Cameron Graduated with an EMT Basic

April 27, 2019w2bergen 1 Comment

Official Graduation Picture….Cameron is back row 3rd from left. Also in his class is his friend Olivia Jesse, front row 3rd from right, and Tina’ high school classmate, good friend and baby sitter, Lauren Calkins, front row, 2nd from right.

Cameron has just achieved a Graduation Certificate for EMT Basic. It is a lot of hard work. I certainly takes a special person with compassion and the ability to react to help at a time when needed. It is certainly not something I could ever even try to achieve. We are so proud of all his accomplishments the past several years. Once he had put his mind to it, he is making his path in this world. He decided he would get his GED as school was difficult for him. I was worried, as I thought he would never have the drive to push himself. He has proven us wrong and has done so well. Cameron enrolled in the GED program at Illinois Valley Community College. He had to study and pass his prerequisites which took a few months. Finally he was ready to take the GED, and he passed. We were all so proud of him. He got up every day and drove himself to class. He did all his enrolling all himself. He was driven to exceed and Pass……And HE DID IT….

Then he wanted to get his CDL. He was only 18, but Scott said he would help him after he achieved his GED. So that was the next step. He enrolled at the Truck Driving School at the College and passed the course. Now at 18 it is very hard to find a job. But he has. He has tried out some seasonal work and is right now hauling sand from a quarry to the train cars. In June, he will be 21 and will be able to widen his search for the job he really wants.

Since then he has set his goals higher. He joined the McNabb Fire Dept. He also decided to join the Bureau Fire Dept. Bureau gets many more calls, as they are called to a larger city near by.

He was with Bureau Fire Dept. fighting this house fire in Princeton. The man in the house was a hostage stand off. He held the cops at bay for 9 hours. During that time he set the house on fire and wouldn’t come out. He finally surrendered and no one was hurt. He really enjoys the group from Bureau. They were all presented with Goody bags.

Now that’s the way to his heart. Mountain Dew and Candy. Its all in a Bureau Fire Dept Boot Coozie

Check out the metal chair hanging out of the wall….Imagine the anger in him..

McNabb also had a hostage situation. A male tenant in the Apartment attached to Moreno’s Restaurant went crazy. He showed his machete and then proceeded trashed the apartment and part of the restaurant. Everyone in the building and the surrounding buildings were evacuated. The authorities had the whole town blocked off. The local , state police departments and several Fire Departments and even SWAT were involved. Cameron was involved in traffic control on the highway. That one lasted all day until 10pm when he finally came out…..Doesn’t it just make you wonder what is happening to people these days….All the Anger and Violence that is happening all over.

Next Cameron decided to become an EMT. This picture is of the training that is involved to tear a car apart and extricate a trapped person to transport to the hospital. Their is so much to learn.

McNabb Community Center...Home of the Fire Dept, Ambulance Service, and Events

After many months of training and testing, he passed his tests and practical’s. When graduation finally came, It was unfortunate that Tammy, his mom had already planned her vacation. But he had back up…..lol…

Uncle Scott and Brandy were their to support and Celebrate with him. Also Beth, Tina’s Sister in Law attended and took many of these pictures. She is very supportive of Cameron, as she is an ex police officer also EMT trained. Beth’s father, Brad Acuncius was one of the original founders of the Putnam Co Ambulance Service. He truly believed in making this service available to the community and worked hard to make it efficient and affordable as possible.

It looks like it was a very nice ceremony that he will remember and be proud to be part of. Now he has to finish his ride time with the Ambulance and then take his state test. Last nite he was on duty and a call came in. They answered a call for a person in cardiac arrest. He bagged them and got the support equipment ready for the Paramedics. Kudos to you Cameron.

We are so “PROUD” of your accomplishments. Just remember……It is great to take 2 steps forward, but as we go through life we also take a step backwards sometimes. But that is part of life. Keep striving and you will again take another 2 steps forward or more. Take each defeat as a lesson in life. Learn from it and proceed ahead. You will eventually find your niche in life. Everything you do builds character into what you will be some day.

Next step………Pass that State Exam….You will then be a Certified EMT Basic…..

“AWESOME……Welcome to Putnam County EMS”

Winter……So Glad I’m South…

February 10, 2019w2bergen Leave a comment

Today was a rainy chilly day. A cold front came through yesterday and dropped our 80 degree weather down to the low 40s last nite. Today is only the high of 49. For us that’s rather cold. Winter coat weather. “Brrrrrrrr”. The weather has been hard to predict this winter. We would have cold days and then it would heat up to gorgeous days. But we have had more than the normal of chilly days.

Back home in Illinois and the whole north has had very bad record breaking weather. The snow storm dropped a record breaking amount of snow, I believe 10″ at home. Then a week or 2 later the temperature dropped to an all time low. -25 degrees.…..

Now that is so so cold. In a 2 week period the kids only went to school several days. Most all the business’s were closed. Even the Putnam County Court house where Tina works. Many of the Post Offices were letting their postmen even stay home on the very coldest day. Cameron, who drives semi from the gravel pit also did not work. Tammy, of course, being a Nurse had to work. She drove in to Peoria which is 45 mins away. I thought she should have just stayed there. Would have been so much easier. I just can’t imagine cars even starting at -25 degrees. The only places that worked were a few of the DC’s in the area…..Of Course my Former Employer was open..….Advantage Logistics…. I’m sure everyone was expected to try to make it to work…..“Really”…..They preach about safety, but they want you to risk your life just to come to work. If you break down on the road, the time for frostbite at -25, is a very few minutes…..No one should be out in that weather unless it is an emergency. Is it really worth risking your life? Is it really that important that the trucks at the DCs are loaded just so the retail stores get their product? I sure don’t think so…….But they push their employees by making them feel guilty or giving points for absenteeism for not coming in. The people fear loosing their jobs, especially the ones with families. I guess that’s why I am retired now. My attitude towards life has changed. No Longer do we fear that Corporate attitude that they brainwash you with when your younger. Were some of the few who have been able to retire and enjoy life after work………lol…..

This is what you see on the highways. Its really a scary and unsafe place to be in a storm. They had so much snow and wind, that the roads were so drifted the plows couldn’t keep up.

Our Heroes are the Policemen, Firemen, Ambulance Personnel and the Highway workers. They have to be out their in full force just to take care of people who are out their. They all risk their lives for us all. The Hospitals must have a medical staff to take care of their patients’. Doctors and nurses risk their lives to go to work. Then their are the ones like my Son in Law Ed. They work for a company that has to maintain their plants in order to keep them operational. It is risky but necessary to keep them up and running. These are our HEROS…...We owe them all if nothing else…..A HEART FELT “THANK YOU”……For doing their daily job….

This was just west of Spring Valley on Rt. 6..…After its plowed, you can see how deep the drifts were. I’m just glad I’m not their. The temperature has now warmed up to a balmy 25. So the worst is over for them.

