#303 Addendum

#303 is disputing her role in the play of Pippin.  She is also not convinced that the knickers in question belonged to her.  Either way...she said that she COULD have been in the play and she MAY HAVE owned purple knickers.  If it wasn't her, she is sure that it was her friend.  I stand partially corrected and will admit that the whole story is a little fuzzy.  Either she is old and can't remember...I am old and can't remember...or we both are old and...what was I saying????

#304 - LR

Don't you just love people who take care of their business.  I do, especially when I am trusting them to take care of something that I don't know anything about.

Case in point is #304.  She is a travel agent that I got hooked up with several years ago when I was searching the web to find a place to go snow skiing with my small kids.

I have been burning by Internet sites before (anyone in my family remember the Beach and Racquet Club???) so I am a little leery of booking a vacation site unseen.  Like when they say beach view...but they mean with binoculars.  Or when they say ski-in / ski-out but they mean after you get off the bus. 

Anyway, that is why #304 makes my blog.  I have used her services several times to book my Colorado vacations and she never fails to deliver.  I tell her my expectations and she finds me what I want for the price we want to spend.  She is not super friendly...but I don't need her as a friend.  What she is, is super efficient.  She returns calls and emails in a timely fashion.  She dots her i's and crosses her t's.  She answers questions and goes above and beyond to make sure all of our needs are met.

Should come with all job descriptions, but so many people are so lazy about their jobs that when you get a good one...you remember.  At least I do!  Thanks to #304 for helping make these good times possible.

#303 - JHB

When I was in 8th grade (or maybe 9th), my mom was teaching at VC.  She taught English and Speech and this particular year, she was in charge of the high school theater production.  (Now that I think about it, maybe I was still in elementary school...hmmm...)  Anyway, the production was Pippin.  It was a musical and I remember going to play practice with my mom and watching the older kids sing and dance.  For a long time, I could remember every word to every song in the play, but now, I just recognize the tune when I hear it. 

I've got Magic to Do...just for you...I've got miracle plays to play.
I've got parts to perform...hearts to warm
Kings and Queens to take by storm
As we go along....our waaaaaay.

Anyway, at the time, I really thought the entire play, singing, and dancing etc was so cool.  They made it look so easy.  (Which I found out was a total lie when I took an acting class in college...but that is another post).  Anyway again, #303 was in this play.  The details are a little fuzzy and I think I asked her before and the details are fuzzy to her also, but I remember that she had a really, really cool pair of knickers that she wore a lot.  (like maybe it wasn't really her that was wearing the knickers...but she definitely standing right next to that girl),   I think they were purple, but they may have been red (details, details...).  Anyway, I thought they looked really cool and I remember searching the stores for many years (even when knickers went out) for the same pair.  (NOTE - I know it is really weird the things I remember, but....???)

Anyway, fast forward a # of years (25-30 - yikes!) and now I am getting emails from #303 to come view her clothing line at her house several times a year.  She no longer wears knickers, but always dresses to a T and is up on the latest fashions.  I don't make it over the her house every season, but when I do, I always get lots of compliments on the outfits she puts together and I buy.

I think people either have an eye for that kind of thing or they don't.  #303 definitely does...I definitely don't.  Another example...

#303 is an architect by profession.  When I moved into my new house, I asked (begged) for help.  She told me that she did not mind helping with little things, but she really did not have the time to dedicate to taking on the entire project because when she took something on, she would not be satisfied unless she gave it 100%.  Being somewhat an OCD perfectionist myself, I totally got that.  She recommended several ladies to me who did a great job helping me with color schemes, furniture placement etc. etc. etc.  But, when I got in, I was having a big problem arranging my furniture in my living room.  I had two sofas and a square ottoman (which she suggested), but with the TV, the ceiling fan, the fireplace, the rug, the windows...AHHHHH!  I could not get it to look right.  I called in a SOS in to #303 and she came out on an emergency house visit.  She stood back, looked for about 1.5 seconds, moved one sofa to the right, one to the left, centered my ottoman and Voila!  Perfecto!  How the hell did she do that?  Why can't I do that?  You think I am joking, but I am not.  I had moved the rug 3-4x.  I had pushed and pulled and angled and straightened.  In other words I had really tried to make it look right but failed.  It took her under five minutes to look exactly right.  A real talent that I do not possess.

Over the years, we have become friends.  Our boys are the same age and therefore participate in a lot of the same activities.  I repay her kindness of fixing my living room by fitting her in when she makes an SOS call of her own for a kinked neck.   We have taken several trips together including a ski trip back in the day to Crested Butte, Colorado and ending with our most recent...a girls trip to Vegas which included making the Guinness Book of World Records by participating the the great Santa Race.  Over 8000 running Santa's for 5K.  This trip also included running in the Rock-n-Roll Vegas 1/2 marathon in the 32 degrees weather up and back on the Vegas strip.  Even though we were only there for a few days, we managed to fit in a spa trip, some shopping, lots of good meals and watching the Saints beat Washington on the big screen.  Lots and lots of fun!


I know she reads my blog because she comments from time to time...Thanks to #303 for using your talents for the good and helping those of us who are detail challenged!

#302 - FK

I have been blessed to have many people help me along on my path of a business owner.  I certainly did not go to PT school with the thought of becoming a businesswoman.  It just sorta happened.  I will not deny that I like being my own boss...it definitely has its perks.  It's just that in preparing for my career as a PT, I did not really take any business classes and this was not something that just came to me naturally.

