Hi everyone! :)  

  One more day until the groundhog comes out of his den! :)  We will see if he is able to see his shadow! :)  My bet is that we have at least six more weeks of WINTER!

  I know one thing, we have had enough winter up here to last for the next 10 years.

  Nothing much new to report.  I had a tooth infection and the medicine is making me SOOOO tired.  I have to have a root canal sometimes this week.  I am so excited about that :) YEAH RIGHT!

  David is in Tokyo, on business.  He made it safely through all the airport sketches.  Ever since 9/11 it has become more and more difficult to go through security.  Not that there is anything to worry about - it is just a hassle.

  One year ago today we lost the Space Shuttle Columbia.  A very sad day.

  I remember that day well, we were just starting to move into 19 Earl Street.  I was asleep, my first night in the house.  David came to the house early in the morning and let me sleep.  I woke up, opened the door and went to the stairwell.  David was downstairs and he said "we lost the space shuttle this morning"  I said NO.  I cried.  I remember the last shuttle disaster and I remember the impact it had on the nation.

  I ran upstairs and turned the television on.  I watched the streaks of debris stream through the sky over the State of Texas.  I had tears in my eyes.  I cried for hours, it was such a loss to our nation.  I felt like we were just starting to get a foot hold again after 9/11.  I knew this was another blow to our great nation and her spirit.

  It was a sad sad day.

February 3

  Hi everyone, sorry I have not been posting much.  I have to have a root canal tomorrow.  Fun fun, so have not felt very well lately.

  Raining here. YES RAINcan you believe it, rain in winter.  More snow coming this weekend though.

  David returns home on Thursday.  He is still over in Asia.

  All else is going fine.  Norman is doing fine, he is at home now.
 

February 4

  Well looks like some winter weather for Illinois and Kentucky! :)  Ice and maybe some snow.  Nothing huge but enough to cause some travel problems.

  Had my root canal today, that was FUN FUN FUN!  So I recovering from that.

  David should be back in Canada tomorrow, just in time for a snowstorm.

February 5

  David has made it back from Japan! :)  Safe and sound!

  Big news of the day is that KRISTY has MSN Messenger now.  I can bug her all day long!!!!!

  Mother and the kids got 2-3 inches of SNOW.  It is about time they got some snow.

  This was a big storm system with lots of severe weather down south.  Flooding and tornadoes in Mississippi.  First real severe weather event of the season. 

  Things are going to start getting active from here on out.  So we will have to pay attention to the weather a bit more.

  I am going to go check out Omaha, Nebraska! :)  YES, OMAHA, they have all kinds of weather there. :)  So I might like it!

  Anyway that is the current plan.  We will see what happens.  David may go with me.  I think he likes to check these cities out as well.

    Leaving tomorrow.  NEBRASKA HERE WE COME!

February 6

  Arrived in Omaha:)  There is a TON of snow here - 26 inches on the ground.  Record snowfall for the city of Omaha.  Cold here with temperatures in the single digits tonight!

  Kristy and Brett had a TON of rain down in Birmingham.  Some places had over 8 inches, not sure how much the city itself received.  Lot of flooding though.
 

February 7

  Well we took a tour of Omaha today. :)  It is not a very big city, about 700,000 people.  Not small but not huge.  It actually feels a lot smaller.  Don't know what I think about it.  I guess the big selling point here is that they get a lot of snow and storms, and I love weather.  I could see living here.

February 8

  I know the web page has been REAL exciting lately.  WELL, you know EVERY month can't be a thrill a minute.

  Anyway, things are great here in Omaha.  David is here with me checking out the, the, well ok, so Omaha is not the tourist city of the world.  BUT, they have a ton of snow! :)  Also there are a lot of places to eat. :)  I know real exciting!  I do like the area for the weather - I mean where else can you get snowstorms, blizzards, thunderstorms, and so on each and every year!  And everyone knows I am a weather fanatic.  So, that is important for me. 

February 9

  Grandmother has had a stroke.  They are taking her to Lourdes HospitalI.  I don't know much else at this time.  Mother will call me as soon as she knows something.

  Grandmother has a blood clot in her brain.  She can't talk but she can understand you if you talk with her.  David and I are flying out of Omaha at 730 and will be in Paducah this evening.
 

February 10th

  Made it into Paducah about midnight.  David is here with me, as he was in Omaha helping me check out the city.

  We spent the night at the hospital so mother could go home and rest.  Grandmother is improving, her speech is extremely difficult to understand, but she can walk and she can holder the walker.  She is in good strength.  I was impressed.