Here at the Park we’ve been busy. Winterfest Music Festival was held at Schlitterbahn in Jan. Rich and I went down to South Padre Island and stayed over nite at the hotel. We attended The “ABBAFAB” Dinner Show the nite before.

They are an ABBA Tribute Group… They sang a great “Dancing Queen”. Very talented. The little blonde singer was the 4th runner up in American Idol the year Jordan Sparks won. The next day was the Winterfest Music Festival. They had groups playing all day with 45 minute time slots. This was our Favorite.

Lobo Del Mar is a huge family group. Mostly men play instruments and sing. Some dress in kilts. They play the Scottish bag pipes. Now the girls are beautiful dancers. They have lived all over the world including Hawaii and have incorporated all the different types of music into their repertoire. Now they live on the island and have bought a restaurant. We intend on going soon. After listening most of the day, we decided to leave it was really getting chilly with the wind coming in off of the gulf.

The following Sunday was the Super Bowl. Now I know nothing about football. I wanted teams to win according to color. It is easier to decorate that way. So 2 blue teams won. …….Bummer...…So I hung balloons from the ceiling in the blue, white, yellow, and red colors. I used plastic table cloths cut in 4s for table runners. I asked for empty water bottles and received 58 in one day. I bought 8 lbs of Pinto Beans and filled each bottle with 1/3 cup of beans. Taped a strip of blue construction paper around the middle and decorated the tops in curly ribbon in yellow and red. We scattered them around the tables and they were used for noise makers. …..And they did use them…..

Rich cooked 6 pork shoulder butts and made pulled pork. We also supplied little weinies, and nachos and cheese.

Of course we always have shrimp. Its nice to provide a luxury item. We usually get 10 lbs of fresh frozen shrimp. Its all gone by the end of the nite.

Also of course veggies and dip, cheese and crackers and…… a half barrel of beer……I also went out and collected 32 items for door prizes.

The 1st prize was donated by the owner. It was a collapsible canvas wagon and 2 bag chairs. The rest were many restaurant gift coupons, South Padre Boat tickets, and many other things. All the food was provided by the owner also…..They all had a good time except they weren’t happy about who won….but….That’s out of our control.…Thur we have a Catamaran trip down at the Island scheduled. It is a 2 hour cruise. It includes Butterscotch Snapps, Shrimp appetizers, shrimp, beef, and chicken fajita’s, and fruit plates. They cook on the Catamaran, and a musician is softly playing background music. So far the weather is looking like 83 degrees……

…….Hoping It Stays Warm for the Trip…….

Granddaughter’s Graduation’s…..

August 5, 2018August 6, 2018w2bergen 3 Comments

Last May we headed back home to Illinois for the 2 Granddaughter’s Graduation’s. Cassidy was graduating 8th grade and little Carly, Kindergarten. We decided to just drive the car and leave the Motor Home in Texas. It would be cheaper. Now what about the cat. He has never been in the car. When we were in Adventureland in Iowa, we took him home in the truck. We almost gave him a heart attack, and that was only 4 hours. Now were talking 24 hours if you drive it straight through. We couldn’t ask anyone to take care of him for several weeks, so we decided Kitty was going on a road trip. Rich said he’s never to old to learn. I bought him a soft sided zip up carrier. I laid it open for several days and he crawled in and laid in it. So maybe it will work??? But he is an old man, set in his ways. He doesn’t like change. So finally the day came.

We put the back seats down so he had the whole back. Put his kitty litter, food and water in the back on a blanket. His carrier was in the middle so he could see between the seats. He hated when I carried him to the car, he meowed for the first half hour. Finally we went through the Border Check point at Falfurrias. We kept him in until then because you just never know what may happen their. The Border Patrol agents have dogs that sniff every car. Not that we have a reason to worry…..lol…but you never know. Then we unzipped him. He actually did wonderful. He adapted so well to the car. He roamed at first, checking everything out. But he was so good. We pretty much drove straight through stopping only to sleep a few hours. About 2 hours from home in Lincoln Illinois is a Bonanza Restaurant.

Its an old time favorite of ours. We try to stop if the timing is right. This one is a franchise but they have kept the menu the same. They have a wonderful salad bar.

I always get my favorite…..Sirloin Tips with grilled mushrooms and onions.….Yum Yum…Theirs nothing like it.

Finally we arrived and little Carly was so excited to see us. She had her fairy outfit on. She went and posed in the family tree. That nite Austin had a Softball game.

We went to Granville to watch him play. Of course we also had to visit Scott and Brandy’s bar One Paw’z Pub.

Scott singing Karaoke

Finally Graduation came for Carly. Her year in Kindergarten is over. On to 1st Grade.

Carly, 1st row on far right. Jacob, Carly’s cousin in right next to her.

They were using the Auditorium at Putnam Co. High for the kids. Granville has 3 classes of Kindergarten for all of Putnam Co. They were so cute. They sang songs with cute motions. Finally they gave out the diplomas by class.

After, I gave her a bouquet of flowers. She is now ready for First Grade. Carly is our youngest grandchild. She is sure growing fast. We had a picnic for both girls. Cassidy graduated 8th and will be a Freshman in High School.

Tammy invited friends and family and had a cake for each. Now Carly was unhappy cause she thought Cassidy’s cake was prettier. She was crying and then she tried to stop but it was so hard for her…..lol…..Finally it was all better.

They are so cute together…...That is when their not fighting….lol… We have also gotten 2 new grand dogs. Tammy and the Kids got Jazper.

He is a Silver Lab. Tammy said she can’t even go to the bathroom by herself. Jazper has to come with. lol. Tina, Ed and the kids got Dee Dee last fall.

She is a small Golden Doodle. She is more laid back that Dexter was. I had a hard time calling her by her name and not Dexter. She looks just like Dex. She loves playing with her kids Miley and Austin. We also have 2 other restaurants that I usually like to eat at when were home…

Tenderloin…..Smittys Bar in Leonore

Taco Salad and Homemade Fries…..Igloo, in Peru

I decided to take the kids to Hobby Lobby and buy some fun stuff to do on one of our last days their. Tina said Miley wanted her toes done, so I took her first to the Nail place at the Mall.

She picked out her polish which was a silver flake. Miley is 9 years old now going on 10. Time to start doing girly stuff with her…..We also went to Bath and Body and picked out some soaps and body splash. We had a good time smelling everything. Then we met Tina with Austin and Carly at Hobby Lobby. We ended up picking up stuff to make Slime and some other things.

On Monday I went over to spend the day while Tina and Ed worked. We brought all our stuff outside to make the Slime. I’m sure glad we did it outside as it turned out messy with all the glitter. We needed Elmers Glue, Baking Soda, and Contact Lens solution. We also bought glitter. It was fun but the glitter blew everywhere. Before we were done they kept making different batches until the large bottle of Elmers was all gone. And it was the largest bottle they make. Later when Tina came home, we visited for quite awhile. It was very quiet in Mileys room.