One of the people who has helped me is #302.  He is my accountant.  I did not pick him...I inherited him from my previous boss.  From the very start, he and I were able to communicate on the same level.  He has a way of talking and explaining that I totally can get.  He breaks things down and does not assume that I know instinctively what he is talking about.  He is always patient, even when I have to ask the same question every quarter until it sticks in my brain.  He also has a habit of repeating what we have just discussed, just to be sure we both heard what we were saying, the same way.  Balm to my soul.  Clarification and understanding.

I appreciate all that he has done and continues to help me with each year.  It is a comfort to know that I don't always have to know everything...I just have to know who to call.  Thanks #302!

#301 - LP, SLP

I will admit, when I first started practicing, I thought a speech therapist, was a speech therapist, was a speech therapist.  Taught people to talk...right?  Not always...

You can become a Speech Therapist after graduating from an accredited college with a BS degree.  But... you can go on to get your Master's degree in Speech and Language Pathology which is a totally different animal.

These SLP's do a whole lot more than just teaching people to talk (aka articulation).  They also focus on the development of language, sequencing, learning... or if they go in a totally different direction and pursue neurological patients instead of pediatric ones... swallowing dysfunction and aphasia (aka choking and difficulty finding words).

#301 is the very first SLP that worked at my clinic.  She was (and still is) very knowledgeable in her field.  She probably is the most (or at least tied for first) thorough therapist that I have ever worked with.  Each and every one of her patients got what they needed and more.  She defined the phrase, "give 100%."  Of course, at the time, she was just married...just out of school... and had no children.  Her job was her life. 

I have not spoken with her for years.  Now, I hear, she has started a family.  I know firsthand that the reimbursement for her services has gone down instead of up.  This is not, of course because people do not need her services.  It is just the opposite, right?  In the health care field, the more something is needed, the less the insurance companies want to pay for it, right? 

Anyway, that is a whole different story.  This post is about a girl who gave her all, all the time.  And it was never about the money.

#300 - Mom

MOM...Here it is!!!  The post you've been waiting for!!!  It's all about Y-O-U!!!

You would think that a post about my mom would be easy to write.  I mean, she has definitely known me the longest, right?  But, I ran into the same problems I ran into when I wrote my very first post about my hubby...how do you condense so many years of memories, feelings, and lessons learned into a couple of paragraphs?  You want it to convey exactly how you feel, but how do you put this into the right words?  It is much easier to write about the lady at Subway who doesn't let me talk on my cell phone, but here it goes...

From the time that I was little, I knew that I was loved.  What a gift.  There are so many children in the world who do not have this basic thing that I have often taken for granted.  My mom was always there for me and still is today.  I doesn't matter how big or small the task...she will do it.  I really cannot ever remember a time that she has told me no when I have asked her for something.  Most of the time, I don't even have to ask, and she knows what I need and starts the helping process without me even asking.

When I was born, my dad was still playing baseball.  My mom would pack up me and all my stuff and travel to Minnesota for the season.  During the long road trips, she and I would hang out in the pool apartment and wait for dad to come home.  A long, long way from home.

When I was little, I remember a wonderful, busy childhood.  Some of my best memories are going to the library every Monday in the summer (since the pool at Ellendale was closed).  We would haggle about the number of books that Darren and I could check out (sorry Sarah, you weren't there yet) and would usually get to take home 6 or 7 each.  I would have them read by Monday night, and then would re-read them a couple of times before the next Monday.  Thank you mom for instilling in me a love of reading.  It's one of my favorite things to do today.   During the weekdays, we would head out to the pool at Ellendale where took swimming lessons, then did swim team, and then became a lifeguard.  I remember counting the trees that lined the bayou on the way to Ellendale.  Darren and I would never come up with the same number.  I remember stopping to look at the turtles sunning themselves on the rocks at the entrance.  I remember playing a lot of tennis with my mom and dad there also.  Weekend tournaments...club ladder...tents.  All good times...all great memories.  My love of tennis and swimming stems from all of these fun summers and all my great memories.  My mom and dad never left us behind, but included us in their daily lives.  A wonderful childhood which I am now trying to pass onto my children.

Dance recital day!  I remember how fun it was to get to put on make-up from

my mom's make-up drawers.

As a mom of busy kids, I can appreciate the dedication that it takes to enroll your children in activities.  My mom was a firm believer that you give everything a try and then you stick with what you like.  I remember her carting me to and from the following:  swim team, gymnastics, dancing, guitar lessons, piano lessons, baton lessons, cake decorating lessons, sewing lessons, softball, volleyball, basketball, and even a fashion show at Le Petit Theatre for Dupont's.  As I write out my weekly schedule which sometimes looks like it will be impossible to get everyone where they need to be at the right time (and even more importantly...remember to pick everyone up), I remember my mom and all the sacrifices that she has made for me over the years.  It is all worth it.  Thank you mom for all the times you put me first and yourself last.

This picture was taken at Christmastime about a week or two before I delivered Blake.

My mom was a God-send for the first few months following his birth and ever since.

My mom has been a great model for me for parenting.  Selfless, always giving, open lines of communication, even when it gets harder.  In my teen years, she helped guide me through high school.  There was the not-so-fun after party, where we invited a bunch of my classmates to come to my house after a school dance.  My mom and dad bought a bunch of donut holes and snacks thinking we would have a house full.  Instead, I came home by myself while everyone else snuck off to a classmates house whose parents were out of town.  Seems like it would be devastating, right?  Not so...I just remember eating lots of donuts for the next few days.  I also remember that she was at every volleyball and softball game, was always there to "call-out" homework and tests, and always encouraged me to work hard, letting me know that if I tried my best, that was good enough.

