All About Me

Today I have been thinking about a book that a friend of mine mentioned. It's called "All About Me" - She said it a great thing to have to leave for your loved ones - you know when you die.
I thought to myself "how horrible" and then the more that I thought about it I wondered what people would say or think about me after I was gone. And since I do not have a will I should at least put down in my own hand writing somewhere what my last wishes were.
So I think I just might buy one. Saw them on Amazon for ten or so dollars.

Back in the saddle? - Maybe

I have not blogged in forever . . . I fell like I say that every time that I sit down and actually blog. Anyhow . . today's stream of consciencness:

Finish getting the tree and stuff out of the house.
Grocery Shop
Have guilt over not calling my mother - I have this one everyday
Call my sister - we did not chat yesterday
I would really like to get out of town this weekend and ski - I miss my ski friends
ARG is getting sick - there goes my weekend.
Simon is still pulling out all his fur and that is very aggravating.
Need to get that tree out of the house.
Need to get confirmations on housing I am showing tomorrow.
Move the laundry
Need to do companies taxes & get all that over to the accountant
Damn pine needles
My back is still sore nfrom horsing around with my brother on Christmas
Call Dad
Need to get our next trip booked.
Would like to go to FLA in March and visit Ky.
Call the vet about Simon.
Tomorrow is trash day
Take the table back from which I borrowed it
Sort the laundry
Call SR about going away Friday
Pick up Nyquil for ARG
Take the tree out of the house
Head home from work. . . . . . . . .

I got this today and thought I'd share it here . .

This email was forwarded to me from a friend of a friend . . . The Photo is from this morning on the lake. Love Jro
*************************************************************************************

Here we are again approaching September 11th. The sharp pains of the day eight years ago fade a little with time, but I still haven't lost the need to remember the day or to try and make something good of the tragedy.

We can always find the good in a devastating situation. We're human, that's what we do. It's easy to point to individual stories of heroism and grace under unimaginable conditions, they are always there. The stories of the first responders, the doctors, the priests and the co-workers who saved lives, all of the people who provided the shining moments in a truly dark day - these are the stories that we look for to help us cope with the ugly reality of a nightmare come to life. What is harder to find is a way to make a positive of an event like 9/11 after years have passed by, even after the tears have dried and the sharpness of the pain has faded.

Each year since 2002, I have written a letter/email/Note to the people I love on the anniversary of the attacks to try to remind them of the tremendous sense of community that I think we all felt in the days and weeks after the towers fell and the Pentagon burned.

There are many memories from those days. The easy ones are:

I remember F-16s flying combat air patrols over the skies of New York and Washington for months.
I remember Emergency response zones at the rest areas of highways in Connecticut.
I remember seeing no vapor trails in the sky over New England and thinking that I hope I never see that again in my lifetime.
I remember hearing no airplanes and thinking that the silence was eerie, then rejoicing the first time I heard a jet in the sky after a week or two
I remember the constant phone calls to loved ones.
I remember checking names off a list in my head as I heard from people I had feared might be dead.
I remember people reaching out to one another to see what they could do for each other.
I will remember to my dying day, my 78 year old landlady knocking on my door two or three days after 9/11 to see if I was ok. I asked her why she was worried about me and she said "The children will be ok. The old people will be ok - we went through Pearl Harbor, we know what happens next. It's people your age we're worried about". I stood on my stoop and cried at the concern on her face.
I remember love, compassion and caring in the days after as strangers asked each other if they were alright and was there anything they could do help.
I remember people coming together because they cared and it was the right thing to do.
It's easy to remember the sharp, bold acts of heroism, and the people who have become heroes. Mycheal Judge, Tod Beamer, so many others whose stories have been rightly held up as examples.

But year after year, it becomes harder to remember the small, everyday acts of love and caring that were the true miracles in the darkest days I have ever known. We, as a society reached out to each other, comforted each other and came together like no other time that I can bring to mind.

So now I really come to the point of this. Let's create a legacy that is worthy of the tremendous outpouring of love and support and caring that followed the shock and horror of the attacks. Reach out to the people that you love and let them know that you love them. Try to connect with your neighbors and your co-workers and the people you see every day and let them know you care about them.

I can think of no greater tribute to those whose lives were lost on 9/11 than to create a greater sense of community and love in the world so that hopefully someday a day like 9/11 can be thought of as the terrible event that caused us to reevaluate our thinking and truly caused us to come together.

