Whew!

Glad those weeks are over and I still have a job. For a few weeks I have been stressing over what if they get rid of me. There was nothing I could do to I just had to wait it out like everyone else. If it happened it happened and I would deal with it. At least my truck and house are paid off so I would be kind of in OK shape. But thank God, I didn’t lose my job. One of my best friends did end up getting it. I don’t know how they did the picking and choosing all I know is that it didn’t make sense to me. I have worked there for 20 years, seen many people come and go, but these last couple years I have seen many years of experience pushed out the door. I had two best friends at work that have been with me through all my ups and downs and one of them got pushed out after 20 plus years of service. It so sucks that she lost her job. She is a great person and I know she will be fine, but I still feel somewhat guilty that I still have my job.

So now I can breathe easier at least for a little while. Now I need to do some catching up. I have been so stressed and out of it here lately that I haven’t been doing much blogging and other things. I have missed a few birthdays so I have to get some cards out in the mail. Haven’t been reading much either. I bought those books at Christmas and haven’t even got through one yet. So what the hell have I been doing?

My day consisted of getting to work at 6:30 in the morning. Struggling all day on my programming project, then leaving there at 3:30, 4:00 or even 4:30 at times. Then I would head home, get out of my uniform and head to see Bird and Turtle. Those two are able to make me forget about my work or the threat of losing my job. I would stay there until around 10 or later then go home and try to sleep. Then start it all over again at 5:30 the next morning.

The best medicine in the world is kids and my Bird and my Turtle have made me smile so much during these last few weeks. These two make my heart smile every time I see them. Bird is so smart and determined; she doesn’t let her CP slow her down. When you get a bear hug and kiss from Bird it sticks with you and makes you feel so…I can’t describe it so unless you are lucky enough to get a Bird bear hug and kiss well I’ll just have to leave the rest of you wondering. Turtle is walking now and she is a Morgan in every form. From her temper, to her goofy faces and laughing and then there is her laying her head on my shoulder and patting my arm or just her falling asleep in my arms while we are swaying and listening to Sugarland’s Love on the Inside. Hi my name is Red and I am addicted to Bird and Turtle.

I have to give a few more shout outs. Scrappy and Loser, along with me getting my Bird and Turtle fix I get a dose of Loser and Scrappy too. Don’t know what I would do without my NEIGHBOR family. A while back I wrote a blog and talked about the pictures that Keith and Diane got for Christmas. Well Scrappy and Loser gave me one yesterday happy early birthday. It was my favorite picture of my Dad and Mom. And all I can say is that I LOVE IT! It looks so lifelike, makes my heart smile. I got a canvas painting of my two favorite people from my other four favorite people. Love it Love it Love it and Love you Love you Love you and Love you!!!!!!!

Now want to talk about my extended family. A couple weeks ago my buddy Bill had a heart attack. He underwent bypass surgery on Thursday. Talked to Brandy last night and he is doing great. The Rainey’s have always been very special to me, like I said they are my extended family, so it was really scary when Brandy called me with the news. Kept them all in my prayers and thank God, Bill came through the surgery and is now on the road to recovery.

Went last night to see Jimmy G in his play and it was spectacular. He was awesome. It was a comedy and he is so talented and funny. I am so proud of him. That sexy Boy Scout is going to be famous one of these days. That play would have had my Mom laughing her ass off, just like we all were. She loved watching Jimmy in his shows. I can still see her laughing at him arguing with his dummy. I can’t wait for the day when he is famous and I can tell people that I kept him in the spot light way back when. LOL Right Belle!

Guess I am caught up now, probably left out some things but oh well these were the important things. Well Happy Valentines to you all. This 41 year old has got to get rested up cause OMG, I will be 42 tomorrow. WTF, where has the time gone.

Love, Peace and Chicken Grease

Ever wonder whose looking at your blog?

Found this page and I don't remember how I came across it, but it allowed me to add some code to my blog and it would keep statistics on where the hits to my blog were coming from. Think I added back in April last year. Below are some of the graphics that I got.

