It's June and I'm been busy busy busy.  May was also a busy month as we were very involved with our Wolf Pack Motorcycle Rally.  I was in charge of the games and it was very successful.  We had nearly 150 attend and that is our largest attendance to date.  It was well run, great food and plenty of fantastic prizes.  John was a big help working on the road and giving away cards that won tickets for prizes.  Sean, his son helped him and they had a great time together.  I really appreciated everyone stepping up and making this such a great day.

 One of the games being played was Roulette and here Brenda and Sherrie show Jerry how to get the biggest bang for his buck.

 Another of our games that people really enjoyed was Dart Poker.  Thanks to Jim Moody for making the boards.  We also had Dice Poker, 3-Card Monte, Black Jack and the Penny Pitch. 

 Here are just a few of the motorcycles that were at the rally.  Gold Wings primarily, but it was open to all riders.

  The end of the school year always has it's ups and downs and this year is no different.  The biggest down side is my director has accepted a position on the other side of the county.  I'm so happy for him, but it will be a big transition going into this coming season of marching band.  Right now I'm working through the changes and just approach it as we always have done.  New director or not here we go.

The best thing to happen to me is the recent graduation of my son Bryan for Warrant Officer Candidate School.  He began back in early May and graduated on June 2, 2011.  Five hard weeks of training for this new officer.

 The graduation was held at Ft. Rucker, Alabama in the Aviation Museum.  Here Hannah and Bryan enjoy an embrace following the ceremony.

 Bryan attended a reception for all the graduates and their families.  This was the evening before the actual graduation.

 Warrant Officer Bauer was at Ft. Rucker when Bryan and Hannah arrived in summer of 2010.  He has since gone on to work at the Warrant Officer school.  Bryan appreciated him coming to support his promotion.

 After the WOC graduation we traveled to Little Creek and the School of Music in Norfolk, VA.  Bryan will send the next couple of months there learning what will be needed to be a good Executive Officer and Warrant Office in the band field.  Once he has complete this training he will be going on to Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio.  This is an exciting time of change for him and his wife Hannah.  They just need to get through the next couple of months and they will return to some normality in their routine. 

Hannah will be attending nursing school in Texas and moving away for the music.  She still plans to fill in where she can, but her main focus will be to complete her nursing degree.  We do plan to visit them in Texas as soon as we can work it out. 

April where did it go?

I can't believe I did a whole blog and forgot to save it.  Yikes, lets do this again.

Starting April
We began the month with lots of work.  On April 1we held the annual High School Invitational Concert Band festival.  A full day of visiting high school bands in concert run by the band council.  As the weekend continued we held our Collegiate band festival the next two days.  My job is mainly on the High School fest, but I do help organize the second part.

Then we were working on both the Percussion and Color Guard scholarship auditions.  Held on the second and third Saturday of the month.  Fantastic turn out, great talent for the coming year.  It just is going to be an exciting year I think. 

Spring Break also began the 3rd weekend.  I like the time when the students are away from school and I have some alone time.  I did take off a couple of the days during the week and it was really nice.  Didn't go where as is the case when I take time off, but it was cool and I enjoyed my time off.  As Easter approached I went and did a little shopping for our visit with Princess and Jane in Stockton.  Ed, Jane's son along with John and me made for a wonderful Easter Dinner celebration.

End of the month
April has a special meaning me to me.  It was my grand mothers birthday, April 22, 2011.  Happy 121st birthday Angelina Orlandi.  I discovered this while working on my genealogy.  After remembering my Nana the month continued. 

Bryan has entered the Warrant Officer candidate training school the end of April.  This is a 5-week course with him graduating June 1 or 2nd.  I am just so proud of him and all of his accomplishments.  He has wanted to become a band director as long as he has been involved with music.  His dream, his desire, his goals are all coming true.  I did have a hand in his many successes but for the past 7 years I think it is all him.  He is focused and will achieve.  I don't know how long I will live to see all the things he will do, but I am happy to be here now to attend this important graduation in his life.   Then off to music school for officers and his own band by September.  I am amazed and completely in awe of him and couldn't be prouder. 

May is here and I'll be back to share the CA2W motorcycle rally on May 21 and wrap up the semester. 

What's Up

Well time just get's away sometimes.  Been busy with work, a mini vacation to Vegas and a brief layoff due to injury.  So where do I begin?

The month of February was filled with music.  We had auditions for all those incoming students.  Good turnout with a little twist.  The Department Chair wanted to add all musicians interested in Fresno State, not just the band type people.  So we had vocalist, string and piano players plus our usual group also auditioned for the department if they were planning to be a music major.  It went fairly well and we'll just improve on what we did this year for next year.

John and I took a great trip to Las Vegas in mid March.  We were planning on meeting up with his cousin John and his wife Fran from New York.  It was great we spent time with them, John and John got a chance to really catch up.  John and his cousin were very familiar when they were growing up as John's mom was from New York and McCaffery was her family name, so the Mullers and the McCaffery's and McGuire's were all pretty close.