I walked in and her and Carly were putting makeup all over their faces. Such silly girls. Now I’ve mentioned all the grandkids but Cameron. He is the one that is hard to get a picture of. This is a picture of him and his friend Torri in his boat. One of the toys he bought last year.

You know how that goes…..Men and their toys??? or is it Boys and their toys??? Its all the same. Here is another purchase. He has finally bought the truck he has always wanted.

Its a Ford!!!!!.…But Grandpa forgave him. It is pretty. But it wasn’t pretty enough.

He had to go buy new tires and rims. They are nice…but….I guess live and learn…..He’s Happy, and its his money. Finally it was time to head back to Harlingen. We packed up the car, prepared Kitty’s back end. But now we always bring more back so now the car is really filling up.

Kitty had to explore all the mountains of stuff in the back of the car. He fell asleep on the mountain…..lol…

As we traveled he was so good. He liked to sleep on the floor with his head buried under the drivers seat between Rich’s legs. When we stopped to gas up or eat, he would just stay wear he was. He never attempted to get out. We drove almost straight through all the way home. We slept for a couple of hours in the car and made it in around 24 hours. Long Long ways………………While we were in Illinois we also worked at the Summer Camp Festival for 6 days as Security Guards. We did this also last year. My next blog will be about Summer Camp..

…..Another memorable experience….

Ok, So Where is Rich….lol…

October 13, 2017w2bergen Leave a comment

Last year after we were done at Adventureland, we came back home and Rich worked the harvest season for a local farmer. He has helped him before. But because we arrived on Oct 1 he missed a couple of weeks. We also had to leave early cause we needed to be in Harlingen by Nov. 1. So we tossed the whole idea around on how he could work the whole season this year. The best answer was for him to go up alone and I stay here. We couldn’t both go as I am working at the theater, and I need to be here by Nov. 1 when the park officially begins the Winter Texan season, and I begin my duties. If I had went with him for several weeks, and left the motorhome in Texas, we would have had to tie it down to the concrete patio, because of Hurricane season. We didn’t want to do that. I realize now after Hurricane Harvey how important that is. Also what about the cat? Kitty would probably have a heart attack in the car heading north. He doesn’t like change….He’s an old man. lol Then how would I get Kitty back down, if I took the train back down? So this was strictly a financial decision. I stay in Harlingen and keep my job, and Rich drove home and works for the farmer for approximately 8 weeks till harvest is done. So that is where he is. He is staying at Scott and Brandys and driving the semi from the fields to the Elevator.

So Rich decided to take my Lumina as I was having problems with it. About once a week it would not start. I would call him to come to the Dollar Store or to the Cinemark 10 after work. He would turn the key and ……BINGO…..It would start. He said, “How can I fix something that we don’t know what’s broken”. Well unfortunately he’s right. So I learned that if it didn’t start, wait 10 minutes and it would. Now that means I can’t buy any ice cream or popsicles, as I might end up waiting in the parking lot for 10 or more minutes for the car to start……lol…..So we decided he would drive it back and trade it. He drove it all the way to Illinois, ……No Problem…..Went up to Canada to visit to our Canadian friends Kathy and Glen at their campground…..No Problem…Back home to Illinois…..No Problem….So one morning he decided to use my key instead of his….Guess what???? That was the answer. He Had a Problem….It is was the coded key. My key had problems and his did not. Funny isn’t it. All over a lousy key. But before he left, we looked at the web site of a local car dealer we usually go to. We picked out a car we liked. I left it up to him to get a good durable car, and trusted his decision. Well turns out my sister-in-law, Connie, liked the Lumina, so she bought it and Rich bought the Chevy Equinox that we had seen on line.

I know I’m going to love it. Rich has really been enjoying it. He also decided to move up from the ANTIQUE flip phone, to a real …..SMART PHONE….I told Tammy to take him and help him out with a purchase. He insisted he would not get one if he couldn’t pay cash. He would NOT do the payment plan on AT&T like the rest of us do. So Tammy took him to a place that sold refurbished phones and he bought a Motorola for $100. He now has a new toy…..He has been busy learning. Tammy and Cameron has taught him so many things. He’s learning so much on his own. I was afraid he would get frustrated and go back to the old flip phone. I know now he won’t. He is enjoying it. He has it programed into the Bluetooth in the car, downloaded Pandora, and is now learning about pictures. His Email is set up, also Google account so he can store pictures in the cloud. So Far No Facebook.

Here’s his first selfie in the car. Cameron and him were playing one night when he first got the phone and the car. Cameron said the were laughing so hard they had tears in their eyes.

The fields were late this year, so he is getting some other things done. The rental house needed a few things. We have a new tenant. Hopefully this one works out. We haven’t had a whole lot of good luck. Poor Tina has to take care of them for us. This last time I posted the house on Craigslist to rent. Tina had immediate response and was able to rent it fast and choose who she wanted. So much better than FB sites. They always had young irresponsible kids wanting to rent. He also has been doing a little work around our house. The garage roof has some issues. Of course he also spends time in Scott and Brandys bar. “ONE PAWZ PUB” Taco Mondays and Karaoke on certain Fridays.

But they finally started a little over a week ago in the fields. They have more corn this year than soybeans. They have most of the soybeans done, and were started on the corn. Now of course it had to rain off and on several days, so that puts everything on hold till the equipment can get back into the fields. This are a couple of Richs photos with his new phone. Its quite good. I’m impressed.

This is the truck he is driving. The farmer picks the corn or soybeans and loads the corn from the combine into the farm wagon. The tractor brings the wagon to the truck on the edge of the road and fills it. Rich drives the truck into McNabb to the elevator where they unload it. There the elevator sends it to the dryer and also stores it for the farmer, until it is sold later and trucked to the river and loaded on a barge. So as it stands now it might be close to Thanksgiving before he’s done. The farmers goal is to be done by then. That is rather late, as he was done earlier last year.

So here at the Park, the Winter Texans are beginning to arrive. Their trickling in, but it wont be long and they will come flying in. You’ll see many campers and Motorhomes on the highways. They will be going all over in the Rio Grande Valley. I gave my notice at Cinemark 10 they other day. I only have 2 weekends to work. Its been a good run, but the time has come to be done. Its time to start thinking about fun things to do this winter. I’m got many ideas already, so time to begin. First thing we are having is a Halloween Party. One of the girls here Paulette, loves Halloween. Its her favorite Holiday. So she is decorating and coming up with great ideas for a fun party. She even found a cool Piñata..

Look whats going to be in it……….lol…………Its an Adult Piñata…..She even wants us to do Apple Bobbing???? Now just think…..Old People have false teeth…..We might have a tub full of teeth. The apples will still be floating……hahahaha….Yea, I’ll let ya know how that turns out….

