July 29, 2008 - Bittersweet

With lots and lots (puddles) of tears, Chelsea is on her way to a new life. She and two friends are heading out to Las Vegas where they already have an apartment waiting for them. Chelsea has been terrific in all the organizing she's done to get this going but in the final days she has been pretty sad to leave. We've all been shedding a few tears but for me it's bittersweet. I hate to see her leave because, of course, I will miss seeing her so often but I am also happy that she's making her own way and turning life into an adventure. I've felt very proud of her during all this. Here are a couple pictures of her with her sisters.
The truck they hired to haul all their 'stuff' was HUGE! The owner of the truck was a very nice guy. He said that there would be 5 more people or families that he would be putting on the truck after Chelsea's. That is Colin, Chelsea's boyfriend, with her in this picture.Here is Mal inside the truck after about 1/2 the stuff was put on. Mal is the third person making the journey and quite a terrific friend.

The truck is all loaded; the three travelers posing for a picture.

I was inspired to pen a few poems, a couple of them specifically for Chelsea. Here they are.

The first one I wrote for all my daughters, Courtney, Chelsea, Sarah, and Hannah. It doesn't have a title yet.

Awkward change unspoken
Through frenzied moments of exasperation
The journey has been taken by all before
But knowledge cannot be passed on

Be mindful and curious
Be watchful and suspicious
Be bold and unnerving
Be reverent and unfailing

Be honored
Be humbled
Be strong
Be sure

Most importantly
Be

The next one was written for Chelsea. It has a title, simple as it is.

To Chelsea

Every moment cannot hold
The happiness we long for
But if we tread with thoughtful step
There'll be not less but more

Choices are but not a gift
For they are ours to own
When we seek what's in our heart
All happiness is known

Stumbling can only help
To clarify the way
When we fall we rise back up
The path more clear than day

This is what I hope for you
My child of blood and love
That you will choose not only fun
But ALL that brings you love!

And this last one was written specifically for Chelsea, also.

Take With You

Take with you a lust for life
Take with you a longful hope
Take with you my 'mother's' dream
That helps you for to cope
Take with you sweet memories
Take with you sweet thought
Take with you all of us
For in our lives you're caught
In all of this, most of all
What I wish for you is
To take my love to wear within
Every inch of you.


So go, my child, knowing you have strong support and endless love from your family. We will miss you terribly but remember to have fun!

I love you.

Ya gotta love these brainless attempts

I received this message from a crook on skype. For those of you not familiar with skype it is a free downloadable program that lets you make phone calls from your computer and you can also IM from it.

So here is the message Mr. Ko sends along:

[12:49:35 PM] Morris Ko says: Bank of East Asia Ltd.
The Bank of East Asia Building
137 Market Street, Singapore 048943
Reply to E-mail ID: morrisko69@yahoo.com.sg

Special Information!!

A customer of ours who may relate to you (perhaps) in Singapore died four years ago in Tsunami tragedy in Indonesia leaving behind an estate/capital (US$38.9M with interest) in a bank here where I work as an external auditor, till date nobody has come forward or put application for the claim. Please log on to this websites for more information about the Tsunami tragedy.

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=2375
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=2745

During the bank private search recently for the late gentle man relatives your name and email contact was among the findings that matches the SAME SURNAME as the deceased (name WITHHELD for security reason) who died intestate with no Will or Next of Kin. To maintain the level of security required I have intentionally left out the final details.

I urge you to come forward since I can provide you with the details needed for you to claim the estate/capital so that we can be gratify by you, in this way USD$11.670,000.00 for you and USD$23.340,000.00 for us and the remaining $3.890,000.00 for miscellaneous expenses incurred during the cost of this project though my colleagues and I will do all the crucial part in the bank to have the inheritance claim release to you promptly.

However, to affirm your willingness and cooperation please do so by replying me at my private email (morrisko69@yahoo.com.sg) with the following listed below;

a.) YOUR FULL NAME:
b.) HOME ADDRESS:
c.) DATE OF BIRTH:
d.) OCCUPATION/POSITION HELD:
e.) TELEPHONE & FAX NUMBER:
f.) NATIONALITY:
g.) PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS:
h.) MARITAL STATUS, SEX & AGE:

I do expect your prompt response.

Thank you,

Morris Ko

I couldn't resist trying to turn it on him. Hey, if he's stupid enough to try this sh*t then maybe he's stupid enough to send me money!

[2:56:26 PM] Karen Ethier says:

Hey! I've had this happen to me before and I've made a lot of money off of it. So what I need from you is a 'good faith' deposit of $5000 in the form of a cashier's check. Once I receive that and it has cleared all bank hurdles then we can proceed with your instructions. I'm excited! When can I expect your 'good-faith' deposit?

I'll let you know if he falls for it.

Summer

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. It flies by with the speed of a nascar. (Go Danica! No, I don't follow car racing - it just fit here.)

This is turning out to be quite an eventful summer. Chelsea, my middle daughter, is leaving for a move to Vegas on the 29th of July.

:~ - (

(those are tears!)

We are trying to spend as much time together as possible; she is quite sad about leaving all of us. And then my youngest, Hannah, is away at camp for 12 days, this being the first time she has been away at camp. Chelsea leaves while Hannah is gone so it is hard for both of them.

Richard and I spent some time in Sunnyvale, CA, just outside San Francisco packing up our apartment out there. Since Richard is no longer working out that way we couldn't justify the outrageously expensive rent. That was a very bittersweet trip. We both love California and want to move there in 6 years when Hannah is done with high school. We probably had the best time out there, though, with our friend Donna. She came for the July 4th weekend and, I'll tell you, it was such a blast! Donna is my 'crazy' friend that can bring out the 'best' in me, as in 'best time.' I think Richard was quite happy to be a part of the 'Donna and Karen' party-time.

I will post more about each of these events soon. I have to transfer my pix from my sandisks and then I will post more with pictures. I just wish I had a picture of the rattlesnake that Richard, Donna, and I almost stepped on...

I love when this happens....

Date: Thursday, July 3 Flight: NW 339

Departs: Detroit-Wayne County Int'l, MI (DTW) at 5:18PM
Arrives: San Francisco-Int'l, CA (SFO) at 7:18PM
Class of Service: First Class (R).....Seat: 05-D
Flight Duration: 5 hours..... Approximate Miles: 2,083
Meal Service: Dinner.......Aircraft: Boeing 757-200

It is said that it's the little things in life that add the spice to the sauce. I consider this one a biggy! (The onions and the garlic.) I went online to check the time of my flight out to San Fran tomorrow so that I could set my alarm for exactly 24 hours ahead in order to go online and check in so that I would have a good standing for the possibility that my silver elite status would bump me up to first class and...voila! It happended automatically! :)

I better wear a bib; I've got big chunks in my sauce!