat with the bagels, paper plates, and plastic cups. All the rest of the seats were occupied with people, it was a full bus. It's a popular trip.
Jeff's eyes were instantly drawn to the people across the aisle. They were extremely large - I mean the people not his eyes. I know I secretly wondered how they could be comfortable since they probably had to squeeze into the seats to fit. Jeff didn't say anything but I could guess what he was thinking. By the time we got to Kenosha, we were half-way through a bloody mary and a bagel with cream cheese. As we hit the toll booth, we had a second drink and that would be enough of that.
Jeff leaned close to me to ask if I knew those people stuffed into the seats. I told him I did, the guy worked in my department so I knew him pretty well. "I can't believe it, he's eaten two bagels and now he's eating not one, but two egg mcmuffins." Yes, I did see the McDonald's bag but I didn't pay that close attention to anything else. After the mcmuffins were downed, he went back for another bagel. Jeff couldn't believe it. "He's eating another one! - Geez" I answered, "You don't get to be that size without trying." He was just disgusted.
We got off the bus and spent the morning shopping. We started out at Christkindlemarket. Even though it was pretty cold out, we like the atmosphere of the little shops and it's really neat to look at all the European wares for sale. Jeff bought me some Irish cashmere scarfs. They were so pretty it was tough to decide which ones to choose. After that, we walked across the street to Macy's. It felt good to get indoors and warm up. Macy's was just crazy busy. We walked through the first floor where there was plenty of security people dressed in black. They looked like Secret Service. It seemed a little odd. We shopped all the other floors when the store announced that Jessica Simpson would be giving autographs in a few minutes. There was a catch, the autograph was only given to the first 300 people who purchased $90 worth of her perfume. That explained all those security guards dressed in black. I had to get a glimpse. Jeff mildly complained uttering something about Tony Romo. Secretly, I don't think he was too disappointed once he got to see her beauty. In standard touristy fashion, I stopped and took a picture of her much to the dismay of the Secret Service - like dudes.
After that we worked our way down Michigan Avenue where Niketown had a sale. That was a first so we made out on the deals. We went through all the malls and got Lauren's Christmas present at Bloomingdale's. While we were there we ran into Jean, a friend who lives in the Lake Geneva area.
We did our traditional stop to get a drink on the 95th floor of the Hancock building. The view was incredible as always and we were happy to be off our feet for the first time since we got off the bus. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the ambiance and toasted the start of our holiday season. It is a nice tradition. When we got to the bar we had a 20 minute wait and by the time we left people in line had an hour wait just to get into the bar. We timed our visit perfectly. It was 4:00 when we left which gave us just enough time to get some early dinner before getting back to the bus.
Another tradition we have is dinner at China Big Bowl. It's next to Chicago Harley and across from the bus stop so it's the perfect place to end the day. Dinner is excellent. It's authentic, the ingredients are fresh, and the wait staff is wonderful. We really like it there. After dinner we walked over to the bus stop and even though we were 10 minutes early, the bus was already there so we went right in and took our seats. Everyone got on the bus on time or earlier so attendance was taken and we headed out 5 minutes before we were scheduled to leave. It was nicer than waiting for someone who is late, expecially when everyone is tired and a little cranky from the long day. A bunch of people spent the day bar hopping through Chicago so it's funny to see them stumble onto the bus and into their seats. Usually they're sleeping before we get to the expressway.
We settled in for the ride back when the guy across from us started making requests. Can his wife have the seat that contains the box of bagels in front of him so they can stretch out? Can he have more bagels? That's when Jeff noticed them drinking their ice cream drinks they carried on and eating yet more bagels! He was appalled. I was amused. Thank goodness Jeff napped part of the way home! It's funny the things we notice when there's nothing else to do. This was our seventh year on this trip and it won't be our last.