I’ll close this time with a photo from “One Pawz Pub”. Scott and Brandy’s bar. Remember last Christmas, Rich was down at 77 flea market by Brownsville and bought a clown skeleton??? We called it Sally. She road on the back of the golf cart for a couple of weeks. Well, Sally has taken up drinking at “One Pawz Bar”. She has perched herself by a table and is looking pretty comfortable. She brought friends also. lol

…..Yes Halloween is coming….

Tammy’s New Swing Set & Theirs Going to be a New Baby in the Family……

September 7, 2017September 7, 2017w2bergen 2 Comments

Tammy has been wanting to buy Carly a new swing set. So this is her story. She will do anything to save money…..lol…Many things most people would never do. It always comes with a funny entertaining story. She wanted a really nice wooden one with a large fort area. The ones in the store were so expensive. She has a friend Michele, whose husband is very talented in woodworking and building. He loves to make things. So Tammy and Mike started figuring out what it would cost in materials……Whoaaaa…..Way to much. Wood is expensive. She started watching FB. Finally, their was one. Only catch, it was in Joliet. That’s about an hour or more from McNabb. It was only $300. ……Perfect……So last weekend she got off work in Peoria after working all nite, headed for Rutland, picked up Mike. Now she headed back to McNabb to get a trailer. This has already been probably an hour and a half drive. They drove all the way to Joliet.

Here it is sitting in the back yard of the house. They were very impressed with it. The owner, Sheila and her husband had it built 15 years ago. Now her kids were grown and headed to college. They no longer needed. It was so sturdy, that Tammy and Sheila even climbed up on the fort area and jumped up and down. …..It passed the test….. So now, How to get it home!!!……time to take it apart….. It had to come apart into pieces to fit on a car trailer. Mike was really into it Tammy said, he loves doing things like this.

He took it apart very carefully. Some of the supports broke and some they had to cut off. It had been buried in the ground. Now next problem. The fence was built around the set 15 years ago, so now, …..How to get it Out…..

Finally after much deliberation, it was decided…..Two panels of the fence had to come down.

Then to carefully carry it out to the trailer. It looks bigger than the opening to me. Apparently Sheila said, had others come and look at it, and they either picked it apart or decided it would be to hard to take it. …..But not Tammy, ….. When she can save a buck, she will do what it takes. Sheila was very happy that they were taking it and took most of these pictures. She was so happy it would give kids many more years of fun.

Finally they got it into the trailer, all packed up and ready to go. It sure looks like a mess doesn’t it. So now the trip back to McNabb.

First stop Menards…..As Mike took all the bolts out, many of them were so old. They bought all the bolts Menards had in the store…..lol….Tammy wanted the bottom all wood so it would be easier to mow. So wood was also on the list. Some of the railing needed replacing, so more lumber……They said they were a hit at the store. Guess many were laughing ……WITH THEM……lol…..Finally, they came through McNabb and Rich and Scott were out side at the Bar and laughed at them. She said they looked like they were building a Pirate Ship. Finally after 3 days of work, Mike had it done. He used all the new bolts that Menards had except for 3. Now that’s cutting it close.

It looks so nice. Carly will have so much fun. It has a nice long slide, and a very large fort area.

I really like the wood platform on the bottom. So much better than sand. It not only looks good but will certainly make it sturdier. So here it is all put together 3 days later.

Certainly quite a feat. Tammy said without Mike, it would have never happened. So now Carly has 2 swings, a trapeze, and nice long slide, a ramp up, a nice big fort area, and steps also. Cost ended up being around $800….A lot more than the $300, but still a bargain. She’s restaining the areas that they replaced and also decided to use Flex Seal on the roof…..lol….Lets see how that holds up. Now the ironic part is after talking to Sheila, Tammy found out her mom is at Liberty Village in Peru. Sheila was from Ottawa. The more bizzare part is Sheila’s parents use to live in Harlingen in a park for a number of years. She didn’t think it was Eastgate but then their are many in the area. Its really a small world isn’t it…….. Sheila sent all her pictures she took to Tammy and was so happy to see the swing set back in commission with in 3 days, ready for little kids to play on it again.

Now……..Did I have you Wondering?????….Yes were going to have a New Baby in the Family……One of these little girls is going to be Dee Dee.

Tina, Ed, Miley and Austin are adopting a new puppy. These little girls were born on Sept. 4, 2017. Their parents are Golden Doodles named Amber & Jax. They were born at Windmere Kennels in St. Charles Michigan. They will be able to bring Dee Dee home by the first part of Nov. This will again complete their family after their terrible lose of Dexter….For those of you who didn’t read that Post, here is the link. https://w2bergen.com/2017/08/11/our-memories-of-dexter-the-beloved-pet-of-tina-ed-miley-and-austin/ Dexter lost his life on Aug 11. He has left a Huge hole in their lives and their hearts. So now, Dee Dee will help make new memories. Dexter got his name from a show on tv for kids. It is Dexter Laboratories. Dexter has a sister on the show called Dee Dee. Now Dexter will have his sister Dee Dee move into his house and enjoy the love of the family he knew and loved.

Ohhhh, I’m sure its going to be a Long Long Long wait in the Dolder Household……waiting for the NEW BABY….

First Day of School / Emp. of The Month….

August 17, 2017August 19, 2017w2bergen 1 Comment

So here it is already, August 16th and the first day of school for the grandkids….I can’t believe they are starting so soon. The summer is flying by. When I was a kid in Toluca, we didn’t start until just before Labor Day. Toluca had one celebration a year. It was the Labor Day Celebration. Carnival rides, games, yummy food, and of course the Parade. Now that was the ultimate time of the year. The suspense and excitement would build all summer. We all couldn’t wait for it to come. But it always seemed like school started on Wed. or Thur. You would see the trucks come in all week bringing the rides and foods. The carnival started on Friday and lasted till Monday. They set it up down town on the streets. I hated that we had to go to school several days, and the teachers even gave us homework….How could they be so mean to us…..lol….All weekend it was an exciting time. The town was full of people, the rides were running and kids screaming in delight. We walked up and down the carnival midway and looked at all the games and the food. I would have to spend my money wisely, because my mom only gave me so much. When it was gone, it was gone. The food was Awesome, Corn Dogs, Lemonade Shake Ups, and Cotton Candy. Then we had the Parade on Monday. Floats representing all of Toluca and surrounding areas, business and church’s, and of course always the politicians riding in fancy new convertibles…..Just waving their hands at everyone….Everyone couldn’t wait for the Marching Bands from through out the area. In high school, I was in FHA. We always made a float. We earned points for doing things so we could go on a trip at the end of the school year. We used chicken wire to mold our design on a hayrack. Then we were supplied with tissue paper to stuff in the holes. They don’t do it that way anymore. Finally the parade would be over, the carnival would shut down early cause they had to pack up and have the streets open by Tuesday morning. I lived about a block from town, and that whole nite you could hear them hammering and noises of tearing down. Tue. morning was school. Downtown was bustling with the usual traffic again. Sometimes the streets still needed to be swept, sometimes it was done. Some of the rides might be parked somewhere all packed up in their trucks, but most were gone. Everything was back in order…..Another year was gone………..Then, time to get back to serious school time….yuck…

The grandkids are growing fast. This year Cassidy is in 8th grade. She is living with her dad going to school in Spring Valley. The 3 little ones are all in Putnam County Primary. Miley is in 3rd grade, and Austin is in 1st. They are Tina and Eds kids. They live in Granville where the Primary School is. It contains Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Here is Carly. She is in Kindergarten this year. Her first year of all day school. Carly and Cassidy are Tammy’s kids. Tammy lives in McNabb. She is a RN so she must have been working and Tina took all 3 kids to school the first day.