The top picture could have been any given night struggling through homework.  I have deja-vu when I am studying with Zachary.  As an adult, I appreciate all the time my mom took with me to teach me the right way to study and to learn.  She taught me that it is important to be neat, to take your time and do it right the first time, and to always try my best.  She expected me to use my brains and did not allow me to be lazy, even when I wanted to. (hear that Zack?)  She also put in many hours on many projects like the one above.  Now that I have to help with these projects, I appreciate her even more.  She obviously did it out of love because I can't seem to talk her into doing them with her grand kids. (Except for the Andre Agassi coke bottle - lol).

School was always important in our house.  Homework was not optional and neither was studying for tests.  I will give her full credit for teaching me how to study and how to learn.  Even today when I need to get started on a project, I fall back on the organizational skills she taught me way back when.  She taught me long before she actually taught me.  When I was in 11th grade, she was my English teacher.  I was very quiet in class and shy and she did not call attention to me for the most part, but every now and then I would get a shout out.  She saved all the mother/child fireworks for when she taught my brother.  I definitely remember lots of those fun times.

This picture was taken at my PT school graduation.  Thank you mom for always supporting me.  I will never forget you and dad coming to meet me at Houston's in Metairie after my PT school interview.  I cried all through dinner because I was sure I had botched my interview and would not get in.  Although you were upset for me, you kept telling me that surely it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.  I'm not sure if you were right or if they just felt sorry for me, but you were right... I got accepted.

I went to college at the same college that she attended in Lafayette.  She got me set up in the dorm and made it look as homey as could be.  She showed me around campus and around town.  All the important spots were covered...the cool shoe store in the Oil Center, the best hamburgers at Judice Inn, and of course, the mall.  This was only the start of all the living places she would help me decorate.  There was floor pillows and a bedspread for my apartment in Lafayette.  New curtains for my room in my apartment in Metairie.  Chair cushions for Jeff and my first apartment behind SLB.  Lots of curtains (about 3-4 rooms worth if I remember correctly) in our first home on Harvest and Blake's nursery where she decked us out with curtains, bumper pads, changing table cover and even a new lampshade.  You would think it would end there, but not so.  In our new home, she made beautiful curtains for our bedroom, the study, and all of the boys rooms.  She even used her new monogramming machine to monogram bath towels for all of our bathrooms.  So much talent...so many projects that I probably never thanked her appropriately enough for...but I am now.

My mom always makes Christmas special with family gatherings, lots of food, praise for all of our blessings and waaaay too many presents!  Same goes for birthdays.  Thanks for all the hard work over the years to make these special times extra special.  Thanks for always making us take time out from all the hustle and bustle of Christmas to make us "do the Advent wreath" and refocus on the reason for the season.  (And for letting us take turns lighting the candles.)

Matching outfits...I'm sure straight off the sewing machine.  Very cute mom.

When Blake was born, there was a lot of discussion about what Mom was going to be called.  Maw Maw was not an option for someone so young at heart.  The winning title was Grammy which is occasionally shortened to Graham Cracker, Gram, or even occasionally Cracker.  At different times, different titles seem more appropriate.  :)  Grammy loves all of her grand kids equally and she always makes sure she spends quality time with each of them individually.  She has jumped into being a grandmother with gusto.  She makes every play, program, and awards ceremony and has also gone the extra mile.  She serves lunch at school once a week and has even gotten trained to train all of the school volunteers.  She has substituted and gone on field trips and she never misses a grandparent lunch or picnic.  I hope you know mom, that these things do not go unnoticed and are truly appreciated!

Now onto some random pictures through the years...

Speaking of young at heart!

Grammy is always up for some fun in the sun! 

This was taken at our fun, fun trip to Atlantis a few years ago.

As far as guilty pleasures go, this one is not so bad.

She did not , however, pass this love on to me :)

Depending on how you look at it, Mom either gets a wonderful celebration or a total diss each year for her birthday which is on New Year's Eve.  Last year we decided to celebrate it Vegas Style and were not disappointed.

After having to plan vacations around the school calendar for many years, my mom and dad have been able to travel a good bit in the last ten years or so. 

They have come a long way from this vacation to Spain back in the day.

Just had to include this one.  Must have been right when we moved into our new house.

S-T-Y-L-I-S-H!!!

I'm not sure if my mom made this dress for me or not, but if not, I know that she made a lot like this one.  She is a wonderful seamstress and has bought more material in her lifetime than Hancock.  Sorry that I didn't have any little girls for her to smock for!

Yes I was spoiled by them both!

This was taken at my "Christmas Ornament" shower before my wedding.  Please note the painted T-shirts.  One of my mom's many talents was to recreate, in about 4 hours, any craft that we saw Saturday morning at Southdown.  I can remember rushing home from Southdown and having her make me a crafty sweatshirt and skirt to wear to the LSU game that afternoon.  Thanks Mom for all of your rushed crafts over the years.  Then again....

We have taken some great trips together, but my favorite so far have been the tennis tourneys.

We have been to Houston, to Miami, to New York, and to California.

Always lots of fun and lots of laughs (except when Agassi is playing :)

Miami - Gosh it was H-O-T!!!!!

Houston with Mattress Mack!

Another from Houston I think.  Once again makin friends where ever, whenever. 

 I'm sure the lady next to her is not saying, "Shhhh."  LOL

This is a standing joke on our trips as my mom can make friends with ANYONE!

