The man's side of it!

Remember 'go outside and play?' Three Cheers for Lenore Skenazy!

I saw this article over at Boing Boing and it brought to mind my childhood. When I was growing up in South Plainfield, NJ the neighbors were my watchdog (although at the time I didn't know it, in fact it was many years later I learned the secret of how my mom knew all the trouble I had gotten into) Mom would say go out and play and that's just what my brother's and I did. In the summer from Sunup till dinner time we would be outside playing unless it was raining, and then it was everybody in the neighborhood at our house playing games or we would be over at someone else's house playing. My favorite game was playing Soldier or Cowboys and Indians in the woods near our home or in all the yards in the "Hood."

We used to walk to school when we were in the first through fourth grades, even in the winter. No it wasn't uphill both ways barefoot in the snow, but it was about a mile and a half around Spring Lake in South Plainfield. There were major roads we had to cross (with crossing guards of course) and we often walked in groups of our buddies or neighbors. We played all the way to school rain, snow or hot sun! We always got there on time and relatively clean. Sometime I would ride my bike to visit my grandma and Nonny (my great grand mother) who lived in Plainfield about five miles away. My friend Jack and I would ride our bikes to the baseball field "on the other side of the tracks" during Little League Baseball season where we played for hours. Saturdays when the municipal dump was closed Jack and I would ride our bikes there and sneak under the fence and scout around for cool junk.

I never had a new bike. I always used to get junk bikes from the dumps and fix
them up. One time Jack and found These great "Sonic Blasters!" You pumped them up and they would shoot a blast of air! Mattel Plastics was in South Plainfield where they were manufacturedd. They were recalled and thrown out because it was causing kids to have hearing problems. Jack and I would stuff tennis balls in them and shoot the balls like a bazooka and have a grand time playing war for weeks and weeks until we finally wore them out.

There were "bad places and people" we were told to stay away from, I recall a house where the man who lived there was always drunk and abusive to kids who walked by. There were always the town "Bullies" we had to avoid. Even though I was a good kid (mostly) I would occasionally get into mischief. When I did I would always get caught. If it wasn't my mom or dad it was a neighbor. If I was in trouble or got hurt I could go to any neighbors house and get help. It was same for any kid in the neighborhood, they were always welcomed in our house.

There was a family on the corner of Van Fleet Ave where I lived, who didn't have children. The man of the house was an amature Astronomer. He had a huge telescope in his back yard. In the Summertime as soon as it turned dark sometimes we went there and he let us view the heavens while he taught us what we were looking at. I remember the first time I saw the moon close up. I was so amazed and through his love of sharing science with us young hooligans as he called us, I have gained a curiosity and love of science of all kinds. There was an old black man who lived down the street who taught us to trap muskrats and catch snakes and snapping turtles by the lake. he gave us some traps and bought all the muskrats, snapping turtles and snakes we could catch. He gave us a few dollars every time we brought him our "catch" which kept us in candy until he passed away a few years later. He used to tell us all kinds of wonderful stories of when he was kid.

When we moved to Greenbrook, NJ somethings changed (we were on the top of a mountain, it was difficult to ride our bikes in town often) but we still were able to play outside. When I married and had children of my own, The climate of fear had started. The population had grown, suburban life was a lot more hectic. More traffic, more people crammed together and then there were the predators. They seemed to all of a sudden come out of the closet. Even my own children were affected. I understand now why parents try to oversee their children to the point of almost imprisoning them. It does sadden me that the children of today don't have the freedom to do the things I did as a child. I believe that it is a great loss.

From the LA Times

Rosa Brooks:

Remember 'go outside and play?'

Overbearing parents have taken the fun out of childhood and turned it into a grind.

Rosa Brooks
May 15, 2008

Can you forgive her?

In March, Lenore Skenazy, a New York City mother, gave her 9-year-old son, Izzy, a MetroCard, a subway map, a $20 bill and some quarters for pay phones. Then she let him make his own way home from Bloomingdale's department store -- by subway and bus.

Izzy survived unscathed. He wasn't abducted by a perverted stranger or pushed under an oncoming train by a homicidal maniac. He didn't even get lost. According to Skenazy, who wrote about it in a New York Sun column, he arrived home "ecstatic with independence."

His mother wasn't so lucky. Her column generated as much outrage as if she'd suggested that mothers make extra cash by hiring their kids out as child prostitutes.

