Siblings

As you may know, Kathy is making plans to leave Florida and stay with us for a while until the reason for all this upheaval reveals itself.  Kathy mentioned that her friends ask her how she will ever get along with her family under the circumstances.  It hadn't occurred to us that getting along would be the top issue on the list of things in the "negative" column.  It just wasn't on the radar, you know?  It's a good feeling to know that's how we feel about each other in a world where that's not always the case.  So thank you all for your work to make that be the case.

Thinking about siblings and caring about each other throughout the years, I remembered a letter Nanny had in her files from her brother about Weenie's final illness. 

A very sweet letter of concern and practicality from her older brother.  Pam has just made a promise to join such a family (congratulations Tim and Pam) which seems like a very good idea to me.  But that's just me.

Here's Nanny with her Olean siblings in 1984.  I went on this trip with Nanny and took this picture.

I'm pretty sure that's Joe over Nanny's right shoulder and Hank next to him.  I think the women are their spouses Frances and Jean.  This was a fun trip for me and I hope for Nanny.  How could it not be fun spending time with her siblings?  They seemed to get along just fine.........

Congratulations Tim & Pam!

Tim and Pam became engaged last night! We are happy to have Pam join the family. I'm not sure she knows what she's getting in to! Timmy got back from his latest deployment last Saturday and couldn't wait to ask Pam to spend the rest of their lives together. He made a special dinner for her and popped the question. We are all very happy she said yes!

Tim will be going to A School, which is schooling for his chosen job field in the Coast Guard, in March. He will be in Norfolk VA for three months. Once this schooling is complete, he will be assigned to his "permanent" port. We don't know where that will be, but Tim is hoping for the northeast, somewhere. Pam will most likely join him after he is done with school. There is no date planned for the wedding yet.

Welcome to the family, Pam. So happy for you both.

Post Thanksgiving celebration

We had a great time at Judy's yesterday.  It was good to talk to Kathy and to Chris.  I guess today we will be trying to get things back to "normal" or what passes for that!  We are very happy to hear Cathy and Chris' news--very very happy!  What a blessing.  And John had his very first Thanksgiving too!  It was a big holiday weekend for all of us.

VERY Thankful!

Welcome to this wonderful family, John Gary O'Brien! I am so thankful the new branch on our family tree has arrived healthy and safely!

I remember Thanksgivings as a kid being a day of spending time together and football on the TV, of course! I don't remember there being alot of extra people around. It was Mom's favorite holiday, or at least I remember her saying she preferred it to Christmas. She liked the idea of spending time together as a family and enjoying a good meal without all the hassle of gift giving, a tree, and decorations.

Mom must have gotten up really early to start the turkey cooking because you could smell it from the minute you woke up Thanksgiving morning.

I like thinking about what I am greatful for, it reminds me how lucky I am. I'm lucky to have a great family and support system. I'm greatful for my children and hope to pass that on to them. I'm VERY thankful for my grandchildren. What a great gift from life to look in their little faces and see the future of our family! I love you all. Happy Thanksgiving!

DEER HUNTING AT PATTY ANNES!

HEY, PATTY ANNE AND JIM, YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST LEFT THE DEER WHERE IT WAS. AFTER THE COYOTES GOT TO IT IT WOULD ONLY STINK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. NO BIG DEAL.

WOW!

First of all, WTF was Chris thinking? Look at that outfit!!!!!

DON'T READ "SECOND OF ALL" YET IF YOU HAVEN'T READ PATTY ANNE'S MOST RECENT ENTRY!

Second of all, WTF were you two thinking??? Please tell me that someone confirmed that the deer was dead BEFORE you dragged it across the lawn. Has either of you heard the 911 call asking for a bambulance? That was the first thing I was thinking of when I started to read this. I thought it would end in a trip to the ER.

I am going to try to find that 911 call online (not even sure if it is real, but it is funny as hell) This took me less than one minute to find online. Click the link below. You do not want young children around for this.

http://www.squidoo.com/funny911lcalls#module10687134

Glad that no one got hurt.

I think that the Dalpiaz family can collectively consider themselves animal lovers now.

Happy Birthday and Happy Hunting

This is post number 400 in my blogging history!

First of all, Happy Birthday Chris!  It's a beautiful day today and I hope you enjoy it. Whoa---this was a fashion statement!

And since it's also the first day of hunting season, I have a little hunting story to tell (sort of).  As you may or may not know, I came home one day last week to have Jim point out that we were the proud caretakers of the dead deer in the backyard.  Indeed, he pointed out a large looking; dead looking; deer looking animal lying at the edge of the property pretty much where the tire swing used to be.  

Now, I know you all have met us and already are aware that this area of expertise is not in our frame of reference.  Jim had called the DEC (no answer); the town (no help) and the county--who told him that they would pick up dead deer at the side of the road but not on personal property. After conferring with his hunting and outdoor experts Ron and Glenn, it was decided that the best thing would be for Jim to drag the deer down to the roadside for the county to take care of.  

By now it is beginning to get dark and Jim is trying to figure out the details of how this might go.  He had the chain and the garden tractor and figured he was set.  He wanted to use the Lincoln to illuminate the area, but fortunately for me Glenn arrived just about that time.  I was worried that the weight of the deer sliding down the hill behind the tractor could out-race the tractor and drag Jim down the hill instead of the other way around.

I was giggling to myself at the silliness of this all and really wishing it wasn't so dark so that I could document this event for future generations.  Ryan called and I was explaining what his dad was doing while trying to peer outside and get a better view.  As is typical, it seemed Ryan was only about half paying attention to what I was saying (in this case that was fair because I was only paying half attention to him) and I could tell that he was texting while on the phone with me.  He was asking random questions peppered throughout the conversation about the size of the deer, did it have antlers, how many points etc.  He noted a friend nearby who might be interested in the deer.  OK OK I was thinking as I wasn't really giving it my full attention.

Glenn and Jim decided to drag the deer down themselves by its heels to the roadside.  Just in time to meet the truck that Ryan's friend drove over to pick up the deer.  The guy found the gunshot wound and determined he could use the deer for whatever and happily loaded it up and carted it away.  All before the 6 o'clock news on a random Monday night in November.  Only in today's connected world can a phone call from Cortland result in driveway to driveway carcass removal services before it even had a chance to settle itself again!  

What an interesting experience!  Jim counts this as his first "kill" and the neighbors have some extra venison in the freezer--thanks to texting.  And no one got hurt (well, except the deer who was apparently shot illegally).  So, as they say.....here's your sign!  You might be a redneck if.........you find a dead deer in the yard and drag it to curbside like a to-go window at McDonalds.