The problem is when we switch places, the new friends think I am my mom and want to talk my ear off!  She tries not to make so many friends when she is with us, but she really just can't help it. 

(see below)

LOLOLOLOLOL

By far, my favorite picture ever. 

Note our new friend from the Houston tournament.

Mom did not want her to feel left out, so she invited her to take a picture with us.

Thank you mom for being a great mom. You have shown me what unselfish love is by the way that you parent. I appreciate all that you have done for me and all that you continue to do every day. Most of all I appreciate the fact that you respect my decisions as an adult while still being only a phone call away when I need you...whenever I need you. I love you!

 

Because my mom always told me to close with something to keep people thinking I'll end with this quote by Helen Steiner Rice. 

It is on a picture frame that I have hanging in my house.  It reads...

 

A mother's love is something that

no one can explain; it is made of

deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain.

It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may

for nothing can destroy it or take

that love away...

 

I have always known that I have my mother's love no matter what.  What a comfort...

 

I love you, Mom.

#299 - CM

I know some of my blog posts are random people.  While typing, I often laugh to myself about the people on my list.  Some I am very close to and some are just people who have passed through my life for just a short period of time.  I often wonder how many of the 365 people that I have picked, would pick me.  I know for a fact that #299 not only would not pick me, but she has no idea who I am.  Let me explain.

In 1990, I was a first year PT school student, living in the big city.  I never had what I would call "cool hair."  I tried to go with the style of the day...long with a pony tail (high pony, low pony, side pony), banana clip, french braid, hot rollers, sponge rollers, bendaroos etc, etc, etc.  But in the end, I really have wavy, curly hair which does great when I am in Colorado, but in the humidity here... not so great.  I always wanted long hair, because everyone else had long hair and theirs always looked so great.  But my hair did not just grow long, it grew B-I-G...think chia pet!  The longer it got, the bigger it got.  I look back on pictures from back in the day and shudder... 

Anyway, I digress.  In 1990 a friend of mine (with similar hair issues I may add) recommended a guy who she saw in N.O. for her haircuts.  She said he did a really good job.  I did not have a regular hairdresser, so I figured I'd just make an appointment and go.  Twenty years later, I still make the trip to N.O. about every five weeks to see the same guy for the same haircut.  I will thank him for talking me into cutting my hair short about 4 months after my wedding, and only letting me talk him into growing it out once in the last twenty years.

#299 is his daughter.  She is his only child and he is one proud poppa.  When I first started having my hair cut there, she was about five years old.  I would usually go in on Saturdays which was her day to spend at the salon.  I remember that she was cute as a bug with strawberry blond hair which she usually wore in long pig-tails.  Every time I went in for at least three years she had on a pair of red cowboy boots.  Her favorite pair...they went with everything, and when you were as cute as she was...they really did.  She would sit in the corner and watch a DVD on a small TV, and every now and then she would come up and ask a very grown-up question like many only children who are around a lot of adults usually do.

Over the years, I have listened with interest to my hair-dresser brag on his daughter.  She graduated with honors from an all girls school in N.O. and won lots of accolades in the field of theatre, song, and dance.  She then was accepted into a culinary school on full scholarship in North Carolina where she ended up changing her major to wedding planner (aka coordinator of events).  She got a job working for a professional sports team in the area and did an internship as coordinator of the VIPs who used the suites in the stadium.  She was in charge of the catering, the menus, and all the extras.  This internship led to another scholarship for her master's degree in business.  She is almost finished with this now, and is ready to return to the big city (finance' in tow) to help her dad open up a beauty school.

I know that I am a proud momma and I have been known to brag on my kids from time to time.  If #299 lives up to half of her hype, she has turned out to be a wonderful young woman.  She has no idea who I am, and in my mind she will always be that cute kid in the red cowboy boots.  I wish her the best of luck!

#298 - Dr. AE

How many of you have worn braces?  Remember when they looked like this?

Now, you can get a much more stylish version and look like this 

or this

or even this

For those of you who are starting to remember, raise your hand if your stint in braces included headgear!

You just hoped and prayed that your headgear looked like this

instead of this

Anyway, I was the proud wearer of braces from my 8th grade year to my 11th grade year in high school.

My problem was , in my own terms, a bad over-bite with lots of top gum. 

My orthodontist was blog post #298.

He is a great guy, but I will admit that I did not love him at the time.

He told my parents that my smile was too gummy and if I ever wanted to look right cosmetically, they needed to let him break my jaw and re-set it.  At the time I had never heard of anything so awful.

Thank you parents for declining his offer.

I may not have the best smile going, but the thought of a broken jaw and all the TMJ problems that could follow just does not seem worth it to me.

What I remember most about my stint with braces was that all of my appointments seems to be bright and early in the morning.  I remember lying on the chair and having those Q-beams shining into my eyes and not even being able to open my eyes because it was so bright.

I remember that every time I went to the ortho and they tightened my braces...it HURT!

I remember my teeth just aching and not even being able to eat a soft piece of sliced break without crying.

(Just ask my sister in law or my oldest son if you don't believe me!)

I remember that #298 thought he was Bruce Willis for a time and wore lots of hair gel and black sunglasses sometimes in the office like this.

I also remember that we told my mom that I really needed to wear my headgear at least 12 hours a day.  He recommending me wearing it during school hours so it wouldn't affect my sleep.  OK, I am a self admitted nerd, but headgear to 8th grade at my new high school where I will be for the next five years?  Social suicide, and even my parents recognized that.  Thanks mom and dad for not sticking to that rule.  It was bad enough as it was that I did wear it at night and it would take until second period for the bar indention marks to go away from my face.  Torture!