This is Carlys 2nd day. She has curly wild hair. It is hard to control unless in a ponytail or pigtail. She is a cutie pie.

And of course we must have the bus pictures. I believe the driver is good friend Kathy. She has been driving for so many years. Maybe even when the kids were in school. She loves her job and her kids. The perfect person you want for a bus driver. Her sister Mary Jane drives also and has for many years. Now that Kathy’s husband retired from Cat., he drives also…….It really takes special people to do this job. This is what Tammy was doing before she became a nurse. She loved her job and all her bus driving friends. Rich also drove part time for many years…..They asked me, …..NO WAY…. no patience.

The other day, I found out some news. I was voted Employee of the Month…..Wow…now that’s another first in my life. I was so surprised. I received a $50 gift card and my name on a plaque. I want to THANK THE AWESOME MANAGERS, for voting for me. They are a GREAT BUNCH. This is sure a morale booster.

I am probably the oldest employee here. Since school will be starting soon, the Box Office will close outside during the week. Tickets will be sold at the Concession Counter. I only work Box Office. So I decided to add more hours during the week, I would try Usher. Now how hard can that be!!! …..Cleaning out the theaters after each show….Stand at Podium, Greet, take tickets and direct them to the right theater. So Ok.

Last Saturday was training …..2-10….8 hrs….. IT WAS AWFUL…..Now keep in mind, we are Cinemark 10…..So each show is shown 3 to 4 times a day…..so 10 theaters x 4 showings????? 40 cleanings……On my shift it would be 31 of those…..”PEOPLE ARE PIGS”….They leave their popcorn bags and buckets. Its spilled all over the floor. Soda cups everywhere. Candy wrappers…..3 D glasses and wrappers. They sneak in Soda in bottles, and candy. They go get booster seats and leave them in the theater when they leave. First you go through and pick up big items. Then with the dust pan and broom you sweep up all the rows. You only have 5 to 10 minutes and sometimes not even that. Other theaters are leaving out. People sit in their seats till the last credits are run. Everything is timed. You only have so much time and everything starts over. It has to be ready for seating for the next show. The bathrooms have to be checked every hour. That means clean sink area. Check and fill soaps, toilet paper in each stall. Flush if needed and sweep up the floor of all the toilet paper that everyone drops…..”Do they do that at Home?????”…..I bet not. Next it is also your responsibility to keep the lobby clean. The popcorn buckets are filled to the max and you can watch them spill as they walk….Its like a trail….Keep the lobby swept and use the push vac on the carpet in the hallways…..It constantly has popcorn spilled on it. Now about 3 hours in to your shift, your big garbage bins are filled. So what ever theater is empty, go out the back exit door and empty your garbage. Just hope its a close theater to the dumpster…..It sure wasn’t last Saturday….The farthest one possible….lol….Now do you still have free time???? Oh yes, so now take your big garbage cans to behind the Concession stand. Their is a sink area to clean the cans. Put on your gloves….Put disinfectant soap and water in the barrels….bend down into them and scrub with a sponge with a scratch pad on one side. The girl who was showing me was down on her hands and knees with her body inside…..OMG…I Tried….Rinse….scrub again and Dry them…….

Now if your closing usher, these are your duties….Go upstairs to the offices and break room. Take out garbage, vacuum the break room, sweep the stairs….It has a stairs, landing and another set of stairs….Then get the mop and bucket and mop all the stairway……Ohhhhh, I was so sore and stiff. My knees were shaking and feet down to my toes hurt. I was suppose to do this myself on Monday. It was going to be really slow but still….That is a lot of activity. I went home and told Rich….I can’t do this…I’m to old.…lol…I fully was going to go ahead and work Monday, but I got up Sunday and decided….NO WAY….I Don’t Have Too…So I talked to the GM and he totally understood. I had to go in and find someone to replace me…..No Problem…On the bottom of my paper for reasoning to not do my shift, I wrote……”TOO OLD”…..They laughed….I Now have a new respect for Ushers. You kids have so much energy and you work circles around me….But I will say,….in all of this, these kids are so nice. They do great training and they are very kind. They knew I was tired, so 2 of the kids let me stand at the Podium for the last part of the evening. They make it all look so EASY….

Its, Not For Me….To Late to Take My Award Away….Back to the Box Office for me on Weekends……

Our Memories of “DEXTER”….The Beloved Pet of Tina, Ed, Miley and Austin

August 11, 2017August 12, 2017w2bergen 1 Comment

The evening of August 9, 2017 will forever be a sad day for Austin, Miley, Tina and Ed. Dex crossed over the Rainbow Bridge that evening. He was doing what he loves to do. Enjoying the outdoors and running. Dexter seen a rabbit and ran across the street in front of a truck.

Fortunately Tina and Ed were home. Ed quickly scooped him up and put him in the truck and drove to McNabb to Dex’s Vetinarian. Unfortunately he passed before Allison arrived. It was a night that they will never forget. The kids, Tina and Ed loved Dexter so much in his short life. The rest of us all thought that Tina thought of him as her third born child and Austin’s and Mileys brother. He had 2 1/2 wonderful years of unconditional love by a family that cherished him. He gave so much love back. He did a lot of traveling also. He went to Arizona, Florida, and went on many fishing trips to Wisconsin with the family and Grandpa Dolder. He had a very full Happy Life. So much sadness. So I want to tell the story of Dexter’s life and how he came to live with his family who loved him.

So to begin this story I must tell you about Tina. She has never been an animal lover. When we had pets she couldn’t understand why we treated them so special. You know like your children. She never wanted any pets or any creepy crawlers in her house. She was just particular. I remember one day she called me. I had given her a live foliage plant for Mothers Day. Several months went by and she seen a bug of some sort on it. She said, if I wanted the plant to come and get it cause it wasn’t going to be in her house.…..lol….That was just the way she was. She refused to have an animal because of the hair. Time went on and Beth, Eds sister had German Shepard’s. She started to realize that Austin would say he needed to go kiss his brother goodbye when they visited. So, after some thought Tina decided to look into buying a dog. Now of course this required research to find a dog that doesn’t shed. She decided on a Golden Doodle. She found Windmere Kennels in Saint Charles Michigan. They had a litter for her to choose from.

