Gone - in half a heartbeat...

By all accounts it happened that quickly...

One moment clear sailing, the next - fully engulfed in the terrible storm.

The sad news... is that this accident:
http://cbs2.com/local/local_story_289172931.html
(The Multiple car pile up - during a blinding sandstorm - North of Los Angeles - Tuesday Oct. 16)
Claimed the life of my father.

He was enroute, with his wife, (and faithful little doggie - "Shep") to their seasonal home in southern AZ (Quartzite) when they were caught up in this.

Neither Dad nor "Shep" made it.

We (family&me) are in fact finding mode - we cannot travel, until we have a timeline and that is complicated due to the severity of his wife's injuries - she cannot, immediately, be moved much less be released to travel home to Washington State. (Broken leg, broken facial bones, severe lacerations and a blood clot in her chest - lung area, concerning the medical personnel)

Kindnesses and prayers from my community - this community - our home-town community - are pouring over me so don't worry for me, however... prayer would be much appreciated for my Step-Mother "Marcy" she's a toughie, and she is an amazing woman, however, she only found out [Wednesday], that she's been widowed - for a second time ... the last time was over 30 years ago.

She and my father were so very, very good for each other... and throughout all the years that I have known her she has demonstrated nothing but love and kindness to me (never a negative vibe from her towards me - not ever, at least none that I've ever preceived. I can not say that about my own parents - but then, again, parents have a big job to do, don't they?) how can I not, love her, so very much, for that? I truly do.

Thankfully, her son & his wife were able to safely make the trip to be by her side the morning after this news broke... so that they could be with her when she was told the sad news, for certain (she was so connected to my father that she'd already had a 'sense' that he was gone).

This is a loss that's going to be very hard for us, but at this time, my heart, is most especially full, for Marcy.

My parents divorced in 1977 - amid much drama.

I told my father once that the name Marcy was awful close to Mercy - and that I thought he'd been blessed through her.

I know I was.

Wheather Marcy realizes it, or not, she has very much been a good and a faithful servant to love. She has been, in fact, 'the bridge' over many troubled waters that enabled my father and his children (those that could and would receive them) to gain a great many blessings they, otherwise, never would have realized on, and of, their own accord.

Thank-you, those of you who, have, are, and will pray for healing here - I have been feeling those prayers, now, and I know that my family and extended family members are as well.

My scriptures tell me that God is Love.

May God's will prevail and bless you - all who pass this way

...and lead you sure and safe, through every storm - that you may return just as sure and safe to love once more.

I leave you these thoughts, in the name of Jesus Christ.

(Amen)

~

You ARE Old IF.....

(Wisdom, Humor - from one of the ladies I work with....)
















You ARE old IF, you confide in a friend, that you are having an affair...



and



You're friend asks you, if you're having it catered.


lol!

=)

tale-end (finally)

Ok. I've been working hard with several irons in the fire... (or maybe that, [branded & firey] was just plain how I've felt, surviving another scorcher summer sans AirConditioning - lost a little weight though, hehehe.)

You do understand me when I say I have not purposefully forgotten to tell the sorted details of the tale - I began so long ago...? Somewhere, over the rainbow, I'd started an ArtZfartZ finalie - that I won't bore you with here and now. . .

The gist of it was this: I ran into trouble on my sorrey into town. I inadvertantly murdered a very thinly treaded tire. One I had been nursing along, hoping for a few more miles to go further down the line with - so thinking, that I could bag a few more paychecks and thus trade it outright with cash and its' fellows - for a new matched set. Oh. But, no. *Sighs*

I high-tailed it to the nearest convenience store, which handily, was kittycorner from where the heap had come to rest. (ok. I like the car. Just, anytime it inconveniences me - it's a heap.) I needed a phone. Yep. This was the one and only time in close to a year that I'd not taken my cel with me - I had visions of it plugged in and rampantly juicing its badself up at home, comfortably craddled on a choice pilla - plumped up on m'couch.

Golly, I love techno-gizzmos.

Anywho...

That brought me to the door and the vision was happily replace by "Hallers" a very tall and very handsome young man, whom I'd had the pleasure of working with, ever so briefly, yum, I mean, er, "um", summer of 2002? 2003? Whatever the date, he always gets a smile outta me - perhaps it's the hairstyle? > 8" flaming red mohawk - standing straight up, all tall and proud! Not typical, for a midwestern boy, however, Hallers - wears it well. He's just that kind of wide open.

Apparently the goodwill swings both ways between us - he lit up with his own bright smile as I stepped inside and nodded my general 'Howdy' to the line up at the check-out counter - Hallers, just happened to be manning that position & I plowed right on in, with my one desire.

"Hey! I need a phone. Can I use yours?"

Cha-Ching. (yes) =)

Humm...

Who to call?

I called a neighboring Aunt - She agreed to drive in the rescue and upon our arrival to the graveled driveway back home - who do we see?

KITTY! - none other than the good Dr. Seuss.

That turned my whole attitude decidedly away from 'preturbed' (and I had been, very, decidedly preturbed, from that flat forward, mind you!). =)

I could immediately see, she, kitty, was acting quite strange - very 'antsie' ...skiddish... scared?

I said some hurried 'thankyou, thankyous' and made my good-byes to my Aunt and hurried to let us both, Dr. Seuss and me, into the house and away from whatever else was lurking in those shadowy places within the realm of possibilities, between the sanctuary of home and the dark alure of any given hot (and starry) summer night.

Guess what was the first thing kitty did, upon her arrival back home?

Guess.

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No. don't just scroll & roll - looking for the easy answer - guess!

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Got a guestament yet?

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My Nephew thought "food dish".

.

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No.

Not "food dish"

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So, I gave him a hint.

.

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What's the very 1st thing you do when you've been gone from home, fer, like, a while - and now, think about it - you've just burst through the door - "Home sweet home, at last!"?

.

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That's right.

She was Gone-ski, fir like, a whole 24 hours ....

and the first thing she does?

The very first thing she does?

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Runs to her litter box.

(In all fairness to m'nephew she did shoot a cursory glance at the food and water trays on her way to the toilet... Heaven forbid there be any bottom of the bowl showing over in that corner of her world!)

Ah, yes.

Home sweet home.

ZZZzzzend.