]]> But it also reinvigorated an important debate about children, safety and independence.

Reader, if you're much over 30, you probably remember what it used to be like for the typical American kid. Remember how there used to be this thing called "going out to play"?

For younger readers, I'll explain this archaic concept. It worked like this: The child or children in the house -- as long as they were over age 4 or so -- went to the door, opened it, and ... went outside. They braved the neighborhood pedophile just waiting to pounce, the rusty nails just waiting to be stepped on, the trees just waiting to be fallen out of, and they "played."

"Play," incidentally, is a mysterious activity children engage in when not compelled to spend every hour under adult supervision, taking soccer or piano lessons or practicing vocabulary words with computerized flashcards.

All in all, "going out to play" worked out well for kids. As the American Academy of Pediatrics' Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg testified to Congress in 2006, "Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles. ... Play helps children develop new competencies ... and the resiliency they will need to face future challenges." But here's the catch: Those benefits aren't realized when some helpful adult is hovering over kids the whole time.

Thirty years ago, the "going out to play" culture coexisted with other culturally sanctioned forms of independence for even very young children: Kids as young as 6 used to walk to school on their own, for instance, or take public buses or -- gulp -- subways. And if they lived on a school bus route, their mommies did not consider it necessary to escort them to the bus stop every morning and wait there with them.

But today, for most middle-class American children, "going out to play" has gone the way of the dodo, the typewriter and the eight-track tape. From 1981 to 1997, for instance, University of Michigan time-use studies show that 3- to 5-year-olds lost an average of 501 minutes of unstructured playtime each week; 6- to 8-year-olds lost an average of 228 minutes. (On the other hand, kids now do more organized activities and have more homework, the lucky devils!) And forget about walking to school alone. Today's kids don't walk much at all (adding to the childhood obesity problem).

Increasingly, American children are in a lose-lose situation. They're forced, prematurely, to do all the un-fun kinds of things adults do (Be over-scheduled! Have no downtime! Study! Work!). But they don't get any of the privileges of adult life: autonomy, the ability to make their own choices, use their own judgment, maybe even get interestingly lost now and then.

Somehow, we've managed to turn childhood into a long, hard slog. Is it any wonder our kids take their pleasures where they can find them, by escaping to "Grand Theft Auto IV" or the alluring, parent-free world of MySpace?

But, but, but, you say, all the same, Skenazy should never have let her 9-year-old son take the subway! In New York, for God's sake! A cesspit of crack addicts, muggers and pedophiles!

Well, no. We parents have sold ourselves a bill of goods when it comes to child safety. Forget the television fear-mongering: Your child stands about the same chance of being struck by lightning as of being the victim of what the Department of Justice calls a "stereotypical kidnapping." And unless you live in Baghdad, your child stands a much, much greater chance of being killed in a car accident than of being seriously harmed while wandering unsupervised around your neighborhood.

Skenazy responded to the firestorm generated by her column by starting a new website -- freerangekids.wordpress.com -- dedicated to giving "our kids the freedom we had." She explains: "We believe in safe kids. ... We do NOT believe that every time school-age children go outside, they need a security detail."

Next time I take my kids to New York, I'm asking Skenazy to baby-sit.

Angel Food Ministries

When I became disabled way back in September of 2007 I applied for NJ State Disability. It took a while to get approved and in the meantime there was very little money coming in. When we were approved we were able (with our savings) to keep afloat financially. Then in March of this year the State Disability ran out!

I had applied for Social Security Disability but that wasn't approved until the end of July. That meant that almost four months went by with very little income. Very little! Cassie and I had been looking around for help from the state and local governments but with no Luck, not even food stamps. One day our grandson Tomas (who had been living with us at the time) came home on the bus with a flier about a new ministry, the Angel Food Ministries being run and sponsored by The Saint Marks Lutheran Church In Pemberton, NJ. They offered quality food at reduced prices.

In our situation we decided to give it a shot. The flier stated that the church was starting a new ministry to help people who needed help with their food needs. It didn't matter if you were low, middle or high income families. There was no income limits and no special requirements to sign up. All you needed to do was give your name and phone number (for them to remind you the day before pickup) and the amount (in cash) for the food you order.

