Visiting Relatives

 Our cousin's driveway is a beast.  Okay going up and in toward the house.  It's the coming back down the drive that gets me.  At the point you are driving over the RR tracks to come down the little hill there - you cannot see a thing over the front of the car.  It feels like you are driving over a cliff.  I always creep and crawl.  One year my cousin was giving me a hard time from the year before.  His wife said they were watching me drive down the hill and he said "Bless her heart."  

Then I read where "Bless your heart" means "what an idiot."  Well, that's one of the definitions.  I'm hoping my cousin meant the phrase as to pity me.  LOL!  This year I made another sister drive. I said "I'm done driving down that cliff."

There are two (second cousin) aunt in-laws left, one 87 and one 94 and we stopped in to visit with them.  They were very sharp in conversation and memory.  It can be difficult as we only see them every few years.  It helps when one of their children come at the same time to help with stories and explanations.

Fewer and fewer relatives to visit.  We go about every two years, now.  

A soft voice said 'Help'

 The above image is not the toddler I am posting about.  It is just an image from the Internet.

A 911 call was placed at 4:15 a.m. in a nearby city to me.  A few days ago.  The caller hung up.  They called again and hung up again.

It took the emergency call response team and the police a while to track the phone down.  The person the phone belonged to had lent it to an associate, but he did give the police an address.  The emergency call response team called the number back several times.  At one point, somebody answered the cell phone and they thought they heard a very soft voice say "Help."  They have it on recording.  Definitely - somebody said help.

When police entered the home, three people were dead.  A 67 year old male, a 51 year old woman and a 22 month old baby boy.  All killed by gunshot.  The gun lay next to one of the adults.  They believe it was a double murder and then suicide.  

After a few days they identified the victims.  Grandfather and grandmother of the 22 month old boy.  A neighbor had seen them outside the evening before and said they all seemed fine and normal. Tragic and so very, very sad.

One got away

 Back to the Diamond Heist in Belgium Antwerp 2003, it appears that at least one thief managed to disappear into the ether.  The main man (he mistakenly thought they would not find out who did it and returned to the scene of the crime to clean up) got 10 years (of which I believe 6 were served), and the other 4 were sentenced to 5 years.  They are all  out of prison now and enjoying their stolen goods as far as everybody knows. The four thought they were safe in Italy since that country did not have a duty to give up criminals to Belgium.

Ah, the main guy was arrested a few years later and he had to serve the rest of his sentence.  He was also supposed to compensate the victims of the heist, which he never did.

Freak Accident

 

Close to my neck of the woods this freak accident took the lives of two women (Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law).  They had been at a craft festival and one stopped (perhaps having issues with her truck).  The other stopped to assist.

Somehow they both became pinned between the two trucks and by the time somebody found them they had passed.

The definition of freak is "an odd, unexpected event".  I'd say.

The only thing I could think of was perhaps the one was stopped, had her hood open and was looking at the engine.  The other stopped, neglected to place the vehicle in Park and came over to also look into the other's engine.  I believe it was dark at the time.  The other truck must have coasted forward and pinned them.  I don't have any idea if this is how it happened but that's how I pictured it.

The Great Diamond Heist

 Currently reading "Flawless" about the world's biggest diamond Heist in Antwerp.  Belgium, not Ohio.

Talk about a failure in security.  People became so complacent in the security of the entire structure this group of professionals were able to plan (for 2 years) and steal a huge amount of diamonds and other type of valuables that were easy to get rid of.  This heist took place in February 2003.

Most of the diamonds stolen remain unrecovered.  The team consisted of about five men, each having their own set of skills to pull the robbery off.  The ring leader was arrested on Feb 12th (the team was sloppy getting rid of evidence). He was sentenced to 10 years, the others to 5 years each.  

They used nicknames but when arrested their real identities were discovered.  Except for one man, and the article I read was not clear as to whether he was ever caught or not.  You would think if they did get him they would have had his real name.  They just called him the King of Keys. Perhaps the book will explain more on his story.

They had to have had nerves of steel.  

Correction: The heist took place between Feb 15th - 16th so Leo (ring leader) could not have been arrested on the 12th of Feb.  Not sure where I got this date.