Anyway, I wore my braces, but once he took them off, I never went back for my permanent retainer.  A move that only hurt me as my teeth have shifted slightly over the years and my smile has gotten a little more gummy.  But, be that as it may, I cannot make myself go there again.

I love you Dr. Al, but once was enough!

#297 - FD

This post is based on an old patient, but not because of exactly who he is, but because of who he represents.  He was injured in an offshore accident and was awarded lifetime medical compensation because he was part of the Jones Act.  I'm sure some of you oilfield workers and/or lawyers know more about this than I do, but I just know that he came to my office for years for lower back pain, and his bills were paid 100%, no questions asked.  Anyway, he was an old cajun man from Shrimpers Row and despite the fact that he was extremely nice, he did make me laugh because of the way he talked.  He really could massacre some words.

Like the time he wanted to walk on the thread-mill.

Or when he caught new-monia, but then about two weeks later he caught the relap.  And everyone knows that the relap is a much worser illness than new-monia.

But, I cannot make fun of him too much because he was/is (? not sure if he is still living) a good man.  He had several kids some of who turned good and some who turned bad, and he was raising "the little boy and the little girl"  (aka his grand kids for one of his sons who turned bad). 

All of this is besides the point however, because the reason that he makes my blog is because of who he represents.  Every day when he would come into therapy, he would tell me who had died.  He would say, "I got a funeral today...and I got a funeral tomorrow."  Sometimes I would ask him if he was related to the deceased and he would say, "No, I didn't even know him."  I was very confused for a long time, and then I realized that he was in the Vet-rans (sorry :)  aka The Veterans of Foreign War or the VFW. He belonged to a group of veterans, and anytime anyone who had served in the armed forces died in our parish, they would attend the funeral to honor the deceased with a military ceremony.

I will admit that I did not truly realize how much of an honor this was until my grandfathers died.  #297 was not there, but about 10 other VFW members were there for the service.  I will tell you, they brought tears to my eyes and down my face when they performed the ceremony including the presentation of the flag.  I will also say, the I kinda got the giggles in the midst of my tears (I know my grandpa's understood).  As each Veteran made his way to the front of the chapel, he would, with perfect posture and in cadence execute a salute and an about face in front of the casket.  The reason that I got the giggles was because, these men were all around eighty years old and I swear, I was waiting for one of the them to fall and break a hip as they whipped around from full salute and made a sharp left turn.  Too much therapist in me...don't they know they should take wide turns with more steps.  Their bones are not as strong as they use to be and their balance ... yikes!  I almost jumped up from my seat at least twice.  But seriously, these gentlemen represent a huge portion of our nation.  The men and women who sacrifice their lives for our freedom.  I am truly grateful for each and every one of them.  They should be honored every chance that we get because we all owe them.  The Veterans Administration does a lot for these men, but they deserve a lot more. 

I am proud that both of my grandfathers were veterans.  I am glad that I got the chance to meet #297 and that men like him, although they may have been uneducated, were willing to fight for our freedom. 
Thank you!

#296 - CH

#296 is another childhood friend who was part of the annual G.I. trip.  It makes me smile now (well not this year, but definitely last year) when our kids are all playing together on the same beach. 

On a side note...was it just me or do I remember having to wear my oldest bathing suit and tennis shoes when swimming on the G.I. beach back in the day so I didn't ruin my good suit with tar?  Kinda deja vu don't you think?

Anyway, his four kids are all in and around the ages of my boys.  His daughter is my go-to girls for son #2's homework needs (Thanks MH!!!), and son #3 benefited from #296's assistant coaching skills this year in baseball.  There are lots of good times to remember, but I'll stick to a few highlights...

*  #296 and his siblings rode to school with us in the mornings.  I remember that my dad usually drove and told us the same joke every morning that went something like this.

Dad - "Hey guys, A train, just passed here."
Us - "Huh???" (still sleeping)
Dad - "Hey guys, A train just passed here.  Know how I know?"
#296 - "How?"
Dad - "I can still see his tracks."
#296 - "Ha, Ha, Ha......."  (The rest of us stayed sleeping)

Get it?

*  #296 always had ear infections growing up and his mom was diligent about ear plugs for all time spent in the water.  I think we spent as much time keeping track of ear plugs as we did swimming.

*  After all the hard playing we did on the water, our parents would always try to get us to take naps (i.e. leave them alone for a few hours) in the afternoons.  I remember one time #296 was sleeping so hard that he fell out of the hammock, onto the cement floor, and did not wake up.

#296 is a few years older than me, but always has the time for a smile and some words.  I am thankful for all the help that he gives to our kids school.  He has served on the Advisory Council for many years, and brings common sense to some meetings that can really get out of control.  I also want to thank him for always answering my phone calls to be the games chairman for the annual Spring Fling.  Give him a bullhorn, and let the fun begin.  And lastly, I want to thank he and his family for being later to 10:30 mass than us, at least half the time.  It is either he and his crew, or me and mine, marching up to the front row, which they reserve for all the late-comers.  Whenever we are together, there are smiles all around and I hope we can be back at the beach with our families before too long.

#295 - Ms. AR

There are some people in this world who work really, really hard and are really good people, and just can't catch a break.  I have been so blessed in my life that it is hard for me to imagine what it feels like to constantly being beneath that cloud, but I can empathize with those who are not only under the cloud, but are continually getting rained on.