The first time we signed up we went to the house of one of the men who started this ministry, Tony Miehle (on right).
What a great guy! We became instant friends! Tony set us up for our first order, took our cash gave us a receipt and the pickup date and became an instant friend. Tony was able to give us some financial advise about the financial mess we were in. Tony works for Primerica. If you ever need advice about financial matters He's the man to speak to.

His contact info is:
Tony Miehle
Division Leader
Primerica Financial Services
74 Brick Blvd. Suite 107
Brick, NJ 08723
(609)744-9938
www.primerica.com/miehle
The address of Saint Mark Lutheran Church is:
801 Pemberton Browns Mills Rd
Pemberton, NJ 08068
(609) 894-2800

The food pick up is at:,
The Nesbit Center
Located across the street from the church.

September Menu for Angel Food Ministries in PDF format.
click to download and view:
angelfood.PDF

More pics:

What do our cats do at midnight?

Some pics of Kozmo and Cubby at night when I can't sleep.

ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Ah Daddy why'd ya haff to go and flashy thingy me and wake me up!

Now I'm going to scare you with my glowing voodoo eyes

I don't mind you're flashy thingy daddy!

As long as it comes with such delicious rewards!

Now get outa here and let me eat!

Grandparents Day at Tuckerton Seaport and museum

Thursday's are Grandparents day at the Tuckerton Seaport and museum. Cassie and I decided we would take our grandson Tomas there yesterday. The three of us went on Sunday, There we had a great time together even though we didn't get to see the whole museum. That's why we went again on Thursday. There was some events that we thought Tomas would enjoy but we arrived too late to see them. We took Tomas to the Pirate playground and just wandered around for a while. We enjoyed a great lunch at the Stewart's Root Beer stand next to the museum and even though we missed the exhibits it was still a wonderful day spent with Tomas. I took a few pics and some video footage of our little day trip which I've posted below.

I believe this was Tomas' first time in an elevator and his expression was one of tremendous joy! He insisted on being the "elevator operator" by pushing the buttons and being the first in and the first out. I snapped two shots of his expression which I totally adored.

Tomas' first time in the elevator

watching the floors numbers flash

ARRRRRRRRRR!

Peek-A-Boo!

Hi Tomas! Hi Nana!

I want to do that too!

This information is just a little bit too late for me

I wish I had known about this when I was younger! But much like when I was a smoker I probably wouldn't have heeded the warning. I was young and dumb and full of...

Killer Carbs - Appetite Control Cells Deteriorate As We Age, Says Study

Submitted by News Staff on 21 August 2008 - 12:00am. Clinical Genetics

Dr Zane Andrews, a neuroendocrinologist with Monash University's Department of Physiology, says he has discovered key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and potentially weight-gain as we grow older.

Dr Andrews found that appetite-suppressing cells are attacked by free radicals after eating and said the degeneration is more significant following meals rich in carbohydrates and sugars.

"The more carbs and sugars you eat, the more your appetite-control cells are damaged, and potentially you consume more," Dr Andrews said.

Dr Andrews said the attack on appetite suppressing cells creates a cellular imbalance between our need to eat and the message to the brain to stop eating.

"People in the age group of 25 to 50 are most at risk. The neurons that tell people in the crucial age range not to over-eat are being killed-off.

"When the stomach is empty, it triggers the ghrelin hormone that notifies the brain that we are hungry. When we are full, a set of neurons known as POMC's kick in.

"However, free radicals created naturally in the body attack the POMC neurons. This process causes the neurons to degenerate overtime, affecting our judgement as to when our hunger is satisfied," Dr Andrews said.

The free radicals also try to attack the hunger neurons, but these are protected by the uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2).

Dr Andrews said the reduction in the appetite-suppressing cells could be one explanation for the complex condition of adult-onset obesity.

"A diet rich in carbohydrate and sugar that has become more and more prevalent in modern societies over the last 20-30 years has placed so much strain on our bodies that it's leading to premature cell deterioration," Dr Andrews said.

Dr Andrews' next research project will focus on finding if a diet rich in carbohydrates and sugars has other impacts on the brain, such as the increased incidences of neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease.