The second part of this vacation was to meet up with my son, Bryan.  He had gone to Vegas early so he could play with our band at the WAC Tournament.  It was great, we won the Woman's division and he was there for then entire experience.  He said he had a great time and all my band students really enjoyed getting a chance to talk with this amazing young man.  Bryan shared his experience as a Fresno State graduate, his life now as a soon to be Warrant Officer in the US Army.  But it was great having so much time with him was nice for me.  We talked, we ate and we gambled together.  I'm looking forward to going to his graduation in early June to see him become a Warrant Officer.

At work my computer was changed out.  I now have a really up to date Mac.  Well it does take some getting used to.  Anyway I over worked my right arm, so I called to have my work station evaluated and there were all kinds of thing wrong.  My desk was to tall, my monitor should be straight on, not to the side.  Need a better chair, an ergonomic friendly work station is what I needed.  Well, by the end of late week my arm was killing me so I reported it.  Went to the workers comp doctor and now I'm on limited use of my right arm with a follow-up appointment next week.  They took x-rays and blood test.  He did 't seem to think it is work related, but I feel work does aggravate it.

Now back to the my main work, our family genealogy.  It's a lot of work and I haven't even requested the back up documents.  I've been putting in a lot of time into Hannah's family lines.  I've also joined Find A Grave and am beginning to locate where people are buried.  That has become very interesting working with all these Grave hunters.  Check out the site before you judge.  Time to run.

Super Bowl Packers and Steelers 2011

We had a great time with family and friends this past Sunday, Feb. 5, 2011 for our annual Super Bowl Sunday Family Reunion.  Smaller than usual group, but still we had a good time.  Pete, Anita, Gary, Princess and yours truely were there for the orignial siblings.  Marlene Uribe Reis was also there and we count her now as part of the original Uribe's.  She is our first cousin, one of Frank Uribe's 10 kids.  She now comes to our family camping reunion in July.  It's great and it's good to reconnect with more of our family.  Having worked on the family genealogy it is important to me that we get to know more about one another.  Marelene and her Uribe clan are all estranged.  She tells me that none of them talk to each other.  I told her it's to bad that they can't accept each in their differences and move forward as family members.  Sad, very sad, but I just don't have the energy to try and help them work this out.  They have to do it.  Aunt Sally is the last living member of my parents generation and when she is gone I hope they can find some common ground to work from.

As we gathered together I noticed some things about our ever growing older siblings.  Pete was pretty much the same as he usually is.  Friendly, big brother like, in great shape and he was having some good luck and won 2 of the pots.  Gary I heard him say that he no longer has the same strength in his hands than he once did.  "I can't open anything anymore, jars, potato chip bags".  It was funny cause John and I have been talking about that same subject.  My fingers are stiff and don't bend and opening anything is a real struggle.  Princess is doing okay for being the baby.  She was showing me her finger and I just notice a bump on my right hand, 4th finger that wasn't there before.  She actually has gone to see the doctor and they want to do some minor surgery and remove it.  I call it a calcium build up on the joint, but she called it something else.  Anita was the most concern regarding my health because she had been having health scares of her own.  She really want me to call the doctor for my foot, and my diabetes.  She even told Pete so he could scold me.  Then he went on to tell me about a friends that had a cough for 8 or 9 months and come to find out she died.  She was one of those people that says she would go to the doctor and just would take care of it.  Unfortunately, that part of the story I could relate to.  So my sister has some other thing running through her head and fear is certainly a part of that.

It was good to see Cary and his new wife Michelle.  They have been together for a couple of years now, but they got married over this past summer in Reno.  Carrie Ann, Joe and Annabelle Bravo, Natalie, Bryan and Josh and baby Madison Higgins were all there.  Tom made if, but Joan was home with her parents that are quite old with health problems.  Cousin Marlene, Mark and their foster daughter Angelina Reis were all there.  Anita & Jim Gran, Princess without Jane as she had pink eye and not feeling well, Gary & Sylvia Uribe, Pete Uribe, me and Big John McGuire and various other family members from Michelle side and some personal friends of the Boles clan too.

Good time had by all and I hope next year we have some of our missing members there.  Oh yea the final score was Greenbay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25.  Lots of winners this years, but the biggest winners were the Boles family.  Final score pot was won by Marlene and Mark.  Funny thing about that was I saved them some boxes because they were late getting to the house and they WON!  Next year you have to be here on time or I'm selling all boxes by kick off. Just kidding, they totally deserved the win.

Till next time...have a great day.

Laid Up

A little under the weather the last couple of weeks, well I finally got in to see my nurse practitioner.  I have Kaiser and I just never hooked up with a doctor, but she consults when it's really bad or I need a referral.  So I went to see Joan Clark regarding my left foot.  It all started with my left knee really stiff and my foot itched and I scratched it.  Well by the next day after wearing sandals to work I noticed my foot was red and inflamed.  That was at least a week and 1/2 ago.  Then it increased in size and the soreness  increased.  My foot is so swollen that I couldn't even wear shoes.  Come to find out I have Cellutitus, a skin infection. 