At some point the hate has to stop

 I finished reading The Railway Man by Eric Lomax.  Fifty years after the war, he met one of the men who was involved in the torturing of Eric and some of his comrades.  The man was actually the interpreter but he was full of remorse and diligently sought forgiveness from as many POWs that he could find.  He thought Lomax was long dead and very relieved to find him alive and well.  Lomax did forgive but said he could never forget.  He told his wife later, "At some point the hate has to stop."  He had carried that hate and longing for revenge for years.

I especially enjoyed one story of their reunion.  The initial reason Lomax and his comrades were tortured because as POWs they were found with a radio receiver they had constructed and kept hidden.  They were taken away and forced to endure several occasions of various forms of torture.  After 50 years, Lomax and the interpreter were walking through a sacred temple in Japan and the interpreter asked Lomax when he had learned of the first bomb dropping on Japan.  Lomax replied August 8th.  The interpreter was amazed. He said "How did you, a prisoner find out 2 days before his troop a part of t he actual Japanese military?"  Lomax said "We had a radio."  And that set them off into bursts of uncontrollable giggles and laughter in the sacred temple and earned them some curious looks from their wives. 

The body is amazing at its healing of wounds and sickness.  But the mind can accomplish wonders and miracles of its own.  With time.  From the Merriam Webster dictionary:  time:  a nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future.

Investigations

 Lots of investigating going on concerning Camp Mystic in Texas and the horrible flood back in July 2025. Some of the articles I read just astonished me.  I had no idea.  Talks of the young counsellors having no training or information on what to do.  Some of the administration took their own children and ran for higher ground not helping others or trying to warn them.  No disaster planning had been documented or even talked about.  The water would sometimes surround one cabin area cutting it off from the rest of the camp and the folks would love it as they didn't have to do anything, and they would get their food delivered to them until the waters receded. I read that this happened almost each year and yet nobody thought perhaps they should have more of a plan in place in case it became more serious.  And it did.

I Can't Deny It

 Since my daughter broke her ankle I've been (mostly) driving her back and forth to work.  She had just started this new job (actually she broke her ankle on a Sunday and was to start working on that Monday).  

One way is 30 miles.  I drive her there and I come back home (that is 60 miles).  Then I go back in the late afternoon to pick her up (another 60 miles).  120 miles a day.  I've done all but about five trips.  That is about 5,000 miles.

I used to read on website that had a subject about horrible drivers.  Most people on the site showed videos, others just told a story or experience.  

There is something about people who drive white trucks.  I read so many stories, saw so many videos.  I can honestly say after driving interstate for 5,000 miles the past couple of months - it is insanely true. My daughter believes it is because most employees of gas and oil well companies drive white pickup trucks.  Perhaps they don't care because it is a company truck?  idk, but they are insanely rude and horrible drivers.

Torture of a POW

 I'm finding I have to read this book in small increments.  The torture description gets to me.  At one point the author said "...in my twenties."  Which made me think of my 20's.  I was carefree, healthy, working, socializing, relating - all those things.  He was being tortured during his 2nd decade of life.

I am about halfway through the book.

I need to start reading another book - much lighter fare.  Fare doesn't seem like the correct word.  A lighter subject matter.  Something to take my mind off the serious abhorrent story of this man's ordeal.

I have not seen the movie.  It stars Colin Firth as the older Eric and Jeremy Irvine is the younger.  Nicole Kidman is in the movie.  Not a fan of Nicole or Colin and I never heard of Jeremy. Ah, he was the main character in War Horse but I don't remember the movie much.

The Japanese torturer who was the interpreter tracks down some of the POWs in an effort to receive forgiveness. This was filmed in a documentary titled "Enemy, my friend".  I may try to find that documentary and watch it.  Ah, it's on YouTube.  I may watch it tomorrow.

My Big Purchase

 I had a visit Thursday with brother 1942, sister 1944 and her husband (same  year) and sister 1949.  We all went to lunch and did a quick stop at a Marc's store (a discount-drug, grocery and various other household/pet items).

My big purchase was the above red whisk.  I was making something (on Wednesday I think) and my whisk fell apart.  Well, it fell apart when I washed it.  Two of the wires just sprung right out of the handle.  It was silicone coated. This one is all silicone.  I didn't have a red one so that's what I got.  I have stainless steel, black and teal.  And now I have a red one. This is a smaller one.  I even have a wee little one (the teal one) about the length of the palm of my hand. Needless to say I don't use that one much but I have used it (I think).

