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8 entries this month
Hard to understand16:12 Apr 30 2011
Times Read: 799
I've been reading a lot of damage reports out of the South from the tornado's this past week. We were very lucky here with just a lot of high winds but nothing near tornado strength. Most of our neighbors in the South were not so lucky with deaths in most of the southern states and Alabama bearing the brunt of it.
If you've never walked out into the devastation left behind of your neighborhood after a tornado, you really cannot imagine that in less than 5 minutes the whole world changes for you. I cannot help but feel such pity for the folks involved in this storm's path of destruction.
Those that can are trying to return to the sites of their former lives and pick through the debris to find any treasured items of their lives. I know from experience that some will be quite shocked to find looters have already been there or may still be there.
A few years ago a tornado came down my street destroying several houses including my neighbor directly across from me while damaging most others. We lost part of our roof but were not injured, well other than my Mom complaining I bruised her when I forced her into the bathtub after I saw the funnel cloud and yelled at her to move and she froze. There wasn't time for a slow escort down the hall so I pushed and pulled her all the way. After it moved on we opened the front door to see the damage and it was awful. No power, no water and the area completely blocked by debris but the real horror came the next morning.
Sunday morning after the tornado came through here and all the folks had been removed from their damaged homes and people where trying to cover their home's remains with tarps and such we were all treated to the most obscene thing I've ever seen.
Right after church, cars and trucks started swarming the area none of them residents of this street or kin to any either yet they got out of their vehicles many still in their Sunday best clothes with their small kids and they began personal treasure hunts among the blown about debris all around our street especially the field across from be that belonged to my neighbor who lost his whole large brick home.
We sat on our front steps and watched in disbelief and horror as this went on and no one tried to stop them. The police and ems had been here all afternoon Sat after the tornado hit and most of the night and while there still wasn't power, the water was deemed safe to drink again but they had left to get some well deserved rest and so the buzzards moved in.
What kind of person can honestly think it's okay to try and salvage treasure from the destruction of someone else's home? Right in front of them even!
We tried at the time to convince ourselves they were there just to help try and save folks stuff and return it to them but that wasn't the case, not one item that was scavaged was ever returned to it's owner unless that owner managed to get there first and find it. But to see people out like an Easter egg hunt for the few leftover pieces of another's misfortune was one of the sickest things I ever saw or will see.
It's going on now in every town that was hit and I can only hope somewhere law enforcement stops some of them and they are charged with a crime of theft.
The weather just issued more storms for the south today and this time my area is right in the path of it too. So instead of playing I guess I'd better get some work and shopping done before it hits and we loose power again. It was out a couple of hours Thursday night and none of us enjoyed it at all. Of course now we've refreshed the batteries in our flashlights and lantern so it won't be quite so bad next time.
A Generation Gone15:40 Apr 22 2011
Times Read: 823
My great-aunt died yesterday at 99 years old, Aunt Mamie Johnson has been a fixture in my Mom's family. When I was a kid and we'd have family get-togethers (at the drop of a hat) it was a huge crowd since my mom had 14 brothers and sisters whom most had kids of their own then my Grandma but beyond that there was 8 great aunts and uncles and my Mom would introduce us kids to her double first cousins trying to get the names and faces straight for us all (it never happened) but seems brothers married sisters (of seperate familes you pervs) and their kids had double kin claim. lol
Great Aunt Mamie was the last of her generation in my family and she was still mentally and physically active until she fell ill about 3 weeks ago. The family had 7 generations living that I knew of and it's now down to 6 which is still a huge family but with each loss the ties of kin seem to stretch farther apart.
I guess that's the natural progression of life but having grown up when a family get together was a great thing to get to go to and not the hardship so many act like today it's another part of the past I thought was really good going away.
I know Aunt Mamie had a full life and was happy right up till the end and am confident she went without fear and looking forward to an afterlife where she could get back together with Great Uncle Jeff and their brother and sisters.
copied from my cousin Jet22:50 Apr 20 2011
Times Read: 841
"Families are like underwear!!!! Some crawl up your ass, some get a little sideways, some are your favorite, some are ragged, some are cheap and just plain nasty, and some actually cover your ass when you need 'em to!"
I wonder...14:05 Apr 15 2011
Times Read: 863
What could possibly be the reason to start off treating someone like a bastard step-child before any reason or cause? Is there a prize contest that I've never heard of that awards the one who makes the most enemies without issue?
Now I admit to being raised Southern and can still hear my Mom and MaMaw's voices telling me, say nothing if you cannot say something good. I know that was a lesson for a child to avoid hurting others feelings unnecessarily but why do some just throw it away as adults and not even pause to consider how hurtful they can be to someone who bore them no ill will?
Even in this electronic world I just don't see the reason to begin each day by trying to make as many enemies as I can though I do not keep score either. lol Sure there's people you just cannot agree with and yet as reasonable adults we agree to disagree and move on.
There are people here on VR even that I enjoy talking with as often as possible and would even like to meet face to face someday if the opportunity presented itself and yet many of our ideals are completely opposite.
Our ages and upbringings and religions are different and for some, my background in law enforcement and the conservative feelings I have about it, could be an impossible barrier if we hadn't come to speak here on VR where more of the people like having an open mind and exploring the differences in people anyway.
