Tropical Depression #1 - Here we go again.........

It's late and I was practically in bed when the dogs started barking. Now I have had the T.V. on VH1 Rock Honors and it was pretty loud and all three of my chow hounds sleep right through it. I get up turn off everything prepare to change when all three start barking. I'm pretty sure Cujo started it. I walk back into the living room I look outside both front and back I see nothing but by now all three are standing at the back door wanting to go out. I can simpithize they were couped up in the house all day long while the roofer was here but now there is the issue of debris laying all over the back yard and I have to be careful and watch the dogs so they dont step on anything like nails. The kids are spending the night with friends so I don't have to worry about them stepping on anything.......

So here I am it's 1:00 am I'm outside with the dogs barefoot trying to make sure they don't bark and disturb our neighbors or step on anything. I look up and there is a very pretty full moon with a rather large halo around it. Nice.....I grab my camera hoping for a shot which was no good on my little point and shoot. Where's the man with the expensive photography hobby? Asleep.

I finally get the dogs back inside. Cujo is being stubborn it takes me 10 minutes of conjoling to get him back inside. I'm wide awake now so I pull up google and see what superstition is attached to a halo around the moon. Great, it means rain so I pull up weatherunderground expecting a storm front and guess what? At 11pm our first TD has formed in the Gulf of Mexico west of Cuba... YEAH!!! My roof is still not fixed but it is getting there, my pool enclosure is lying in pieces in my back yard, I am on a list that is backed up 3 months for generator installation and I am having surgery next week. (See next post for info on that)

I still have not gone out and bought hurricane supplies because I thought it was way too early for this. We thought maybe August we would start seeing our first storms that we would have to worry about but this is ridiculous it's only June 10th and even though this storm looks like its headed for north/central Florida we will still get some weather and winds depending on how large it gets. The gulf is pretty hot and will get hotter as summer gets going. I guess I will be shopping in the morning and getting organized. I'm pretty busy the rest of the week. I have jury duty Monday morning and then I have to work Monday night so I guess I'll be stocking up now. I am so thankfully we bought a CBS house that has hurricane shutters built in.

666, Cujo and Kids

 

I hope you are not too disappointed with my post today. June 6th of 2006 is shaping up to be just another day. Cujo is really the only beast in our house right now. He is turning out to be a good watch dog. Butch is taking his retirement well letting Cujo do all the barking while Zak helps. Infact I think Zak barks for all of them. He is such a yapper sometimes.

We have had a busy day so far. I was up at 7am putting the final touches on my notes for my meeting this morning. It went well I think. Karen my co-supervisor today started off the meeting and went over all the problems that I obviously missed because they were no where in my notes. I must have been asleep or something. We complimented each other nicely though because I picked right up where she left off. It was a good meeting we settled the Hurricane Schedule issue we just have to wait for Jack's approval and my Hurricane Menu was turned down or placed on hold for the moment and that's okay too. I have decided not to apply for the OM position that will open in October but I will apply for the supervisor’s position if one should open. I would like to be a supervisor as an acting Supv I know I can do the job but skipping that part and trying to fill an Operation's Manager spot just doesn’t feel right anymore and I feel better now that I have finally decided.

I came home and Fred was still asleep must be nice. I got him motivated and we were off. First stop was the restaurant supply for a Wok. We are having stir-fry tonight. Yummy!!!! Then went and picked up Dawn's Kids; V, Lizzy and Zackary they are currently in the pool swimming pool. I think they are playing Marco polo from the sound pf it. Erin and Beth are armed with water balloons and I think there are a couple of water guns out there too. Cujo and Zak the dog were outside having a good time chasing the kids from one side of the pool to the other. Cujo likes to nibble and has been chewing on the kids toes and fingers when they run and trying to tell kids to stop running is just a waste of breathe. Cujo thinks it’s a game and has been doing since he was small we are having a hard time breaking him of the habit. I plan on staying dry so I will sneak a peak at them every so often. Fred took off again to buy supplies for our roof we will be busy this weekend making repairs but that will be another blog………

Well it's lunch time and I need to go heat up the grill...... Hot Dogs for lunch today mmmmmmmmm......... 

Hurricane Season

It is amazing how quickly the season sneaks up on you. We have not repaired the damage from last years storm and here it is Hurricane Season again. We thought we were doing okay. We finally were able to get the patio company out here this week to put up the new pool enclosure only to have them leave Friday with the frame partially erected and scattered all over my back yard. The prep guys came out and started getting the roof and fascia ready for the enclosure. They started pulling off the what was left of the old enclosre and ran into rotted wood. They found old termite damage in the eaves under the fascia and a soft spot in the roof where the old patio covered at the corner. The wood is rotted there and will have to be replaced and reroofed. We are lucky Fred has a friend named Brian who has agreed to help Fred fix the roof. Fred is going to order the materials Monday and next weekend they are going to fix the roof.If they can get it all done then next week the patio company can get the pool enclosure up. Yeahhhhhhh!!!!!

We are also gearing up at work for the season. Last year we were suppose to work out a Hurricane schedule but it never done that I know of. With the 2004 storm Francis we worked the double shift but the storm was so long and there were so many people in the center my boss Jack decided that we did not need that many people. When Jeanne came through at the end of September 2004 only one shift work during the storm and they were swamped with calls. When Wilma hit in 2005 the hurricane shift had still not been implemented so we went ahead and just worked the double shift. The storm was only Cat. 2 and it was a fast storm so we were able to get our shifts in and out with little problems. It worked well. This week Jack sent out a memo/survey as to what we prefered to work...... during or after the hurricane. Personlly I prefer to work after the storm but my children are getting older and more independent and have ridden out 3 major storms with very little trauma. With Wilma the kids played card games all day and goofed off. The only time any of them became concerned was when I went out into the back yard after the poll enclosure fell down. They yelled at me. Fred says that sometimes I'm to hardheaded to be scared. He doesn't mean it in a mean way he just wishes I were a little more cautious at times and standing outside during a Cat. 2 is not a smart thing to do. On Tuesday we have a shift workshop and I plan on bringing up the Hurricane schedule and getting everyones input on working the double shift and keep shift integrity and just working with the individuals who may need to stay home with there families. I don't think there will be a problem getting almost everyone to agree to this. I think once we get it settled everyone will feel more at ease.

I also brought up the subject of a Hurricane Menu to my shift. Several of the supervisors have tossed around the idea of either getting there own caterer or just buying groceries and cooking. Amy brought up the subject Friday night and then I discussed it with my shift. They all agreed it was a good idea so yesterday I typed up a rough draft for a 2 day menu. This would be for a less severe storm Cat 2 or 3.
If we have a Cat 4 or 5 approach our coastline we can expand it into a 3 or 4 day menu. I passed it out to my shift last night and they all liked it. I gave a copy to the day shift supervisor this morning and she said she would get with her shift. Two of my shift mates on dayshift are all for it and were already volunteering there grills and coolers. I think this will go over real well and is getting everyone excited and involved. I am hoping I can get the same reaction for the hurricane shift.

I know once we get these two main issues out of the way everyone at the center will feel more at ease...............

MySpace.com

I attended a supervisor’s workshop today and it was pretty interesting. We listened to a motivational speaker about being more than just a manager. The speaker focused on being a good leader. I do have a few of the qualities he discussed but there are several areas I definitely need to work on. Note to self … be more patient with the public and co-workers…..never PMS ever again…….stop procrastinating……. Work on these things.

Anyway, the speaker was interesting and I did learn new ideas but I was a little disappointed. At the end of the presentation we were shown an internet blurb about MySpace.com. The speaker simply stated how dangerous this site was to our children and told us as parents to keep our children away from this site. Well, I don’t really have a problem with MySpace.com. I made a site several months ago when I needed an account to investigate a 911 complaint. I played around with it some made a link to this site. I added a few pictures and filled out the profile but that was it. I’d log on every once in awhile and see what was up. I personally don’t see what the big deal is but then again I am 42 and married……..

Elizabeth discovered that I had a MySpace account and begged me to let her go on and just look around. Apparently all her friends are on and she wanted to be able to look them up and chat. It is amazing how quickly she has taken over my account so I got her back by posting pictures of her on the site and by reading all her friends accounts. She got mad when she caught me reading her boyfriends site. Hehehehhe…..I read all the comments left on the site by her friends. I keep up with what is going on my account and I even uploaded a few pics one of her father carrying a rather large gun with and explanation of his profession along with my own. I do not always approve of what these kids pass back and forth to each other but these are teenagers and they are taking their first steps into adulthood. Expressing themselves is not a bad thing and this site gives them a perfect venue to do so. I love to blog I am literally addicted to it. I love to write I love to express myself when most times I am unable to do it verbally. I like meeting new people on line. I like using the internet in a positive manner it not only keeps me informed on what is going on in the world but also keeps me close to my family. I can keep up with all my aunt, uncles and cousins in a matter of minutes instead of months or years. These kids want the same thing. They just want to stay informed and keep up with what is going on in their world.

We live in the age of technology and we need to keep up. MySpace is just another tool in communicating. Used properly it is wonderful used improperly it can cause harm both mentally and even physically. Unfortunately, MySpace has become a pedophiles online catalog. I am not worried about my daughter she is smart and we talk to her about these things and she knows what can happen. In fact I had my date of birth on the account and she begged me to change it to her DOB. By making the DOB from 17-14 years of age their sites can only be monitored by friends they have invited to view their sites. I did not know that and was very happy she pointed it out. As I said before I don’t have a problem with my child using MySpace to keep up with her friends as long as she is under limited supervision and she dose not have a problem with that. I am not a perfect parent but I am happy with the way my children are growing up. They are intelligent and independent. I will not smother their independence by not letting them experience life. They need to make mistakes, they need to make their own decisions, and they need to be allowed to express themselves.