This world view blows me away with the Poland, Bolivia and UK. WTF! That was a search engine that went drastically wrong or someone is really bored to look at the ramblings from a Podunk redneck from Southern Illinois.

Just another way that Big Brother and Red Rover are watching y'all!

Superbowl tomorrow...can't wait love being able to sit around all day and watch TV, eat appetizers, drink and spend some quality time with Loser, Scrappy, Bird and Turtle. Going to be a blast. I am pulling for the Cardinals, I love Kurt Warner always have even when he was a Ram. Love his attitude about football and life, what an inspiration. And what about that half time show, BRUCE, what more could one want. Football, Food, Family and BRUCE!!!

Peace out

Guess Who is a Great Aunt again?

Meet

Drew Christopher Morgan

January 23rd

5lb 7 oz. and 19 inches

Congratulations!

Daddy, Jimmy (AKA Bighead) and Mommy, Shannon

Big Sister, Mercedez and Big Brothers Hunter and Ryan

Mom and Drew are doing well.

Sending much love from Auntie Red!

Weekend Rewind

Saturday was Mom and Dad’s wedding anniversary, so it started out a little rough, but I made a decision that I wasn’t staying home and stare at my four walls. I called my family next door and said “Road Trip” they were all for it. First stop, the cemetery in Vandalia. I had already missed going up there for Dad’s birthday. Thanks to Candice she got some balloons and a heart that we sent messages up to Dad, right from my back yard. So on their anniversary I had to make sure I made the trip. When we got there the wind had done it share, the hooks and the one plaque were bent to about a 45 degree angle. They were frozen so there was no moving them. Plus it had even blown the flowers out of the vases. I put the flowers back and Kim and I added some more. Then we got back in the truck where it was warm. Candice was smart she stayed in the truck with the girls. We then listened to a few choice songs for Mom and Dad and then we continued our road trip. Next stop another cemetery. We had to go see Louie and Dylan, it had been awhile since we had been there. Again Kim and I jumped out and cleaned off the graves from all the leaves. Talked to Louie and Big D, Dylan, plus we both bitched about how Louie’s ex still has not got Dylan, her son, a head stone. And we know she got some money, enough to get that boy a stone. Really pisses me off. Louie’s family and my family went together to get Louie’s so we thought she would then get Dylan’s but boy we were wrong. Enough about that rant, I could go on and on, if you ever want to get me fired up just mention it to me then stand back. So we told Louie and Dylan bye and headed for our final destination, the big town of Taylorville. First stop, Taco Bell to surprise Bobbie, she had no idea. She was getting ready to leave so we headed out to Keith and Diane’s. We knew they were there playing Bingo cause Kim was texting AJ. We walked in and Kim yelled Bingo, they all looked at us like what the heck are you guys doing here. It was around 6 pm by that time, not a time we normally arrive. Jim, Hunter and Ryan were there too. Shannon and Mercedes came later. It had been awhile since Kim, Candice, and Jada had been up there and I think that was Sam’s first visit to T-Town. We had a great time we ended up staying until about 10:30 pm then headed back to the big town of Coulterville. So we rolled back into C’ville at about 1 am. Yeah it was late but it was well worth it, plus I could lie around all day on Sunday to recoup.

These are a couple of memorials that I got for my landscaping around my house, but thanks to my water line break they have to wait until the spring when I can fix my front yard.

This canvas portrait is a Keith and Diane's Christmas present from their kids. They (Kevin) found a place on the web that takes older pictures and places them on canvas. I can't believe how great this turned out. If you ever get the chance go to Keith and Diane's and see the real thing. My Mom is absolutely beautiful and that crooked smile on my Dad makes me wonder what he was saying or thinking at that particular moment.

Happy Anniversary

January 17, 1948

Herbie and Bettty Mae.

Forever and Always in my Heart

Got a few more bullet points from the weekend but going to put them on my blog on MySpace.