Visit with Joan Clark

It was a bit of a strange appointment with her today.  I didn't feel that she was really all that concerned with my health.  Yes, she went through the motions, looked at my foot, but she never asked how I've been feeling overall.  I was due for a Pneumonia shot so I went ahead and arranged to get one.  No cost but I had to go see the assistant so she could add it to my record, then go out and see the front nurse just like when I came in originally, then had to wait to get the shot.  She doesn't do that work.  Just felt it was a very impersonal visit.  I felt rushed like she had other places to go.  Guess my 5 minutes was up.  Move along.  Kaiser is about ordering you a pill not a lab test.  Guess I felt it was more serious than she did, though she did tell me that if it didn't get better to go to Urgent Care or call next week.

I rarely am off because of my health, but I must admit walking is getting more and more challenging.  My knees hurt and don't bend like they used to, and with a sore foot, yikes the last two weeks I've dreaded going to work.  Initially I couldn't even get out of my chair at work, but it has gotten better and today I going to follow directions, take my meds, elevate my foot and get back to just feeling better.  We'll see.

 Tomorrow I have a eye appointment, they want to check my vision for my diabetes.  I'm also getting eye exam so I can order my glasses.  I know my vision has changed and I need a new prescription.  Just don't want my eyes to have deteriorated because of my illness.  It's been a couple of years and I hope it doesn't cost to much.

On another subject

John has reconnected with his family from New York.  They want to meet up with us in Las Vegas and John wants to stay at the Lexor in March.  He really likes it there, I don't like the distance from the elevators to the rooms.  The way the place is built as a pyramid shape all the rooms are on the outside of the pyramid and if your elevator is low your room is a long walk.  It's good to meet up with Johns family but I've noticed I've started withdrawing because it's physically challenging to get around, get to where I'd like to go.  In my heart I'd like to see more, but my body hurts, I walk slow and it's just not that fun for me.  John would just as soon go off on his own, we're not really a couple when it come to travel as I recall from out last visit to Las Vegas. 

When it come to this type of trip, John leaves me alone alot more than what I'm used to when I've been with other people.  For him he doesn't think anything of going off and walking around by himself.  He enjoys it and I just feel that I hold him back so when he tells me to go gamble or stay at the room I feel a little hurt.  I guess I would like him to stay with me most of the time, be it the room or down on the casino floor.  It's not that I want to gamble, I guess I would like a little more romance  I can't fully express what I'd like from our relationship, I just know I don't feel that included.  Maybe someday I'll figure out what I want and I won't have to try and explain myself to John so he understands me.  Sad isn't it.

Next time I'd like to cover more on my life at school, my friends and boys.  

Understanding father

To me growing up was for the most part a wonderful experience.  Looking back I was given so much more than my older brothers and sisters.  THEY had a tough life with dad.  By the time Gary, me and Princess arrived life was easier, he realized some of his mistakes and I truly believe he was trying to make amends.  But still there was a time that I wish my father had been a more affectionate person, demonstrating his love by hugging us kids, holding our hands and not being so critical of our dreams.  He was a dream killer and good or bad I think some of the things I did were because I just didn't have the emotional support I needed.  I emphasize I in that last statement, as it wasn't the same for my older brother Gary, but I think it was for our younger sister Princess.


Life with father

When I was a kid I know I went to job sites when he was in construction.  It was great being able to play in a pool he was building, or on the piles of wood that would be there.  Gary and I played games and we had fun.  I don't have a lot of these memories, but I remember seeing pictures and I was there.  When I was in school dad would be home around the same time we got there so we didn't have a lot of babysitters.  Living at the Permane St house in Oakland right across from a Chicken plant.  Don't remember if it was a hatchery or what, but it was across from where we lived.  During this time my brother Pete and Alex lived with us and Pete was driving so I must have been around 7 or 8 and he was 18 or 19.  One incident happened that I remember was my brother had just brought home his shinning red car, newly painted and I went and touched it and left my fingerprints.  I thought my brother was going to kill me.  Traumatic experience for a little girl.  My brothers always made me cry, but Alex was the worst.

Alex I loved so much.  He would comb my hair, give me style, talk to me and I would do anything for him.  He was also cruel and enjoyed making fun of me, making me do things that he knew wouldn't work and just a real pain the ass.  Still I would try to please him.  It was during the time of Elvis Presley as he would slick back his hair and was a good looking young guy.  Alex and Pete were 2 years different in age so he must have been 15 or 16, before he went into the Army at age 17.

My memories of that house were some fun times.  My dad had this ability to go down to the Goodwill or Salvation Army stores and bring us home stuff to play with.  We didn't know it was used, it didn't matter we had a new set of skates or the big thing 3 wheel bikes.  We had a route that took us from the kitchen into a bedroom though a bathroom into another bedroom into the living room then back into the kitchen.  We would race our bikes and skate round and round through the house.  Crazy when I think about it now.  It had hardwood floors, a cool porch in the front and back and all my dad's construction stuff.  It also had an upstairs attic that Gary and I would play.  Loved that house.  Loved that time.