I really like this time of year.  We have several festivals that happen late September and October.  The leaves begin to change color and the weather begins to cool down.  I stopped going to festivals for a while because I just didn't want to be tempted to buy more stuff.  I have SO much stuff as it is.  Of course I would say "Oh, I'm just going to look."  Yeah, right.

We are headed to WVA to see relatives mid October.  My Mom always liked to travel that way in October because of the leaves. WVA has beautiful hills full of trees.  And, it is cooler.  I certainly don't want to go in August.  Get in and out of a car in the heat and stop at little shops we find along the way that look interesting but we don't really want to get out of the A/C.

My niece (the one that lived with us for about 5 years) brought me a few tomatoes.  I'm the only one who eats them (in my house).  Well, my daughter doesn't and her husband might, but I don't give him the chance. LOL!  The tomatoes are MINE....all mine!....my precious!  Yes, it's like that.  Our town is close to Amish country and there are several farmers markets.  The tomatoes are hard as brick.  The sellers (usually Amish) get up early and go north somewhere to the big farmers markets, and then bring the produce to our smaller community to resell.  I quit going to them. 

I may have found somebody that sells out of their home garden.  I'll go there tomorrow to see if they have any 'maters.  They have lots of pumpkins, I can see that (advertisement on Facebook). 

As most of you know, my daughter broke her ankle.  She was to start a new job the next day but they held it for her for 30 days.  She started end of July but somebody needed to drive her there and pick her up. The job is 30 miles away (one way).  As of today I've driven the route 69 times.  (That would be about 35 round trips).  Sometimes her husband takes her but he can't pick her up as he works until 8 p.m.   Once we had her Father in law pick her up while I went to a dinner. 

We were coming home today and bam - traffic stopped.  As far as I could see all the traffic was stopped in both lanes heading south.  I immediately jumped off at the exit and drove home that way (takes about 10 minutes longer).  As our exit ramp circled around and above the Interstate my daughter exclaimed "Oh my God - the traffic is stopped clear to the horizon"  I said 'Yep, that's why I jumped off.'   This is the fourth time I would have been stopped in traffic since I started driving her.  All accidents.  Some looked horrible.  

You gotta give the people what they want

 My SIL (daughter's husband) sings in a band.  Recently he has had several requests for a Dolly song. He gives them Jolene.  Does a damn fine job of it, too!   LOL!

Mid-range Hoarder

 

1.  Glass jars - keep almost all of them, use once or twice then recycle

2.  Egg cartons - save for my sister who has chickens

3.  Citrus Peels - Never keep, toss

4.  Cardboard boxes - I have a mountain of cardboard boxes, threatening to swallow my house

5.  Old towels - use towels until they disappear in the dryer and come apart in the lint trap

6.  Bread bags - used to keep them, now toss them

7.  Old toothbrushes - hell, no. I toss them

8. Tin cans, hell no - toss.

9.  newspaper - keep some for repotting plants, toss  (need to recycle more)

10.  Rubber bands, don't use them, don't have them.

11.  Takeaway containers - wash the very sturdy ones and reuse once or twice then toss

12.  odd socks - don't really have any

13.  shower curtains - no - toss

14.  wood scraps - don't really have any

15.  plastic bottles - no , toss  (need to recycle more)

16.  candle jars - I hate candles (sensitive to smells - migraines) If I get any as gift, I toss them

17.  bubble wrap - recycle

18.  old t-shirts - see number 5 

19.  twist ties - keep some, toss some

20.  mesh produce bags - no, toss

70

 Sister 1956 turned 70 on the 9th.  Family met at a Mexican restaurant in our usual "central" town.  I don't think anybody had to drive more than an hour.  I was late as I was picking up my daughter from work (she still can't drive because of her broken ankle).  I brought the cake.  There is a cake store in our town that has been around since.....1950. I had to go look it up.  Delicious.  I had them ice it with a tie-dye theme.  I need to reach out to a sibling who took a picture of the cake.

