Pawrents Prater

Nelly Bell May!

It has rained here almost non-stop all weekend. I did enjoy watching the races even though none of the horses I was pulling for ever finished higher than 4th. Since Biden signed June 19th into a federal holiday, I got Friday off since the 19th fell on Saturday. I didn't go into work Saturday. I wanted to have my 3 day weekend.

I've been distant lately because I took the time to look up whatever I could find about my ex. I found out that he was deployed to Kuwait & served in a horrible place in the middle of the dessert where it was either freezing cold or flaming hot. He was in a huge tent with no luxuries at all. Don't ask me how he showered, went to the bathroom or anything like that. Beats me.

He was part of a group that manned the no-flight zone. He also did search & rescue missions while combat was going on. He'd go in grab the poor shot and/or blown up people screaming in agony & get them to the medicopter. I'm sure he was picking up brains & everywhere else too. He probably watched several people get killed.

He was always a quiet, gentle, reserved type. He didn't act like some tough hotshot, far from it. I'll bet he got picked on big time. There's no telling what all was done to him, what he was forced to do, what he experienced, etc. I think he thought he'd join the Air Force & he'd wind up working in an airplane hangar or in some building with heat, air & plumbing or something like that. He already had emotional problems before all this. I cannot imagine what all of this did to him. No wonder he started using drugs. No wonder he killed himself. It all makes much more sense now even though I still have so many unanswered questions.

I looked up his brother & daughter on Facebook. His brother had a picture of his grave on his page. His daughter certainly does look like him. She's a smart girl who just graduated high school & has been accepted into college. She's won all sorts of awards. She can sketch & play guitar. He'd be so proud of her. She was only 5 when he died.

I found some old school yearbook pictures of him online. I had not seen him since June 2001, so it was a strange feeling that I do not know how to put into words to see his face again. I have never had any pictures of him. I had a similar feeling when I saw his grave online. Profound grief & confusion is the best way to explain it, I guess. That's why I haven't posted here. Everytime I tried to type my emotions would get the better of me. I've had to stop a few times now before I could go on because I'd start crying. I just found out he was dead exactly 2 months ago today. I am finding out more things. It is going to take alot of time for me to process through all of this. He's been dead 12 1/2 years, but to me, he's only been dead 2 months.

Lisa, off the top of my head I don't remember the youtube video, but it probably was the banjolele. Might have been Old Dan Tucker for the song. I've done a few videos on youtube doing some music, but most have been unlisted. So you wouldn't easily find them without a link. And most were when I was just starting to play. I wanted to be able to look back and see how far I had come. I think there were a couple of songs I did with the concert uke and the others I've done were with the banjolele. In fact, here is one for you where I was just starting to learn to finger pick on the banjolele. I can go much now and may have to see about doing a new video one day. Maybe I can even entice my neighbor to join me with her fiddle. Anyway, a beginner finger picking video of Old Dan Tucker ... 



Another possibility for the song/video you may have seen on the banjolele is "There Is A Time". I need to come up with a microphone for recording these.




I volunteered and was active with Civil Air Patrol for several years, but have been out of it for a while now. I enjoyed being a part of something that did a lot of good.



Oh Dee I cannot imagine how panicked I would feel if one of mine were out all night, and with a storm - I feel for you! I'm so glad you were able to find Sabrina the next day.  What a relief! 


I didn't realize life alert devices gave weather alerts like that. That's neat. I wish my dad would get something like that. Not for the weather alerts, but in case he falls. I'm glad you had the warning about the weather, but even more glad that you didn't end up with any tornadoes.



Oh my goodness you are half way done with the quilt top already. Boy you work fast!



Ginger, yay for a three day weekend. Gotta love that.



I'm glad you have been able to get more of a glimpse of your ex's life and know what he had been up to before he died. I hope this will help to give you some closure. You are right, even though he passed years ago, you just learned of it recently. Give yourself the time to deal with that. And there is no set amount of time. Some can move on quickly and others need a lot of time.  Take what you need. 


Carol, Pooks looks great. So cute! But then again I always think he looks cute. hehe. He looks like he is ready for some summer fun.



My mother came over and helped me sort through a little more. We were side tracked a little fixing a problem, but we still got a fair amount done. No where near ready for over night company with a guest room, but at least part of the house looks better for my ukulele buddies coming over this week. Now if I only had some wood on hand to build a table.  I priced wood last week and the table will have to wait a while. Yikes wood has really gone up!



I'm pooped and the pups are pooped. Pippi has tried to stay where she was touching me the whole time I was trying to sort and rearrange and clean and such. I love her to pieces, but oh my gosh I could have used some personal space rather than constantly having to step over and around her. My mom kept asking what she could do to help. I should have told her to find a seat and keep Pippi with her. hehe.  Both Pippi and I have been glad for some cuddle time this afternoon.  