Baby Sister Cracks Her Head

Another thing that happened in that house was where my sister cracked open her head.  She was a little girl then 3, 4 and 5 years old.  Well my mom had these coffee tables with really sharp edges and my sister was playing and rang smack into the table corner.  I didn't see it happen but I sure did hear all the hustle and bustle to get her to the hospital.  At that time my feeling for my sister were "Great maybe she'll die and I'll be the baby again."  She was not my favorite sibling and I'm sorry now for being so cruel.

Dad during my teen years was different again.  Maybe he was the same, I was changing and seeing things at a different prospective.  I didn't personally get many beatings, but lots of threats.  But my older brothers and in later years I heard from my sisters that my father was violent and did physical beatings to get his point across.  I remember hearing my brothers cry out from getting the belt or 2X4.  It only happened to me once that I really remember and it was after my parents figured out who was stealing money and they beat me.  But it must have had an impact on me as I remember that I didn't want to make my dad mad and being so afraid of him.  I never could ever talk to my dad and I am sorry for that.  We never talked about he did in the Navy, or give information about where he came from or where his family came from.  Things I'm sorry I don't know.

Parents give advise and directions, my dad from my prospective gave no advise just criticism.  I remember telling him I thought being a Police Office might be something I would want to do when I  grew up.  I remember him telling me "you'd be a lousy policeman cause they would give you a hard luck story and you would let they go".  I mentioned being a Nurse and again he would tell me that "with all that blood I would faint and not make it".  He never gave me direction as what would be good for me.  Needless to say, I never found my calling.  I don't think he really knew me that well, I feel missed out and sorry I was so weak to hide behind my fear instead of challenging him.  The day I graduated high school I thought it would all change.  It didn't.  I wanted to live on my own and his response was "girls don't move out and if I did he would disown me".  What a terrible thing say?  What was he afraid of?  I never moved out till I found someone to marry cause that was the only way I would be able to move away from my dad.  Sorry Bob, he was my first failed marriage.

Next time I'll talk about school, social time and how I got away with so much.  Till then

New Year Underway

New Year 2011

Well it doesn't feel that much different than 2010 so far, but I will be optimistic and hope for the best.  I'm back to work after the break.  I enjoyed the time off but it would have been nice to go away for a while.  Ending the year with the Boise trip was cool, but as far as John and I getting away it just didn't happen.  Maybe we will in 2011.

Recalling my early years

I've been thinking about my childhood and recapturing some of my memories.  I mentioned that I would begin to cover my youthful years age 5-10.  I have great memories of time with my family.  At the time my dad was a contractor and sometimes people couldn't pay for the work that was done, so he would bring home stuff.  Well we were living at the Plymouth Street house in Oakland when my dad brought home our first boat.  It was the boat, on a trailer, with a 35 horse Evenrude engine.  To us kids it was WOW we have a boat.  At that time they were made out of wood and they had to be painted.  I remember later on my dad and brothers would fiberglass the bottom, but I don't remember that for our first boat.  I was only about 5 or 6 then and we owned a boat.

So my dad was a great dad and then began our many years of boating, water skiing, camping and the great outdoors.  Everyday one or two summers we went to the estuary, a body of water near the old Oakland Airport that connected to Downtown Oakland and then to the Bay.  It was great!  I must have been 6 and my dad would load us up, my brother Gary and my baby sister Princess and away we would go.  I didn't know we were poor but now that I look back we had no baby sitters, just older siblings, to dock our boat from the side of road into the water, not at the loading dock, we brought all our own food and never purchased anything but gas for the tank.

Swimming and Skiing

Now these early days of boating my parents had to learn about boating and skiing.  This big ole boat brought our family together big time.  Before that time we would go to the Santa Cruz mountains to a cabin in Ben Loman and my brothers learned to swim there.  I was to little so I hadn't learned yet.  But my dad was learning about skiing and found some skis at the Good Will or Salvation Army cause that's where everything we got came from.  I remember so clearly him telling me that I couldn't learn to water ski until I could swim.  I learned in the dirty old estuary and loved every minute of it.  During that first summer when we went everyday we met some nice people the Ray Alvarez family and they helped us.  They helped us learn some trick skiing and Ray had a son little Ray and other kids that I played with but can't remember their names. My brother Gary got really good on one ski and started to learn trick skiing, you know front to back, back to front, jumping wake to wake.  My claim to fame was that I was the youngest kid on skis.  People were amazed that this little girl was out there skiing.  Back in the 1950's boating was not as big as it is today.  Not that many people were into it.