We sat in the sixth row of the bus. Coolers carrying the drinks were in the first seat on our side, followed by the couple who were going to serve, then a few rows of some of my closest co-workers. One the other side of the aisle, was a seat full of more coolers, a seat with some of the executive staff, and a seat with the bagels, paper plates, and plastic cups. All the rest of the seats were occupied with people, it was a full bus. It's a popular trip.
Jeff's eyes were instantly drawn to the people across the aisle. They were extremely large - I mean the people not his eyes. I know I secretly wondered how they could be comfortable since they probably had to squeeze into the seats to fit. Jeff didn't say anything but I could guess what he was thinking. By the time we got to Kenosha, we were half-way through a bloody mary and a bagel with cream cheese. As we hit the toll booth, we had a second drink and that would be enough of that.
Jeff leaned close to me to ask if I knew those people stuffed into the seats. I told him I did, the guy worked in my department so I knew him pretty well. "I can't believe it, he's eaten two bagels and now he's eating not one, but two egg mcmuffins." Yes, I did see the McDonald's bag but I didn't pay that close attention to anything else. After the mcmuffins were downed, he went back for another bagel. Jeff couldn't believe it. "He's eating another one! - Geez" I answered, "You don't get to be that size without trying." He was just disgusted.
We got off the bus and spent the morning shopping. We started out at Christkindlemarket. Even though it was pretty cold out, we like the atmosphere of the little shops and it's really neat to look at all the European wares for sale. Jeff bought me some Irish cashmere scarfs. They were so pretty it was tough to decide which ones to choose. After that, we walked across the street to Macy's. It felt good to get indoors and warm up. Macy's was just crazy busy. We walked through the first floor where there was plenty of security people dressed in black. They looked like Secret Service. It seemed a little odd. We shopped all the other floors when the store announced that Jessica Simpson would be giving autographs in a few minutes. There was a catch, the autograph was only given to the first 300 people who purchased $90 worth of her perfume. That explained all those security guards dressed in black. I had to get a glimpse. Jeff mildly complained uttering something about Tony Romo. Secretly, I don't think he was too disappointed once he got to see her beauty. In standard touristy fashion, I stopped and took a picture of her much to the dismay of the Secret Service - like dudes.
After that we worked our way down Michigan Avenue where Niketown had a sale. That was a first so we made out on the deals. We went through all the malls and got Lauren's Christmas present at Bloomingdale's. While we were there we ran into Jean, a friend who lives in the Lake Geneva area.
We did our traditional stop to get a drink on the 95th floor of the Hancock building. The view was incredible as always and we were happy to be off our feet for the first time since we got off the bus. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the ambiance and toasted the start of our holiday season. It is a nice tradition. When we got to the bar we had a 20 minute wait and by the time we left people in line had an hour wait just to get into the bar. We timed our visit perfectly. It was 4:00 when we left which gave us just enough time to get some early dinner before getting back to the bus.
Another tradition we have is dinner at China Big Bowl. It's next to Chicago Harley and across from the bus stop so it's the perfect place to end the day. Dinner is excellent. It's authentic, the ingredients are fresh, and the wait staff is wonderful. We really like it there. After dinner we walked over to the bus stop and even though we were 10 minutes early, the bus was already there so we went right in and took our seats. Everyone got on the bus on time or earlier so attendance was taken and we headed out 5 minutes before we were scheduled to leave. It was nicer than waiting for someone who is late, expecially when everyone is tired and a little cranky from the long day. A bunch of people spent the day bar hopping through Chicago so it's funny to see them stumble onto the bus and into their seats. Usually they're sleeping before we get to the expressway.
We settled in for the ride back when the guy across from us started making requests. Can his wife have the seat that contains the box of bagels in front of him so they can stretch out? Can he have more bagels? That's when Jeff noticed them drinking their ice cream drinks they carried on and eating yet more bagels! He was appalled. I was amused. Thank goodness Jeff napped part of the way home! It's funny the things we notice when there's nothing else to do. This was our seventh year on this trip and it won't be our last.
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