The cake from our bakery in town is SO good I would eat it non-stop.  Well, I'd eat the icing non stop.  I refused to bring any home with me.  Daughter doesn't care for it.  Me?  I would request to be buried in the icing if I could.  Either that or a cheesecake (white chocolate raspberry) that a lady near our town makes.  She has about 20 different flavors for her cheesecakes and sells them to SO many restaurants in the area.  We are close to an Amish community and all of the restaurants (tourist attractions) carry her cakes.  A whole one is pricey but so worth it.  They are SO heavy.  One time on Facebook she posted a quick reel of her kitchen.  She had about six Kitchen-Aid mixers going all spread out on her counters.  Her husband helps her.

I stopped in at a dollar store and found a headband (crown) for her to wear.  It was close to the one shown above although hers had gold balls.  This sister does like disco balls though.  She had a big one on her patio for years.  

Brother 1957 turns 70 next year.  They are Irish twins. She was born Sept 9th 1956 and he was born Aug 13th 1957.  Not sure what to plan for him.  Still have plenty of time to plan.  

I had to miss a friend's birthday dinner tonight (I was picking up daughter at the same time as the dinner).  I gave my daughter the option of going to the dinner with me, but she wanted to get home (her work days are long and stressful).  The restaurant was about 12 minutes away.  I've been friends with this group since 1988 so we have had several get togethers.  I don't miss many.  My main excuse used to be migraines but I no longer have those.  Whew!

The Birds

 I am getting the chimney rebuilt today (or recrowned) - something like that.  I'm not very knowledgeable about chimney-related things.  We had a nest of chimney swifts and I guess the noise drove my daughter and SIL crazy.  The fireplace is in the basement so they heard it and I did not.  Until my daughter broke her ankle and I was down there more to help her out and I finally heard them.  They are noisy! And, we had one come completely down the chimney and into the basement and had a heck of a time getting that thing outside. It finally fell into a hamper with a lid and SIL carried it outside.  

When the chimney guy came about a month ago he said he just had to wait a couple of weeks and the baby birds will have left the nest and he could fix it so they would not return to building a nest there.  As we were talking I mentioned that I was planning to get a new roof sooner (or later).  

He said I needed a new crown on my chimney if I were going to do that.  So I said "Well, just put the new crown on when you come back to put the lid on (or whatever he said he was going to do).  That is scheduled for noon today.  It had to be rescheduled due to rain a few weeks ago.  Now, it looks like rain is coming in at about 3 p.m. today.  I hope it holds off so this guy can get his work done.

I will be a basket case the entire time he is up there on the roof hoping he does not fall off.  At least this time both daughter and SIL are home with me.

By the way, Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" traumatized me when I was young.  I watched it on TV probably at eight years old or so and it was terrifying!  I am not afraid of birds, we even had a cockatiel for a few years and I love to watch the baby robins progress in the shrub outside my kitchen back door. 

But I could not catch that bird in the basement.  I had a small blanket I was using and the fluttering of its wings just unnerved me.  Years ago we found two small dead birds in our basement.  We figured they must have flown down the chimney and one of our cats did away with them.  My daughter was not letting her husband or I harm this bird to return it to the outdoors.  It was a Friday evening and she could not help because of her broken ankle.  She was quite critical of our lack of skills at catching said bird.

For some unknown reason they had removed the screen that I kept in front of the fire place. They put it back after that ordeal.

Wrong-way Wilson

 Growing up the youngest of eight children, when I was able to drive many older siblings had me drive them places or use their car.  I was good at driving and I drove a lot.  I was able to get around (before GPS) when we used paper maps.

Several times when somebody was confused as to where to go, I seemed to be able to pick the correct direction and route.

Somewhere over the years I have lost that talent.  If it was a talent.

There was an episode on Gilligan's Island back in the 60's with a character called Wrong-way Wilson.    I might just inherit that nickname.  If there is a wrong way to choose, I choose it.

I only pull out the GPS as the last resort.  I always think I know how to get there or go home.  If it is somewhere I've been to hundreds of times, no problem. 

But, when I go somewhere new, I seem to believe I can get myself back home without having to use my GPS.  I don't know why, but I am always choosing the wrong road/turn/route.  This seemed to have started happening the past five to ten years or so.  Is it Covid, chemo or age?