Lunch with the Neighbors

Yesterday Cassie and I had lunch with our neighbors down the street Bob and Flo Mayne. Due to our different lifestyles and interests we don't usually get a chance to sit down and have adult conversations with real adults, let alone our neighbors. Last week we stopped at their house to say hello and invited them over for coffee and in the midst of our conversations they invited us to lunch. We happily agreed and met them for lunch at Koko's restaurant in Browns Mills. Koko's is a very nice little home style place where everyone is a regular. You might find a place like this in Mayberry from the old Andy Griffith show. It's very quaint and the folks there are very friendly. We had a nice time chatting while eating a very delicious lunch. Naturally I took a couple of pics to remember this momentous occasion.

Flo & Bob Mayne. "Come onn Bob, just a little kiss?"

Ahhhh, that's better!

Cassie & me, our usual romantic selves.

Mushrooms? The next fad diet?

Another night of insomnia.
While reading my RSS feeds I stumbled across this article: The Low Density Food Approach To Controlling Obesity
Submitted by News Staff on 16 August 2008 -

Preliminary research led by Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, MD, Director of John Hopkins Weight Management Center, suggests increasing intake of low-energy density foods like mushrooms in place of high-energy-density foods like lean ground beef is a strategy for preventing or treating obesity. This is good news for the more than one-third of U.S. adults age 20 and older who are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control and who therefore have a greater risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. (1)

In a Mushroom Council study led by Dr. Cheskin, study participants were randomly chosen to receive either beef or mushroom lunch entrées over four days – lasagna, napoleon, sloppy Joe and chili. Subjects then switched entrées to consume the other ingredient (mushroom or beef) the following week.

Energy (calorie) intakes were significantly higher during meat meals than mushroom meals, a difference that averaged 420 more calories and 30 more fat grams per day over the four-day test period. Subjects' ratings for palatability (meal appeal), appetite, satiation (after meal fullness) and satiety (general fullness) did not differ between groups.

"The most intriguing finding was that subjects seemed to accept mushrooms as a palatable and suitable culinary substitute for meat," said Dr. Cheskin. "They didn't compensate for the lower calorie mushroom meal by eating more food later in the day."

The preliminary findings of Cheskin's team follow findings from other initial data that suggested if men substituted a 4-ounce Portabella mushroom for a 4-ounce grilled hamburger every time they ate a grilled hamburger over the course of a year, and didn't change anything else, they could save more than 18,000 calories and nearly 3,000 grams of fat.(2)

That's the equivalent of 5.3 pounds or 30 sticks of butter.

In addition, white button mushrooms may be nature's hidden treasure for vitamin D, a nutrient many Americans do not get enough of for the required daily intake.(3-5) Mushrooms are the only fresh vegetable or fruit with 4 percent of the daily value of Vitamin D per serving and preliminary research suggests that a standard serving of mushrooms can provide up to 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin D after just five minutes of contact with sunlight.(6,7)

A serving of four-five white button mushrooms has 20 calories and no fat, saturated fat or cholesterol but is nutrient-rich. In fact, mushrooms are also the leading source of the antioxidant selenium in the fruit and vegetable category and a good source of the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, which help break down proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Toss in a handful of delicious, nutrient-dense mushrooms into your favorite dish.

Article: Cheskin LJ, Davis LM, Lipsky LM, Mitola AH, Lycan T, Mitchell V, Mickle B, Adkins E. Lack of energy compensation over 4 days when white button mushrooms are substituted for beef. Appetite. 2008:51;50-57.

This is good news to someone like Billy and me who love mushrooms, all kinds of mushrooms. I especially love the stuffed portabella mushrooms which I will easily substitute for meat. Billy and I are the only ones in the family who enjoy these mushrooms. The rest of the family passes us any mushrooms in recipe's we make that call for them.

Another night of insomnia! But there are rewards.

Well here's me again, four in the morning and can't get back to sleep. I went to bed at eight last night, I was just worn out! I woke up at one thirty due to back pain and can't get back to sleep. So what do you do then? Me, I go to my office and surf the web or read. Tonight whilst surfing I started to get visits from our cats. One after the other and sometimes three at a time came to keep me company and to cheer me up. (although it might also have been the catnip and kitty treats I give them when they visit.) Anyway I got my camera out and took some pics.

I hope you enjoy them.

Cubby was the first visitor. He's looking for a fly that landed on the desk

As Cubby was leaving, Mouse sauntered in. I swear I heard them say:
"Bread and butter" as they passed each other! Must be lack of sleep!