Many of you receiving this will have read previous letters on this anniversary, and I hope that you won't mind reading another.
To those of you who are reading one of my anniversary letters for the first time, please know that I am sending it to you, because at some time in my life we came into contact with one another and you are a part of my life that i feel is important I hope that you will think about that and maybe contact folks who are important to you and let them know that they are a part of your life. Of such gestures, the future is made.

To those of you who receive more than one of these, please bear with me - I have a couple of address books and I'm not that organized.

Thank you all, for your presence in my life. Please know that I treasure knowing you, and with any luck this kind of love and connection can become the ongoing legacy of 9/11

With Love,
Richard

Guilt over not blogging . . .

I've got it! Cooper has been the only one at my desk recently. But I am not even sure if anyone is reading this anyway. Post a Comment if you are checking and I will blog again as soon as I have 3 comments.

10 years . . .

10 YEARS AGO I . . .

1.) was 25 years old.
2.) worked doing a job I hated.
3.) had never skied from a helicopter.
4.) owned less shoes.
5.) didn't know what life was like with a Blackberry.

5 THINGS ON TODAY'S TO-DO LIST
1.) Drop dry cleaning - done
2.) Pick Up Mail - done
3.) Move Laundry
4.) Make Dinner
5.) Give the Coop another pill

5 THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A MILLIONAIRE

1.) Pay off our house
2.) Buy a bigger boat
3.) Take a month long vacation
4.) Buy a house on the Lake for my boat
5.) Figure out how to become a Gazillionaire!

5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED
1.) Ipswich, MA
2.) Fair Haven, NJ
3.) Poultney, VT
4.) Quincy, MA
5.) Stratham, NH

5 JOBS I'VE HAD
1.) Hostess at Pizzeria UNO
2.) Executive Assistant to Treasurer at BIG company
3.) Nanny live -in and out
4.) House Cleaner
5.) Real Estate Agent

Only 2 people actually look at this so I am tagging both of you to copy and add to your Blog - Katie and Lorraine!

The Rainbow Bridge

For my friends:
Nancy and Her Dog Bailey & Bonnie and Her Dog Mallory :

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

GMC Girls Weekend on Long HIll

Christi Kerls Tacy, Katie Bingham Smith, Andrea Nahornick

I went to Green Mountain College in the little town of Poultney Vermont. I majored in Elementary Education - lot of good that did me. But anyway, it was there that I made amazing friends. I lived in two different residence halls, Lyman and North. This weekend some of my girlie friends from North came for a visit. Those of you who could not make it - I expect to see you next year and the Lyman girlies well it's time to put a plan in the works.

Katie arrived 1st and I blew the surprise I had been saving for weeks by telling her that Andrea was coming too. Andrea hadn't seen any of us in almost 10 years - Thank You Facebook for putting us back in touch. Christi and Andrea arrived within minutes of each other and it was so great to see them arrive safe and sound. There we were CT, NY, ME in NH.

We sat for a few hours and just got caught up and then headed out to dinner. When we got back I made fire and we sat in the living room until almost 1am - just talking , reminiscing. It was great. Saturday AM I got up early and made a nice big breakfast. I wanted to be sure they were good and full as we had some serious antiquing planned. We hit them all on Route 4 from Northwood to Chichester and even managed to throw in a trip to Calef's in Barrington. Everyone went home with treasures.

I had dug out a bunch of old photos (which I can not wait to scan and post up here) and yearbooks and so they sat going through those while I cheffed up a nice steak dinner. It was very yummy. But after a long day of shopping and a big dinner by nine we were spent and ready for bed - nothing like the old days when we'd stay up until four and close the Hampton House. Oh well it was too cold walking home from the Hampton anyway. :-)

I am so glad we had the time again this year to catch up - HEY that makes Tales one year old - it was Kate who said I should start a blog. Wow can't believe I've been blogging for a whole year and still noone really reads it. Oh well - I do. Leave a Comment if you do too.

To Better Yourself

Look out! I've been reading. Not my usually trashy novels though. I sent the summer stuck in a book I will never recommend to anyone. No thanks go to Tracy Kelly who recommended - Outlander is not the 900 page turner Tracy had promised. Do not bother wasting your time.