  The DR has her on some new medication to help with the blood clot.  They don't think it is very large.  I think she will be ok.  Just some difficult weeks ahead of her.  I don't handle these things very well.  I hate to see grandmother like this. 

  They are thinking she might even be able to go home in a day or two.

  So, things are definitely sounding pretty good.

  I will be staying here for a couple of days to see how everything goes. 

  Will update when I can.

EVENING UPDATE

  Grandmother has had additional strokes - two perhaps three.  They have been light strokes

  This could be because the clot is moving, we are not sure.  I thought things were much better after this morning but then they got worse again.  I will be staying here for a few days, not sure how long.

  I will update the page daily

February 11th

  Getting ready to take David to the airport, he is heading back to the great snowy white north. I will be staying here for a few days.

  Grandmother is about the same as of last night when I left the hospital.

February 12th

  Heading for the hospital this morning.  Grandmother is about the same.  She continues to have some small spells.  She has good strength, though, and is going to be moved to a different level in the hospital.  A rehab type floor.  She might get out early next week

  I will be staying down here through the weekend.  I will likely head back on Sunday or Monday. 

  Raining and snowing here, nothing major though.

  David made it back home safely and Doug made it back home safely as well, from British Columbia.

  Hmmm, Valentines day is this weekend! :)  So everyone better get their special someone some flowers.

  Otherwise, Erick has a birthday on Monday!  SO HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO ERICK!

February 13th

  Grandmother is doing better.  She is talking better and her strength continues to improve! :)  So all good news!

  They are moving her to a different floor at the hospital.  She will be on the rehabilitation floor.  So this is also good news.

  Not doing much else while I am here.  Going between the hospital and the hotel.  Pretty much it.

  I have a flight back to Toronto on Sunday. 

  We should be hearing something about my Canadian Visa shortly.  Perhaps another week or so.  It has all been filed thoughand this is also good news!

February 14-15th

  I hope everyone had a Happy Valentines Day :)  I saw Grandmother and mother in the morning and took them some roses and stuff. 

  Grandmother was in good spirits at the hospital and seem to be improving.  She may get out early next week.  :)  So very good!

  I went out with some of my friends the night before.  Ended up that I was out all night.  I shouldn't have gone out.  I feel like I am running away from everything.  I feel like I can't win.  One minute I think I can handle all of this and the next minute I am falling.  Falling hard.

February 16-17th

  Hi everyone.  Long two days.  Plane rides, delays and so on.  I have made it back into Canada though!  Tired and worn out.

  Grandmother continues to slowly improve.  She is a bit confused at times and her speech is still an issue.  Not sure how much longer she is going to be in the hospital.  She is still getting some rehabilitation.  That might go on for a bit.

  Otherwise that is about it for now.

February 18th

  Well it has been a busy week so far. :)  Busy is good though, nothing wrong there!  It has been a long few days though, just trying to work through everything in my mind.  So much going on all the time.   There are always good days and bad days.  That is life!  I like it when there are more good days than bad ones though.  AnywayI am hanging in there, nothing to complain about from me. 

  Grandmother is slowly improving.  She is still confused, but her speech is a bit better.  Dione gave me an update last night. 
Nothing really new to report though.  She is still in rehabilitation and will be there a few more days.

  I will wait to hear more from mother this morning.

  I am still trying to figure out where to move.  Hard decision.  I will eventually figure it out.  I hope to know something in the next few weeks and then start the process.

  We are trying to work out a loan for the purchase of the house.  The house here in Toronto is being sold and the money from that one will help me get one in the states.  But the in between time, I will have to work out a loan of some sort. 

  Kristy and Jason are coming up from Birmingham this weekend and we are going to go to Collingwood.  They have
skiing there and a bunch of other stuff to do.  Probably won't get to update the web page from up there.  Not sure we have a phone line or not.  I say that all the time but I always find a way.  So it seems.

February 19th

  Hmmm well staying busy here in Waterloo, I guess, always something to do and something going on.  Busy is good though as I always say.  Waterloo keeps me out of trouble.  Toronto is my weakness.  There is too much to get me into trouble over in that city.  It isn't the city though, it is me. 

  I am leaving today for Toronto.  Kristy and Jason are flying in tonight from Birmingham and we are all going
to the CN Tower to eat! :)  This is their first time being up here, so it should be fun.