MySpace has given our children and young adults a network connected to 80 million people world wide. MySpace is a phenomenon that needs to be experienced not smothered. But all parents need to always be watchful of your children and what they are doing on the internet not just MySpace. Talk to your children let them know what they might run into on the WWW. Information and communication is a parent’s best weapon and if you are suspicious and your child is trying to hide what they are doing on their computer, I recommend a good keystroke program or products like cyber patrol or net nanny. If by chance your child has already been approached by one of these cyber pedophiles report them to your local law enforcement agency. Many agencies have officers that do nothing but work on internet fraud and other illegal activities including pedophile activity.

Enjoy the internet because that is what it is there for but don’t take it for granted because just like most things in life it can turn on you when you least expect it. Be smart be safe and keep on blogging……………………

Warren's New Honda

  

Last month Warren wrecked his car. It was no big deal minor injuries but the front end on Warren's Dodge took a beating. We were pretty sure that the insurance company would have it fixed and we would all go back to our regular routines. Fred and I have been sharing our vehicle with him since the accident. Too our surprise they total his car and sent us a check. After several days of searching and haggling with the local car dealers Warren with his father there for moral support purchased his first brand new vehicle a 2006 2dr Honda Civic. He did not need a co-signer nor is our name on any of the documentation. We even had the insurance drawn up in his name only.

We are so proud of him.............

Happy Memorial Day

I did not crawl out of bed until after 9am, I love sleeping in. I love having the whole weekend off I do it so rarely. I love having my family home and spending time with them.

VH1 played heavy metal tribute all weekend but Fred worked so he tried hard to catch up on it today. He spent most of the morning with Elizabeth by his side on the couch watching and listening to music videos. I guess about noon he decided he wanted to barbecue so he and both the girls headed for Wallyworld for supplies. He bought hamburgers, hot dogs,sausage, chips, dip and pool toys. The dogs have pretty much destroyed what few pool toys we have left.

By 1 pm we were all in the pool. Fred and Beth pulled out our volleyball net and strung it across the pool after an interesting game of chase the volleyball around the pool and general horse play we retired to our lounge chairs. I think I lasted about 30 minutes maybe out of the water. The sun was hot today. By 3 pm it was nap time, I get to work tonight and I was tired.

I slept for about 2 hours the aroma of grilled food finally woke me up. I was bad I ate sausage dog and a cheeseburger then ran out the door for work. I was a little later than I usually am getting to work but I did make it. I was already turning red by the time a made it into the center. The word lobster was passed around by a few of my co-workers. My scalp is even a bit pink and sensitive to the touch. I hope it turns nice and brown I really hate to blister and peal. At 42 my skin is not as resilient as it used to be. I should be lathering myself under a ton of tanning lotion but I enjoy the sun too much and I love the look of a good healthy tan.

This weekend was so nice that having to come back into work and dealing with reality was a major shock to my delicate system by 9pm I had a tension head ache and my shoulder muscles felt as hard as rocks. The calls for domestics were about the same as any weekend but the severity was up a couple of notches. I took atleast 3 domestics in which the most information I was able to obtain was an address. They all called in on cells so of course I had no idea where they were in a few cases neither did the complainants. Did I mention that I love my job? Anyway the domestics tended to be open phone lines with the male and female screaming at each other with a friend or two mixed in for additional drama.

However the most common call we received tonight up until 11 pm was in reference to the Caribbean Carnival that was held at Lawnwood Stadium just approx 4 blocks from my home. I could hear the music most of the day from my living room and at times I could even make out a melody or too but it wasn't too bad. We could not hear it from the back patio at all. When I left for work the music was crystal clear from my driveway. If I had not needed to go to work I could have sat in my front yard and just enjoyed the music. Many of my neighbors including the ones across the street and immediately next to me called along with the rest of the neighborhood as the concert continued up past 9:30 pm. I was assured that it was loud earlier but now it was unbearable and it was bed time people have to work in the morning.......
Most people were nice but there were a few who called several times demanding we do something. Repeated calls and questions from the officers themselves were no help no one seemed to know how long the concert was suppose to go for. By 10:30 my head was pounding and we were assured they were closing down for the night. We easily fielded a dozen or more calls by the time they finally closed it down at 11pm. Since then it has been much nicer in the center, infact it is almost like a Sunday night nice and quiet.....................

Happy Birthday to me and first kisses.........

Well another year has passed and I am another year older. As of Yesterday I am 42. I slept late, went to the farmer's market, went shopping with my daughters and then came home and cleaned house. Not an exciting day but a good day. Fred had to work the hospital so I did not see him much but Friday evening we spent time putting my new desk together. I am officially a little more orgainzed. I am no longer using my antique table as a desk. Happy Birthday to me.

My daughter's are getting older and Beth had her first kiss Friday night we teased her a little but that's what we are suppose to do. Erin asks me if I remmber my first kiss. You know your old when you have to think about it and get it wrong on the first try. My first kiss was also my first love. At 14 years old I fell in love with a boy that was two years older than me. I met him at the skating rink in North Charleston and I beleive he was a friend of my best friend Donna. I may be wrong. Anyway I recall my first kiss, it was with a boy named Tim Maull. We were sitting listening to a marching band play in Branchville when he leaned over and kissed me. It was very nice so nice we spent all afternoon doing nothing but kissing. Infact I think during our time together that's what we did most of the time.

Tim and I ended up breaking up but we remained freinds for years until he was married anyways. He married his high school sweet heart Sherry and as far as I know they are still happily married. I know he has a daughter named Elizabeth who is about the same age as mine or maybe a little older. He still lives in Charleston S.C. I miss him and think about him sometimes but you never forget your first love or a good friend for that matter. I hope his life has been as full and happy as mine. He was such a nice guy I know he had to grow up and become a wonderfaul man and a great father. I was lucky to know him and wish him and his family all the best.

Last day of School at St Lucie Elementary

Yep today was the day summer vacation has officially begun. Beth like all the other teens did not go these last two days. She was promoted to ninth grade so she is done. All her friends are on my space so she's happy. Erin however was a totally different story, if she could keep going to school she would. She loves school. Today was really hard on her. She had to say good bye to her friends and teachers. When she came home today she was crying. Later on she told me that as she was leaving both Mrs. Avilla and Mrs. Bolderdorf were crying. Fred even had a hard time keeping a straight face. Erin told me that many of her friends were upset and crying today. Her friend Morgan was very upset and even Alex had red eyes. He is very upset they will not be at the same schools next year.

I am also taking toda a little hard, my family has been with St Lucie Elementary for 14 years. My 20 year old son attended when he was in 5th grade and then Beth attended the next year as a kindergartener and now Erin who also started as a kindergarener is going onto middle school. I never would have imagined that she would have taken the last day of school so hard but then again I did not think I would either. I still tear up a little because I will no longer be a St Lucie Elementary parent. I think what is making it so hard on everybody is the new districting. Most kids are still bused many bused to Fort Pierce from Port St Lucie. Most of my girl's friends live in Port St Lucie and next year will be going to their neighborhood schools. Most of Erin's friends will be attending PSL schools while she will go to Dan McCarty Middle here in Ft PIerce. Her best friend Carlyn and her boyfriend Alex are both going to the new middle school in St Liucie West. Many of the teachers a St Lucie Elementary are aslo switching schools to be closer to home.

I pushed hard for this new districting program. It makes sense and it will save money in transportation but I never thought of how hard it will be on our children. They will be seperated from their friends by district lines. I know diversity is good and so is change but today is a sad day in St Lucie County. Instead of happy children eager to celebrate the beginning of summer my 10 yeqr old daughter worries that she might never see her friends again.

5th Grade moving up Ceremony

I wish Erin would have smiled but she is still beautiful.  

8th Grade Dance

 

Elizabeth looks so beautiful. This is her first semi-formal event and we hope it is the first of many to come. 

Do you remember Candies?

When I was a tennager, we all wanted to wear Candies. Candies were a very simple high heel pump that came in a variety of colors and styles. They were so cute. All my friends had them but I was not allowed to wear them nor could I afford them. So like many girls forbidden we borrowed them from our friends that let us and wore them when our parents werent around. Unlike other shoes you could not just slip them on and go, walking in Candies was an art. You had to learn how to walk in your Candies. In the late 70's we wore our Candies with very tight jeans and t-shirts. I loved those little shoes.

Now I am 42 and I dont wear heels unless I absolutely have to. My daughters and I went shopping this past weekend looking for the elusive shrug that they could wear with their dresses for their end of the year dances. Both have dresses with spagetti straps which are against dress code. Anyway we went shopping and I ended up buying myself shoes. I bought a black pair from walmart and then a little white strappy heel from Traffic. They reminded me of the Candies I wore so long ago. They are actually comfortable. I wore them to work tonight my toes are cold but they look good.

The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

I finally finished it this morning. I thought Fred was going to have a cow I read all but the last chapter last night and he could not believe I just didnt finish it.
I really liked the book. It was a .good story, original plot and a decent climax. I was not glued to the book like I was with Angels and Demons but this book is fast past but not as fast as that one. Plus my eyes are starting to hurt from all the reading and writing I have been doing lately. I really need glasses.