Naming the Boat

At this time my little sister Princess was only a toddler, maybe 2 or 3.  She went with us everywhere.  We would ride in the boat and pull a skier, mostly my brother or me and she would ride in the boat up under the bow.  That boat would pound and she would just sleep.  She could sleep anywhere I think.  She was so cute and the people we would ski with and played with would watch her for my dad.  Where was my mom? Oh she was working in Downtown Oakland and would walk from Hales Department store to Jack London square and we would pick her up in the boat, nearly everyday.  So when it came time to name the boat that first boat was Princess.  I was so jealous and I never have figured out why because they named the next boat Princess II.  I don't remember how many boats we've had, but my dad always had a boat for us.  The first was a Big Blue wood boat, then later on we got the NV, it had NV on the side and it was more sleek.  In my later years my brother Gary and Dad went together and we got a Red with white trim, inboard/outboard motor, Sanger brand ski boat.  My brother had that boat into the 1980's at least.  I'll have to ask him if it was named Princess III or IV.

During these years we were a skiing family.  My dad skied, my older brothers. Pete and Alex learned, even my older sisters Barbara and Anita learned and we had many many family vacations at Lake Shasta, weekend trips to Lake Berryessa in Napa county and continued to ski the estuary. 

One Trip to Shasta

Just to recall a couple a memories from vacations and trips we took.  I guess I must have been about 13 or 14 when all summer long I would teach swimming lessons at Fremont pool.  In the morning I would be on the swim team, teach the public lessons then when the pool opened to the public I had a 1/2 dz private students.  I was enterprising even back then.  I had my first aid training and I was as fit as can be.  Anyway, this one summer I was in the chlorine water so much that I got an ear infection.  My ear hurt so bad that my parent had to take me to a doctor.  Well we were on vacation at Lake Shasta and remember going and they gave me a penicillin shot, pills to take, stuffing my ear with cotton and ear drops.  The worst part was that I could not get my head wet, NO swimming, NO skiing, nothing to do with water.  Yikes that was the worst vacation I had ever had. 

Making money brings another memory to mind.  I did the summer private lessons for several years and earned a pretty good piece of change.  I had everything I needed and I have never been much of a shopper so one summer my folks had purchased a camper to go on the back of our International truck.  We thought we were so cool.  Prior to that we did tent camping at Lake Berryessa, cooking on the Coleman and all that hard core camping stuff.  Well we had a Camper now and my dad wanted to be sure he could get it off his truck, so I remember him coming to me with all my big bucks asking me to help pay for jacks to get it off the truck.  Remember this is the 1960's and the cost was I believe over $200 and that was a lot of money.  I didn't have any use for my money, I just new I wanted to make money so gladly I gave it to him.  I feel good about it today that I contributed to our family.

By the 1960's

We were old hands at water skiing and summer sports, but one day I remember so well my father bringing home some old, and I mean old snow skis, boots and poles.  He announced that we were going to go snow skiing.  But we needed to learn how to get up cause we were going to fall down.  Here was me an early teen, my brother about 16-17 and my little sister about 7 all strapping on these skis in my parents living room at the Fremont Way house.  My mom never did ski, but my dad and all us younger kids did.  Once in a while my older sisters and brothers would come, but they were starting their own lives and it was mostly us younger kids.  We learned to snow ski, didn't do much with tobogoning, but skied at least 2 weekends or more per month.  It was great and Princess got really good, I got pretty good and Gary did okay.  He had the technique, but I think for Princess and I we really wanted to be good at it because Gary was so good at water skiing.  Our time to out do him.

We had some great times.  When I look back on it my dad was the driving force to all the things I learned and did growing up.  We we're in trouble, he gave us what I guess he felt he missed out on when he was young.  I am so thankful for my first 20 years as part of this family unit.  He let us have our friend over, created a rock band rehearsal site and none of us played.  He was into electronics, recording equipment, the first to have a Video camera, VCR, 8-track player and just a cutting edge kind of guy.  I've always said if he had just invested in the stock for these companies we would be rich, cause he always new what was the best next big thing.  Great memories of my dad, my father and the person I feared the most.  More on that next time.

Have a great day!

New Year New Start

Okay, we made it to 2011 with a few bumps and grinds along the way.  John and I had a discussion about my last post and I guess I am being a little unfair to him and his feelings.  I'll back it up some and just to make it clear the reason why John is not seeing my family is because my brother Gary was rude to him by telling him that the "reason he does nice things for people is so they will like him."  Not true, John really does do things for people but not because he is trying to make them like him, it's because he just sees something he thinks they might like or give help to make their life easier and it's just because it's him.  He has a big heart and it's just misinterpreted.  He is not the bad guy here and I need to back off. 

So now it's the first day of 2011 and what do I want for this year.  First and foremost is to get back on my 6 week meal plan.  It works for me, I just need to put the right foods in the house and eat only them.  Stay away from the processed foods, fast food and sweets.  John is my biggest distraction to my success, but I know it works and I just need to get back to listening to my tapes, fixing my own foods and do the meal planning needed for success.  I'd like John to prepare his own meals or plan to eat what I am eating.  I hate cooking and making two meals I just don't think is what I want to do.  I don't want to justify my reason for this, I just want to be successful and I will be if I only have to worry about me.