February 20th-21st

  Well we left early in the morning to head for Blue Mountain! :)  This is about 2 hours or so north of Toronto.  This is the
big ski resort here near the city.  There are many others but well Blue Mountain is the closest.

  Dru, Andrew, and I took the SUV.  David, Kristy and Jason road in David's car.

  Soooooo, it was an early morning for some of us.  Some of us didn't sleep so well last night.  BUT, that is ok all is good.

  So anyway, it was a good and snowy trip.  It started to sleet about 1/2 way to the cottage.  Snow would be better.  But all in good time.

  David and the rest of the gang took off and left us stranded on the interstate.  We never got lost though, that is the official story and I am sticking to it.

  So since they were about umm 30 minutes ahead of us when we decided to stop in at the Pita Barn.  Yeah I know, fine dining : This was supposed to be a secret but well Kristy found the wrappers later in the night and we were busted. :) 

  So we arrived at the chalet about 1 p.m.  We were greeted by a lot of snow, at least on the ground! :)  I was happy about that! 
A Winter Storm Warning was also in effect so we were expecting more snow in the night!
 

Blue Mountain Chalet

  We unpacked and headed for the mountain.  We were all going to go cross-country skiing in the afternoon.  This was the second time I have been cross-country skiing.  The only difference this time was there were a few more hills.  :)  This made it more fun!
 

Cross-Country Skiing - lots of fun


David, Andrew, Kristy, Jason - Cross-Country

Kristy Cross-Country Skiing

Kristy and JasonCross-Country

 

  Ok so I won't tell you who fell down the most times, but it wasn't me. :)  Although I did fall down a few times!  We had a blast! 

  After we finished cross-country skiing, we had grilled cheese sandwiches, at the place we rented our skis. 

  We tried to call Brett, among other people, while we were on out in the woods. :)  We did manage to get in touch with Bretts cell phone and left a message.  Not sure if that was cruel or not. :)  I think Kristy said he tried to come in her place. :)  He has the new baby to take care of.  So a trip wasn't the best idea right now.

  Maybe next year Brett?

  After we were finished skiing we headed back to the chalet to meet Doug and Erick (they had to come up late).

  Most of the evening was spent visiting and playing games! Scrabble!
 

Doug, Andrew, and Dru playing scrabble



Scrabble
 

David - relaxing :)
 

Meanwhile the kids enjoyed the fireplace


  We went out to eat later in the evening.  Snow and rain started to set in.  Can you believe rain this far north?
That wouldn't last long though as it all changed to snow during the night.  High winds were roaring through the trees. 

  So it was a FABULOUS day!  At least in my opinion.  Lots of fun with friends "family"!   Wouldn't trade these trips for anything in the world.  Memories and more memories!  All good!

  Mother says grandmother is doing better and may be out of the hospital on Wednesday.

Cheetah somehow thought we were going to Cancun
again - oooooppps

February 21st

  So today we are going downhill skiing.  I have never been downhill skiing before.  I had a friend, Robin Cross, that warned me not to go downhill skiing.  I guess I didn't listen.  So this should be interesting.  Hopefully nobody will break any bones.  I am sure some of us will start out on the umm little slopes! :)

Time to go skiing

Dru, Beau, Doug getting ready to downhill ski

Erick and his ski instructor
 

Kristy with her ski instructor

Doug getting ready to go snowmobiling 

Erick

Kristy

Snowmobiles

Cheetah had her own snowmobile

Beau and David

Kristy and Beau

The Snowmobile Team :)

Pinky and Doug at the Chalet

February 22nd

A nice sunny day at Blue Mountain :)

The Village, lot of shops and places to eat.  One of the ski hills is
in the background.

Andrew Dog Sledding

Beau dog sledding

David

Erick

Ski Liftup up up the mountain!

Beau getting ready to ski down the hill..

Kristy and Jason.  Getting ready to go down one
of the slopes.

  IT WAS AN AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING WEEKEND :)

  WE ALL HAD SO MUCH FUN, IT WAS A BLAST.THESE ARE GOOD MEMORIES!  THIS IS WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT! FRIENDSHIPS AND CARE FREE FUN!  GOD SMILED ON ALL OF US THIS WEEKEND, GIVING US TIME TOGETHER, REGARDLESS OF MOOD SWINGS, REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.  WE ALL IN OUR MINDS KNEW THAT THIS IS WHAT LIFE WAS MEANT TO BE.  I CRY JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH WE ALL CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.  WE ARE LIKE A FAMILY.  WE ARE LIKE BROTHERS AND SISTERS!  WE LOVE EACH OTHER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND BEYOND.