One of these people did some ironing for me for many years.  I will admit it...I am spoiled.  I hate to iron and I am not good at it.  I'm sure if I had to do it, I could become good at it, but I'm really glad that I don't have to.  #295 is awesome at it.  I am not saying this sarcastically.  She is really, really good at it.  She irons all day every day to bring in money.  Hard, exhausting work and in my opinion she never charged enough for her services.  I always gave her more than what she charged me because #1 I was so glad that I did not have to do it, and #2 because you can tell that she needed the money.

The down side of getting my ironing done by #295 is that she can talk....OMG, I would usually try to sneak in and out before she could engage me in a conversation because then it was at least 15-20 minutes of listening.  And it was all so sad... So and so in jail...So and so lost her job...So and so is so sick and on and on and on....  If something bad is going to happen, it will happen to #295 or to one of her relatives.

But.... that is not what this post is about.  Thank you  #295 for making me and my family look nice every day for years.  For all of the hours that you stood at the ironing board for my family.  I hope that since I've last talked to her, her luck has improved.  She is a good Christian woman who works hard and I appreciate all the hard work that she did for me.

I've got a theory that if you give 100 percent all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end. ~Larry Bird

(Someone tell my middle son this!)

#294 - Ms. K

My kids have had the opportunity to benefit from the awesome teaching experience of #294.  She is their art teacher.  As I have mentioned in earlier posts, when I was growing up, my parents let me experience many things, and then I stuck with the ones that I was really interested in. 

Tennis - check
Baton - not so much
Volleyball - yes
Basketball - no, thanks

The important thing was the experience.  I've tried to do the same thing with my boys.  I try not to be stereo-typical and even though a lot of boys (or their fathers) don't see art and drama as "manly", try telling that to Brad Pitt or Michelangelo.  (Or my brother whose girls have mounted squirrels in their rooms).  Anyway, the point is...all 3 of my boys love art and #294 is an awesome teacher. 

#294 also teaches a photography class.  When I got my new camera a few years ago, my dad and I signed up for her class.  I will admit that I had no idea that the M on my camera dial stood for manual, and I had no idea of all the things that I could do.  Although my crazy schedule only allowed me to make 2 out of the 6 scheduled classes, I completely enjoyed both of them and learned tons of cool stuff to do with my camera.  I learned about positioning for the best shots, I learned how to take pictures of fireworks, and I learned that I needed a much bigger flash to take pictures inside (thanks Jeff :)

In this case, I think pictures are stronger than words, so you judge for yourself.

Seth's first piece of artwork (3 weeks of classes):

Zack's second piece of artwork/wood burning (2 months of classes):

Blake's entry to last years art show:

Which is a copy of this famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh called "The Starry Night"

I am impressed every week with the talent #294 pulls out of these kids and her creativity and how much they love taking her classes.  We are blessed to have her art studio in our area.  Check it out here.

http://www.brushworksacademy.com/

Check out the gallery for more outstanding work!

# 293 - WW

I went to a very small elementary school.  I think I had less than twenty kids in my class from K - 7th grade.  This averages out to around 10 boys and 10 girls.  I can probably still name most of them.  Most of the kids who started out in K, stayed on until 7th, but then we kind of split up for high school.

One guy who stands out in my mind is blog post #293.  He stands out for a couple of reasons.  Reason #1 was because he was the tallest kid in our class.  Every year.  From K - 7th, if you go back and look at the class pics, WW was the tallest.  Reason #2 was because he was the only kid in my class that was not white.  I don't mean to sound prejudice when I say this, because it is the truth.  We were a 98% all white school, so a really tall African American definitely stood out.  Reason #3 is because in the eight years that I was his class mate, I don't think I ever heard him talk.  He was so quiet that I remember the teacher constantly having to tell him to speak up when we all took turns reading paragraphs from the Reading book.

After 7th grade, I lost touch with him for many years.  I got the opportunity however to reconnect with him about ten years ago when his son started coming the receive occupational therapy at my office.  I did not even have to look at the child's name because as soon as I saw those tall beanpole legs, I flashed back to 1st grade.  His son looks exactly like he did back in the day. I even brought an old yearbook to show his wife and she agreed.  #293 may not have talked much in school, but obviously he listened.  He now is a teacher himself and spends his days teaching in a local elementary school. 

Good for him!  Here is a shout out quote to all you teachers out there!

Teaching is the profession that teaches all the other professions.
 ~Author Unknown

Thanks to all the teachers out there who don't get paid nearly enough and definitely don't get told thanks enough, but do it anyway!

#292 - BH

Who knows who this is?

If you don't know, click here   http://www.mytrainerbob.com/

I never thought that I would watch any other reality show except for American Idol, but a few years ago, I totally got hooked on another reality show called The Biggest Loser.  This show is extremely inspirational for anyone who struggles with over-eating and/or weight loss.  I'll admit it's a little dramatic, but if you Tivo it, you can totally skip through all the crying.  What these overweight people do, is unbelievable to me and just goes to show that people can do a whole lot more than they think they can.  It's mostly mental.

That is where blog post #292 comes in.  I'm sure you all have heard of "Jillian."  She is one of the trainers on the show and is known for being tough and in-your-face.  She is usually the one making everyone cry.  My blog post is the other trainer on the show, Bob Harper.  He is also very good at getting results, but goes about it in a slightly less loud way.  He uses positive encouragement and gets the contestants to believe in themselves, which I think makes for more realistic life changes.