Please take the book for what it is a piece of fiction. As I said before he makes a lot of interesting points and adds history to his fiction but that is all it is a book. Dan Brown twists facts to his own advantage while using ancient myth and theology I like it. I never would have read iton my own if my husband had not made me read it. I have a bad habit of just reading certain novelist and I need to change and broaden my horizons. Enjoy this book for it's entertainment value and be thankful for an author that challenges you to use your brain and think........

I recommend it as a good read.......

Tom Cruise MI:III vs. South Park

I found this very humorous. Personlly I have chosen to boycott Tom Cruise. I am very loyal South Park by Mat Stone and Trey Parker. South Park makes me laugh almost daily. Matt and Trey tell it like it is by using humor and satire. There is always a message to each show and they pick fun at everyone. I belive that humor is healthy and if you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at?

Everyone is allowed to their own opinion but I feel Tom Cruise has gone overboard. I personally feel he is on the same track as Wacko Jacko. Maybe there is something to the quote by Lord Acton: Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
When Tom Cruise used his position to have a South Park sensored he went to far. I understand he is a big supporter of Scientology but please I am not and I don't ever plan to be so don't shove it's doctrine down my throat just let me watch South Park!

Kasha is here.....

I love it when Kasha comes to visit. She is always happy and cheerful. The girls love her and the dogs wont leave her alone. For those who don't know the story of Kasha I'll fill you in, Fred met Kasha during a traffic accident. After finding out that Kasha had no one here in town to pick her up after her vehicle was total he offered to drive her home and during their conversation he learned she was here in the USA from Poland. She needed some help and we decided we could help her. We offered her to move in with us until she was able to get settled at FAU in Boca where she is finishing her 4 year degree. Kasha has no family in the USA, she has made many friends but most of them are starving students like herself. She needed a family and we were happy to let her join ours and we have never regretted it. She has just finished her finals in Boca and is spending the week with us. We are hoping she will spend the summer with us. Well see I guess.

Retailers Requesting Phone Numbers

I never really thought much of giving out my phone number to clerks at the check out line. I have done it many times in the past but today I was caught off guard when the clerk at Staples asked for my phone number after I had written a check. I don't recall ever being asked for that information before at this store. I usually use cash or up until last month my debit card. I have since closed out 2 bank accounts and opened a new account and just never ordered a debit card. I have a check book and it keeps me away from the ATM.

This just dose not make sense to me with a debit/credit card you just swipe and sign no identification is required. With a check my name and address is printed on it along with my signature, I must prove who I am by presenting my ID card that has my name address and signature on it. My phone number is not on either of this items for a reason That is my personal information and I pay to keep that information private I should not have to give it if I don't want to. The clerk hassled me until I finally caved and gave her my work phone number. Hell, I could have given her any number as long as she got one. The damn computer would not let her finish the transaction until I gave her a 10 digit number. It's not like I was not asking for a loan and the check was for only a little over $20.00.

In the age of computers, you would think they would be able to instantly check and verify my check. Weight Watchers and Paws and Claws use the technology. You would think Staples and other big chains would use the same program. Neither Publix nor Walmart ask me for my phone number so I don't understand why Staples need for a phone number unless they plan on selling/sharing the information and they can do that without my permission because the clerk asked me and I gave it to her.

Jessica's Sweet 16

Today was Jessica's Sweet 16 birthday party. It was held at Jaycee Park. It started a little late and on top of that it was windy and cool. There were 2 boats there so the children were able to get out on the water and ride the tube. Not as many people showed up as she wanted, many of her friends never made it but all her family was there minus her grnadmother who fell yesterday. I hope she is feeling better.

Jessica is turning into a beautiful young women, she has a gorgeous smile. I am sure she is already breaking hearts.

Her Aunt Jeannie did a wonderful job and I want to thak her again for being there for Jessie.

Dan Brown's Angels and Demons

I finally finished it last night. I enjoyed it very much. Dan Brown is a good writer and I had no problems keeping up with the plot no matter how outrageous it became. Dan Brown has a talent for telling tall tells. I had no problems believing all the events in the story at some point in time could be true. He makes a very logical argument. His use theology, legend, history and facts tells a rapidly paced story that is hard to pull away from. I loved racing from one clue to the next that took the reader from one side of Rome to the other. I loved reading about the masters and there art. I learned much and I encourage all to read this book not just because it is a good read but also because it is packed so full of knowledge that the average reader never really gets. I enjoyed reading about Vatican City and some of it's inner daily routines and politics.

I only had a few problem with the book. I did not like how Mr. Brown turned the good guys into the bad guys and vica versa.......I'll admit an interesting twist....

I also had a problem with the climax, it did not feel right and trying to convince my mind that spiritual intervention was the hero in a book that lays open the christian faith so bare to the bone really threw me off. No matter how much factual data there is in this book trying to explain it i know that when a human falls out of the sky hes a pancake and if he lives by some twist of faith hes not walking out of the hospital an hour later bumming a ride from one of the nurses.

Chauvinism is alive and well in St Lucie County

I was born in the early 60's, I am the last of the Baby Boomers. I was born to a generation of women who wore girdles and were many times stay at home moms. Their most important role was to take care of their home and family while her husband provided for them and that was how my family basically started out as. But by the late 60's and early 70's free love became the slogan and my family fell apart. My parents separated permanently when I was 4 years old. My life was filled with turmiol until about my 26th birthday. I was always considered cute and pretty as a child but just because you are young and pretty dose not neccesarily make you stupid naive yes but not stupid. Growing up I was "leered" at, "groped", and propositioned many times by males who thought they had the right to do so because of their gender. It never seemed to matter how old I was or for that matter how old they were. I have been abused by males and actually let them get away with until I learned how to fight back.

For some reason at the age of 41, I thought I no longer had to fight for respect, for cooperation or just plain old common curtesy. I really thought I had earned the right to expect these things. Apparently I am very wrong. Several incidents have occurred in the past month or so that has made me suspect that who I am has nothing to with the problems I have come up against. I have come to the conclusion that maybe what I am is the problem. I am a woman and because I am only a women some men think that my gender is less capable than theirs. I will not say that all men behave this way because I know they don't but I do beleive they have all acted like male chauvinist pigs at least once in their lifetime. Unfortunately for me I seem to keep bumping heads with men in authority who think because there is a strong femine voice on the other side of the phone or radio that dose not coo or giggle that I am incapable of doing my job properly. I have been treated as if what I say is not important and I am ignored or dismissed when I speak firmly and with confidence. Even the pretense of common curtsey is lost when I try to exert my authority and abide by the rules that are set up by my agency to follow. Because the rules that I follow do not coincide with the wants or even demands of the authoritve figures I have had a complaint made and been accused of being argumentative when all have done is simply stated the truth politely but firmly.

I have over looked and even dismissed this train of thought for a while not really believing it could occurr at this time of my life especially with men who are of a similar age and grew up with similar backgrounds. Regardless of the fact that I grew up in the south where chauvinism like the KKK is still found in small pockets of our communities, I was surprised to finally have to come to terms with the fact that chauvinism is exactly what I have come up against and I am not happy. I am at a lose as to what I can even do about it.

As a person in general, I try to be leader that my peers can respect and hope that they will follow my example. I am strong willed and self confident. I am the type of person that if you ask me a question and I am not sure of the answer I will find the answer. I am honest sometime to a fault and very blunt so do not ask the question if you are not prepared to hear my answer. I am usually self motivated (I am a procrastinator sometimes) and I rarely need anyone to tell me how to do my job but even I have been known to learn a new trick or two. I crave knowledge and I read and study as much as time allows me. I am open minded to new things, people and experiences. I can be tempermental and demanding but I also possess patience and I care about the people in my world.

See me as a man and what do you see...............

see as I am a women and some men may see me as nothing more than a mouthy bitch and not anything I can say or do can change there opinion, sometimes you just cant win.

Religion, a Rant

I am happy to say my family reads a lot, we read a large variety of different books. My son likes science fiction/fantasy, while my youngest daughter likes mysteries. My 13 yoa is reading Harlan Coban novels and she also likes Carl Haissen. I am still trying to get through The Icewind Dale Series by R.A. Salvatore. He has so many books I may never finish. I like my son love science fiction/fantasy. I love Robert Jordan, L.E. Modesitt, Robert Silverberg, and Piers Anthony, but my favorite genre is horror and my favorite author is Steven King. Infact I took a break from my current book to read Stephen King's 'Cell' .....It was good a typical King read and I enjoyed it. My husband on the other hand likes Stephen King but is more likely to read murder mysteries or military type fiction. He likes the Tom Clancey type authors. Right now he is reading the Dan Brown books. He has finished 'The Davinci Code' and is currently reading 'Angels and Demons'. Religion has taken on a whole new light for him. Even though his works are fiction it is laced with some truth and many theory's about religions and how it has have evolved over the centuries. It is amazing at all the new insights he has gained just from reading these two books. It has made us all think.

In the last week we have had atleast 3 different conversations on religion. Both Fred and I were raised Southern Baptist and because of it we are sort of Agnostic. It is not so much that we don't believe in God because we do. We just don't believe that any one religion is necessarily correct. I do not believe in organized religion at all for that matter. I have gone to several different denominations in my life and so far nothing feels right to me and the religious dogma that is spouted usually leaves me unsatisfied and looking for a more realistic answer. I get tired of being told to "just believe" or "have faith". I like to think of myself as an intelligent person and I guess I have a habit of asking too many questions that most of the time no one in that particular religion really has a reasonable answer for. My children seem to have taken after a similar philosophy.