It's those that come here non-judgemental or looking to just anger everyone, that I enjoy the most here. As I remember from my baptist upbringing, "judge not lest ye be judged" and no matter what your religion that works for all of us.
Great weekend14:56 Apr 11 2011
Times Read: 896
Got in late last night from the weekend away with VW39 to the Insane Asylum in Weston WV. The one that was on those ghost buster shows and is from the civil war era time. It truly was huge and impressive looking in the hand stonework that went into building it. We got there mid afternoon Sat and quickly deteremined there was nothing else to do in this small town so since the light was nice she decided to go ahead and do the outside shots so there'd be even more time allowed inside during the 8 hour tour she was on for Sunday. It worked good and when we got there at 7:30 Sunday morning there was a beautiful heavy fog cover all over the place so spooky looking and cool. She packed up her gear with all her favorite lenses and tricks and with a grin a mile wide headed into that place.
Now me I leaned my car seat back, lowered the windows down and got out a good book I'd saved just for this occassion. I confess I dozed on and off some and that was fine too until my phone rang and an excited Rat was telling me where she was and how cool it was but was worried that it was too close to lunch time and she couldn't get as much as she wanted done. I was laughing and got to tell her it was just 10 she still had 2 more hours before the 1/2 break. With joy she went off to head even deeper into her world of fun.
I went back to my book but I have to confess the heat of the day was starting to build and I'd checked the weather where it said 81 was the high for Sunday.... uh oh it was already 81 and still early in the day. By 12 Rat came to the car for our lunch picnic and the temps where in the upper 80's and still climbing so our picnic was inside the car with air conditioning to cool my sweet Rat down before she went back to work.
She told me how she'd run into a few cool folks on the same photo tour and at least one major asshole but she'd quickly put him in his place. lol I'd have loved to have been there for that I admit.
She went back in for the after noon with the main largest building done but the medical building with the morgue firmly in her sights. lol 3 hours later a phone call and request for pickup around back instead of making her walk back around the whole place. It was fun to see the grin on her face as she loaded her equipment back into the car.
We headed off for a place for her to change and wash up a bit as the last building was right dirty she said then with a cold drink we were on the road home. She described to me what she'd seen inside and the weird stuff that she had to ask questions about and I cannot wait to see her pictures. She took several hundred so I may have to drag her out once or twice over the next month just to keep her from staying inside and working on them all the time. lol
I have to admit that as bad as Eastern KY looks as far as poor, WV beat the pants off us in that department. Heaven help those folks.
April is Autism Awareness month01:13 Apr 03 2011
Times Read: 920
April is Autism awareness month in the US and today is World Autism Day. If you haven't been touched by this illness count yourself very luck and say your prayers you stay that way but with sheer number of cases most often boys it's showing up in you'll be lucky to be missed completely.
My 6 year old nephew Adam is a true joy to know and love and fight for patience when his world isn't going right. We know all about meltdowns and fits and how they can happen right out of the blue but it's still worth every moment of every day seeing him learn and grow.
His future is both an open door and a big question mark and only time will show us the way but the trip will be an adventure each and every day.
There are a few others I know here on this site that are closely connected with an autistic child and for all of us please learn more about it and the next time you see someone with a child having a meltdown keep your remarks about needing whipping to yourself. If you haven't ever dealt with the disease you just cannot know.
An appropriate day of the year18:02 Apr 01 2011
Times Read: 939
It's April 1st otherwise known as April fools day the perfect choice for pulling tricks and jokes on friends and family.
Somehow it's also the most appropriate day to be the anniversay of Cancer asking me to take over Umbrae Octo. A decision I'm still tickled pink with and I can only hope that everyone else is okay with too.
I've got great folks in my house, all adults that lead busy lives and yet take the time to pop in every chance they get and saying hi and letting us all keep up with each other.
I think they're all as happy as I am so we're doing okay. :)
arrrrgggg!!!! and I don't mean pirates15:19 Apr 01 2011
Times Read: 942
Got a whopping headache and a very sour disposition right now but I've spent the last few days digging up papers and bills and all the crap I need for the tax accountant who I was supposed to see today at 11am but who called needing to move the apt to Monday at 11. So all weekend to drive myself nuts trying to figure out if I left anything out that could be itemized as I'm looking at a nice whopping tax bill this year.
At this moment all I can do is wait and reach for the advil bottle. lol
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COMMENTS
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Sulks
17:42 Apr 30 2011
That is truly horrible and I don't understand how folk can do that to anyone who has been a victim :(
LadyChordewa
18:55 Apr 30 2011
meeper
19:33 Apr 30 2011
~hugs~
I was worried about you ladies when I kept seeing giant red storm cells in your area. KY got hit worse than Indiana, though we've got a lot of flooding with the Ohio River.
Vampirewitch39
15:19 May 01 2011
Now I know why the guy next door was so happy when Dad took a truck out to him. Never knew this part of it. We was just happy to try and save what he could out of his home. Shame- people would act that way.
Theban
13:54 May 22 2011
I find this very upsetting and it just goes to show how low people act in situations where they should be helping and pulling together.