  I am not sure I can ever find friends like this again.  These are all special people.

  Muggles if you are out there we love you! :)

February 24 2004 :)

  I hope everyone can see all the photos.  If you get a red x that means you need to hit the refresh button to bring the pictures up.  Sometimes dial up internet will cause an overload on the page.

  It is SNOWING here in Toronto this morning, we have picked up a fresh few inches overnight!  So go snow!

  AnywayKristy and Jason will be awake soon and I have to pick them up at the hotel.  We are then going to walk around Toronto a bit. :)  Hopefully they won't mind the slushy streets.  Kristy and Jason, I think, have had a blast since they have been up here.  

  All these Canadians have tried to show them a GREAT TIME! :)  I will have to wait for their comments and suggestions later.  I know, I know, move the mountain closer to the city.  I already put that one on the list. :)

  I have a bunch more pictures coming.  Keep checking back for updates as we go through the week.  I will go through the photos as I have time.  I am looking for some down time in the next couple of days.  I will be back and forth here.

  Storm season is starting again. I know everyone, back home, is jitteryas per your emails to me.  I suggest everyone have a NOAA Weather Radio - you can get these at Radio Shack in the Mall.  (for those reading this down in the Ohio Valley )

  It is going to be another active storm seasonso be prepared as always.

TUESDAY - FEBRUARY 24, 2004

  Wow what a WEEK this has been!  We had Fun, that is for sure. 

The gang at the CN Tower last night!

TAKE US TO THE TOP PLEASE :)

Keri, Beau, Kristy eating atop the CN Tower!

SEAFOOD ANYONE?????
 

Hey ummmm the snapper ISN'T SUPPOSED
TO EAT YOU




THE CN TOWER CREW.

Erick and Keri 




Norman and Erick
 

Keri, Beau, Kristy CN Tower Monday Night 

Jason, David, Kristy Atop the CN Tower

Keri and Beau :)  -  Toronto CN Tower

Up Up and AWAYYYYYYYY

  We had a BLAST last night atop the CN Tower.  One of the tallest free standing structures in the world!

  Lots of food, fun, fun, food, and fun! :) 

 
  So this morning we awoke to a couple of inches of fresh wet snow. :)  PLASTERED!  Trees, signs, and buildings!  VERY NICE TREAT for Kristy and Jason I am sure!  They don't get to see a lot of snow down in Alabama.

  I think they had a blast!  I think I even saw Kristy picking up a few job applications at this one attorneys office, Garson I believe was his name.  whoopps..sorry Kristy ;)  I won't tell BRETT :)

  OK, so there are a lot of pictures on here and I hope the page loads for everyone!  We had such a good time together.

  THANK YOU DAVID for pulling a lot of this together - YOUR THE MAN!

  It is all about celebrating life and enjoying every minute of it!  There are intense mood swings through everything that is going on, but you know what it doesn't matter because in the end LOVE conquers ALL!

  Thank you Kristy and Jason for coming up to TORONTO, ONTARIO CANADA! :)  WE ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

  OK so I am riding on a good mood note because just seeing everyone together, well just MAKES ME SMILE!

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

TODAY IS VISA DAY - WE SHOULD FIND OUT ABOUT MY CANADIAN VISA

**** STAY TUNED****

  Where is the time going, where do the days disappear to, how many sunrises, how many sunsets have passed us by. how many shooting stars have streaked through the sky!  How many times has the moon risen above the eastern horizon?

  The days are getting away from me. :)

  I am actually at home alone today.  Cloudy here today, cool but not bad.  Looks like maybe the weather will be mild into the weekend with possibly some rain here on Sunday or Monday! :)  RAIN - in winter - in Toronto?

  SPRING IS NOT FAR BEHIND.  I am starting to get a bit more excited about the prospects of that.

  Now where am I moving?  I don't know yet.  I have not decided on anything.  Yet.

  I am going to figure this out - I swear! :)

  I talked with mother last night and she is doing  fine, busy and a bit stressed but hanging in there.  Grandmother will be coming home this weekend.  She will not be able to be alone though.

  We are going to have to have 24/7 care for her. 