The next thing I want from this year is to attend my son, Bryan, graduation from Warrant Office school.  I am so proud of him and his many accomplishments that this is something he really wants and needs to do to step up in his career.  Next will be Hannah's graduation for Nursing when we come to that, but I don't think that is happening this year, maybe in 2012.  If they do end up in Texas, I do want to visit them there.  We can take some time, stop in New Mexico then on to Texas.  Part of the long range plans.

So with my weight in a little better control and with some work on my relationship with my husband, 2011 should have a better ending than for 2010.  Next time I will continue with more of my family history.  I've been thinking about parts of my life that I want to put down, including my early relationship with Ernie, the family dynamic of coming from a big family and adjusting to being in a small family.  Till next time... 

Christmas in Antioch

I had a great time visiting with my brother Gary and his family for Christmas.  Big John is still butt hurt and is mad at my family from last 4th of July.  So he stayed home and I let him be.  How do I feel about the situation?  Well, I am hurt and somewhat angry.  Sometimes I think we should be supportive of what our partners are doing and spend time with them even if it's not something you would do.  Minor sacrifice in my opinion.  John and I spent Thanksgiving home alone, no family, no friends, just him and me.  I was raised with big family events, tons of kids, lots of food, and just a really fun time.  I wasn't going to spend my Christmas home alone and now I refuse to spend any holiday home just the two of us again.

Gary and Sylvia had Sylvia's sister Barbara and her husband Ron there along with their son Ronnie and his wife Stacey.  My two nieces Carrie Ann and Natalie with their husbands Joe and Bryan were also there.  Add the kids and it was such a wonderful gathering.  I've added a few picture to enjoy.  I really miss the family part of my life.  I never realized how much it is a part of me.  Even when married to Ernie we would visit his family and my family and it was just automatic.  John would just assume go by himself as to invite or think that I would go.  It's so different.  I think it is effecting how I feel about my relationship with him.  I can't get past the yours is yours and mine is mine mentality of our relationship.  We are two individual living in the same place with not that much in common or any desire to grow toward each other.  He tolerates me and I've just become a bitch toward him.  Lousy way to live, but I think we both feel to old to change, to invested and no where else to live. 

I keep getting side tracked.  My family was a wonderful place for me to be.  I talked with my brother and sister-in-law, enjoyed Ron & Barbara as we are all old friends from being in the same family for 40 years.  I would like to see my son Bryan and daughter in law Hannah have children but doesn't look like that if going to happen, so the closest thing I have are my niece's children.  Carrie's daughter Isabella and Natalie's two Joshua and Madison.  Great to spend so much time with just the kids.  Isabella is the oldest at 6 1/2 with Josh almost 3 and Madison at 7 months.  Lots of energy and a time to watch them change and grow.  Ron and Barb's son Ronnie had his two there also, Page 7 1/2 and Parker about 3-4.  I really enjoyed watching all the kids and their parents.  I was so surprised how relaxed their parent were.  They just let the kids have a good time, they were watched, not controlled.  Loved it!  I have a great family, thank you Gary and Sylvia for your invitation.

I spent the time with Gary and Sylvia and Barbara and Ron at Sylvia's house.  Christmas was at Carrie's home, nice end to a great day.  Leave the kids with their parents and spend so social time with the older adults.  Left the next morning around 8am to head back to Fresno.  John was home having a quiet time.  I think he would have enjoyed his time, but you can't make up lost time.  Next time we all get together is SuperBowl Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011.  John says he's staying home for that too.  I'm not, I'm going to see my family and enjoy this little piece of my life.  Enough for now.  Now I need to figure out how to post a few picture of Christmas.

Vacation Holiday

I've taken a couple of extra days off this year during the holidays.  I just have so much time on the books that I need to take some and I just felt like it.  The weather is rainy and it's kind of nice just being home alone.  No John and all the spelling questions.  Me and my cats.  So I'm enjoying it.  I decided to get down and begin my life story for my son.  If he reads it that's great, if he doesn't and never finds it, well it will have made me feel good writing my story before I can't remember it.  So where do I begin?

I was born Sindi Angela Uribe in Oakland California in the Oakland Hospital on October 7, 1951.  I already have 4 older brothers and sisters from my fathers first marriage.  They are Bernard Uribe Jr, Barbara, Alexander and Anita.  At this writing my brother Alex had committed suicide in Sept. 2007 and has been gone, but more on other the family members later.  I also have an older brother Gary and a younger sister Princess.  I would say my childhood was normal but I don't think my family had much and we were poor, but I was happy and didn't know the difference.  I got hand me downs, I had a loving family, my dad was very generous to us second generation kids and I just didn't know any different.  My mother has always worked as a hair dresser and I remember that I wanted her to stay home like other kids mom, but she worked.  My dad was self employed doing cement work with his father and later my brothers, but the boys didn't like the work and quit. 