"Hi Dad!" Mouse seemed to say. "Get that flashy thingy outa my face!"

"I came to cheer you up!" Mouse said. "Oh and give me some treats!"

Amber came in next but she was only interested in getting some catnip whilst
Cubby and Kozmo kept their distance. Amber was very ornery tonight.

Kozmo came in next followed by Sox, who seemed to only want to sniff Kozmo's
nether regions.

Sox is a moma's boy he only tolerates me and didn't come in. He just
showed me his back as he washed up.

Kozmo jumped up and let me snuggle a bit and then asked for a treat.

He decided to settle down for the night right on my mouse pad.

"What do you mean, you want me to move?" he said. "This is MY spot!"

"I'm glad we settled that! he said. He then told me it was ok to pet him and
give him lots of treats and lovin's. I love my cats! They let me live here with them.
It just doesn't get any better than this!

Familiar Cat Behavior

If you've ever owned a cat...
by a62vw

Why can't humans get along like this?

Animal Friendship Between Different Species

I am losing my mind! No one cares...

Six years ago when Cassie and I met and decided to get married I went to my pastor friend, Paul and asked him to perform the ceremony. He agreed, but asked to have a talk with the two of us before hand. He also wanted to meet with the three kids. We got together at his house and Cassie and I gave our salvation testimonies, our plans and our vision of our future together. Paul, his wife , Cassie and I had a wonderful time together that day, until we were getting the family together to leave, Paul took me aside and asked me once again was I sure I wanted to do this. He wanted to make sure of my commitment not only to Cassie but also to Cassie's children. I told Paul that yes I was very sure. He then went on to say that he had a very bad feeling that I was going to have a tremendous amount of trouble with the middle child, Heidi. He wouldn't say just what that was and I assured him that I was able to make my marriage to Cassie and my parenting of her children work to our mutual benefit no matter what trials may come upon us.

Over the last six years we have run into many trials and tribulations and Cassie and I came through them all with the grace of God. Though it wasn't unscathed we made it through. Now we are in the fight of our lives! Neither Cassie nor I have ever encountered stress like we re going through now. This isn't just the stress of my disability, or of our possibly losing our home, car, and all we've worked so hard for all our lives, we are in serious danger of losing our sanity.

For the last few weeks we have been after the kids to clean up the house. They were told that we would be having Michele, David and the four grandkids come up from Tennessee to visit. My plan was that we would put them up in the bedrooms upstairs so that the downstairs would still look nice when the people came to appraise our home and help us with some possible options yesterday. They were told when these people would be here and even reminded the very same day to make sure their rooms and the upstairs bathroom were presentable for our guests and our family from Tennessee. We were surprised when Michele and the family camped out in the family room and in the living room, with no explanation other than they were more comfortable down here. I explained to Michele that we were going to have realtor's here on Sunday and she said they would clean up and be on their way home waaay before the people were due to arrive. I didn't understand then but agreed.

We said very sad and tearful goodbyes to David, Michele, Brandon, Ryan, Taylor and little Niki Sunday morning, we had such a great reunion it hurt so much to see them go. Cassie and I finished straightening up our bedroom, the rest of the downstairs and asked Heidi to change the kitty liter upstairs and Kristin to do the same downstairs. I was actually surprised we didn't get an argument from anyone about cleaning up. The Realtors showed up a half hour late and we led them around the house so that they could give us a quick appraisal (We needed this for our lawyer who is trying to help us declare bankruptcy) We showed them the downstairs and them the outside explaining about all the improvements we made over the last six years. Then we took the on a tour of the upstairs...

I had asked the kids to make sure that all the vacuuming was done prior to Sunday so was very disappointed to see as we climbed the stairs that the kids ignored the stairs, I reached the top and the hallway was just as bad! I looked in to Bill's room and his was neat. The spare room just to the left was neat also. We had to explain about the huge hole in the wall Heidi made when she tripped over all the stuff they usually leave in the hall a few months ago. They then looked into Heidi's room and although Cassie and I had asked her to clean and put away her clothes it was still a mess. The next stop was Kristin's room. I was shocked! I checked her room just a few days ago after she had cleaned it. You could hardly see what color the carpet was with all the crap on the floor. It was as if she had filled a huge box with all her belongings and the just before we got there she dumped it all back out again!