  This journey.  What is it about?  How can a person be set free but yet still be imprisoned by his own vices?  I thought, in 2003, that everything would be perfect.  That I was set for life.  That I had "arrived" at that place that I wanted to be at.  I thought that everything would be just fine from then on out.  I was so wrong.  What I didn't figure out back then, what I have never figured out, is how to stop having an addictive personality.  Is there no cure?  Is it going to be a battle that I have to fight for the rest of my life?  Will it ever end?

  Sometimes I wonder.  I wonder if I just try harder, if I just try to make it through one more day, I can stop.  I can stop doing those things that harm me.  I have been this way since I was a teenager.  Since the first time I started drinking at age 12.  It wouldn't happen every weekend.  Not every month.  It was what they called episodic.  I could go for months on end and not have any problems.  Then I would crash and crash hard.  I would drink so much alcohol that it is a wonder that I survived.

  Then it got worse.  When I was in my twenties.  There were episodes where I did almost die.  My blood alcohol level would be above .4.  That would kill some people. But not an alcoholic.  My body can handle it.  Most alcoholics are that way.  They can drink more than a normal person.  Their bodies are different. 

  Maybe one day there will be a cure for this disease.  Maybe one day I will finally find the help that I need. 

BREAKING NEWS - MUGGLES HAS BEEN LOCATED MUGGLES HAS BEEN LOCATED
----------------------------------------------------------------

6 P.M. NO VISA NEWS AT THIS TIME.  STILL WAITING.

Update - on other subjects

  I am working on getting The Weather Channel the Terror in the Night book.  The hope is that they will do a story on the tornado.  The Weather Channel has STORM STORIES every night at 7 p.m.  We are hoping to get the Tri-County Tornado as one fo their stories.  We are going to use Cal as the Meteorologist contact person and I am working on the rest.

  I will keep everyone posted as we move along the process!

  NO VISA NEWS TODAY.  WE ARE BEING TOLD TO CALL BACK ON MONDAY :(

FEBRUARY 25th 

Morning/Afternoon

  I am trying to clean up this MESSY room and unpack and repack some items.  That will keep me busy today.

  Otherwise, it is a beautiful day outside = lot of sun.  SNOW fell in Birmingham and Atlanta last night! :)  I guess Kristy and Jason brought that back with them!

Where to move, where to move, where to move, where to move.

  The whole EASTERN SEABOARD IS JUST THERE FOR THE TAKING!   THROW A DART AND SEE WHERE IT LANDS - I LOVE THE OCEAN.  SHOULD I MOVE NEAR THE WAVES?  THE PLAINS?  THE MOUNTAINS?  I HAVE NO IDEA.  I WILL FIGURE IT OUT THOUGH.  I HAVE TO.

And from Mattie :)

On Being a Champion

A Champion is a winner,
A hero
Someone who never gives up
Even when the going gets rough.
A champion is a member of
A winning team
Someone who overcomes challenges
Even when it requires creative solutions.
A champion is an optimist,
A hopeful spirit
Someone who plays the game,
Even when the game is called life.
There can be a champion in each of us,
If we live as a winner,
If we live as a member of the team,
If we live with a hopeful spirit,
For Life.

 - Mattie

February 27th

  CLOSING DAY ON MOTHERS HOUSE :) :) :) :) :) YAY!

  Everyone be excited here, mother is about to be the proud owner of a new home! :)

  It is starting to look STORMY for Sunday and Monday in the Missouri and Ohio Valleys.  This could be the first severe weather outbreak of the season.  It is looking like it is going to be an active storm season agaiu, all signs point that way.

  Oh my the world is spinning so fast sometimes I don't know which way to goup down left right - I wish it would all slow down.  It seems like I have a lot of decisions to make.  Who knew that freedom could be so dangerous. 

  There is more going on than ever before LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS OH MY

February 28-29th

  So much going on, so much to post.  I have a ton of photos from the last two days.

  David, Dru, Andrew, Keri and I drove back to Toronto and we went out to eat Saturday Night.  We had a lot of fun.  I am sure the restaurant loves us all. :)  We had a bit too much fun I think. :)  But anyway, memories memories memories.  I will have to go through all the photos.

  Spring is arriving!

  I was out on my patio in shorts and no shirt yesterday, while there were piles of snow around me.  It was funny.  But that is the weather for now, weird to say the least.

  It looks like a ton of rain coming for the Ohio Valley.  This could cause major flood problems if things don't slow down.

  I have not felt well since last night, so I have not had time to fix the photos.  I will try and post some tomorrow though.  I know Keri is asking about them.

  Hope everyone stays safe and away from the storms.

MARCH HAS ARRIVED   CLICK HERE

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