During the early years age 0-5 I would say I have few recollections accept that I spent a lot of time with my mother parents, my Nana and Nano.  I remember more about that time with them than with my own house.  I loved them, played in the back yard where they had their own vegetables, played in the front on this thing I thought was a slide, but my grandmother would always want me to stop.  My mom would tell me she was very protective of us kids.  They lived in a part of Oakland that many Italians settled when coming from Italy.  Both my grandparent came to America, I believe they met here and married.  They came from different villages and probably because of work and the possibility of a new life they came to America.  Anyway my Aunt Inez was born in 1916 and my mother in 1919.   I have done a lot of work on Ancestry.com to trace my family.  Go there and find more information about this side of my family if interested.

I remember going with my Nana and Nano to shop.  Stopping to talk with other Italians.  I unfortunately didn't understand what they were saying, but we managed to communicate.  I was very close with them and their love for me was an important part of my life and who I am.  My Nana was a good cook, the house had a basement where she made her own pasta, ravioli and canning.  I remember spending time with her there in the basement.  My Nano would work in the back yard, but my mom told me he worked in the fish market in downtown Oakland.  I don't remember seeing him there, but maybe he was retired by then.  Playing, eating, counting my money in my piggy bank and always spending Xmas Eve with them are my greatest memories.  They died in 1961 & 62 and I was only 10 and that was a big loss for me.  I went to their funerals not totally understanding death.  But I guess that's when I learned.

When I began school I attended E. Morris Cox elementary school in Oakland, California.  I lived not far from the San Leandro border near E. 14th St, now call International Blvd.  Cox was located on 98th Ave and San Leandro Blvd.  Great school and I can remember seeing my brother Gary 4 years ahead at school.  We had a diverse student body and I've always appreciated the differences between people and nationalities.  I had a couple of black girlfriends that lived around to corner.  They ate corn bread and we didn't.  Good experience.  I also learn about differences through my father.  I remember having a Chinese boyfriend in 3rd grade and my father was very upset.  He perhaps did not explain it well but the point he was making was that he is Asian and should stay with his own kind.  He continued to explain black with black, white with with, Asian with Asian. That was one of those milestone memories you have during the course of your life that shape you.  How do I feel about it now?  I married a Filipino but never had my parents meet his parents so I was afraid of what my father felt. 

I felt growing up to be pretty independent.  Always doing my own thing, but somewhere in my life the fear I had of my father was enough to keep me in line.  I'm sorry for that today, I wish he could have been more loving and able to discuss his feeling with me.  I would have liked to have known more about my dad, what he had done, where he had been, what he did in the Navy.  I must have been shut down early about asking questions cause even today I don't ask many questions.  For one I don't want to appear stupid and two I'm afraid of being made fun of.  Low self esteem from someone that wasn't afraid to step out and be the leader.  Today, I'm just in the background and prefer to be that way.  Til next time when we begin to look at sexual assult and how if effected me later in life.

Final Trip

This will be my last Bowl trip with the band.  Physically it's just very hard on my body.  My body is so stiff, my knees don't bend, my hands and fingers don't work as they once did.  I'm afraid my feet will swell up and add to my walking problems.  I'm nervous about this trip, but I have committed and I'm going. 

Tim has a really busy schedule and I'm going to pick and choose the things I can do.  The big day if Friday.  We have rehearsal at 8am, then off the Bogus Basin for hours of snow till 3pm.  Then upon return the pep band will play then the rest of the band is going to a hockey game to play the National Anthem and again during the break.  They are walking to the Arena and this is a challenge.  I think I will pass on the Hockey and go to the snow.  I can always walk to the Lodge and just hang out there.  Saturday is game day with early rehearsal, lunch at the bus, game then dinner at the bus again.  I'm suppose to fly back with Jennifer, Tim wife on the charter.  Tough to be in two places, feeding the band and finding my flight buddies.  I'll just play it by ear. 

I hope this trip goes well, I did go last year, but I had my own vehicle.  This year I'm on the bus.  It's all good, they will just have to be patient with me and I'll just have to push myself a little more than usual.  Go Dogs!

The bus leave at 11pm tonight and will get into Boise on Thursday after a few stops for lunch and rehearsal should pull into the hotel around 5 pm.  We return following the Northern Illinois game around 8pm Saturday.  I hope it doesn't rain or snow, or it could be a cold trip.  More on this trip when I return.  Til then...

It's Only Wednesday and I can't sleep

I'm up early again and can't go back to sleep.  Thinking about the band, the bowl trip, the Bulldog Beat tour and what needs to get done.  Let's start with the Bowl Game.  Yea we are going to Boise ID for our 2010 Bowl game.  We are taking 5 buses with 190 band students and another 15 cheer plus staff.  Fun times except Tim has we flying in early and that just doesn't feel right to me.  I don't want to leave early, I have work to do and what am I going to do in Boise that I can't do here.  Just sit around the lobby with a bunch of people I don't know.  Only the cheer and band are staying at our hotel.  Yes I can get the keys ready, but I can arrange that by phone and it will be fine.  I think I'll just have to tell Tim I can't leave early, need to prepare the per diems, last minute trip details etc.

Next we have the Beat tours in early January.  I need to get my paperwork done now because the campus will be closed and people will be gone.  I knew Brandon would hold me up with his late information.  Now I have to make the time to get it done.  Thankfully, Ryan did get his information to me and that tour is set.