Anyway, the reason that he makes me blog is because he put out an awesome video called weight loss yoga.  Last year when I was training for a 1/2 marathon, I was looking for something slightly less intense, with less pounding, to do on my non-run days.  I had never done yoga before, but decided to give it a try.  OMG!  It is so hard!  I love it and I have been hooked ever since.  His video actually combines yoga with some Pilate's and a lot of the same stabilization exercises that we use for post op back strengthening.  Very effective and very beneficial.  The workout always makes me feel like I have accomplished something when I am done.  Unfortunately as I creep closer and closer to the big 4-0, I notice some aches and pains that don't go away as quickly as they use to.  My lower back is one of them.  It is stiff a lot of the time.  You all know that I am not a big medicine taker, but if I take the time to do this video, I feel 100% better 100% of the time.  I totally recommend it and after a long week of vacation and really, really good food, I'll be visiting my friend Bob very, very soon.

http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Loser-Workout-Weight-Loss/dp/B001GP5TLI

Try it, you'll like it!!!!!

#291 - AD

I've heard somewhere that as men age, they produce lower levels of testosterone which in turn makes them less hard and more emotional. I've never looked it up, but in my years of dealing with men as patients, I can tell you that I believe it. I've seen older, elderly men who I can tell have lived a rough life, tear up and cry either with pain or sadness. These men have worked as rough necks in the oilfield, fought in wars, and raised their families in the principles of tough love.  Their generation did not know the phrase feminine side and did not understand what difference hurt feelings made.   Now, they show pictures of their great-grand kids and tell stories about them, with a smile on their faces.  Many of them have lots of regrets that they are not closer with their families (especially with their sons), due to the fact that over the years, lack of understanding, refusal to bend and compromise, and drawing a line in the sand, led them to drift apart.



#291 is one such man. He actually may be my favorite patient of all times. When I first met him, we had things to talk about right away because he knew my grandfather.  They both retired hands with Texaco.  He had boys of his own who were grown.  He was not close to his boys at all, but he did have a couple of grandsons that he doted on. Whenever he would come to therapy, he would always make it a point to ask about my boys and he learned their names and hobbies right off the bat. He was an avid hunter and taught the hunters safety course in our town for many years.  He also loved collecting guns.  I think he was as excited as Jeff was when Blake shot his first deer.


Over the years, I treated both he and his wife for various ailments, both at their home and at my office. About 8 years before he died, he was involved in a really bad car accident. He was driving to N.O. and as he was passing in front of the old Spahr's, a car pulled out in front of him, causing his van to flip several times. For the rest of his life, he battled with the injuries from that accident.


One of the last times I saw him was at his home.  I was seeing him post-op a total hip replacement and his goal was to be able to walk upstairs to where his old bedroom was. When we finally got there, he asked if I would mind helping him look for some document he knew was up there because he knew that no one else would be able to help him get up there or help him look for it.  I ended up being about an hour late getting back to the office, bur he found the paper he was looking for and was so appreciative. I remember driving back to work and feeling so sad for him that he had three boys of his own and because of past baggage, none of them came to visit or help him.

Whenever I remember him, it is with sparkling blue eyes, a gruff voice, and exuding kindness. It wasn't until the damage had been done to his relationships with his kids that he realized how high of a price he paid for his sternness. He told me, more than once, to hug and kiss my boys every day, and to tell them that I loved them, and to not make the same mistakes that he had.  He also said to remember that being right is not always the most important thing.

Stuff I still think about five years later.



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#290 - Cab Driver in Philly

In my 39 years, I've travelled some, but I would not call myself a world traveler. My husband, yes... But me, not a much. I am not scared to travel. I can do airports.r I can check-in to hotels. I can even do rental cars. But... One thing that really, really makes me nervous and wish my hubby was by my side, is cab rides. It's just something about getting into a car with a strange man that makes me very nervous.




This post is about a cab driver who started out really scary and ended up being my BFF.



A female co-worker and I travelled to Philadelphia (or was it Pittsburgh?) for a continuing Ed course. After eating a few meals in the hotel restaurant, we decided to venture out to a local Chili's. The doorman got us a cab and off we went. Our cab driver was very foreign and kinda scary (think Hans Gruber from the first Die Hard movie. "I vant my detonators!"). Anyway, when he dropped us off, he asked if we wanted him to come back and get us. In my rush to get out and away, (and because I didn't want him to come back and get us, then kill us and bury our bodies in his backyard) I told him no thank you. He gave me his card anyway which (thank God) I put in my purse.



So anyway, we entered Chilis and had a great meal and a yummy margarita before we asked the waitress to call us a cab. She looked confused. "A cab?". (later, I found out that in the area we were in, it was kinda like calling a cab in Chauvin.). She could not help us. Not panicking yet, I asked for a phone book. We called a couple of cab companies, but they would not come to our area. I took a deep breath, and asked for the manager. He came by and I explained our problem. "Hmmm," he said. Then the bus boy said he was knocking off in an hour and he would bring us back.



Slightly more panicked now, we were really at a loss. Then we remembered that our first cab driver gave us his card. Hallelujah!!!!!! I took back all mean thoughts I had about him when he agreed to come back and get us. His exact words were, "I thought y'all might be calling.".



Since it was going to take him about 45 minutes to get there, we decided to walk next door to a very scary Rite Aid. I guess we should have been comforted by the fact that there was an armed policeman by the entrance, but somehow we were not. The cab driver got there early and called me back on my cell. He had been looking for us at Chili's and had almost left because he didn't see us waiting. That would have really put us over the edge!