This was the first pictures of Dexter from the Kennel. Dex was born November 30, 2014. Tina and the family brought him home Jan 23 2015.

This is the first pictures of him traveling in his car seat….lol…He was such a little guy.

Here is the kids playing with him the first days of his new home. He quickly learned to love his family and especially his kids. I think he felt like one of them. They would play and play till he got tired and had to take a nap.

This sofa became a favorite of Dexter’s to take a nap. He looks so small here.

Then he learned what snow was. He loved to go out and play in the snow. He would try to eat the snow flakes as they fell. Last winter he had fun playing with Aunt Beth and the kids and Mars…..

Finally time to meet his groomer. As you see Dexs’ ‘hair was very curly and close. It grew fast around his eyes, but it didn’t shed.

He had the most Beautiful dark eyes……You could read his thoughts almost…..

So his grooming days began. He met Shaina, his groomer. Tina said he would spend his day in the Spa, getting a bath, clipped, brushed, probably toenails trimmed….just pampered….And he loved it…Every time he came home, Shaina put a new bandana on him. He looked so cute.

His favorite toy was Ali the Alligator. I believe before he was done, he had went through 2 Alis. He would chew them up and throw them around. Of course the kids got involved also playing tug of war. Soon he learned to chew things….lol…loved clothes in the laundry room or bedroom. Soon gates went up. Laundry room, Play room, and Living room. He was isolated to the Kitchen tile floor unless he was with his family. Mileys room was off the kitchen, so if her door was open, he would go in and steal her little plastic toys. Dex was pure puppy. With everyone being gone all day to school and work, he learned very quickly to potty train himself. Then Tina told me she had taught him to ring the Christmas bells on the door to go outside…..

Really, I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it. He would run up and ring them and wait to go outside. But of course he also learned that it was a way to just go out and play when he wanted too….Yes he was smart. One day I got to thinking ! Where did Dex sleep. So I asked Tina. He sleeps in bed with us. She had tried to keep him in the kennel on the floor, but he would cry. So she put the whole kennel on the bed with them. So now we have Tina, Ed, Miley, Austin and the Kennel with Dexter in it…..Thank Goodness it is a king size bed. I don’t think he ever left, just the Kennel did. lol…….. Tina made sure he enjoyed all the holidays with the kids.

First was Valentines Day, then St. Patrick’s Day. Easter came and Dex even met the Easter Bunny.

Yes, Dex had stole the heart of Tina. Tina had fallen in love with this little furry puppy. He had the best life. Everything a puppy needed as well as so much love from his mom and dad and kids. We use to laugh and wonder….If their was a fire,….Who would she save first…..Dexter? or the Kids? ….

He had so much fun helping the kids look for Easter Eggs….lol….He also enjoyed Aunt Beth and his cousins Mars and Schultzy. Schultzy has also since crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. ……… I bet their playing together right now. Remembering their families…….

Just look at all this good stuff. Believe me, Dexter would try to steal and eat it too. He would grab things, and you would chase him around the living room. He always moved faster than you. He would get down on his front paws and tease you and run. Finally he learned that if he stole something to eat, just go behind the sofa and nobody sees you. He had a stash back their. So Tina had to try to wall that off from him. He was definitely a child. My first time I met Dexter was when we came back from Texas. He knew no strangers. He loved everyone. We brought back a Piñata and had a party in the side yard in McNabb.

Aunt Beth came and Mars. Tina teased both of them with Spider-Man.

Then we hung Spider-Man up in the tree. She tried to get him to hit it…..Nope none of that….Tina asked me to babysit for him, as they were going to Dakotas for Mileys Gymnastics meet. They would be gone a week. So I spent the nights their so Dex had someone to be with. I knew Tina had put in a camera in the living room pointed at the kitchen to be able to watch Dex while she was at work. So one evening I’m watching tv and all of a sudden I hear…..”Deeeexter…..Deeeexter”……What was that????…..Then that evil laugh….lol….The camera also has a microphone too. She was watching…..Dex picked up his head and looked. He knew it was his mom. Then some time that week, he was playing in the living room and I fell asleep. I woke up to this:

Ohhh No…I’m in trouble cause I’m not watching him…..I stuffed everything back in and that little smarty pants kept nosing underneath and pulling out the stuffing. Then, another nite, I’m playing ball with him. He loved to play fetch. I would throw into the kitchen, he would go get it and bring it back. A great game until; I threw to high and took out one of the light globes on the fan. Now what to do…….Confess? or try to buy one and replace it. but…..It was a straight shot from the camera lens. She could be watching as I did it…..So finally decided, confession was the only way out. Yes, I was a bad babysitter. Tina said when she told Miley, Miley said……”What, Why is grandma throwing in the house. No throwing in the house”…….So we got through that. But Dex was fine…..I believe that was the summer Tina and Ed took a quick trip to Arizona to help her friend Nikki move to Lake Havasu Arizona. Tina and Ed and copilot Dexter made the trip….Dex loved to travel. He was so good in the truck or in the car. He loved his Dad. He also took a trip to Florida. Tina, Miley, Austin and Dexter went with Tammy, Cassidy and Carly to Florida for a week. The purpose was to visit Gertie, who was our landlord/neighbor when the girls were born. Gertie was very close to the girls.

So another road trip. Dexter got to play at Ft. Meyers beach in Florida. So he has done a lot of traveling in his short days. He also spent many family fishing trips in Birchwood Wisconsin on the lake. Grandpa Dolder plans fishing trips their 3 to 4 times a year. He comes from Wyoming and the Dolder family gets together for a week.

Dexter loved it up their. He loved the boat. He loved fishing with his dad and kids.

As you see he was so loved by Austin and Miley. He had so much freedom in Wisconsin to run and had a great time with all the family. He always loved the ride.

He loved spending time with Grandpa Dolder and his cousin, Rea. She is Ed’s sisters youngest daughter. Grandpa Dan wrote on FB and mentioned some fun times he remembered with Dex. One day Rea and Miley was getting dressed. Miley had her swim suit on. She put one leg in her shorts and Dex grabbed the other leg…It was a tug of war. Miley started yelling “Help Help” and laughing the whole time. Grandpa Dan videoed it. He said it was so funny. You never knew what Dex would think up next. Austin would play at night with the flashlight. Dex would try to catch the beam of light….He would flash it all over with Dex chasing it. Grandpa Dan videoed that also……Grandpa Dan said….”Great Memories”

Christmas is always big in the Dolder house. Tina starts with the Advent Calendar. Everyday, the kids would get a little bag of goodies….even Dex….Tina said he knew exactly what it meant.