- Laura (Pippi, Cheeky, Inky and Nimbus)

Good morning everyone Happy Monday
Charly I think that is so neat about the man who makes prosthetics for animals. I am trying to make sure I get this quilt done before August when I go to Florida. I finished two more rows last night tonight will sew those two rows onto the first two rows.
Laura thanks for sharing those videos I hope your neighbor does play the fiddle with you. Poor Pippi all worn out and you too with your mom coming to help you again get organized. I did not realize that had the weather alert either the other device I had did not warn me when weather was bad the first time it came off during the night as I charge it at night it scared the daylight out of me. But it is good for people who fall asleep and not updated on the news if the storm is in the area. I got the device when the VA who was taking care of Ward said I should have one in case something happens (they did not pay for it) but I highly recommend for men or women living all alone and it cost extra for the fall alert that if you don't answer them when they ask if you are okay they call for help for you. Sometimes to delicate when I sit down it hits against my chest it will say fall alert calling emergency telling me to push the button if not needed. I have to call monthly to test it so they can hear me this way I know it is working
Carol that picture of Pooks is so good he is so handsome
Ginger glad you were able to do some checking on your ex in order to try and answer your questions so hopefully it answered all you needed. I am sure seeing all the killing in the war did not help his emotional state
Hugs Dee, Tori & Dallas

Lisa, two other songs I can think of I've recorded are Rainbow Connection and Georgia On My Mind. Could it have been either of those? Off hand I can't remember recording Over The Rainbow. I may have. I do play that one from time to time, but don't remember recording it.

It has been a while since I have had company over. My house feels like it has been torn apart forever. It's nice to be getting some of it half way put back together and presentable. Also, my ukulele buddies had an older dog with some health issues. So they didn't feel they could come over here for a good while. Sadly that dog has passed on now. It's been even longer since I have had company stay over night, which should be happening in August. I had decided no one stays here so I took down the guest bed and have been using the space in other ways. Now I'm scrambling to find where to set everything back up.

Dee, one of my grandmother's had a medical alert thing. She had one that had a base station where she had to push a button at least once every 24 hours. That way if she could not push the button around her neck she didn't lay there for days. This was years ago. So may have been before the fall alert option was available. I love the idea of that.

Well, weather radio is starting to get a workout as storms move into the area. Thunder sounding pretty close. So hopping off tonight.

- Laura (Pippi, Cheeky, Inky and Nimbus)

Good morning everyone Happy Tuesday
Lisa thank you for the compliment on the quilt I sewed two more rows together when I got back from visiting Kathryn as we were have severe storm warnings again and I did not want any loose pieces disappearing if something happened. So tonight will sew those two together then sew it to the rest of the pieces but won't sew it on the blanket till the tag I ordered comes and I can sew it on the back. They said the tag shipped so waiting for it to come. Will make sure I take pictures
Laura the Life Alert thing I have is just one I wear around my neck has a button to push if I need help but I wear it when taking a shower or going up and down steps in case I fall. I paid extra for the fall alert so if I fall and get knocked unconscious they know I have fallen and if I don't respond to them when they ask if everything is okay they will contact Lisa and Jerry on my list for closest relative who has key to house and calll emergency. It does give me piece of mind being here all alone. That salesman who came when I was making cookies for Donnie and the kids came again last night saw him on the ring so I would not answer the door. He kept ringing the bell and knocking on the wooden door hard the girls were barking but I just ignored him then he went away a lot of people were posting on the facebook for our subdivision he did not listen to their sign about no solicitors they opened their door pointed to the sign and closed the door. I am glad you are getting your house back in order.
Lids what a nice thing for that seal to pop up and get on that guys board and just lay there that was a cute story
I took Rosemarie to visit Kathryn yesterday at 11 am we stayed till 3 pm just visiting no games. Kathryn fixed us pigs in a blanket with potato salad, we had a lemon meringue pie too. It was good talking to Kathryn she always makes me laugh. However while there Rosemarie was telling Kathryn how she took care of her parents and her husband till they died she did not stick them in a nursing home ( when she tells people this whenever we go somewhere it makes me upset makes me think I was a bad person or did not love my husband that I put him in a nursing home. Then she talked about all the good stuff she did for Alice and how she takes yarn to Peggy and of course bragging about her grandchildren. Kathryn said poor Dee sitting there and not having any children to talk about. I said I have my dogs they are my children. I told Kathryn I had lost my Sabrina shortly after I put Ward in the nursing home then AJ two days after Christmas. Then Kathryn told us she is going to be setting up a security system in her house as her husband has been gone a couple weeks hiking the Applachian trial with their daughter and she is alone and she is 83 years old she was working in her garden one day heard someone in her house went into her house slowly looking around did not see anyone went into her bedroom got her gun out and hollered who is here what do you want and a man replied came to fish she said you are in my house I have a gun and I know how to use it. He said he had a gun too but not with him she said I will let you live another day if you get out of my house now. He said fine he will leave. She said she knows how to use the gun she has been using one since she was 6 years old. They have a huge pond by her house and she said during the night she hears voices and someone hollered when they were leaving to don't forget the radio. So people come to her pond during the night to fish she said she put a sign up private property but they tear the sign down. I told her she needs to put a gate up there and have it locked to stop them. She has a beautiful house.
Well I have a 10 am appointment with my primary doctor to go over my blood work that was taken a couple weeks ago.
Hugs Dee, Tori & Dallas

I'm working, so I will have to make this short. I like all the different topics we can have going at once.

I love listening to music. I do love alot of different types of music, being a child of the 80's in the MTV era, I do like 80's music the most. I love hard rock/heavy metal the most.

I always wished I was talented at something like singing or something artistic like making a quilt. I think it would be interesting to learn how to make a shirt. Knowing how to do things around the house sure would help, but I don't like messing with certain things like electrical stuff.

Hmm. is a face?