I am so disappointed that this blog didn't work out for me. I had all the greatest of intentions, then started having equipment problems. Trying to fix one problem lead to finding the cause of another problem which could fix everything....it all centers around my rather expensive Kodak printer. It is under full warranty and at this time I'm waiting for a THIRD replacement and am trying so hard to keep my cool. Beside replacing the whole basic unit they have also replaced the print head and ink cartridges so I'm really somewhere in the 4th or 5th round with them. The last Customer Service person thought that I'd been through enough and said she was going to send me the newer model but when she talked to her supervisor it was denied.

Sooo...anyway, it's been well over a month that I've missed out of the year which pretty much defeats the purpose of Project 365. I still don't know when I'll be able to upload photos again. So i just don't have a clue what to do with this blog. I just wanted to let anyone who may have been reading it know that I didn't just quit. Granted I was quite sick and lifeless for a while, but that was totally unrelated.

Oh, and the photo that I posted today is one that my son took of his beautiful wife when they were having an 80's party. I just L-O-V-E this picture of her! She absolutely glows!

It's been fun.

It's All About Jimmy

I want to say Happy Birthday Jimmy. He would have been 61 today. Here is a bit of his life, in pictures.
In the beginning, the first nine years,
he lived with his Grandparents and they
called him Ricky Archey. He remembered
his life back then as being a very
happy one.
When he was 9 months and 5 days old his brother Donald was born. Donald was a rebellious child and when the boys were 9, their mother decided that she wanted to bring her older son home to hopefully have a positive affect on Donald. Ricky now became Jimmy and began to join his brother in rebellion.

I just love all of the old pictures of Jimmy and his family. They help we to piece together the patchwork of stories I've been told by him, his mother and grandmother.
Just for the fun of it, I wanted to see how Jimmy and I would look together as kids. I didn't have pictures at the correct ages (6 years apart) but got as close as possible.

This is one of my favorite photos of Jimmy. He was busy working, doing my set-up. He always did my heavy labor for me, 'cause he was awesome like that. This was the lot in Park City AZ. I remember having good times there.

In Douglas AZ we were working the Cochese County Fair. We really wanted to get married in Mexico (a short walk across the border) but found out it isn't as easy as we thought it would be. The Preacher who gave the sermon at the Grandstand on Sunday morning was happy to perform the ceremony after services. My daughter Kymberly and the preachers wife were our witnesses.

Our first grandchild, Tyler Robert, was born on Jimmy's birthday. He said that was the best gift ever!!!

Who was the apple of "Little Papa's" eye? Number two grandson Jeffery Joel, that's who!! The fact that he lived with us for most of his first two years had a lot to do with developing that bond.

Mr Tough Guy turned into a cupcake when it came to that child!!!


Kimmy was Jimmy's first cat. He'd always been a "dog person". She was an awesome cat and it really tore him up when she died.

Here is another favorite shot of Little Papa and Jeffery Joel. I love this picture because of the way they are looking at each other. That is Pure Love.

I liked how we both had these pictures taken sitting on chairs where our feet don't even dangle over the edge. We were both a couple of shorties! It made a sweet layout with our wedding photo blended into the background.
We made a perfect couple with our natural good looks! They only let us out in public once a year. I wonder why?

When Jimmy first became ill he was in total denial,

but he did try over and over again to get sober so

that he might live a few extra years.

He finally was able to complete a 90 day inpatient

rehab program. Ten days after returning home

he became violently ill and ended up having emergency

surgery and in ICU. He ended up in a coma and all

tests showed that he was brain dead.

Eventually he did wake up, but was badly brain

damaged.

Instead of a husband, I was left with a ten year old child. Life was not easy for either of us. The last year being the worst.

The temper tantrums and running away from home!!! And that was just me! lol

I moved from Utah to Michigan on June 5, 2008. At the very last minute Jimmy wasn't able to make the flight and I had to leave him behind. If there were any way I could have stayed with him I would have. I was assured that he was just having a temporary setback and as soon as he could get a medical clearance to travel, they would put him on a plane.

He died 25 days later on June 30, 2008. My best friend and some friends from church went to be with him before he passed, so he wasn't totally alone. My guilt and anxiety overwhelmed me and I ended up in hospital myself.

I can still see the look on his face when I had to turn and walk away from him that day. It will probably haunt me forever. I broke a promise to both him and Jeffery Joel that day, and I will never forgive myself for that.