Anyway, this very, very kind cab driver brought us back to the hotel safe and sound, bypassing all abandoned lots and dark alleys. Needless to say, he got a really big tip. And lots of thank-you's! He told us he had daughters.



Makes my feet sweat just thinking about. Shout out to my homme Hans for taking care of two little country girls!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone



Sent from my iPhone

#289 - FB

This week we have been on vacation.  The house that we are staying at has a small pool.  It is not very deep and is surrounded by a concrete wall that one of my boys thought would be a great diving board. He was reminded very quickly by his grandmother with severe reinforcement by his father that that is not what the wall was to be used for.  "Why?" he asked (whined really).  His grandmother replied, "Because I know someone who jumped in shallow water like that and broke his neck and died."  Scary, isn't it.  But, you know what is just as scary?  Breaking your neck and not dying.  This brings me to post #289.

Another patient post.  This is a gentleman who broke his neck the year before I started to practice PT.  For those of you who are keeping track of time...that would be about 19 years ago.  He was on a ladder in his yard and was startled causing a fall to the ground and the end of life as he knew it.  Since then, it has been a series of struggles for he and his wife.  He was a rough and tough oilfield mover and shaker.  Now he needs someone to help him do the smallest of tasks.  He has learned how to drive again with a power wheelchair and a minivan modified for hand controls, but this does him no good when the battery to his chair dies and the spare is at home.  He ventures out on his own...sometimes to the mall and sometimes to WalMart.  They have lots of great handicapped parking spaces.  This does him no good when people leave their empty shopping carts in the lane that is supposed to be left open so that he can lower his van ramp.  He sometimes has to wait hours for them to come back to move their cars.

When he was first injured, he spent a lot of his own money travelling to different areas of the country that are known for their cutting edge work on spinal cord injuries.  This research involves stem cell experiments.  He volunteered for study after study and was accepted to some, but none produced any results that will be available to help him.  After so many years without hope for medical recovery, the days pass for him very slowly.  He has a farm in a nearby area that he and his wife spend their weekends, just to get away.  In his lifetime he has traveled the world and seen many, many things and now all he has is his memories.

Over the years, I have treated him frequently for various problems.  I am always willing to listen to him reminisce about the good old days.  I cannot imagine his life and I hope that I never have to.  Today, my prayers go out to #289 and the many people in the world who live with physical handicaps.  May the Lord give them to courage and strength to fight the battle that they face daily.

#288 - SP

Who knows a know-it-alls  Those dudes who walk around and act like women are stupid and don't know how to do anything.  I will say for the record that my husband does not fit this bill and neither does my father.  This being said, I am pretty confident in the things that I can do.  The things that I do not know how to do, I have no problem asking for help.  But...from time to time I run into one of THOSE guys who are not aware that I know what I know.

Case in point is blog post #288.  He is a parent whose children use to attend the same school as my kids.  He and I first met when he volunteered to chair the electrical portion of our annual spring festival.  I, unfortunately, was the chairman of the entire event which meant that he answered to me.  He obviously took offense to the fact that I was a female, and I was questioning him on things that he felt like he could not be bothered with.  After the initial face to face meeting with him where I outlined the things that I needed him to handle for me (generators for space walks, electricity by the french fryer, etc.), he mostly avoided my calls.  The few times that he did deign to call me back, he basically let me know in so many words that he had it covered and I didn't need to worry my pretty little head about it.  WHATEVER!

Anyway, the day of the event dawned, and guess what????  #288 was not prepared.  He was all about following me around and asking me, where the plug ins were for this and where he was supposed to lay the wiring for that.  I totally could not deal with him that day and after a few sharp words to him to work it out, I basically left him on his own.  I mean, what do I know?  I'm just a girl...all I know about it is that you flip the light switch up and the light goes on, and then down for lights off. 

Long story short, at the end of the day, #288 blew the fuse in the back shed, shorted out the wires at the rectory, fried the brand-spanking new sound system that I had just gotten my buds at Sams to set up at no cost to the school.  Oh wait, I'm not finished, he also blew up another family's donated karaoke machine and left us with no power to run the space walks or fry the fries.  It gets me fired up just remembering the entire day.

Thank you to all my friends at Sams who got our sound system fixed for no charge.  Thanks to the family who accepted their fried karaoke machine back with a smile (kinda).  Thank you to the priest who took it in stride that he no longer had a porch light.  And last but not least, thanks to another dad (who is not a know-it-all) for figuring out a back up fry plan.  No thank yous for #288.  He has moved on to another city and another school now, and I'm sure has found another capable female to demean.  I'm sure he thought it was all my fault anyway.

#287 - JG

I didn't realize how nice it was to have a last name that ended with the letter H until I married into a last name that ended with the letter T.  Let me explain.

When your last name ends with H, you are always in the middle of alphabetical order for your entire school career.  You are never first, but you are never last.  No pressure of being the first one to do it wrong, but no waiting around until the end when everyone has lost interest anyway.  Once my last name changed to T, I was finished with school and therefore alphabetical order for the most part.  But...I have three boys who share the last initial, so I am the mom who is patiently waiting until the end of each award presentation to watch my boys get called.

But, I digress...on with my post.  I would like to take this opportunity to apoligize to #287.  Because he was unfortunate enough to have a last name that ends with the letter G, he had the honor (not) of getting the locker beneath me (letter H) for our entire 5 years of high school.  In my OCD, frantic rush to never, ever be late for class, I remember stepping on him, cutting in front of him, and dropping way too many books on his head while he tried to get his own books out of his own locker.  What else can I say????  Sorry JG!   And you better not have been looking up my skirt!