Fred and I have tried very hard to raise independent thinking children. We want them to think out of the box as they say. We have tried to instill in them tolerance, patience and kindness towards others. I insist that they try to look at all sides of a situation and to try to be fair and open minded. I have tried to teach them to treat adversity as a challenge. We encouraged them to question authority and to not be afraid to voice their opinions. We have taken great care to raise them in a loving home and to make sure that they are confident and have self respect. Fred and I have tried so hard to make sure our children have had more then we had growing up and to make sure they know they are loved. However, somehow I have managed to raise 2 children that are atheist, I don't know how I did that and nothing I say will change their minds. You live and then you die. Erin still has not made up her mind about the whole religion thing yet but she still has a few years. I hope she is more open minded.

As for myself I was a very religious child growing up, I was baptized twice at 2 different churches. We moved a lot and I guess my mother was trying to find the answers to her questions and she dragged us to many different churches and denominations. One Church we visited was the Mormon Church - The Church of Latter Day Saints. They were nice enough people and very helpful always ready to help other members of the church. They spend a lot of time on missionary work, out reach and genealogy. I just could not get a grasp on the whole John Smith thing and I don't think my mother did either. We went to many different Christian churches along the way, always looking for the right one and never really finding it. I think the longest we stayed at any church was Charleston Heights Baptist and I think it was this church that really soured me to religion. I learned what it was meant to be called a hypocrite. I saw what greed could do to people and just how little tolerance there was for people who did not conform to the Baptist ideology. As a teenager I went to Presbyterian Church with my girlfriend and it was nice. It was I guess you could call it Baptist Light no fire or brimstone preaching just a good sermon and fellowship it was a pleasant experience but by then I was already jaded as far as my faith was concerned.

Now my grandmother was a very devout 7th Day Adventist and my Mimi made my brother and I conform to her rules when ever we were at her house. She made us turn off the T.V. at sundown Friday night and we were not allowed to turn the T.V. on until sunset Saturday. The Sabbath was very important to her and per their doctrine the Sabbath was a day of rest and the only thing she did on Saturday was to go to church and worship. The Adventist follow much of the old testament teachings. They have a few quirky beliefs I thought was weird but I was a child. They don't eat pork or any kind of scavenger. Adventist believe in Jesus and the second coming of Christ. They believe that once you die you are dead until you are called from the grave at the second coming. I just recently went back and read through their practices and beliefs and maybe they are not so far off the track.

I am not a theologian, I have read the Bible but I do not profess to know or understand everything that is in it. I have come to believe over the years that the Bible is just a book written by men and at best it is a very good history of the Jewish people and the life of Jesus Christ. It is sad to note that many books where left out of the Bible because a man decided they where not appropriate or did not portray the religion as men believed it should be. I was appalled to discover that many of the books that describe the youth if Jesus were removed. I have since gone back and read as much as I can find and I can see why many of these scriptures were removed. Jesus in our day could have been branded a witch and burned at the stake for some of his antics. I just amazes me how easily the Bible and the Christian religion has been manipulated to conform to man's will and not God's. I do believe in a higher power and I call out to God occasionally and thank him for all he has bestowed in me and mine. I am still not sure what exactly it is I believe in and I have toyed around with many of my own ideas only to dismiss them because again they can't answer all my questions.

I studied the idea of Karma and reincarnation as a young adult and it did satisfy my faith for a little while but as I have grown older and the more I have thought about it the less sense it makes. Although I truly believe that "what comes around goes around" or the popular "you sow what you reap" the reincarnation belief no longer feels right. The world has just become too populated and I don't think our souls multiply. I even went to several psychics in my early 20's and I was very impressed. I had one tell me about my past lives. My most recent past I was told I was a catholic nun who taught algebra. I think it safe to say I went to the total opposite side in my current life. The same person also told me I would never have any children...........So much for that.

I guess I have ranted enough for one day but there are still so many ideas and theory's I have and I know they will grow and change as I become older and more knowledgeable. I will continue my search for the truth even though I know I will have to wait until I am dead to find the truth and answers to all my questions.

Dear Hmmmmmmm

I guess I need to go back and underline the word Idiot.

Dear Happy

Taken from LEO Affairs message board FPPD

((***Over all the dispatcher do a hell of a job. Yes sometimes they get put on the radio to soon and can't handle it. Sometimes some people just can’t cut it and it takes time to find this out. But the dispatcher is doing a job where they have to keep track of a number of Officers and what they are doing. I would not want to do that job and I thank you for what you are doing. My beef is with the dispatchers who feel that they are or have a god complex. You are not a boss, supervisor or leader. It is your job to give out information and directions. You K.P. are not going to tell us how to do the job. You are a very good dispatcher, one of the best. But your attitude makes it so we hate hearing you on the radio. We need you to dispatch not direct we know our job (well some of us) I know that you have to do one 10-4 check when were on a 10-50 wait I mean a traffic stop and that’s good. But most of the time you cover your required 10-4 check even before we get out of the car. We can then spend 30 minuets out on this stop and never get another 10-4 check. Ya'll need to space the 10-4 checks out little more. And try not to forget that we are out there.
Have a nice day. Love Ya!***))

I was a little puzzled when one of my co-workers showed me this post last night. I was a little hurt at first because I was not sure why I deserved a spot on this forum but after I thought about it I was pleased. I have never really thought of myself as a trouble maker and I don’t believe I am, but I do and will stand up for myself. I have a healthy dose of self respect and I have standards and morals. I have a bad habit of telling the truth and expecting the others around me to do the same. I will stand up for the truth because sometimes that is all we have. I still don’t know why my name was brought up unless I pissed somebody off and I do that on a daily basis so join the club. I have to admit that it takes a person with big balls especially one who obviously dislikes me to commend me for being a good dispatcher if not one of the best. It made my day and I thank you Happy for saying so. It is not too often officers tell their dispatchers they are doing a good job and we do appreciate it when we hear it.

However I have to comment on the God complex, I am not God nor do I expect to become a God anytime soon. I like to think of myself more like a mom protecting her family. When I am working the radio and that could be any radio at 911, the officers and deputies on duty are my responsibility. I make sure they are well cared for by checking on them regularly, making sure they have back ups, relaying correct information as quickly as possible and knowing where they are at all times. I am not perfect but I do aspire to be the best at what I do, I hold myself to a higher standard and I try to be a good role model for other dispatchers. I am a leader and a supervisor at 911, and because my job demands that I make snap decisions that will affect those I am responsible for on my radio then sometimes that does make me the boss. Most of the sergeants and lieutenants that I work with regardless off jurisdiction trust me and know that I will do what is best for that situation. I know that I am not popular and I know I have an attitude sometimes but I don’t usually give officers an attitude unless I’ve been on the receiving end first and just like a Mother I have no problems correcting inappropriate behavior and B.S. this includes being rude and telling the dispatcher how to do her job when she’s already done it.

My job is much more complicated then just giving out information and directions and any officer that believes that is an idiot, yes I said it an Idiot. I am not here to be your friend or to coddle you. I try to treat everyone as fairly as possible. I have no favorites but there are a few I like better than others. I am not here to put up with your bull shit nor will I tolerate it. I am not intimidated easily and I am not afraid to go toe to toe. My main job as an LEO dispatcher is to make sure that everyone goes home at the end of the shift healthy and no more worse for wear than when they started. I stress myself out worrying about making the one stupid mistake that will inevitably get someone hurt. I am more critical of myself than any of you could ever be on me. This is what makes a good dispatcher and I will continue to be a leader/boss/supervisor regardless of what people post on that forum.

As far as the 1004 checks go, 911 SOP is 3minutes from inception of traffic stop or arrival to an in progress call or suspicious person/vehicle ect. After that it is 10 to 15 minutes than again at 30 if the dispatcher is not sure what that officer has especially if he is alone. Now if an officer was on records running FCIC I know that the officer is busy and will generally wait a little longer to check on them and then there are the times when it is just so busy it is not hard to overlook a 1004 check. Just to let all the officers know I have heard some of the complaints and I have been trying hard to make sure they are addressed. I am trying to make sure that officer safety on the radios and that is all the radios at 911 are the first priority. Some where along the line the departments have lost our respect and for those of us who care we are trying hard to remedy that. I would be more than happy to hear any complaints officers might have to help 911 better prepare and train its dispatchers. My email address is available here on my Blog site.

Just remember we have good people that work at 911 and most at least like what they are doing. It is first of all hard to find decent people to even interview and once we get them in the center at least half if not more fail to make the cut. Dispatching and complaint taking is hard and stressful work. Once upon a time 911 was for emergencies now it has become a catch all for the most mundane of complaints. We are expected to know everything and then patiently be verbally abused by the public, unfortunately some officers can act the same way and many times act worse. I not saying that dispatchers are saints we all have our bad days but officers usually only have to deal with 2 dispatchers their main and records. Dispatchers have to put up with a multitude of different personalities all day and it usually only takes one asshole to screw it up.

Please don’t be offended by what I post here most of the officers I work with are hardworking men and women who do there job without complaint and are a pleasure to work with even under the most difficult of circumstances. All you have to do is read some of the post at Leo Affairs to see that the officers with the most outlandish complaints are the ones that are causing most of the problems. I know the department has its issues. The lack of morality and honesty seems to be the biggest complaint but unfortunately no matter how many rules are written regarding ethics if there is not a strong leader setting the example then you end up with what FPPD has become.

I try very hard to maintain a professional radio and anybody that has worked with me knows that when I am working I expect the best and I usually get it.