I hope you had a good one Jimmy! Marie, Jeffery Joel and I are still missing you.

Holy pharmacuticals Batman!

I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the amount of pills I have to take every day. While living in Utah my doctor and I agreed that less is best and worked at reducing my use. This pile of bottles looks more like what my husband needed just before he passed away.

The box with pink top is how I keep track of them all and make sure that I don't take them too often. You'd be surprised how many times that little box has kept me safe. Just a quick check of whatever day of the week it is tells me if I've already taken that dose or not.

A couple of the bottles say they can cause drowsiness, so it really is no wonder why, on the higher pain level days, I might just fall asleep in the middle of whatever I'm doing. Especially at night when I don't have sense enough to go right to bed after taking Ambien. Speaking of which....I should be doing that now.

See you tomorrow.

Bingo!

All of the childish squabbling that goes on in this apartment complex that I live in is, for a change, working out in my favor.

The reigning Bingo Queen had stopped our weekly game for the winter because she didn't want to walk the 25 feet to the community room in the snow. (Our walks are always cleared, this is handicapped housing after all!)
Another lady volunteered to run a new Bingo game, on a different day, not wanting to step on any ones sensitive toes. Sounded good to me. I need to get out and socialize now and then.



To shorten this little drama up, I'm trying to remain neutral because I like Bingo and don't see why we can't play twice a week and all have a good time. Unfortunately 90% of the original group decided to boycott the new game for no good reason, but they are starting their game back up tomorrow (still winter) just because they don't like the lady who started the new game.
(These are adults age 50 and above)

For me it's a win. I love Bingo and need to get out. Twice is better than once. If they weren't squabbling over who was Bingo Queen it would be something else so I'll just grin and bear it. If it gets to out of line I'll tell 'em to knock it off. Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

See you tomorrow.

What the heck is an Aerial Flood Warning????

Well, I guess that I've really been sleeping on the job. Literally. Several times I have fallen asleep while typing. Ain't drugs grand. NOT!

What the heck, so I slept through Toothache Day and Umbrella Day! Gosh I'm sorry to have missed those. I am sorry that I missed the sunny warm weather though, because today, the day after Umbrella Day, it is pouring with rain and I can't find my umbrella. Go figure....and of course today was scheduled as shopping day. How fun!

I bought some new jammie's at Kmart. Everything is 25-30% off. Yep, I buy my jammie's in the men's department. Got no man to borrow the comfy stuff from any more.

See you tomorrow. (If my eyes are open)

Fly A Kite Day!

Well I'm in trouble now. It's Fly A Kite Day and I don't have a single picture of a kite! How about looking at this photo of an amazing Arizona sunset (the only kind Arizona has!) and you can imagine flying a kite against that beautiful background while I tell you a little tale from my childhood. It's about my daddy and a kite.

My daddy has always loved airplanes. When I was a kid he made a couple of kites out of Balsa wood and tissue paper that looked like Bi-planes. One was red and one was green. He liked to fly them in our back yard (one at a time) and they would get up pretty high. When he was finished playing he'd begin winding the string to bring the kite in. Our back yard was 3 acres and my mom and us kids + a few neighbors were always out watching whenever daddy "flew his planes". What none of us realized was how realistic they looked to strangers seeing them for the first time. One evening as he was bringing one in "for a landing" a car pulled over and people jumped out waving their arms and yelling! We all turned around to see what the fuss was about only to see that they were yelling at us. They thought that a plane was about to crash in our back yard!!! Everyone had a good laugh about it later, but it sure did scare those poor folks! I don't remember him flying them any more after that, but I believe he still has them. They are nearly 50 years old now. Good times!

So hey, it's Fly A Kite Day so why don't you all go fly a kite! (I've always wanted to say that)

See you tomorrow.

Ballet Day

Well I'm excited....not! I love to dance but not in a tutu and toe shoes!! Today is Ballet Day. The closest you'll get me to it is watching ice skating on TV!

Now my daughter in law (pictured here), I'm willing to bet she could do a few steps. Just look how graceful she is. And I happen to know that her daughter has a darling little tutu and is more than likely just as gracful as her mommy. Oh heck, I just have to put her picture in here too. It is just too cute...and it is Ballet Day!

See You Tomorrow!