Happy Birthday Candice Marie and Mercedez!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Mercedez!

Auntie Red, Loves you!

Happy Birthday, Candice Marie!

And Turtle told me to tell you

Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!

Not the Momma Loves you!!!! :)

Happy Birthday Dad!

Woke up thinking about you cause this is your day. It is your 83rd birthday. I am so thankful for all the memories. From you and me fishing in the lake at the trailer park. You made me think like I was the greatest fisherman because of all the fish following my broken tail minnow in as I reeled it in. Then the camping trips at Washington County. We slayed the channel cat, but we fed the turtles that night when we left the stringer in the water. Nothing like seeing a stringer full of channel cat heads. Dang it! What about mushroom hunting, loved doing that with you and Mom. Mom was pretty good at getting us started by finding the first one. Was always amazed at you riding the bike backwards. Our trip down in the your mine. Our trip to Ohio. Our trips everywhere. You were always there for me if I needed anything except if I needed someone to come and help me get a snake out of my house, you sent Mom on that one. :) Your jokes and laughter. Your one liners or your full blown poems, like the dirty dirty drawers. You were the best and I miss you so much.

Happy Birthday, Dad

Love you!

2009 Whew!

Whew! One of my many resolutions was too blog more and here it is the 10th and I have already paid the cuss jar $20.oo and the whole exercise thing yeah well that isn't happening yet either. So let me give you a brief run down of the low down...



Not much has really been happening this year up until the 8th. Went back to work and they are still laying off, not looking good anywhere. Hopefully this will turn around soon, but doesn't sound like it.



So let me talk about the 8th, first Happy Birthday Bighead! Yeah his bday was on the 8th just like Elvis. Went to work, then after work had to go to wally world then home. Just finished putting everything up when I got a call from Kim. All she said was Red I need you over here Jada is having a seizure. I hung up the phone and ran over. Jada was on the bed and all I could see was the whites of her eyes. Kim was putting a cold rag on her head and neck and talking to her to try to bring her around, and she had Sam in a scissor lock with her legs. I took Sam then Kim told me to do what she was doing with Jada cause she had to try to get in touch with Candice who was at work. I was scared as heck. Never been through anything like this before. Jada was unresponsive. I would say her name and nothing. Kim came back in and then her eyes finally came back but still unresponsive. I told Kim to call 911. We took her out in the living room and sat her up we kept trying to get her to respond. We would say her name and she would turn but the she looked through us. Not follow us at all. Help finally got there. They ended up taking her to the hospital. Kim had someone at the mine tell Candice to meet them at the hospital and Kim went with Jada in the ambulance. I stayed with Sam and we waited. Sharon came in and waited with us. Jada is fine, she came home that night. She had what they call a break through seizure and they are just part of cerebral palsy.



When it was just me and Sam in the house, I sat in the rocker and Sam fell right asleep and she slept until they got home with Jada. Kim, Jada and Sam were sleeping in the bed and it was Sam that woke Kim up. She was leaning over Jada jabbering to wake up Kim and that is how Kim found Jada. Then during the whole ordeal when Kim and I were talking and saying Jada's name, Sam was right there with us saying Jada. I didn't realize it at the time, it was when we were in the rocker that I started remembering all of this. Sam was a real trooper. I think she sinced the panic in me and knew Kim was taking care of Jada, and that is why she was helping too. When we would say Jada she would too. What a pretty amazing 9 month old. She is already helping take care of her big sis.



As I said Jada is fine, she is wore out and slept most of the next day, but that is what is expected. Jada has had seizures before but I have never seen one until the 8th. All I kept thinking the entire time was what had been on the news about Travolta's son dying of a seizure so yeah I was scared. They brought Jada home that night she was able to give me a little smile, but she was tired. She fell asleep on my lap. She was exhausted, she slept the rest of the night. And when I went there yesterday after work she was sleeping again. She did get up later and we sat on the floor and played with her toys and Sam. Thank God she is OK and thank God Sam woke Kim up. Love my Bird and Turtle.