My Theory about Dave Chappelle

I have read most of the Dave Chappelle Theory (see link). I just dont know what to say. I love Dave Chappelle, he a great comedian and I love his stuff and I can imagine the great stress he was under. I can beleive he was under so much stress that sometimes it's just easier to ignore the real world.

It is my theory that Dave Chappelle became addicted to on line crack. I beleive he gave up everything to play World Of Warcraft. I mean come on if I had enough money and could take some time off I'd play all day long. I am playing right now as I type. My main character Mistical is flying to Feralas right now to collect a Hippogryph egg. I play every chance I get I'd even play at work but they have to ports blocked and I can get on. I play instead of sleep. I woke up at 0230 hrs this morning and played until 0400 hrs. I think Dave just played.

Fart Games my Daughters like to play

ON most days I just have two daughters but occasionally I have three. Veronica spent the slept over last night and kept us all entertained. V is thirteen going on thirty five and loves to argue so much we are trying to convicince her to become a lawyer. She would be great at it. She is full of energy and a chatter box but most times she is well behave but only because my other two wont go along with most of her schemes. Sometimes she just does not understand "we will get in troube if we get caught" or "Dad will kill us if he finds out".

Anyway, we went to dinner last night at TGIFriday's and went and saw Scary Movie 4. All three girls chatted their heads off and somewhere along the way the subject of boyfriends came up. Well as far as my husband knows none of the girls zre allowed to have boyfriends. Beth dated a boy breifly in 7th grade and I sorta told him about that but it was over before it really started so I did not feel it really counted. Well Erin finally confessed that she did have a boyfriend. We knew that tere was a bot named Alexander that likes her and has been tyring to get her to go to a movie with him but she has always maintained they are just friends. He is her date for her semi-formal dance. Beth keeps talking about a boy named Andrew, he has even come to the house and skateboarded with her. She talks about him on occassion and I saw the smiloe in her face when he came over to see her. She's not fooling me at all. Beth confessed last night at dinner that they went steady last year for a little while but she broke up when she found out how old he was. He looks like he is her age but she admitted he just turned sixteen. She will not be fourteen until July. I thought Fred was going to come unglued. I actually saw several strands of the few brown hairs he still has on his head turn grey. All I have to say is thank godness for hair dye RB6.

Fred and I survived dinner and the movie and on the way home my daughters strating playing a fart game a new one. In 2004 during our vacation they invented what they called the Peanut Butter and Jelly game. Peanut Butter was a regular fart, Jelly was considered a particukarly stinky or clingy fart, and a PB&J was a wet or oops I need to change my underware fart. Now this was almost two years ago and you would think thay by now they would have matured and grown out of this phase, I am wrong and they have not. Last nights game was Veronica's idea and they ran with it. V was telling how she was riding with her family up to Georgia serveral weeks ago and she farted and wanted everyone to acknowledge her handiwork but she knew if she told them they would hold their noses and her talent would go unnoticed so she said, "Dose it smell like popcorn in here?" and of course they all took a good sniff and were rewarded. V was very happy and we all got a good laugh about that one. Now later on as we were driving home V let one so I asked her if she was making popcorn back there and that was it. Now instead of making sandwiches they are popping popcorn. Please dont ask me about buttered popcorn.

Trying to get back into Midnights

I used to love midnight shift but it seems as I get older the less night shift likes me. I feel so busy when I am working the day rotation it never seems like there is enough time to do everything I need to get done. It's been almost 2 weeks and I am having a horrible time adjusting. My sleep habits are all screwed up I can sleep for 4-5 hours then I'm wide awake. It has been even harder because I am working a radio and I have to stay awake and alert. It's also been a little busy. I have not had a lot of time do do any of the chores I had planned.

I still have not finished the baby quilt for my friend Annie and she is due any time now. I have two more corners and I'm done. I am hoping I can finish it tonight. (wishful thinking)

I have not stayed on my diet but I have started several times. I am having a serious problem with coke and fired chicken and some minor issues with chocolate.

I have written a little bit but not much and I am not happy with the way the story is going. I am to be waiting for that light bulb to go off and I am afraid I will be waiting awhile.

Repairs on our house are going slow and it is a little scary with hurricane season only a few months away. The roof was suppose to be done by now it's not. The screen porch company told us the patio should be up before the first of May but we have not heard from them either. I hate waiting.......

I think we have finally decided to get rid of the Yukon. We really cant afford it anymore the gas is ridiculous and our house insurance and taxes went up almost $200.00 a month and we need to down size so to say. My sister has my travel trailer now and I really don't have a good reason to keep it and the fact that I like driving it is just not getting the bills paid.

We have had an interesting week so far, Beth had her honor roll presentation it was short and sweet. Afterwards Fred and I went and looked a a few new construction models at Tradition in Port St Lucie as a lark. We just wanted to see what the houses were going for. After being treated for shock, we quickly left and gained a new appreciation for our home. We looked at a 3bed 2bath with a mother in law apartment that was selling for $419,000.00. The construction looked sound but I saw a lot of cosmetic issues that concerned me and Fred noticed that they were using Styrofoam for trim around the windows and decorative molding then sprayed stucco over it. These are zero lot line properties - deed restricted - no thank you.

And then there was the Immigration protest on Monday, it was huge more than a thousand people showed up to protest here in Ft Pierce. We only love 3 blocks from the county commission offices and that was ground zero. Protesters march all the way to US1 and back and they were noisy but peaceful. Fred went over and he took some pretty good shots, he is an awesome photographer.

This weekend should be busy I will be out shopping with my girls. They both have dances in May that are semi formal and they both want to design there own gowns and I get to make them. We will be shopping for patterns, material and shoes to match. My ladies are growing up too fast. Fred and I were looking at old pictures of the children when they were small and we both teared up. They will be grown and gone before we know it unless they are like their brother Warren and then they will probably never leave home.

April Fools Weekend

It seems that we have all survived the weekend again. I did work several hours friday but I was home when Fred came home for lunch and had plenty of time to pick up Erin from school. We orderd pizza for Friday night and Beth went to the Firehouse to hang out with her friends. After eight days straight of 911, all I wanted to do was sleep. I passed out not too long after I picked up Beth at 10pm. I was surprised I lasted that long.

Erin was up late, she was planning her April Fools surprise on her sister and brother. She started with Warren just before he left for work. Her father told her the best joke is the one that never happened. She had him all upset before he walked out the door. Then we cleaned his room and waited. Erin was back up by 8am setting up Beth's room. She laid out plastic wrap and spuirted chocolate sauce on it. However when she tried to get her up by thrown snap rocks at the foot of her bed Beth just yelled at her and went back to sleep. Warren came home not too long after that grabbed her and drug her outside and threatened to throw her in the pool if she did not tell him what she did to his room. I had to run outside and make him stop just in case. They were both giggling butyou never know with those two. Beth finally woke up to the chocolate mess and they both cleaned it up with out incident. We all survived Friday morning.

We made it to the Market about 10am but we did not stay too long because of the heat. They area is so tightly packed with booths and people the breeze never had a chance. They have Indidna River Drive tore up and the arts and crafts area was not in its usual place, we found down it by the community center right on the water. It was nice. We went to Home Depot then to Walmart picked up groceries for the next couple of days and went home and unloaded. My chores were done.

Fred and I had decided Friday that we needed to go out by ourselves, We had Warren drop us off at Archies on the beach about 6:30 Saturday night. We had beer and Chicken wings and visited with other patrons we knew including 2 police officers that showed up for a call about rental property the owner had. (Not even important enough to talk about.) We sat there for a while then walked down to the Jetty Bar and had a few drinks and just talked and hung out. We had Warren pick us up at 9pm played some WOW and then to bed. We had to get up early for Fred's Shift party Sunday.

We did not get up early and we were in no rush to get moving Sunday morning. Fred had to make Mac-n-cheese and Banana pudding for the party and it took longer to get it made than he anticipated but we finally made it around 2pm. We were suppose to be there at noon better late than never. We had a decent time. Erin fished with the boys Beth never left my side and Fred made the rounds chatting with his shift mates. Jay was there with his wife Amy, he used to work at 911 still part time as far as I know was there with shrimp clams and rock crab claws. I ate as much shrimp as I could before I was too full, UUMM grilled on the barbie shrimp!!!!!!!! The party started to wind down around 5pm and we just chilled the rest of the day. Good food friends and great spring weather made a very nice afternoon, we had no choice but to come home and do nothing for the rest of the day............

Today I had plans to do chores, the back yard needed to be cleaned up. I slept late and Fred slept in even later. I think its safe to say we played WOW all day except for the nap we took around 3pm I was on my computer all day. Tonight is my first night back on midnights and for some reason I am dreading it, maybe its just work period I dread. I guess we will see.

Jacksonville rock 105

Check it out they have a pretty decent web site but nothing about MGD yet.

I love to listen to classic rock because I know all the lyrics to most of the music (Showing my age) but my husband yells at me when I sing................ he says I need a bucket??????

Mark Summers, Genny & Dahmer Update

If you have'nt already heard MGD are back in Florida they will be the new morning show that replace Lex & Terry on Classic Rock 105 in Jacksonville. They are still too far away but they are back in Florida. I have grown accustom to listening to them on my computer. I am just so thankful they will be back. Thanks for all the great comments........................