In an Instant however is. This book is the story of Lee and Bob Woodruff. Bob is an war correspondent for ABC news. He was injured in Iraq when a roadside bomb hit the vehicle he was traveling in. The book is the story of not only Bob's injuries and recovery but of the relationship between Bob and Lee, his wife. It is inspiring of self spirit and of relationship between two people. Please read with tissues you will need them. This book is worth owning and loaning.

Also picked up are read The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Watching the interviews on TV with Diane Sawyer inspired me to read this book. I loved every minute of it. Do not just watch the lecture on YouTube and think you've experienced all there is - buy this book, actually buy two one to own and one to loan. Share it with everyone you know. But read it in doses. It is not very long but it is full of great things. I resigned myself to just one or 2 chapters a night - this way I had all night and day next to think about how the things in the book related to me. You will enjoy and learn wonderful things about yourself and others.

The Party

We all had such a nice day. How can we ever thank the Chief and Mrs. for getting married and bringing us all together - - Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary!

Wild Orchid Baking

Found this baker on Blogspot - hired her to do "THE" cake for "THE" party.

http://wildorchidbaking.blogspot.com/

We have a deck!!!!

There will be pictures coming soon. We have just finished the deck and I couldn't be happier. The furniture is ready to go. Still searching for a new gas grill - must settle this beofre the Anniversary Party on the 31st.

From Lorraine's Blog to Mine:

Scattegories
SCATTERGORIES......it's harder than it looks! Hit Forward, erase myanswers, enter yours, send it on to 10 people including the one that sentthis to you. Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of thefollowing. They have to be real places, names, things. nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Joanna
4 LETTER WORD: Junk
BOYS NAME: James
GIRLS NAME: Julie
OCCUPATION: jeweler
A COLOR: Jade
SOMETHING YOU WEAR: jumpsuit
BEVERAGE: Jack Daniels
FOOD: Jell-O
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Jacuzzi Tub
A PLACE : Jupiter
REASON FOR BEING LATE: Just cause I can
SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: Jeronimo!
Copy and paste this onto your blog and do your name!

Independence Day

Happy 4th from Joanna, Arthur and the Cats on Long Hill!

Motorcycle Week - Weasel Style

Did you know I ride a motorcycle? I do. Every year Arthur and I attend motorcycle weekend and do some riding. In the last few years through camp and mutual friends we have been introduced to a number of friends that also ride.

Like Ron & Diane our friends from camp:

Arthur's Cousin Anne and her husband Ken Ride too:

They introduced us to the rest of the Weasels:

Bill & Shelly, Deb & Kenny, Jen & Ed, Pillippe & Tonya and Jerry & Dierdra:Why Weasels? Well, on a fluke a couple of years ago some of the gang was in Myrtle Beach for Bike week and said that they need to have their own motorcycle gang - they decided to call themselves Weasels - low and behold there is an actually Motorcycle Group called Weasels and the organizations fits us all to a tee - so we formed the New England Chapter (then we let Philippe and Tonya in anyway even though they live in NJ). http://www.weaselsusa.org/

The Weasels were established in 1993 in CA as a "Drinking Club with a Motorcycle Problem".

From Their Site: The Weasels founded in 1993 in Agoura Hills, California. We don't really have "chapters," but over the years groups in other states have contacted us and asked if they could be Weasels as well. Since the Weasels started out as a joke, the Original Weasels told them, what the hell, go forth and be Weasels. Many of these groups have fallen by the wayside, some others have flourished, and new groups are being founded all the time.
That said, all Weasels "chapters" are independent from the Original Weasels USA. They don't answer to us, we don't answer for them.

Just so you know we are not hooligans - but practical jokers maybe. We are not drunkards but we like to drink for sure. We do not drink and ride. We eat drink and are very merry:

We definitely have a very good time. Looking forward to next year. When we do it all again, eat too much, drink too much, have a nice ride, make new friends, share old stories and make great memories!

-Jro

What's Bloomin on Long Hill?

The Vegtable Garden:

The Flowers by the Well Cap:

The Walkway Hosta & New Tree:

The Alliums by the Driveway:

Potted Plants at the Front Door:

I love Long Hill this time of year!

-Jro

New with me.