Now Birthday…..Dex and Austins birthdays were close together, so they had a little party together.

This is Dex’s first Birthday Party….and here is his second birthday…..I don’t think he really liked his hat….lol…

On Mileys birthday, she decided she wanted a birthday cake that looked like Dexter. So Tina had someone make it and cupcakes. It looked just like him….It looked so realistic.

He also celebrated Halloween …..Tina always took so many pictures….lol…

He also had pictures taken with his kids first days of school….This last picture is this year past school year. Miley was going into 2nd and Austin Kindergarten. Tina told me anytime I babysat and took the kids to school, Dex had to go to.. He wanted to take them to school too…..You can see what Dexter meant to the Family…..He was practically another kid.

One day this spring Dex got sick. Tina called the Vet, but she said to just give him a few days. She didn’t want to leave him home, so her boss let her bring Dexter to the Circuit Clerks Office at the Court House. He layed on the blanket and slept all day like a good boy. He did get better, he just had an upset tummy.

This year he was even the Team Mascot at Mileys Softball Team….He had so many friends. All the kids loved him.

On Tina’s Birthday, she received balloons from Ed and the Kids….This year when we were back we had the Piñata at Granville park.

Austin also graduated from Kindergarten this year, so Tina had a party for him at Fish n Fun.

They all posed on the Merry Go Round….This would be the last time we saw Dex as we left for Texas after that. Here’s some favorites of Dexter and Ed…..

Hers some Favorites of Dexter and Tina…..

This one is so precious. It shows how Dexter had grown in the 2 years. The kids all sitting in the back seat. Ed had just bought a different truck this summer. One of the factors was to have a front seat that would seat 3…..That way their was a seat for Dexter.

A few more of Dexter and Austin and Miley….

He was so Loved…..He is already So Missed…..He had a Wonderful Life even though it was short. He didn’t suffer long before he left and crossed the Rainbow Bridge. We all like to believe he is running free now in Doggy Heaven…….

……We All Love You Dex……

The Grandkids…..

June 18, 2017June 19, 2017w2bergen Leave a comment

This year Austin graduated Kindergarten. He was really excited.

They held the graduation in the High School Auditorium. This was his teacher. After the ceremony, they went to Spring Valley to the Gold Mine Restaurant that Aunt Connie works at.

They held a little party for him. His little Jar is cute. Tina rolled up $1 bills and tied them like a Diploma. Put his picture inside and a Graduation Hat on top….Great Idea for any occasion. We weren’t able to attend it so Tina held a small Party at “Fish and Fun”. Its a little recreation area with a fishing lake and pool area with 3 different sizes pool. The lake is lined with houses, house trailers and camping trailers. It is only several miles outside McNabb and is Membership only.

Aunt Beth brought a cake and all the kids went swimming. I bought him the pump container to fill water balloons. They all had a good time with that. Finally got a group picture of them all.

This was hard. Cameron didn’t want to cooperate….lol…and then theirs Dexter…

Austin and Miley have both been involved in Sports this summer. Miley will be in 3rd grade next year. She is growing but Austin is growing faster. Soon, if not already Austin will pass her by.

Miley has also been involved with the Cheerleaders this year. They did a performance at a High School game at half time. She is so tiny and petite, and has been involved in gymnastics since she was 3. So she can do lots of great moves.

Here’s the whole family, including Tina, Ed and of course Dexter. They stopped in Wisconsin Dells on their way up to Wisconsin for their annual fishing trip with Grandpa Dan Dolder.

Next we have little Carly. She was 5 this year. She is such a “Princess” and she’s so smart.

She will enter Kindergarten this fall. This photo is at PreSchool.

Now this is one of my favorite pictures of her…Her hair is all natural curly and is very hard to control….Pigtails or pony tails are best..

Her she is sticking her head out of her Mamas new car. Tammy is in Love…..lol…..with her car….

Next is her Big Sissy Cassidy….She is 13 this year….Now an “OFFICIAL Teenager”. Cassidy went to live with her dad this year. He lives nearby, and now she’s getting to know her other family which is a good thing. She spends lots more time with her Grandma and Grandpa.

She comes out to her moms house a lot. Probably almost every weekend. So their all working it out. It’s nice for all of them. Teen years are tough. Cassidy will enter 8th grade this fall….Almost High School….

This is a favorite picture….

Now for their Big Brother Cameron….He just had his“19th Birthday this month. We are so proud of him. This past year he has achieved so much. Last year in the early spring, he dropped out of High School. He was so far behind, he would have had to take summer classes, if not another year. He has struggled all of high school. He said he was going to get his GED. We were all skeptical, but he made us all believers. He enrolled at the Junior College. He had to take the courses that would build his knowledge in all academic areas up to a certain level, so he could enroll in the GED Class. He completed them and enrolled in the GED classes. He finished in Nov and received his GED. Then, with the help of Uncle Scott, he enrolled in CDL classes at the college and completed them in Feb this year. Finding a job has been hard as he is only 19 and most company’s wont insure him until he is 21. But he has found a job with the help of Aunt Tina with AG View FS Fertilizer Company. He is doing so good and is well liked by the company and all the employees. As you see the family has been behind him, but only because he has showed so much drive and initiative to complete his studies. He found his goal to complete the GED and he pushed himself to succeed. He now gets up everyday on his own, anxious to go to work. Sometimes he leaves as early as 5:30, and works till 8. But it is the busy season. He has come so far this year.

Scott and Brandy also had a big celebration in their family this year. Brandy’s daughter Staci, has now graduated also and received her BSN in Nursing. She will soon be taking the “BIG TEST” to obtain her license and then pick her job to begin her career. In the mean time, she is helping out at the bar.

One more photo is my niece Ashley’s little girl, Vivian. She is Richs sister Connie’s Daughter. Last year just before we left for AdventureLand, Connie held her Baby Shower. Little Vivian is growing like a weed and is almost 1……And Guess What…….Vivian will be joined by a new little baby sister or brother this fall. Exciting news… The family is growing….

This is a photo of Scott and Brandy’s Billboard for the bar….”ONE PAW’Z PUB”…..It is located on Rt. 89 at the corner of Main Street into McNabb. Rather IMPRESSIVE isn’t it.

Back Home In Illinois

May 17, 2017w2bergen 2 Comments

We are back home for a short time. We’ll be here around 3 weeks total. Its good to see the kids again. We left Harlingen on Saturday afternoon and arrived Monday afternoon. The goal was to make it to Scott and Brandy’s bar for tacos. They serve them only on Mondays 5-7.