Another day in Paradise

I added a local newspaper article about the county I live in. Apparently we are in the top 20 of the fastest growing counties in the nation and with all the building that is going on around me I'm not surprised. I keep telling Fred as soon as out house is worth $500,000 we are selling and getting out of Dodge. The value of our home has already increased 100,000 since we purchased it last year. If people keep moving in to St Lucie county and house prices continue to soar it might be sooner than we think. Fred says we should hold out for more because we still both have a few years before we can retire and we still have 2 more children to put through college. UHGGGGGGG................

We are working hard to get the house back in order, the screen patio salesman from Pioneer came to the house yesterday and we basically went with the design he drew up several months ago with the addition of a large doggy door and the company will be removing and hauling off what is left of the aluminum structure still attached to our house. The salesman said he could have the pool enclosure back up by the end of April. Work orders have started slowing down and they have actually started laying off employees. They have quite a few contracts for new construction but that work is based on the near completion of the house and most of the new construction is just starting to go up. We are happy and will be even happier if they can get the patio back up before the mosquitoes get bad.

The grapefruit tree that was lounging on our power lines is gone which is sad because it was in full bloom and it smelled so sweet. I love the scent of orange blossom. The tangerine is still intact but it has not bloomed yet but I can wait.
We had a very nice crop of tangerines this year Erin tried her best to eat as many as she could. Erin and the children next door spent several afternoons pulling the fruit of the tree and have become very good at it. It is bare. I have one slight problem when Eric our neighbor cut down the grapefruit it still had the staghorn attached to it. Fred left it lying there when he picked up all the branches so I guess it is my job to find a new spot for it and get him to help me rehang it. The damn thing is huge and weighs several hundred pounds. We originally had 2 and he made me get rid of 1 of them but I'm not parting with this one.

We have had a busy week and we have had only one minor catastrophe. One of the circuit breakers blew at the box and it needed to be replaced. It was for the front patio and hallway light and we really did not think anything about it Fred would buy a new circuit breaker and replace it and it would be as good as new. Last night Erin went to pull out meat from the freezer to defrost. To her horror everything in the freezer was already defrosted, infact it was starting to get rank. Fred just bought groceries Saturday. We think the circuit blew Sunday. Fred had to go back to the grocery store last night and stock up. Thank goodness it wasn't full. I usually keep a ham and a turkey but I had cooked both of them in January and the other in February and had not replaced them. Erin morned the lose of her fruit pops but I will buy her more Friday when I shop.

We have a new fence and AC today

Fianlly it is done, the fence is up and it only cost us $75.00 out of pocket. The insurance company gave us 175.00 to repair exsisting fence and we did. We fixed that fence so the dogs can not get out and terrorize the neighborhood. Thank God for Eric our nieghbor, he helped Fred put it up and it looks pretty good. Eric had his own fencing project he needed to do so when Fred told him what we were doing Monday he went and bought a bale of chainlink. Fred helped Eric put up his section of fence and then they came over here and finished ours. They had the job completed by 6 pm yesterday. Im so proud of Fred and the dogs are happy.

Cujo and Zack spent all evening in the back yard. Cujo our 7 month old dane rottie mix chewed on everything he could put in his mouth and Zack ran from one side of the fence to the other side barking occasionally at god only knows what. Zack our brindle pit mix is all talk and no action and it was funny watching him walk around the yard all bowed up like he was the alpha male protecting his turf. Butch our old man just did his business and wanted to go back inside. He is 12 and his body dose'nt work like it used to.

Today we are cleaning up the aluminum that has been lying in my yard since Wilma hit us last year. Fred borrowed his dad's truck (the house is fine and all the tomatoes are gone) and borrowed Eric's Sawzall???? and our yard should be almost back to normal by this afternoon. We still have the grapefruit tree lying on the power lines and since FPUA has never returned to cut it down, Eric said he would take care of it.

My good luck has not run out yet, today Grimes AC is coming out and installing our new 5 ton AC unit, not that there is anything wrong with the ancient unit that sits outside our home but Eric's father in-law is installing a brand new AC. Their old unit is only 5 years old and works great. Fred and Eric got with the AC company and for $400.00 they will install the new unit after they finish Eric's house.

Today is a good day. It is also Warren's 20th birthday today. He has class and then he is going shopping with his friends to buy himself a new flat panel monitor for his computer. We will take him out for dinner and desert tonite and my birthday present to him was paying his car insurance for the last time and not making him pay rent for 2 months. He was happy.

Re-enactment Bunnies and Working the Weekend

At the 911 center, we work 12 hour shifts. We work every other long weekend Friday Saturday and Sunday. Friday and Saturday are almost always busy but Sunday it is usually slow enough for us to make breakfast and generally goof off.

This morning we are having pancakes and eggs. While we are waiting for our food to cook in between harrassing each other and answering phones we like to visit the angry alien web site. It is so cute we always get a good laugh.

Life at our house has been pretty normal. We work, we come home and we play World of Warcraft. In between killing the bad guys and slaying beast on our search for the quest that gives us the most experience points, we some how manage to keep up with laundry and tidy up the house. We take turns making dinner except on Thursday or Friday which is usually pizza night. The girls just finished up their FCATs and we are confident they both passed. Erin had did not do to well on the math section but her reading is excellent. Warren goes to school, works and hangs out with his friends when he is not playing WOW. This is what is refered to as domestic bliss and I can live with that........

Donna Happy Birthday I'm sorry I forgot...... Love You.......

AHB Africanized Honey Bees

I had a Supervisor's Meeting today and this was one of our main topics. "Killer Bee" have invaded Florida through our ports and now we have to learn to live with them. We are setting up SOP for responce to an attack. It was interesting.

What to do if you encounter these bees.

1. Run fast and far they may chase you as far a 3 football fields.

2. find shelter in a vehicle or a house.

3. Cover you face with your hands they will go straight for your face in an attack.

4. If you encounter any bees move slowly do not make any noise leave the area as soon as possible.

5. If you see bees near a school day care or public area call your animal cantrol office or the fire department. If it is an emergency especaiily if someone has been attacked call 911.

Remember the bees have come in through Floridas ports and were probably spread by 2004/2005 hurricanes. I would not be surprised if they are found all over Florida,
hopefully they are watching Louisiana and Mississippi. The only way you can tell the difference between native/european bees and Africanized bees is only after you have been attacked. They are very aggressive.

Bank Roberry and other stuff

We had a bank robbery today. I answered a hang up from the bank and tried to call it back only to be hung up on again, so I sent a screen up to dispatch and called back.
I was sitting back in my chair expecting maybe a disturbance with a customer or nothing at all when a female finally answered the phone at the branch and told me they had just been robbed. I sat up and went into automatic and pumped her for information as fast as I could, nothing like a little adrenaline to get you going in the afternoon. Deputies responded as quickly as possible but the suspect was gone.
We have taken several calls from local residents with possible names of suspect but so far no one has been arrested. It is very unusual to have a female do these types of crimes however we have had 2 female armed robbers in the last month. We had one lady rob several business in Fort Pierce but she was caught when she went a picked up her 16 yoa daughter and her friend from K-mart and was on her way home when she was caught by LEO. She had the teenagers and her infant daughter in the vehicle.

This woman from today's robbery kept telling the bank employees to not let them hurt her kids. She was crying and repeated it several times. The theroys thrown around in the center are 1/ someone made her do it and threatened her children, 2/ she was so desperate to take care of her children she felt she had no other alternative, or 3/ she was hopped up on drugs out of her mind and looking for money to buy more drugs.
Who knows the detectives will figure it out eventually.

It's hard to say what will drive a woman to armed robbery but I am sure this trend will become more common as people have a harder time finding jobs and paying bills. We who are already in bad relationships may find themselves alone with no support trying to raise children on little or nothing. The economy is getting bad and we are just starting to see the effects.

Fort Pierce Police Department

This is an interesting read if you have an hour or so less if you read fast. This is just some of the garbage that has been floating around the police department for the last several years and it looks like it is coming to a head. I am going to stand back and enjoy the fireworks.

Just Click the Title and it will take you to the web site..........

Mark Summers, Genny Layne and Dahmer where are you?

They are the morning buzz. They are and always will be my favorite morning radio show. They left 103.1 the buzz in late 2004 replaced by Howard Stern (dont make me gag), now Howard Stern is gone and David Lee Roth has taken his place, I still dont listen to the Buzz anymore and probably never will.
They moved to Kansas city to the Fox 101....... they have live internet access so I would listen to them in the morning every chance I could. Last night I pulled up the site on my computer to listen to some classic rock while I play WOW and almost fell out.

Mark Summers, Genny Layne and Dahmer are gone. I just listened to them last week and now they are gone. Their web site is down and there is no metion in the news or any google sites that will help me explain. I know they were replaced by Bob and Tom and I do like them but they could never replace Mark, Jenny and Dahmer. I can only hope that they are coming back to south Florida. I miss you guys.

Happy Valentines Day - We are Home.

There is nothing better than sleeping in your own bed, getting up a 6am to let the dogs out sucks when your robe and sleepers are still packed. It is cold in the Mountains but it seems somehow worse in Florida when the wind starts blowing. Both Warren and the dogs are glad we are home. We had to sweep and mop as soon as we got in my son has an avertion to cleaning there was dog hair everywhere and the house still smells like dog. Today I get to bleach everything.........

I dont have to go back to work until next Monday and Fred still has a few days off. We plan on getting some work done around the house. We still have a lot of wall paper to remove and walls to paint....

Happy Valentines Day to everyone!!!!!!!