So what's new with me?
It's Spring and that means so many things at our house right now:
New Vegetable Garden (we have never done this before)
Mowing (lots of mowing)
Cleaning up the Planting beds
Estimates for Decking (Finally)
Golf, Golf and more Golf - Can never get enough
We went White Water Rafting (VERY FUN!)
Camper to the Lake - all settled and ready
Boat to Deans for minor repairs and then to Kevin's for detailing - Ready Monday!
Motorcycle to and from work to save on Gas bucks - gotta love 49 miles to the gallon.
Screens in the windows - Simon & Coop love this
Emptying out the garage

That's a lot and I am sure there is more. But mostly we are getting ready to enjoy summer and are busy planning for the party of the summer. Arthur's parents are celebrating 50 (yes 50) years of marriage. The party is at our house. Nothing big - immediate family. But of course I want it to be elegant, romantic, personal - perfect. Details on my plans to follow.
For now from the Hill
-Jro

Sox Opener for Me

For those of you who know me - you know I am a sports fan. I couldn't be happier to talk to you about my coming weekend. Arthur and I, courtesy of a business contact, are going into Boston on Friday for the Red Sox game! I was excited just to go see the game and then go home but Arthur said "Let's make a night of it". So I booked a hotel, we're leaving work early and going in to see the boys of summer play.

Now you all know how I am about saving a few bucks. Insider tip for you. If you plan to go to the city to see a game and want to make hotel reservations DO NOT tell them you are in for the game. Longwood Medical district is right up the street, all the best hospitals in the USA. Tell the hotel you are coming in for a medical procedure and they will give you the "Medical" Rate. I saved over $100.00 on our room. Yeah me! Now we can afford to have a beer at the game.

So enjoy your Friday I know I will.

Sad day

Childhood friends are friends forever no matter the distance and changes in one's life. The memories of times together are as fresh as if they were yesterday. I smile just remembering.

Goodbye dear friend know you were loved. Walk with those who have gone before us - share laughter with them & tell them how they were never forgotten. As we will never forget you.

Although, it may be some time before we see each other again you will be in our hearts forever.

Sin City

Hello - I am back from Sin City. We had a great time. Arrived on Friday morning checked into our condo and changed clothes. we both were starving so we headed over to the casino next door for breakfast/lunch. The weather was warm enough for short sleeves and open toed shoes. We ate and then gambled the afternoon away. We thought about 3pm that we ought to head back to the condo for a nap if we intended on making it through dinner and a show that night. Little did we know we were getting picked up at 5:30 for our night out.

It was a very little nap then to the shower for a quick cleanup and dress clothes. Our friends Bob & Veronica picked us up and took us to Ceaser's for dinner at Joe's Seafood, Steak and Stone Crab (very fancy seafood). It was great! I have a very big petite filet and it was still mooing just the way I like it. After dinner we went to see a show. I thought we were going to a stand up comedian (our friends go the tickets). Much to my surprise and delight we were going to see Bette Milder. It was fantastic. Full details and a great story in another post.

Saturday day and night was just for us. We went down to the strip in the morning and walked, and walked and walked. Stopped into Paris for breakfast/lunch. Bet on some sports stuff at NYNY and then over to Hooters to watch the race - OH BTW that was why we were out there to see the Nascar race. After the race was over we headed back to the condo to spruce up and go to the Hard Rock for another show. It was just ok so I will leave out many of the details - since it's not all terribly clear anyway. LOL

Sunday morning we were getting picked up again by our good friends to head out to the track to go to the race. It was very windy and cool - but once we were in the grandstands we were fine. The race was fun, our seats were great and we got out before all the crazy traffic. Once again back to the condo, clean up and over to the casino next door. We had a great little Italian dinner did some gambling and headed home - it was a long day.

Monday we went all the way up to the new Winn and walked back - my feet were very tired. But there are so many great things to see. Especially the people. We stopped into Planet Hollywood to kill time before the water show at the Bellagio started. I did a little shopping while Arthur gambled. After we watched the water show, walked over to NYNY to cash in our winners from Saturday and then headed home to the condo - to . . . you guessed it! Shower change and head out to dinner and gable at our casino across the street.

All in all it was a great trip. I had never been and had such a good time. Arthur was an amazing tour guide and although we are both tired still from the travel and staying up late - we can not wait to go back next year!

Voices from the Past

Good Morning,

Got an email yesterday from an old friend. (who will probably kill me for the photo - circa 1991) But she really brightened my day. We've been emailing all weekend now and catching up.

She found me by Googling my name. Try it with someone you haven't talked to in a long time - you just might make their week! Google

-Jro