NOVEMBER

is not my favorite month. from the last week in October thru November I have lost so many friends
and family members, that I am always glad when November is over.

21 years ago today, on Nov 19, 1987 my husband of 35 years died. I remember that day very well.
I had spent most of the day at the hospital and the only ones who spoke to me were the nurses. Wayne
was heavily sedated and as I sat by his bedside listening to his raspy irregular breathing (mostly
induced by heavy dosages of morphine), I was literally worn out. This was the 19th day of his
hospitalization and the nurses kept predicting that "by the time I get back from my 2 days off, he will
be gone" How I secretly wished they had been right, put an end to the suffering, but he lingered on.

Knowing I was at the end of my rope, but still hanging on, Beth and Henry decided I needed a break
Henry would pick me up shortly after 4 pm when he got off work and then we would get Beth and
the girls and we would go to dinner. Then if I wanted to go back to the hospital they would take me.

We went to Coco's. One of the places Wayne and I went to regularily. The manager asked here Wayne
was, and I explained to him what was going on in our life at the time. He expressed his feelings and
later when our dinner was served, our waitress said the manager was paying for our meal. Henry,
whose sense of humor was always dry, but uplifting said, Hmm I wonder where we could go and
do this tomorrow night. by now, it was after 7 pm and I decided to just go home and then return
to the hospital the next morning. Shortly after 11 pm Dr. Rohde called me and said the my husband
had passed away just moments before. Ohmygosh, the guilt set in. I should have gone back, but
then I thought I wasn't supposed to be there. He was with his friends, the nurses, and of course
he never regained consciousness. the doctor told me there wasn't a nurse to be found after he
passes, they all went to wherever they go when they need solitude. they were such a great group,
and they all loved him. They told me so. 3 of them attended his funeral service.

It was a week before Thanksgiving. Dawn and Chip had moved to Henderson the September before.
They had made so many trips back to Calif that fall because evertime I had to put him in the
hospital the staff suggested I call my family. It was a tough month.

Outside his hospital window was a huge pine tree. Throughout the 19 days a mourning dove roosted
in that tree. I saw it a time or two, didn't spend too much time looking out the window, but Henry,
who came on his lunch hour every day called my attention to it and said it was there every day.
I found a lot of comfort and peace in that. God letting me know He was with us. Also during that
time we became very close to the Chaplain at Inter-Community. An Australian, Rev. Ray Box,
who took a special interest in our family. He and his wife came up to the hospital and the 4 of us
celebrated Holy Communion, One of the last conscious things Wayne did.

On Monday, the day before his services, which Rev Box officiated at, he called me to the hospital
to get some personal facts about Wayne for the service. He also loaded up our car with a complete
Thanksgiving dinner, donated by KMart. Knowing full well nobody wanted to go shopping at that
point.

The service was beautifully done at Forest Lawn Cemetary, using their chapel. So many people
were there. I knew he had touched a lot of lives, but truly did not the full extent of it. I miss him
a lot.

I want to finish up the story of the mourning doves. The day before Thanksgiving was my Aunt
Clara's birthday. I called her to wish her Happy Birthday, and we talked a long time. Her husband
had died not too long before this so we had a lot in common. While we were talking a mourning
dove appeared on my patio. I mentioned it to Aunt Clara and she said "Doesn't that spook you" I
said No, it's just God letting me know everything was OK. Didn't see the bird again until just around
Christmas when the kids came over to clean the yard and the bird swooped down over Beth's head
and she looked up and said Yes, Dad, We are cleaning up all your s__t! It appeared once more,
a year later on the anniversay of his death and I have not seen it since.

Love you all

VETERAN'S DAY

The holidays continue.

Not much to be said for Veteran's Day because when I was a schoolkid, it was called Armistice
Day and it was not celebrated, but observed. It commemorated the signing of the armistice
following World War I. Mail was delivered, school was in session, but on Nov 11th at 11 AM
a moment of silence was observed and everyone stood up and faced east for one minute.
That was it. Sometimes I wonder if that was not the best way as it really focused on the
solemnity of the moment.

I can't remember just when this was changed to Veteran's Day, commemorating the end of
each war and honoring the Veterans.

I am so thankful that none of my children and grandchildren have lived through a time when
young men were drafted and obligated to serve in the Armed Forces. Don't get me wrong,
I am so grateful to all the servicemen who fought for our country and our rights and our
freedom, but it was a scary time of your life, when all of a sudden our brothers, husbands,
friends were drafted. Sure we knew it could and probably would happen. The fear of the
unknown. Probably 99 percent of the draftees made the most of the time spent in the
service. I know Grandpa did. It wan't of his choosing, but he was drafted for a two year
period, and decided he would enjoy it. I on the other hand did not enjoy it. He was already
in the Army when we became engaged, so I knew what I was getting into. During the basic
training, and then further training in the United States it was somewhat of an adventure.
But when training is over, practicality set in. Most of the trainees (draftees) were sent
overseas. Korea was the hot spot at the time and while Grandpa was deployed to Okinawa
it was just hop skip and jump to Korea. Fortunately he stayed on Okinawa during his course
of service--it was always the fear of the unknown. Another fear the families have is will
our soldier come home at all, what kind of horror has he witnessed wherever he was, will
it have enriched him or made him bitter. So therefore my children I will always be thankful
that none of you would have experienced this personally.

To all servicemen and veterans, and their families, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for your
sacrifices. God Bless You and God Bless America.

THE MORNING AFTER

I for one will not miss the phone calls or television (i hesitate to even call them this) ads,
and am really glad that election 2008 is now a thing of the past. I am suffering the after
effects tho.

I am a staunch democrat. I believe in the democratic policy, but that does not mean I
believe in all the democratic candidates, nor do I believe any of the candidates are really
sincere, I believe they will say what they think you want to hear in order to be elected,
then after they are in office they do as they well please or whatever congress will allow.
I respect your feelings and I had hoped you would respect mine. Isn't that what America
is all about. I was in for a rude awakening this election, people almost seemed desparate,
and knowing my democratic tendancies they felt I was fair game for all their political
jokes. Now, you know me I love a good joke, I stress GOOD joke, but some of the ones
I received were obviously in such bad taste and I truly was offended by them. Mind you
know, I respect your opinion, but the cartoons and poems I received were not your
opinion, just someone elses that you decided to copy. Shame on you for having so little
respect for me, but mostly shame on you for having so little respect for yourself. You
shall remain nameless, you know who you are, but know that I forgive you and will
continue to pray for you.

For the record, I did NOT vote for Obama, nor did I vote for McCain. I prayed over this
and even agonized over it. I did not vote early because I was undecided. I woke up
yesterday morning so close to a panic attack and I thought I just wont vote. Then
common sense took over. 1, if you don't vote in the presidential general election, you
have to register again and 2, there were a couple of positions up for grabs that were
very important to me, so I went to the polling place, holding tightly to the hand of God
and proudly cast my ballot. Under pres/vice pres I proudly voted "none of the above"

We have a new president-elect now, and he will have my whole support but I will place
my trust in the Lord and know that He is watching out for us.

P.S. the two issues I really was concerned about were resolved to my satisfaction.

Love you all