I didn't think I could be anymore embarrassed than that, but I was wrong! Very wrong! I opened the bathroom door at the end of the hall and physically recoiled at the smell and disgusting dirt of this bathroom. It smelled as if the cats had just shit and peed on the floor, walls an ceiling of this room. Heidi had assured me that she had cleaned the room prior to here leaving for work. I was so embarrassed. There was noway anyone was going to convince me that the girls didn't leave these rooms this way on purpose. Talk about sabotage, I was and am so ashamed I could just die.

So for six years I have tried to be the best Step father I could be, My step dad was a tremendous example to me of how and what a dad should be. I tried, now I feel like such a failure. I tried to be fair and patient in the discipline and love I showed them. I withheld nothing, I gave them everything they needed. I wanted to be to them what my step dad was to me. My stepfather was to me better than my real father, he was my dad. I expected there to be some disrespect, and disobedience and words, there were between my dad and me. That's part of growing up. The kid's lost their dad and here I was stepping in his shoes. I knew it was going to be tough at first, but I thought it would get easier with time. As we grew and blended together, shared respect and love for one another it should have been wonderful. There were some times it was what it should have been, but I guess I was just fooling myself. I guess sometimes no matter how hard you try, how hard you work, no matter how hard you love and pray you can't have what you so desperately desire. My heart's desire was that our two families would unite as one. I gave everything I had to be a father to Michele, Linda, Billy, Heidi and Kristin. Now I feel like an utter failure.

Tonight I had another emotional breakdown, It was after eight o'clock and the rule is dishes are to be done at seven thirty. I asked Heidi to please start the dishes and once again she started arguing with me again. I have been right on the edge of an emotional breakdown with everything that has been happening to me and Cassie. I am in pain all the time. Measured on a scale of one to ten it is rare if it goes below six, and that is with my taking morphine and vicoden sometimes together. The pain is just the icing on the cake, there is also the lack of a job or any help from the government.

Cassie and I have paid for the registration and insurance for Heidi's car we helped her with a thousand dollar gift to get it. We spent almost two thousand getting the car in good repair for her. Cassie and I spent over four thousand dollars getting Cassie's car fixed after Billy and Heidi had their accidents. We have asked them to pays us their share of the car insurance, pay back the money spent fixing the car so Billy could drive it safely. and so we wouldn't have to put it through our insurance. Cassie and I have spent a fortune helping send Billy to RPI in Troy, NY even though he had and all tuition paid if he went to a school in NJ. Then he flunks out because he forgot when the final exams where and was then too proud to admit it and ask for a chance to retake the test. Even now, Cassie and I are paying five hundred and thirty four dollars a month for car insurance. If we dropped the leased car and dropped Heidi and her car and Billy from our insurance we would only have to pay forty one dollars a month for insurance. We ask them for only one hundred dollars a week to help us out, the only one who has been faithful in this is Heidi.

There is so much more I could write about this screwed up family, I don't think anyone would believe it. Of course blood is thicker than water and if I asked Billy and Heidi to move out it would probably mean that I would be the one heading down the highway not them. Those two will be here even if it kills me. So what does all this shit mean? I don't know, I just wanted to get it off my chest before it does kill me or then who would know? Not that there are more than a handful of people that would even care. This is not the way I should close this post because I have so much to write about. One good thing about spewing this crap all over my blog is it helped me get some of it out of my system. There was no one to tell me to shut up or that I was full of shit or that they hated me, or that I was being immature. I actually got it off my chest and I feel better. Screw anyone or everyone who doesn't like it! NUFF said!

The Tennessee gang has arrived

This morning the harsh side of reality hit me in the gut with the force of a shotgun blast of double aught buckshot!

Yesterday after a meeting with our lawyer, we had been discussing our possibility of declaring bankruptcy, we were told by the lawyer that we needed to find out how much and when, or even if I would receive Social Security. The lawyer said we could call or check the website to find out the info. Later that night I tried the website but I was directed to try during the normal working hours. I tried this morning and the website revealed that there hadn't been enough time to process my claim, but added that I should call for more information. So I called and had to wade through fifteen minutes of their stupid computer phone system. I wasn't on hold, I had to answer all sorts of questions before they would connect me. If you've ever had to negotiate with a computer message system you know how frustrating and annoying and inaccurate the systems can be. My anger and frustration was building by the second. Finally I was able to talk to a human. I then had to repeat all the information I had just spent fifteen maddening minutes talking to the computer about because her system went down. And down, and down. each time it went down the "human" and I use that term loosely put me on hold while she rebooted the machine.