They are deep fried, something you can’t get in Texas. Must be a northern thing. Brandy puts in the meat filling, inserts toothpick. Drop them in the fryer and immetiately open and put in lettuce, onions and tomatoes after frying…..mmmmm…..Saturday morning I had an employees meeting before we left. I work at the Cinemark 10, 2 days a week on the weekends in the box office. I, of course am the oldest. Most are all kids or young adults. It was rather interesting. The General Manager of the theater held the meeting. The purpose of course is to update all employees on new programs coming up for the summer, as well as safety issues, fire drill procedures, and many at risk situations. But the think I find most interesting is the general manager is so good with these kids. He is firm with rules, but he also builds them up, trying to get them to strive for the very best in life. He demands respect and yet have fun at the same time. One of the managers, Miss Ramos, has been taking the steps to climb the ladder in the company. She has just taken a test and achieved a fabulous score. The General Manager announced that she was 4th in the nation and is now titled “Assistant General Manager” Everyone is called Miss or Mr. In fact, this is something I have noticed here in the Rio Grande Valley. Their is respect everywhere from little kids to Seniors. You can be in a grocery store or on the phone, and everyone says, “Thank You Maam”……It is something that is taught from childhood on and still continues. As soon as I came back home we finished packing.

This little guy was hanging around on the awning. There are zillions of these everywhere. Kinda cute……It was so hot……Sweat was just pouring off Rich. Finally we took off and had a rather uneventful trip home……but that’s good…

Kitty enjoyed the ride as usual, sleeping most of the time. He would of course also sit on his foot stool by his dad and paw at him. He always wants Rich to pet him while driving.

Finally crossing the Mississippi we made it into Illinois. We seen some floods coming across Arkansas. They were really hit bad on the White River. The Mississippi was up but nothing out of the ordinary. Its been so much worse.

Brandy behind bar

We arrived in McNabb and parked at “One Pawz Pub”. Brandy was working, Scott showed up about a half hour later, from driving truck. This was the first time we had seen the new progress on the bar. Scott reconstructed a new bar and put stripe designs in it and covered it with epoxy. This is not a good picture but it is beautiful.

Patio area….it was getting dark

He has also finished his patio out back. He made all his own bars and bar stools and painted them different bright colors. He also made 3 octagon picnic tables and put down grass turf. They have a Harley Davidson Bag game in the area you can’t see. He is striving to gain a lot of bikers this summer on their poker runs.

Tammy, Cassidy and Carly came for Tacos. Also her boyfriend Bryan and son. Ed, Tinas Husband showed up with Austin. Tina was at a softball game with Miley. Finally Cameron came in. He was working…….”What a Nice Sound”…..lol….This past year, Cameron has made “HUGE STEPS” in his life. He accomplished his GED, then went to Truck Driving School, obtained his CDL, and now has a seasonal job at AG Service. He drives the chemicals out to the fields for the farmers as they plant. He loves it. He also has a truck driving job coming up after the season is over. It will be a roller coaster for him as he is only going to be 19 in June. Lots of companies can’t or don’t want to hire him because of insurance. When he is 21 it will get better…..Just have to stay positive….Finally Connie, Richs youngest sister came and Brian. We had a nice visit eating Tacos. Finally drove to the house a block away before dark, parked and settled in.

Now time for a “Randy update”. Randy has been in New Orleans and Galveston having a Grand time. He went to a museum to check out and learn about alligators and turtles.

Look at Randy’s COOL NEW PANTS

He’s been to many resturants checking out the hot sauces and peppers…..lol

But he decided to eat Brownies instead…..Guess he knew it would tear up his stomach.

So now Randy and his parents are all packed up. They are heading on their way to Maryland. Their having such a good time seeing the sites….

Cant wait till we see where Randy’s Adventures take him next…..

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Randy and his Mom in Galveston La.

It’s Been A While…..Happy Birthday Time

April 6, 2017w2bergen 2 Comments

The cover picture is the kids all most 3 years ago. Tammy graduated with her BSN in Peoria Illinois. A proud and Happy day for us all.

Thinks have been so hectic here at the park, but really slowing down now. As of April 1st, our Workamping contracts were done…..So now for a little R & R. First I’m going to report on the family.

“It’s Birthday Season”……..Tina had her birthday on March 8. She just ran for re-election to the Granville Village Board. On April 4th she was re-elected. So 4 more years of Village Trustee. “Congatulations Tina” She is very devoted to the issues of her town, trying to make it a better place for all residents.

This picture is of Putnam County Courthouse in Granville Illinois. Tina works in the Circuit Clerks Office. This is the Judge, Cathy Oliveri, the Circuit Clerk, Tina and the other girl in the office. She loves her job and has learned so much working in the Courthouse.

On March 27, Cassidy was 13. She’s finally an official Teenager. She is growing prettier every day. She is also acting more like a teenager every day. Ggrrrrrr…..Happy Birthday Cassidy…..lol….

Tammy, Tina, grandkids, Cassidy, Carly, Miley and Austin. Vacation in Florida visiting old friend Gertie and husband. Gertie was our neighbor when the girls were baby’s……Gertie was close to them…

So today is Tammy’s Birthday. I won’t tell her age, but she is just short of 40….lol…Wow …”Where has the years gone”…. Today she is helping out her good friend who is having some major family health issues. I hope her day is going ok. That is one of Tammy’s best qualities. Always wanting to help.

In 3 years she has came so far. Since she received her BSN, she seems to be flying in the nursing field. She’s always looking for more challenging jobs to educate herself.

Monday will be Scott’s Birthday. He of course is the youngest. Brandy and him own Scotties One Paw’z Bar in McNabb. He is always remodeling and changing things. His latest addition is to add a patio. He made his bar and bar stools and also brought in some artificial turf for volley ball. Always working on things.

He is also always buying things….This is his latest toy….So now no more Birthdays till June….Then its Camerons’…..19….OH MY

Just a another CRAZY picture…..Now this is their normal look…..lol…

These kids have come so far in the last years. 10 or so years ago, I was worried about them all. But they have all found their way. They have all excelled in their own areas of life and finding their way. Yes we don’t see them often now, but….I see such progress in all their lives….We are so PROUD of Them…..We aren’t need anymore…They are living on their own…..lol….

……..Well Almost……

Ill be playing catch up now that I have time……Stay Tuned……

………….''AND LET THE FUN BEGIN''……………..

Our Diaries of Daily Life and Travel

McNabb Il

Cameron Graduated with an EMT Basic

Next step………Pass that State Exam….You will then be a Certified EMT Basic…..

“AWESOME……Welcome to Putnam County EMS”

Winter……So Glad I’m South…

Granddaughter’s Graduation’s…..

…..Another memorable experience….

Ok, So Where is Rich….lol…

Tammy’s New Swing Set & Theirs Going to be a New Baby in the Family……

First Day of School / Emp. of The Month….

Our Memories of “DEXTER”….The Beloved Pet of Tina, Ed, Miley and Austin

The Grandkids…..

Back Home In Illinois

It’s Been A While…..Happy Birthday Time

Next step………Pass that State Exam….You will then be a Certified EMT Basic…..

“AWESOME……Welcome to Putnam County EMS”

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…..Another memorable experience….

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