So let's get through today.  I'm going to go in late as today is going to be a late night for me and the band.  We have rehearsal as usual, then at 4:30 we are doing a dedication of the Tree and Bench in remembrance of Nathan Ray.  I don't think I can make this.  I need to be at the building so we are ready to do bus sign ups and hotel sign ups.  They are also turning in uniforms, completing the voting ballots and to top it off we have our Council Pot Luck following all the activity.  I'm thinking I'll order some pasta & bread sticks from Pizza Hut so we have something warm delivered.  I just don't know when the students will have time.  Lots of pizza I'm sure.  Got to get my gift wrapped also.  Whew, lots to be done and he wants me to leave early for the bowl trip, I just don't think so.

That's it for now.  I hopeful that all will go well, just need to make all the calls, print all the labels and be prepared.  Till next time...

As it turned out the pot luck was great, we had plenty of food and a good time.  The entire week was busy and with all the things going on, parties, banquet, bell ringing it was a great week.  

Busy December Ahead

It's only the 5th and already we are wrapping up the year with our final football game of the season and plans to go to a bowl game.  I've been staying busy with work and it's good for me.  I'm undecided about putting up decorations.  John doesn't seem to be in the spirit and now this first weekend is behind us so I don't know when we can get the lights up and the tree out.  John has gone to drop off his Christmas present to Sean and his family.  They will be gone over Christmas to Hawaii, so we may not see them.  Bryan will be in Alabama and John's other two children live in New Mexico, so we won't see them either.  I'm trying not to think about it and just keep work my focus.


 I did get Bryan and Hannah's gifts off to them and John has all the cards for the other kids and grand kids.  He's all about giving money, so not much planning there.  So what is planned for this month.  Monday evening we will go the President Welty's house for the band performance.  Happens every year, but this year John has purchased a new Tux that he wants to wear.  So I think I'll wear a dress so we look good.  Wednesday is a huge day with band, bowl sign ups, recordings and the council potluck.  Still not sure what I'm bringing, maybe just some chicken.  I probably won't even get home till 9pm.  Long day, but lots happening and that makes it fun.  Friday is our Staff dinner.  I'm planning on going this year.  John is being initiated by KKY as an Honorary so he will miss the dinner.  I'm very proud of him and he is planning to wear his Tux to this event as well.  Looking good I'm sure.  I'll have to have someone take picture.  Then to wrap up the week we have Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army on Saturday morning and our motorcycle group Christmas Dinner in downtown Fresno.  Full week, then the next week I'm off to a Bowl game, somewhere. 

When Christmas does roll around maybe John and I will just go somewhere, spend the night in a hotel and just get out of town for a day or two.  No plans yet for New Years.  I would love to do something with someone.  Even if it's a church service.  I'm feeling closed in and withdrawing from my family.  I have to make more of an effort I think.  Well that's enough for now.  Today I'm having an okay day, doing laundry and enjoying my time at home alone.  Till next time.  Chow

Holiday Time

I have not given up on my new weight loss plan, just on hold.  Since losing my 13 lbs, I have been holding steady and plan to get back on it soon.  Right now it's Thanksgiving time and I'm just trying to get through the holidays.  John and I had our Thanksgiving at home, just him and me.  I came from a big family and I really miss all the people, the children, the family feel of the holidays. 

I only have my one son and he is living in Alabama with his wife and my ex-husband.  I am so jealous that I am not there with my only son.  Oh well, he is happy and I try to be happy for him when we talk.  I'll talk about his successes at another time.  Right now the holidays are just hard for me and I don't think John has any idea.  He comes from a small family so holidays are always small affairs.  Me, there were always lots of family and few friends.  Everyone helping in the kitchen and talking with my mom and sister- in-laws.  These have great memories for me, and now it's just empty.  I cook the full Thanksgiving meals by myself, clean it all up and John is such an only child that his mom did everything and he doesn't pitch in.

Anyway, how do I get through this time?  Maybe I'll just go away for a few days by myself.  Right now work will keep me busy till the Christmas break, then what.  John and I home alone, by ourselves.  Doesn't sound like much of a vacation.  Just make the best of it.  It could be worse, I could be alone. Till next time.

New Beginning

In September 2010 my husband and I went to Las Vegas for a short vacation.  While John was out checking out the place I stayed in the hotel room and discovered a 6 Week Body Make Over.  I was very interested in what they were saying.  I've been trying to lose weight for the past several month and have lost 20 lbs in 4 months.  My husband had lost 35 and does it with ease.  Slow, but steady, but I've been getting discouraged.  I reached a mark that I had hit before about 5 years ago, but never any lower.  Anyway, this program just sounded like something that just might work for me.  When I got back home I went on line and found the website.  Great, I ordered and also ordered the other program to help me with the mental part of weight loss.  This is my last shot.  So the adventure began on Oct.3, 2010.  Now 18 days into the program and I've lost 13 lbs.  I'm thrilled and just starting to believe that this is it.  Go Sassy, you can do it!