We finally got to talk about my case and I was already in tears from the stress and frustration. I don't cry very often or easy, I can count on one hand the times I've cried in front of a stranger in all my fifty-four years on this wonderful world we live in, when I told the woman the information I needed for my lawyer. I explained that I had to make a decision on whether to try to keep my house and declare bankruptcy or try to sell it before the mortgage company forecloses and hopefully make enough from the equity to buy a smaller home in the town where we live so our youngest can finish her last two years of High School. The lady was adamant that I wouldn't be able to get that information until after September and that basically I shouldn't even bother to call them again until then.

Well that was enough to send me into a tailspin that resulted in a complete emotional breakdown moments later. You want to see the Biblical manifestation of "Weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" that was me! I started weeping uncontrollablely! Kristin heard me and gave me a hug to try and soothe me, but I just kept crying and crying. Cassie came in a few minutes later and tried to help get me under control because our grandson Tomas and our family from Tennessee were going to be here in just a few minutes. I barely got myself under control when Tomas and his dad arrived. Tomas ran into the house and gave me the biggest hug ever which helped a bunch.

We had intended on taking Tomas and the rest of the gang to the lake to swim. And so when Shells (Michele) and the gang arrived off we went. I'll tell you, that seeing my Tennessee family and getting wonderfully giant bear hugs from all of them really improved my spirits. So much so that I have had a wonderful afternoon. Shells and the family will be here for a few days and then they have to go back home. We had a great time today and here are a few pictures of my gang!
Michele my oldest daughter

David, my son-in-law, Nicky, RyanBrandonpn and Michele

Brandon, David, Nicky, Ryan

Brandon, David, Nicky and Ryan

Cassie, Tomas and Taylor Hannah Squarepants, my only granddaughter. Yup we spoil her!

Brandon the man!

David, Ryan, Nicky and my Shells

Taylor, Cassie and Tomas drying off after a great swim together

My Children are PIGS!

So Cassie and I are going through some extreme financial and health woes. I've been out of work since last September due to a severe and progressive back injury. I applied and received NJ State Disabilty which is only good for six months, I ran out in March. Since I may be out of work for more than a Year I applied for Social Security Disability. As most people know it takes six months to a year to receive benefits. That is if they think you are going to die from the problem. So now I have very little income, very little!

We are trying to figure out how we are going to keep from having our house taken away. We had an investor coming to our house tonight to see if there were any options, like selling the house. We have a beautiful two level home that was appraised last year at $275000.00 and our mortgage was only about $199000.00 so there was the option to use our equity to help us stay affloat. Since Cassie and I are pretty much disabled we don't venture upstairs very often, Besides the upstairs is the children's territory. We have two adult children and a teenager inhabiting the upstairs.

This morning Cassie asked me to go upstairs to make sure the bathroom was clean and so up I went. I had to practically crawl up the stairs because of the pain in my back and legs. When I got to the top I saw this huge mess in the hallway, Iwas shocked! If there was a fire how would the kids ever manage to get down the stairs safely. Then I checked out their rooms...

I went down the stairs a whole lot faster than I went up, I was so mad! I got my video camera and stormed back up filming all the way. I don't even rtemember that it hurt I was so mad. I paid the price later though, The pain in my back and legs hurt so bad I couldn't even sleep when I tried to nap. The pain meds the doctor prescribed for breakout pain didn't even put a dent in the pain. Anyway I posted the video on Youtube. I wonder if there are other families with such slobs as these kids.

Here is the Youtube video I posted.

Who Stole My Red Stapler!

Wow! This dude must have gotten a little too much latte this morning, or maybe his red stapler (Office Space) was taken.

Office Worker Goes Absolutely Insane - Watch more free videos

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Hobbes and I are reunited

When I was a young lad I had a stuffed tiger. I can't for the life of me remember what his name was but I do remember how he was with me wherever I went. I don't know what happened to that old tiger but I have a real life version now. Here we are together again after all these years:

In my about me on this blog I thank Bill Waterson for his graphic representation of my childhood. Cassie sent me this Youtube video of Calvin and Hobbes, the reminder of my childhood imagination.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.