Banner Elk

Banner Elk is beautiful. They had several inches of snow fall that night. It covers everything. Snow is on the ground, on cars, on roofs, rocks and tree tops. Icicles drip off rocks and roofs. We saw snow in 2004 standing in the mountains in Montana. There was so much snow there it was amazing but fresh fallen snow is pretty. It is so white and makes everything look magical. It’s like Christmas again but prettier. The people here are nice but not quite as nice as Alabamians.

We spent Monday settling into the condo and grocery shopping. The condo is great. It is very comfortable and has everything we need to set up house keeping. The best part of the condo is the large Jacuzzi bathtub in the master bedroom. I ran out of hot water trying to fill that thing up. The girls made several trips outside. They played around the lake then went over to the putt putt golf course and played in the snow for over an hour. They love it here.

Tuesday we went shopping, Beth needed boots. She was running around in her black and pink vans slipping and sliding all over the place. Fred could use a new pair too he is having some traction problems with the boots he has but at least they keep his feet warm and dry. We made a quick trip through town and up on Beech Mountain, the snow was pretty thick up there and it was still less then 20 degrees up there. We made a quick stop in Fred’s General store but they did not have any bargains so we headed towards Boone after a few minutes of playing in the snow. We made a detour to Valle Crucise to the Mast Annex. Sheila said they had every kind of candy you could imagine. Beth and Erin stocked up and candy they haven’t seen in a long time and their favorites. We left there and went a little further into town to the Mast General Store. They had everything plus some more. I found a good pair of Columbia boots for Elizabeth for less than $40.00. She loves them. We bought some socks they had on clearance and several grape Nehi’s and a moon pie for me. We could have spent much money in this store if we had it. Thankfully we left but Fred wants to go back on Wednesday.

By the time we finished there it was almost lunch time so we stopped at The Hamm Shoppe Deli and grabbed some sandwiches. It was a little pricey for just 4 sandwiches but they were very good. We finally made it into Boone after lunch and hit the J.C.Penny’s. Fred needed Thermals and they are hard to find in his size. They had them on sale so we bought him a set and Beth a set of leggings. Erin found scarves and hats on clearance that matched her jacket and some flannel sleep pants. They had sweaters on clearance and I could have seriously stocked up but Fred dragged me out of the store.
We did not stay too long in Boone. I think Fred and I both were getting sleepy so we headed back to the Condo. Fred ended up playing Putt Putt with the girls while I took a nap.

I could have slept all afternoon and I think they were going to let me but the girls were bored and we told them we would take them sledding and possibly ice skating. We headed back up to Beech Mountain to try and find the Skating Rink. We found the sled park first and spent the afternoon there freezing our butts off but the girls had a good time. I think Erin enjoyed more than Beth. Erin was up and down that hill more times than I can count Beth was a lot slower. We were frozen by the time we got back into the car and headed straight back to the condo for warm food and just thawed out and relaxed the rest of the night.

It started snowing about 8:30 Wednesday morning. We ate a big breakfast and then headed out to Grandfather Mountain. When we went in the clerk told us it was 15 degrees at the top with gusts of 60 mph but that did not bother us. We have gone through 3 hurricanes with wind gust 3 times that we were not afraid. We drove all the way to the top bundled up in 3 if not 4 layers of clothing including thermals and heavy snow jackets. Fred put on a face mask and the girls and I made sure our faces were covered. The hike up 3 flights of stairs winded us all but it was worth it. At first the girls did not want to cross but once Fred and I made it to the other side with no problems they walked over. It was exhilarating standing up on the top of the mountain a mile above sea level, the wind was whipping the snow around us and the bridge was humming. It sounded like it was singing. It changed pitch with the speed of the wind. Pretty cool……

We drove back down to the Wildlife Habitat but the only thing we saw was a cougar and some deer everyone else was inside there dens warm and cozy. The bears were hibernating. We actually thought about going into the Nature Museum but after the walk around the habitat we were all wore out and ready for some heat and lunch. Back at the condo we ate big bowls of tomato soup and sandwiches. After we defrosted a little, the girls went out and played putt putt again, Fred took a nap and I watched T.V. and just tried to stay warm by the fire. About 3 we went back up to Beech Mountain and let the girls sled. They are getting better at it and I even went down the hill against my better judgment. I survived the experience and if I were about 50lbs lighter I would have made an afternoon of it. I get winded so easily up here.

We drove to Ski Beech and to let the girls’ ice skate only to find out Ice Skating was from 7pm to 9pm. We arrived at 430pm at the end of the afternoon ski session so we went back to the condo and hung out until 630. Back over the mountain to Ski Beech we got the girls in their ice skates and out on the rink. They did very well actually. By the end of the 2 hour session they were skating on their own in the middle of the rink. Erin kept trying to do circles and even did a figure 8 a very unsteady one. It started snowing about 8pm. It was coming down pretty good heavier than the morning flurries we saw. The snow was like sand it would settle on you and you could just brush it away. It was nice but very cold. As we drove back into Banner Elk the snow stopped I was a little disappointed but the weatherman was promising snow overnight approximately 1-2 inches. We finally made it back to the condo sometime after 9. We had a late dinner and the girls worked on their homework until 11pm then off to bed.

I woke up early Thursday morning to about an inch of snow. It covered everything. Our car is solid white and snow was still falling. The snow flakes are so large and numerous not like Wednesdays flurries. It makes everything look so clean and pristine looking. We started out towards Biltmore Castle in Asheville, we had a few detours. Fred wanted to take some photographs and he got several nice shots of the area and some really good barn shots. We drove over to Valle Crucise and bought Erin a case of grape Nehi’s. We made it to Biltmore around 1pm. It was pretty cold after a good lunch we toured the castle. Fred was not happy they do not allow cameras inside. It was very beautiful and very large. I could not imagine living in such a huge home. We left there and headed to the winery where Fred did a Wine tasting. I looked for Mead but no luck. We finally made it back sometime after 7pm, I was in bed by 9:30 I don’t remember when I dozed off. Erin and I were lying in bed watching T.V. so who knows…..

Friday, I was up at 6am and I woke the girls up at 6:45am. Today we take them up to Sugar and let them take Snowboard lessons. We left early which is a good thing because we got lost. We arrived at the Sugar Mountain Ski Lodge just before the rush quickly signed up the girls for their lessons then went back to the condo. We grabbed our computers and went to the office for high speed wireless internet connection. We checked up on our emails, local news and played a little WOW. We were good and only played for about an hour. We then went shopping had lunch then went back to the condo and just relaxed. We had thought about going tubing but we were just too lazy to get up off the couch. About 2:30 we got a call from the Ski Lodge that Beth had hurt her back and was too tired to snowboard anymore so we pried ourselves off the couch and went to pick her up. We got there and Beth was ready to go but Erin was still determined to have one more trip down the slope. Beth was done her back was hurting and she was just plain tired. By the time Erin made it back down the slope she was wiped and also ready to go, she had a few tumbles on her way down and was happy to put her board away, go home, get warm and eat. We made dinner and the girls caught up on their home work.

Saturday morning came too early; we were up by 6am. It had started snowing a little after 11pm and it snowed all night. There was about 2 inches or more of snow on the ground and it was still snowing. I have been in the snow all week but I am still awed by the sight of freshly fallen snow. It is exquisite. I will not miss having to get dressed in layers and boots, I will always be a t-shirt and flip flop girl but I will miss waking up to a blanket of snow on the ground. We had packed the night before so it was just a matter of eating breakfast, cleaning up and loading up the car. It was snowing pretty heavily when we left about 9:30am and snowed almost all the way to Charlotte and then it turned into sleet then rain. It was still raining when we made it to Savannah. We have checked in and grabbed a bite to eat. I have internet access so I figured I would go ahead and post while I could. Tomorrow we plan to walk around Savannah; Fred wants to take pictures of the old buildings in the historic district.

Leaving Alabama

We had a busy day. We drove to Cullman and saw Starr. She's my friend from work who moved up here about 3 months ago. She and her husband are doing well. They love their home and gatting to know their neighbors and making new friends. We visited the Minors, Grnadma and Grandpa are doing well enough for thier age. Grandma was as sharp as she ever was while Grandpa slept most of the time. He did not recognize Fred and I think it upset him some.....

We are up early and geting ready to go. Fred wanted to leave by 1 a.m. but he had a hard time sleeping so I will let him sleep know for as long as possible. It is wet and there is snow north of us. We will have to take it slow and easy. I dont think we will have internet again until Savannah so I will update then......

Friendly Alabama

It always amazes me how much nicer people are here in Alabama. We have been here 2 days now and I have had more conversation with total strangers than I do with my own son. I have yet come across anyone that has not smiled back at me and asked how I was. Both times we have eaten out here our serving staff has been wonderful and almost doting. Erin has been referred to as baby girl several times already. Beth on the other hand wears her goth clothing and has a skull on her cap, she draws a few stares but that's been it. I almost decked a guy last night as my girls and I were walking to the gym until I realized he was just being nice. He was excited about the prospect of snow today and he was just sharing his enthusiasm. It is cold here low of 27 degrees this morning. Tonight it is not as cold but it is suppose to rain and everyone here is hoping it stays cold enough for the white stuff. We leave here early a.m. Monday morning for Banner Elk N.C. We may have to drive through snow the entire way. I am both intrigued and a little scared by the thought of having to drive with ice on the roads. Thank goodness we invested in Snow and Mud tires for the Yukon 2 years ago so far they have more than paid off.

Funniest incident so far has been Fred's short incident. He left yesterday just wearing a t-shirt and khaki shorts which is appropriate for South Florida. By the time we reached North Florida and the Panhandle he was freezing. We arrived early yesterday morning and was not able to check into our room so we did some Walmart shopping. All their winter coats and sweaters are on clearance so we stocked up. Fred bought a light fleece jacket and had it on before we left the store. He was okay until we stopped at the IHOP for breakfast. Everyone here in Tuscaloosa is bundled up in heavy clothing and boots. Fred walks in wearing a jacket and shorts, he drew many stares but no one asked him why. People are just way too polite here.

2 Weeks Vacation

I can not believe it is February already. The last 2 weeks have just flown by. I feel like I am getting more accomplished at home but I am also playing hours of WOW that I would not normally play but both my son and my husband have joined me and we play almost every spare moment we have. We are just shy of level 40 and we are trying to make enough gold to buy our mounts when our characters become eligible.
I am almost there and tonight after I finish packing my goal is to level........

We finally received our insurance check and Fred has been busy fixing things around the house. Our sprinkler system had several heads busted and our light pole out front liked to rock in the wind. Sometime the light would work and sometimes it just blinked. I have a brand new fancy white light pole out in front of the house now and Fred worked his ass off spreading wood chips and pulling weeds yesterday. House is looking better. Next week we are going to try and paint the house........

But that will have to wait tomorrow we are leaving for Tuscaloosa Alabama for a quick visit to the family, then Monday early am we are driving to Blowing Rock, N.C. for 6 days of fun in the snow, then 2 days in Savannah Ga. I can not wait to get out of Fort Pierce, we are all excited.

I will try to blog later almost time to go home.........

She's here.

Kyra Eleanor has arrived. She is 8 plus lbs and 21 inches long. My husband was not sure of the ounces.

She is a healthy little girl and we will get to see her Saturday, which gives me plenty of time to finish her quilt............

Lil Princess is on her way.

We just recieved the call from Grandpa to let us know Jennifer is in the hospital. I did not think Dave was supppose to be here until next weekend...

Anyway for those who have been trying to keep up with Jen from her blog and just happened to visit mine. Lil princess is on her way and I will let you know when she arrives..........

I really thought my life was normal but I could be wrong

Oh my god, the stuff that goes on in this town is amazing sometimes. I could write a book really I could. This week has been unsettling.

Tuesday I received a call at work from a young man in La Jolla, Cal. He works for Myspace.com, apparently there was a subject bragging about assaulting a law enforcement in our county on one of their forums. I had not heard anything so I called FHP to see what they had. The other operator informed me that this weekend a trooper was assaulted during a traffic stop and they did not yet have the subject in custody so I referred him to FHP. Not ten minutes later FHP was calling back trying to get the call back number. I gave her what information I had and waited to hear back from her. I heard from Stuart PD my friend I'll call him Tom started his search there. Well curiosity got the best of me and I called him back after about an hour. He was having problems emailing the information to FHP so I told him to just give me what link he had and then I would walk FHP through. In less than 5 minutes I was on the site trying to read "Gangsta ryda's" forum. Oh my god what an idiot. I called FHP walked her through it is now there investigation. I kinda kick myself in the butt a little I did not think to ask for the IP address subject was using. It is pretty easy to track an IP address to the credit card user. As far as I know there has been no arrest but I keep reading the news paper for any news and will update.

On the more upsetting side, we had an arrest in our extended family. I was floored when a friend of mine called me at work to let me know. My niece's step father was arrested for sexual battery on a handicapped minor. The charges sound awful and to read the paper he sounds like the scum of the earth. However I know this man and I have a hard time believing the charges. I just don't feel it in my heart. Considering my own history I would hope that I could see that type of person from a mile away, I have never felt this from him. Savannah loves this man with all her heart and spends most of her weekends with him. She is a trooper though she will do everything she can to prove her father innocent if she can. Several people I have spoken to believe the father is the one that is pushing the teen to make this claim after the mother moved in with Bobby two weeks ago. Some are calling it a triangle but others closer to the situation said it was Bobby being nothing but generous. She was having problems and needed a place to stay so he let her stay with him. They were suppose to be just friends. The teen victim spent alot of time at the house.

This incident is tragic in so many ways. I was surprised at the support Bobby has gotten from his friends and family so many have stepped up and vouched for his character. I believe he is a good and caring person but I don't know him well enough to step up but I am here to support my niece and I will stand by her for as long as this takes. So many times I have read stories so similar to this but I have never seen so much support from family and friends for the suspect. I am amazed and makes me think there is a lot more to the story than what the press has presented. This will be another on going story.

Well I'm at work and I need to go I just took a suicide attempt and they are flying him out by helicopter to the nearest trama unit. I ve been here a hour and its already started. By the way did anyone notice it was a full moon and it's Friday the 13th.............

Somebody turn up the heat it's cold.

Oh my God I have lived in Florida too long, It went down into the low 30's last night and I was freezing. This morning my loving husband made me get out of a warm bed to take the dogs out. He was running late for work again. I am not happy so I slam the bedroom door on my way out and do not take the time to look for my shoes. So here I am angry dressed in my p.j.s and my robe standing outside on my back patio barefooted watching my dogs run around pissing all over everything. They are in their element they have on fur coats and for some reason frozen grass smells better than the regular thawed out kind. My dogs take much longer this morning then they usually do, I can finally stand it no more my feet are starting to hurt so I make them come back in. I told my husband I had frostbite but I don't think he believed me. Anyway, it's cold outside.

Last night wasn't to bad we went to Piers' house for a Baby Party for Roxanne. She is a co-worker and friend and eight month's pregnant. She is so big she looks like she is carrying twins. Just for quick reference A baby party is just like a shower except everybody is invited and alcohol is served. The children get to drink apple cider and virgin jello shots are also provided. My friend Julie showed my daughters the technique for getting the jello out of the container without having to squeeze it. They both thought it was gross and just squeezed it out of their cups. Pier had a firepit in the back yard and I spent much of my time outside. It was very nice. It was chilly but the fire kept me mostly warm and toasty. A good time was had by all but we had to leave around 10pm because Fred had to work in the morning.

Just a quick update on Beth and her busing situation. Fred smoothed everything over and she is back on the bus.

School Buses and Cell Phones

I am beginning to think I am raising a trouble maker. Elizabeth has gone and done it again. Yesterday she was kicked off her school bus.

My first day back on day shift was bad enough. I over slept, I was yelled at and told I have a bad attitude of course by people calling in bullshit. If one more animal lover accuses me of having a poor attitude because I am not sympathetic to the plight of a dead puppy or annoying barking dogs I think I may scream.

Now on top of dealing with the stress of work, Beth calls me when she gets home and tells me her driver let her ride home that afternoon but she was not to ride her bus ever again. She was nice enough to provide her with another bus number and her new stop which is at 10th/Boston. We don't live there anymore. I had the children change their address at the school but I did not think about the bus driver, my mistake, so now we are dealing with a zone issue. We are out of zone. Our new home is about 5 blocks out of our old zone and not wanting to disrupt out children's lives I kept our old address on file at the school until we longer held possession of it. (We gave it away in November just to get rid of it.)

This all started out innocently enough, Fred called Beth on her cell phone to make sure she made the bus. I'm at work, he's at work so she walked to the bus stop yesterday morning. When she answers she is already on the bus sitting behind the driver. Beth has the phone on and on vibrate now the driver did not hear the phone ring the bus is too loud she just sees Beth talking on the phone. She starts demanding to know who is on the phone. Beth told her its her father checking on her. While she is on the phone with Fred she starts crying because the driver is now demanding that Beth give her the phone. Fred tells her to just hang up and put the phone away he will take care of it later. Beth said when the driver asked her for the phone she just told her no then put the phone away. Now the driver is pissed and if I were her I would probably be angry too. She has signs posted over every seat no gum, no head phones, and no cell phones. These are her rules.

Now school rules don't say anything about cellular phone use. However anything that causes a disruption on school property is considered contraband and can be confiscated. I am assuming this rule applies to school buses. The rules themselves are very vague and leave all the discretion up to the school board. Fred is suppose to go and talk to someone today after he drops off Beth. I hope he can work it out I'd hate to have to go back to midnights because of this.

The Best 911 Calls of 2006 So Far

It has barely been 2006 for 6 hours and we have had some interesting calls. We have stayed busy most of the morning answering calls for loud parties and domestic, we have had only a few minor accidents and no fatalities. It has been a good night but I am ready to go home and relax.

So far the first call of the two interesting calls we had this morning was about a stolen vehicle. An older gentlemen took a day cruise on the Princess out of the Port of Palm Beach today, at the completion of the cruise the gentleman and his sister went to retrieve his vehicle from the Valet. They were instructed to get their vehicle from a specific garage and the keys would be found on the floor board. They located their vehicle loaded up and drove back to St Lucie County. Several hours after arriving the gentleman noticed that the vehicle parked in his garage was not his. The car was almost identical except for a few minor details and the license plate number. He called 911 to report the fact that he had stolen a vehicle, believe me this dose not happen very often so we sent an officer to check it. All the deputy could really do was send him back to Palm Beach, no one has reported the car missing yet and he had to return to get his vehicle anyway...............

The next story we all thought was a little humorous. A lady stopped by a store to pick up a few things this morning on her way to work when a suspicious person approached her vehicle. She quickly locked her door and drove away. Now she is safe and has left the scene of the incident however instead of going on to work she returns home and then calls 911. When asked why she went home she replied that she did not want the suspicious person to know where she worked incase he followed her so she just drove home. Enough said.....................................